Bleacher Report - Articles by Jim Bouchard

A Hangover for Monday Morning Coaches in Foxboro

Jim Bouchard — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:02:08 -0500

Monday Morning Coaches...

I watched last night’s heartbreaker at the CBS Scene at Gillette Stadium. As one might imagine, everyone at the scene instantly became a coach. I admit I fell into the vibe myself.

In the fantasy world we’re accustomed to in the New Age of New England Football Brady converts the first down, the Pats take a couple of kneel-downs to seal the deal and Belichick continues to be the Wizard of Odds.

Now let’s look at some realities:

Bad Call? Yeah, by the refs!

What nobody is talking about is whether or not Kevin Faulk had the first down. I just finished watching the play for the 200th time this morning. I’ve been a football disciple my entire life, I’ve seen every call there is to make and I’ve never seen a bauble call on a first down play unless it was related to the validity of the catch. Even if you give the ref the benefit of the doubt, by every angle they’ve shown Faulk had control ahead of the sticks.

The Pats burned their final time-out getting organized to start the drive. They didn’t have the option of a challenge.

Now to continue this Monday Morning dose of reality:

No matter what happens in the last two minutes, a football game is seldom won or lost there. Had Brady read a brilliant move by Antoine Bethea he would chucked the ball into the rafters and that drive would have continued; and the Pats left at least six on the field when Laurence Maroney fumbled on the one yard line.

Take those two plays back and it’s likely that the Pats depleted defense would have been protecting a 20 point lead at the two minute warning instead of six.

Before the game I visited The Hall at Patriots Place. Any nouveau Pats fan, those of you who have jumped on the proverbial bandwagon since the first Lombardi trophy, would do well to visit the Hall before you lose the faith.

The Hall is full of wonderful memorabilia; and for lifers like me it’s full of reminders of the glory-less days of Pat Patriot. There were great moments, but a walk through The Hall is really a hike out of the swamp and into the garden.

Before you get to the Hall of Champions with the three Lombardi Trophies on display you’ll see the old AFL gear, the reminders of the Sullivan’s quirky legacy and reminders of the homeless Patriot’s early years.

By the way nouveau fans; while we all wax nostalgic there are reasons that most of us who left frozen body parts stuck to the Schaffer Stadium bleachers don’t want to see the Pat Patriot uniform on any but special legacy days. Do the math; pre-Flying Elvis 0 championships; post Flying Elvis three and counting.

If the Pats have proved anything in this decade of New England dominance they’ve proved their resiliency. They’ve also proven that you don’t want to face them again after you’ve rubbed their noses in anything.

I’m worried for the safety of the Jets next week, and Peyton better take out some extra insurance should he face what is certainly going to be a different Patriot’s defense in the playoffs. Plus, the Pats have a chance to knock off another undefeated team in just two weeks; that would be a nice Thanksgiving!

Keep the faith! Brady and Moss look like they’ve found their groove again. Give Belichick the benefit of the doubt, and enjoy what promises to be an exciting playoff run and a great set-up for some of what we’ve now grown accustomed to: some good ol’ revenge in Indy.

I’ll be here next week and I’m looking forward to it!

The Problem with Tom Brady and Suzy Kolber

Jim Bouchard — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:37:12 -0400

Tom, whatcha thinkin’?

I know you guys had a tough night, but hey, it finished in legendary Patriots style, didn’t it?

Why did you give the cold shoulder to cute little Suzy Kolber after the game as you headed into the locker room?

I know you’re Tom Terrific—the underwear model and the cause of too many women’s fantasies. I can also appreciate that Suzy is not Gisele Bundchen. But like many other authentic football fanatics, I think she’s one of the best female sports personalities in the testosterone saturated NFL universe.

She’s as delicious as an ice cream sundae, cute as a singing penguin, and she knows football. What more could you want?

(I for one would bundle her up and take her on a nice ski vacation.)

You could have at least given her a 20-second sound bite. Tom, really, it wouldn’t have killed you.

Now, unlike some critics, I don’t think you’ve gone Hollywood on us. I know you’re still our 199th pick made good. You’re still one of the hard-hat and lunch box Patriots gang. You still have your edge and you showed Monday night that you still have the fire and the fireworks we’ve all come to know and love.

We'll stick with you Tom. But next time, give Suzy 20 seconds!

For the whole ugly snubbing click here!

