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Sabres Crush Both Rask and Thomas in Buffalo

Matt Goisman — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:55:10 +0000

The Buffalo Sabres played Wednesday’s game as a team desperately needing wins to keep its playoff hopes alive should: intelligent but physical, controlled but aggressive.

The Boston Bruins played as a team with a chance at the Eastern Conference’s top spot should not: lazy, disorganized, brainless.

Who do you think won?

The Sabres scored twice in each period Wednesday, cruising to a 6-0 blowout victory over the Bruins in Buffalo.

Poor Defense Rattles Rask

It was clear just minutes into the game that Tuukka Rask hadn’t brought his A-game to First Niagara Center. When Christian Ehrhoff fired from the blue line following a d-to-d pass from Tyler Myers, Rask misjudged the puck once it glanced off Gregory Campbell, giving the Sabres a 1-0 lead on just their second shot of the game.

The Sabres went up 2-0 with just over five minutes left in the first when center Ville Leino made a nifty spin in the Bruins’ left circle, avoiding the defense and centering the puck to Jason Pominville. Pominville quickly chipped it in, with defenseman Mike Weber also assisting.

Clearly rattled by two goals that were as much his defense’s fault as his own, Rask lasted just 1:52 into the second period, when Andrej Sekera found Tyler Ennis in the neutral zone. Ennis changed direction twice in the Bruins’ zone, eluding multiple defenders before ricocheting a backhand off the goalpost and in for the 3-0 lead.

Rask exited the game following Ennis’ goal, having given up three goals in just 10 shots. It was his worst outing since lasting just one period and giving up three goals to the same Sabres on Jan. 1, 2010.

Thomas Can’t Hold Off Sabres Long

Tim Thomas replaced Rask, and for the first few minutes Thomas’ aggressive, energetic goaltending looked like it might hold the Sabres off long enough for a Bruins comeback. Following an interference call against a Zdeno Chara four minutes into the second, Thomas survived a Sabres power play in which they fired off seven rapid-fire shots before the Bruins finally cleared.

But such success would not last, especially with the unfocused, out-of-position hockey the defense continued to play. Strong puck possession by center Paul Gaustad in the Bruins’ circle led to a tight-angle shot for Patrick Kaleta. The puck deflected off Adam McQuaid‘s skates and between Thomas’ pads for a 4-0 lead late in the second.

The Bruins’ defense checked out for good in the third, leading to two more Sabres goals. Pominville scored his second when the Bruins left him completely alone in the crease for an easy rebound goal (Leino and original-shooter Sekera assisted) at 1:18. Then Joe Corvo turned the puck over behind his own goal, leading to a simple two-stage pass from Nathan Gerbe to Ennis to Drew Stafford in front for a 6-0 lead with a minute left.

Miller and Defense Dominate Bruins

The Bruins appeared to tie the game midway through the first when Milan Lucic put a slapshot past Sabre goalie Ryan Miller, but a goalie-interference call against Rich Peverley wiped out the goal. Replays showed only the barest contact between the two.

That was the closest the Bruins would get to an actual goal Wednesday, as both Miller and his defense played error-free hockey the rest of the game, including through the Bruins’ 17 third-period shots (out of 36 total). The defense completely neutralized the Bruins’ fore-checking, always finding open men to advance the puck back across the blue line. They quickly cleared most shots Miller couldn’t corral to the sides, and they stood the Bruins up on those rare occasions when a loose puck bounced in front of the net.

The Sabres controlled the puck better, giving nothing away on defense. They passed better, hitting teammates in stride and on the stick-blades. And they skated better, winning numerous sprints for the puck.

The Brutal Bruins

Buffalo handled all the physicality the Bruins brought to the game – three fighting majors, three 10 minute misconducts and six two-minute penalties – without backing down or losing focus. No pointless, juvenile display of idiotic brutality (sorry: no “hockey fight“) upset Buffalo enough for them to make a mistake, and Boston never came away from a fight so fired up they made a play themselves.

Not even the massive “brawl” in the final minutes of the game – in which the referees handed out nine penalties – disrupted the Sabres’ near-perfect performance. Which begs the question: if fights don’t really motivate, or at least not as much as actually playing well, what point do they serve?

Basketball AP Top 25 – Week 14

Dan Spritz — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:07:55 +0000

1. Kentucky (63)

I would be remiss if I did not mention UK’s obliteration of #8 Florida last night. They are just amazing. Almost too much talent, if that’s possible. Last week Anthony Davis averaged 7.5 blocks per game. Blocks! That’s absurd. Chad Ford has four of the team’s starters ranked in the top 30 for this year’s draft. Do you think they make fun of Doron Lamb (37th in Ford’s rankings), because he’s the only starter not expected to be drafted into the first round?

