John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Thinking Out Loud…while wondering what happened to this year’s “best team ever?
• Saturday, the Patriots Hall of Fame will welcome two new members for induction – center Jon Morris and quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Both deserving, obviously. But there should be a wing in that Hall dedicated to Drew, and Drew alone…
• Say what you want about Bill Parcells coming to New England and changing the culture from losing to winning. You would be right. But without Bledsoe, multiple Super Bowls probably don’t happen. Players can make good coaches great coaches. Remember, Drew wasn’t even Parcells’ first choice as a #1 draft pick in ‘93. Rick Mirer was…
• My favorite Bledsoe memories? They happen to be Drew’s, too…his 45-70 performance against Minnesota in 1994, still NFL records for completions and attempts in a single game…and his off-the-bench TD toss in the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh in 2001. And anytime he threw for a big gain or a score…the Foxboro Stadium crowd responded with Drrrreeeewwwwwwwwww...
• Part I of the NFL Network’s “Bill Belichick – A Coaching Life” provided insight that no fan or media person has really seen before. You think you know, but then you don’t. Good guy? Perhaps. Interesting? Boring? You can make arguments either way. This much is certain – Belichick is a football “lifer.” The cameras and microphones recording his every move during the 2009 season prove that…
• One thing I learned from watching the show – I would love to have the opportunity to sit and have a beverage with Coach Belichick, and just shoot the breeze. He’s more interesting now, and maybe more mysterious, than he’s ever been…
• Can you believe the ruckus from an innocuous “tweet” Chad Ochocinco wrote this week? He was in awe watching the offense perform on Monday night in Miami. Former Patriots linebacker (and current ESPN analyst) Tedy Bruschi told him to “stop watching, and start studying,” in so many words. Love ya’ Tedy – but you don’t play anymore. Get off Ocho’s back and MYOB…
• Newsflash: Florida State’s athletic director says the Seminoles are “comfortable” with the Atlantic Coast Conference. This is news?
• On the Armageddon countdown clock…now, there are several reports that Oklahoma will soon decide where it wants to cast its athletic lot – perhaps by Monday – and the dominoes are expected to fall in line thereafter. Just where those dominoes will fall isn’t yet known…but it doesn’t look good for the Big 12 Conference…
• Supposedly, once Texas A&M had decided to bolt from the Big 12, the remaining schools were handed a list of potential replacements to discuss, and then contact, about joining the league. On that list were BYU and Arkansas…followed by Pittsburgh, Louisville and West Virginia. But the Big East Three were not contacted, and have not been contacted. Yet…
• Was Friday night’s Iowa State at UConn football game a sneak preview of a future Big East contest?
• Newsflash: I scratched my butt today. And I will probably scratch it tomorrow.
• Sign of the times: Local sports took another hit this week with the news that longtime TV anchor and reporter Don Coyne was released by Channel 6. Few know the local scene any better than Don…and isn’t the local scene where our TV stations should be focusing? Nah…
• Class = Brian Urlacher. His 51-year-old mother passed away unexpectedly this week, but the grieving linebacker returned to practice Thursday, and is expected to play for the Chicago Bears Sunday against New Orleans…
• Class = Tim Tebow. Yes, questions remain about his ability to QB an NFL team. But the fans in Denver are clamoring for him to take over the Broncos’ offense…and Tebow, not wanting to fan that fire, says he’ll bide his time until he gets his turn…
• Not for nuthin’…but wasn’t St. John’s supposed to have a big class of exciting freshmen basketball players this year playing for Steve Lavin? Not so big now, as three of the newbies – Jakarr Sampson, Norvel Pelle and Amir Garrett – could not qualify academically for this fall. And they might not qualify for the spring, either…on a team with only ONE player (guard Malik Stith) returning from last year…
• Just goes to show you…no matter how bad you think you might have it (are you listening, Friar fans?) someone else always has it worse than you do…
• Newsflash: The NBA regular season will probably not start on time, and the scheduled Celtics’ pre-season game for the Dunkin Donuts Center will probably not take place. Shocker, right?
• Am I crazy to think that the best “team” in the American League this year could end up being the Detroit Tigers? They do have the best player…and did have a 12-game winning streak, their longest in 77 years…
• By the way, should we let the Red Sox know that it’s ok, it’s football season now?
• Or should we tell the Chicago Cubs they can have Theo Epstein if they really want him?
• The joke on WEEI sports radio this spring had some of the hosts calling this year’s Boston Red Sox roster “the best team, ever.” Ok, so they were making a mockery of so much Red Sox Nation bluster. I think. But do you think that a couple of those guys wish they hadn’t actually said that?
• Newsflash: The St. Louis Rams are really bad. In all areas. Click this link, watch, and you’ll agree. Ram Rules That is all.
• Happy Birthday, GoLocalProv. We’re actually a little more than 1 year old, but just broke out the party hats this week. Thank you for reading, following and commenting…we’ll continue to “bring it” every day…
• Speaking of bringing it…the mailbag question this week comes from Gustavo in Porto Allegre, Brazil (man, do we have REACH): “Why are people still talking about Ochocinco? The offense is great! With all due respect, we DON'T NEED him right now!” Gustavo, I could not have said it any better myself. The game plan against Miami clearly did not require his services…he was only targeted three times. Ocho will get his shot, believe me, and Pats fans will be very happy he’s here before the year is out…
• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, too @jrooke0722…
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