I predicted - Pats 28 Colts 24
Final score - Colts 35 Pats 34
There is so much to say about that game. Missed my own spread by five points, but it seems like a lot more. The loss means only that the Patriots went from having a slim chance to virtually no chance to win the number one seed in the playoffs. A win against the Colts would have necessitated the Pats picking up another game on the Colts, which I didn't see as likely. So now the Patriots' goal is to win the division by finishing 13-3, hopefully grabbing a number two seed and a resulting bye week in the playoffs. That's a scenario any fan would have gladly taken after week two's embarrassing loss to the Jets.
Accordingly, a lot of people are calling this the "revenge game." I don't think the Jets deserve that much respect. The Patriots will end the Jets postseason hopes with an easy win. The odds makers have the Pats by 10 points. No problem. In fact, triple that. The Pats by 30 points. The offense has hit its stride in the last few games. The week two loss to the Jets had Tom Brady unable to connect with Randy Moss. That doesn't look to be much of a problem anymore.
The Jets do still have a good running game and should score a couple of times. But I see New England scoring early and often. Is 28 points before the second half too optimistic? We will see. Although Brady's stats have been ridiculously amazing in the past three weeks, I think that they will mix it up a bit more and use the running game as well, especially after getting a comfortable lead.
My prediction:
Pats 44
Jets 14
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Patriots Report: Week 10
Week 9 Review
I predicted - Pats 35 Dolphins 10
Final score - Pats 27 Dolphins 17
New England has outscored opponents by a combined 121-24 in the last three games!
This was a game that never seemed close even when the Dolphins were ahead by a point in the second half. One got that feeling that Brady-Moss could explode for two or three touchdowns in a row. Still my prediction was off by a touchdown in either direction. The Dolphins always seem to unveil new offensive plays when facing the Pats. This time it was the "pistol" formation, which was formerly used mainly in college games.
With the offense now on-line, the rest of the Pats 2009 season will look like the 2007 all-time record setting team. More importantly, this was a must win for Miami if they wanted to reach the playoffs. Playing in Florida later in the season won't be as much fun if the division is decided. The Pats at that point will be competing for seeding and it could be a rout.
The Patriots are now the second ranked team in defense. At the beginning of the season, conventional wisdom said that the air attack would more than make up for a questionable defense. Ironically, it has been the most consistent part of the Pats' game. Brady has put together three solid outings in a row.
The Patriots have the momentum going into this game, but with the Pats-Colts anything can happen. The Colts represent the toughest challenge of the year. The two teams are evenly matched. One could argue the Colts numbers are inflated due to the teams they have played thus far. he Pats have to finish off two undefeated teams and beat the Jets. If they go 2-1, then the rest of the season looks like gravy. Still the Colts are the best team in the NFL on paper. The winner of this game has to be considered the Superbowl favorite.
Patriots-Colts games are always great football, they are the only two teams to have greater than a .700 winning percentage since 2001, so no matter what the outcome, this is one to be savored. It's a fitting way to enter the second half of the season. Is there really a greater rivalry in the NFL?
My prediction:
Pats - 28
Colts - 24
I predicted - Pats 35 Dolphins 10
Final score - Pats 27 Dolphins 17
New England has outscored opponents by a combined 121-24 in the last three games!
This was a game that never seemed close even when the Dolphins were ahead by a point in the second half. One got that feeling that Brady-Moss could explode for two or three touchdowns in a row. Still my prediction was off by a touchdown in either direction. The Dolphins always seem to unveil new offensive plays when facing the Pats. This time it was the "pistol" formation, which was formerly used mainly in college games.
With the offense now on-line, the rest of the Pats 2009 season will look like the 2007 all-time record setting team. More importantly, this was a must win for Miami if they wanted to reach the playoffs. Playing in Florida later in the season won't be as much fun if the division is decided. The Pats at that point will be competing for seeding and it could be a rout.
