January 30, 2014

Super Bowl Squares

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Golf League + NFL Qbs



With probably 6 weeks left until Golf League 2014.... I wanted to piggyback our group chat convo onto my blog. Me and all my regular golf partners were talking today about 2013 and how everyone played and all that.... with Football still on everyone's mind for another couple days we started comparing each other to current NFL QBs we most resemble on the golf course. Here's my attempt at this:






Tier 1

James- Aaron Rodgers
Adam- Drew Brees
Bill- Peyton Manning 

The 3 of us Golf League OG's are all in the same tier. We've all beaten each other many times and any of us is a threat to win on any given day.

Adam- Adam is Drew Brees for sure. Brees is known for going deep, taking shots, and playing better at home. Adam is the longest guy off the tee, he takes a decent amount of "down field" shots each round, and his best rounds all come at our home course, Ponky. Like Brees, Adam has also won a title, he was the "unofficial" MVG (most valuable golfer) in 2012.

Bill- Bill has a pretty swing, the best mechanics, and a lot of weapons in his bag. Pretty much just like Peyton Manning, who has great mechanics, the best WR core in the league, and knows how to use them. Bill is currently the only one of the 3 of us to play with hybrids (cheater clubs) and I feel like he gets new wedges/equip all the time... although to be fair Adam does as well. Anyway, the first year of Golf League we didnt really have a MVG and I cant remember if anyone stood out, so I guess Bill doesn't have a "title" under his belt... but neither did Peyton for the first half of his career!

James- Aaron Rodgers is probably the most level, consistent QB. He's a threat every week to carry his team to victory. He won the Super Bowl (and MVP in 2010)... this comparison makes sense because overall I am probably the most consistent of the 3 of us golfers. I was MVG in 2013 so we both have titles. Plus I look almost exactly like Rodgers. Am I right ladies?







Tier 2

Dan- Colin Kaepernick 
Abe- Matt Stafford

Dan's game took a major step forward in the back half of 2013...  similar to Kaepernick's rise to fame in the second half of the 2012 season. Kaepernick is an improving QB with unknown upside, similar to Dan at golf. Also, Kaepernick "hears only what he wants to hear", and the same can be said for Dan!


Abe and Stafford both posses major power... but struggle to control it sometimes. Abe also has a crazy cross-hand grip, while Stafford throws sort of side armed. Both guys have been criticized for their mechanics. Stafford has never won a big game, is pretty much always losing, while unfortunately for Abe is also the case. Abe was/is the 4th member of the current Golf League, so week in and week out he has to play vs myself, Bill and Adam. Abe rarely finishes in the top 3 and Stafford rarely wins himself. Both players possess the potential to be much better than they are right now.







Tier 3

Beckerman- Alex Smith 
Jeremy- Ryan Tannehill
Sean- Joe Flacco


Beckerman is Alex Smith for a few different reasons. Smith is a solid NFL QB, but for some reason no one "loves" his game. Beckerman is a solid golfer... but his game isn't one many people try to model after. Beck is amazingly short off the tee, and inconsistent in the short game... but he still puts up a good score anyway. Smith is the same way... he doesn't excel in any particular area, but his record as a NFL starter is 49-40-1... which is solid.

Jeremy is Ryan Tannehill because Tannehill has all the measurables to be the best QB in the league. Jeremy is 6' 2 or 6' 3 or something (edit: 6' 4. freak), but only recently started golfing with the past few years. He has potential but it hasn't been realized yet. Tannehill is the same way.. he shows flashes of greatness but overall kinda sucks. But could be good one day. Tannehill is stuck in Miami which isn't a great culture for him... Jeremy is stuck with short clubs that don't fit him in NY where its expensive as hell to play. That's a rock solid comparison right there.


Sean is Flacco based on the fact that he isn't very good, BUT steps up big time in the moment. Specifically I'm referring to the time Sean and I won a stroke play event vs Dan & Adam, and Sean was absolutely ice cold on the last 2 or 3 holes, including sinking a 30 foot eagle putt for the win on 18. Flacco won the Super Bowl and a TD:INT ratio of 11:0 in the 2013 playoffs. Flacco by no means is a great NFL QB... but hes good at certain things. Sean is the same way... his game looks gross sometimes but his putting is usually really good and he steps up when he needs to.






Tier 4

Paul- Thad Lewis 

Thad Lewis isn't a NFL QB, no matter how bad he wants to be. Paul isn't really a golfer, even though he wants to be because our whole group of friends love to golf.  Am I saying Thad Lewis cant ever be a good NFL QB? Am I saying Paul will never be a good golfer? Ummmm I want to say no but the answer is really yes. I'll give Paul this- he's probably the best dresser out of all of us. Whenever Paul does play, you can find him in the brightest, loudest shirt on the course. Also I just read that all his teammates love Thad Lewis even though he sucks... we all love Paul even though he's the worst golfer in the group...Sorry bro. Let this hate fuel you up.





