Recently in View from Mt. Olympus Category

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff
Satisfying the need to vent while waiting for someone to explain the unexplainable:

-I bet that late Sunday night, the words "what the hell just happened" were texted more often than an American Idol contestant number in May.

The messages started flying back and forth on my cell phone the second Kevin Faulk was ruled down short of the first down marker and continued well beyond 1am, leading to a sleepless night and long day at work Monday.

I'm still waiting for one person to give a satisfactory reason why the decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 28-yard line was a wise one. Oh, there've been a few Bill Belichick sycophants who've used convoluted statistics and percentages to justify the call, but anyone with a set of eyes and a shred common sense knows better. The risk simply wasn't worth it, as the final score would indicate.

The most telling thing: even the most loyal Belichick guys like Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi and Steve DeOssie very publicly blasted their former coach.

-The controversial ending overshadowed Tom Brady's phenomenal performance.

Tom Terrific looked the part Sunday night, finally answering the question "will the real Tom Brady ever come back?" Now if we could only figure out when those pesky aliens from another planet will return the real Bill Belichick.

I know he's a genius and all, but Belichick has made some truly baffling decisions at the worst possible times in the last two true big games he's coached. Besides Sunday night's brain freeze, the hooded one still hasn't provided a satisfactory answer as to why he went for it on 4th-and-16 instead of attempting a 48-yard field goal in the Giants Super Bowl.

-You want to know what I really think? I think the pendulum has swung completely to the other side.

It used to be Belichick and the Patriots were in Peyton Manning's head, forcing the Colts all-world QB into uncharacteristic bad decisions. Now it's the other way around, with the threat of Manning driving a team 70-yards to paydirt causing one of the greatest football minds of all-time to do something not even a coaching simpleton like Barry Switzer ever attempted.

-So where does this rank on the list of horrific Boston coaching decisions? I'd say somewhere near the top, right alongside:

1) Grady Little leaving Pedro in past 100-pitches in the 2003 ALCS
2) John McNamara not removing Buckner for defensive purposes in the '86 World Series
3) Don Zimmer starting petrified rookie Bobby Sprowl over Yankee killer Bill Lee in the fourth game of the infamous 1978 Boston Massacre
4) Darrell Johnson opting to use untested rookie Jim Burton in Game 7 of the '75 series against the Hall of Fame loaded roster of the Big Red Machine (Notice all the Red Sox related boneheaded moves on my list?)

I'd have to say Belichick's blunder might be worse, because he's better than that. The other four coaches were only living down to their expectations.

That's the view from here...how do you see things? What's your nominee for worst coaching decision in Boston history?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Thoughts to tide you over till the next installment in the NFL's version of Red Sox-Yankees:

-In this age of pro football parity, it's truly remarkable how many times the road to the Super Bowl has gone through New England and Indianapolis. In fact, you might as well add Pittsburgh and San Diego to the mix, because those four teams have dominated the AFC playoffs for the better part of a decade.

The two most dominant stars in this drama continue to be Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, the yin and yang of the NFL, if you will. While Ben Roethlisberger has interjected himself and his Steelers into the "quarterback/team of the decade" discussion, the sheer number of important games between the Patriots QB and his Colts counterpart has taken this rivalry a step above all others.

It seems every time Brady and Manning square off, the game either decides a Super Bowl berth or home field playoff advantage. This Sunday might be no exception.

-Is anyone else out there as sick and tired as I am of NFL receivers whining for pass interference calls after almost every incompletion? It's a wonder these guys don't suffer whiplash with the way they snap their neck around in the direction of the nearest ref as soon as the ball hits the turf, followed up by the flag tossing gesture with their hands.

Seriously guys...SHUT UP and let the officials do the officiating.

-There'll be a lot of talk this hot stove season about the Red Sox trading for either Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez or Mariners ace pitcher Felix Hernandez.

Don't get your hopes up. As former Sox GM Dan Duquette pointed out the other day, why would San Diego and Seattle trade already established stars who they still control financially for the foreseeable future?

-By the way, Duquette's son Dana is the starting QB for Acton-Boxboro's football squad. The senior has tossed 9-TD passes in 2009 in a Bill Maver offense that's generally very conservative.

Maver, by the way, will take his second crack at career victory #200 this Friday night when the Colonials host Newton South.

-Did you catch the video of New Mexico girls soccer player Elizabeth Lambert, video that made all the national morning news shows, never mind SportsCenter?