Patriots Fans: Quit Whining and Watch Some Football!

Jim Bouchard — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:32:58 -0400

OK, Seymour is gone. Here we go again.

Lawyer Milloy…gone: Pats win.

Drew Bledsoe…gone: Pats win.

Patton, Givens, Andruzzi, Asante Samuel:...Hey, I was in the stands yelling “Pay the man!” after his 3 picks against the Jets, but here we go again, and again and again!

There are realities to face in the modern game. No team can afford to keep high-priced veterans happy by sacrificing the consistent future performance of the team. If there’s value for someone likely to make a stand to build a retirement nest-egg, then grab it.

It’s very likely that Richard Seymour would be making such a stand next year, who can blame him? NFL football is a tough business with a very short and unpredictable career path.

While some fans are wondering about Belichick’s loyalty to his veteran players, wonder just as much about what Seymour’s loyalty would be next year as ex-Patriot leadership in Kansas City, Houston and Cleveland started throwing some chips on the table.

Belichick has a proven track record of successful succession at every position on the field. I’ve got to admit the one that hurt me the most was Adam Vinatieri…to the Colts! Now we’re watching Steven Gostowski emerge as one of the premier kickers in the league; in fact he’s way ahead of Adam’s early career progress.

One of the most exciting dynamics to watch in the salary cap era is to see how fast a coaching staff and remaining veterans can bond a unit.

The Pats seem to have something special in the Foxboro water supply because it seems that no matter who steps on the field in September, and no matter how short their contract may be, the Patriots are consistently a team.

In an age where the name on the back sometimes does mean more than the badge on the helmet, the Pats continue to build championship quality teams: quickly!

Stop worrying and whining about who is coming and going. It’s just another exciting part of the Patriots experience to see who he’s going to dress for game one. Let’s see who is going to become the next under-rated draft pick to follow in Tom Brady’s lineage, or who is going to be the next reform school cast-off to walk in the shadow of Corey Dillon and Randy Moss.

No, there are no worries when Bill Belichick makes a big move. We’ll start worrying when he hangs up that dingy grey hoodie!

Flash: Seymour Ready to Hold Out for Contract Extension...

Do you think the Pats knew about this before emptying Seymour's locker? And you thought SpyGate was a big deal!

Richard Seymour has announced that he's ready to sit out this season and take his losses to get a long-term deal with the Raiders.

50 Years of Patriotic Passion

Jim Bouchard — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:54:29 -0400

I’m celebrating a milestone with the Pats over the next few months; we’re both turning 50! Actually, the Patriots are technically a year older than I am. They started their first season in 1959, mine was 1960.

I grew up with the Pats, and like the Pats. I had a few rough years in the early going. That’s a large part of the reason the Patriots have always held a special place in my life. Like the Pats, I went through some lean years, some failures, nearly lost my life at times, and saw a few ownership changes. There were times when I wasn’t sure if I had a home and many periods where any home was temporary.

Like the Pats, I learned how to persevere and how to create opportunity out of disaster!

The “nouveau fan” will not understand what I’m about to say; the die-hard Pats fan will. Parts of my hind-quarters are probably in some scrap-metal yard, forever frozen to the old Schaefer Stadium benches.

We did actually drink Schaefer beer as we sat through some of the Pats most challenging years. This was a feat in itself as Schaefer is the only beer that actually increases in volume leaving the body, a phenomenon our beloved Foxboro facilities were ill-equipped to handle.

Some of you will remember sitting with about 5,000 other people who braved an icy wind to make it to the 4th quarter of Drew Bledsoe’s first victory. Remember the brilliant snap out of the end zone on the punt to set up the game-winning drive?

Some of you will remember feeling not only elation, but retribution for the infamous “Tuck Rule” call. The Raiders had their phantom roughing call against Ray Hamilton in ’76; to us this was just long-awaited payback. I don’t care if it was the right call or not; but it was.

Some of you will remember the first prototypical running quarterback in the NFL, Steve Grogan. Grogan was probably the toughest man ever to play the position. He may well have set the tone for Michael Vick and his peers and may be the person most responsible for setting a linebacker to “spy” on the quarterback. Steve, some of us were with you all the way.