January 24, 2014

My Sports Bucket List


I feel like a Bucket List is a "must have" for any real sports fan. Not in any particular order:




1. Go to the Masters

The first thing that came to my mind. The best golf event to go to. Tickets to the Masters are usually extremely expensive. IMO the best Major every year. Held in Augusta, Georgia every April. (My birthday, 4/2, is usually right around this time. hint hint)






2. Go to the Super Bowl (when the Pats are in it) 

I get crazy jealous when Ms. NWOTB's dad tells me about how he went to New Orleans for the Super Bowl to watch the Pats. I've always wanted to go to New Orleans too, so ideally that's where the Pats will be when I watch them win.






3. Get another Hole In One

I already have a hole-in-one, but I'm putting this on my list anyway because it was kind of bullshit. I was 14, it was the first Summer I learned how to golf (2001), I barely remember it, and I CERTAINLY didn't appreciate it. It was a 116 yard shot over water, I used a freaking 7 iron. Nowadays I hit my 7 iron about 165 yards. I NEED another one in my lifetime. Hopefully this year, preferably on Ponky at Golf League. Hole #3.







4. Watch a game at Wrigley Field 

Here is a list of all the MLB stadiums I've been to. The top 3 I want to visit in order are 1. Wrigley Field in Chicago 2. AT&T Park in San Fran, and 3. PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Obv. my end goal is to get to as many parks as possible.








5. Get to Montreal for a Bruins-Canadiens game

I've been to the Bell Center for an All Star Game, but I want to be there for a classic Bruins-Canadiens rivalry game. If it's the playoffs, that's even better. This is probably my ideal bachelor party idea!!!








6. See a no-hitter in person

Probably going to be the hardest thing to do on the list,  although it does encourage me that  my friend Beckerman has actually attended a no hitter. Even though he went to a super lame one, with 7 Astro pitchers combining to no-hit the home team. I'll take any no hitter, but I would prefer a CG by the home pitcher!







7. Run a Marathon

I'm signed up for the 125th running of the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 which is 87 days away.








8. Actually catch a foul ball/ home run ball at a baseball game

I have about a million MLB baseballs. Easiest play in the book is as a kid, go chill next to the Ball Boy all game. They hand out at least a dozen of balls per game, so as a kid I used to clean up. My crowing moment, though, was in 2006 when Robinson Cano tossed me a ball because for 10 innings I had been telling him about how good my fantasy team was because of him. I was wearing a Sox jersey and sitting in the first row behind the Yankee dugout. Fans around me were pissed. But anyway, I want to legit catch a home run or foul ball at a game. And hopefully it's at Wrigley and I can throw it back. Also, you HAVE to watch this video. Crazy dude who literally catches like 2 balls a game somehow. Hero to many.







9. Attend the Rose Bowl 

The Granddaddy of them all. Who wouldn't want to watch a sweet football game at an awesome venue in Southern California in the middle of Winter? I'd prefer Boise State to be playing in the bowl game, so this is at least 5 years away (when they inevitably join the Pac-10.)







10. Spend March Madness weekend in Vegas

Needs no explanation. Only thing that sucks is I have a couple buddies planning on doing this THIS year, but I cant afford that right now. Oh well, hopefully one day.








11. Kentucky Derby 

Specifically I want to party in the in-field all day. I LOVE the Derby, and I've heard its a great time. Churchill Downs looks awesome on TV. Id for sure get the chills when "My Old Kentucky Home" starts playing right before the post.







12. Attend the Ryder Cup 

I love team golf, especially this event with USA vs Europe. Every 4 years the Ryder Cup is held in America, so I highly doubt I cant get this one done. I would also love going overseas and being part of the "rowdy American" fans.






13. Attend a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium 

The pic says it all. And I love Duke so I obv. need to get to a game, preferably vs the loser Tar Heels.







14. Sing the Canadian national anthem at a playoff game in Canada 

1st, the Canadian national anthem is 100x better than the Star Spangled Banner.  Second, since Canadians are so passionate, they all sing the national anthem during the playoffs. It's awesome.







15. Visit the Seahawks "Cheater Stadium" for a home game

Who wouldn't want to go to a game here? It's crazy loud and filled with bandwagon fans so it's easy to fit in if you just grab a Seahawks shirt.






What'd I miss? Any glaring omissions? Use the comment section below for suggestions. 




January 21, 2014

Unprofessional Richard Sherman





I can’t believe I have to write this blog. First, It’s well documented that I’m not a fan of Richard Sherman. Second,  I thought FOR SURE after the game the other night everyone would finally see what a class-less d-bag Richard Sherman is. Apparently that isn't the case.