2. Syracuse (2)

Fab Melo is important. That’s what we’ve learned.

3. Ohio State

Up 51-50 with 3:39 to go against #21 Wisconsin, the Buckeyes proved that they can close out good teams. That will be important in March (next month!). They may not be as talented as Kentucky, but their experience playing together is really showing.

4. Missouri

The way the Tigers closed out against Kansas last weekend changed my perception of them. Sure, they were at home, but they looked entirely comfortable in the types of late-game situations that can cause many teams to unravel. With multiple elite free throw shooters, their ability to close games out could also have them playing late into March.

5. North Carolina

The Tar Heels continue to stomp the ACC. I don’t think the game against #10 Duke will be that close. They’ve been that locked in since the loss to #15 Florida State.

6. Baylor
7. Kansas
8. Florida
9. Murray State
10. Duke

I’m calling it right now: Murray State will be a #8 seed and will play #1 Kentucky in the second round of the tournament. There, they will learn that the Wildcats are undoubtedly the state’s best team.

11. Michigan State
12. Georgetown
13. San Diego State
14. UNLV
15. Florida State

SDSU and UNLV play this week. The Aztecs won the first meeting by 2, but this game will be in Las Vegas. No matter what happens, this is progress for the Mountain West. They may not be as strong as the Missouri Valley was a few years ago, but as mid-majors go, they are exceptionally competitive.

16. Saint Mary’s
17. Creighton
18. Marquette
19. Virginia
20. Mississippi State

Mississippi State is still here! Ridiculous.

21. Wisconsin
22. Michigan
23. Indiana
24. Louisville
25. Harvard

This same sort of pattern often emerged with the football rankings, where Big Ten teams clumped towards the back of the rankings. The difference here is that Ohio State is #3 and Michigan State is #11. Still, the Big Ten seems to clump together far more often than any other conference. I don’t know what this means.

The Atlantic, Week 5: Paul Pierce and a Recent Harvard Grad Trending Up

Nathan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:43:15 +0000

Prepare for yet another installment of “The Atlantic,” Sports of Boston’s weekly look at who’s ‘trending up’ and ‘trending down’ in the NBA’s Atlantic Division!

Paul Pierce is the hottest player in the Atlantic division, but do the Knicks have a new star? And are the Sixers on the brink of being considered a contender? It may not be as competitive as the Northwest, but there’s still plenty of drama in the Atlantic.

Boston Celtics (14-10, 2nd place)

Trending Up: Paul Pierce

Pierce is unstoppable right now, earning Eastern Conference player of the week honors Monday passing Larry Bird to become second all-time in Celtics’ scoring Tuesday. The Celtics turned their season around when Pierce got it together. If Pierce can maintain this level for the remainder of the season and the playoffs, there isn’t a team the Celtics can’t beat and nothing they can’t accomplish (hint hint).

Trending Down: Opponents points per game

Following their 94-84 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, the Celtics now lead the league in points allowed per game at 86.5. That’s four points better than the championship ’08 Celtics. Boston hasn’t given up 100 points in a game since giving up 115 to Miami in the second game of the season. In the last eight NBA seasons, no team has allowed fewer points per game than these Celtics. The Celtics’ offense is still at par or below, but it shouldn’t matter if their defense is historically good.

Philadelphia 76ers (18-7, 1st Place)

Trending Up: Quality wins

Wins over the Bulls, Lakers and Hawks look a lot better for the 76ers than wins over the Wizards and Pistons. Philadelphia’s strength of schedule is getting better and will keep getting better. The 76ers are really good, yet it remains to be seen whether they are ‘contender’ good or not.

Trending Down: Consistency

Beating Chicago by 16 looks good, but losing to Miami by 20 (twice) and losing to New Jersey in overtime looks equally bad. If the Sixers hope to contend for the 2012 NBA title, they have to bring their best effort every night. Right now, I’m not seeing that.

New York Knicks (10-15, 3rd place)

Trending Up: Lin-sanity

Jeremy Lin has become the talk of the town in New York, especially after scoring 28 points and dishing out eight assists without Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony Monday against the Jazz. With Baron Davis’ status still unclear and Toney Douglass and Mike Bibby proving incapable, Lin has quickly become the key to salvaging the Knicks’ 2012 season. New York is 2-0 with Lin as its starting point guard. Go Harvard!

Trending Down: The Plan

Lin and Steve Novak are leading the Knicks to victories…wait…read that sentence again. The Knicks’ stars and key bench players were struggling to get victories, so they’ve turned to their scrubs. Mike D’Antoni finally deserves some credit for trying anything and everything to win and keep his job. The Celtics and Heat laid the blueprint for putting together ‘Big Threes’, but that doesn’t mean any three stars can be a ‘Big Three’.

