Thinking out loud…while wondering who I can cut a quid pro quo deal with…
- Happy birthday, New England Patriots. November 22, 1959 is when you officially arrived on Planet Earth, as the Boston Patriots. Now 60 years later, there are fans throughout the NFL who wish you were playing elsewhere, after the past two decades of other-worldly performances.
- Have we reached the point where Rob Gronkowski's latest 'big announcement' is like Chicken Little chirping that 'the sky is falling?' Or like the boy who cried 'wolf?'
- Yup. We're there.
- The Cowboy "star" vs. Pat Patriot – aka "Flying Elvis." Clashing on the field Sunday in the House that BB and TB built. Seems to me a perfect opportunity to overhype the obvious.
- Shouldn't this game at Gillette Stadium mean something more than 'just another "W" on the left side of the ledger?' I mean, it's America's Team vs. America's Most-Hated Team.
- Having grown up a fan of the Cowboys – I come by it honestly, having spent the first half of my life in Texas as a fan and media rookie – I know all about how one-time Dallas GM and Hall of Famer Tex Schramm self-proclaimed the Cowboys as America's Team, after NFL Films originally stuck them with the moniker like a bad tattoo.
- That tat hasn't faded. It's a phrase you still hear repeated today…some 40+ years later.
- Dallas' national popularity started in the early-to-mid '70's with TV ratings for Cowboy games going through the roof. It was a different media universe at the time, one that largely pre-dated the arrival of cable. The Cowboys were a Sunday afternoon affair. Must see, must watch, stop everything-for-football guts, glory and glamour.
- Over-the-air ratings for the major networks were staggeringly supportive for the NFL whenever a Dallas Cowboys' game was made available to other parts of the country. Which was often.
- It also helped that they won a lot. They had a beloved QB at the time whose nickname was "Captain America" in Roger Staubach – the one-time Heisman Trophy winner from Navy. They were business-like, calculating, even cold-blooded…just like their head coach, the ever-stoic, fedora-wearing Tom Landry.
- Not for nuthin', but isn't that precisely what the hoodie-clad, Bill Belichick-led Patriots are today?
- Most-watched, say the current ratings. Must-see, says the media. Love-to-hate New England, says much of the fandom beaten up by the Pats, fueled by a headline-seeking, attention-grabbing "fifth estate" in the first place.
- Spygate? Deflategate? More fuel for the fire of hate that has been built, especially as the Patriots continue with unprecedented winning ways and six Lombardi Trophies to their name, in spite of what anyone believes. Truth or fiction.
- And most of it is fiction, you know. But it just adds to the mystique.
- The Cowboys' team highlight film from 1978 stamped Dallas with that then semi-derisive term "America's Team" with the late, great Voice of NFL Films John Facenda proclaiming, "they appear on television so often that their faces are as familiar to the public as presidents and movie stars. They are the Dallas Cowboys, "America's Team."
- Which is precisely what the New England Patriots are today – familiar to the public as presidents, movie stars and mostly villainous characters beating up on the flotsam and jetsam of professional football in the 21st century. The time slots they play in, and subsequent TV ratings tell us this.
- Little known fact – Tom Landry originally hated the nickname. Bill Belichick could care less if anyone likes him or his team today, amiright?
- America's Team became one of the best-known nicknames of all-time in the midst of the Cowboys' then-NFL record 20-consecutive winning seasons.
- And which team has a current streak of 19-straight winning seasons? Um, that would be the Patriots.
- One other thought – while the Cowboys' logo and gear remains a top-seller today for the NFL and sporting goods stores throughout the country, even when Dallas is down…one player in particular continues to reside right at the top of the most-popular jersey list, too.
- That would be Tom Brady and his #12, of course.
- So, how 'bout them Cowboys? The King ain't dead yet, but perhaps he should at least roll over and make a little room on the throne for pro sports' most-dominant franchise of the past 20 years.
- America's Team, and America's Most-Hated Team, are really one and the same. After all, we're all Patriots already, aren't we?
- Sounds as if Coach Belichick, er, General Belichick, is getting ready for battle this week. He quoted President/General Dwight Eisenhower in his Wednesday presser.