Some of you may have been around long enough to remember Gino Cappelletti, as a player and not for his infamous call of the first Super Bowl victory. Those of us who do are entitled to our righteous indignation at Canton’s snubbing of the greatest kicker/player ever to strap on the pads. Gino was an All-World receiver, defensive back, kicker, and punter. He put the slash in slash before Kordell Stewart was born.

One of the greatest unresolved atrocities in pro-football history is the fact that Gino Cappelletti is not a member of the Hall-of-Fame. Screw ‘em! Gino is revered here and for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, take thee a pilgrimage to Patriot’s Place.

There are too many great players and great memories. It would take a book to tell them all!

Let’s fast-forward to 2001. To the people in the northeast, the attacks on 9/11 were not a news story. It was an attack on our soil and our neighbors. In a year that demanded patriotism, an unknown Tom Brady and his crew of NFL misfits cast us all in a Hollywood movie version of NFL history. They picked us up, put us on their backs, and gave us arguably the least probable and most exciting championship in NFL history.

The country and the Patriots gave us something to believe in.

For many of you, your love affair with the Pats started the moment Adam Vinatieri’s foot launched the “Shot Heard Round the World.” For those of us in the Old Guard, that drive was vindication for all our years of loyalty and validation that the underdog could still take it all.

The past two years were still two of the greatest in Patriots history. You nouveau fans will not understand. The rest of us don’t expect you to.

The last second corruption of the perfect season was painful. Lesser failures have ruined other franchises. Instead, the Pats simply picked up their now proverbial “lunch pails” and prepare.

Dare to do it again? How tight was your chest when Brady went down in the first game last year? Revenge would have to wait, right?

Then up stepped the latest untried, untested phenomenon in the Belichik era. Matt Cassel simply decided to become a top tier NFL quarterback and went to work re-writing the rules on the role of backup to a franchise player.

The intelligent football fanatic could make a reasonable argument that the past two years were among the best put together in any NFL campaign.

One for the absolute domination of the league until two games showed that the spirit of the 2001 Pats was alive and well, albeit in a Giant’s uniform.

The other for the nearly unparalleled job of coaching, teamwork and tenacity that kept a decimated Patriots unit in the battle through the last game of the season.

What’s next? Is the Patriots Dynasty nearing the end , or are you ready for the "Next Coming of the Brady Bunch?" It looks like Brady will be back, Belichick is still the commander, Moss is still hungry, and, Bruschi is still alive. I can hardly wait!

You nouveau fans may be in a state of apoplexy over the last two seasons, the rest of us are right where we want to be, ready for the next incredible Patriots come-back. “Buckle up your chin-straps,” here we go again!

(By the way, you may have noticed the conspicuous absence of any mention of video cameras, Eric Mangini or Tony Eason. May they all rest in peace!)

Jim Bouchard is a life-long Pats fan and America’s Black Belt Powervator!

Patriots-Seahawks: Apparently Surfing Is Good Conditioning for Junior Seau!

Jim Bouchard — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:19:02 -0500

“It’s just not playing football,” said Bill Belichick last week, when asked about Junior Seau’s retirement conditioning regime. Seau’s been surfing, and waiting for a call from the “right team” and the “right coach.” The right team, according to Seau, made his decision an easy one.

What Belichick was doing was deflecting expectations that Junior would show up on Sunday, strap on his cape and save the wallowing Pats defense. Well, that’s very nearly what he did anyway and it seems, at least for the ageless Seau, a few practice reps was all it took to get him in game condition.

To Seau, it is just playing football and the near certain future Hall of Famer proved that 39 is the new 20 in the NFL.

More Pats injuries made Seau’s return necessary a little sooner than planned and an early deke from Deion Branch made it look like Junior was still on the beach. “That was a great play! Branch did a heck of a job throwing me a little fake. I went surfing and that was it.”

From there on Seau just played ball, “It is time to play football. I expected to be thrown in there later on in the game, but obviously with the injuries that we had I was rushed to it.”

The young guys had a say in things, too, as Matt Cassel finally got his game-winning fourth-quarter drive as he marched the offensive unit methodically down the field with no signs of panic as the clock ran down.

While no rookie, Wes Welker “The Slot Machine” proved why he’ll be going to Hawaii in February and Brandon Meriwether stamped “The End” on what was arguably the first Pats playoff game of the season forcing a fumble to end Seneca Wallace’s chances to pull his version of the final drive victory.