The Patriots are now the second ranked team in defense. At the beginning of the season, conventional wisdom said that the air attack would more than make up for a questionable defense. Ironically, it has been the most consistent part of the Pats' game. Brady has put together three solid outings in a row.
The Patriots have the momentum going into this game, but with the Pats-Colts anything can happen. The Colts represent the toughest challenge of the year. The two teams are evenly matched. One could argue the Colts numbers are inflated due to the teams they have played thus far. he Pats have to finish off two undefeated teams and beat the Jets. If they go 2-1, then the rest of the season looks like gravy. Still the Colts are the best team in the NFL on paper. The winner of this game has to be considered the Superbowl favorite.
Patriots-Colts games are always great football, they are the only two teams to have greater than a .700 winning percentage since 2001, so no matter what the outcome, this is one to be savored. It's a fitting way to enter the second half of the season. Is there really a greater rivalry in the NFL?
My prediction:
Pats - 28
Colts - 24
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Patriots Report: Week 9
Week 7 Review
I predicted - Pats 35 Bucs 9
Final score - Pats 35 Bucs 7
Not enough time to write much else.
Disclosure: It's already 3-0 Dolphins as I write this.
This week:
Patriots 35
Dolphins 10
I predicted - Pats 35 Bucs 9
Final score - Pats 35 Bucs 7
Not enough time to write much else.
Disclosure: It's already 3-0 Dolphins as I write this.
This week:
Patriots 35
Dolphins 10
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Best Sports City in North America? - It's Boston!
New York City currently has 47 major professional sports world championships.
Boston is second with 31.
Montreal is third with 26.
Then consider that the metro area of New York is 18.8 million, while Boston's metro area is 4.4 million and Montreal's metro area is 3.8 million.
It's a testimony to which city's fans are the most supportive per capita.
This is from: http://www.nuttyaboutsports.com/best-championship-city.shtml
When considering which city can rightfully lay claim to being the best sports city in North America, New York City almost immediately pops into everyone's mind. New York sports teams have won the most championships of any city in North America (47 in all).
When you look at it a little bit closer, however, New York may not be able to rightfully claim the title "Best Sports City in North America." New York currently has, and has had throughout its history, the most sports teams of any North American city. One would expect a city with that many teams to have won a few championships over the years. When you remove the New York Yankees from the equation - yes, I know that they are the most successful sports franchise in the history of professional sports - but, for the sake of argument let's look at New York without the Yankees. Without the Yankees' 26 championships, New York's sports accomplishments look much more modest (the 21 remaining championships would rank them third on the list of most championships).
So if we were to rule out New York, who else then, could lay claim to the "Best Sports City in North America"? A case could be made for Montreal, third on the list of most championships with 26. Even more impressive is that all of their championships have been garnered in a single sport - hockey (24 by the Canadiens, and 2 more by the Montreal Maroons). But it is the one dimensional nature of their championship accomplishment, impressive though it may be, that should eliminate them from consideration.
Where, then, does that leave us? It leaves us in the Bay State in the City of Boston. Boston is second on the list of cities with the most championships with 31. More impressive is that Boston's teams have won numerous championships in all four of the major North American sports (baseball, basketball, football, and hockey). Boston's major sports teams rank at or near the top of each of their respective sports for the most championships (see below).
Boston Red Sox - 3rd with 7 World Series Championships
Boston Celtics - 1st with 16 NBA Championships
New England Patriots - 4th (tie) with 3 Super Bowl Championships
Boston Bruins - 4th (tie) with 5 Stanley Cup Championships
When you compare this to New York:
Sport ----------------- Boston ----------------- New York
Baseball -------------- Boston Red Sox - 3rd -- New York Yankees - 1st
-------------------------------------------------- New York Mets - 13th
Basketball ------------ Boston Celtics - 1st ----- New York Knicks - 7th
Football -------------- Patriots - 4th -------------New York Giants - 8th
-------------------------------------------------- New York Jets - 11th
Hockey -------------- Boston Bruins - 4th ------ New York Rangers - 6th
-------------------------------------------------- New York Islanders - 6th (tie)
The Boston team rankings range from 1st through 4th, while the New York team rankings range from 1st through 13th. Each city has a team that has the most championships in their respective sport (the Celtics and the Yankees). After that, Boston ranks 4th in football versus 8th and 11th for the Giants and Jets, and 4th in Hockey versus a tie for 6th for the Islanders and the Rangers. The average championship rank for New York's teams is over 7 while the average rank for Boston's teams is 3rd.