New Jersey Nets (8-18, Tied for 5th place)

Trending Up: Close Losses

The Nets could be 3-1 in their last four instead of 1-3. A couple of Deron Williams turnovers at the end of the Minnesota game and a couple of missed shots against the Knicks have doomed the Nets. To compete with Cleveland, Milwaukee and New York for the last playoff spot in the East, New Jersey has to win the close ones.

Trending Down: Optimism

The Nets were in the playoff picture; now they’re out of it. Mediocre Eastern Conference teams have pinballed between optimism one moment and pessimism another; right now the Nets are in a pretty deep pit of pessimism.

Toronto Raptors (8-18, Tied for 5th place)

Trending Up: Linas Kleiza

The Raptors desperately needed Kleiza (or anyone really) to give their offense a boost with Andrea Bargnani out. Kleiza is averaging 20 points per game after recording a DNP in last week’s throttling by the Celtics. Kleiza can’t do enough to salvage the Raptors season as long as Bargnani is out, but he can help them avoid getting embarrassed on a nightly basis if he keeps performing at a high level.

Trending Down: Jose Calderon

Calderon started the season looking like an All-Star candidate but has since cooled way off, averaging just five points in his last five games. With his sidekick Bargnani sidelined and Raptors management scouting for the draft, you can’t blame Calderon for mailing it in. Conclusion: The Raptors are bad and Calderon has given up.

New England Patriots Report Card: Super Bowl XLVI

Matt Goisman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:22 +0000

Well… crap. Just like four years ago, the New England Patriots came up just a couple plays short of beating the New York Giants and claiming their fourth Lombardi Trophy Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI. Instead, Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning once again bested Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, with Manning executing yet another fourth-quarter comeback highlighted by an improbable reception. Brady’s quest to tie Joe Montana and Bradshaw continues.

The Patriots under-performed on their last test of the season. Which Patriots will get credit and which are now on academic probation? Here’s the last report card until September.

Quarterback: B

Brady wasn’t terrible, completing just over 65 percent of his passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but he definitely wasn’t at his best. His line gave him all kinds of protection, but he still had trouble hitting his receivers. Wes Welker should have caught that second-and-11 late in the game, but Brady could have thrown a much easier pass, one that didn’t require Welker to simultaneously spin around, leap into the air and haul in a ball barely within his range.

Brady occasionally gets lost inside his own mind, seeing diagrams of plays instead of the actual field. His deep-ball interception is a perfect example. On paper, Rob Gronkowski would out-jump a linebacker every time. But the real Gronkowski couldn’t run or jump with that high-ankle sprain Sunday, yet Brady tried to bomb it to him anyway. Chase Blackburn hauled picked it, squandering yet another second-half drive that could have extended the Patriots’ lead beyond one possession.

Brady only played above-average football (including the bone-headed if oddly penalized safety), while Manning played spectacular football, especially in the second half. The better quarterback took home the title.

Running Backs: B+

Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis combined for 62 yards on the ground, plus 57 more in the air. Woodhead proved incredibly useful on check-down passes and screens, either running through the defensive line or lining up outside it. He also caught the Patriots’ first touchdown – a bullet from Brady that required as much concentration to catch in traffic as it did to throw.

The Patriots’ rushers did enough to make play-action viable some of the time, but not always. Not having Gronkowski at full strength likely affected that play’s success.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C+

Four consecutive dropped passes. Four. Had Welker or Deion Branch caught theirs on second- and third-and-11, the Patriots probably win the game. Had Branch or Aaron Hernandez caught theirs on the final drive, the Patriots preserve a timeout and probably get at least a better chance at the Hail Mary. Instead, the Patriots had to try a 50-yard bomb, which is a tough sell for any offense.

Brady’s decent pass-protection meant much of the passing game’s failure must rest with his receivers not getting open. Hernandez and Welker had to deal with extra coverage because of Gronkowski, and they couldn’t handle the extra pressure. Of all the position groups on the team, the receiving corps under-performed the most.

Offensive Line: A-

Only allowing two sacks (both in the second half) to a pass-rush as relentless as the Giants’ deserves high marks. The offensive line did as much as they could to buy Brady time, but the offense just never synchronized outside the line of scrimmage. The offensive line didn’t quite establish the run the way they should have, however, and Brian Waters committed a holding penalty, bringing down the line’s final grade.

Defensive Line: B+

The offensive line combined for 2.5 sacks and three QB hits. Mark Anderson led with 1.5. But of the three sacks the Patriots recorded overall, two came on the Giants’ first drive. After that, Manning enjoyed all kinds of protection. More pressure on Manning could have protected the Patriots’ secondary a little, but that’s been a complaint all season long.

