I've never ever had any love for the Denver Broncos, and Shannon 'Send in the National Guard' Sharpe only helped to vault them right into the upper echelon of the hate list. And there they have remained, right up there with The Raiders and Miami.
But then something weird took place in 2009..
I find that Josh McDaniels' grey hoodied presence as Denver's head coach makes hating the Broncos a lot harder for me.
As a rookie head coach he jumped into a pretty difficult situation, taking over for a legendary head coach, Mike Shanahan, dealing with a tool of a quarterback and a fan base that appeared to be ready to run him out of town at the first sign of the slightest difficulty.
McDaniels then donned a grey hoodie in unapologetic tribute to Bill Belichick and took his team out of the gate at 4-0, giving nothing but credit to what he learned as a Belichick understudy along the way. As a Patriots fan, how can you not like the guy?
Of course, today at 4PM it's a different story. Disliking Josh McDaniels will not be a problem.. The game's outcome will determine how I feel about him going forward (A Patriots victory would help keep him on the not-so-bad list).
On the flip side, look at the Cleveland Browns, a team that I have always rooted for on the side. Now with Fredo Mangini down there running the show, I have to say, I can no longer root for that team and can't really say that I'm all that sorry for them at 0-4.
When it comes to football, I can really carry a grudge.
In the meantime, big game for The Patriots today. Potential playoff seeding is for sure on the line. With RB Fred Taylor out with an ankle injury, I'm hoping to see my man BenJarvus out there on the field bashing out Patriots first downs.
GO PATS
Update: Patriots lose in OT, 20-17. Arg.
Filed under: Books, The Pats | Tags: A View from the Booth, Gil Santos, Gino Cappelletti, New England Patriots
Back in August (seems like forever ago) I read a most excellent book called, 'A View from the Booth: Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti - 25 Years of Broadcasting the New England Patriots,' written by Jim Baker and Chuck Burgess. I've been meaning to do a quick review of this book for a while now but I just keep getting too busy, somehow. Funny how that happens!
I started reading this book on my summer vacation, as the Patriots were preparing for their first pre-season game. It was a great way to lead into the brand new Patriots football season, and with The Pats celebrating their 50th season this year, enjoying a book about Gino Cappelletti and Gil Santos couldn't have been more appropriate.
Now, onto the book, which I will describe as, MOST AWESOME. As a Patriots fan and a weekly listener to Gil and Gino's broadcast during Patriots games, I really enjoyed reading this book, which intertwines the history of the New England Patriots with the respective careers of broadcaster Gil Santos and player, coach, broadcaster and should be Hall of Famer, Gino Cappelletti (seriously, how is Gino not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.. People, WTF!!).
The book describes Gil and Gino's background as youngsters, goes through the first steps of each man's early days as a broadcaster and as a pro football player and carries us all the way up to their time together broadcasting the Patriots' 2007 season (ok, that reminds me there's one chapter in the book that may give Pats fans a twinge or two while reading, but don't let it ruin the book for you!)
The book also provides a lot of great and often humorous insider stories about The New England Patriots and what goes on, and goes in, to producing a Patriots Football radio broadcast every week (I loved the stories about the team's superstitions).
In reading this book I often laughed out loud at some of the stories these two legends had to tell about their days on the field as a player / coach and as broadcasters in the booth covering the games of my favorite team. Plus, the book includes Gil and Gino's Gormet Guide, a list of their favorite restaurants in each NFL city. You can't go wrong there, especially when Gino gives the reader permission when visiting the listed establishments to 'tell them Gino sent you'.
At under two hundred pages, 'A View from the Booth' is a quick, easy and extremely entertaining read for any Patriots fan, or a fan of the game of Football in general. Check it out.
GO PATS
I saw this on twitter:
"realpatriotsFYI RT @Adam_Schefter: That whole Rhodes-Harrison feud
last week? Made up. @Rodneyh37 is an impostor, a false account. Please
delete."
To be honest I have no idea what the Rhodes-Harrison feud even was. I just think it's funny seeing MSM fall all over itself. I'm like that.
Just something to think about next time you're reading something on ESPN, the bastion of journalizm..
Well that sucked, but I guess the Jets had to win a home game against The Pats again eventually.. The sucky part of the suck is that if The Pats had made good for 7 instead of settling for 3 on one of those several trips inside the NJ Red Zone, we'd probably be talking about a different outcome to the game right now. That's why they play em I guess, but it still sucks. NJ 16, Pats 9. Blah. Lots of games left, yadda yadda yadda.
GO PATS
Adalius Thomas made a great play against The Bills last week, breaking through the Bill's O-Line and grabbing QB Trent Edwards. But with Thomas hanging on his back, Edwards refused to go down, so Thomas got him down any way he had to, eventually twisting himself over and throwing Edwards to the ground. The end result should have been a sack. Instead it was a re-donk-ulous roughing the passer penalty against Thomas and a five-thousand dollar fine to boot. I gotta call bull-f-ing shit on this one.
I understand the league wants to protect the quarterbacks, but come on this is getting ridiculous. This is still football and you still gotta get hit sometimes. Trent Edwards didn't give up on the play, as expected, but Adalius Thomas didn't give up either and he shouldn't be penalized for it. As Thomas said in reaction to the fine, 'Do you let the guy go and let him throw the ball?' (or as I would say, 'WTF?')
Maybe this next off-season there should be a rule instituted that penalizes QB's who refuse to go down when they get touched by a defensive player. The could call it the 'Tag, you're it!' rule. 15 yards, of course.