In a performance that would have made the Fabulous Moolah proud, Lambert tripped, kicked, elbowed and punched opposing players from Brigham Young University. She also violently yanked one poor girl to the ground by her pony tail.

A female hasn't left behind such a trail of destruction against a sports team since Toni Braxton went through the Jason Kidd-Jim Jackson-Jamal Mashburn Dallas Mavericks!

-Finally, a big shout out to Ms. Skrekas' 5th graders at the Stoklosa Middle School in Lowell for welcoming yours truly into the classroom last week. Good luck kids. And keep up the good work!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

In keeping with the spirit of Election Day, here are a few endorsements from the sports world (unlike Choice Voting, these aren't ranked in any particular order of preference or common sense):

1) The Boston Celtics could win this season in a landslide. They are good...scary good. Assuming relatively good health, the '95-'96 Chicago Bulls record of 72-wins in a season is in serious jeopardy.

2) Forget the traditional chant of "four more years." C's fans got an election eve bonus with Danny Ainge and Rajon Rondo voting to let the incredibly gifted point guard serve another five year term in Green.

Rather than sulk and pout over offseason criticism at his leadership skills and maturity, Rondo listened, learned and apparently did what was necessary to convince his bosses he was a keeper. While that might sound like a common sense way to act, it isn't always how things work out with spoiled young athletes these days.

3) Don't worry so much about the Bruins record this year. Early exit polling indicates they aren't going to win the Stanley Cup in 2009-10. They simply aren't built to do so yet, injuries or no injuries.

Pay closer attention instead to the won-lost ledger for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who currently posses the NHL's worst record. Through the very shrewd Phil Kessel deal, the Black and Gold own the Leafs first pick in the next two drafts. The player or players to lead Boston back to the Promised Land could very well come from those two selections.

4) Even a critic like yours truly has to admit the honeymoon period of Brett Favre's term in Minnesota has gone better than expected. The last washed up athlete to be this adored in the Twin Cities was Jesse "The Governor" Ventura. Unfortunately for Vikings fans, that'll make the inevitable game-losing playoff interception that much harder to stomach.

5) As for another frequent target in this space, there's no backhanded compliment forthcoming for C.C. Sabbathia...just a legitimate admission that I was wrong. The hefty lefty not only does have the stuff to win in the playoffs, but he's done it on three days rest twice this playoff season. Not many starters are asked to that even once, never mind back to back times.

Sounds silly to say it, but New York's $161-million investment over seven years has already been worth every penny.

6) The MVC Large School runoff will be decided on a Friday the 13th...November 13th, to be exact, when Billerica travels to Lawrence to battle Central Catholic. The projection here: home field advantage gives head coach Chuck Adamopoulos and Central the edge. (Had the game been scheduled for "the 'Ric," Peter Flynn's Indians would be the choice)

7) The Small School votes won't be tallied till Turkey Day, when Dracut hosts Methuen in what would have been an intense matchup even without a playoff berth on the line. You have to hand it to Methuen head coach (and former Lowell High assistant) Pat Graham, who has his Rangers in serious contention despite returning only six starters. That said, Dracut's experience, plus the revenge factor from last Thanksgiving, will catapult the Jeff Moore's Middies back into the post-season.

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Blowing out a few weekend observations while wondering who perpetrated the biggest fraud on America...the Tennessee Titans or Balloon Boy's family:

-The temptation is to say Tom Brady is back.

The five touchdown passes in a quarter are impressive, no matter what level of competition one is facing, even if those 5-TD's came against a college team. Of course, a college team at least would have put up more of a fight than the throwback uniform wearing Titans, who disgraced themselves by quitting somewhere around the time snow started falling on Foxboro, which was about 4-hours before kickoff.

That said, it was good to see Brady find a rhythm and build confidence. He gets another easy one on paper as the Patriots travel to London to take on a second consecutive winless foe in Tampa Bay. That should take New England into the bye week with a 5-2 record and end the "work out the rust" period of Brady's comeback. After that, we'll find out once and for all if the Pats QB is back for good, or if his days as a sure thing are behind him.