- And I don't know about you, but any team that can't beat the J-E-T-S certainly doesn't deserve to be known as America's Team, does it? C'mon, man.
- Why so glum, Tom? He's a perfectionist. His offense isn't.
- But they're still capable. And the defense can shut anyone outside of Baltimore down on a whim. That includes the Ravens in a rematch, too…should one appear on the schedule.
- Tweet of the Week, from @NFL: "The @Patriots' winning streak is old enough to be a sophomore in college #GoPats."
- I remember Fred Cox, who passed away this week at 80 years old, when he kicked for the Minnesota Vikings. What I didn't remember was that Cox was the inventor of the "NERF" ball. He is still the Vikings' all-time scoring leader, playing in Minnesota from 1963-77.
- And while he was Pro Bowl-good, his everlasting gift to sport was coming up with the idea of a foam football – along with teammate John Mattox – that mimicked what a real football would do and has allowed kids (and adults) to throw it around while lessening the chance at damage.
- I said lessening, not eliminating. Ask my brother about that one.
- MLB is brainless. They are proposing to eliminate 42 Minor League clubs, add two new markets (St. Paul, MN and Sugar Land, TX) currently served by independent-baseball teams, shift several teams from current classifications and raise some existing short-season teams to full-season leagues by 2021.
- Why does this make them brainless? Many of these currently existing teams would be forced into something known as the "Dream League," unaffiliated with MLB teams and left to fend for themselves, financially and otherwise.
- Those communities that have built new stadiums – previously mandated by MLB – and have accompanying leases with accumulating debt, too, will suddenly find their financial feet cut out from underneath them.
- And MLB will have to pay. Primarily for their foolish arrogance. Yeah, (sarcastic font inserted here) this will attract fans to a sport when the sport needs new fans. Stupid is as stupid does.
- Lowell Spinners, Vermont Lake Monsters, Connecticut Tigers = out, under the new plan. As will be the entire Class A NY-Penn League, which has existed for 80 seasons. 42 teams in total, across 22 states, gone with the wind.
- Pawtucket baseball = after 50+ years, dead in the water. Not that it was exactly alive to begin with. Can you be deader than dead?
- More than 100 members of Congress signed a bipartisan letter to the Commish this week, protesting his plan to cut back in the minor leagues. This is one time I'm actually rooting for the pols to get involved. Hey MLB – wanna keep your anti-trust exemption?
- I don't hold a vote, but Derek Jeter? Of course. But also in the Hall of Fame this year if it were up to me? Cough, cough…Roger Clemens. Cough, hack…Curt Schilling. Cough, hack…wheeze…Barry Bonds.
- Um, hey Jacoby? That didn't go well, that New York thing, did it?
- Coach Craig Stewart's soccer Friars hosted NJIT in the NCAA 1st round on campus and beat the Highlanders 2-0 Thursday…advancing Providence into the second round to face Penn State in State College, PA Sunday.
- A-10 champ Rhody lost a tough one at Syracuse 3-2 in the opening round on an 87th minute penalty kick, ending the Rams' championship season at 14-4-3.
- Friar hoop this week took a step back in the right direction with that second half performance against Merrimack. I know, I know. It's Mare-uh-mack. But they did beat Northwestern, which PC didn't. Helluva way to open up in DI, huh?
- Providence used an ever-improving zone defense of their own to shut down the Warriors in the second half, holding them to a mere 23 points…and scoring 55 of their own. Play like that against the numerous zones sure to follow, and we'll have something.
- Welcome back, Nate Watson. His presence in the middle changes the game on offense for the Friars. It'll change it even more if he can hit a few free throws.
- Greg Gantt has rejoined the team this week following the death of his mother last weekend. His Friar family was anxious to get him back.
- Tournament play for several teams in the Big East opened this week – of note, Georgetown took on Texas in the 2K Classic at MSG and blasted the 22nd ranked Longhorns. The Friars get three games this season against those two.
- I haven't yet been convinced that Xavier is a contender for the long haul, based on their outside shooting. But I'm getting closer to that realization. They are tough. Physical. Imposing. Old Big East. Rick Barnes won a championship at PC playing like that in 1994.