Before I go on, You NEED to see what he did after the game the other day, if you haven’t already. Videos are posted below, and if you cannot see them click here and here. (And if none if this works, just search on youtube for Sherman interview with Werder and Andrews)








Let me start off by clarifying why I hate Richard Sherman so much:

It’s NOT because he talks shit or because he is cocky. I actually like when players, and specifically cornerbacks, have a “swagger” about them.. and it brings added  interest to the game. I like knowing Sherman and Crabtree have this personal battle… it makes the in-game matchup more interesting and creates a  “game within the game” to watch.

However, Sherman takes it to the next level. Let’s take a look at the final play in the game that he made. If you can’t see the video below, click here.





Nasty. Sherman shows incredible athleticism by turning and jumping to bat the ball away. Monster play.

However, directly after the play, Sherman starts taunting Crabtree. Goes up to him, gives him the “choke” sign (which doesn’t make any sense- Crabtree didn’t choke on the play or in the game (UPDATE: apparently Sherman DID give this choke sign to Kaep and not Tree. In that case at least it makes sense, but this means Sherman now decided to taunt 2 players on this play. And Kaep hadn't said anything to him pre-game like Tree, so apparently Sherman was just being an all around jerk, not just to the person who he had a war of words with) and then disingenuously puts his hand out to say ‘Good Game.’ Anyone who thinks that was an act of sportsmanship is delusional. Sherman was smugly in Crabtrees face to say GG. I have no issues with Crabtree pushing him away after this.  That’s my first and biggest problem with Sherman.




My second problem is obv. his comments after the game. Erin Andrews pulls Sherman aside, and asks him to take her through the final play. All he responds with is a scream-  “Well I’m the best corner in the game! ”

First off, that’s not an answer to the question. How the hell is that taking someone through a play?  Then Sherman volunteers the info “When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that the result you ‘gon  get! Don’t you ever talk about me!“

This confused the hell out of everyone (or at least me) cuz I had no idea who Sherman was talking to when he said “don’t talk about me’”  Andrews, being the exceptional sideline reporter that she is, asked for clarification “Who was talking about you” ?

“Crabtree. Don’t you open your mouth about the best! Or Imma shut it for you real quick. L.O.B.”

Cool dude. You made a play on an underthrown ball (didn’t even pick it yourself) in double coverage and you’re going to talk shit to Crabtree? At least direct you’re shit talking to Kaepernick or something.

The other main problem I have with the interview as a whole, besides Sherman having 0 respect for his opponent (again), was that his interview was 100% about Richard Sherman and how good Richard Sherman is and how Richard Sherman is the best and to never challenge him. Hey ass-hat… Football is a team game. You batted a ball away and your TEAMMATE picked it off. Your TEAMMATES provided the pressure on Kaep and your TEAMMATES are what make you great.

Can you imagine what people would say if after a game winning drive all Tom Brady said was “ I’M the BEST QB IN THE LEGAUE!!! DON’T TRY TO STOP ME… I’M THE GREATEST”  ? All his WRs who made plays on that drive  (And the O-Line that gave him time to throw) would be pissed. Like WTF dude it wasn’t all you. Were you the main reason something happened? Sure. Only reason? Hell no.

Sherman acted like a selfish a-hole with no respect for the game whatsoever. Completely unprofessional. After the game in his press conference he continued to belittle Crabtree calling him “Medicore” about a million times. Apparently the two have had an issue going back to a Charity event in which they got in a war of words. (Nice. At a charity event. Real nice) Anyone who doesn’t think this was a bullshit act of epic proportions must not understand sportsmanship. This wasn’t just an excited player giving an off the cuff remark after a game. Again, I’m all for the shit talking, but after the game? When their season is over? There’s a time and a place for everything. This wasn’t the right time to talk shit about Crabtree.

PS. Hey Sherman, if Crabtree sucks so bad, why is it even a big deal you made that play? Why are you acting so surprised to make a play vs a “mediocre” WR?

PPS. Anyone ever hear Joe Haden or Darelle Revis say anything like this? No? But everyone still respects them?  Just wondering.

PPPS. Can’t wait until Peyton makes Sherman his bitch in the Super Bowl. Just one long TD in his face is all I’m asking for. Kinda like how my boy Roddy White did it to him in the playoffs last year.

PPPPS. The fact that Novarro Bowman wasn't awarded a fumble recovery is the biggest travesty I've seen in Sports in a long time. Completely different game if the 49ers get the ball there. Which they should have. And no Jeremy I dont care if the 49ers got the ball back a play later. Hindsight is 20/20.








January 17, 2014

Obligatory Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning blog





NFL's view of Brady vs. Manning- By Mike Freeman

This is not going to be yet another column ranting about who is better: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. 