Belichick and the Pats are doing it the way they did before they were expected to win every Sunday. They’re the underdogs; the long-shot to make the playoffs and they’re somehow responding.

They’re not going to blow anyone out; they’re going to “make plays when they need them” and they’ll “do what it takes” at just the right time to turn your hair grey.

There are three games left in the season and the playoffs have come early to the AFC East. With New York, New England and Miami locked in a cage match every game is a playoff game. Ellis Hobbs gives us the mood of the team, “The last three games, everybody needs to play as if these are the last downs, because for this season, it is.”

Stock up on your beer, pretzels and popcorn; this is going to be fun.

When Jim isn't blogging for B/R he's America's Black Belt Powervator; speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER. Click here for more information!

New England Patriots Sign Roosevelt Colvin...Again!

Jim Bouchard — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:03:01 -0500

Who's next, Andre Tippett?

The Pats just signed Rosey Colvin to help the LB corps. Read more here.

If Gotti misses another short one, I might go try out! It seems for the Pats 40 might be the new 20!

Plus...Jason Webster was just put on IR. Humm...could we bring back Michael Haynes?

What If He Shot Someone Else?

Jim Bouchard — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:13:37 -0500

Guns and booze; great combination!

It’s just plain stupid to carry a loaded weapon while drinking. Plaxico Burress messed up big time. Antonio Pierce may have made some poor decisions trying to protect his friend.

What about the benefit of the doubt? Okay: Plax was drinking in a nightclub with a loaded handgun, which was poorly secured and improperly handled at best. I do believe the gun went off accidentally; he’s paying a price for that. What if the round found its way into some innocent bystander’s chest instead of Plaxico’s leg? What would we be talking about now?

I’ve heard the arguments about the athlete’s life being different warranting certain considerations. I’ll grant that in some circumstances, but this isn’t one of them. As a law-abiding handgun owner I’m offended by any suggestion of special treatment in this case.

This is the type of incident that makes it difficult for us to defend the right to bear arms. When you’re carrying a weapon your life changes. If you conceal a weapon you’ve got to change the way you dress. You’ve got to be aware of where you’re going and where you’re not allowed to go and who you’re with. Under any circumstances, you shouldn’t be drinking.

Did Plaxico have the right to carry a weapon for the purposes of self-defense? Yes, provided he followed the appropriate regulations. He did not. He did not have a permit to carry in New York City. In most jurisdictions you’re not supposed to be carrying in drinking establishments. He made a number of poor choices in this one and he’s got to face up to it.

I can understand a profile athlete being given some consideration when he punches out a drunk trying to show his minerals on a high-profile target. I’d even give him a pass if he lost his cool with an obnoxious reporter or the paparazzi. There’s no defense for the decisions Plaxico Burress made the other night.

When I’m not blogging for Bleacher Report I’m a professional speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal Power. I teach people that power is your ability or capacity to act or perform effectively.

The tremendous blessings available to a professional athlete are deserved rewards for a life of incredible self-motivation and discipline. It’s a tragedy in the purest sense when an athlete squanders these blessings and the blood, sweat, and tears it took to earn them.

I sincerely hope that Plaxico will get through this and continue a career full of success & happiness. I sincerely hope that he will learn from this and help others avoid this type of self-imposed situation. I hope that he can return to his team and be an effective and beneficial resource for his team, his family, his community, and for himself.

Most of all, I hope that this situation wakes up a few more players to the dangerous realities of life in the fast lane.

If you’re an athlete or anyone else struggling to create a productive, effective and powerful life visit my website: JimBouchard.org. Free PowerCOACHING session available.

Keep Your Matt Cassel Stock...and Your Tom Brady Stock!

Jim Bouchard — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:42:20 -0500

First, let’s talk about the ridiculous speculation that the Pats would be interested in trading Tom Brady. I know the Patriots’ front office is traditionally tight-lipped about any such maneuvering, but even given though their intelligence operation would inspire envy at the CIA, there’s just no way a Brady trade is even on the table.

Then we have last Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh. “He’s no Tom Brady,” is the cry for those who fail to understand life in the NFL trenches. Most of us have been saying that for the entire season; not to put Cassel down but simply to keep things in perspective.

Cassel didn’t lose that game on Sunday, and neither did he single-handedly win against the Dolphins. The fact is that Pittsburgh simply proved why they’re the No. 1 defense in the league, and the Pats simply didn’t have any answers for their pass rush.

