Felger and Mazz Were Morons Yesterday

So yesterday afternoon I would turn on Felger and Mazz, then after 3 minutes of listening to their inane, ignorant, and repetitive whining about the Patriots Draft, I'd have to turn off the radio.

What pisses me off is that they repeatedly admit that they don't know much about these college players, and just before they say they disagree with what the Patriots did, they say "I don't understand." They don't understand, so they disagree.

They questioned the Patriots trading out of the 1st round. But this was the most unremarkable, mediocre draft in recent memory. Unless you were looking for offensive tackles, this draft was like a buffet of bologna sandwiches. Some had mustard. Some didn't. None of them were worth cutting in line. And maybe it was better to wait longer to get more.

Neither Felger and Mazz asked or answered a simple question: Who would you have taken at 29? Who was so good at 29? All of the players out there, apart from a few taken at the front of the draft, were if-he-can players. All of the players available were chances. It made sense to take more chances than just one.

And other teams felt the same. The Chiefs waited as long as possible for someone to offer to take the #1 overall pick. Other teams traded out. It seemed like only the Jets and Vikings truly wanted to pick in the First Round.

Then Felger and Mazz criticized the amount of Rutgers players taken. Felger got emotional and accused the Patriots of taking players because Bill Belichick's son Stephen Belichick might have known them in class.

Rutgers had the #4 defense in college football last year (behind Alabama, Notre Dame, and BYU). They allowed 14.2 points per game, and only 20 offensive TDs (the same amount Bama allowed) in 13 games. The Patriots drafted two DBs and a linebacker from that defense. I doubt they went into the Draft planning to take three Scarlet Knights. But in the later rounds they were still there. They took three players from a good defense, who were coached well, who might fit into the Patriots system.

No matter what happened in the Draft, Felger and Mazz were going to have a Monday show revolving around how the Patriots think they're smarter than everyone else. They have fallen in love with that narrative based on selective facts, uninformed opinions, and emotional baggage from the 2005 Patriots offseason.

I know writing a blog post about what a pair of jabbering sportsradio personalities fill their 4 hours with is kind of lame. But these two reached an uncharted level of simple-mindedness, emotionalism, and whining. Felger was spouting baseless conspiracy theories. Mazz sounded like a C- student complaining that he didn't understand the test, even though the A and B students had no complaints. Mazz sounded the most like the kid who doesn't get algebra when Mike from Wayland called, and Mazz thought he caught the caller on a mistake. "Yes you did! Yes you did! Yes you did!"

I'm surprised Mazz didn't say "I am rubber, you are glue," or "Takes one to know one."

Every fact that was brought up to refute Felger's theories was dismissed. Every questioning of Mazz's complaints was misunderstood.

They don't understand, so they get frustrated. THERE WAS NOBODY BLATANTLY GOOD AT 29. Rutgers had a great defense. The Patriots have drafted well recently. They traded up last year when suitable talent was available. This year the situation was different. But such a thought is too complex for them to understand. And instead of trying to understand something that strays from the narrative they've constructed, they strongly disagree with it.

I'm done venting. Give Mike from Wayland his own segment on the show. Even if it's just to school Felger.

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Guest post by Anna J

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Patriots Have Decent, Unspectacular Draft

If you were expecting much from this draft, you're either very optimistic, very unrealistic, or very stupid. The draft as a whole was low on talent. Can you remember the last time the team picking #1 overall waited as long as possible for someone to trade for their pick? The Pats were also picking at the tail-end of the draft. And unlike past years they didn't have many picks coming in.

All things considered, I think the Patriots did okay. They found some decent talent that could contribute in different ways. They found some guys who have problems, and if those problems are sorted they can be very good. They also made a deal to acquire LeGarrette Blount, who ran for over 1,000 yards in 2010. They got him for a 7th round pick and an Olympic runner who wants to be a part-time football player.

The Pats traded out of the first-round, which upset some people, seemingly more on principle than on losing a chance to get any specific player. Everyone I've heard complain about this trade has been unable to answer the question "Who would you have taken at 29?" These people have emotional baggage from previous drafts. They're mad at the idea of trading a pick (even though other teams did it), not this specific instance. The Patriots made a good deal to add to their number of selections in a very hit-or-miss, mediocre draft.

And here are my thoughts on who they took...

Jamie Collins, an OLB/DE was their first pick. Collins had a great junior year, but "dogged it" his senior year. He was playing for a very bad team. Some teams stay away from guys with his kind of reputation. But a good team with a good coach can take the chance. The logic is simple. If he tries, he's athletic enough to find a place on the field. If he doesn't, he's gone.