One final way of looking at this issue is the average number of championships per team. Boston's 4 current teams* have a collective 30 championships, or an average of 7.5 per team. New York's 7 current teams collectively have 41 championships for an average of 5.8 per team.
Clearly, both are great sports cities, but when it comes who is the "Best Sports City in North America," the answer is (drum roll please) - Boston, Massachusetts.
* Current teams refers to the number of teams in the four major sports - baseball, basketball, football, and hockey.
Boston is second with 31.
Montreal is third with 26.
Then consider that the metro area of New York is 18.8 million, while Boston's metro area is 4.4 million and Montreal's metro area is 3.8 million.
It's a testimony to which city's fans are the most supportive per capita.
This is from: http://www.nuttyaboutsports.com/best-championship-city.shtml
When considering which city can rightfully lay claim to being the best sports city in North America, New York City almost immediately pops into everyone's mind. New York sports teams have won the most championships of any city in North America (47 in all).
When you look at it a little bit closer, however, New York may not be able to rightfully claim the title "Best Sports City in North America." New York currently has, and has had throughout its history, the most sports teams of any North American city. One would expect a city with that many teams to have won a few championships over the years. When you remove the New York Yankees from the equation - yes, I know that they are the most successful sports franchise in the history of professional sports - but, for the sake of argument let's look at New York without the Yankees. Without the Yankees' 26 championships, New York's sports accomplishments look much more modest (the 21 remaining championships would rank them third on the list of most championships).
So if we were to rule out New York, who else then, could lay claim to the "Best Sports City in North America"? A case could be made for Montreal, third on the list of most championships with 26. Even more impressive is that all of their championships have been garnered in a single sport - hockey (24 by the Canadiens, and 2 more by the Montreal Maroons). But it is the one dimensional nature of their championship accomplishment, impressive though it may be, that should eliminate them from consideration.
Where, then, does that leave us? It leaves us in the Bay State in the City of Boston. Boston is second on the list of cities with the most championships with 31. More impressive is that Boston's teams have won numerous championships in all four of the major North American sports (baseball, basketball, football, and hockey). Boston's major sports teams rank at or near the top of each of their respective sports for the most championships (see below).
Boston Red Sox - 3rd with 7 World Series Championships
Boston Celtics - 1st with 16 NBA Championships
New England Patriots - 4th (tie) with 3 Super Bowl Championships
Boston Bruins - 4th (tie) with 5 Stanley Cup Championships
When you compare this to New York:
Sport ----------------- Boston ----------------- New York
Baseball -------------- Boston Red Sox - 3rd -- New York Yankees - 1st
-------------------------------------------------- New York Mets - 13th
Basketball ------------ Boston Celtics - 1st ----- New York Knicks - 7th
Football -------------- Patriots - 4th -------------New York Giants - 8th
-------------------------------------------------- New York Jets - 11th
Hockey -------------- Boston Bruins - 4th ------ New York Rangers - 6th
-------------------------------------------------- New York Islanders - 6th (tie)
The Boston team rankings range from 1st through 4th, while the New York team rankings range from 1st through 13th. Each city has a team that has the most championships in their respective sport (the Celtics and the Yankees). After that, Boston ranks 4th in football versus 8th and 11th for the Giants and Jets, and 4th in Hockey versus a tie for 6th for the Islanders and the Rangers. The average championship rank for New York's teams is over 7 while the average rank for Boston's teams is 3rd.