Couple that with an unusual propensity for dropping passes by Randy Moss et al, a Pop Warner bonk on the head by Matthew Slater, who is probably lucky he’s a rookie, and an uncharacteristic Gostkowski miss that seemed to deflate the whole bunch, and you had a perfect recipe for disaster.

Cassel is still doing a decent job. He moved the ball consistently when he had protection and proved again that he’s got a short memory; a necessary attribute for an NFL quarterback and essential for survival for any athlete within radar range of the Boston press.

Cassel, Belichick, and the Pats are still hanging in there, despite fielding a defense made up of refugees and imminent pensioners. For the true fan, there’s still hope for a late run at a wild-card spot. For the nouveau fans; stay home, but make sure you surrender your tix to Stub Hub. Some of us would still like to see a game this year!

By all reports, Brady is making good progress, despite the infection set-back. He’s got a serious injury; and he’s got a serious medical team ready to get him back on the field.

Barring any other unforeseen disaster, Brady will be back next year, Cassel may be in Chicago, our young linebackers will have had a good seasoning, and who knows, Ty Law and Eugene Wilson may be the next generation of productive reclamation projects returning to Foxborough.

At any rate, it's not boring!

Buy Matt Cassel Stock...NOW!

Jim Bouchard — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:34:23 -0500

Buy Cassel Stock…NOW! Two, count ‘em, two back to back 400-yard passing games.

Matt Cassel carves his name in the Pats' record book and shuts up Joey Porter in the process. I doubt Cassel will be on the Patriots' sidelines next year, but folks you better enjoy this.

The last time a Patriot backup had anywhere near this success was when Tony Eason took over for Steve Grogan in ’85.

Of course, in one of the world’s greatest coverups, it took most fans, and experts, until the Bears pounded the Pats in the Super Bowl to realize that Tony was really a yoga instructor who just wanted to cash in on football for a few years before he retired to sunny California and low-impact life free of the violence and pain of NFL football.

Hog was right; Tony should have been wearing a dress. Cassel is showing he’s got some Grogan pedigree; he’s tough as a bag of hammers and he loves to run.

Can Cassel take the Pats to the Super Bowl? The better question is why not? He’s certainly keeping them in the playoff race.

If they don’t go all the way, you’re probably going to have to blame the defense, not Cassel. That’s the one problem that shouldn’t be ignored while celebrating Cassel’s coming-of-age.

This secondary is still full of holes and the linebackers still need seasoning. There’s talent, aggressiveness, and for the first time in a long time, there’s youth on the Pats' D. The problem is the youth part. Chad Pennington rushing for a touchdown from more than half a yard?

For the nouveau fan and those who waste seat space hiding in the corporate clubhouses, Cassel will not likely return next year. Don’t get your undies in a twist; NFL football is a business, and Matt has the right to cash in on his success.

Don’t worry; the better he plays the higher his stock value goes. He’s going to give it everything he’s got and not just for the money; he’s a baller. Above the money and the pain, football players love to play football, and I just can’t see the new Matt Cassel being satisfied holding Tom Brady’s clipboard.

You just better hope he doesn’t end up in Miami!

For the real fans, we’ve got a great run going. The Pats are back in their familiar position as underdogs. You know Belichick is popping the corn in the film room with his young defenders, and for the first time in the dynasty years, we’ve got a real dogfight on our hands. Isn’t it fun?

P.S....What about that Randy Moss? Bad boy makes good! I’m wondering just how bad Randy really was, or if he was just being honest all along. He just wanted to play with a team that takes winning seriously; what better team than our Pats?

NFL Week Three: Patriots Vs. Joey Porter's Mouth

Jim Bouchard — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:47:43 -0400

It's almost too good; Joey Porter says beating the Pats without Tom Brady “shouldn’t be that hard.” After all, says he, Cassell is just a backup who “don’t get that many snaps, right? So you throw the kitchen sink at him.”

That’s right Joey. All this week Matt Cassell has been sitting on the beach at Cape Code drinking Sam Adams and eating lobster. Joey, you’ve been in the league too long to be this stupid.

He is right about one thing: Matt Cassell is not Tom Brady. But, Bill Belichick is still Bill Belichick. In 2001, he didn’t ask Tom Brady to be Drew Bledsoe, and this week he’s not going to ask Matt Cassell to be Tom Brady. Damn, that’s confusing!

