Players of the Year : Early picks

The 2015 season hasn't even started yet, but there are already frontrunners for the player of the year awards. I thought it would be fun to make picks at the start of the season, middle of the season, and then of course again at the end of the season. Let's jump in!

Offensive rookie of the year: Amari Cooper. Sorry, I'm not convinced that it's going to be Jameis or Mariota...I'm just not sold on either one (at least not yet). Amari Cooper, however? I believe he boosts the Raiders from winning 2/3 games a season, to winning 6/7 games a season. No, he doesn't make the Raiders a Super Bowl or even playoff team, but he will definitely give opposing secondaries a hard time. 

Defensive rookie of the year: Randy Gregory. I'm not even kidding, I used refer to Randy Gregory as "the gem that fell to the second round." With good reason, though, as he did get into some trouble earlier this year. Still, all of that aside, Randy Gregory will fill the hole in the Cowboys' pass rush while Greg Hardy serves his much too short, 4 game suspension. If you need further convincing as to why Gregory is already a frontrunner for DROTY, just check out some of his game film from his time at Nebraska...so good it's almost scary. 

Offensive player of the year: Antonio Brown or Andrew Luck. I honestly cannot narrow it down to just 1. Antonio Brown will again, dominate the WR position this season; but Andrew Luck just seems to get better and better every season. And look at that receiving corp he's surrounded by...it's almost childish how talented it is. I could make a case for either Luck or Brown to win OPOTY...but right now, it's just too close to tell. 

Defensive player of the year: JJ Watt. Come on, you had to see it coming. There is just not a better defensive player in the NFL right now, than JJ Watt. Enough said. 

Comeback player of the year: Eric Berry. An all-time favorite of mine. It was hard not to love the guy before, but now that he's overcome and returning from a hard-fought battle with cancer, it's almost impossible to not want to see Berry dominate the league at his position again, and also win every award/honor possible. 

Breakout player: Blake Bortles or Jordan Matthews. No, the Jags will not be going to the playoffs this year...they probably won't even win more than 7 games. But you can bet that Blake Bortles will make a huge leap at the quarterback position. You can expect a few more touchdowns, one or two fewer interceptions, and a couple comeback, game-winning drives from Bortles. I think this season we really get a glimpse at how good Blake Bortles can and will be in the NFL. Jordan Matthews has big shoes to fill. Considering one of Philly's finest, Jeremy Maclin, is now in Kansas City, someone has to take over and pick up that slack. Matthews is that guy. 

Coach of the year: Mike Zimmer. Love what Zimmer is doing in Minnesota, and I cannot wait to see what this season brings for the Vikings. I love the direction they are headed and I think Mike Zimmer was the perfect fit for head coach. Just what the Vikings needed. 

Surprise teams that will miss the playoffs this year: 49ers (not a surprise, I know), Panthers (just don't see them making a postseason run, this year), Broncos (sorry, a Gary Kubiak-led team without one of their best offensive players, Julius Thomas, just doesn't scream 'playoffs' to me). 

That is all for now. 

As always, Go Patriots! 

Inside a Patriots fan's head: week 1

With only 1 day left until NFL football officially returns, and the Patriots kick off their 2015 season...as the reigning champs, I must add...I'm all sorts of mixed emotions. Excited is the biggest one, of course! But also...just like every season...I'm anxious, nervous, jittery, slightly confused (but i stay confused. hahaha), but mostly, I'm freaking excited. And ready to watch Brady and my Patriots destroy every team we play this season. 

With all of that being said, I thought I would take it upon myself to give everyone a little inside look into the minds of *diehard* Patriots fans across the world, as our season opener is quickly approaching. 

Ehem, I now present: thoughts running through every Pats fans mind - week 1 edition:

