WE SHOULD HAVE LOST

When was the last time the Patriots tried a quarterback sneak on 3rd/4th down, and failed? I can't remember the last time the QB sneak didn't work. So why is BJG Ellis running off tackle on a 4th and 1? I didn't mind the call to go for it, although I'd prefer a punt. But use the sneak, which has worked seemingly 100% of the time the last 10 years.

We'd all hoped that the Patriots' 4th quarter struggles were behind them. They dominated the 4th against Baltimore. But yesterday, the Pats were pathetic in the 4th.

Thankfully, the Chargers' special teams is awful.

But this game should have been won before that missed field goal. It should have been won when the Patriots got to the San Diego 16 but were forced to kick a field goal. It should have been won with those other field goal drives before the 4th quarter. Those sacks in the Red Zone were simply awful, and they kept the Chargers in the game.

The Pats made 5 trips to the Red Zone, and only scored 2 touchdowns. Inexcusable.

I'm not very excited about this team. They're showing the same offensive Red Zone struggles that plagued them in years past. The defense can't be relied on to win games. But it was the defense that won this game. They forced the turnovers, they kept San Diego to 20 points.

But the offense has to score in the Red Zone. They have to win the time of possession battle.

The Pats host the Vikings Sunday afternoon. Minnesota is 0-3 on the road, they have a turnover happy QB, a coach trying to control him, and a receiver that gives up on a potential TD catch because he's about to get hit.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

It's hard not be excited right now. Granted, it's October. The important months of the season are an entire winter, plus big chunks of fall and spring, away. But the Bruins have a stellar goalie in net, forwards who can score, defensemen who can defend, guys who can fight, guys who can pass, guys who can hit, guys who can check. This is the best I've seen the Bruins play since they swept the Canadiens in '09.

And there's the chance to improve. Tyler Seguin is already seeing the ice, and feeling the play like a 3 year veteran. Savard and Sturm are on the mend. Nine players on the roster are under 25.

But there's also room to improve. Tim Thomas had a simply stupendous night last night. But even before the silly goal he allowed, I intended to mention that he seemed a bit too confident and aggressive. I don't mind when he ventures a few feet out of the crease. But when the distance between him and the net is expressed in yards, not feet, I get a little concerned.

Then there was the puck handling. Not only was he struggling with it all night, his decisions to handle the puck at all were flat out stupid.

The goal Thomas allowed was a rarity. Almost never is a goal 100% the goalie's fault. This one was. Ference had 3 or 4 strides on Chimera. Even if Chimera was going to catch up, Ference was in perfect position to prevent any shot on net.

Thomas has every right to be thrilled at being back to Vezina form. But he needs to temper that excitement, and just do his job. Which he did pretty well last night.

Speaking of mistakes, Blake Wheeler made them almost every time he was on the ice. Awful shots, bad passes, turnovers, defensive miscues, general confusion. He's useless. At least Ryder's remembered how to be a goal scorer.

But I don't know how much longer Wheeler should be allowed to dress. When Sturm comes back, I'd rather have an energy guy like Caron on the ice. I guess you could take Marchand off, but who leaves when Savard returns?

The Bruins had severe difficulty moving the puck out of their own zone. In the 1st period, Thomas had to save the game multiple times because of this. Then with a 2-0 lead, Washington pressed, and it all happened again. This has been a glaring flaw for the Bruins for years, exposed most memorably by Carolina in 2009.

Defensemen don't have to score goals to contribute to the offense. They just have to move the puck forward. That also helps a great deal on defense. For years, B's fans have clamored for "a puck moving defenseman." Well, the team needs about four of those, not just one.

But back to positives:

Bergeron had a classic Bergeron game, and got 2 assists to show for it.

Boychuk remains a psycho.

Jordan Caron is fighting for that ice time, and he's winning the fight.



Chara and the defense put the hurt on Ovechkin, especially Seidenberg.



BUNDLED!

Horton has a point in all 5 games so far.

Lucic was effective on the boards, and in front of the net. I like seeing him on the PP unit, causing mayhem in the crease.