Joey should be focusing on his still floundering Fish. After all, Chad Pennington is no Dan Marino.

However, the Pats D is still the Pats D, and this is the Pats D that has been making a tailgate grilling of Chad Pennington twice a year for quite a while.

Of course, the Fish's line is not the same Fish line; it’s supposed to be improved, evidenced by their incredible 60 yards per diem rushing to date.

We do know the Pats have a taste for grilled Fish. Oh yeah, the Fish did win a couple of years ago, 21-0 pounding and put Brady down for five sacks. In fact, Tom only posts a 2-4 record against Miami on the road.

Of course, Matt Cassell is no Tom Brady; he has no record against the Fins.

Let’s take a quick look at other players who have taunted the Pats over the past couple of years.

Freddie “Boom Boom” Mitchell? Now, he's a reportedly a substitute teacher at Mishawaka High School; I think that’s either in Indiana or Saskatoon.

Anthony Smith? Now, he’s still playing after tying his career high of two interceptions last year in Pittsburgh; keep talking Ant. At least now we’re getting trash talk from a Pro Bowler with some real credentials.

I do sincerely hope the curse doesn’t tag Joey. He’s a great player and it would be a shame to see him end up teaching high school in Saskatoon.

Once again Cassell will not be Brady, Belichick will be Belichik, and the Fish will be the Fish; grilled and squished.

Why Football Fans Should Endorse Sarah Palin

Jim Bouchard — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:37:51 -0400

This is not a political argument. Frankly, I’m already to the point where I just want November 4th to be in the books so we can get on with our obsession: NFL football. No, this is simply and unabashedly a narrow and perhaps even primal commentary from the perspective of a man infatuated with the world’s most violent game and still unable to control my biological attraction to the world’s most beautiful women.

That brings us to the No. 1 reason football fans should love Sarah Palin, at least male fans: she’s a babe! Electing Sarah Palin is like electing one of our beloved NFL cheerleaders. Even better because Sarah wasn’t a cheerleader, she was a jock babe!

Electing Sarah as President of the United States would assure American dominance in the fight for attractive heads of state. Oh, that’s right, she’s running for vice-president; why do I keep forgetting that?

Next, have you seen the pictures of Sarah knocking down moose and elk? Have you seen her up to her armpits in salmon? She hunts, she fishes, she plays hockey with her kids! Sarah Palin should be a pin-up girl for a Cabella’s catalog!

Did I mention she’s a babe?

And she’s tough! After two years (yes it has been that long) of party candidates whining like grade school sissies about name calling and hair pulling Sarah is a breath of fresh deer-scented air! Even after that stupid Saturday Night Live skit, (sorry Tina Fey, it sucked!), Sarah just stepped up and said she thought the lousy impersonation was funny!

Boy, do I miss John Belushi , Dan Akroyd and Jane Curtain. This crew is lame; but that’s not the point. Sarah doesn’t whine and she’s got a sense of humor.

Couldn’t you see yourself slugging down a brew with Sarah, bundled up in NFL licensed winter gear and Sorrels while slapping some freshly killed venison steaks on the grill at your favorite tail gate? Damn, I’m starting to lose control…

Did I mention she’s a babe?

Tonight Sarah Palin will be on Hannity and Colmes. They already released a picture of Sarah sitting with Sean Hannity in a mid-thigh black cocktail dress, her silky legs crossed seductively revealing just enough to tease…there I go again!

Best of all: women love her! You can have your Sarah Palin fantasy in full tilt man-rule mode and no matter what crude, disgusting, lecherous comments you make your wife will give you a pass. They love her as much as we do!

Did I mention she’s a babe?

So:

<!- 1) Loves sports.

<!- 2) Hunts, fishes and rides snowmobiles.

<!- 3) Has a sense of humor and doesn’t cry (at least not in public).

<!- 4) Looks great in a skirt!

Real men, true football fans, fellow American males; Sarah Palin is damn near the most perfect woman ever created. Putting aside our political differences, we should all give a hearty NFL endorsement to Sarah Palin. Are we all sure she’s not running for President?

And…Did I mention she’s a babe?

Matt Cassel vs. The World: Round One

Jim Bouchard — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:49:21 -0400

Round One of Matt Cassel’s bout with the NFL goes to the challenger. Cassel went toe-to-toe with one of the consensus living legends of the modern game and hung in there, blow for blow; their stats were almost identical, with the one slip on the side of the champ as Favre threw the lone interception.