-This probably isn't a popular thing to say around these parts, but on a professional level, I'm kind of happy for Alex Rodriguez. (Would be even happier if he wore different laundry than pinstripes)

It's annoying to hear fans talk in absolutes about athletes and their failures, as if you can define an entire career based on a limited number of playoff performances. A great example was Barry Bonds, who was branded as a choke artist based on a few bad Octobers with the Pirates. A torrid playoff run with the Giants ended that silly thought. Same with Peyton Manning, who until finally leading the Colts to a Super Bowl victory, had to live with the "he'll never win one" label.

It appears A-Rod has put an end to his personal playoff hell and is about to load the Evil Empire on his back and carry it to another title. It's almost comical watching the same Yankee fraud fans who tried booing him out of town just a year ago now tripping over themselves to get a front row seat for his curtain calls. Heck, even "class act" Derek Jeter might be ready to stop throwing his rival for greatest shortstop of this generation under the bus.

(And to those of you who had some not-so-kind things to say in this direction two years ago when I dared suggest it might be a good time to say bye to Mike Lowell and go after Rodriguez in free agency, you can come out of hiding now. All is forgiven)

-It's fitting that Kevin Youkilis is going to be presented with the Lowell Spinners Dick Berardino Award at the team's December 29th Alumni Dinner.

The award is presented annually to a member of the Spinners alumni who has displayed tremendous coachability, determination, dedication, a passionate work ethic and the heart to make it to the major league level. That pretty much sums up the Greek God of Walks, who turned himself from an unlikely prospect into an All-Star.

When I think of players who've gone from the Spinners to the majors, he's the one who always pops to mind first.

That's the view from here...how do you see things? Is Brady back? Or do you need to see him do it against "NFL" competition before jumping back on the bandwagon? Can anyone stop A-Rod and the Yankees from another title? Are you still thinking it was a good idea to pass on Rodriguez when he became a free agent? Who is the first player you think of when you hear the words Lowell Spinners?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A few Columbus Day thoughts as Red Sox nation sets sail on talk of shipping Jonathan Papelbon out of town:

-It's only a matter of time now. Papelbon shot off his mouth about wanting big money, had a subpar (for him) season, then coughed up a lead on the way to elimination. Soon the whisper campaign will begin in management friendly corners of the media. And before you know it, the former Lowell Spinner will be on his way to another baseball town, replaced by the new favorite (and cheaper) flavor of the month, Daniel Bard.

Don't be so quick to give up on Little Papi (Big Papi is another story, entirely). His off year would be a fantasy come true for any closer not named Mariano Rivera. I believe poor pitch location, as opposed to a loss of "stuff," is what led to the Game 3 collapse and the 2009 struggles. Remember, those earned runs given up Sunday were the first earned runs Papelbon has ever given up in post-season play.

Let's see how the fiery closer responds in 2010 before making any hasty decisions. 9th inning pitching was the least of Boston's issues this year.

-Instead of focusing on Papelbon, Red Sox Nation should turn up the heat on a front office that tends to get complacent after winning a World Series.

While it seems silly to complain after two World Series titles in 6-years, especially after an 86-year drought, the team with the priciest "game experience" in all of baseball should never, ever cut back on payroll like Theo Epstein does after winning it all.

In 2003, when the Sox lost the ALCS to the Yankees, total team payroll was just under $100-million. Spurred on by that heart-breaking setback, they went on an off-season spending spree, bringing the payroll to $127-million. Not so coincidentally, they finally brought a championship to Beantown.

In 2005, payroll dropped to $123-million, and the Red Sox suffered an opening round playoff loss to the White Sox. In 2006, total salaries dipped once more to $120-million and the Sox missed the playoffs completely. As the goodwill from the title began to fade, another shopping binge ensued, and Boston's Boys of Summer celebrated after the Fall Classic in 2007, as the $143-million team won it all. $10-million was trimmed from the books that offseason, the payroll dipped to $133-million in 2008 and the team lost in the ALCS to Tampa, followed by another drop to $121-million in 2009 and an opening round sweep at the hands of the Angels.

See the pattern there? Spend money, win it all. Cut back on payroll, get eliminated early. Don't get complacent like the front office, Red Sox fans. Hold their feet to the fire and demand they go all out to win every year. If they don't, they should at least cut back on ticket prices at the same time they cut back on payroll. It's only fair, isn't it?

-Red Sox offseason priority #1: go get a big bat! Offseason priority #2: go get a big bat!