Then they drafted WR Aaron Dobson out of Marshall. He played as an X receiver with a bad QB. Now he'll be in the mix with a good QB. With the lack of current depth at WR on the team, Dobson has a chance to get reps. He just needs to learn the playbook, which is always tough for new players.

The Patriots drafted a pair of DBs from Rutgers in the 3rd round. They'll join former Scarlet Knight Devin McCourty. For the first time in years, the Patriots have a secondary that is not a complete mess at the top of the depth chart. Talib was a key player whose loss hurt in the playoffs. Dennard is an early-round talent who could be even better in his sophomore season. What the Pats need is depth in the secondary. The dropoff from Talib to backups is what killed them in the AFC Championship game. Neither of these guys seem like they'll be big impact players, but both should get playing time in certain situations. And that's what the Pats desperately needed from their defensive backfield.

In the 4th round the Pats took another WR, Josh Boyce out of TCU. He is a combine stud. Fast, agile, can be an outside-the-numbers threat. But he's inconsistent with blocking and catching. He entered the Draft as a junior so he might be able to hone those skills. If he can, he'll be very productive. If not, he'll be an obscure memory and an Arena League All-Star.

Michael Buchannan is a 6' 5" frame that needs to be filled in. He needs strength. Plain and simple. He's a DE/OLB that can drop into coverage, but he needs to get bigger. He also has a DUI arrest. So stop drinking and start lifting, Michael.

The Patriots ended their draft by taking their third Rutgers defensive player, linebacker Steve Beauharnais. He's small, but smart. He can play in different situations, including special teams. As far as 7th round picks go, he's not bad. Lots of upside here. Undersized LBs have done well on this team before.

So no players who will have jerseys sold at the Pro Shop anytime soon. The players that have the most upside also have downsides. There are a lot of "if he can" players here. So maybe one or two hit big. Maybe one or two find a role as a backup. And the rest get real jobs.

Patriots Trade Out of First Round

It's difficult to get excited about trading down. It's much easier to get excited about the potential of a brand new player. The Patriots replenished their picks by trading their first-rounder for four picks. But those picks don't have highlight reels. They don't have 40 times. They're not "long," they don't have a "motor."

It's hard to get pumped about adding picks.

At the same time, what player was around at the 29th pick that was exciting? That WR from Clemson was gone. It was a very unspectacular bunch of players.

It isn't just about the deal with the Patriots. It isn't just about the price or the value. It is about the players, or lack of players. Last year there were players they wanted, and they moved up to get them. This year there wasn't anyone the Pats were excited about. The Vikings were willing to surrender a boatload of picks. It made sense, to the Patriots, to make the deal.

Just like they emphasize situational football, they also made this move because of the situation. The trade was good enough, the players weren't. Simple as that. Had other players been available, maybe they don't make the deal. If the Vikings don't offer as much, or another team offered more, they don't trade with Minnesota.

They got a pretty good deal.

I Don't Know What the Patriots Will Do Tonight, But I Already Agree With It

In Bill We Trust. Some people say that with sarcasm. Then they list all the mistakes that "Bellichick the GM" has made over the years. Then they rant about Richard Seymour and Asante Samuel.

Belichick isn't perfect. The Patriots make mistakes. But in the long run it's smart to bet on them. So whatever the Pats do tonight, it's probably a good, smart move.

I have no idea who most of these college players are. I also have no idea how they will do in the NFL. And guess what, nobody else does. Although people like to think they do. People like to think they know the game more than Belichick. Which is preposterous. I don't think anybody understands the game and the cap like the Patriots and Belichick. Certainly not some sportsradio hindsightist, and certainly not some token fan.

Sorry, you don't know as much as him. Not even close.

I'm not saying you should agree with everything the Patriots do. I'm saying that if you don't get it, just roll with it. Why get stressed?

Do you understand everything about human anatomy? Do you understand how to pilot a plane? Do you get the bond market? You trust doctors to take care of you when you're sick, you trust a stranger with wings pinned on his shirt to control an airplane, and you give someone in a suit money for your retirement. You trust these people because they're experts.

Guess what, Bill Belichick is an expert. The proof is in the results. 13 seasons running this team, 10 division titles, 5 conference titles, 3 Super Bowls. He's the most successful GM in franchise history, and the most successful current GM in the New England sports scene. Yet "Bellichick the GM" probably gets more criticism than Ainge, Chiarelli, and Cherington combined.

