Thinking out loud…while wondering if Laz Diaz could use a tin cup and a cane while standing behind home plate…
• To me, it seems simple. Bill Belichick's coaching philosophy is stuck in 2002. Twenty years later, it's time for an attitude adjustment.
• Or an evaluation adjustment. I've heard several fans – and reporters – insist that BB has lost his Midas touch on personnel decisions. And while no one bats 1.000 on all swings, the misses are beginning to accumulate.
• We're not just referring to rookie and draft pick misses, and there have been a fair share of those in recent years. With the way this Patriots team went 'all in' on bringing in defensive free agents, it's fair to say, "what were they looking at?"
• Except for Matt Judon. As we suggested here previously (and Rookestradamus was spot on with his assessment), Judon hasn't just been the free agent keeper in the bunch. He's been the best defender – maybe the best athlete – on the team.
• What we're discovering – he needs a TON of help. It's why the dismissal of Stephon Gilmore makes ZERO football sense, when you need playmakers. Or does not getting off the field against high-octane offenses (Dallas, Tampa hello!) not bother you?
• And once and for all, regardless of personnel evaluations, BB needs to put his imprint on coaching up that defense. 'Cuz it ain't working right now, whatever it is that his son Steve and Jerod Mayo are trying to do.
• The offense, slowly, is beginning to show signs of actual life. It's the defense that needs a life raft. And athletes. And some coaching.
• Dak Prescott's day against that D should raise the red flag, at the least. Another punt blocked, when they hadn't had ONE in six years…plus four home losses to start the season for the first time in 30 years?
• It was a helluva game. But not what we're looking for. Attention to detail is waning. Penalties and mistakes are proof of that.
• It's mostly a talent thing – and the Patriots still don't have enough of it. But in the past, BB has been able to impose his coaching will on his players. His experienced staff has performed likewise.
• Now, not as much experience on that staff, outside of Ivan Fears and Josh McDaniels. It is a factor. Part of the growing pains, perhaps.
• There were A LOT of Cowboy jerseys in the stands, too. What happened to Gillette's alleged home field advantage? Foxboro once chewed up opposing jerseys and spit them back out.
• Home field? It was a myth to begin with, wrapped in the veneer of Tom Brady's presence.
• And then, just when you're sinking and feeling like all is lost, the J-E-T-S show up to right the ship. Unless you lose.
• Sure, the Red Sox regrouped a bit in the ALCS, only to shrivel into their former summer selves at the end. It has been fun to watch and agonizing to endure at the same time.
• But why is anyone surprised, or disappointed, that Houston blew their doors off this week? Or that the Red Sox offense suddenly disappeared?
• Because that's who they were for much of the regular season. You know it, I know it – they know it. They got hot. But, like the late Dennis Green once told us, "they are who we thought they were."
• On the other side, Atlanta has been buzzing the Dodgers. If the Sox were involved in a World Series, Boston vs. the old Boston Braves just wouldn't cut it like Boston vs. Mookie Betts would.
• Which story do you think Red Sox ownership would root for?
• Can I say, though, that it's about time for Major League Baseball teams to step up and pay for minor league players' housing? Minor leaguers have been subsisting on poverty-like wages for years – having their housing paid for can help keep the dream of the big leagues alive, at least for a bit.
• It felt like New Years' Day in the middle of October this week – with Big East Media Day returning to Madison Square Garden.
• Very little surprise over Villanova getting the nod for the top spot from the league coaches, or with Colin Gillespie being selected as the preseason player of the year. But the Friars?
• Some serious shade being thrown their way by Ed Cooley's coaching 'buddies.' The Big East coaches don't think much of PC, certainly not after Nate Watson.
• The Friars' selection for seventh is behind four teams they managed to beat at least once last year.
• Plus, Providence has eight players on its' roster in their fourth year (or more) of playing…with seven of those having started their careers elsewhere. Maybe it's that great unknown keeping the Friars from getting a little love?
• Or maybe it's what have you done for yourself lately? In the latter case, it isn't a lot.
• The time to show what you have, and win, is here. It is a senior-laden team. Non-league games will be extra-important this season as the Big East is deep – picks three through seven (or eight) should all be bubblicious.
• The Friars' exhibition win Thursday against Stonehill told me a couple of things: 1) Al Durham will be a lynchpin player on offense and defense for this team. If he can add outside help, Providence can be an NCAA team; 2) Justin Minaya can hit the boards. They'll need him, too.
• It was GREAT being back at the Dunk this week. Missed ya'. Missed you, too.
• Looks like David Duke's gamble paid off, at least partially. He left PC with a year of eligibility remaining, went undrafted, hooked on with Brooklyn, played well this summer and this week signed a two-way contract with the Nets.
• Kyrie Irving's obstinance and stupidity undoubtedly got an assist here, however. It is, what it is.
• A mixed week for Providence College athletics in their two matchups vs. National Number Ones. Men's soccer put a 3-0 beating on Georgetown, moving the Friars to 16th nationally themselves.
• But on the ice, hockey took it on the chin to then-#1 Minnesota State last weekend in Duluth. MSU then lost to Michigan to give up the top spot, while the Friars fell from 10th to 12th nationally with two losses at the Ice Breaker Tournament.
• Ex-Rhody hoop star Jeff Dowtin was cut by Orlando, but he then signed a two-way deal with Golden State based on his summer play with the Magic. THAT is how you turn lemons into lemonade.
• Told you last week that Towson was nothing to sneer at, having beaten URI football now six of the last seven times the two have played. The Rams' first loss of the season drops URI to 18/19 in the FCS Top 25, with perennial contender Villanova looming this weekend.
• It was very cool to see Robert Kraft and the Patriots lend the "Air Kraft" Patriots' airplane to the Rams for their trip to Baltimore to play Towson last weekend. But…there was no return trip home on the Patriot airship.
• It wasn't because they lost, however. There was a pre-arranged charter the Rams took home instead. It was the first travel leg that had been postponed and then cancelled, hence the need for Mr. Kraft to step up in the first place.
• And Coby Tippett, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Patriots' Community Affairs VP, Andre Tippett, is on the URI team.
• Brown basketball took part in Ivy League Media Day, after a scrimmage a week ago provided a sneak peek at the program for the first time in nearly two full years. Mike Martin's Bears are picked for fifth in the Ancient Eight, with Yale as the preseason favorite and Harvard 2nd.
• The Division I women's NCAA tourney – which just received the ability to become part of the "March Madness" moniker – may also be expanding to 68 teams from 64.
• Women's Media Day in the Big East – aka the UConn Invitational? Providence was selected for 8th, so I'll defer to my buddy Edward in East Providence for the scoop and score here.
• Guess the AAC wasn't interested in what C-USA or the Sun Belt were proposing for geographic realignment of the three leagues? The American, showing off all the collegiality of a mighty, road rage-induced middle finger, is adding six more schools to replace the three departing for the Big 12 (Cincinnati, UCF, Houston).
• All six come from (what's left of) Conference USA – Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA. Bigger markets = bigger TV payouts, they hope.
• That would bring the remnants of the old Big East from a long, long time ago (10 years, an eternity these days) back up to 14 schools for football.
• Which is precisely why the original Big East schools left that version of the Big East in the first place. What goes around, comes around.
• The Sun Belt Conference is also looking to expand. Most of these potential Group of 5 moves are pre-emptive strikes to protect from possible future poaching. 'Cuz this ain't over yet.
• Part of the expected NCAA charter restructuring may include nixing test scores for DI and DII athletes to be accepted into schools. That won't be good for the SAT or ACT prep business.
• The timeline for NCAA changes to be put in place? Once the constitutional convention has been held (in November) and voting has occurred, if ratified a new constitution could be in place for the start of the 2022-23 school year.
• Ed Orgeron is out at LSU as head football at the end of this season, two years after winning a natty. The Tigers are "only" 4-3 this season.
• He'll receive his full $16.9 million buyout over 18 installments, so I'm sure he ain't cryin'.
• Washington State University head football coach Nick Rolovich became the first Power 5 conference coach to be relieved of his (or her) duties for refusing to be vaccinated – per a state mandate.
• A $3 million per year job, gone like a fart in the wind, because he didn't want to get the shot, or protect his players. Or his family. One man's decision literally affected hundreds of lives, those of his players, coaches and their families.
• That's a leader? What happened to the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few – or the one?
• I'll wager he's recently put much, much worse into his body than whatever is in that FDA-approved vax. I'll also wager he had to be vax'd for other diseases prior to his being hired at Wazzu in the first place.
• And now, he's suing for wrongful termination. Stupid is as stu…wait. Hold my beer. Not even worth it.
• Here's one for ya: Celtics center Enes Kanter posted a video on Twitter in support of
independence for Tibet. In response, Chinese tech giant Tencent then removed all Celtics-related content from its sports app.
• You know, for a first game of the year, the Celtics-Knicks double OT game this week was as entertaining as they come…even though I rarely pay attention to the NBA pre-Christmas.
• Hope Jaylen Brown saved some points for later. But Evan Fournier? Who knew he could shoot like that? Never saw it around here.
• My buddy "Big E" sez he knows, for a fact, that light is faster than sound. It's why some people appear bright until they open their mouths.
• Better figure out how to stream, or at least pick up (or is that download?) streams on your TV's and other electronics.
• The NFL sez the Dallas – New England game was the most-watched streamed broadcast they've ever had. MLB, the NBA, and the NHL are all considering launching streaming services for their game broadcasts and extra programming, and perhaps even going into business together on the venture.
• And Disney is, or at least was, talking about spinning off ESPN to another monolithic ownership group. Until the Mouse (aka The Rat) figured out sports was still making him a ton of cheese, even after expenses.
• Wow. The anti-vaxxers, or freedom-seekers, or mandate-marauders, or whatever they're calling themselves these days…just spit in the face of science and common sense. Are they first cousins with the conspiracy theorists who don't believe we landed on the Moon 52 years ago?
• Email from Tom in Florida: "And you're worried about a few thousand fans maskless in the
Dunk? A report on NBC's Today Saturday fact-checked Dr. Anthony Fauci's fear – made on its' cable arm MSNBC – of a dramatic Covid-19 surge from crowded football stadiums, saying 'it never happened.'"
• Right. I believe it, Tom. Especially since those stadiums are in the OPEN AIR. The Dunk has a roof on it. It's closed. Air is recirculated in closed environs, and…oh, what's the point?
• You do you. And the Dunk is recommending masks be worn, too, in case you missed that. Stay safe out there.
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? 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! Would appreciate the follow on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and join in on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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