Bring on the Colts

The 2007 Patriots cease to amaze even the biggest homer fan. They're not only beating teams, they're embarrassing them. Have you ever heard an opposing team whine in the NFL that the other team was running up the score? The Redskins were saying such things after being run out of town, 52-7 yesterday at Gillette. They were supposed to be a test (4-2 coming in) since they had a great defense but they looked awful. The Colts took care of the Panthers, setting up one of the biggest regular season games in NFL history: Pats at Colts next Sunday.

Nobody has even come close to slowing down the Patriots offense. And the thing that separates them from almost every other great team in history is that they have a defense that is pretty solid as well. Brady ran for two touchdowns and threw for three more. Mike Vrabel looked like an albino Lawrence Taylor. He had 13 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 caused fumbles and he caught a touchdown on the goal-line. Apparently, Washington never watched film leading up to this game as anyone in New England (including my Golden Retriever) could have told you that when Vrabel is on on the two tight end, goal-line formation, he's going to have a ball thrown his way. Colvin recovered one of Vrabel's strip-sacks and returned it 11-yards for a touchdown. Ty Warren scooped up the other two fumbles.

The Redskins didn't have a chance. Jason Campbell, who is supposed to be an up-and-coming quarterback looked completely confused. He threw a pick to Asante Samuel on a long pass that didn't have a prayer. It was a Bledsoe special, just throwing it downfield to a covered receiver. One of the most promising signs for the Patriots was Lawrence Maroney, who had 14 carries for 75 yards and caught two passes for 37 yards. It got so bad for the Skins that Matt Cassell scrambled for a 15-yard TD late in the fourth.Were the Pats running it up? Yeah and what's the big deal with that? This isn't Pop Warner, it's not high school and it's not some I-AA school bending over to a top-25 team in College Football. This was supposedly two good teams. They're both getting paid so why shouldn't the Pats run the plays to the best of their abilities. More and more people nationally are starting to hate the Patriots which will only fuel them. The only thing that isn't good about scoring 'til you drop is that you don't want to leave the franchise (Brady) in there when they're comfortably up 35+ in the fourth quarter. Some overzealous goon will take a cheap-shot at him if they're not careful.

Almost forgot to mention that Moss had a sick TD. They did the fake spike again near the goal-line which would have worked last week but Brady misfired. This time, it was a charm. Moss is truly a freak. Welker continued to go to work, 9 catches for 89 yards and a score. Seymour came back but didn't get out there for many plays. He seemed rusty but he'll have another week of practice to get up to speed for Indy. That game should be phenomenal. The Colts and Pats are on completely different planets from all the other NFL teams. Indy is the defending champs and they've beat the Patriots three times in a row. Oh and the Pats choked in the AFC Championship last year to them. Think revenge will be on the menu Sunday in Indy? You can book that.

Red Sox sweep Rockies to win their second World Series title in four years

Every season is different. It's silly to compare and just be happy if you're lucky enough to see your favorite team win it all. That being said, no World Series title will ever top 2004. The circumstances were too crazy and the drought had been way too long. Still, if you care about baseball and the Red Sox, last night was immensely satisfying. They were the best team in baseball for a majority of the year, clinched the World Series with a 4-3 win in game four against the completely shell-shocked Rockies. Thanks for coming folks, drive home safely.

Ellsbury led off the game with a double and two batters later, Ortiz knocked him in with an RBI single. From there, the two starting pitchers-Jon Lester and Aaron Cook-had quick, effective innings until Mike Lowell hit a double in the 5th followed by an RBI single by Varitek. Lowell led off the 7th with a solo shot but Brad Hawpe answered with a solo bomb in the bottom of the inning, making it 3-1. Pinch hitter Bobby Kielty (in his only World Series at-bat) delivered big-time in the top of the eighth, homering on the first pitch he saw from Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes. The Rockies made it interesting as Garrett Atkins finally did something, hitting a two-run home run off of an exhausted Hideki Okajima.