• "I basically spend my entire life wondering what exactly Belichick is doing. But hey, in Bill I trust." --- this especially ran through my mind when I saw that we cut Jonas Gray, yesterday. I was literally scratching my head, but then I decided that if Coach says we don't need him, we don't need him.
• "Let's make bets on what the first offensive play-call of the season is going to be...think like McDaniel's everyone! Run on 1st & 10, run on 2nd & 9, and deep pass on 3rd & 2...sounds about right." --- very McDaniels - like .
• "Please don't let Gronk get hurt this season, please don't let Gronk get hurt this season, please don't let Gronk get hurt this season." --- I mean does this one even need an explanation? Let's bubble wrap him before every game this season.
• "All I want for Christmas is a Patriots Super Bowl win. And 53 jerseys, one for every player on the roster." --- this is literally me, and surely I'm not alone. 
• "I'm finally able to go a couple days without crying because Wilfork isn't a Patriots anymore...it's tough, though. *wipes a tear*" --- gonna miss the big man in New England but I know he will absolutely tear it up in Houston. 
• "Ughhh, we still have Josh McDaniels?" --- don't even try to lie and say that you don't want Bill O'Brien back as offensive coordinator. But hey, let's cut McDaniel's some slack...I mean we did just win the Super Bowl. 
• "I wonder who Brady is gonna throw his first pass of the season, to...Gronk, Gronk, orrr maybe Gronk?" --- ya know, because everyone says Brady always forces it to Gronk? Hahaha
• "I can't wait to them raise that Championship banner. The Lombardi is finally back where it belongs." --- plus, it's probably the only time we see Belichick smile this whole season. Enjoy it while we can, PatsNation. 

As always, go Patriots! 

I'm baaaack...and so is football, baby!

After a ridiculously long break...hiatus? offseason? whatever you wanna call it...I'm back! 
And in perfect time, too. I mean have you seen the cuts and roster moves being made around the NFL?! Making my head spin, you guys.

Now, for me to sit here and talk about every single cut and/or trade that surprised me, we would be here for like 3 days...because do you know how much I can talk about football?

Anyway, to kick things off again, let's start with the 4 cuts that surprised me the most, and left me scratching my head:

1. Tim Tebow, released by the Eagles. Now, to say that I honestly did not see this one coming would be a lie. I do not agree with this move at all, though, because hello, did anyone see the preseason performances he had?? He looked absolutely brilliant in Chip Kelly's offense...ya know the offensive scheme where he's trying to turn the NFL Philadelphia Eagles into the NCAA Oregon Ducks? But anyway, that's another post for another day. And hey, whatever works, ya know. But...Tim Tebow deserved a spot on that 53 man roster and trust me, I firmly believe that in about 4 - 5 weeks, if not sooner, the Eagles organization will regret cutting Tebow and keeping Sanchez. Tim Tebow not only fit into Kelly's offense incredibly well, he also brought a different vibe to the team, creating a different attitude and atmosphere...one that only boosted the Eagles, and during the preseason, made them look like legit contenders for a deep postseason run. I won't say that Tebow made the Eagles Super Bowl contenders...not this season, anyway...but over the next couple seasons? Absolutely. Look at how well he did in the preseason. A year or two of experience with that receiving corp and offensive line, to mesh and create chemistry? You can't tell me that wouldn't have been scary...unfortunately the good guys always get the short end of the stick. In Tebow's case, it almost feels like no matter what he does or where he goes, he will never be given the chance to make a final 53 man roster as a quarterback. No, he does not want to be used only for special plays and wildcat formations...he wants to be able to do what he did in Florida, and what he did in Denver...and do it even better. And believe me, he could and would. Best of luck to Tebow. Hopefully some team gives him the chance he honestly deserves and he absolutely exceeds all expectations. Good luck, man. 
2. Jonas Gray, cut by my Pats. So when I got the notification about this cut, my reaction was kind of like: "um, excuse me what?" in a typical, dumb blonde, valley girl voice. So let's get this straight; no LeGarrette Blount for our regular season opener vs Pittsburgh...no Stevan Ridley because he's a Jet now (gross), annnd not even Shane Vereen to fall back on, because he's now a Giant (seriously, did anyone else just get sick, too?). I guess we can survive one week with James White, but when he wasn't in Belichick's doghouse, Jonas Gray was running all over opposing teams. I mean he was literally abusing defenses around the league. So this cut came as a surprise to me to say the least. I can't say I like it, or even agree with it, but obviously the Pats have a plan. Let's goooo.
3. Devon Still, released by the Bengals. This one broke my heart, on more than just simply a football level. By now, everyone is aware of Devon's daughter, Leah's, battle with cancer. Over the past two seasons, Leah and Devon have captured the hearts of millions of football fans across the world. Leah's unfortunate disease keeps her in and out of doctor's offices and hospital rooms. Still is a good football player and can tear up the defensive tackle position, perfect fit for a team lacking aggression and needing that spark on defense. 
4. Redskins' decision to keep RGIII. This was a highly questionable decision to me. We know for a fact that Kirk Cousins is starting in Washington this season, not RGIII; and it's pretty obvious Jay Gruden wants to move on from RGIII, who is injury prone, and in my opinion, doesn't fit in Washington's scheme anymore. Sure, he looked good and led the Redskins to the playoffs in his rookie season...but what has he done since then? Defenses picked up on his playing style, and injuries have plagued RGIII all throughout his NFL career...personally, I think it's in Washington's best interest to part ways with RGII, whether it's via trade or just flat out cutting him. Does this mean RGII can't and won't be successful playing with another team in the NFL? Not at all. In fact, maybe he goes to a different team, wins the starting role, and absolutely dominates. I just don't see that happening in Washington. (seriously, how was Tebow cut and RGII not? Man the NFL gives me headaches.)

Basically, absolutely nothing should come as a surprise in the NFL anymore. Every season around this time, gives us further proof that literally anything is possible. But at the end of the day, every day,  football still has my heart...and my undivided attention...and a lot of my money...annnd yeah. Basically, football is my life and it's been that way for the past 10 years and that will probably never change. 

So glad to be back writing and I cannot wait to get back to posting more often. BUT...most importantly...I cannot wait to watch Tom Brady and Co. tear it up this season. 

As always, GO PATS. (man did i miss that.)

Bold Predictions: 2015 NFL Season

My bold predictions for the upcoming NFL season. Part 2 coming later!

1. The Jaguars win at least 5 games. Even though Jacksonville has a reasonably tough schedule this season, Blake Bortles will be entering his second season in the NFL and his chemistry with the young receivers will be much improved. Though the Jaguars defense is nothing to get overly excited about, they can get the job done. I have Jacksonville going 6-10. 
2. Jay Cutler is in potential MVP talks. I'm the furthest thing from a Jay Cutler apologist, but now that Marc Trestman is gone, and they've brought in a new offensive coordinator, Jay Cutler could honestly lead the Bears to the playoffs. Sure his outrageous number of interceptions needs to decrease, and his whiny attitude needs to improve...but with the talent around him on offense, minus Brandon Marshall now, there's no reason Jay can't be a good quarterback. And if I'm being honest, I think the key to his success lies in his attitude. 
3. The Seahawks lose 3 home games. Seattle's schedule is pretty tough. Nothing they can't handle, but challenging nonetheless. They're set to face some tough opponents at Century Link Field this season. I could easily see Seattle losing to Carolina, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. 
4. Antonio Brown records his third-straight 100-catch season. He's a baller. What else can you say. He's just that good. 
5. The Patriots will once again represent the AFC in the Super Bowl...and Brady will become the first and only quarterback to win five Super Bowls. #OneForTheThumb

As always, go Patriots. 

4 Teams That Are on the Verge of Being Super Bowl Contenders

Within the next 3 seasons, the NFL will be a totally different league. The powerhouse teams we've come to expect to see on top season after season will slowly start to decline, and those we've gotten so used to making fun of Sunday after Sunday will be climbing the rankings. I'm not saying all of these team emerge as sure-bet playoff contenders and make deep post-season runs this season, but it's coming. 

On the Rise:

Arizona Cardinals - with Bruce Arians quickly emerging as a legitimate head coach in the NFL, who's proven to be capable of winning...even when the odds are against him, I mean come on, they went through how many quarterback injuries last season?.. Arizona is a good quarterback away from making serious noise in the NFC and being a legitimate threat to their division rivals, the Seahawks.

St. Louis Rams - umm, hello defense. Get them a decent quarterback and a good versatile receiver and the NFC West will be even more competitive.

Buffalo Bills - it kills me to admit this because, well, the Bills are very much a threat to my Patriots this upcoming season. With Rex Ryan stepping in as head coach, giving him an already good defense, trading for Shady McCoy...what an off season. Again, with a good quarterback, this team will make tons of noise in the AFC East. Personally, I think you take your chances with EJ Manuel and see what happens. He has the potential to be a decent (not great, but decent) quarterback in the NFL.

Minnesota Vikings - Mike Zimmer was able to pretty impressive things with the Vikings this past season. Despite losing Adrian Peterson for the season, and all of the controversy surrounding that, Mike Zimmer was able to take Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings offense to new levels. Assuming Adrian Peterson returns to Minnesota and Teddy Bridgwater continues to improve, the NFC North should keep an eye on the Vikings. With an already good defense that should get even better and one of the best running games in the league...the Vikings aren't too far from being able to keep up with Green Bay. 


As always, go Pats!

Pats Picks: The 2015 NFL Draft

Next to the combine and the Super Bowl, the NFL draft is my favorite thing ever. I guess you could kind of link the combine and draft as one, but still. As Patriots fans, we've kind of gotten used to how Bill Belichick does the draft. Trade out of the first round, draft at least 3 Rutgers players, draft at least 1 dud, annnd avoid drafting the most blatant need for the upcoming season. That was a little harsh but it was pretty funny...plus you have to admit it's kind of true. But I love Coach Belichick and since he's pretty darn good at what he does, and considering he's brought us 14 consecutive winning seasons, 4 Super Bowls, and 12 division titles, I will not complain. Belichick is a genius on so many levels.

Who do I want to see the Patriots take a chance on in this years draft?

• Eddie Goldman. Defensive Tackle. Florida State. With Wilfork gone taking his talents to Houston, New England's defensive line is going to need some help. Goldman is a good, younger replacement who will likely bring the same level of production, for much cheaper. 
• Byron Jones. Cornerback. UConn. Really hoping for this one. Byron Jones is a skilled, versatile, athletic freak. Reminds me a lot of Patrick Peterson. By no means will he be a Revis or a Peterson or even a Joe Haden in his rookie season. But watching his game film...you have to believe he'll improve a much depleted Patriots' secondary. 
• Laken Tomlinson. Offensive Guard. Duke. Watch his game film and highlights...tell me he doesn't look like a Patriot-type player...he's good. While some rookies take a season to adjust to the NFL, Laken Tomlinson to me looks like he would be good and ready to tackle whatever the Patriots ask of him in his rookie season. 
• Devin Funchess. Wide Receiver. Michigan. Kind of dreaming with a broken heart on this one (cue John Mayer), but Devin Funchess has been a great addition to Michigan's offense over the past couple seasons, and he's been a thrill to watch. While not perfect or even the best WR in this draft, he's skilled and could potentially play tight end (full time) in the NFL. Imagine Funchess lining up opposite Gronk. Scarrrry duo, man. 
• Maxx Williams. Tight End. Minnesota. If we don't get Funchess, we better get Maxx Williams; if we don't get Williams, we better get Funchess. Basically what I'm saying is, I will be very disappointed if we pass on both tight ends. With similar skill sets and size, either Funchess or Williams would be a great fit into the Tom Brady-led-offense and might just be the piece we've been missing since Hernandez was cut. 

While I would love to get all 5 of these players, that's highly unlikely. And by highly unlikely I mean, we maybe get one of these; just one of my favorites in this years draft class. But all is good because I'm convinced that no matter who we do or do not get, the Patriots will be back in the playoffs again this season.

As always, go Patriots. 

Better off with or without?

The Patriots and the Broncos rivalry has heated up over the past few seasons. First Manning went from a Colt to a Bronco, then Wes Welker left New England to play with Manning, then Talib followed and we thought we had lost all hope for a successful secondary...little did we know that life would actually get better once Welker and Talib dropped off our roster.
Still, it was hard to see them go, especially Welker. But this raises the question..are the Patriots better with or without the traitors/current-Broncos?

Welks
Just three seasons ago if you had asked me to picture a Tom Brady-led Patriots offense without Wes Welker, I probably would have laughed in your face. Why? Two reasons. 1) Welker used to be my favorite player in the NFL. He's the reason I got so into football when I was just 10 years old. 2) It's no secret that Brady and Welker were best friends on and off the field. There was just no way I could picture a Welker-less Patriots' offense any time soon. Fast forward to March 2013 and my worst "fear" had come true. My favorite player and Brady's security blanket was no longer a Patriot. And to make it worse, he was now going to be playing for Peyton Manning (not to mention wearing that horrible, gaudy orange color). Obviously, everyone saw the Patriots' struggles last season, especially early in the season, and many people started to wonder if Belichick the GM had screwed up, yet again. Brady and co managed to get on the same page and find success, making it back to the AFCCG despite losing two of Brady's favorite targets (Welker and Hernandez), and what seemed like half of the roster on injured reserve. 
Ask any Patriots fan about Welker (who used to be a fan favorite in PatsNation), and they will most likely be bring up his "butterfingers" and key drops. Most notably the infamous drop that would've essentially sealed the deal on Super Bowl 46, and his failure to catch and hold onto key passes in the AFCCG during his last season as a Patriot. 
Sure, it's okay to hold that against him. In fact, I completely understand. But it's also important to remember all the good things he did for us, too. Without Welker, who knows if the Patriots would've made it to the Super Bowl in 2012 and the AFCCG in 2013. 
Better off without him? Umm, this is hard to say considering I still love Welks despite him being a traitor and his most recent issues, being suspended for violating the league's substance policy. But, I'm gonna have to say that the Patriots are better without him. Why? Over the past 2 seasons, Brady has been forced to throw to other receivers more often. I think that in a way, Welker's time in New England really had just run out. Even if he had stayed in NE, I'm not convinced that he would've continued to be as productive as we were used to. It is hard to say, though. 

Talib
After acquiring Talib from Tampa Bay in the middle of the 2012-2013 season, he had a breakout game against the Colts and Pats fans immediately started declaring that Talib was comparable to (some even said better than) Revis. We started seeing "#TalibIsland" every game day. Talib was a nice boost to our secondary and really overall defense, but his health issues were always a concern. He always seemed to be hurt on the biggest stages. He was injured in back to back AFC Championship Games. He wasn't necesarilly the shutdown corner I thought he was going to be in his 2nd and final season as a Patriot. He couldn't shut down AJ Green like Revis did for us this past season. 
Better off without him? Yup. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't freak out and have a slight mental breakdown when I first saw Schefter's tweet late Monday night announcing that Talib had agreed to terms with the Broncos. Because let's face it: The Patriots defense with Talib wasn't awesome, so I definitely didn't want to go back to a Patriots defense without Talib. And then, the Patriots went out and got Revis and I was all good again. Due to his injuries, and his nagging hip issue, I think that the Broncos overpaid Talib. And if that's the money he was after, then I'm definitely just as glad the Patriots didn't go all out to sign him back. 

What Made Me Become a Patriots Fan?

Arguably one of my most asked questions for the past like, 5 years, is "why the Patriots?" "What made you become a Patriots fan?" There's always a series of questions and guesses that people go through before they let me answer: are you from Boston, is your whole family Patriots fans and you were "born into it", etc. And of course, everyone usually thinks it at least has something to do with Tom Brady's looks. When I became a Patriots fan and really started following the NFL, I was 10. At that point, I didn't know much about football, and still to this day I cannot tell you what exactly made me like the Patriots so much that it became this full-blown obsession (in the best possible way). 

While many people think that every female Patriots fan is a 'fan' simply because of Brady's looks, that's not always true. And it's definitely not the case here. For me, it all began with a little short guy by the name of Wes Welker. I watched his last game as a Dolphin with Gramps and knew I was watching something (or someone, rather) special, I just didn't know what exactly. Fast forward to the next Sunday, and boom, there he was in Patriots uniform. Something about him just inspired me. Always did, always will. He was "too short", so he went undrafted out of Texas Tech. He was cut by San Diego, picked up by the Dolphins, where he was just okay. Belichick obviously saw something that no one else did. After joining the Patriots, he quickly emerged as one of the best receivers in the game. Welker soon became a vital piece to the Patriots offense, and one of Brady's best friends on and off the field. 

One of the most inspiring things about Welker to me, was his rehab, recovery, and determination after tearing his ACL. I know that these knee injuries are unfortunately common in the NFL, and most of the time players are able to come back from them. It's pretty normal. But Welker's situation was a little different. 
January 2010: Pats regular season finale vs the Texans. I remember watching him go down on the field like it was last week. I've seen many ACL injuries over the years while watching games, but this one was brutal. They say it usually takes around a year to fully recover from an ACL injury. I think most people were pretty shocked to see him cutting and juking and running routes at minicamp in June, just four months after surgery. Fast forward to the regular season, where he played in 15 of 16 games, and caught 86 passes. Not bad for someone returning from such a nasty injury. But it was really his second season back that he exploded and surged to a different level. That year, he led the league with 122 catches and over 1,000 yards receiving. Everyone said he wouldn't come back the same player. They were right. He came back even better. 

