Bleacher Report - Articles by Nick Coviello

Boston Red Sox: Count on Seeing Justin Masterson in the 'Pen

Nick Coviello — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:22:06 -0400

Each Spring Training, there always seems to be one big headliner for the Boston Red Sox.

Or two...or 10.

This year, one of the most intriguing headlines is the situation with Justin Masterson. With Brad Penny starting the year on the DL, should the spot in the rotation be handed back to Masterson, who started nine games for the Sox last year, or should it go to future ace Clay Buchholz?

Yes, the Masterson debate has become a hot topic in New England, and I felt obligated to research it for myself.

When I looked up Masterson's starting statistics I found that as he started more games, he was getting roughed up more and more. After all, that’s the beauty and misery of being a young pitcher who no one has a game plan for.

For the first couple of games, a rookie might mow down opposing batters, leaving teams stumped; however, as more and more teams get a look at the pitcher, they’ll eventually catch on to his techniques, and it is then up to the pitcher to truly create their own game plan and their own way of handling the opposition.

However, with Masterson, I found one stat to be a little more concerning than the rest. During his stint as a starting pitcher, Masterson pitched 54 innings and, unsurprisingly, struck out a good amount of batters; however, Masterson also walked 28 batters.

It is no secret that starting pitchers who walk a good amount of batters usually aren’t as effective as they could be; just ask Daniel Cabrera. Knowing that Masterson struggled to find the plate at times, I was a bit uneasy when he was moved into the bullpen; after all, the Red Sox already had young Manny Delcarmen in the 'pen, who is known to lose command at times.

However, in 33-1/3 innings coming out of the 'pen, Masterson only walked 12 batters while only allowing nine runs.

Masterson continued to work from the bullpen in the 2008 postseason and played a key role in the Sox' defeat of the Angels in the Divisional Round. It is the 2008 postseason that makes it obvious where Masterson will remain: the bullpen.

The Sox had a hurting Josh Beckett in the postseason and therefore had to rely on guys like Paul Byrd and Tim Wakefield.

Wouldn’t Terry Francona have handed the ball to Justin Masterson if he believed he could give a better starting performance than Wakefield or Byrd?

Or, as a more likely reason, Francona realized that Masterson had become as important to the Sox bullpen as Hideki Okajima. Yes, the Red Sox had other options to confide in when they needed a spot starter; options that made it a no-brainer to keep Masterson in the bullpen.

The way I see it, the 2009 Red Sox won’t have a much different feel. The Red Sox have a lot of depth in their rotation, as the names include Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Wakefield, Penny, Smoltz, Buchholz, and Hansack.

Odds are, the Red Sox won’t reach the level of desperation needed to move Masterson from the pen—a place where he’s been more effective, more consistent, and more important to the team—to the rotation.

Justin Masterson will be in the Red Sox bullpen come the 2009 season.

Will Clay Buchholz Be the Jon Lester of 2009?

Nick Coviello — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:33:51 -0400

With the news of Brad Penny’s fatigued shoulder surfacing, it is becoming more and more apparent why the Red Sox were so hesitant to trade Clay Buchholz over the offseason.

If the Sox believed that Buchholz had not made good strides over the winter, you better believe the front office would be willing to discuss certain deals surrounding Clay as the centerpiece. After all, the Sox were in need of a catcher, and with the signings of both veterans Penny and John Smoltz, they added an amazing amount of depth in the rotation.

However, it appears that the only “Red Sox veteran” will be getting the nod as the fifth starter to begin the season, or that’s what many believe anyways.

By now, Buchholz should be a household name in every Red Sox fan's home, and while he’s had a roller coaster ride so far, it’s only just beginning for the young starting pitcher.

Everyone learned Clay’s name when he no-hit the Baltimore Orioles in one of his first Major League starts, and everyone learned to hate his name during the 2008 season when it seemed he could not keep the ball in the yard.

During the course of the 2008 season, many questioned Buchholz's mentality, as it did not appear he was struggling with mechanics. A few even deemed Buchholz a lost cause, while others simply claimed he wasn’t ready.

Buchholz finished the 2008 season in the minors and was quickly forgotten. Over the course of the offseason, his name was rarely mentioned besides trade talks.

