John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thinking out loud…while wondering whatever happened to stoic, boring Bill Belichick…
• There is so much going on around the NFL, it’s darn near impossible to keep up with it all. Once (or twice) a day, I jump into my favorite websites head first, and only come up for air when my eyes glaze over. Love it…
• Line of the week comes from a Tweet by Bill Walton (@TheBillWalton): “First Randy Moss now Haynesworth & Ochocinco, Bill Belichick has a greater affection for diva athletes than the entire Kardashian family.”
• The Patriots’ move to pick up Albert Haynesworth is a no-brainer, really. They have a need, he has a need, and there is good history behind picking up malcontents and bringing them into “the Patriot Way.” Plus, it’s just a 5th round draft pick they lose if it doesn’t work out. Rest assured, due diligence has been done…ditto for Chad Ochocinco, who will keep media types working around the clock, for sure…
• However, I will ask a question…do the Patriots make the Haynesworth deal if Myra Kraft were still here? After all, he was accused of fondling a waitress in the past year…and Mrs. Kraft, a champion of women and charitable causes, put the kibosh on alleged woman-abuser Christian Peter when he was drafted by the team in the ‘90’s…
• I love the fact that the Miami Dolphins are picking up Reggie Bush. Anything that spices up divisional play, I’m for. Should make for some interesting “chants” around Gillette Stadium when he comes in…and btw, I'm a little disappointed the J-E-T-S didn't pick up Nnamdi Asomugha, who instead goes to the Eagles. Tough break...
• The fall from grace continues for the greatest college quarterback I have ever seen play in person, or on TV…Vince Young is out of a job in Tennessee, even with a 30-18 record as a starter in five seasons…hello, Philly???
• Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison says his magazine comments about NFL commish Roger Goodell “were inappropriate?” Is that like saying we should do something about the debt in our country? He called him a “crook,” and a “puppet,” among other descriptive phrases…
• If you’re a fan of the HBO series “Hard Knocks,” you’re out of luck this year. Because of the lockout, no team could commit in time for production of the training camp reality series to take place. Instead, HBO says they’ll be doing a 10th anniversary special highlighting previous shows, and that the series will return next year…
• I’m sorry, but merely splitting with the Kansas City Royals this week tells me the Red Sox are definitely in the “dog days” of summer. Really? A split with the Royals?
• That said…I am very impressed with KC’s ability to hit the ball. And 1st baseman Eric Hosmer is a star-in-waiting, but the Royals have been down this road before…
• I understand the need for Erik Bedard or Ubaldo Jimenez, if they’re healthy or can be brought in without breaking the bank…because Clay Buchholz is not healthy. But that’s a real comedown from thinking the Sox were once in the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes…
• This week’s sign of the apocalypse – a Little League team from Uganda, the first-ever African representative to the Little League World Series, has been denied visas to enter the United States. It could be the first time in 52 years that a qualifying team has not played in Williamsport, PA…
• The number of NCAA violators continues to grow, and claim some big name programs…now, you can add Oklahoma to the list. Two major violations within the basketball program have the Sooners asking for leniency. Under the bylaws, a 2nd major infraction in five years can result in a program actually being dropped…
• I still say, seeing what the NCAA did to the SMU football program in the late ‘80’s, there will never be another “death penalty.” But then again, what went on at USC, Ohio State and Oklahoma recently is probably a drop in the bucket compared to what happened in Dallas 25 years ago. In essence, the Governor of Texas ran a slush fund for the football program, to pay the players…
• Reports that new UConn president Susan Herbst is trying to buy out athletic director Jeff Hathaway seem odd. Didn’t the Huskies just come off of a year where their football team played in a BCS game, the basketball team won a national title, the women’s team SHOULD have won a national title, and the baseball team reached the NCAA Super Regionals? Who’s pulling the strings behind this?
• You’ve got two guesses to answer the above question, and the first one doesn’t count…
• Congratulations to 145 student-athletes at Providence College, who this week were named Big East Conference Academic All-Stars. To reach the honor, players had to maintain a 3.0 minimum GPA during the previous academic year…
• The newly-named PAC-12 Conference has announced a new national television network, following in the footsteps of the Big 10 Network, and the Longhorn Network launching in August for the University of Texas. I still say the only way to keep 17 (or 18?) schools happy – and together – is by making them as much money as possible. Could a “Big East Network” become a reality?
• By the way, in case you were wondering…ESPN’s Bracketologist Joe Lunardi already has 10 Big East teams reaching the NCAA Tournament next March. Welcome home, Ed Cooley. All you have to do is join that bunch…someday soon…
• Play for Pay…count UConn’s Jim Calhoun and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as two basketball coaches who would like to see players paid an extra $75 to $100 per week, on top of their scholarships…
• The veteran free agent moves made by Bill Belichick this week as Patriots camp opened tell me one thing…that BB is ready to “carpe diem.” There is a relatively young team in place in Foxboro, trades this week notwithstanding, and the clock is ticking on Tom Brady’s career. Maybe even on his own career. Now’s the time to win, or at the least, pull out all of the stops…
• The mailbag question this week comes from Tim in Johnston, who was one of several asking about Albert Haynesworth coming to New England: “Wonder if the Pats are going to convert to a 4-3 this year, or if they’ll just rotate them to keep them fresh?” Tim, the Patriots were in “sub-packages” (a defense other than their base 3-4 alignment) almost three plays out of every five they ran last year! If Haynesworth plays, expect him to play wherever he can be most disruptive – on the field, of course…
• 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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