While it wasn’t an exciting game, it was an interesting one. You’d need to be a veteran football fan to have seen it, but the challenger was the one who looked cooler on the ropes.

When Cassel’s leg was compromised on an awkward hit he jumped up and stomp-tested the leg; no standing eight-count needed. When some of the Pats' offensive players showed some concern, Cassel waved them off.

It didn’t hurt that Cassel had a great corner. I don’t mean a cornerback; I mean the supporting cast of a disciplined Pats defense that forced Favre to try to take the game on his shoulders and an unselfish offense that did exactly what it needed to do to win and nothing more.

Both defenses were aggressive, but Favre was the one who looked like he was pressing. Cassel just kept doing what he needed to do. Maybe a little Brady rubbed off on him over the past four years, after all.

Watch LaMont Jordan in weeks to come. Phil Simms' commentary was that Jordan showed a gear that the Pats didn’t know he had. No; the rest of the league might not have known it, but this is a move reminiscent of Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Mike Vrabel, take your pick.

A lot of people might not have known that Jordan’s extra gear was fully operational, but you can bet that’s why Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli put him in a Pats jersey. Jordan logged 62 yards running primarily in the second half. Let’s see what he does when he gets more reps.

Randy Moss looked disappointed in himself after dropping Cassel’s lone deep one, but he also played an unselfish game taking slants and in-cuts and throwing a few good blocks.

All in all, this was a quiet start to Cassel’s probable interim reign, but he won. He beat the champ. Cassel hadn’t taken a starting snap since high school; Favre sets a new record every time he steps on the field.

I’m not ready to crown Cassel as the Duke of Foxboro, but he had a nice, solid start. He played within himself; he played with courage and control.

Not much for the rest of the league to talk about, and maybe that’s just what the team needs. The Pats did a pretty damn nice job the last time they were flying under the radar. I’ll take the quiet for a while, especially if they’re winning along the way.

Remembering the Day Football Was Silenced

Jim Bouchard — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:47:28 -0400

Do you remember the debate? The World Trade Center was still burning. They were still digging into the rubble at the Pentagon and wondering how the passengers took another plane down in a field in Pennsylvania before it could strike its target.

Should the schedule continue? Should we play ball that weekend, so close to the attacks? Could we possibly conduct games within sight of the smoke plumes in New York? Would it be respectful, wise or even safe to fill our NFL stadiums with people?

For the only time I can remember in my life, football was silenced. Not by a strike, mismanagement, or weather, but by violence beyond a point that civilians in America had ever experienced. Well beyond what most of considered possible.

The following week the commissioner decided to go ahead with the rest of the season. The Jets came to New England to play our Patriots. Joe Andruzzi’s brothers, firefighters who worked at ground zero, were coming to open the game.

The rivalry was put aside; this was about football for sure, but it was also about getting our lives back to normal. It was about honoring the team from New York who lost so many friends and neighbors. It was about mourning those we lost and honoring those who risked their lives to save others. It was about expressing gratitude for those who survived and supporting those who faced the difficult job of survival. It was about just doing what Americans are supposed to do on a Sunday afternoon.

If you’ll remember that day, the Jets beat the Patriots. I don’t remember caring one way or the other. It was the game that Drew Bledsoe nearly lost his life on the field. It was the game in which Tom Brady made a rather humble entrance to his Hall of Fame caliber career.

I remember not caring one way or the other about the Pats' loss; unusual for an obsessed fan like me, but I still had friends and family in harm’s way, people we hadn’t accounted for, and friends we knew who had lost loved ones. I remember being concerned for Bledsoe’s health as the early reports started to reveal the severity of his injury. I remember just a spark of wondering if this kid Brady had shown a little something rare and special, or if he had just risen a little on the tide of emotion.

For one day anyway, this wasn’t New York versus New England. This was the neighborhood and our neighbors had just been punched in the heart.

From that moment on we were kicked into the most improbable, amazing season in Patriots history. Those of us who really know the game and really loved the Pats could feel it building, probably from the San Diego game on. Brady wasn’t a fluke; he really did have some intangible something special and it was growing more tangible by the quarter.