The defensive line also gave up 114 rushing yards (plus a touchdown they purposefully allowed).

Linebackers: B-

Beyond Rob Ninkovich‘s half-sack and two QB hits, the linebackers were almost invisible Sunday. Manning only targeted tight ends seven times, but he connected six times. Jerod Mayo could have intercepted Manning’s first touchdown pass, but instead he whiffed completely and the Giants went up 9-0. And while he and Brandon Spikes led the team with 11 tackles each, none were for losses.

Ninkovich also jumped off-sides on a third-and-7, making the conversion much easier.

Defensive Backs: B+

Sterling Moore represented himself well, batting aside two passes and making several key stops. And it’s hard to fault the defense when it had to play over 60 percent of the game. Still, Manning threw for 296 yards, and the secondary couldn’t get themselves together for one more stop late in the fourth.

The secondary played at or above what it’s played at all season long, so they shouldn’t lose points they could never have earned in the first place. But given one last chance to make any kind of statement, the defensive backs once again fell silent.

Special Teams: A-

Stephen Gostkowski nailed his only field goal, and no one committed any special teams penalties. But Giants punter Steve Weatherford easily out-performed Zoltan Mesko, three times pinning the Patriots inside their 10. The Giants started their average drive (discounting the one following the interception) over 10 yards ahead of the Patriots, making scoring all the more difficult for the Patriots.

New England didn’t lose because of special teams, but they could still have done more.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

Tyler Seguin: Star in the Making

Bobby Doherty — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:27 +0000

Tyler Seguin recently celebrated his birthday turning 20 years old. In Sunday’s win over Washington Seguin celebrated his 20th goal making him the first Bruin to hit that mark this season. What a difference a year can make: in 74 games last season Seguin had 22 points. This season Seguin has 44 points in 50 games.

If Seguin played on a top line last year and was on the ice more than 12 minutes a game his rookie numbers would have been much better than what they are. His stats this season don’t come as a surprise to anyone, we knew he was fast and has all the tools he needs to be an elite NHL player some day. The surprise has been his growth on the defensive side.

Playing with one of the best complete NHL players in Patrice Bergeron has helped and motivated Seguin to be better in the defensive zone and in the neutral zone. All season we have seen Seguin tenaciously attacking opposing teams on the forecheck and that has led to immediate offense. Some of Seguin’s best defensive work comes on the back check, using his speed he can catch close to anyone from behind and take the puck of their stick before they know it.

We still haven’t seen Seguin really play a physical game with a handful of hits or even drop the gloves yet. If he is going to wear the spoked B that time will come, but he is still a kid. He is plenty strong enough to throw a hit here and there but often pulls up and plays the puck.

The Bruins have a 20-year-old budding star in this league who is only going to get better, sit back and watch this kid evolve.

Hey Patriots, “Coffee is for Closers”

gcain — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:52 +0000

Alec Baldwin famously said “Coffee is for closers” in the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross,” and when it came to Super Bowl 46, he couldn’t be more right. The Patriots couldn’t close. I have had a couple days to digest, and I am like many Patriot fans, I’m ready to move on.

I wanted to reflect on a few things first, because history tends to repeat itself and unfortunately for the Patriots, it’s repeated itself a few times in the last eight years. Now, the pessimistic fan would say the New England Patriots are the Atlanta Braves: another playoff run, another failure. There is obvious truth in that statement, but the Patriots are a victim of their own success. This isn’t baseball, where a large payroll can guarantee admission on a yearly basis.

The Patriots have made the playoffs 9 out of the last 11 seasons and that excellence has allowed them to reach the biggest games in the sporting world. Compare them to their contemporaries: the Steelers, Colts, Ravens, Giants, and Packers. Yes, four of those teams have won Super Bowls since the Patriots last won a Super Bowl. But, the Giants have missed the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 years. The Steelers have missed the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 years. The Ravens haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 2000. The Packers lost in the first round this year and the Colts were the WORST team in the NFL this season.

From 2001-2004, the Patriots were not just the best team in the NFL, they were the most clutch. They completed two Super Bowl winning drives with under two minutes on the clock. They had a close, but convincing win in 2004 to capture their third title in four years. With all of that said, the Patriots couldn’t close on Sunday, and in three of their most gut wrenching losses, under Belichick that has been a consistent theme.

2007 AFC Championship: Colts 38, Patriots 34

Looking back at this game, it WAS Déjà vu all over again. If you remember that season, it was the “Year without Receivers” after the Patriots traded Deion Branch and let David Givens go to free agency. Tom Brady was still in his absolute prime, but spent much of the year throwing to Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney, an aging Troy Brown, Doug Gabriel and Benjamin Watson.