But it is no secret that Buchholz has been working all offseason, and the news that he’s becoming more comfortable and gaining confidence will be a huge boost for him. While they are two different pitchers, it seems both Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester went through the same problems.

Both Lester and Buchholz tried to be too precise with each of their pitches. Many times, Lester would run the count full after being ahead of the hitters and would have a high pitch count by the fifth inning.

Buchholz, obviously observing Lester, tried to learn from the mistake of being too precise, but instead left far too many pitches over the plate and got knocked around instead of losing hitters.

Lastly, both Buchholz and Lester struggled to gain confidence in both themselves and their pitches.

But I’d say Lester looks all right, don’tcha think?

There’s no way to predict for sure whether or not Buchholz will find success this season, and comparing him to Lester will only get one so far. However, it is obvious that Clay has taken some great strides this offseason, and he will be getting another chance to prove his worth much sooner than any of us (besides maybe the front office) would have imagined.

I Try To See Rocco, But All I Think Is Nomar

Nick Coviello — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:38:13 -0500

I’m not much of a morning person; in fact, I can’t remember the last time I was awake at seven o’clock in the AM without being even the slightest bit tired; however, today was an exception.

As I awoke at 6:30, I quickly came to realize that due to my screwed up sleeping schedule, I wasn’t in the least bit tired. Grudgingly, I rose and went to retrieve the morning paper, the sports page specifically, which I don’t often read any more; and yet, on the front page of the Worcester T&G sports section a headline and a picture caught my attention.

There was Rocco Baldelli, a player I have always liked, holding up his new Red Sox jersey. But on the other hand, there was the caption: “Fragile Rocco takes Nomar’s No. 5.”

You want to talk about weird feelings in the pit of your stomach? That lone caption hit my harder than some of the more emotional issues in my life. Now, ignoring the fact that that’s completely messed up and definitely qualifies me as a feeling-less zombie, it got me to think back...To think back of the days of Nomar and just what he meant to me and the city of Boston at one point.

For many Red Sox fans, (particularly those born late '80s–early '90s) Nomar was the reason they became Red Sox fans, even baseball fans. I was the prime example of this type of person.

For those children who claimed they’ve been a fan of their favorite team all their life, or even since they were about four or five years old: bullshit. There’s always that certain event or certain player that draws to the sport and draws you to a team. For me, Nomar Garciaparra was that reason.

Sure, I can remember watching the 1996 Sox team with guys like Mo Vaughn, but I don’t recall much, nor was I that interested; however, that all changed when a young shortstop with a goofy batting stance out of Georgia Tech arrived on the scene full time in 1997.

From the very beginning, I fell in love with everything about Nomar. Like many, I loved the way he prepared himself in the batter’s box—from tugging on the batting gloves to kicking dirt and twirling the bat. I loved his acrobatic-like fielding style and his crazy sidearm delivery at short.

I loved his unique first name and his fun-to-say last name. I loved how time would seem to stop when he came to the plate, and how everyone seemed to stop what they were doing just to watch his at-bat. Oh, and let’s not forget how amazed I was at his ability.

To this day, I’ve never been obsessed with a player more, nor seen a better pure hitter in his prime than Nomar. If you scoped around my room a little, you’d come to find around five or six Nomar posters along with 80-something Nomar baseball cards, not to mention all the Nomar shirts I had before I out-grew them all.

I remember meeting Nomar at a local mall back in 1998, and while he wasn’t the most laid back and pleasant of people, it’s still a moment I will never forget. (I recall as I place my Nomar picture down in front of him he asked me “do you want me to sign this?” I have to admit I was a little taken aback, even at age nine. I thought “well, I sure as shit don’t want you to eat it.”)

I’d have to say the day I got that autograph was probably one of the best days of my life. My idols signature on my favorite picture of him; can’t get much better than that.

By around 2000, I couldn’t look at the No. 5 without thinking about Nomar. A lot of people were drawn to the Red Sox by him, but I wasn’t only drawn to the Sox, I was dedicated to the Sox and Nomar was by God.

It seemed every day Nomar would amaze me more and more. Pitchers simply could not find a place in the strike zone in which Nomar couldn’t stick the bat out and hit a solid line drive. To put it simply, Nomar (1997-2000) was the greatest hitter I’ve ever had the privilege to watch.

Above anything else, I remember when he flirted with .400 in 2000 and just how incredible it was to follow. It was like being able to witness something unthinkable and still find satisfaction when he fell short. It was the baseball version of 18-1 to me. However, shortly after the 2000 season, Nomar was hit in the wrist and never again was the same hitter.

Watching Nomar’s career decline and watching his abilities weaken was like watching a close friend struggle with a life-threatening sickness. There was always hope that he’d return to form, but more likely than not his better days were behind him.

Even so, I remember being glued to ESPN.com during the Nomar for Magglio and A-Rod rumors. I remember being extremely upset and excited at the same time. It had gotten to the point where, while I was still very loyal to Nomar, I was more dedicated to the Red Sox.

The breakdown of that trade was without a doubt the turning point in Nomar’s career. In came all the talk about how Nomar disliked Boston and was upset with the Red Sox for exploring trades involving him. I remember being ecstatic when Nomar returned from injury to a standing ovation in 2004, yet there was something missing. It wasn’t the same Nomar that first got me to love baseball.

This was the version of Nomar that I had met in the mall a half a decade ago. The Nomar that hated all the attention, that hated all the press, that hated all the talk, and who just wanted to play baseball.

About a month later, Nomar was packing his bags and leaving for Chicago. I remember waiting in the driveway for my family to return from wherever they were so I could tell them the news. I was angry, happy, and sad all at the same time. I was very, very confused about how I felt about the situation. I’m talking 11-or-12-year-old-boy-who-ejaculates-for-the-first-time-wondering-what-in-the-hell-is-this-white-shit type of confused.

On one hand, my icon, my God, the reason I got into baseball in the first place was leaving my favorite team. On the other hand, Nomar got to get out of the Boston spotlight and got to get back to just playing baseball again.

Even after these four years, it pains me thinking about how Nomar left Boston, and it pains me further to see what a mess his career has become. In a span of just a few years, Nomar went from the best hitter I’ve seen to a fragile, glass case of emotion.

So there I was, staring at Rocco Baldelli. All the emotions I had when Nomar first got traded came rushing back, all the memories returned as well. I honestly felt sick to my stomach.

To see something as simple as Rocco Baldelli holding up No. 5, Nomar Garcipaparra’s jersey, made me want to throw up. And yet, it’s completely justified. Nomar isn’t going to get his number retired by the Red Sox. Nomar isn’t going to the Hall of Fame. Nomar isn’t even appreciated for what he did in his first four years in Boston any more, but appreciated for leaving and causing the Red Sox to win their first World Series in 86 years.

I came to realize that Nomar doesn’t mean shit anymore, and that Baldelli wearing his No. 5 wouldn’t hurt anyone, nor should anyone take it the wrong way.

I’m starting to wish I didn’t wake up early this morning.

10 Reasons I Wish Manny No More Success [Old]

Nick Coviello — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:04:42 -0500

1) Manny is an asshole. My, my how quickly my opinion of one player can change within just one week. This sure as hell doesn’t give a good sign of what’s going to happen if my future girlfriend and I have a bad week.

But either way, whatever happened this week between the FO and Manny, he made it way worse than it could have been and handled it in the worst way possible. The antics on the field during the Angels series was one thing, but the comments he made were pouring gasoline on the fire.

“The Red Sox don’t deserve a player like me”? Eat a bag of dicks, Manny.

2) I’m an asshole. I flat out wouldn’t be able to handle it if Manny went into Hollywood and tore it up. I’m a greedy type of guy. If what you’re doing doesn’t benefit me in any way than their success pisses me off. I’m a jealous asshole.

3) Speaking of Hollywood… It’s only been ONE day since Manny has been a Dodger and yet I’ve heard how Hollywood is the best fit for Manny and his persona. Manny being Manny goes Hollywood...Just thinking about it makes me sick.

You thought the Sox let Manny get away with hell? Just wait and see what the Dodgers let Manny get away with within the span of two or three months.

4) All of a sudden he’s Mr. Nice Guy. Now that Manny finds himself out of Boston and on a losing (but improved) team he needs to make it known just how f***ing happy he is to be there. It’s such cliche bullshit, and Manny found out how to put a new spin on it.

He looked like a fool during his press conference, joking around with the media as if they’re not going to be as brutal on him as Boston reporters were...it’s Hollywood for God’s sake.

5) Seeing Jason Bay play one game in left made me feel orgasmic. I had completely forgotten what it was like to see a line drive heading to left and not have to hold my breath.

Bay showed in one game just how easy it is to cover the ground in left, which is something Manny still was having trouble figuring out. (No one knows the bounces and the wall better than Manny, but he’s just such a slow, lazy, fat f***.)

Anyone else see the gap shot that Manny didn’t chase down in Dodger Stadium? The ball that him and Andruw Jones both looked at each other wondering when the other was going to go retrieve it? What a fat, lazy f***.

Nothing is going to change with him. I can’t wait to see the adventures he has in the significantly larger left field at Dodger Stadium. Oh, and there’s no DH option, Manny!

6) His inability to make a decision. I just remembered the several occasions in which Manny claimed he wanted to end his career with the Red Sox. The brutal situations in life even creep into sports. There are devastating divorces in marriage and close friendships that end suddenly. Manny’s eventual departure was like a mix of those. Can you tell I’m f***ing bitter?

7) He won’t be forced to cut his hair.Is Manny seriously already getting his way in LA? Did he convince Joe Torre to allow him permission to keep his image? I bet that was Manny’s excuse: “I need to keep da hair man…you know? Da hair’s partoffmy image man…”

Ten dollars says Manny has already gotten into an argument with Torre about it and as a result didn’t hustle to that gap shot and grounded into a double play in the ninth. I can see the situation come the offseason: “The Dodgers drove me out of town. Dey don’ deservef me or ma hair man.”

8 ) Nomar jumping to his defense. Seriously. I’m getting suicidal. But oh how ironic is it that Nomar heads RIGHT back to the DL in order to make room for Manny? You know what Manny’s talking about Nomar? Well, what about your endless trips to the DL since your departure from Boston?

I would agree that the Sox mistreated Nomar and drove him out of town, but is it just me or did they make the smartest move in the world in trading his rusty, worn down body away? Defending scum like Manny...He must have some nerve.

9) Manny’s wearing No. 99. No. 24 is retired so he decides to be a complete fool and take #99. He’s already drawing even more attention to himself than he already has. God I miss this silly-nanny. Who’s that number dedicated to Manny? Wayne Gretzky?

10) *sigh*…It’s Nomar all over again. I’m loving every part of Manny being somewhere else, especially since Red Sox Nation (I hate that term) has accepted and loves Jason Bay already, and yet a part of me misses Manny’s character, his slightly overboard tomfoolery, and all he’s done for this club.

I’m having serious Manny withdrawals…I’m almost bipolar…wait a minute…he said we weren’t good enough for him! Go to hell Manny!

New England Patriots: Team or Flash? [Old]

Nick Coviello — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:01:13 -0500

Everyone likes to get see fireworks, just like everyone would want to go see the Harlem Globetrotters. Both are examples of exciting entertainment and flash at its highest level. The New England Patriots have never been flashy or have had the explosive players that single handily brought fans to games.

The Patriots have been nothing more or less than a team for the past eight seasons or so.

And then came 2007.

2007 was like a mix of the Watergate scandal, a no-hitter, and the McGwire/Sosa home run chase of '98 for the Patriots. To say that 2007 was an amazing season would be an undeniable understatement. Being Patriots fans, we had gotten used to the notion of the “teams win games” philosophy, so naturally 2007 took us way off guard.

Everyone knew the Patriots would be good, even before the trade for Randy Moss, but what we got was staggering. Within the first month came Spygate, which could possibly be one of the biggest (and most overblown) scandals in NFL history and it was happening to OUR New England Patriots!

The same team that always held the team before the player, and that didn’t stand for any rule breaking or acting out was becoming the most hated team in the NFL.

The Patriots were docked a first-round pick and having their championships questioned; also, the NFL’s most notable coach was fined $500K and was losing credibility with the league.

Alone, Spygate would have been enough to make 2007 the most “anti-Patriot” season in a long while...

And then, all of a sudden, a team more famous for its defensive prowess was putting points up like they were computer carrots and the two most notable names on the offense were chasing their positions most respectable records.

Seriously? A couple players on the New England Patriots chasing records? Wasn’t this the team that had once claimed to not have one superstar? It was like seeing the picture negatives of this team. And oh yeah, they were also trying to complete a perfect season.

Watergate, McGwire/Sosa, and the pursuit of a no-hitter. All unheard of things when talking about the New England Patriots. Spygate turned out to be as bad as Watergate, both Brady and Moss ended up breaking previous records much like McGwire/Sosa and as for perfection?

Well...Let’s just say the no-hitter was broken up with two outs and strikes in the ninth. Not once has a Patriots season carried so much pressure, so much attention, and so many headlines.

That being said, what should everyone expect out of the 2008 Patriots? More than likely (and hopefully) the Pats won’t be involved in another scandal, and teams have learned that the key to slowing down the offense is to put pressure on Brady and take Moss out of the game.

As for perfection? The Patriots almost did it last year and their schedule this year is five times easier so who knows. Look at it this way...The flashy Patriots gathered the front page headlines, the records, the fame, but they lost the Super Bowl. The team-oriented Patriots won three Super Bowls in six years.

My wonder is which Patriots team will we see this year? The firework Globetrotter Patriots or the team-oriented, Super Bowl hungry Patriots?

Which team would you prefer to see? Personally, I’d expect a disproportional sway towards one side.

Patriots Fans Too Invested in Tom Brady's Every Move

Nick Coviello — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:58:12 -0500

No, this isn’t Tom F***in' Brady meet Tom Bitchin’ Brady, this is Tom F***in' Brady being introduced to Patriots fans, who will now go by the nickname “Terrified Beyond Belief”.

When Patriots fans didn’t catch a glimpse of Brady in the preseason, they started to get a little worried. Eventually, Brady started missing practices and those worried faces became stunned faces.

Then comes along the week before the start of the regular season when it’s announced that Brady has a cracked bone in his foot; however, he will probably start the opening week. Those worried and stunned expressions quickly moved to terrified expressions, at least in the eyes of this fan.

Normally, Boston fans act either outrageously smug or unbelievably pessimistic depending on how their teams are fairing; however, above all the other cases of smugness vs. pessimism comes the biggest one dealing with Tom Brady.

Tom Brady has been the NFL greatest QB for years and Patriots fans (even the humble ones) never let people forget it. It’d be hard to hold a conversation about a Patriots weakness with the phrase “we’ve got Brady, we’ll be fine” being uttered.

When Brady is on the field and open in the eyes of the fan, New England is at bliss. Yes indeed, Tom Brady is a hero.

Unfortunately, everyone hero has a heroic flaw.

Don’t get me wrong, Tom Brady is the perfect human being. I’ve never seen another sports figure make less mistakes than he does. No, the problem lies in his faithful worshippers. Patriots fans cared far too much about Tom Brady.

What he’s doing, where he’s doing it, what he’s thinking, and above all, his health. BB, meaning “Before Brady,” you would be lucky to find one person who would skip an important day with their family to stay home and watch Drew Bledsoe command the Patriots.

The fans cared, but they didn’t REALLY care...Especially from '97-2000. The Patriots had been entering a dark age when a Californian prodigy arrived in New England. He wasn’t nestled in a manger, but he might as well have been. As his magical word was spread, more and more people came to follow him and his word.

Seven years and three Super Bowl rings later, fans are obsessed. He is easily the most cared about New England figure in recent years; more than Nomar, Pedro, Ortiz, Ramirez, Pierce, KG, or Allen. (I won’t go as far as to say Russell, Bird, Clemens, Yaz, and Williams since I didn’t witness them do their thing, but I have a feeling Brady is above them as well.)

Knowing this, can you imagine the reaction to the news that Brady has a cracked bone in his foot? Can you imagine the thoughts of Patriots fans when they heard that Brady SHOULD be ready for opening week? Can you imagine how many people out there would offer up a relative or girlfriend/boyfriend to God as long Brady is healthy?

The coming days and first few weeks, all eyes will be on Brady. The Pats went 0-4 in the preseason, showed both a weak defense and offense, and yet Tom Brady is going to be in the spotlight again. Each time Brady drops back, fans will hold their breath. Every time Brady throws a seed to Randy, Pats fans will exhale and claim how they weren’t worried. Every time he overthrows a receiver, Pats fans will start blaming the foot.

And every time Brady gets hit or falls to the ground, Pats fans hearts will stop.

Just another game in the Tom Brady age, but this time there is going to be a larger amount of worry coming with every play.

And personally, I’m terrified beyond belief.

For the New England Patriots, It's a Magical World [Old]

Nick Coviello — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:54:18 -0500

“It’s a magical world Hobbes ol’ buddy!” - Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes”‘

It’s apparent that Calvin and Hobbes couldn’t possibly be hardcore sports fans...And yet, that small and simple statement made by Calvin in the final “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strip could relate to sports situations.

A lot of the time, as sports fans, we get caught up in a moment; other times we may not appreciate those moments until they’re gone. One thing is for sure: Sports provide us with a piece of our magical world, although it all depends on how we capture the moments we witness.

I’ve heard both the theories that “no good thing dies” and that “even good things have to die”; however, I may be living in the aftermath of something great. Whether that good thing continues on literally or purely as a memory is yet to be seen.

For those who haven’t caught on, I am of course talking about the injury to Tom Brady and how it may affect the future of the New England Patriots. Tom Brady, the God-like figure of our magical world has been struck down at the worst possible time.

Before Brady went down, it seemed this great time we’ve come accustom to was weak, especially after 18-1, but we continued to hold a positive mind state for the most part. We had our saviors in Tom and Bill, and as long as those two stayed together and performed, then the magic could continue.

And then it happened.

It was an evil twist and an already heart-wrenching climax. The story of a lowly team, who rose to greatness turned dominance in just a few years, only to face heartbreak in several different forms. Every good thing must come to an end I suppose.

Seeing Tom Brady roll around on the ground clutching his knee was like watching one of your heroes die. At the time, I sat motionless watching it happen and really had no words to express what had just happened. In those few moments that Brady was down, the memories came swarming back from every direction, both the good and the bad.

I saw Vinatieri’s two Super Bowl winning kicks split the uprights. I saw Aaron Boone raise his arms triumphantly. I saw the Red Sox celebrating in St. Louis, the Patriots in Jacksonville, and the Celtics in front of their home crowd.

I saw Brady walk off the field dejectedly both in Indy and Arizona, with flashes of Ben Watson lighting up Champ Bailey out of the corner of my eye. I relived all of these moments strictly from seeing a New England icon, Tom Brady, lie painfully on the ground.

But above all, I saw Nomar Garciaparra walking out of the Red Sox clubhouse and heading for Chicago. Watching Brady lie there was like losing my hero, my idol, my symbol of something I held dear and now felt unsure of.

I remember thinking of the worst when Nomar was traded, and as everyone knows that deal resulted in the best outcome. However, while I couldn’t think of the Patriots without Tom Brady, I still had no thoughts while he lay there. I was stunned. Literally, I couldn’t blink or talk or move. I just stared at the TV screen almost wait for it to scream APRIL FOOLS!

Finally, I came around and the first thing I could ask myself was: “Is this the end?” I had been crushed when the Patriots lost to Indy two years ago, even if I didn’t wear my emotions on my sleeve.

That soon changed when the Patriots blew their undefeated season last year as I let all of my rage out and like most Patriots fans I will never get over that loss. But when Brady went down, all I couldn’t ask myself anything except whether or not the Patriots reign on the NFL was coming to an end.

The AFC Championship Game. The Super Bowl. The Injury.

It all seemed like a nightmare and the thought that all the events happened in a span of three years concerned me. It seemed like far too much bad luck. (Which I obviously blamed it on…come on, the Patriots’ play actually losing a game for them? Pfft.)

Could this be the end of our magical world so soon after it started? Needless to say I don’t want to go overboard, but I think I was emotionally and spiritually beat up by the past few Patriots seasons and when I saw Brady helped off the field...A little piece of me died.

And yet a world without magic is a world nonetheless. While Calvin and Hobbes were a pair of uneducated comic strip characters, they represented the world perfectly. Some days they didn’t get along, other days things just flat-out went wrong for them, but when you get right down to it every day, both in sports and life (I guess) is magical whether you’re living it or reminiscing.