Oh, wait, hold on. It sorta is. 

We'll compare in a much different way, at least. I asked a group of eight people—all NFL personnel men, including scouts and one general manager—whom they preferred: Brady or Manning. They were guaranteed anonymity so as not to anger Brady or Manning.

The sample size is small, no question. Yet it is also instructive. My guess is these results would extrapolate across football.

The question was simple: Who do you think is a better quarterback, Manning or Brady? I emphasized that I was asking not who will be better in the future, but who is better now. Right now.

The answer was 7-1 Brady.

Then I asked the personnel men to step into their TARDIS, go back a year, and answer the same question. That is, it's the 2012-13 season. Who would you pick? The result was 6-2 Brady.

Then, they were asked to go back five years. The vote was 4-4.

Overall, there was a central theme among the voters: While Manning is a more physically gifted thrower, Brady is the better overall quarterback because he has done more with less.






First of all, pwned. So hard. Oh Peyton Manning is coming off the best offensive season ever? Broke the record for passing TD's and yardage? That's cute. While ESPN and all the other media outfits obviously pump up/ commercialize  Peyton ALL the time, the experts- the NFL personnel people who are paid to evaluate football players- have responded. 7 out 8 in this poll say Tom Brady is better, RIGHT NOW. The central theme among the voters was that Manning may be the more talented thrower, but Brady has done more with less.

Back in high school, the #1 sports debate I repeatedly had was the “Who is better Peyton or Brady?” with my two buddies Luke and Zach.

Luke is a Broncos fan. Zach is a bitter Raiders fan, he never quite recovered from this.  Both of these guys HATE the Patriots just like everyone else outside of New England. When I say hate, I’m talking like, irrational hatred spurned from years and years of jealousy. The type of people who are so desperate to tarnish the Pats success, they cling to the “Spygate” thing and basically discount every Pats win.

Anyway, back in High School, we used to always debate Brady vs Manning.

These guys would always point to stats to back up their opinion that Peyton was better. I remember consistently trying to point out that Peyton’s crew was vastly more skilled and the numbers truly didn’t tell the whole story of Peyton vs Brady. Let’s take a look at the personnel each QB was surrounded with during this time. (I’ll use the years 2001-2004, the 4 NFL seasons I was in HS)

Colts Offensive weapons:

Edgerrin James
Dominic Rhodes
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Brandon Stokely

Patriots Offensive weapons:

Troy Brown
David Patten
Antwan Smith
Kevin Faulk
Deion Branch
David Givens
Corey Dillion

I think you see the point. Peyton was always surrounded by much more talent, always had at least 1 Hall of Fame weapon at his disposal. Brady was surrounded by role players. I had ALWAYS argued with Zach that even though Manning’s numbers were superior, Brady was still better AND if he was given the same weapons I always believed he would put up similar numbers.

And in 2007 when Brady finally was surrounded by actual NFL talent (Moss and Welker) he responded with video game numbers. Confirming everything I ever thought. Fantasy Football influences our opinions on NFL players far more than people think. Peyton has always had the numbers, so he is perceived as the better QB. Simply not the case. Also, Brady’s career has been played in New England- known for brutal weather. Peyton? Cushy Indoor dome. Huge advantage.

Anyway, of course when this article came out, I just felt the need to inform Zach (and Luke) about the results of the poll.

Here is what Zach said:

“After some thought James Brown, this is bullshit. There's no doubt Brady has done some amazing things in his career. However I don't think it's fair to say he's done more with less. While Manning may have had more talent on his offenses, Brady has had a few things that Manning hasnt. 1) Bill Belichick 2) he's played for the same coach, the same system his entire career and 3) much better defenses. So overall, Peyton Manning is the more talented QB. I think it's safe to say that Manning has had to do more with less because he is constantly having to put up 35+ since his defenses have never been worth a shit.”


First- Yes it is true Brady has always had the same coach. Belichick, a defensive minded coach from a defensive background, has always been at the helm. But let’s not pretend like Peyton was at a disadvantage here. From 2001-2008, the bulk and prime of his career, he had the same head coach. Hall of famer Tony Dungy. During this long period of time, Manning actually became the pseudo-offensive coordinator… as in the Colts trusted Manning at the line and he basically ran the offense himself.  When Dungy left, the offense never skipped a beat.