Gabriel was actually cut during the season and Gaffney was signed off the street. Watson, a former first round pick, had poor hands and was NOT Rob Gronkowski. Still, the excellence of Brady and a stout defense somehow got the Patriots to 12-4. They finished as a #4 seed in the AFC. They beat the Jaguars in the first round and then shocked the NFL when the upset the 14-2 San Diego Chargers on the road despite Brady’s three interceptions. By the way, when the chips were down, Brady hit Caldwell down the sideline to set up the winning kick.

The Patriots came into Indianapolis weary and tired. They managed to go up 21-3 late in the first half and were a controversial Troy Brown offensive pass interference call from being up 28-3 at the midway point. The Brown penalty ended up being a drive killer and the Patriots instead led 21-6 at the half.

The Patriots led 34-31 when they started a drive on their own 40-yard line with 3:22 to go in the game.

First Play: Heath Evans gets called for a motion penalty. 1st and 15 at the Patriots 35-yard line.
Second Play: Brady completes a seven-yard pass to Caldwell. 2nd and 8 at the Patriots 42-yard line.
Third Play: Brady completes a four-yard pass to Watson. 3rd and 4 at the Patriots 46-yard line.

This is the game.

With a conversion, the Colts were going to get the ball back with very little time on the clock, if at all. Sound Familiar?

Fourth Play: Brady’s pass intended for Brown was batted down by Bob Sanders. 4th and 4 at the 46-yard line. Patriots punt, Colts win.

It’s tough to say who was at fault here. Brown was nearing the end, but was still Brady’s favorite 3rd down target. If Brown had cut outside, he had 20 yards in front of him, but Sanders made the play. This would be the first of three never forgotten failures for the Patriots in Indianapolis. The failure to convert cost them the game, the AFC Championship and most likely the Super Bowl considering the Bears were an inferior team.

Super Bowl 42

I will comment briefly on this game. It’s been lumped in as another post-2004 failure for Brady and Belichick. After watching the game a few times since, I give Brady less and less blame. A bad offensive game plan, poor adjustments, a horrific performance by the Patriots offensive line and one of the greatest/luckiest Super Bowl drives you will ever see all were to blame.

Regardless, the Patriots could not close for a second time. Another Lombardi Trophy was left on the shelf.

2012 AFC Championship: Patriots 23, Ravens 20

If you had the choice knowing what you know now would you have taken the Lee Evans touchdown or the Wes Welker drop? Yes the Patriots won this game, but they made it a lot harder than it had to be and it was because they couldn’t make a play on offense to seal it.

Patriots take over possession at their own 33-yard line with 2:46 to go in the game, leading 23-20.

First Play: Brady 70yard pass to Branch. 2nd and 3 at the Patriot 40-yard line.
Second Play: Green-Ellis loses a yard. 3rd and 4 at the Patriot 39-yard line.

Just to recap, a first down here and the game is essentially over. It’s the Colts game all over again.

Third Play: Brady passes to Hernandez, but it is batted down by another Pro Bowl safety (this time it’s Ed Reed).

Mesko punts the Ravens gets the ball at their own 21 with 1:44 to go and the Patriots miraculously hold on. Was this a matter of bad decisions, good coverage, the inability to run the ball or the lack of faith to run? All good questions that would not have to be answered until…

Super Bowl 46: Giants 21, Patriots 17

Forget the safety. Forget the interception to Gronk. Forget the penalties and fumbles and everything else. No matter who won this game, both teams were going to be shaking their head in the end. The Giants didn’t turn the ball over and their quarterback was on target all day, but yet they were still losing for most of the second half. The Patriots HAD turned it over twice but yet, here they were: 1st and 10 on their own 8-yard line with 9:24 to go. I said at the time to people I was watching the game with that if the Patriots can score a touchdown, it’s over.

In the 2008 AFC Championship, they were able to chew up the last 9 minutes of the game to clinch a Super Bowl appearance. Last year’s 7-minute drive against the Jets that produced no points was called by Bob Neumeier the “Drive to Nowhere.” This was the “Road to Perdition.”

Play 1 – Incomplete pass. 2nd and 10 at the Patriot 8 yard line.
Play 2 – Brady complete to Welker for 5 yards to the Patriot 13-yard line. 3rd and 5.
Play 3 – Brady completes to Woodhead for 19 yards to the Patriot 32-yard line.

At this point, you still have to be thinking touchdown. The clock is ticking, but there was still way too much time to preserve a two-point lead.