- Seton Hall's Myles Powell was the USBWA (Basketball Writers') National Player of the Week for his performances in a loss to Michigan State (on one leg, pretty much) and a win over Saint Louis. He averaged 31.5 points in those two games.
- Rhody's big win over Alabama was followed by a gut-check win over Nicholls State – which beat Pitt and should have beaten LSU. Toughness is hard to coach, but the Rams seem to have it.
- Now it's Jamaica, mon, and continuing a four-games-in-eight days stretch. Hey, what else would you be doing down islan' mon, on a sunny day?
- Brown's first loss on the hardwood, after three wins to open the season, came on the road at the hands of Sacred Heart – picked 2nd in the NEC but thrashed in their opener by PC.
- Still think the Bears are a real threat to reach the Ivy postseason tourney, and Brandon Anderson is already a two-time Ivy Player of the Week.
- The new flop rule in college hoop? It's fine, but I blame the refs for needing the rule in the first place. Fellas, if you wouldn't play stupid and fall for all those head fakes, we wouldn't need a flop rule. Duh.
- Did you see where Rick Pitino is returning to coach the Panathinaikos Greek team he led to a league title last year? Former Friar Ben Bentil is on the roster, along with ex-Cincinnati Bearcat Sean Kilpatrick and one-time BYU gunner Jimmer Fredette.
- Cool moment in an otherwise largely-forgettable football season for Brown – QB (and BC transfer) E.J. Perry broke the school record for total offense in a single season last week in the Bears' win over Columbia. The previous record – was held by his Uncle James, the current head coach.
- URI football looks to avoid a winless season in the Colonial for the first time in seven years, hosting James Madison Saturday – the #2 FCS team in the country.
- If I need a straw, I would think pasta straws would be infinitely better to drink my drink with, rather than a paper one. Just sayin'.
- More for everyone – the RIIL Principals' Committee on Athletics is expanding the boys' and girls' Open state basketball tournament beginning next year, from 16 to 18 teams.
- When the Open tourney began in 2011, it certainly seemed like a great idea. Hoosiers'-like, for certain, giving the little guys an actual chance to compete with and beat the big boys. Or girls.
- Now? Seems we're heading down the road of participation trophies for everyone, especially if this thing keeps expanding. Just let everyone in, for cryin' out loud.
- A true "contender" in every sense of the word, ex-champ Peter Manfredo steps back into the ring Saturday night at Twin River for a light heavyweight fight…at the age of 39. It's his first bout in three-and-a-half years.
- And ICYMI, Gary 'Tiger' Balletto's son will make his boxing debut on the same fight card. No truth to the rumor Vinny Paz will pick a fight with someone just to get back in the ring, too. But I'll wager he'll at least think about it.
- My buddy "Big E" was out jogging this week and noticed a fairly new tennis ball lying in the street gutter. So, he picked it up, put it in his pocket and kept running. He got to an intersection with a stoplight and noticed a good-looking blonde waiting for the signal to cross the street, smiling.
- She asked, 'what do you have in your pocket?' "Big E" told her, "Tennis ball." The young lady replied, "wow, I once had tennis elbow and it hurt like heck."
- Peter sent me a note via Facebook this week, with an update on PC's hockey Friars: "Hi John, just getting my college hockey fix…sophomores Jack Dugan and Tyce Thompson are the top two scorers in Division I. Dugan's 21 assists also lead DI, and Dugan also leads DI with 2.16 points per game. He's the only player (in the country) averaging two or more per game."
- Peter: Pretty cool, yes. A young Friar hockey squad has two dynamic scoring threats in Dugan and Thompson at the top of the national scoring charts, with Dugan leading in assists and Thompson tied for the lead in goals scored. And let's not leave out junior forward Greg Printz, also with nine goals, who gives PC three of the top 15 scorers in the country. That's some serious firepower. The Friars are currently ranked 12th by the USCHO, at 6-4-2.
- Interested in having your questions on local Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes 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, comments and local stories to jrooke@weei.com. We'll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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