Rechhi as the point man for the PP unit seemed to work pretty well. We'll see what happens when opposing penalty killers challenge him at the blue-line. Nevertheless, the power-play looked vastly improved.

Ryder's trade value went up a notch.

Seguin is the total package. He can shoot, he can do the smart things defensively, and the kid can pass anywhere, anytime. If he ever gets paired with another player who can score like him, the flying circus shall commence.



Shawn Thornton's line was physical, they altered the flow of the game, and they left an impression.

I'm pretty excited. In case you can't tell by the length of this post recapping the 5th game of the regular season.

Bruins host the Rangers on Saturday night.

Photo Credits:
AP Photo

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: WEEK 8*

Last weekend my picks went 6-1, buoying my season record (against the spread) to 16-10-2. There are a few titanic clashes this Saturday, but there are also many seemingly smaller games that will have major implications within conferences. This week, I got my odds from Doc's Sports Services. All these games are on Saturday.

12:00 PM - ESPN
#7 Michigan State Spartans @ Northwestern Wildcats
This just feels like one of those crazy games. There's no logical reasoning for it, but I feel as though MSU has absolutely no shot to win this game. Northwestern +5.5.

3:30 PM - CBS
#6 LSU Tigers @ #4 Auburn Tigers
Biggest game of the day as two 7-0 SEC West contenders meet. I'm going with LSU +6, but mainly because I think it will be a close game. Also, Auburn's going to get unlucky, and one of these near-losses will become a loss.



3:30 PM - ABC
#16 Nebraska Cornhuskers @ #14 Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State has yet to struggle on offense. Oklahoma State has yet to meet a defense like Nebraska's. Nebraska -5.5.



3:30 PM - ABC/ESPN
#13 Wisconsin Badgers @ #15 Iowa Hawkeyes
The hangover of a big win has been well-documented the last two seasons. That, and the game being in Iowa, is why I'm taking the Hawkeyes -5.5 I'd prefer a spread below 4, and in real life I might avoid this one. But less than a TD is enough for me.



3:30 PM - ESPNU
UConn Huskies @ Louisville Cardinals
I'm taking UConn +1 here. I might be the last person in the country that still thinks they're a decent team. But Louisville is utter garbage.



7:30 PM - ESPN2
UNC Tar Heels @ Miami Hurricanes
The U has been very inconsistent this year. You can classify them as a disappointment, but also as a pleasant surprise. They're still very much in contention to win their Division. They should handle the controversy-plagued Heels. Miami -6.5



7:30 PM - ESPN 3
Georgia Bulldogs @ Kentucky Wildcats
UGA sucks. Yet somehow, they're the favorites against 4-3 Kentucky, in Lexington. I'm taking UK +4.



8:00 PM - ABC
#1 Oklahoma Sooners @ #11 Missouri Tigers
I'm not entirely confident. #1 teams seem to be cursed. Mizzou is good. OU hasn't impressed me that much. And the game is in Columbia. That being said, I'll take the #1 team in the country -3 pretty much every time.



10:15 PM - ESPN
Washington Huskies @ #18 Arizona Wildcats
I just don't think Washington is very good. Arizona -6.5.

A CAPITAL "W"

This was the biggest test of the year for the Bruins. New Jersey had been scuffling. But the Caps had been excelling. And the Bruins went down to Washington and won 3-1.

It is once again Tim Thomas time, folks. All the Tuukka Rask fans can pout, but Tim Thomas, so far, is back to Vezina form. He had more than a few big saves early on that maintained a 0-0 score until Horton and Krejci hooked up in the 1st.



I'm in love with Nathan Horton already. Unlike useless forwards like Ryder and Wheeler, Horton just understands what to do with the puck. He has good instincts, he's calm, he's precise, he's an NHL forward. Everything he does has a purpose. There's little hesitation, and no confusion.

Goaltending is an equation of time and space. How much time will some space be open for a shot to slip past. Horton's pass to Krejci, and then Krejci's sharpshooter strike, was an example of forwards defeating the goaltender's time/space equation. The space was closing, but Horton passed perfectly to Krejci, and Krejci shot in time to beat the goalie. Beautiful stuff.