One final way of looking at this issue is the average number of championships per team. Boston's 4 current teams* have a collective 30 championships, or an average of 7.5 per team. New York's 7 current teams collectively have 41 championships for an average of 5.8 per team.
Clearly, both are great sports cities, but when it comes who is the "Best Sports City in North America," the answer is (drum roll please) - Boston, Massachusetts.
* Current teams refers to the number of teams in the four major sports - baseball, basketball, football, and hockey.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Patriots Report: Bye Week
In a stunning upset Bye has beaten the Patriots by a shut out. Coach Slough of team Bye said: "It is fair to say that the Patriots underestimated us. I think they were taking us for granted when the Patriots didn't field any of their starters."
Despite an uneventful first half, the tide turned in the second half when the Byes held New England to zero yards offense both on the ground and in the air. Never before in the history of the Patriots have they been held to zero yards.
Bill Belichek had this to say: "We were unable to get any spy film footage of the Byes and therefore we never knew how to prepare. It was like we didn't even show up for the game. We are shocked by this. Honestly we thought we could coast through the weekend and save some of our banged up players. Team Bye couldn't even beat a high school team. We just didn't see it coming."
Heading into next week Belichek vented his sour grapes.... "This was the worst officiated game I have ever seen. They were totally absent minded with their calls. They didn't even get the coin toss correct."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed calls for suspected game fixing. "As far as we can tell nothing suspicious happened on the field even though Vegas bookmakers made huge payouts to Ben Bernanke."
No comments were available at press time as Mr. Bernanke's office refused to return our calls. High level un-named sources told us: "Ben is used to money from nothing. It is not unusual for him to profit in this manner."
When pressed further our source did admit that Bernie Madoff expressed severe jealousy as did Michael Astrue the Social Security Commissioner who confessed: "We have been doing transactions like this for years. It now seems that others have discovered our technique. Not the least of which are the Byes who have managed to prevail with nothing. Until now only a select few have been able to prevail with nothing. We are very concerned. They could even win the Super Bowl. Nothing can stop them now."
Despite an uneventful first half, the tide turned in the second half when the Byes held New England to zero yards offense both on the ground and in the air. Never before in the history of the Patriots have they been held to zero yards.
Bill Belichek had this to say: "We were unable to get any spy film footage of the Byes and therefore we never knew how to prepare. It was like we didn't even show up for the game. We are shocked by this. Honestly we thought we could coast through the weekend and save some of our banged up players. Team Bye couldn't even beat a high school team. We just didn't see it coming."
Heading into next week Belichek vented his sour grapes.... "This was the worst officiated game I have ever seen. They were totally absent minded with their calls. They didn't even get the coin toss correct."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed calls for suspected game fixing. "As far as we can tell nothing suspicious happened on the field even though Vegas bookmakers made huge payouts to Ben Bernanke."
No comments were available at press time as Mr. Bernanke's office refused to return our calls. High level un-named sources told us: "Ben is used to money from nothing. It is not unusual for him to profit in this manner."
When pressed further our source did admit that Bernie Madoff expressed severe jealousy as did Michael Astrue the Social Security Commissioner who confessed: "We have been doing transactions like this for years. It now seems that others have discovered our technique. Not the least of which are the Byes who have managed to prevail with nothing. Until now only a select few have been able to prevail with nothing. We are very concerned. They could even win the Super Bowl. Nothing can stop them now."
Monday, October 19, 2009
Patriots Report: Week 6 & 7
I didn't make any crazy predictions last week about the Pats/Titans game. It's a good thing too, because I would have come up with something like Pat 38-10.
And then how embarrassing would that have been?
The greatest shutout in post-merger NFL history -- 59-0. All that happened by the third quarter -- a record. Most points in a half -- 45-0. Most points in a quarter -- 35-0.
And on and on we could go. Too many firsts to count. In fact, this game may hold the record for the most records. It could have been a 90-0 game, if Belichek hadn't shown his well-known sensitive side.
The largest shutout in NFL history was in the 1940 NFL Championship game when the Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins 73-0. If it were me, I would have gone for the record. "Why not? We are here and in uniform." That's what I would have said.
