Chip's Blog

It's time to throw out another Patriots question.  Is Josh McDaniel the premier up and coming coaching star of the NFL?  Will he take the route of Eric Mangini and bolt?

Bill Belechik has a nack for finding and developing good young coaches, and McDaniel is definitely an excellent example of this.

Here's the question/questions:

1.  How much of Cassells success is directly attribuatable to the coaching of Josh McDaniel?

2.  How much of Josh's success is attributable to the play of Matt Cassell?

3.Where does the genius of Bill factor into all this?

Any way you cut it....we got some serious genius happenin' here....

OK, I'm going to do it.  I'm going to ask the obvious, but locally, "sporrtually", politically incorrect, question.  Has anyone thought the sensible thing for the Patriots to do is to trade Tom Brady to the NFC, and "franchise"  Matt Cassell?

Brady never threw for 415 yds and 3 touchdowns....Let's go.  Let's debate!!!

....Bill Belechick secures his place as the most prescient coach in NFL history.  Has it occurred to anyne else that the simple act of drafting Matt Cassel was, statistically dubious at best?  He ran only a handful of plays his entire college career, and hadn't started a football game since his senior year in high schook in 1999 (That's right folks, the last freakin' millenium!!)

And yet, taking over for injured Tom Brady last week, he threw 18 for 23 with over 150 yards and one touchdown.  He hit Randy Moss for a 51 yard strike.  He "general'ed" a running game that put two backs over 50 yards in 10 carries each (Yep, that's over a 5 yard a carry average for both Maroney and Morris.).

Now, I'm a season ticket holder.  I live with a woman who would take your life for insulting the Patriots.  I go way back....

But what is this saying about the Patroits organization?  This is scarin' me!!!  Bill, I'm impressed.

Buried in the midst of a news report replete with fire and death, was a heartwarming story that was easily "missable" for it's brevity.

Yesterday, at the Kennedy Library in Dorchester, David Ortiz, with many others became naturalized citizens. In his spare time, between playing, training and doing superhuman amounts of charity work on behalf of children, he found the time and effort to take the classes, take the test and become a naturalized citizen.

David Ortiz, like his fellow teammate and naturally born Dominican native Manny Ramirez, are what are called LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. They are the finest examples of American citizens, one who came legally and chose their citizenship.

Hat's off, Papi. You have humbled an old white guy born here, not with your prowess with your bat, but with your dedication to OUR (yours and mine) country. And for that I thank you.

Am I the only Pats fan who thinks that the credit being given Mike Vrabel for his perfromance this year is sorely inadequate?  What were his stats last week?  Three sacks?  One forced fumble?  That fumble returned for a TD (by Rosie, granted but...) Touchdown reception?  Isn't that  worth national coverage?  Isn't that similar to games by the likes of Lawrence Taylor?  Andre Tippett?

Why does he not get the credit he deserves?  I think he is on the way to one of the best seasons a Pats linebacker has ever had.  I think his uncanny ability to find himself "around the ball" on a play afet play basis is Pro Bowl material.

Am I the only Pats fan who thinks he deserves so much more credit than he gets?

Holy Mackerel!!  Has anyone ever seen a performance like Vince Wilfork's rushing on punt return on Friday night against Carolina?  If I were a center in the NFL, I'd be collecting strains of the flu to give myself the week before meeting New England.

If that didn't make him the premier nose tackle in th eleague, I don't know what can.

Feedback?

Well, sports fans,  here it is from the LA Times:

"Suspended NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones was being sought by police for questioning about a shooting early Monday involving members of his entourage after a fight at an Atlanta strip club.

The Tennessee Titans cornerback is on suspension following a melee and shooting in February at a Las Vegas strip club that left a bar employee paralyzed and two other people wounded."

What do you think?  Expelled from football?  Banished from the league?  What was he thinking (I'm giving him credit for rational thought, which might be a stretch...)?  Here he is the "poster boy" for the league's new "get tough on bad behavior" policy.  Another strip club...another melee...

I'm just shaking my head....

The comments by Tom Brady's Dad this weekend in Boston were refreshing.  I have been disappointed with Tom since the Bridgett Moynihan thing, but his Dad has given me pause to think.  Don't we all have issues in our family; haven't we all had issues in our lives. 

Thanks Mr. Brady.  You have given me back some perspective.  Hey, Tom....listen to your Dad!!!

Can this be true? Two pregnant girlfriends within a couple months? Does he care? Has he lost his moral rudder? Did he ever have a moral rudder? Did money corrupt him? Will fans accept this? Will the Patriots accept this?

My God.

Cedric Maxwell made a just plained BLEEP comment on air the other evening. To assert that the only female ref should go back to the kitchen and cook him bacon and eggs is foolish, and, yes, sexist. Even if it was meant as humor, it was grossly disrespectful.

Now, let's compare his comments with other similar BLEEP comments. If a black man was told to go back and pick cotton? A Mexican to buy Brylcream? An Oriental to iron a shirt?

No consequence here? Why is that? Anyone have the nerve to say it?