Ok, got that out of my system…
Later today, the NJ Jets. Apparently this is their Superbowl today, or something. Does that mean The Pats could potentially be in two Superbowls this year? Awesome! No, wait, what happens when we play the Jets again this season? Whoa the Pats could be in three Superbowls all in one season? That is pretty cool! Hope we win them all.
I'm looking forward to a regular old 1 o'clock game today. This game should be interesting. I'm curious to see what the Pats have in mind for the new Jets coach and their rookie QB. I have a feeling that like last week, this game will be another challenge for The Pats, AFC East opponents always are.
GO PATS
Wife: So what happened, did they win?
Me: Yup. By ONE point!
Wife: Oh my gawwd. One of those games eh?
Me: Yeah, well, all they had to do was score a touchdown, somehow force a turnover and score another touchdown, then keep the Bills from getting into field goal range, all in like 5 minutes. Which they did.
Wife: No problem!
Me: No problem.
GO PATS
Pats / Bills.. 45 seconds left… The Patriots erase an 11 point deficit and hold a 1 point lead.
WOW what a comeback this has been (so far…) Offense (Brady), Special Teams (Meriweather, Gostkowski).. and now we need, D-FENSE!!!
-
22 seconds left. Scary moment. The Patriots Defense touched Bills QB Trent Green Edwards (doh!). /sarcasm
D-FENSE!!!! D-FENSE!!!
-
All I can say is, WOW what a comeback that was. One for the ages. I was all geared up to bitch about the officiating (ridiculous touching, I mean… roughing the passer calls against The Pats,) and the Red Uni's (I'm all for nostalgia but I still want the Nautical Blue back..) But now I don't have to because it's all good. Patriots 25, Bills 24. YAY!
Another AFC East match-up next week against the Jets.. but for now, whew!
I like it when The Patriots win.
GO PATS
Side notes:
I wound up having to get under the Lucky Patriots Fleece Blanket at the end of the game.
I like when the Pats cheer-babes wear those classic white cheer-babe uni's.
The Patriots 50th Anniversary mural around the bottom of the stands at The Razor is cool.
When they switched over to the Chargers / Raiders game they showed Richard Seymour wearing silver and black. I can't help but feel bad for Richard Seymour. Stuck in the black-hole of the NFL. Sorry man..
I like that the game started at 7 PM. I wish all MNF games started at that time.
I would have liked to have seen more than 30 seconds of the 50th Anniversary Team ceremony at half-time, like the whole thing would have been nice..
Patriots Post-Game: Andy Gresh - still annoying. When's Coach B's press-conf coming on..
Old Skoool Pat Patriot T √
3x Superbowl Champions Patriots ball-cap √
Patriots socks √
Tom Brady jersey √
Nautical Blue candle that smells like the ocean √
Lucky Patriots fleece blanket (for emergency use) √
Superbowl 36 Champions beverage mug √
Guacamole √
Salsa (medium hot) √
Chips √
Pretzels √
Beer √
Gil and Gino dialed in √
TV turned down √
Offense Defense Special Teams √ √ √
Multi-pronged dimensional running attack √
3/4 √
4/3 √
Brady to Moss √ √
We are a go.
GO PATRIOTS
A day that comes for all of our favorite players, as much as we wish it wouldn't, arrived for a true Patriots fan favorite today as Tedy Bruschi announced his retirement from football. Although he has retired as a player, something tells me we might see Tedy patrolling the sidelines wearing coach's shoes (and a gray hoodie perhaps?) in the future.. I would love to see it.
A player of Tedy's caliber does not come around very often. He has terrorized opposing offenses while wearing my team's uniform from the start of his career to the finish and I am glad to have been able to watch him play.
There are just too many incredible Patriots game memories involving Tedy to try and come up with some kind of a list, but my favorite memory of him is from the 2003 'Snow Fireworks' game vs Miami.
I was at that game in person, way up high, but my seats were on the side of the field where Tedy made the game-clinching INT and then ran it in for a touchdown. I had a perfect view of the play and I still remember vividly the eruption of joy from the fans when Tedy made that play, and the unforgettable snow fireworks that ensued. (I actually helped get them started. Yes, it's true. Really.)
The other thing I will always remember about Tedy, the player, is his attitude, his spirit. 'Full Tilt, Full Time' is a perfect description of Tedy Bruschi; always positive, always willing to do what it takes to win, and never taking any shit.
"We play! That's what we do! We don't talk, we play! You come to Foxboro, it's gonna be snowing, it gonna be cold… Come on in here! You wanna say all you want, you wanna change the rules, change 'em! We still play, and we win, that's what we do!"
I always like to say I root for the laundry, but exceptional players, like Tedy, Troy Brown, Rodney Harrison.. these are players that make you proud that they are wearing your team's laundry.
Tedy, you will be missed. I hope to still see you around Foxboro helping the Pats keep that 'Full Tilt, Full Time' attitude. From a life-long Patriots fan, thank you Tedy for thirteen years of awesome!!
GO PATS
Today we salute you, Mr. Pre-Season Football Game Watcher!
Mr. Pre-Season Football Game Wa-aa-tcher!
While others are out on a Friday night having fun, watching a movie, or a sporting event that counts, you are at home watching a completely meaningless football game.
That's dedicaaachioon….
Acting like you know what you're looking at as you pretend to evaluate players who will never appear in a game that counts, you sit confidently in your living-room, knowing that guy, whatever his name is, will never make the team…
You're the Man!!
So here's to you, Mr. Pre-Season Football Game Watcher. Without you, pre-season football would truly have, no - meaning - at - all.
Mr. Pre-Season Football Game Waa-a-a-tcher….
GO PATS