Don’t loss the magic Patriots fans. We’ve had the privilege to see the Patriots go through their best years and also see them face their biggest heartbreaks. We do not know what Matt Cassel will bring, and while he isn’t an icon, every falling empire needs someone to step up and be a leader.

And no matter where he may lead us, whether it’ll leave us celebrating new glory, giving us back that hope we lost when Brady went down, or leaving us remembering better times, we’ll keep those magic season, this magic team, this magical world alive.

KEEP THE FAITH! CASSEL ‘08!

18-1. Down Goes Brady. Um, We'll Welcome 2009?

Nick Coviello — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:57:02 -0500

Near perfection.

A massive upset.

An injury that shook a region.

A story of a quarterback than seemed to come right out of a fairy tale, yet didn't exactly have a storybook ending.

...so what is due for 2009-2010?

The past two seasons for the New England Patriots and their fans have probably been two of the most agonizing, painful, entertaining, intriguing, and stressful years of their franchises history...hell...you could make an argument that the Patriots '07-08 and '08-09 campaigns were two of the craziest and most eventful in NFL history.

If someone told me than in a span of just two seasons I'd see my favorite team: miss out of perfection by a ball caught on a helmet, be accused of cheating and have to deal with the entire Spygate controversy, have to suffer through the news of Tom Brady's season-ending injury, introduce Matt Cassel and eventually see him succeed, and lastly, miss the playoffs even with an 11-5 record...I would honestly tell you to go fuck yourself. I'd tell you that that's not even something to joke about. I'd say that the day all of that happens I would kill everyone around me, then myself. I would believe all of that to be impossible.

But that shit happened my friends.

I'm afraid to say this, but what's in store for 2009? Surely nothing can be as bad as the past two years; however, I then remember that we have to deal with an arm full of rumors about Tom Brady and his recovering knee. I expect talk to start pretty soon as it appears the Patriots will franchise Matt Cassel. This shows precaution. This shows having a back-up option. This shows that Tom Brady may not be back at the beginning of next year, or at all, but what scares me the most is a different scenario...

What if Brady returns and simply isn't the same quarterback he used to be? What if his knee just can't function him as well as it used to. We could be looking at a less mobile, weaker, less accurate quarterback.

What if the Patriots have kept Cassel around strictly by the idea that Brady may not be the same? What if Cassel is merely sitting around waiting until Brady struggles to the point where he has to be removed? Just thinking of this situation makes me shudder, but it's a situation nonetheless. After the things I've witnessed the past few years it would certainly not take me by surprise; I believe I'm numb to this heartbreak. But I can't help looking back at these past few years and be amazed by how quickly fortunes can change.

I remember watching Tom Brady's 60 Minutes interview in which he says: "some people [in my position] would think God, I've reached my goal, my dream, my life is complete...but me I think God, there's gotta be more than this."

I remember seeing that interview and realizing just what an amazing competitor Tom Brady was. To put in all the hard work he did before finally climbing to the top, before becoming a worldwide superstar. That one quote alone gave me more respect for the guy than I had previously (which was an awful fucking lot). Just a few years later, there's Tom, shattering NFL records, going 16-0, and trying to be the first QB to lead his squad to a 19-0 mark in NFL history.

Then the wheels fell off...or maybe he lost a little bit of his luck. The Patriots found themselves down late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII, and once more Tom Brady lead a crucial drive that resulted in a lead-changing touchdown. I thought to myself, "wow, this man has done it again."

We all know the story from then on out. And we all know what happened to Brady in the Patriots first drive of the 2008 season opener. The man sat out all of preseason to avoid aggravating his previously injured ankle and is greeted by a season, and career-threatening knee injury. I remember thinking that nothing else could go wrong at that point.

Most people know the story by now. In steps Matt Cassel, who hasn't started a game since high school and leads the Patriots to an 11-5 record; however, the Patriots miss the playoffs and become only the second team in NFL history to go 11-5 and miss the playoffs. Yes sir, we must have hit rock bottom (in terms of luck at least). 2009 HAS to be better. We just HAVE to see Brady return right? Cassel is just a precaution right? We'll be competing for a Super Bowl right?

I'd certainly like to think so.

But this ain't no fucking story tale anymore.