Brady was never given the same freedom to call plays and make audibles like Peyton was. The Patriots lean heavily on their Offensive Coordinators to call the plays and run the offense. Here are all the Offensive Coordinators Brady has worked with in his career:

2000-2004- Charlie Weiss
2004-2006- None
2006-2008- Josh McDaniels
2008-2012- Bill O’Brien
2012-2014- Josh McDaniels

Further, Tom Brady has most certainly NOT played in the same system his whole career. The Pats offense has evolved many, many times over the years. Just look at the past 12 months as an example. The Pats were running a 2 TE system the past 2 years. Now they don’t. During the 07-09 years, the Pats ran a vertical passing attack offense. Before that it was built on short quick passes. They were essentially the first team to replace the run game with the “short pass” game. Anyway, just because Belichick and Brady have been together this whole time, that doesn’t give Brady an advantage over Peyton IMO.

The next point Zach made was that Brady had better defenses than Peyton Manning. I’m not sure if he is saying this is why Brady has had more success or what, but let’s dive into it.

These are both teams scoring defense ranks each year

2001 Pats- 6th
2001 Colts- 31st

2002 Pats- 17th
2002 Colts- 7th

2003 Pats- 1st
2003 Colts- 20th

2004 Pats- 2nd
2004 Colts- 19th

2005 Pats- 17th
2005 Colts- 2nd

2006 Pats- 2nd
2006 Colts- 23rd

2007 Pats- 4th
2007 Colts- 1st

2008 Pats- 8th
2008 Colts- 7th

2009 Pats- 5th
2009 Colts- 8th

2010 Pats- 8th
2010 Colts- 23rd

2012 Pats- 9th
2012 Broncos- 4th

2013 Pats- 10th
2013 Broncos- 22nd

Pretty mixed results. The Pats had “better” defenses about 2/3 of the time. I agree that part of Brady’s success was driven from the opportunity his defense created for him, but at the same time Brady was the MVP of the Super Bowls in 2 of the 3, even with the good defense. It’s not like he is Trent Dilfer who rode his defense to a Championship. Brady was the difference maker in the big games.

Further, Peyton Manning having worse defenses only means his teams were involved in higher scoring games, thereby inflating his stats.

Overall, though, those 8 NFL execs that were asked who is a better QB know all of this. I am sure they considered every point Zach made and STILL 7 of the 8 think Brady is a better QB. Because he is.




Need more proof (besides overwhelming neutral expert consensus opinion) ?

Career Won-Lost Record (includes postseason):
Manning: 172-82, .677. (+90 wins)
Brady: 160-49, .766.  (An NFL record +111 wins)


Postseason Record:

Manning: 9-11, .450
-8 One & dones
-All time record for most playoff losses

Brady: 17-7, .708
-2 One & dones
-All time record for most playoff wins

Head to Head:
Manning: 29 TDs, 20 INTs, 86.7 Passer Rating
Brady: 26 TDs, 12 INTs, 95.3 Passer Rating

Brady holds a 10-4 W-L edge, 2-1 in the playoffs

AFC Championship Game Appearances:
Manning: 3 in 14 seasons as a starter
Brady: 7 in 11 seasons as a starter

Super Bowl Appearances:
Manning: 2
Brady: 5

And of course…

Championships:
Manning: 1
Brady: 3


Mike Wise, from the Washington Post, wrote this:


"The most crystallizing, defining measure of a quarterback is this: whether he can perform at his best at the most crucial moment of his given season.

Manning, 37, has superior career passing and touchdown numbers, but those will never trump these: Brady, 36, has won twice as many playoff games and two more Super Bowl trophies. And he’s been to three more Super Bowls and four more conference championship games.

Even the best statistical argument for Manning in my mind — his 51 game-winning drives, which is tied with Dan Marino for the most in a career — falls short. Brady has led 42 such drives, but six have come in January or February, three of them in the Super Bowl.

That’s not merely clutch for his era. That’s historically money.

Joe Montana has 33 game-winning drives, but just three in January — including “The Catch” to Dwight Clark against Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship (which Brady actually saw in person as a 4-year-old Bay Area kid) and the 1988 Super Bowl to beat the Bengals.

Of Marino’s 51 game-winning drives, four came in January. John Elway had five in January, and Brett Favre and Drew Brees had three each in January.

Of Manning’s 51 game-winning drives, just two have come in January: his signature win against the Patriots in 2006 that the Colts parlayed into a Super Bowl win and another against a 6-10 Titans team on the last day of the 2010 regular season.

Bottom line: Manning’s greatest hurdle Sunday really isn’t Brady; it’s overcoming his own failings in January, including the four times his team entered the postseason as the AFC’s No. 1 seed and lost at home. He has won the big one once. That’s it.

Manning will always be considered the better pure passer and mastermind behind the line. But Brady will go down as the greater competitor in meaningful games, who made better decisions when the season hung in the balance.

When all of Manning’s numbers and awards are calibrated, this is not an argument but merely a manipulation of statistics to support a weak thesis: that a quarterback with more yards and touchdowns is simply better.