So to answer the question, what made me become a Patriots fan: I give most credit to Welker. Bruschi also has a lot to do with it. Still my favorite #54 ever. In any sport. 

As always, 
Go Patriots. 

Quick Thoughts: Patriots Free Agency Noise

Since the beginning of free agency last Tuesday at 4pm, many teams have made some good moves, and hammered out some great (borderline crazy) deals. The Patriots however, are not one of those teams. After losing Darrelle Revis to the Jets, in a crazy biding war...that wasn't even a war at all because New England was out of it Monday afternoon...many people seemingly gave up on New England's season right then and there. To top it off, we also lost Browner, Vereen, Casillas, and possibly Wilfork. More thoughts on that later. While the Patriots haven't made any big splashes or national-headline-acquisitions, all hope is not lost. Why? Because we still have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and because we are the New England Patriots. We make studs out of no-name guys all the time. More accurately, we don't take losing well. Hence why the Patriots have been a-okay the past 15 seasons, and will continue to dominate the league, this season. Feel a little better, now?

Things to ponder:

• It's typical for New England to stay quiet during free agency. Very rarely do we hear about the Patriots giving guys max deals, with a ridiculous amount of guaranteed money. I should also point out that we don't usually go after big-name players. One of the things that makes this organization so consistently good. 
• Just because we have no secondary right now, does not mean that we are doomed for the 2014-2015 season. Belichick has 5 months to figure this out. Does a secondary made up of Arrington and Chung excite me? Not necessarily. In fact, it actually frightens me. But hey, in Bill we trust, here in New England. 
• "Oh no! This means were back to playing nothing but zone?! How will we ever win another game?!" First, we've won playing predominately zone coverage before. That's really all we played before we signed Talib, a couple seasons ago. So everyone should chill. Second, just because we lost Revis doesn't necessarily mean we're back to zone. Bill has 4 months minimum to figure this out. Will he have to essentially reinvent the Patriots defense and defensive schemes? Yes. But he's the man for the job. It's only the middle of March. I'm not even thinking about being worried, yet. 
• "Since we didn't sign Revis there's no reason we didn't bring Browner back. We could've at least had a half-way decent secondary." Browner wouldn't have been anywhere near as good without Revis starting opposite him. A lot of what made Browner so good was Revis. Browner in my opinion, was decent, definitely the physical presence we had been missing, but he really just reaped the benefits of what Revis did. Plus the outrageous amount of penalties he drew alone, is a good enough reason to double-think resigning him. I mean, I appreciate all he did during his time in New England, but I wasn't devastated to let him walk. Adios!
• Since we didn't bring in Andre Johnson *sigh* (which after seeing his deal with the Colts, Im just as glad we didn't), I would love to see the Patriots make a run at Stevie Johnson. He's visiting New England on Monday...the best part about it? He's the only receiver in the league who is consistently successful against Revis. I would love to see Brady to Stevie Johnson every Sunday. And I would love for Johnson to embarrass Revis while in a Patriots uniform. Seriously, that's gotta be every Patriots' fans dream. 
• The Patriots' front 7 is getting a tremendous boost. Defensively, I think our main concern is our back 4. But I still wouldn't hit the panic button just yet. With a great front 7, and I think New England could potentially have a top five front, there's (a little) less pressure on the secondary. Kill plays before they make it into the secondary, and you're in business. Ps. pleaseeee bring in Evan Mathis. This has been a rumor for the past week and it really needs to become a reality.
• What we don't tackle during free agency, we will get to in the draft. OLine is definitely still a concern, and now obviously our secondary is something we have to address. 

That's all for now. 

As always, go Pats. 

So long, thanks for the...shutouts, lockdowns, & top-corner plays.

So Revis pulled a Deion...essentially rented himself to a contending team, won the Super Bowl, then chased the money, and left. One-year-rental-Revis. Only difference? Revis *probably* won't be getting ring #2. 

Now, I understand that the NFL is a business. And what NFL player isn't about the money? I got that. It's not about the love of the game anymore, but merely about the love of the almighty dollar. Greed, if you will. Revis is one of the best to ever do it, and arguably the best corner in the league right now. So did he deserve to get paid? Yes, of course! Did the Jets (over)spend a ridiculous amount of money on #24? Yes. Do I blame the Patriots for not matching their offer? Nope. In my opinion, though Revis is in his prime and balling, a 5 year deal THAT big is too much for a 30 year old who's blown his knee out before. Since "Revis Island" is officially back, and he finally won a championship, there was no doubt in my mind that he would be going after the money. I can't even say I blame him for that. No one works the system better than Revis. 

I'm not mad or upset at New England for letting Revis walk. If it really was between the Jets and the Patriots, and it was coming down to the money, we all knew New York would outbid us. The Jets tend to overpay, and be okay with it, and still find themselves on the couch come January. But hey, to each their own. I am however disappointed that we couldn't work out a deal with Revis before he had the chance to hit the open market. I still like Revis, think he's a great player, and wish him all the best...just not when the Pats play the Jets. I'm grateful for what he did during his time in New England. He helped us bring the Lombardi back to Foxboro. The 2014 Patriots' secondary is one we'll remember for ages. 

This does leave a lot of question marks for the Patriots, though. I have no doubt that Belichick already had something up his sleeve. What or who that is exactly? I do not know. Maybe PrimeTime is making an unexpected return to the NFL. Maybe Bill's got a trade for Joe Haden or Patrick Peterson in the works. Maybe we bring back Browner and sign Cromartie. Or maybe, PatsNation should have a little faith and trust Belichick & Co. He always has a backup plan. Ehem, look at last March...we lost Talib, Pats fans freaked, hours later, boom, we got Revis. 

This was a hard one to swallow, for sure, but it all works out for the best in the long run. If we had decided to meet the Jets' offer, we would be tight in cap space, and left with little to no money to improve the rest of our team. Luckily, we have genius head coach who is known for making studs out of the least expected players. I'm not writing us off for this year. I still like our chances to repeat. We need a ring for the thumb. Besides, it's only day 1 of free agency. We have no idea what Belichick is working on right now. I just know that we'll probably like it. 

As always, go Patriots. 

Why I want Andre Johnson In a Pats Uniform

Andre Johnson's name has come up in multiple conversations and has been linked to the Patriots for years now. In my opinion, he's one of, if not THE most underrated receivers in the game. His entire career as a Texan, has been spent with mediocre quarterbacks, at best, and little to no help from other receivers on the roster. That is unfortunate for a guy like Andre Johnson. Even though he was catching passes from less-than-average quarterbacks and basically doing it all himself, he's remained virtually uncover-able. I don't use the word "beast" much, but Andre Johnson is just that. At 33 years old, some might hesitate to sign him. If it's up to me though (which unfortunately it isn't), I look at Johnson as a standout, veteran receiver with a ton of experience, and someone who wants to win. Give Brady a threat like Andre Johnson, and watch the magic unfold.

He's made it pretty clear that he no longer wants to be in Houston. As the best receiver in Texans' history, he deserved to be able to either seek a trade or to be let go so he is free to sign with a contending team. Since Johnson was released earlier today and will hit the open market tomorrow, I expect him to get a lot of calls. I just hope the Patriots are one of those calls and leave a convincing offer on the table. 

For this 'dream' to become a reality, it's inevitable that the Patriots will have to make some roster moves. Unfortunately, if Johnson becomes available and garners some interest from New England, I don't see Amendola lasting too much longer in Foxboro. Which would be the better option? Long term? Amendola, for sure. Short term, as in next couple seasons, Super Bowl or bust? Andre Johnson.
Do we absolutely need Johnson? Not really. In fact, if it comes down to either being able to resign Shane Vereen or sign Andre Johnson, it's a no brainer to me....bring back Vereen and tell Andre we wish him all the best.

Tomorrow should make for a very busy and interesting day around the NFL. I can't wait to see what New England does. Because knowing Bill, he's got a few things up his sleeve.

As always, go Patriots.

The Calm Before the Storm..?

The start of the legal tampering period is always an eventful weekend. 

There was quite a bit of noise in the AFC East over the past few days. The Bills acquiring Shady, one of my favorite players; the Dolphins overpaying Suh, I mean the Dolphins getting a deal done with Suh; the Jets trading for Brandon Marshall, which, I love B. Marshall but I absolutely cannot support him when he's wearing that Jets uniform, nope; and of course, my personal favorite, D-Mac returning to Foxboro. 