That's the view from here...how do you see things? Why did the team built for the playoffs fall short when it mattered? Is Papelbon done? Should the Sox turn closer duties over to Daniel Bard? What do they need to do this offseason to get back on top?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

From Red Sox playoff previews to Patriots game reviews:

-OK, so Terry Francona once again ignored my advice and went with John Lester over Josh Beckett in Game 1. I guess the move makes sense, especially if Lester goes on short rest in Game 4. He's much more likely to bounce back strong than Beckett, who would hurl Game 5 on normal rest or be ready for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

Clay Buchholz over Daisuke Matsuzaka in Game 3 is a bigger gamble, in my book. Not that I'm overly confident in Dice-K, but I'm always nervous about rookie pitchers in the post-season. Then again, Tito has two World Series rings and I have ring around the collar, so take my thoughts for what they're worth...not much.

-A quick gaze into the crystal ball shows the Yankees beating the Detroit-Minnesota survivor, St. Louis over Los Angeles and Philadelphia climbing over the Colorado Rockies.

As for the local nine, I was all set to go with the Angels. Then I remembered Mike Scioscia. The Halos manager is likely to cost his team a game with his boneheaded baserunning strategy, and in a best-of-five, one game is all it takes to swing a series. So I'll take the Sox...in five.

-That smile on Bill Belichick's face at the end of Sunday's game told me how much that game meant and how much of a struggle it was.

The Patriots, while still sporting many soft spots, are slowly jelling, especially on defense. The one guy they could least afford to lose from that unit without it falling apart was Jerrod Mayo. Yet lo and behold, they've survived 3 ½ games without Mr. Indispensible, and have beaten two very good offensive squads back to back in Atlanta and Baltimore.

By the way, rookie cornerback Darius Butler is the real deal. The kid has playmaker written all over him.

-A week after arguing for Fred Taylor to become the workhorse out of New England's backfield, I watched in amazement as Laurence Maroney not only started the Ravens game, but also carried the ball more than any other runner until finally being banished to the bench after a measly 6-yards on 7-carries.

I get that there's going to be a committee out of the backfield in Foxboro. But does Maroney have to chair that committee? The former first round pick is just plain awful, something that became even clearer when he tip-toed around on kickoff returns instead of using that blazing speed to blast through an opening somewhere.

I say put Maroney in a sequined shirt and send him to Dancing with the Stars. Just get him the heck off the football field!

-Finally, Rush Limbaugh wants to buy St. Louis' NFL team. Does this mean the Rams will switch to the Right Wing-T offense?

That's the view from here...how do you see things? What are your Red Sox and MLB playoff predictions? Should it have been Dice-K over Buchholz in Game 3? Are the Patriots on the right track? Is Laurence Maroney officially a flop yet?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

From the gridiron to the diamond:

-Quite an impressive defensive performance by the Patriots Sunday, wasn't it?

Bill Belichick's boys shut down a very good Falcons offense. With Jerrod Mayo already out of commission and Vince Wilfork hobbling off the field, the stage was set for an Atlanta offensive explosion. Instead, the Pats buckled down and put up their best showing against a quality offense in a long, long time.

-Good thing, because New England's scoring unit is still slightly out of sync. Wes Welker's injury is playing a major role in those struggles, as is Joey Galloway's calcification. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to find the once dangerous receiver on the waiver wire any day now.

-Perhaps Laurence Maroney getting banged up again (there's a shocker) might lead to the realization that this running back by committee nonsense needs to stop. Fred Taylor got to carry the ball 21-times and, not-so-mysteriously, a running game emerged. Freed from the shackles of shared playing time, Taylor racked up 105-yards and made Tom Brady's life much easier. To paraphrase Keyshawn Johnson: "Get him the damn ball!"

Seriously, how can you expect running backs to find a rhythm when there are four different guys carrying the ball a handful of times each? Any great runner in history will tell you it takes about 15-carries to develop a feel for the game. Most of them do their damage after that, when they've had a chance to wear down a defense and get in the flow. It can't be good for offensive linemen, either, who must adjust to multiple running styles.

This isn't just a critique of the Pats. It's a league-wide phenomenon spreading like wildfire over the last couple of years. Front office types will tell you it's intended to keep backs fresh and healthy. Don't buy it. It's a way to keep their wallets light and empty. Big yardage and touchdown totals equal big salaries, something owners don't want to have to account for in the salary cap era.

What they're missing is the fact you don't need a Hall of Fame RB to win Super Bowls, but you do need a go-to guy. A quick glance at the list of NFL champions will show that the last time a true running back by committee took home the ultimate prize was the 1973 Miami Dolphins of Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Mercury Morris.

-I find talk of the Red Sox starting John Lester over Josh Beckett in Game 1 of the playoffs downright silly. With Curt Schilling now making and playing video games, Beckett is the best big game pitcher of this generation. When he's on in October, he's almost unbeatable. He more than anyone else is responsible for the 2007 World Series title, giving Boston's Boys of Summer and automatic 1-0 lead in every series, not to mention saving the ALCS with a dominant Game 5 at Cleveland.

Was Lester good in the '08 post-season? Sure was. Was he unbeatable a la the vintage Josh Beckett? Not even close.

With a maddeningly inconsistent offense, especially away from Fenway, the '09 Red Sox will go as far as their pitching staff takes them. Trot out Beckett, Lester, Dice-K and Buchholz in that order, and I'll take my chances with Boston over any other team, Yankees included.

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Tackling the "lucky to not be 0-2" New England Patriots and a couple of other sports thoughts:

-I'd already come to grips with the "fear factor" being gone and teams no longer feeling threatened by the mere presence of the Patriots on the same field. What I didn't think we'd have to deal with so soon is the disrespect card no longer working, either.

It used to be if you mouthed off about beating Bill Belichick's troops, certain defeat would follow. The Pats would feel "disrespected" when even the media suggested praise for an opponent, never mind said opponent. The result was always a thorough beating on game day.

So how shocking was it to hear the Jets talk trash, then come out and back it up? I mean, these were the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. They're not good enough to bloody Lady Gaga, never mind a Patriots team some folks had ticketed for another 19-0 run.

-It's pretty obvious Tom Brady isn't himself right now. What still remains to be seen is if he'll ever be the old Tom Terrific again.

Brady used to be a passing machine, standing tall in the pocket till the last possible second before firing a perfect pass that hit his receiver in stride. The post-injury Brady (and I'm talking about the guy who was banged up in the 2008 AFC Championship and Super Bowl) isn't the same quarterback. Number 12 is backpedaling more often than Kanye West and underthrowing or overthrowing receivers at a rate that would make Rohan Davey blush.

-Remember the old Belichick formula for shutting down high-powered offenses?

Let them take all the dump passes they wanted, then belt the receiver hard and often as soon as the ball was caught. After a few licks, the pass catchers would begin hearing foot steps and turtling to the ground before impact.

Have you noticed how it's now the Patriots big-play threats doing the same thing?

-Speaking of big play threats, when you have two of the best long-ball receivers in the history of the game in Randy Moss and Joey Galloway, shouldn't they be sent on fly patterns more often?

Randall Cunningham, Jeff George and Daunte Culpepper made careers out of throwing the pigskin as far as they could and watching Moss out leap defenders to come down with the ball, more often than not for 6-points. A slew of mediocre QB's in Seattle, Dallas and Tampa Bay did the same while watching Galloway simply outrun cornerbacks and safeties to paydirt.

-If Serena Williams is suspended, the Patriots should at least look into signing her to play linebacker. She's scarier than anyone currently playing the position for the Flying Elvis', though I'd be worried about random testing, if you know what I mean.

-Memo to Cawley Stadium concession workers: how about serving turkey during Friday night's Lawrence-Lowell matchup? Until the great Thanksgiving Day rivalry resumes, we should at least try to replicate Turkey Day as best we can.

-Can't believe I'm going to say this, but trading Phil Kessel instead of paying him big bucks is a smart move for the Bruins.

Sure, it reeks of the legendary Jeremy Jacobs/Harry Sinden cheapness, but in this day and age of an NHL salary cap, you simply can't afford to tie up big bucks in a player who pulls a Whitey Bulger come playoff time.

That's the view from here...how do you see things? Is the Patriots dynasty done? How can an offense with so many weapons look so bad? Have the Pats gone soft? Who would you take in a fight...Serena Williams or the entire New England linebacking corps? Can the Bruins fill Phil Kessel's skates? Who will prevail in the resumption of the Lowell-Lawrence gridiron rivalry?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

In the spirit of Sparring Partners and Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde, I argue the merits of the Richard Seymour trade...against myself:

Jekyll Panos: While greatly appreciating Richard Seymour's contributions to the Patriots dynasty, this is a fantastic trade by Bill Belichick. To get a 2011 first round draft pick that will likely be near the top of the draft in return for a player who was going to leave in a year is yet another stroke of genius by the Genius. The Pats are now well-stocked for the future.

Hyde Panos: Future, smuture! The Genius hasn't won anything in half a decade now, mostly because he's more worried about what's going to happen two years down the line. Who cares about the future? I want to win now! Explain to me how trading Seymour makes New England a better team this year.

Jekyll Panos: Oh, ye of little faith. Seymour's play and health began to slip considerably and you know what they say about it being better to give up on a player a year too early than a year too late. In this regard, Belichick's record is quite good. Damien Woody, David Givens, Deion Branch and Willie McGinest to name a few, have done nothing since leaving the cozy confines of Gillette Stadium.

Hyde Panos. Ah, but the Razor cuts both ways. "The Hooded One" also took the cheap way out on Asante Samuel, who at last check was turning interceptions into touchdowns for the Eagles instead of our boys. How's that one working out? Aren't you tired of watching cornerbacks who couldn't cover grandma with a quilt?

Jekyll Panos: Yes, and I'm also getting tired of your lame attempts at humor.

Hyde Panos: Let's see who is laughing when an already questionable defense struggles without one of its key components. Remember what happened when Belichick cut Lawyer Milloy the week before the season opener in 2003? A stunned New England team went out and got trounced by Buffalo, the same team the Pats open up against next Monday Night.

Jekyll Panos: Of course I remember, because the Patriots then went on to win 34 of their next 37-games, including Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX. With the extra money they've saved on Seymour, they can now restock the roster with young talent and even pay Vince Wilfork his money.

Hyde Panos: That's what you think. None of that money is going to Wilfork. Didn't you hear what Mike Vrabel said? It's going straight into Bob Kraft's pockets so he can build another shopping plaza and buy more of those white-collared shirts that went out of style two decades ago.

Jekyll Panos: Well, I'm not worried. Belichick can always just call the Raiders and get that senile old geezer Al Davis to make another stupid trade. I mean, this is the same guy who took Doug Gabriel of our hands the same offseason he handed us Randy Moss.

Hyde Panos: Finally, something we can agree on! The NFL should step in and forbid any future contact between Belichick and Davis. It's like picking on the handicapped. Their dealings are more lopsided than the time I discovered your password and traded your good fantasy football players for every stiff on my roster. Oops!

Jekyll Panos: AHA! So that's why my team was so horrible that year! You're a pathetic excuse for an alter ego.

Hyde Panos: And this is a pathetic excuse for a column idea. We should have packed up our split personalities and gone to the beach on Labor Day instead!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Kicking another page off the sports calendar while also wondering which song best represents the ninth month of the year: Earth, Wind and Fire's "September" or Neil Diamond's "September Morn":

-Not sure whether a sad or celebratory song is called for with news of Tedy Bruschi's retirement.

Celebratory, because Bruschi's is the classic tale of a great guy making good. The longtime heart of the Patriots defense squeezed every last bit out of his ability. Along with Troy Brown, nobody better exemplified what the Pats were all about during their magical run atop the NFL.

Other than his father's death, I've never seen Bill Belichick more emotional, with New England's coach repeating over and over again how number-54 always "did the right thing." That right there should tell you all you need to know about Bruschi the player and the man.

Sad, because yet another link to the Patriots dynasty is gone. It's no coincidence that the defense's playoff performance has steadily declined as proven winners like Roman Phifer, Ted Johnson, Willie McGinest and Ty Law moved on. Now, an already questionable unit enters 2009 without a trio of veterans who may have played an even bigger role in New England's success: Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Bruschi.

No doubt all three were a shell of their former selves. But there's also very little doubt their presence will be missed as a young defense seeks to forge its own identity while carrying Super Bowl aspirations on its shoulders.

-Speaking of shoulders, I'm not overly concerned about the health of Tom Brady's. Brady will likely play opening day, though how much of an injury he sustained and how much it hampers him throughout the year remains to be seen.

No, I'm more concerned with how healthy Brady's relationship with the karma gods is. Let's face it. The guy led a pretty charmed life for a while. I mean, when things are going so well you can upgrade from a beautiful Hollywood starlet to a world famous supermodel, you have to figure some kind of Faustian bargain is at play. And as happens in any deal with the devil, the chips get called in at some point.

A subpar Super Bowl performance against the Giants, a season ending knee injury in his very next appearance on a football field and an unlucky landing on his right throwing wing just three exhibition games into the comeback seem to indicate a balancing of the luck scale is in progress.

Perhaps I'm a superstitious fool, or simply the latter, but I vividly remember when after 30-years, Lucky the Leprechaun deserted the Celtics for nearly three decades. One has to wonder if the same strange forces are at play with Tom Brady.

-Lastly, as the Patriots search for a legitimate backup to Brady, here's hoping their efforts land A.J. Feeley, the longtime Eagles backup who doesn't appear to have a home now that Michael Vick has landed in the City of Brotherly Love.

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

-On August 4th, yours truly penned an article criticizing the Red Sox for not trading Clay Buchholz for Roy Halladay. Since that time, the former Lowell Spinner has hurled gems in losing causes against Yankees ace C.C. Sabbathia and Tigers' stopper Justin Verlander. He then got in the "W" column with a win over Toronto and the aforementioned Halladay.

Let's hope Buchholz keeps making a fool out of me. And let's hope I didn't just jinx Monday night's start against the White Sox.

-I'll say it again. Terry Francona is the best manager in modern day Red Sox history. Other than a sometimes stubborn loyalty to struggling veterans, he generally pushes the right buttons, even if the strategy doesn't always work out.

However, leaving Josh Beckett in to toss 120-pitches on a muggy Sunday night against the Yankees was a mistake. Boston's ace had already been tattooed more often than a rebellious 18-year old. There was nothing to be gained by sending him out for another inning when those pitches could be put to better use in a future start.

In fact, Tito stuck with Beckett too long the previous start against Toronto, when it was clear the big righty simply didn't have it. At some point between the 8th line drive to the warning track and the 14th, you'd figure a call to the bullpen would have been in the offing.

(With any luck, we've now reverse jinxed Beckett back to the Cy Young form he displayed from May through early August)

-How funny is it to hear Tony LaRussa say John Smoltz was tipping his pitches in Boston, accounting for why he was getting lit like a wildfire in Athens?

Smoltz couldn't have pitched worse for the Sox if he'd been placing the ball on a tee, never mind tipping pitches. Whatever success he has in St. Louis will come solely because he's moved from the American League to the National League. (Or in the case of the pathetic Padres lineup Smoltz beat, the minor leagues)

If the Cards get to the World Series and LaRussa trots the ancient righty to the mound, he's going to make one lucky American League manager a very happy camper.

-Memo to Vince Wilfork: stop complaining about the lack of movement in your contract negotiations. It won't do any good.

You're done here. Your replacement, Ron Brace of Boston College, has already been drafted. If Bill Belichick wanted to give you the money, he'd have already done so, as he does with every player approaching a contract year. They either get the money early or they get the money elsewhere. You're going to have to settle for getting yours elsewhere.

Play your tail off. Continue clogging the middle. Pray you stay injury-free. Hopefully be a main cog in a Super Bowl winning defense. The Benjamins will follow, wherever you end up.

(And if doesn't step it up and soon, the Benjamin Watson might follow you out of town, too!)

-In the spirit of "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all," I'm not going to waste another column inch on Brett Fraud....I mean, Favre. (Honest, I tried!)

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

For the love of God, Brett, just go away! Can't you hear retirement calling?

Honestly, I couldn't be happier than to watch Fraud, I mean Favre, flush what little positive remains of his image down the toilet. This guy is an egomaniac of the highest order. Worse, he's a lousy teammate who wants to just show up and play, without putting in the time during training camp to build camraderie with his teammates and do the necessary work it takes to win. It's why his Jets teammates couldn't wait to rip him the second last season ended.

The funny thing is, Favre was actually getting sympathy from his media lapdogs for the way Green Bay treated poor, poor little Brett. How dare the Packers ask that the most important player on the team actually put the team first, make a retirement decision in enough time to allow for an offseason strategy, and actually show up to training camp and put in the legwork necessary to not throw more interceptions than touchdowns.

I'm glad the Pack is finally vindicated, becase Favre has shown what he's really about. Let's see his media cronies defend this latest development!

Oh, and Brad Childress...you just signed your walking papers. You'll be out of a job in January, just like you'll be out of the playoffs! Can't wait to see the faces on Adrian Peterson fantasy owners after he's run the ball all the way downfield, only to have Favre throw a pick in the end zone!

That's the view from here...how do you see things?