Brady doesn’t have to beat Manning for the third time in four conference title games to be thought of as the more accomplished quarterback. If the Patriots knock off Denver, he is on his way to scaling Montana and Elway, the only two of ahead of him in my all-time, top-five pantheon right now.

Fact: Brady and Montana are the only two players in NFL history to win the NFL Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl MVP awards multiple times. If Brady wins two more games this season, he will have as many world titles as Montana.

Fact: Brady and Elway are the only two quarterbacks to lead their teams to five Super Bowls. If Brady takes the Patriots to a sixth this season, he stands alone.

Fact: No quarterback has more wins in playoff history than Brady’s 18 wins against 7 losses. Montana went 16-7. Brady has 31 more regular-season wins than Montana and has a higher career passing rating.

Fact: Joe Montana’s greatest receiver during his Super Bowl years was Jerry Rice, only the greatest receiver ever. Peyton Manning’s was Marvin Harrison, soon to be a Hall-of-Famer. Tom Brady’s greatest receiver during his three Super Bowl victories was Troy Brown. (Randy Moss, bless his straight-cash-homey heart, was just passing through.)

Fact: Peyton Manning is 10-11 in the postseason.

For Manning’s professional sake, I hope the Broncos blow out the Patriots and the game is decided before the fourth quarter. I hope for all concerned legacies involved that the game is over long before the final few minutes and that Manning becomes one of the three oldest quarterbacks to win it all after Elway won at 38 years old and Johnny Unitas won when he was 37.

Because if it is remotely close with three minutes left, I will take Brady over Manning 10 times out of 10 — in January, in February, wherever. (We’re talking Peyton Manning here; Eli has stolen two Lombardi Trophies from Brady.)

If Brady outplays and beats Manning’s team Sunday and wins his fourth Super Bowl in February, he not only further distances himself from the main contemporary of his era but he also scales Elway and, finally, Montana as the greatest to ever play the position."




January 15, 2014

Fraudbook at it's finest


Tomorrow night the Bruins are traveling to Dallas to play against Tyler Seguin and the Stars for the 2nd time this year. Across all of social media, Seguin is bound to be talked about aplenty. This is going to happen every single time we play the Stars from now until about 2025.  It's already started on Facebook. And that's the reason for this post. It really, really bothers me when people say stupid/wrong shit with such conviction. I have a "friend" on Facebook who posts ridiculous shit all the time. Here's a recent post from last night that caught my attention: 




HUH? is right. Seguin doesn't have 42 goals. He has 21 goals and 21 assists, for a total of 42 points. 

Ovechkin has 33 goals (leads the league) and 14 assists. Crosby has 25 goals, and 42 assists. 

I'm sorry but anyone who could even think Seguin has 42 goals in the middle of January is just someone who shouldn't be commenting on hockey. Clearly this makes no sense. 

Anyway, I expected a bunch of people to comment on this status correcting this lady, but apparently Pink Hat Bruins fans stick together. 




First- Louis Eriksson has kind of "sucked" this year. But he doesn't suck as a hockey player. For God's sake he just got named to the Swedish Olympic team. There's an adjustment when coming into a new system. I personally thought Eriksson was concentrating on being defensively responsible toward the beginning of the year.... No he didn't create much offense, but he probably understood that in order to fit in with his new team, he would have to first prove he could play in his own end. On top of that he has sustained two concussions. Give the guy a break. I can GUARANTEE you these EXACT same pink hats said that Seguin himself "sucked" his rookie year and were calling for a trade. Guaranteed. 

Next- the guy that said "Seguin wouldn't have scored 42 with the Bruins, so it's irrelevant" is probably right. I think any top scorer on a Julien coached team would max out around 35 goals per year. The only problem I have with this guy is by writing what he did, he's basically validating that Seguin currently has 42 goals. Which again, no actual NHL or Bruins fan would think that. I'm not going to say its impossible, but it's basically impossible for Seguin to have 42 goals in the 44 games he's played. 

The next comment is great. "Nobody knows that he sure could have but they gave him away" First off, you're missing a few words in there. I assume this guy means "No one knows for sure if he could have (scored 42 goals with the Bruins)"  I'll give you that. It's possible he could have maybe scored 42 at some point in Boston. Doubtful, but I guess possible. The second part... "They gave him away".... I can understand why some people feel that way. But my overall opinion is that time after time after time after time people have criticized Peter Chiarelli. And every. single. time.- he's been right in the end. Can we please have some confidence in one of the truly elite GM's in the league? Please? They gave him away? Really? In return they got Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow (in addition to Ericksson.) Does this guy who thinks the Bruins gave away Seguin know anything about Fraser or Morrow? Doubt it. Did he know anything about Smith when the trade was made? No.  Let's let the trade play out for more than half a freaking season before we judge it. Chiarelli has earned the benefit of the doubt. (Plus, on top of that, Reailly Smith has literally replaced Seguins exact production on the top line. And hes about 5.5 Million bucks cheaper. Seguin is a better player but right now on January 15th 2014, you simply cant be upset with the return we got for Seguin.  