One last time, Papelbon entered with one out in the eighth and proceeded to mow down all five men he faced. The exclamation point was the final out as Paps struck out pinch hitter Seth Smith with a high fastball. Lowell was named the MVP afterwards and deservedly so. He batted .400 in the World Series and played his typical outstanding defense. There were plenty of other candidates: Papelbon, Ellsbury, Ortiz. No matter, all year the Red Sox were about the team, not the individual. Nobody exemplified that more so than Lowell, who had a career-year at the plate (when many thought he was washed up two years ago).

Enough can't be said about Lester's start. In two abbreviated seasons in the majors, this had to have been his most effective outing, especially considering the stage. He went 5.2 innings, giving up three hits, walking three and striking out three. For the most part, he had favorable counts and as a result didn't run up his pitch count too early-a negative trait that has plagued his early career in the majors.

The Rockies simply were done after game two. That game was hanging in the balance and Holliday getting picked off first was the first huge nail in the coffin. They had a great run to make it to the World Series but they ran into a buzzsaw: the Red Sox.
Everybody from the 2007 Red Sox, from the players to the manager, his staff and the front office all deserve credit. Francona did all the right things-which is nearly impossible in such a fickle market like Boston. While the front office certainly missed on some free agents-Lugo, Drew and trading for Gagne, you have to be pumped about the future with Pedroia, Ellsbury, Papelbon, Lester, Beckett, Okajima, Dice-K, etc. The 2004 team was a veteran group that had been on the cusp in 2003. This year was a few seasons in the making. A terribly flawed Sox team made the playoffs in 2005 but was promptly swept by the White Sox. Last year, injuries killed the Red Sox as a contending team was reduced to playing out the string in September. Coming out of spring training, this squad was expected to be good and they exceeded expectations virtually all season. They probably won't provide as money get-rich quick books for assorted baseball writers but they got the job done nonetheless. The 2007 Red Sox were a great team and they had fun doing it, what more could you want?

pair of rookies lead Red Sox to brink of second World Series title in four years

Every move that Red Sox manager Terry Francona makes, seems to turn to gold this postseason. Last night, he had rookie outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury start in center and bat lead-off. Was the rookie fazed? Not in the least bit, he went 4-for-5 (3 doubles) with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. AL Rookie-of-the-year favorite Dustin Pedroia went down to the two spot last night and continued to rake. He went 3-for-5 (double) with 2 RBIs and a run. The Sox won game three 10-5 and now take a commanding 3-0 lead in the 2007 World Series.

The Sox have now won six straight games this postseason and seven overall in its last two World Series appearances. Dice-K was the early story of the game as he pitched five scoreless innings (before Javier Lopez allowed some of his inherited runners to score in the sixth) and knocked in two runs with an RBI single in the third. Boston exploded for six in the third as Ellsbury led off with a double and Pedroia reached on a bunt single. Ortiz laced an RBI double (making his lineup inclusion at 1B look perfect). The Rockies walked Manny to get the bases-loaded but Lowell made them pay by grounding a two-run single up the middle. Manny tried to score on Varitek's single but was tagged out at home in a bang-bang play. No matter, as Dice-K followed up a Lugo walk with his biggest contribution of the season for the Sox. Ellsbury closed out the inning with an RBI double thereby ending the night (2.2 innings) for the immortal Josh Fogg.


The Rockies relievers held the Sox bats down for the next four innings. Colorado scored two in the sixth and then Matt Holliday greeted Okajima with a three-run blast to center to cut the deficit to one (6-5 Sox in the seventh). Okajima settled down and got three outs to end the frame. Jacoby had another RBI double in the eighth followed by Pedroia's two-run double that really iced the game in the eighth. Boston added one more in the ninth on a Varitek sac-fly. Papelbon came on with two guys on, two outs in the eighth and retired Holliday. Papelbon closed out the ninth for his second save of the series.


Jon Lester gets the ball tonight against Aaron Cook. Lester can put a real Hollywood ending on this special season for the Red Sox. He was diagnosed with cancer last year and now has contributed to the 2007 best team in baseball. Why not end it all tonight? The Rockies are unquestionably on the ropes, so it's time to sweep this series. It'll be interesting to see who sits tonight. Youkilis sat last night so you'll figure he'll have to get in tonight. However, Francona doesn't want to sit Lowell and the lineup is completely weaker without Ortiz's monster bat. This hasn't been a contest so far, the Sox have outplayed Colorado in every phase of the game. It would only be fitting to have another unsung player (Lester) step up in a postseason that has been filled with new heroes (Youk, Ellsbury, Drew, Pedroia, Okajima).

Frauds no more

Stop me if you've heard this before: an overrated Boston College football team, loses an important late-season game that it had to have. Their season goes down the tube as they are relegated to a garbage bowl before New Year's in Podunk, USA. Well the script looked to be eerily similar until Matt Ryan and the Eagles woke up just in time last night, stunning host Virginia Tech 14-10 in a rain-soaked Lane Stadium.

BC was down 7-0 at halftime (after a controverisal Hokie touchdown; no way Royal got a foot down even though they reviewed it and it still stood). After a third-quarter field goal, the Hokies carried a 10-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Ryan had probably the worst half of football in his college career: 9-for-21 for 54 yards.


When he threw a pick with a little over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, his Heisman campaign looked dead while BC's BCS hopes were gone as well. Ryan and Co. responded though. They went 92 yards in 9 plays for the first TD, ending with a 16-yard toss to WR Rich Gunnell. Luck was on the Eagles side on the next play as they rolled the dice and hit an onside kick. A Hokie touched it but it deflected right to BC. The Eagles calmly went 66 yards in 7 plays for the clinching score. On the winning touchdown, Ryan did something he had done twice earlier on the drive. He basically ran around the pocket to buy time before delivering a pass to running back Andre Callender. The throw was something that'll be replayed a million times this season and beyond. Ryan threw across his body (all arm as the commentators said) and just put enough on it to get it beyond multiple Tech defenders to Callender, who was uncovered in the back of the end zone. The play ended with 11 seconds left on the game clock. Wow. Ryan finished a respectable 25-for-52 for 285 yards, 2 TD's and 2 INT's. Florida sophomore QB Tim Tebow is probably still the front-runner but if BC can make it to the BCS Championship, Ryan will be the main reason why and will deserve the hardware.


BC still has to win its last four games but as I've said all along, last night was the biggest one. None of the four remaining teams: Florida State, Maryland, Clemson or Miami are currently ranked nor will they be when the teams meet. The Eagles can still stumble but after last night, who would doubt them this season? Ryan and Coach Jags seem to have that elusive Flutie magic back at the Heights.

Two games away from glory

One of the tell-tale signs of a great team is when they can win games in many different ways. The Sox had been pounding the ball the last three games. They found themselves in an old-fashioned pitchers duel last night but still came out on top, 2-1 in game two of the 2007 World Series.

Curt Schilling vs. rookie Ubaldo Jimenez is a classic mismatch in such a big game. No question, Jimenez (he of the 100 mph fastball and dirty off-speed stuff) has an electric arm while Schilling is surviving on smarts and guile. Was there any doubt that Sox would do just enough to pull this one out? Chalk it up to 2004 or the team's success this year, whatever the reason the Sox just have an air of inevitability about them in these playoffs. When they're on (working opposing hurlers and getting good starts from its rotation), they're nearly impossible to beat.


The Rockies scored in the top of the first but the Sox slowly waited out Ubaldo, scoring one in the fourth and fifth. He was gone before the end of the fifth, having only given up two runs on three hits but he walked five. Schilling was gone one out into the sixth, surrendering only the one run on four hits, striking out four. The MVP of this game for the Sox was Hideki Okajima. He fell apart in the second half of the season as he wore down but last night, he looked like the lights out Okajima of May-July that made the All-Star game. Hideki got seven outs without allowing a hit or walk while striking out four. Papelbon recorded the last four outs, giving up one hit and striking out two.


Matt Holliday was the bulk of the offense for the Rockies, he had four of their five hits. As a team they struck out ten times and left 14 on base. Seeing them in the dugout in the late innings, they hardly resembled the freight train that reeled off 21 of 22 wins to make it here. They looked rattled, they look over matched.


The Sox scored its first run on a Varitek sac fly which plated Lowell. Lowell had the biggest hit as his RBI double scored Ortiz. Drew was on base all four times he came to the plate: two hits, a walk and hit by a pitch.


Once again, after Schilling left the game, you sensed that this could be his last game starting for the Red Sox at Fenway. Unless, this series comes back to Fenway (unlikely), he is probably done here. One more big game performance like that will look good as he tries to get into the Hall of Fame.


The series shifts to Colorado tomorrow night and as my buddy KC said, "all the Sox have to do is win one of the next two games because Beckett in game five is a lock of the century." So there you go. Matsuzaka in game three and Lester in game four don't exactly conjure up images of shutouts or no-hitter's. However, they're facing journeyman Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook (coming off a long injury layoff) so who knows what to expect from those two. I have a feeling the next two games will be slug-fests. The Sox clearly have the better bullpen so things couldn't look better after two games.

We'll know a lot more about BC football after tonight

Boston College (#2 in all the polls) travels to ACC foe, no. 8 Virginia Tech in a game that will in all likelihood show whether BC is a contender or a pretender in 2997. If they survive this test, they could very well find themselves in the BCS Championship, assuming they take care of four winnable ACC games to wrap up the regular season.

The Eagles have looked very good at times this season but they also haven't played any legitimate teams or in real tough environments. Tonight should be another story. The Hokies are playing well after getting blown out by LSU in week two. They have the typical Virginia Tech traits: stout defense and outstanding special teams. Their offense is shaky but they have a good running back (Brandon Ore) and enough play-making receivers to make some noise.Lane Stadium is always cited as one of the toughest places to play in college football. Virginia Tech is 13-2 all-time on Thursday nights (both losses though have come to BC, including one last season).

It's put up or shut up time for BC. They've snuck up on most people nationally, who haven't seen many of their games. The general consensus is that they're an overrated team that has profited from a crazy rash of upsets in college football and a soft schedule thus far. This game could do a million different ways, it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Rockies fail to show up in game one

It can't be that easy? Right? The Sox continued their torrid play from Games 5-7 vs. Cleveland and just decimated the Rockies, 13-1 in game one of the 2007 World Series. The Rockies looked every bit like the team that had eight days off, not the one that reeled off 21 wins in its last 22 games. Beckett is clearly the best pitcher in MLB as we speak. He went seven dominant innings last night, giving up six hits, one earned run and striking out nine.

The offensive tone was set by leadoff man Dustin Pedroia, who belted the second pitch he saw just over the lip of the Monster. The Sox scored two more in the first then both teams had one in the second. Two in the fourth and seven in the fifth officially made this a laugher for the home team. So many hitters for the Sox-Pedroia, Youk, Ortiz, Manny-are all currently locked in. It's something to behold as everyone looked dangerous last night. Ortiz and Manny led the way with three hits and two RBIS apiece. Lugo even had three hits, Varitek and Drew each had two hits and two RBIs while Pedroia (two RBIs) and Youk (two hits, three runs, RBI) are on fire.

Rockies starter Jeff Francis didn't have a puncher's chance against that lineup. A soft-throwing lefty, he didn't hit his spots at all and was gone after four innings (six earned runs). The Rockies bullpen which had been one of the team's biggest strengths in its great October run was awful last night. Morales gave up seven earned runs and Speier walked three straight batters with the bases loaded. Every at bat from the Red Sox seemed like a hitting clinic. They weren't swinging at any balls and fouling off tough pitches before putting the fat pitches in play (usually where the Rockies defense wasn't). All told, they had 17 hits and 8 walks.

Still, going in everyone picked the Sox to win game one. Nobody was going to beat Beckett, who now has 35 strikeouts and two walks, going 4-0 in the 2007 playoffs. Just filthy numbers for this stud. Regardless, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's only one game. If the Rockies take game two (like the Indians did in the ALCS), it makes things much more complicated since the next three would be at Coors Field in Denver. The away team in the league championship series and World Series is only looking to get a game before they head home. If the Sox win tonight, a sweep is a very real possibility but if they lose we could have ourselves a series. It's Ubaldo Jimenez, a 23-year-old rookie who throws 100 mph vs. Schilling. In its last four games, the BoSox have outscored opponents 43-6.