Milan Lucic has added goal scoring to his repertoire. He's tallied 3 already. It took him 16 games to score 3 goals in 09-10. He's been hanging out in the slot, utilizing his quick hands, and outmuscling/outworking his opponent. Not only is he a junk-goal-junkie, he's a warrior on the boards, winning one-on-one battles about 2/3 of the time.

Speaking of warriors, Gregory Campbell is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. The Bruins need guys like this, who have an identity as a player. Blake Wheeler is still trying to find himself. And Michael Ryder is a finesse player that lacks the skills and poise to be any good. Campbell will not score, except by accident. Even his occasional assists will be by default. But he can alter the tempo and pace of a game.

If the Bruins could get their Power Play working, look out. That might change when/if Savard returns. Sturm also helps that unit.

If this team keeps its head about them, if they learn that killer instinct, if they learn how to turn a flesh wound into a mortal wound, how to turn a cut into a gash, an injury into a kill; they can do some serious damage in the Spring.

Capitals @ Bruins in the home opener Thursday. Are you pumped? Because I'm pumped.



Photo Credits:
AP Photo

BRADY TO BRANCH

Fun fact, the tickets for yesterday's Patriots games, which were mailed to season-ticket holders many months ago, featured an image of Randy Moss.

It was hard not to have flashbacks of 2003 and 2004 yesterday. Looking back at the Pats' historic (and still unmatched) 21 game win streak, you see lots of weird scores. 9-3, 12-0, even a 23-20 overtime win at Houston.

It wasn't pretty. Then again, we've been bitching about this team falling short in the 4th quarter. So let's enjoy them dominating the final phase of the game. The Pats held the Ravens to 31 yards in the 4th.

The Patriots' offense also wasn't pretty. Neither was it ugly. Danny Woodhead amassed 115 yards of offense. Deion Branch caught 9 passes for 98 yards and a score. While that was going on, BJG Ellis had a Maroneylike 20 yards on 10 carries. Brady's numbers were also unimpressive.

The defense came up with the big plays. Unlike the last 20 or 30 games, they were able to stop the opposing offense on 3rd downs. Baltimore only converted 5 of 16 3rd downs. The Ravens were held to 99 yards on the ground (2.9 per carry).



There were shades of 03-04, as the big defensive plays came from random guys like Jermaine Cunningham. That being said, the Ravens' offense is hardly dynamic. The Ravens run, and not amazingly so. Their passing offense is mediocre and simple. Even the Pats' secondary can handle it.

Also, the Patriots were at home, where they haven't lost a regular season game since 2008. Also, the Patriots were coming out of a bye week. 2002 was the last time they lost after a bye week. They had two weeks to prepare for Baltimore. The Ravens only had a week, and all their film of the Pats' offense was less relevant, as the gameplan would be much different without Moss.

But I look at the NFL standings, and the Patriots are right at the top. They have the 2nd best record in a League loaded with mediocrity. 12 teams are either at .500, or one game above or below. These games, and ultimately the season, will be decided by the slimmest of margins. The teams that can make big plays, avoid stupid penalties (Meriweather, that's you), will be the team that goes the furthest.

Patriots at the 2-4 Chargers next week.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: WEEK 7*

I didn't have any picks last week as I was on vacation. But two weeks ago, I went 4-6-1, which drops my yearly record against the spread to 10-9-2. It's time for me to rebound. As usual, I'll be using the spreads found at VegasInsider.com

Thursday - 7:30 PM - ESPN
South Florida Bulls @ #25 West Virginia Moutnaineers
WVU are the closest thing to a legit team in the Big East. South Florida lost to Syracuse, and struggled to put up points. I'm taking WVU -10.



All other games are on Saturday...

12:00 PM - ESPN3
Pitt Panthers @ Syracuse Orange
This is a pick game, and I'm picking Pitt. Syracuse may be 4-1, but two of those wins came against Maine and Colgate. Pitt has disappointed so far, but it's still Syracuse.