"Got to get to the playoffs and if they don't get this cleaned up they wont" 

-Get what cleaned up? I mean, the Bruins definitely  need to clean a few things up, but who knows what this guy was referring to. 

-There is a 0% chance the Bruins miss the playoffs this year. Even if they DON'T clean up any thing, they will be there. It's asinine to say they wont make the playoffs this year. Generally speaking, if you can get to 90 points you're likely going to be in the playoffs. The Bruins are currently sitting on 60 points. With 36 games left. For them to miss the playoffs, they would have to go 12-24 or something absurdly bad like that. Not going to happen. No one who knows what they are talking about would ever think the Bruins will miss the playoffs this year. They aren't going to lose 2 out of every 3 games. The worst team in the league isn't even bad enough to do that. 

-As you can see, I myself commented on this status at this point. I was really hoping to elicit some sort of response, but got none. 

The comment below mine is also dripping with stupidity. 

"Seguin never was going to be a Center in Boston" 

False, dude. If the Bruins made Seguin a franchise player and committed to him, he would have eventually made his way to the pivot. One way or the other. 

"The kid still cant back check" 

No, he can, he just doesn't want to because he wants to play more offensively. He was a solid "back checker" on the Bruins. Not great, but solid. You think Julien would have kept him on the top line playing all those minutes if he couldn't back check? C'mon man, Also, what do you mean he "still cant"... are you watching Stars games on the reg? Or are you just saying this to sound like you know what you're talking about? 

Despite the other parts of the post, at least this guy brings some reasoning to the table by realizing that Eriksson's 2 concussions are really whats held him back and its not fair to judge him quite yet. 




I actually agree with the person on top here. Seguin IS a great player, and he did cause some trouble in Boston. I don't think they HAD to trade him, but I get the point and I agree with it. He wasn't a good fit for Claude and this team. 

The last comment is hilarious. While its true Dallas probably wont make the playoffs, I don't get the "Seguin has got no grit for playoffs"  Hey bro, you forget about this? The kid is still just 21 years old. Relax. 








James (Boston) vs Jeremy (NY)




Just had a mini texting fight with my former rival-turned-ally,  Jeremy. The essence of the fight was Boston Sports vs NY Sports. Of course, JET made reference to the Yankees run of dominance in the 90s.... I think that's irrelevant because it happened so long ago. So, for the purpose of this blog, lets compare Jeremy's favorite teams vs my favorite teams since the day I met him. Unfortunately, the only 2 sports we really have common interest in is MLB and NFL. Jeremy's not big into hockey and I of course hate the NBA because it sucks. So I can really only compare the 4 teams we love in these sports. (Just for the hell of it, though, The Celtics and Bruins have both won a championship since I met Jeremy, while no NY/NJ team has won an NBA or NHL title.)




I met Jeremy at freshman orientation at UMass the Summer before Fall Semester.  June 2005 until now is what we will use for this.

** For the record, both the Sox and the Patriots won Championships the season prior to when I met Jeremy**





Yankees vs Sox

2005: Yanks and Sox finish with same record, 95-67. Yanks win the division and Sox take the wild card. Both teams lost in the first round, the Red Sox lost to the White Sox who went on to win the World Series.

2006: Yanks win the division again at 97-65, Sox finish third (86-76) and miss the playoffs. The Yankees lose in the first round of the playoffs.

2007: Red Sox win the division with a 96-66 record. The Yankees finish second, and take the wild card with a 94-68 record. The Yankees again lose in the first round, while the Red Sox go on to win the World Series.

2008: Red Sox finish 2nd in division and take wild card with  95-67 record. Yankees miss playoffs going 89-73. The Red Sox lose in Game 7 of the ALCS to the Rays.

2009: Yankees win division with 103-59 record. Red Sox lost in the first round, while the Yankees went on to win the World Series.

2010: Yankees win the wild card with 95-67 record. The Sox missed the playoffs after finishing 89-73. The Yankees were eliminated in Game 6 of the  ALCS.

2011: Yankees win the division at 97-65. The Sox missed the playoffs after finishing 90-72. The Yankees lost in the first round of the playoffs.

2012: Yankees win the division at 95-67. The Sox finished in last place of the division, going 69-93. The Yankees were swept out of the ALCS by the Tigers.

