Saturday, December 29, 2007

I Don't Really Believe In My Country, So This Is About As Patriotic As I Get

Live blogging during the Patriots-Giants game, as New England completes the greatest regular season in NFL history. (And yes, it's still the greatest regular season in history, even if they lose.)

• I didn't see the illegal contact penalty that kept the second Patriots drive alive. Was that a bullshit penalty, or was it legit? I was listening on the radio on the way home from work and haven't seen a replay yet.

• Brady ties Peyton Manning with his 49th touchdown pass, a gorgeous floater to Moss. Go Tom - it's your birthday - break some records! (Actually, with that catch, Moss ties Jerry Rice for most touchdown receptions of all time. Go Randy - it's your birthday - break some records!)

• I don't believe in worshipping anything, especially sports teams, so I don't visit Colts Fan Blog much; but I popped in last night because there were two new posts - first new ones in three weeks! - only to find nothing about the Colts, but two posts whining about how the NFL caved and allowed two regular broadcast networks to show the Pats-Giants game. I don't care about the NFL Network, or the Big Ten Network, or any of those other proprietary groups that want to keep fans from seeing games, but here's something. This is an NFL Network broadcast, and Cris Collinsworth is doing color - a pretty good reason for everyone to boycott the NFL Network. It's not as bad as listening to Wil Wolford's cowboy mouth doing color for Colts game on the radio - but Wolford, despite sounding like a chicken fried steak, doesn't think he's Darwin's gift to color commentary. Collinsworth does. The only problem is that he's wrong.

• Ooh! If not for that guy's helmet, the records would already be broken.

Part Two

• Rich Eisen on the sideline - as someone who knows sports instead of someone who is only there because she is eye candy - might just mitigate the negative aspect of being forced to listen to Cris Collinsworth speak.

• Nope. I was wrong. Collinsworth just said that he doesn't know if NFL fans really know the significance of the offensive line. Hey, Cris! I'm a Colts fan - we had to suffer several years of Adam Meadows on our offensive line. We get to watch Peyton Manning stand in the pocket every week getting great protection, knowing he'd be toast without a great O-line because he has no scrambling skills. We have some notion of the significance of the offensive line.

• Good no-call on Ellis Hobbs. He did drag Plax Burress down, but only after Plax pushed him down.

At the half, NYG leads 21-16 on several impressive drives by Eli Manning and the Giants. A graphic indicated that 21 is tied for the most points the Pats have given up in a first half all season. I'll say that halfway through, NYG is putting up much more of a fight than I thought they would. Overall, this Tiki Barber-less team is far better than I imagined they would be this season.

Part Three

• That was almost an amazing catch on a horrid throw by Brady after he nearly got taken down in the backfield.

• A telling first-half stat: Despite winning the time of possession two to one, the Patriots were only one out of five converting third down opportunities. They start the second half with a non-conversion on third down, making them one out of six for the game.

• Sweet pass from Manning to Burress puts the Giants up 28-16 early in the third, and dare I say it? NYG is kicking New England's ass. Bryant Gumbel says that this is the largest deficit New England has faced all season.

• Suddenly the NFL Network has switched programming. I was watching the Patriots-Giants game, but now it seems as though I am watching the Wes Welker show, as Brady's pass offense wakes up and starts marching down the field.

• And now Brady, after an interference penalty against NYG, is going to have three or four shots from the one to break the two records. And yes, it was a good call.

• Alas, no records yet. Maroney runs it in from six after an illegal formation penalty against New England, cutting the score to 28-23.

• Manning just got sacked for a loss of 634 yards, as the Patriots defense finally realizes that it's supposed to have been playing for a couple of hours now.

• Wow. That pass was there, it was all the way downfield, and Moss dropped it.

•BUT WAIT A MINUTE! Who else in the whole NFL would have the enormous cojones to try the EXACT SAME PLAY on the very next down? Tom Brady, that's who. And that time Moss caught it. And that's the record. Most touchdowns in a season (50) for Brady and most touchdown catches in a season for Moss (22). On the next play, the two-point conversion was good, giving New England a three point lead with eleven minutes left.

As an aside, I can't even imagine what this game must feel like for New England fans. I'm sitting here clapping and cheering for Brady and Moss for getting the record (mostly for Moss, actually, because I'm just delighted to see him having success on a winning team for once), and feeling giddy watching the clock, waiting for it to tick down to zero so I can witness an undefeated season (even if it is done by my team's biggest rival). Jason and Dave Maier, I hope you'll comment to this post and let me know what was going on with you guys, what you were feeling, as those records were broken (also the record for points in a season) and - hopefully - as your Patriots complete the first 16-game undefeated season in NFL history.

• Not that they had much of a chance after New England piled up 22 unanswered points, but NYG did themselves no favors with incredibly bad clock management in the last four minutes of the game. Clearly Eli needs to spend some time in the off-season getting some lessons on the hurry-up offense from big brother Peyton.

Game over. The New England Patriots have just completed the first undefeated 16-0 regular season in National Football League history. Congratulations. We'll see you in the AFC title game.

14 comments:

Last King of SCOOTland said...

See, I wish I could be in your shoes. I wish I could just sit back and enjoy this great season for the Pats as what it was. However, I can't. Call me biased, bitter, whatever, I don't care.

I was rooting as hard for the Giants as i would anyone playing Duke or the Yankees. I dislike the Patriots immensely. Mostly out of jealousy.

Partially due to the fact that I usually hate the teams that the ESPN-types blow on a constant basis (if you asked them there was never any reason for any other player and or team to line-up since Tom Terrific came into the league).

It's partially because, seriously, Boston, can you guys have something go wrong please!?!?

It's partially because I don't like how they built this particular great team, buying all the best free agents and all (I know it's totally legal and all, and I know they've done it 3 times before with their guys, blah, blah, blah, like I said, I'm biased. Other than Vinateri, name one important free agent on our team).

But mostly because I don't think this is the best team in history. I think the 49ers team in '90 that killed the Broncos was better. I think the '85 Bears were better (no real shock there to those that know me). I think many of the great Steeler and Raider teams of the '70s were at least as good.

I know they went 16-0, but could they have if they were in the AFC South and had to play us, J-ville and Tenn twice. Or the NFC East and had to go home and home with the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins instead of getting fat on the Bills, 'Phins, and Jets (I know all they can do is play their schadule and all, again, sour grapes from jealousy speaking here). Hell, i think the Colts team that lost to Pitt 2 years ago was better, which brings me to my final point.

I can't cheer for this because there is nothing to cheer for...yet. We are already being attacked by "are they the greatest team ever" segments on TV. Hell, Parcells ran down his list of what would happen if they played any of those teams i mentioned above (big shock here, he said the pats would win). My point is this, 16-0 means jack fuck if they don't win a title.

No one cares if they were perfect in the regular season. it's like the hideous banner that IU used to hang in assembly hall that announced them as the 1994 "regular season" champs. Um, no one cares.

Now, i know it is really hard to do and all that, but so is finishing a college basketball season un-beaten, like the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels did. However does anyone remember that? No. Why? Partially because it is not held in the same regard as football, but mostly because they lost the NCAA title to Duke (but they all got shiny new SUV's for their trouble). Again, none of this is anything if they lose in the playoffs.

Now, all in all, statistically, is this the single best regular season ever? I don't see how you can say it is not. Not only did they go 16-0, but they broke 3 huge records doing it. However, they are not the greatest team, and it is not the greatest season until they finish it. 16-0 will be the furthest thing from every one of their minds if they have to watch someone celebrate on their field.

Sorry if I upset anyone. Well, no I'm not. I dislike the patriots and I am not ashamed to say it. I don't think Brady is near as good as Peyton and there is nothing anyone will ever be able to say to me to make me think otherwise. I don't think Belichek is the greatest coach ever. They are both great, but not the greatest, so lets just hold on with the anointing there Stuart Scott, Chris Berman, and Tom Jackson.

OK, my rant is now done. Fueled by bitterness and jealousy, but i feel better. Sorry I had to use your comment section to do it. I didn't intend it to be the monstrosity it turned into, but you know me. Once I start, I can't stop.

Later.

Big ups to Mini-Me!!!!

Unknown said...

John, great post. I was at Jasons house watching the game. My TV blew up around 5pm (i'm sure it was due to the horrendous programming my children were watching on Nickelodeon). It was planned to go to Jays anyhow. This was actually the only game all season that I was anxious about while watching. The Indy game I felt the Pats could win, but if you lose to the SB champs on the road it's to be expected. Even watching the Ravens game, I didn't feel as anxious down by twelve last night. As I said to Jay, "They're playing ELi not Peyton, WTF?" It was fun to watch, if not just so I don't have to listen to the Dolphins crap anymore whenever a team gets to 10-0! Coach B said after the game we will enjoy this win ... pause ... for a day or two then it's back to work. Hope your family is well! See you in three weeks for the AFC Championship! - Dave

Prime Mover said...

Great quote I saw the other day.

"Winners never cheat and cheaters never win, unless your the New England Patriots."

I would be a lot more impressed if they weren't caught cheating at the beginning of the year and Rodney Harrison wasn't caught red handed with HGH. I'm with Scott when he says he didn't enjoy the record breaking season. I mean, I'm a Colts fan, how could I? Our bitter rivals who have rubbed their victories in our noses for so long is going to go perfect. Hard for me to get jacked up about that.

When your little son is playing pee wee football some years down the road and the team he's playing against runs up the score and then dances and stomps on the logo (as the Pats have done in the past) and the coach turns out to be a complete dick are you going to pull your son aside and say

"Son, that's the way you do it, cheat, be a jerk, run up the score and be bitter to every team in the league, that's being a good sport."

Yes, I'm bringing up the weak "think of our children argument."

I mean John-O, aren't you impressed with the Colts? With all the injuries and obstacles they have faced they are still in great shape to win it all. To me that is just as impressive as the Pats, and (to Scott's point) they play in a much tougher division. Come on man, how bout some Colts love. I know I know, the Colts are in a red state and you are a blue stater, but come on man.

John Peddie said...

Essentially, your four gripes - videotaping, HGH, logo-stomping, and running up the score - amount to one big gripe, which is that the Patriots play dirty.

Holding is also cheating, and every single offensive and defensive lineman on every single team commits that penalty on every single play in every single game.

Running up the score in college is one thing. College football, at least in theory, is still sort of an amateur sport. Pro football is actually a career, where you get paid to do the best job you can, every single day. The average career in the NFL is around 4-5 years, and all of these guys are one injury away from losing their livelihood. But don't take my word for it. Ask, oh let's say...Kevin Everett.

Also, they're not just competing for a trophy, like Jackson might one day do in Pee-Wee football. The pros are selling a product, they're being paid to do a job; and as a fan, I expect them to come to work every day and do the very best job they can. In no other profession would you reasonably expect someone to stop doing their best just because they are already ahead. That's the difference between the pros and the amateurs.

But even college sports is being corrupted by money; and even though those kids aren't getting paid (technically), they're still expected to sell a product, especially in football and men's basketball, which are the two primary revenue-generating sports at most colleges and universities.

The pressure to win in sports is remarkable; and even when you do win, you sometimes still get the shaft. Paging Marty Schottenheimer. You go 14-2 and lose in the divisional round to the Patriots, and you get fired? Are you kidding me? How flipping good do you have to be to be just to keep your job?

How about 16-0?