Play 4 – Ellis carries for 3 yards. Where was this play later? 2nd and 7 at the Patriot 35.
Play 5 – Welker reverse for 11 yards. FIRST DOWN, at the Patriot 46 and the clock is ticking down to the five-minute mark.
Play 6 – Woodhead dive for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, at the Patriot 47.
Play 7 – Brady hits..Gronk? Wow, did they miss him. 6-yard gain. 3rd and 3 at the GIANTS 47.

Not quite close out time. At this time, it’s do or die. Both teams know a first down gets them within reach of Lombardi, and within reach of the Four Super Bowl Champion Pantheon.

Play 8 – Brady to Hernandez for a FIRST DOWN at the Giant 44. The clock is under five minutes and ticking, Giants have ONE timeout.

People in New England are feeling it and for the first time all game, I was feeling like it was going to happen. Hindsight is 20/20, but the Patriots have been in this situation before. Today, everyone is still talking about Brady or Welker, but to me this was one of the pivotal mistakes of the game. This cracked the dam, and Welker broke it open.

This WAS the coaching mistake of the game. Not the 12-men, not the challenge, not the time outs; this play, this decision.

The Giants were on their heels it was getting desperate. The Patriots decide to pull Hernandez and bring in Politte at fullback and put Green-Ellis in an I formation. They didn’t line Brady up in the shotgun and try a halfback draw. They didn’t try to run Green-Ellis to the right with Connolly and a guard pulling like they did so successfully in the first half. Get positive yards, don’t put yourself in a do or die situation.

Play 9 – Green-Ellis was tacked by Canty for a one-yard loss. 2nd and 11 at the Giants 45.

They did just that. Politte missed Chris Canty on Green-Ellis straight ahead run and Green-Ellis was tackled for a one-yard loss.

At this point, the Patriots are in a situation where they need to get to 3rd and 5 or 6. Belichick has to know they can’t punt the ball back to Eli with a two-point lead. Not with this defense, and not with the year Eli has been having.

Play 10 – Brady to Welker incomplete. 3rd and 11 at the Giants 45. A play we’ll always remember.

I have gone back and forth on this play all week. If you’re in the “HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT CAMP!!!” – you’re right.

Recent history shows receivers make great plays in the big game. Santonio Holmes against Arizona, Tyree against the Patriots, Manningham against the Patriots.

If you think “BRADY BLEW IT!!!” – well you’re not completely off. It was a not a perfect pass. He had time, it was a broken play and Branch was actually WIDE open on a check down. Can’t question the decision by Brady, if he never wins another Super Bowl it will be remembered along with Larry Bird’s Game 5 three-pointer that just missed in the 1987 Finals. It was Bird’s last chance at greatness. It could be Brady’s.

This left a do or die play. The Patriots maybe should have taken a timeout and thought about this as two-down territory.

Play 11 – Brady incomplete to Branch. 4th and 11 at the Giants 45 yard line.

If you’re going to criticize Brady for a bad throw, this was it. Branch was there, but the ball was behind him because it was partially tipped. It could have caught, but it was not a no-brainer by any means. It was a do or die play, as it could have saved Wes, Tom and Patriot nation many a sleepless night. We all know what happened from there.

The Legacy of SB46

Well, it’s the Giants and not the Patriots who join the Steelers, 49’ers, Packers, and Cowboys in the Pantheon. All those teams have won four Super Bowls. Brady has done kind of a reverse John Elway by winning Super Bowls early and losing late as opposed to Elway, who didn’t win his first until he was 37.

If you’re a Patriot fan don’t let the media irritate you too much. In the world of Twitter, ESPN and the 24/7 Sports media cycle there will always be fools like Skip Bayless, Rich Cimini and Eric Wilbur. There will always be jealous ex and current players who will want to disparage this quarterback and this team.

Is it better to be 3-2 in the Super Bowl or 2-0? Brady is not going to be mentioned above Montana, but he’s not Troy Aikman either. Aikman might have been 3-0, but he never played in another Super Bowl after 28 years of age. Aikman’s regular season also never compared to Brady, who did much more with much less. You have to compare Brady with his peers, and unless Big Ben or Eli can capture one more and play and in another, then Tom is the greatest of his time.

As for the Patriots and their ability to close, well it’s hard to point at their collapses and give blame to one party. Belichick is a student of history so I am sure he’s read George Santayana’s quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Maybe next time, they won’t have to rely on one play to win the Super Bowl, if there is a next time for Brady and Belichick.

The NFL football season has the longest offseason of the major professional sports. In a couple of weeks it will be time to start looking toward the 2012-2013 season, but for now it’s time for quiet, and maybe a cup of tea.