2013: Red Sox win the division at 97-65. The Yankees finished in 4th in the division at 85-77. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series


Championships:  Red Sox 2, Yankees 1

Division Titles: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2
Playoff appearances: Yankees 7, Red Sox 5

On balance, the Yankees have been a better baseball team than the Sox since I met Jeremy. They've won more games and divisions, and made the playoffs almost every year. From 2010-2012 the Red Sox were bad, worse than any stretch the Yankees were ever in

However, especially with these 2 teams, simply making the playoffs means basically nothing. Both of these organizations pride themselves in Championships, and because of that, I think most people would agree with me that you have to give the overall advantage to the Red Sox.

Also, the MLB sucks. Its not a fair sport, not every team has a chance every year, and this is basically because there is no hard salary cap. Teams like the Sox and Yankees have a much, much higher chance at winning every year, because they attract the best players in free agency. Often times people lump the Sox and Yanks into the "big spenders" category- which is right. They are both big spenders. But the fact is the Yankees still spend wayyyyyyyyy more money than the Sox.

Yankees 2005 payroll- $205M
Red Sox 2005 payroll- $121M

Yankees 2006 payroll- $194M
Red Sox 2006 payroll- $120M

Yankees 2007 payroll- $189M
Red Sox 2007 payroll- $143M

Yankees 2008 payroll- $209M
Red Sox 2008 payroll- $133M

Yankees 2009 payroll- $201M
Red Sox 2009 payroll- $122M

Yankees 2010 payroll- $206M
Red Sox 2010 payroll- $162M

Yankees 2011 payroll- $201M
Red Sox 2011 payroll- $161M

Yankees 2012 payroll- $197M
Red Sox 2012 payroll- $173M

Yankees 2013 payroll- $228M
Red Sox 2013 payroll- $150M

The Yankees spend $555M more than the Red Sox over this time frame. That's an average of about $62M per year. So again, while on balance the Yankees have won more games and divisions than the Sox, they have spent wayyyyyyyy more money  (aka they should be winning more games) and have less rings.








Pats vs Jets

*Blood bath alert* *Blood bath alert* *Blood bath alert*

2005: Pats win the division at 10-6, Jets finish in last at 4-12. Pats lose in the 2nd round of the playoffs to the Broncos.

2006: Pats win the division at 12-4, Jets finish in 2nd and earn the wild card at 10-6. The Pats eliminated the Jets in the first round, 37-16. The Pats went on to lose in the AFCCG to the eventual Super Bowl champion Colts.

2007: Pats win the division at 16-0, Jets miss playoffs at 4-12. The Pats lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl.

2008: Pats miss playoffs at 11-5. Jets miss playoffs at 9-7

2009: Pats win division at 10-6, Jets finish 2nd and earn wild card at 9-7. Pats lost in the first round to the Ravens and the Jets lost in the AFCCG to the Colts.

2010: Pats win division at 14-2. Jets finish 2nd and earn wild card at 11-5. Jets eliminated the Pats in the second round, 28-21. The Jets were eliminated in the AFCCG by the Steelers.

2011: Pats win division at 13-3. Jets miss the playoffs at 8-8. The Pats lost in the Super Bowl to the Giants.

2012: Pats win division at 12-4. Jets miss the playoffs at 6-10. The Pats were eliminated by the eventual champions (Ravens) in the AFCCG.

2013: In Progress. The Pats (12-4) will take on the Broncos in the AFCCG this Sunday. The Jets missed the playoffs at 8-8.


Blood bath city. The NFL is a level playing field... unlike the MLB, it's completely fair to compare teams side by side. (The only "unfair" thing is that the teams that finish higher in the standings have a harder schedule the next year. So the Pats have had a harder schedule than the Jets almost every season.)


Pats Super Bowl Titles: 0 (for another couple weeks)
Jets Super Bowl Titles: 0

Pats overall record (Reg season): 110-34
Jets overall record (Reg Season): 69-75

Pats division titles: 8 (out of 9)
Jets division titles: 0

Pats playoff appearances: 8
Jets playoff appearances: 3


Head to head wins: Pats 14,  Jets 6







STOP THE FIGHT. STOP THE FIGHT. I feel bad enough Jeremy just had to read through that. New York sucks and Boston rules. End blog. 





January 14, 2014

NFL Weekend in MEME review




I work for the Patriots Radio Network (98.5 The Sports Hub) so I've been crazy busy at work this week, since the Pats were victorious over Andrew Luck and the Colts on Saturday Night. I've finally found a bit of time to go over everything that happened this weekend... in meme & picture form. My official predictions for the Conference Championship games will be out later this week.

**For those who don't know, which is basically no one that reads this blog (minus the few random Chinese people who visit my page) I was at one of my best friend's, Paul Taylor's, Wedding on Saturday night. Didn't see one minute of the game live. Rough City. HOWEVER, Paul YOGMOS so I didn't mind missing the game at all. and We had a great time. The A1 Providers just turned into the A1 Providers... for life.