And by the way, about those other teams you'd like to have mentioned when people say "oh, everyone does it," referring to signal stealing? Go watch an NFL game, any old NFL game, and see if you can spot someone on the sideline with something covering his mouth while he talks. Matter of fact, have you ever seen an NFL game and not seen that at some point? Any guy covering his face when he talks knows that his team is being watched by someone else. Oh, and then there's the matter of the fact that teams have different signals each game. Or the Colts do, at any rate. Bill Polian talked about that once on his weekly TV show. This sideline taping thing has got to be the most petty, overhyped, ridiculous non-controversy controversy in the history of the NFL.

And logo-stomping? Seriously? That's just some yutz trying to get someone else's hackles up. Only works if the other person lets it.

As for Rodney Harrison, I'll give you that one - but only as goes Rodney Harrison himself, not New England. He played dirty in San Diego, too.

Am I impressed by the Colts? Sure I am. I just don't like the way they approach the game. If they had killer instinct, they'd be 16-0 this year. But they don't. I honestly believe that the Colts don't think they're any better than any other team in this league. And they should believe that - because they are.

As for bitter rivals and hating them, I put up a whole post on that. I'm tired of wasting time hating another team just because they beat the team I like. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't mean shit. Probably because sports just doesn't mean as much to me as it used to.

Prime Mover said...

I can see your point but the Colts have been racked with a lot of injuries this year, the Pats haven't. And again, the Colts are in a lot tougher division, the teams the Pats play in their division basically mount to a light scrimmage, not a game. It's one thing to be impressed with the "enemy" it's quite another to root for them. And really they basically amount to a bunch of dicks, which makes it hard for me to like them, or even be impressed with their record breaking year. I went with Steve to the New England game and basically had the feeling that if the Pats won they were going all the way. Once the Colts became a walking infirmary in the 4th quarter I knew there was no way they could stop them.

Sports really doesn't mean much for me like it used to either, that's called getting old and more mature. There are more things in my life that I am much interested in than sports. After having a family and going through some tough times you start to realize what is more important in your life. But it's still fun to root for the home team and give a good middle finger to the opposition and debate, then go home and have a beer.

As for the Pats being the best team ever? I will always contend that the Niners of the 80's and 90's were the best, and a hell of a lot more likable. The Steelers of the 70's are up there also, but they were a bunch of dicks too. But the Pats are better then the Boys of the 90's. But if the tuck rule (a rule never mentioned before or after that infamous AFC title game in 2002) was never called we might not be having this conversation.

Of course if you really want it, I'll buy you a New England hat at the end of the year when the Pats beat the Packers in the super bowl.

John Peddie said...

I left out of my previous comment that I agree with your point about the injuries and the competitive differences between the South and East.

Odd little note, though. The AFC East played the NFC East this year. If you take out New England's record, the other three teams rang up a total of one win against the NFC East.

On the other side of the coin, the AFC South played the awful NFC South. Take out the Colts, and the other AFC South teams went a combined 9-3 against the NFC South, with each team going 3-1.

That's a minor point, of course, but it has a little something to do with the fact that the AFC South appears to be a much stronger division than the AFC East.

And the bit about the New England hat made me laugh. I don't like them that much.

mmaier2112 said...

(Am I going to die still hearing about folks whining about the tuck rule? I'm beginning to believe I am.)

On your first question: It was a bullshit penalty. I thought Moss (it was Moss, right? NFL's play by play only shows the penalized player, Webster) initiated contact.

That's why I was really glad to see the following 15 yard penalty that maybe led to the rush-back TD. They sorta balanced out.

Other than that, the Pats were their usual sick selves.

Prime Mover said...

That's not whining, I'll show you real whining, all Pats fans at the end of last year including your boy Bill Simmons, now THAT was whining. Then that will be me at the end of this year when the Pats roll through the playoffs without even breaking a sweat. They'll probably sweat more celebrating.

As for the tuck rule? I wouldn't bring it up if it was the usual part of the game. But I haven't heard it called before or since that game. It was just an unbelievably curious call that handed the Pats the victory.

Interesting note on the Pats. Jason Whitlock (fellow Warren Central grad) wrote this article about ethnicity and Pats and Colts. Made me think.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7343980

Unknown said...

Prime mover - nice link to the Whitlock article.

I really can't believe how personal people take this stuff. We are all fans, that's it no more, no less. Yes, I love watching the Pats and for the 15 years living in Indy, I hated the Colts, but now I am working the job I have always wanted, my kids are growing up, I realize where sports fit into our lives. Do I like it when the Pats win and the Colts lose, yes. Did it bother me personally that the Colts won the SB last year, no, I shrugged, went to bed and went to work the next day. Injuries and schedules are part of the game. Teams don't control any of this so it's useless to bring it up. Yes the Colts lost Harrison,etc. But the Pats lost Colvin - Broad Ripple/Purdue alum, Wright, Seymour for 6 games, etc. Schedules, as John wrote, even out. The filming, EVERY team does it. Jimmy Johnson talked about how that was his first job in the NFL, taping other teams sidelines. HGH and Rodney Harrison, he was guilty and he paid the price. A recent interview on ESPN radio had the analyst predicting that 90%+ NFL players use HGH, yes they are against the rules but the NFL doesn't test for it, so the players do what they can to extend their very short careers (see John's blog). The reason RH got caught was because of shipping records. All in all this is entertainment just like the old cowboy movies - you like the guy in the white hat and hate the guy in the black hat. Everyone have a great NEW YEAR!!!

Prime Mover said...

I asked this before about filming. What teams have done it? Have other super bowl winning team done it? Did the Colts do it last year?

So this is the question I pose about HGH and videotaping, since every one does it, would that make it acceptable that the Patriots did it to obtain their record breaking perfect season?

I just find it funny that Red Sox fans are screaming cheater at Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite and are putting doubt into the Yankees world series wins but turn a blind eye to Harrison and use the ol' "everyone does it" excuse.

Unknown said...

Prime mover, if they were caught in Game 1 and punished and supposedly aren't doing it any longer, how in fact did it help them with their season???

Ok, I don't have names or teams but can you confidently say none of the Colts do HGH or videotape opponents? No.

I don't scream that Clemens and/or Pettite are cheaters. If they did it only falls back on MLB for not taking care of said problem. Once again, I don't take things personally.

Prime Mover said...

But they don't test for HGH, so how do we know that they are not still on it?

Listen, all I'm saying is I would like a level playing field.

HGH is illegal, videotaping is illegal, That Pats (and one player) got caught doing both. It might be petty, it might be complaining but it's still there, they did it. So the whole perfect season/record breaking thing seems a little "enhanced". I mean, lets theoretically replace Colts with Pats. You as a Pats fan (I actually didn't accuse you of screaming b/c I didn't know you were a Boston fan) would probably be a little at ease about how the Colts obtained a perfect season. Right?

Jason L. Maier said...

Guys...what it boils down to is that these games are a business...the business of entertainment.

You will never have a level playing field, until you test every aspect (like Nascar), and you can't with humans on the field.

For all we know we could fix all the problems with HGH, video taping and whatever else...and then you'll read about the ref who was calling bad penalties.

Enjoy it for what it is...I'm done getting offended by everyone else's opinions about things we have no control over.

Prime Mover said...

See, were fans, short for fanatics. I hope I didn't offend anyone (I personally wasn't offended or upset by anyones comments to me) because they are just my opinions. Yes, I'm biased, I'm a fan of the Colts. No, I don't want to see the Pats win it all, particually because the east coast media and ESPN are going to be unreadable for the next few months when they do. If I were in your shoes, born in Mass, I would be rooting hard and probably making the same arguments you are against me. No big deal, it's just sports. I don't "hate" the Pats, the one thing that they represent that I am really glad to see is the concept of team (i.e. Colts, Red Sox, Yankess until 2000,Celtics - this year, Pistons, 49ners of the 80's, Pacers of the 90's, etc.) and not the individual, like T.O. I have to hand it to New England, they turned a malcontent like Moss around and is playing like he should.

But seriously, if anyone was offended I'm sorry. Have a happy new year!