It makes up for the time I sat on a cold metal bench on New Year's Eve in 1978 and watched the Pats lose to the same team (then called the Oilers) in a lopsided divisional playoff game. Fittingly, this game was played in an October snowstorm.
So next week the Patriots participate in the annual travesty known as the London Bowl where we ugly Americans try to force our stupid sports on Londoners and whoever else who happens to be unfortunate enough to watch the Pats beat up on another excuse for a once great professional sports franchise called the Bucs.
This time they may spot the opposing team some points simply so the Brits won't think we are bloody daft.
My Prediction:
Pats 35
Bucs 9
Then it's a bye-week and then it's on to Miami!
I challenged my Miami fan friend, Barack Abdul Ali to spring for two tickets, but offered to pay for both of them plus all gas if the Dolphins won. So far, he is cowering behind an automatic email reply message.
And then how embarrassing would that have been?
The greatest shutout in post-merger NFL history -- 59-0. All that happened by the third quarter -- a record. Most points in a half -- 45-0. Most points in a quarter -- 35-0.
And on and on we could go. Too many firsts to count. In fact, this game may hold the record for the most records. It could have been a 90-0 game, if Belichek hadn't shown his well-known sensitive side.
The largest shutout in NFL history was in the 1940 NFL Championship game when the Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins 73-0. If it were me, I would have gone for the record. "Why not? We are here and in uniform." That's what I would have said.
It makes up for the time I sat on a cold metal bench on New Year's Eve in 1978 and watched the Pats lose to the same team (then called the Oilers) in a lopsided divisional playoff game. Fittingly, this game was played in an October snowstorm.
So next week the Patriots participate in the annual travesty known as the London Bowl where we ugly Americans try to force our stupid sports on Londoners and whoever else who happens to be unfortunate enough to watch the Pats beat up on another excuse for a once great professional sports franchise called the Bucs.
This time they may spot the opposing team some points simply so the Brits won't think we are bloody daft.
My Prediction:
Pats 35
Bucs 9
Then it's a bye-week and then it's on to Miami!
I challenged my Miami fan friend, Barack Abdul Ali to spring for two tickets, but offered to pay for both of them plus all gas if the Dolphins won. So far, he is cowering behind an automatic email reply message.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Patriots Report: Week 5
Last week --
I predicted - Ravens 21 Pats 20
Final score - Pats 27 Ravens 21
As Maxwell Smart would say, "Missed it by that much!"
Not a lot to say about the Broncos. The Broncos are undefeated and look to be a tough team to beat in Mile High Stadium. (I know it's not still called that exactly, but unless they are paying me or I like the product, I don't mention sponsors.)
The Broncos are good, but the Pats should have this one easily. Recent history shows that Belichek knows all their weaknesses. Brady should be back to form by the fifth game. The line is Pats by 3.5. I give them two touchdowns on top of that using my "Calgon ancient Chinese secret" method.
Then it gets easier after this week -- at least for few weeks.
THIS WEEK
Patriots 35
Broncos 17
UPDATE: The Red Sox season is over. Let's go Pats! Bruins! Celtics!
I predicted - Ravens 21 Pats 20
Final score - Pats 27 Ravens 21
As Maxwell Smart would say, "Missed it by that much!"
Not a lot to say about the Broncos. The Broncos are undefeated and look to be a tough team to beat in Mile High Stadium. (I know it's not still called that exactly, but unless they are paying me or I like the product, I don't mention sponsors.)
The Broncos are good, but the Pats should have this one easily. Recent history shows that Belichek knows all their weaknesses. Brady should be back to form by the fifth game. The line is Pats by 3.5. I give them two touchdowns on top of that using my "Calgon ancient Chinese secret" method.
Then it gets easier after this week -- at least for few weeks.
THIS WEEK
Patriots 35
Broncos 17
UPDATE: The Red Sox season is over. Let's go Pats! Bruins! Celtics!
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