Pierce Makes History, Celtics Handle Bobcats

Nathan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:41:25 +0000

Paul Pierce had 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds Tuesday night, moving into second all-time in Celtics’ scoring as the Celtics coasted to a 94-84 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Kevin Garnett continued his strong play for the Celtics with 22 points and seven rebounds. Reggie Williams led the NBA worst 3-22 Bobcats 21 points and 5 assists.

Going into Tuesday’s game, Pierce trailed Celtics legend Larry Bird by nine points on the franchise’s all-time scoring leader board. Pierce drained a three-pointer with 10:23 to go in the third quarter to pass Bird and become the second leading scorer in Celtics history. The Celtics immediately fouled the Bobcats on the other end of the court to give Pierce a moment to take a bow at center court as the TD Banknorth Garden erupted.

The 10th pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, Pierce has scored 21,797 points as a member as the Boston Celtics. Pierce now trails only John Havelicek, who scored 26,395 as a Celtic.

Celtics Take Control in Second Half

The Celtics never trailed in the second half of Tuesday’s game en route to their fifth victory in a row. Boston has now won nine of their last 10 contests. The Bobcats dropped their 12th straight game.

The Celtics had trouble from deep range and shot just 17 percent from beyond the arc. The Celtics’ three-point struggles can be traced back to Pierce, who shot 2-for-10. Ray Allen scored 17 points but shot just 1-for-5 from downtown.

Brandon Bass had 13 points off the Celtics bench a game after sitting out with a swollen knee. Bobcats’ rookie Kemba Walker had 16 points and seven rebounds in another losing effort for the squad.

The Boston Celtics hit the court again Thursday night when they host the Los Angeles Lakers for the lone time this season.

Video: Gronkowski, Light Party Shirtless After Super Bowl Loss

KC Downey — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:06:54 +0000

Rob Gronkowski and Matt Light were caught on camera partying shirtless on stage with LMFAO at the Patriots after-party just hours after losing the Super Bowl on Sunday night/early Monday morning.

Is there anything wrong with this picture?

I have a few different feelings about this…

First, Light is 34 years old and a little long on the waistband. Are you seriously dancing topless on the stage at a LMFAO show?

Second, how the hell is Gronk moving so well on his severely injured ankle??? Yo soy fiesta, indeed.

Finally, I realize that Gronk and Light (and others) have had a very long season and worked like hell to get where they got. But after that loss, this looks pretty bad:

If I (as a fan) am feeling crappy and dejected and not in the mood to party after watching Sunday’s game, does it appear that I care more about the game than they do? It sure does appear that way, but let’s be honest, I have no idea how a loss like that feels for the players. I only know as a fan.

So, I guess it’s their life, and people have their own ways of coping with things.

If we want to look at it a different way… the players had a bad day at work on Sunday, and what do people usually want to do after a bad day of work? They drink. So, they drank.

Connelly’s Top Ten: Wake Hours To Be Announced

Michael — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:25:08 +0000

Had to sit down and watch the game again without a crowd where men were yelling for a beer and wives yelling for people to be quiet during commercials. They still lost, sorry to say. Some thoughts and observations are below…

1. Biggest Plays of the Game:

Wes Welker’s drop – I’m adjusting my blame from 60% on Tom Brady to 50% / 50%
Tom Brady missing Deion Branch over the middle on the last drive
Twelve men on the field (somewhere Don Cherry is throwing up in his mouth)
Rob Ninkovich jumping offsides on the 16 with 13:18 left in the quarter (on what would have been fourth down and Eli starting to short arm the ball). Giants didn’t give up possession until 9:31, adding 40 yards of field position and costing 3:47 of critical time.
Crazy catch by Manningham on the last drive

2. Worst Player on the Field:

Though Vince Wilfork was getting knocked off the line and turned, while only being double-teamed a quarter of the time, Logan Mankins was the worst player on the field (easily):

* He was the last line of defense before the Intentional Grounding for the safety
* Got blown up forcing Brady to scramble outside and eventually throw the interception
* Whiffed on the sack on the last drive, forcing Brady to use up the final timeout on third down.
* Whiffs on play before fateful pass to Welker, allowing BJGE to be tackled for three-loss yard loss and then forcing a passing situation on second down and long.