Bruschi and the defense all stepped up and showed that hearts trump all other suits. Adam Vinatieri showed the league that every man who steps on that field is a football player as he put the foot back in football. Bill Belichick proved that an NFL team is made up of 53 players, not a handful of stars.

Finally we had Super Bowl XXXVI. Was it destiny? It’s easy to see destiny once it’s history. It’s easy to write poetry once the deed is done. These Patriots were a scrappy bunch of guys we could all identify with that gave us something solid to focus on and something positive to believe in when our world was upside down.

Destiny? They definitely they picked the right moment to transform the Patsies into real Patriots. It didn’t hurt that they wore red, white and blue when the country was still feeling black and blue. I don’t know about destiny, but I’m thankful it all came together at the right time. We needed it. I needed it!

Now we’re seven years removed from the attacks on 9/11. It’s the second week of the season and the Pats are playing the Jets with an untried quarterback. We’re again concerned for our franchise player, but this time we know he’ll be back. We’re still fighting a dangerous enemy, but we can all be reasonably sure we’ll be safe this weekend thanks to a lot of hard work and sacrifice by people who don’t often get any recognition or glory.

I, for one, am going to enjoy this week’s game; and I’m grateful.

To everyone who serves in uniform, military and civilian:

Thank you for your service to our nation, our community and our world!

In New England, Every Disaster Is an Opportunity

Jim Bouchard — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:20:47 -0400

Ok Pats fans; we've seen harder times...At least some of us have. "Tom Terrific" is down but not out. He'll be back next year. Let's see how many of you "nouveau fans" stick it out.

Personally, I hope most of you jump ship like proverbial rats and open up some seats for those of us who have witnessed true hard times in Foxboro.

In the movie Apollo 13, Jim Lovell, played by Tom Hanks, turns to his team and says, "Gentlemen, we've lost the moon." In the very next moment focus completely shifts to a mission of survival.

In the same way, the Boston press corps has been uncharacteristically focused on the mission at hand. Rather than throwing in the towel, most predict that the Pats may have just conceded the Super Bowl, but Matt Cassel's mission is one of preserving a contender.

His focus doesn't need to be a repeat of Brady's Miracle Moment. We expect him to be a solid game manager, play within himself, and keep the Pat's winning character intact.

Of course, maybe some of that optimism is due to a lingering memory of a skinny kid from Michigan nobody knew, but Belichick trusted, bounding into the NFL history books in February of 2002. Is Cassel another Brady? Not likely, but on Monday, the Boston sports commentators seem slightly out of character.

Is this our old beloved bellicose Boston press corps? Where's the gloom and doom and predictions of a complete collapse of the Patriots Way you new fans seem to devour at the threat of any rough New England weather?

No, even Fred Smerlas is saying "In Belichick we trust!" After all, wasn't this the same Belichick who signed a long-shot draft pick whose combine photo looked like a picture of Bill Gates without his glasses?

Throughout the preseason, the shots were fired: What the hell were Bill and Scott thinking? Why didn't they make a play for any of the half-dozen semi-busted up and battered, but veteran tossers marketing themselves for a second shot at glory?

Because Belichick and Pioli know what they're doing. If they thought there was a better quarterback on the market, we'd already have Simms or Culpepper in a silver helmet. We still may, but it looks like it's Cassel's job to lose! At least until Tom is done with his rehab.

Some of us remember the days of Steve Grogan taking pounding after pounding, as the Pats slowly built a decent line around him. We remember freezing our hind parts to the aluminum bleachers with a scant couple thousand friends as the Pats logged disappointment after disaster.

We remember almost losing the team to the Sullivans' well intentioned but horribly-mismanaged schemes and deals. We remember Tony Eason, the phantom roughing call versus the Raiders in '76, and the rise and fall of Plunkett and Bledsoe. And those were the good times!

We remember the euphoria of the road wins in '85 and the deflation of the Division III Pats against the Big Bad Bears. Of course, that memory also features Tony Eason.

So, go ahead and jump ship. Cancel your Sunday Ticket, or better yet, put your season tickets on eBay. Those of us who lost our seats to you and the corporate no-shows will be glad to go to Gillette this year because...

Who knows?

A career backup, a guy who hasn't started a real game since high school, a guy who can't possibly fill a guaranteed first ballot Hall of Famers shoes for even one season...

This sounds like a great story in the making. I'd like to be there in person to see what happens!