12:00 PM - ESPN2
Maryland Terrapins @ Clemson Tigers
Clemson is favored by over two touchdowns. Granted, they're at home. They're also 2-3, and 0-2 in ACC play. The spread's too juicy, I'm taking Maryland, +15.



12:00 PM - BigTen Network
Illinois Fighting Illini @ #13 Michigan State Spartans
The undefeated Spartans host a 3-2 team, and somehow the spread is only 7 points. MSU -7.



3:30 PM
California Golden Bears @ USC Trojans
OK, so USC isn't good unless they pay their players. But guess what, Cal isn't good either. I'm taking the men of Troy -2.5



3:30 PM - ABC
Texas Longhorns @ #5 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Under Mack Brown, Texas has never lost 3 straight. While I think they'll accomplish this feat on Saturday, they won't do it by many points. Nebraska is good, but won't score enough to cover the spread. They'll thoroughly dominate the game, but won't cover the 9.5. Longhorns +9.5



7:00 PM
Baylor Bears @ Colorado Buffaloes
A pair of half-decent Big XII teams. But I'll sat Baylor is 55% decent, and I'm taking BU -1.

JOHN HENRY, ARE YOU BREAKING UP WITH US?

The owners of the Boston Red Sox are expanding their sporting conglomerate to Old England, purchasing soccer team Liverpool FC. The acquisition itself will cost New England Sports Ventures (NESV) about 300 million Pounds, or $476 million.

That's actually a fairly low price for a world famous soccer club like Liverpool. In January, Forbes Magazine valued Liverpool at just around $1 billion. So why the discount?

Because, as they say in England, Liverpool is in the shit. Both competitively, and financially.

They're currently 18th in the 20 team English Premier League. And in case you don't know, the 18th, 19th, and 20th placed teams in the Premier League are demoted to the minors at the end of each season. It's called relegation.

But it's early in the season, and Liverpool should avoid that fate. At the same time, they'll likely fail to qualify for the European Champions League (a competition between the top club teams in Europe, which also pays out huge cash prizes for qualification, advancement, and winning. The top 4 English teams qualify).

And that brings us to Liverpool's financial woes. The club is 280 million Pounds ($445 million) in debt. That's why they were so cheap to buy. And as part of the purchase, NESV has claimed that they'll repay that debt. So in essence, NESV is paying $476 million to buy the team, then another $445 million to get it out of debt. That's a $921 million total price tag.

You could pay Adrian Beltre $15 million a year, for 61 years, with that money.

I'm not John Henry's financial advisor. I don't care if he makes money or loses money on this deal. I'm a soccer fan, but Arsenal FC is my team, and I'm fairly indifferent to the fate of Liverpool.

But I am a Red Sox fan.

And as a fan, it irks me that our ownership is taking on such a massive undertaking. They want to return Liverpool FC to competetive prominence (18 English titles in their history, but 0 since 1990). They also want to return it to solvency. It's an involved and difficult project that will take time, effort, ingenuity, and resources.

It sounds eerily similar to something like buying a Boston based baseball club in 2002. An historic franchise that hasn't won in awhile, plays in an antiquated facility, and struggles to make money. Is that the Red Sox in 2002, or Liverpool in 2010?

But the competition is much stronger and much higher in number for Liverpool. The Red Sox only had to contend with one New York Yankees. In England, there are several teams with that level of resources and clout. Manchester United, my Arsenal, Tottenham. Not to mention clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City, which are owned by sketchy international billionaires that pour huge sums of cash into their teams.

And it doesn't stop there. Liverpool has to compete with teams from Spain, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and so on. These teams are constantly bidding against each other for talent (players are rarely free agents, their contracts are typically bought and sold by teams, for huge amounts of money), not just playing each other on the field.

These teams also compete for fans (and ultimately, money) across the globe. Liverpool has an international following, but not nearly on the scale as Manchester United's, or Real Madrid's.