Why? Because people sometimes don't understand what he's doing. And he won't bother to explain it. And he also doesn't get emotionally attached to players like fans do.

He dropped Lawyer Milloy and was heavily criticized for it. He cut ties with Randy Moss and people scratched their heads. His doubters enjoy bringing up Seymour and Samuel, but how did the Raiders and Eagles do with them? These doubters get headaches if you say "well they got cap room when they didn't sign these guys." They don't want to allow thought to interrupt their emotional outbursts.

Now it's Wes Welker. Never has a region been so emotionally devastated because a stranger was leaving. People were pissed at Belichick. Some blamed the "Patriots way" as the reason the Pats didn't win the Super Bowl these past two seasons. These same people conveniently forgot Welker's huge drops in big games. The roster was good enough to win, the players didn't execute.

And let's not forget who acquired Welker in the first place. Belichick the GM. Welker was one of those Wal-Mart bargain value players that people chide Belichick for acquiring.

So I have no clue what will happen tonight. Will the Pats trade up? Will they trade down? Will they trade Mallett? Will they take a wide receiver? A cornerback?

I don't know. Belichick is the doctor/pilot/investment banker/lawyer/accountant. He's the professional. I'll let him do surgery, fly the plane, pick the stock, file the lawsuit, do my taxes. He knows what he's doing. He isn't always right (thankfully he's not a surgeon), but investors don't always pick the right stock. The good ones are right enough to make a profit. And judging by the silver and gold in the Patriots Hall of Fame, and on Bill's fingers, he seems to have invested wisely.

It's not worth getting stressed out over, people. It's very relaxing to just sit back and enjoy the show. It is, after all, a game. Have some fun watching it and thinking about it.

Bruins, Bad Habits, BAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I don't care if the Bruins win or lose these games down the stretch. I don't care about winning the Northeast Division. The playoffs are all about matchups, not seeding. I care about how poorly this team is playing. They show up, give us one good period, then they cruise.

And the mistakes are getting worse. Both David Krejci and Brad Marchand, two of the best forwards on the team, made inexcusable turnovers in the middle of the ice.

Just a sidenote, I don't mind Julien sitting Marchand for the remainder of the period after that giveaway, but it aggravates me that he did nothing after Lucic made bad play after bad play, yet one mistake from Marchand and it's ride the pine time.

Anton Khudobin compounded things with a truly bad goal. The Bruins were down by 3, which is just about insurmountable for this team's offense to overcome. Even with Power Plays. Krejci made it a 4-2 game, but another turnover 13 seconds later made it a 3-goal game again.

One bright spot was that a trio of newcomers generated the other Bruins goal. Wade Redden scored it, assisted by Jagr and Carl Soderberg.

I'm tired of turnovers. I'm tired of an impotent Power Play. The playoffs are a week away. This team will be brushed aside if they don't change their ways by then.

B's host the Lightning Thursday night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Matt Slocum

It's Time to Say "Adios" to Alfredo Aceves

You broke my heart, Fredo. You broke my heart.

It's time to give Aceves the kiss of death. I don't want him here. And I don't think he wants to be here either.

In Spring Training he was the only player on the team who had an apparent problem with the new way the Red Sox were doing things. He isn't on the same page with the catchers' signals. He isn't on the same page with who covers second base in a pickoff. And last night was a mixture of walks, balks, and what the fucks. Late to cover first, then doesn't immediately turn to hold a runner at third, then throws the ball away.

He just needs to go. Find some journeyman bum to take his roster spot. Give some guy who has been stuck in AAA for 5 years a shot. I don't care. I'm tired of him being on this team. Because he isn't on this team. He goes out there, on an island, pitches like crap, then the rest of the team suffers for it.

So let's either release Fredo, or put him on a boat, take him fishing at Lake Tahoe, shoot him, and toss his corpse in the lake.

Oh, and Bartolo Colon looks like a younger version of deceased Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

Dzhokhar Tsarnaevs Was an Equal Partner, Not a Little Brother Led Astray

This is now the narrative of the Marathon bombers: Older brother Tamerlan struggled to adjust in America, didn't make many friends, kept to himself, was a serious person, and eventually became a radicalized jihadist. Younger brother Dzhokhar's personality and experience was the opposite  He was easygoing, described as something of a class clown, captain of the wrestling team, scholarship winner, went to parties, smoked weed. The narrative being built in the media is that socially awkward Tamerlan led friendly Dzhokhar down a path toward evil. Tamerlan led the way and influenced his younger brother to follow.

Fuck that. Even if it were true, that's just as bad, if not worse.

I have an older brother, and I love him, but if he ever hinted at killing innocent people, I wouldn't tag along. I'd do everything I could to convince him to rethink such a crazy idea, and stop him if he didn't. Dzhokhar was either too much of a pussy to do this, or he was an equal partner in the plot.

Back when they were known as Suspect #1 (Black Hat) and Suspect #2 (White Hate), you can see from their body language how different the brothers' personalities were.

Tamerlan is serious, like he's on a mission. He's hidden his face with sunglasses and a hat to make him almost unidentifiable. Dzhokhar is casual, carrying an explosive packed with shrapnel by just one strap of his backpack. His hat backwards, his face visible (why didn't Tamerlan exert that alleged control he had over Dzhokhar and make him cover his face?). Dzhokhar looks nonchalant as he's about to commit murder. He struts. He's quite happy with what he's about to do.

And they both watched the bombs go off. They didn't leave, they stayed to watch what they were doing, watch the carnage, watch the death, and enjoy it. And then they strolled away.

Dzhokhar's behavior after the Marathon doesn't suggest that he's some kind of lackey, just doing what big brother says. He seems relaxed, completely fine with what he had done. Regret free. Guilt free. They didn't try to get out of town. He even attended classes at UMass-Dartmouth during the week. On Thursday, the day before the FBI released pictures of him as a suspect, he tweeted:

I'm a stress free kind of guy
— Jahar (@J_tsar) April 17, 2013

He shows no remorse for what he did or fear he'll be caught for it. They had 72 hours to get out of town, maybe go to Canada, maybe go to Russia. Instead, they hung around Cambridge. Relaxing.

Dzhokhar might have been a friendly, outgoing guy. He apparently brought that carefree attitude to how he viewed human life. He didn't care about it. His carefree demeanor is more like a sociopath than someone with a domineering big brother. He wasn't an innocent young man corrupted by the "influence exerted" (a phrase I'm tired of hearing) on him by his older brother. This was an equal partnership. He was INSPIRED by radicalism. He loved what he was doing and why. Leading up to the Marathon, he was quite proud of what he and his brother were scheming.

Five weeks before the bombing:

Never underestimate the rebel with a cause
— Jahar (@J_tsar) March 11, 2013

Not "rebels," but "rebel." He enjoyed the role of rebel that he was assuming.

A week before the bombing:

If you have the knowledge and the inspiration all that's left is to take action
— Jahar (@J_tsar) April 8, 2013

These are tweets written in the days that these two built their bombs, wired triggering devices, stuffed pressure cookers with nails and ball-bearings. They likely tested them, and decided where/when to drop them, as these tweets went out.

We've heard a great deal about Tamerlan's politics, but none about Dzhokhar's. The portrait being painted of Dzhokhar is that he didn't have any political opinions whatsoever. At least none that are apparent on the surface. When in fact, it seems like he had some very bizarre ones.

Idk why it's hard for many of you to accept that 9/11 was an inside job, I mean I guess fuck the facts y'all are some real #patriots #gethip
— Jahar (@J_tsar) September 2, 2012

That's an interesting political opinion. Doesn't seem easygoing at all.

On his Vkontakte page (Russian version of Facebook), he shared two videos on April 9th, less than a week before the Marathon. Here's one, which on his page had Russian (or possibly Chechen) subtitles instead of English. It's very graphic, very emotional.

The other video is a 4 minute clip from a TV show of a blind boy being interviewed. I can't understand what that videos is actually about (it's in Arabic, with Russian subtitles). At the very least Dzhokhar seems to be very emotionally invested in events in the Islamic world. Six days later he left a bomb on Boylston Street.

What disturbs and perturbs me about that Syrian video of bodies and crying mourners is that he seems so sympathetic to the suffering of these people, then he decides to make other innocent people suffer and go through the same horrible experience. What a hypocrite. What a fraud. This guy is an asshole. He sees no value in human life, particularly non-Muslim human life. He wanted us to die because of his political motives. He was angry and decided to resolve that anger by stuffing a pressure cooker with nails and ball-bearings that would shred flesh, shatter bones, and tear through arteries. How selfish can you get? He was upset, so strangers had to suffer for it.

He wasn't led astray by Tamerlan. Dzhokhar proudly went down that path with his brother, as equals, with his hat backwards, head held high, and a douchey carefree look on his face.