Thinking out loud…while wondering when All My Patriots – aka The Bold and the Beautiful, aka the Young and the (very) Restless – can give us more than just One Life to Live…
- These Patriots, huh? It's never boring. It's a soap opera, amiright? Just sayin'.
- Happy 50th birthday this week to the man who gave birth to the Patriots' dynasty – Mo Lewis. The former NYJ linebacker knocked Drew Bledsoe out of the lineup in 2001, severing an artery in his lungs and Tom Brady came in to replace him.
- And the rest, as they say, is history. The least we could do is blow out the man's candles for him.
- Michael Bennett, we hardly knew ya'. Chances are strong we'd know ya' a little better if you could've learned to do what the coaches asked of you. But hey, life – and championship teams – move on.
- I'm as surprised as anyone over Josh Gordon's relegation to IR and eventual release (still coming). I've been rooting for him. But I believe this is little more than the business of football being cold, calculating and sometimes cruel.
- Unless the Patriots know something we don't know. Yet.
- Five of the six previous games played at MetLife between the Patriots and J-E-T-S had been decided by one score. That was before this past Monday.
- Can you believe this, though? The Patriots-Jets Monday Night blowout actually had 10.9 million national viewers through ESPN. For 33-0? We may love 'em, but the rest of the country – at the least – still loves to hate 'em.
- And watch 'em. FYI, TV ratings are up four percent for MNF over last season.
- What we're seeing is pure defensive dominance, unlike any since at least the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and perhaps better than the '85 Bears that blasted the Patriots in SB XX. The Boogeymen are thriving, and haunting more than just Sam Darnold.
- Tweet of the Week I, from @ProFootballTalk: "Average 1985 passer rating: 73.5. Passer rating vs. '85 Bears: 51.2. Average 2019 passer rating: 91.4. Passer rating vs. '19 Patriots: 35.6."
- The 175-point scoring differential for the Pats through seven games is the top mark for any team in the Super Bowl era, since 1966. Historical, and even a little hysterical, I'm tellin' ya'.
- ICYMI, Monday night was the 20th straight win for a Bill Belichick team against a rookie or 2nd year QB, super studs included. How is this not Coach of the Year stuff?
- Oh, and TB12 is now 3rd all-time in MNF wins, with 17. Dan Marino had 20, Brett Favre 19.
- Need something to work on for next week? JE11 has an NFL-leading seven drops. For a guy that gets out on the field early every week, imagine what that number would be like if he DIDN'T work so hard at it?
- Forget the Jets. How 'bout them Cowboys?!? They lost to those same J-E-T-S last week. And they're looming on the tomato can vine, come next month. With Michael Bennett in tow.
- But this week, it's the preseason-darling Cleveland Browns who come to town, with wonder boy Baker Mayfield and all-world receiver Odell Beckham tagging along. Funny how hype has a way of not living up to its' promise after you get smoked a few times?
- In advance of the NFL trade deadline next week, the Patriots struck this week by dealing with Atlanta for Mohamed Sanu. It's a good move, a wise move for receiving depth and it should pay dividends – perhaps as soon as Sunday.
- But has anyone else wondered how all these Rutgers guys on the New England roster got here? I mean, does Rutgers even have a football team?
- Context. As consumers, we need to crave – and demand – context. As reporters, blurring contextual lines leads us to much of the 'fake news' that exists in the world today.
- I also looked at the Brady Netflix video clip with a raised eyebrow last weekend, until I understood the context in which it occurred – and also realized it would be out of character for TB12 to disrespect Robert Kraft in a public manner like that…based on 20 years of history with the guy around here.
- Media here not only eats its' young, they blow through things like a bull blows through a china shop. No one waits to apply context to an alleged 'news' story. Not everything is a conspiracy.
- Some people actually are who they say they are and do what they say they do. We should always ask questions, while but the trouble these days is knowing sensationalism is what sells. If there's no sizzle, well…it's sad, but there's little-to-no story.
- We're down to two unbeatens in the NFL. Think the '72 Dolphins are worried yet?
- Striking while the iron is hot: A major shift in marketing strategy is coming, from within the NFL – combining the price of a ticket with the cost of food and beverages. The San Francisco 49ers are planning to include the cost of 15 'basic' menu items (hot dogs, popcorn, sodas, coffee) in their season ticket prices next year.
- What they haven't figured out yet, however, is whether this will be part of an all-you-can-eat affair, or a one-item-at-a-time deal. Either way, it's a smart idea, and should keep concessions hopping and the income flowing.
- How about some giveback? The Patriots Charitable Foundation this week made grants to two local football programs totaling $100K for equipment purchases – Cumberland High School, and Providence's Central High School. Brighton, Boston English and Lowell Tech also received grants.
- What did we learn from the Friars' exhibition win over Stonehill? There is depth. Three-point shooting will be an issue, again. Free throws still need improvement. And all hands on deck – healthy bodies are needed on the floor, ASAP.
- Three-point field goals will be an issue for just about every team in the college game this year, as the line has been moved out to 22', 1 ¾" to match the international distance. The women's game stays at 20', 9".
- So a lousy 16 inches is going to make a difference?
- It will, especially for younger, less-developed players. Puts more of a premium on recruiting shooters, over developing shooters. It's a tougher shot to make, with more pressure to make them. Joe Hassett says you should expect fewer attempts overall from long distance and shooting percentages to go down.
- Congrats to Coach Ed Cooley, who enters the Stonehill Athletic Hall of Fame on Nov. 1st. Reppin' that Central High, amiright?
- The real story of that exhibition opener was PC grad student Emmitt Holt. Granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA after a serious abdominal illness, Emmitt looked like Emmitt on the floor for the first time in more than two years.
- Comeback Player of the Year? Please. There's no contest, considering what he's come back from.
- Not for nuthin', but ever ask yourself 'why?' when it comes to preseason injuries? Is it simply fate, or bad luck? Or is it all about the kind of kid you recruit or about the culture of the program? Maybe…it's a little of everything.
- Next up is a Sunday secret date with the Purdue Boilermakers, which may or may not be a good thing for an undermanned PC team. At least Carson Edwards is playing for the Celtics.
- Preseason Previews: Bryant was picked for 6th in the 11-team Northeast Conference, with LIU the favorite and future Friar opponents Sacred Heart selected for 2nd, and 1st-year member Merrimack 11th. Bulldog senior guard Adam Grant was a 1st team all-NEC pick, too.
- At the Atlantic-10 Media Day, URI was chosen 4th behind VCU, Davidson and Dayton. Which puts the Rams squarely in the NCAA conversation, provided they finish at or above where they begin. UMass was 11th out of the 14 teams.
- Forward Cyril Langevine led the league in rebounding last year, and was named a preseason 1st teamer and all-defensive team member; guard Jeff Dowtin is on the 2nd team and guard Fatts Russell made the 3rd team. Additionally, Taunton, MA product Marcus Santos-Silva (VCU) was also selected for the 3rd team.
- Brown was 5th in the Ivy League preseason poll, with Harvard as the favorite and Penn, Yale and Princeton following. The Bears are coming off of their first-ever 20-win season and a first-ever postseason win in the CBI over UAB.
- URI beat Boston College in their 'secret' scrimmage last weekend, 77-70. Again, it's probably not a true measure of ultimate success, because coaches can control the play rather than the officials. But if I'm the Rams, I'm thinking sneaking up on people this year would be a good way to travel.
- Marquette also whacked Indiana in a secret scrimmage. Two things – 1) the Big East is loaded. 2) Secret scrimmages are stupid, and everyone seems to know about them. So why are they secret?
- The almighty Kenpom ranking system, authored by college hoop and analytics guru Ken Pomeroy and utilized by the NCAA tournament committee in the selection process, has seven Big East teams in the preseason Top 36.
- If you follow the history at all, no team outside the Top 50 in the preseason Kenpom rankings has received a Top 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, since the expansion to 64 (and now 68) teams.
- Providence is 31st this year. In case you were wondering. Villanova (8), Marquette (17), Xavier (18), Seton Hall (20), Butler (33) and Creighton (36) are the others.
- UConn 71, Harvard 75, URI is 83rd, Boston College 119, Northeastern 138, Brown 176, Boston University 200, UMass 240, Holy Cross 308, Bryant 325 to name a few others. How many DI teams are there this year?
- Three hundred fifty three. Michigan State is #1, Mississippi Valley State is Mr. Irrelevant.
- Texas (#32 in Kenpom) coach Shaka Smart said this week Andrew Jones finished his leukemia treatments, then went out and led his team in scoring during a scrimmage. The Longhorns expect Jones to be a factor this season – and what a success story that will be.
- Time passages: ESPN's first Sportscenter anchor, and one of the first anchors of all-sports WFAN in New York, Lou Palmer passed away last week at age 83. Lou was a Seton Hall guy who also worked at WTIC in Hartford, and teamed up with the late, great Arnold Dean on the very first ESPN play-by-play broadcast in 1978 – a basketball game demo for execs only, with UConn playing Athletes in Action.
- And condolences to the family and friends of Al Aleixo, a former linotype print operator-turned-into-sportswriter at the Providence Journal, who retired in 1998. Al passed away at age 87 this week and had been a Facebook friend for several years.
- Who remembered Monday as Happy "Back to the Future Day?" The day Marty McFly and Doc Brown flew the DeLorean into 2015 was on October 21st. The appearance of hoverboards and flying cars may be overdue, but the Cubs did win a World Series.
- PC's Hockey Friars swept through the North Country last weekend for the first time in more than 55 years – fifty-five years? – beating both St. Lawrence and nationally 9th ranked Clarkson on the road in upstate New York.
- Shouldn't be a trap weekend – BC and UMass-Lowell will get their attention in Hockey East play this weekend.
- In women's soccer, there's Stanford, N. Carolina, Florida State and USC in the Top 4. Brown is still ranked 5th. Among the blue-bloods.
- Tweet of the Week II, from @MarkDivver: "Life on the road in AHL – Providence Bruins couldn't hold team meeting in hotel conference room Sat. am because Belleville scrapbooking club was using it. Everyone crammed into a suite instead."
- Mike and Tommy are in their 39th season as TV broadcasters with the Celtics? Makes Joe Hassett and myself seem downright juvenile by comparison (31 years with the Friars). Whatever we can do to make us (seem) younger, I'm in…except for hair dye.
- Love those guys, btw. Mike Gorman is a pro's pro, as we know, and a RI Radio & TV Hall of Famer. Tommy Heinsohn might be an acquired taste for anyone NOT a New Englander, but he's OUR acquired taste.
- And he's been a Celtic as a player, coach or broadcaster for 63 years. That's serious street cred.
- Providence grad Cayleigh Griffin has new territory in Houston, announcing she's accepted a job with AT&TSportsNet Southwest covering the Rockets. Cayleigh has also spent time as a reporter in Cleveland and San Antonio, earning her own street cred after working for the Big East Digital Network.
- Tweet of the Week III, from @BWMcGair03: "Former @Pawsox players now employed as #MLB managers: Alex Cora (Boston), Rocco Baldelli (Minnesota), Kevin Cash (Tampa Bay), Chris Woodward (Texas). You can now add David Ross to the list (Chicago Cubs)."
- A team from DC hasn't been in the World Series since 1933. 86 years. Number sound familiar?
- Game One of the World Series was the lowest rated televised Game One over the past five years. Nah, no problems here. Keep your head(s) stuck in the sand, MLB.
- Did you see where analytics and stat-guru extraordinaire Bill James resigned his post from the Red Sox? After 17 years – and yes, contributing to four World Series pennants – this was apparently an amicable departure.
- One time UConn player Peter Fatse is the new Red Sox assistant hitting coach, coming from the Twins. He's also a Wilbraham, MA guy and has had a training center in Western Mass for a few years, if that helps.
- CC Sabathia finally retired. I'll give the guy credit – he's been on retirement's doorstep for a few years now. Guess he finally crushed it.
- @MarkBergsEye tweeted from this week, on my being critical of Rutgers' football fortunes: "You had to know I would have a response. They had better coaches that could recruit in state. Schiano, Frank Burns (not the guy from M*A*S*H) and John Bateman are Jersey guys who succeeded because of those roots. The others failed because they were outsiders."
- Mark: As much as I bag on Rutgers, I figured I owed you the forum for a response. Serious question – why does the Big 10 tolerate Rutgers' presence? And don't tell me because of the NY TV market. I ain't buyin'. Maybe they'd do better WITH Lt. Frank Burns of the 4077th?
- 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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