Scott Cordischi On Sports: Dallas Here We Come?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

Our confidence in the Patriots took a bit of a hit Sunday night. Bill Belichick was furious during the game and it had nothing to do with his team. The latest NFL coaching rumors plus a whole lot more in Scott Cordischi On Sports. Even though it was a win, Sunday’s victory over the Green Bay Packers has tempered the enthusiasm both locally and nationally for the Patriots. After blowout wins over Steelers, Lions, Jets and Bears, the entire NFL community had the Patriots in Dallas on February 6, 2011 for Super Bowl XLV.

Now, there’s at least some uncertainty thrown into the equation. While the Patriots appear to be on track for the top overall seed in the AFC and a first round playoff bye, a lot can happen between here in Dallas.

Remember what happened in last year’s regular season finale at Houston. Wes Welker blew out his knee and with it, any hopes the Patriots may have had at making a run deep into the post season.

So while the Pats still appear to be as good a bet as there is to play in Super Bowl XLV, nothing’s guaranteed. The Green Bay Packers and back-up quarterback Matt Flynn made that much clear Sunday night in Foxboro.

-Is it me or has Brandon Merriweather become the defensive version of Laurence Maroney?

-This has to be the end for Brett Favre, doesn’t it?

-“The Year Without A Santa Claus” with Heat Miser and Snow Miser is my favorite Christmas special in case you were wondering.

-That rumbling you feel beneath your feet is George Steinbrenner rolling in his grave after the offseason the Red Sox have had compared to his beloved Yankees.

-Have you ever seen a team give up 28 unanswered points in the final 7:30 minutes of a game the way the Giants did against Philadelphia Sunday?

-Paul Pierce’s triple-double playing point-forward Sunday against Indiana was just another example of why he is one of the greatest Celtics of all time and a future Hall of Famer.

-Take Tim Thomas away from the Boston Bruins this year and you have a below average hockey team.

-A source close to Bill Cowher says the former Steelers coach would like to return to the sidelines with the Giants, Dolphins and Texans being the three teams, in order, he would like to coach.

-Also, word is that Jon Gruden may be heading to Cleveland at season’s end to reunite with old friend and GM Mike Holmgren.

-Tim Tebow has already started more games as a quarterback in the NFL than I thought he would coming out of Florida.

-Does Brian Urlacher still think that the Bears are a better team than the Patriots?

-Shame on Ed Hochuli and his officiating crew for looking at the video replay and throwing a flag on Devin McCourty for unnecessary roughness 20-30 seconds after the play was over Sunday night.

-And shame on the Patriots replay crew at Gillette Stadium for playing such an incriminating replay at home allowing the crew to make the late call.

-You didn’t need to be a lip reader to understand what Belichick was saying about the Patriots replay crew and their decision to show that replay in house.

-Dan Connolly’s 71-yard kickoff return against the Packers was as funny as it was impressive.

-The Big East has 5 teams in the top 9 of the ESPN/USA Today’s men’s college basketball poll.

-And they have the top team in the women’s poll once again with UConn which won its record 88th consecutive game Sunday tying UCLA’s win streak.

-Geno Auriemma couldn’t be more wrong when he asserts that “everybody’s having a heart attack because a bunch of women are threatening to break a men’s record.” If you’re trying to tell us that women’s basketball doesn’t get the publicity or the respect it deserves, okay. But let’s not manufacture something that just isn’t there.

-The Ivy League men’s basketball conference is currently ranked 10th in the latest RPI.

-How would you like to be a Miami Dolphins season ticket holder? They paid their hard earned money to see their team win one home game in seven attempts.

-If it has to be this cold, we may as well have a white Christmas.