As a Sox fan, I don't like this situation one bit. The Sox need to be rebuilt, after finishing 3rd. Fenway Park has improved over the past decade, but it's still a 100 year old relic. The Yankees are improving, both competitively, and financially. And the Sox are remaining stagnant. Could you imagine the Yankees front office publicly (or privately), discussing a "Bridge Season?"

How does the purchase of a financially struggling soccer team help the Sox? Is there any synergy? NESN can't broadcast Liverpool games, because like the NFL, the Premier League negotiates TV contracts as a whole. Maybe Liverpool can come to Fenway every summer and play a game. But how much extra cash can that generate? Englishmen hate baseball. And Americans hate soccer.

I didn't mind NESV's acquirement of 50% of a NASCAR team a few years ago. The team had recent success, but just needed an influx of capital. The team's other owners still ran the racing and the business, and it didn't seem like NESV needed to pay much attention to what was going on.

At the same time, it's not as if Roush-Fenway has been a spectacular success. And it's certainly helped the racing team more than the baseball team.

It's disturbing that while the zeal for improving the Red Sox has gradually petered out, it's coincided with this notion of resurrecting Liverpool. There's a new flame in John Henry's life. He has a new challenge. And he'll dive into the dealings of Liverpool FC, and probably hire the right people to turn it around, invest resources properly, and maybe Liverpool will return to the elite echelon of the soccer world.

But it will come at the expense of the Red Sox. Henry and NESV won't let the Sox get worse. But they won't do everything possible to improve them, not like they did back in 2003 or 2004. We'll have more bridges than Madison County around here.

Hopefully I'm wrong. But every time the Sox pinch a penny instead of retain/acquire talent, we can guess that Liverpool FC needs to buy a new midfielder.



Red Sox Nation, John Henry has found someone else. He's not interested in us anymore. It's not us, it's him. Remember, he's from Quincy, Illinois, not Quincy, Massachusetts. And to any Liverpool fans reading this, he's not from Merseyside either, so enjoy his attention and affection while it lasts.

MORE OF THE SAME FROM BRUINS

The weekend the Bruins had in Prague could have been used to sum up the entire 2009-10 season. And that's what worries me. They played uninspired, flat hockey. Then they were sparked, played hard, fought for loose pucks, made smart decisions, and outworked their opponent.

This routine repeated itself over and over last season. The B's would play three great games, then look lackadaisical for a pair of games, then reinvigorated for two more games, then listless for three, et cetera.

It even happens during the game itself. The Bruins consistently play their worst hockey when up by 3 goals. That's absurd. They get careless, they don't fight, they just try to cruise by until the clock hits 0:00. That doesn't work in hockey. And you'd think after what happened against Philadlephia last year, the Bruins wouldn't be so complacent when up 2-0 on Phoenix with 15 minutes of hockey left to play.

I'm also going to relentlessly criticize Tuukka Rask. Why? Because those legions of Tuukka Time Tards gave Timmy "I won the Vezina for Boston" Thomas far too much of the blame for the Bruins' struggles, and gave Rask far too much of the credit for the Bruins' success.

Furthermore, I don't like Rask. I don't like how small he is, I hate his collapsing style, and I hate his face.

Rask was awful in Saturday's game. The Bruins played better in front of Thomas on Sunday, so Timmy was never put in the same unfortunate situations that Rask faced on Saturday. Then again, Rask put himself out of position far too often.

The power play unit was dreadful. When the Bruins had the man advantage, the Coyotes had better offensive opportunities. That problem needs to be immediately addressed. I like Hunwick out there. I don't like Blake Wheeler out there.

On the bright side, Nathan Horton looks phenomenal. And Seguin's poise and comfort during his breakaway goal was impressive.

So while at first I was satisfied with how the Bruins turned things around in their second game out there, I'm going to refrain from commending them for doing so. At least until they've put together a nice long streak of good efforts. I'm not expecting 82 games of playoff-level intensity. But lack-of-effort games like Saturday's should be rare and occasional. At the moment, it comprises half the season.

I'll have a very thorough (although late) season preview for the Bruins before their next game. Which is Saturday night in New Jersey.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo