This Would Feel Awesome

More Refs not caring if Duke players walk:

Coach Bill Once Again Confusing the Masses

By Pat O

Patriots fans, we've been down this road before.

The Pats said good-bye to Ben Coates and Bruce Armstrong back in 2000 when Bill Belichick took the reigns in Foxboro. Lawyer Milloy, the undisputed heart and soul of the 2001 Super Bowl champs was giving his walking papers after a 2002 season in which he didn't force a turnover. At this point it was starting to become clear there the Patriot brass was not going to be known for its sentimentality.

In the cases of Deion Branch, Adam Vinetieri, Roosevelt Colvin (the first time) and others, the reasoning for their departure was clear: value. Either they weren't worth their salary or the Patriots simply thought they were done. In each of those cases there seemed to be some sort of explanation where we could see the line of thought for letting go of key members of title teams. That's why trade the Patriots made yesterday in trading Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel for a second round pick (34th overall) is hard to make sense of even from an objective standpoint.

For all the talk of comparing the situation that Patriots were in with Cassel to what the Packers received for Matt Hasselbeck, the Falcons received for Matt Shaub or the Vikings received for Duante Culpepper, I'm not upset about the compensation they got for Cassel. Mike Reiss put it well in today's Globe when he said this situation was different in that the Pats really had no leverage. It's either trade Cassel or take on close to $30 million for two quarterbacks next season on a team that needs to shore up a defense that was porous at times last year. This could be a valuable pick and it gives the team four picks in the opening two rounds.

The way they included Mike Vrabel as a throw-in is what stunned me and is leaving me with questions. Why trade a player who only accounts for $4 million against the salary cap who can incontrovertibly still play? Sure, he went from 12 1/2 sacks in 2007 to 4 last year but I chalk a great deal of that up to injuries (none of which he talked about) and injuries to the defensive line that limited opportunities. Vrabel has been an absolute rock for this team since coming here in 2001 and could be considered a borderline Hall-of-Fame candidate. I just can't fathom why he would be cast to the side when you consider Teddy Bruschi was on the field enough to make 75 tackles last year and will be returning for 2009. This is the same Teddy Bruschi who has forced 2 turnovers since 2004. I'm not trying to dig into Bruschi; I just can't believe this move was due to on-field performance nor was it due to monetary concerns.

I was not of the belief that the Chiefs were the sole bidder for Cassel and the reports of the squashed three way deal from Friday night between the Buccaneers, Broncos and Pats that didn't involve Vrabel lead me to believe this didn't need to happen. Acquiring the Vrabel would not have been a deal-breaker for other teams and it's unfortunate the Pats jumped the gun too early.

This is the time where we wait for the other proverbial shoe to drop and see what Belichick has up his sleeve. There have been times where he had a plan (Rodney Harrison waiting in the wings for Milloy) and times where he had clearly made a mistake (Fernando Bryant for Asante Samuel).

I'm not going to speculate on trying to acquire Ray Lewis or Derrick Brooks because I really don't see that happening. The Patriots are going to have to replace Vrabel from within and, to be frank, the well is pretty dry. The idea of Pierre Woods or Tully Banta-Cain starting on opening day scares the hell out of me. Other than Adalius Thomas and Richard Seymour who can create a consistent pass rush?

For a team who was 26th in NFL in third down defense, problems at linebacker are the last thing it needs when you consider its deficiency at both corner back and safety.

Celtics Vs Pistons

Today the Celtics take on the tail spinning Pistons. The Pistons have been off this year since the Billups/ Iverson deal and they haven't looked the same. Hamilton will once again be coming off the bench for the Pistons (let me tell you something Pistons it's stupid, your 4-12 with him coming off the bench) But whatever they want to keep losing, it's no sweat off our backs. I'm also interested to see how Marbury will do after a little practice. I'm out of it today, the Celtics will win.

Celtics 110-91

TA: Paul Pierce

Pats Turned Down A First Rounder

Mort reports that the Patriots turned down a first- and third-round pick from the Bucs in a potential three-way trade that would have sent Matt Cassel to Denver and Jay Cutler to the Bucs. Instead, the Patriots chose a second-round pick from the Chiefs.

This doesn't make much sense to me. The only way this would work is if the Patriots and Chiefs already agreed upon a deal. The Patriots got low balled by the Chiefs this trade, but it sucks for Pats fans for the what if factor.

Bruins 3, Luck 2 + Capitals 2 (OT)

Does Jose Theodore play with his eyes open? That's my question. I know a few years ago with Montreal he was outstanding, but now he just seems to be the luckiest goaltender in the history of the game. Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing Tim Thomas' textbook form, so when Theodore wanders 8 feet out of the crease, and goes to the butterfly in the slot, Jose simply looks retarded.



The Capitals have won 3 of 4 against the Bruins this year. And I'm barely worried about facing them in the playoffs. Firstly, I think it will be miraculous if Jose Theodore brings them as far as an Eastern Conference Final. Secondly, their biggest enemy against the Bruins will be the law of averages catching up with them.

The Devils and Martin Brodeur are the biggest threat out there, folks.

One of the video headlines on ESPN.com reads "Caps send Bruins a message in overtime win." I wonder what the hell this message could be? "We're luckier than you?" "Without your most physical forward, we barely beat you." "Dennis Wideman had our biggest goal." "If the refs call bizarre hooking penalties every 10 minutes, we'll have the edge."

I'm not trying to detract from Washington. They're a great team, and Ovechkin's the best player in the world. I just think that the season series could have easily been 3-1 Bruins if not for one or two bounces.



But it is what it is. And Washington is a mere 8 points behind the Bruins, and both teams have 19 games to go. The Caps have the 2nd tie-breaker by winning the head-to-head series 7 points to 3, and the 1st tie-breaker is total wins.

Bruins host the Flyers Tuesday night.

-The Commodore