3. Officials:

* On the fumble with 12 men on the field, an official blew his whistle before the Patriots recovered – would have been interesting…
* Still think that the call for intentional grounding was unnecessary considering the situation (see Game 7 – Bruins vs. Tampa Bay)

4. Offense:

* Tom Brady had another intentional grounding in the game when he rolled right (out of pocket) and dumped it into the ground but never back to the line of scrimmage.
* Why wasn’t Tom Brady running the play clock down on the second to last drive
* Patriots scored two touchdowns from 4:00 left in the first half (96 yards) to 3:40 into the second half and then nothing
* Danny Woodhead huge game – big third down conversion / touchdown
* Could Ocho Cinco have stretched the field a little bit?
* In back to back Super Bowls – after two weeks of film study the Patriots came out with offensive plays that were failures to start the game

5. Defense:

* Kyle Arrington, please work on wrapping up in the offseason
* Kyle Love and Vince Wilfork looked like the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters
* If you add a stud linebacker with Mayo and Spikes, you might have something there

6. NY Giants:

* Catch by Manningham is the second best catch in Super Bowl history behind Santonio Holmes, and then there’s Lynn Swann’s juggling catch
* NY Giants again pre-game talk trash and live to be champions
* Crazy rush by Tuck to hurt Brady’s shoulder – he was in coverage and came 20 yardsto get the hit and change the game.
* Huge drive after the Patriots scored twice by the Giants to regain momentum and score a field goal.

7. Bill Belichick:

* Should he have challenged the time out by Eli Manning – don’t know if he signaled before zero on play clock – next play was the Nickovich off sides – ughh
* Great coaching job this year

8. Giants that were hurt and stopped the clock:

* 47 - Beckham – out for the game
* 90 – Jones – out for one play
* 82 – Manningham – out for one play
* 85 – Ballard – out for the game
* 31 – Artrell Rolle – out for one play

9. Last Drive:

* Can’t believe Brady threw behind Branch – it was wide open for50 yards if he threw ahead – afterwards Branch motioned with his hand that Brady should have thrown it ahead of him
* Hernandez drop was a choke play
* Mankins getting blown up for sack caused Patriots to use last time out
* Amazing fourth and 16 conversion with Brady sliding to his left like in 2002 Super Bowl to Troy Brown
* Catch by Welker and downed the ball but two seconds went off clock after play whistled and not put back
* Too many men on field for Giants costs 9 seconds – NFL rule should be time put back on clock to original time (or shy not put 15 men on the field until the clock runs out)
* Amazing catch by Deion Branch out of bounds
* On the Hail Mary, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker were transfixed watching the play instead of moving in toward the ball just like Phi Slamma Jamma was on the shot by Derrick Wittenberg of North Carolina State caught and dunked by Lorenzo Charles to win the 1983 NCAA Championship:

10. Randomocity:

* I hate to say it – but if I was with the Patriots, WBZ-TV or WEEI – I would not allow Roslindale native, Boston College’s Steve DeOssie, to work for my station after his talking during Super Bowl week to Giant crowd from stage: “I feel like I’ve come home here (to New York)…I struggle sometimes up in New England but I know I got home in New York. I love you guys (Giants fans)”

* Patriots beat one team with a .500 + record
* Giants punter destroyed the Patriots punter (low flat punt allowed Giants to start 4th quarter possession at Pats 48
* On the great break-up by Sterling Moore – Chris Collinsworth literally screamed that’s “interference!” causing Al Michaels to add – “big non call!”
* I agree with Gerry Callahan – Chevy has a nerve putting out that commercial of surviving the Mayan Apocalypse – as he said: “they couldn’t ever survive the recession on their own.”
* Great years for the Mara family – win the Super Bowl and family member nominated for an Oscar in Dragon Tattoo
* Tom Brady and the team has to pull a Larry Bird off-season and demand that they get better.
* Tom Brady the quarterback has to be a man on a mission and will his team to two more Super Bowls and play with a chip on his shoulder. Bill Belichick the GM has to be better. Bob Kraft the Owner has to lock up Bill Belichick for five years (% of ownership).

David Krejci Demoted to Third Line Center

Bobby Doherty — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:15:24 +0000

Bruins fans have gotten use to seeing David Krejci centering a line with Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton on his wings. With Horton out of the line up due to a concussion, Rich Peverley jumped up to fill his spot. The first and only game that the Lucic-Krejci-Peverley played together was a loss against Pittsburgh, all three forwards recorded no shots on net.

As the center, Krejci has to get his wingers chances and still needs to look for his own offense. Krejci found himself centering a line with Benoit Pouliot and Zach Hamill in a win against Washington. Krejci has never been a player that can put up points every night, he is one of the more streaky regular season Bruins.

In the last five games Krejci has hit a bad streak with only one point during the stretch. An interesting stat on Krejci; 39 points on the season, 33 of those points came in games that the Bruins won. Krejci has eleven goals on the year so far and ten of those came in games that the Bruins won.

If the Bruins are going to win a lot of games heading into the playoffs and in the playoffs in general, Krejci and his line need to step up. Krejci practiced today with the third line again and could play there for some time, but he will be back in his normal spot at some point before the playoffs. Krejci took his game to another level in last years playoffs with 23 points in 25 games.