The Eagles were the team that had the most interesting weekend, though. First, let's just take a minute to remember that they cut DeSean Jackson last offseason (big mistake), their quarterbacks are Mark Sanchez (who is returning this season) and Nick Foles, and Chip Kelly is trying to turn the Philadelphia Eagles into the Oregon Eagles (or the Philadelphia Ducks?). I wasn't sure how I felt about Chip Kelly coming into the NFL...and after two 10-6 seasons, I'm even more unsure now. 

I mean...

• What does it say about a team/coach when your best pass catcher, Jeremy Maclin, decides to reunite with his former head coach (Andy Reid in KC) instead of return to his current team, when offered the same amount of money..? To me, it means 1) the Eagles didn't make a strong enough push to bring him back, for whatever reasons and 2) maybe Chip Kelly isn't quite the NFL caliber coach many thought he was. 
• So you were given one of the most talented offenses in the league, with an incredible amount of potential...ya let DeSean Jackson go...okay, that can be forgiven and overcome...then, you trade Shady, one of the best RBs in the league...for a linebacker...and to top it off, you just lost your best receiver...I'm sorry, but nothing the Eagles have done so far has made any sense. Basically they're going to have Darren Sproles, maybe Frank Gore, Brent Celek (one of my favorites), and Mark Sanchez...but hey, Chip Kelly is an offensive genius. 
• Even if the Eagles do trade up in the draft and manage to get Mariota, which is what Chip Kelly wants, he will not be the answer to Philly's now seemingly lackluster offense. I'm not sold on Mariota as an NFL starting quarterback, anyway. 

Tomorrow is the start of free agency and I could not be more excited. First and foremost, I hope we bring Revis and Vereen back. Then, address the offensive line and defensive line needs, whether it's via free agency or the draft.  Whatever happens, I just hope Belichick & co. do their jobs. Which they normally do! 

Will update tomorrow, as more moves are made!

As always, go Pats! 

March: Franchise tags and releases and deals, oh my!

I honestly have a love/hate relationship with free agency. I love it because you have to admit, it's exciting. All the last minute deals and no-deals that shock us all, the thrill you get when your team signs a top FA...it's all great. I hate free agency, though, because obviously, teams can't keep every player each season. What I've kind of gotten accustomed to over the years of being a Patriots fan, is the heartbreak of losing my favorite player. Most of the time to free agency; Welker, Woodhead, Vinatieri, Milloy...just to name a few. Considering the Patriots aren't usually very big spenders, and that Bill Belichick has a ridiculously good knack for knowing when a player is a just season or two away from being out of his prime, New England is usually right about the decisions they make when it comes to free agency. No matter how hard it is to accept.

With the start of free agency quickly approaching, many people are no longer confident that the Patriots work out a long term deal with McCourty and/or Revis. Many fans were stunned after the Patriots placed the franchise tag on Gostowski. To me, it makes sense; we didn't need a 'Vinatieri 2.0' situation. The cap hit for this season would've been a bit too high for the Patriots to tag DMac, and obviously, when it comes to Revis, the situation is either: pick up his 2nd year option, work out a long term deal, or allow him to test the market; tagging was never an option.

As of now, the Patriots are over the cap space. They have until next Monday to change that. There are several things New England can do to place themselves significantly under the cap. Restructuring deals with guys like Browner, Amendola, Mayo, and Wilfork would be the place to start.

This season, Revis and McCourty were the heart and soul of our secondary. It's scary enough to think about losing one of them, but it's even worse when you think that there's a (good) chance we don't have DMac and Revis back next season. The Patriots are obviously not big spenders, and both Revis and McCourty deserve to get paid. I get that. I believe the Patriots' offer for McCourty will be somewhere around $8-9 million per season. Which is kind of low for a safety, considering he's a highly targeted free agent, and this years draft class is lacking at the safety position. With the new cash "handout" requirements, though, the Patriots could essentially give McCourty closer to what he's looking for. Revis is looking at probably his last "big deal". He'll be 30 this year, and entering the most critical years of his prime. I know he wouldn't mind going back to New York and finishing his career there. In my heart, though, I think Revis was looking for a "home" and a place to win. Doesn't that sound like New England? Now that he's gotten a taste of a Championship and consistently winning, why go somewhere else? I think he takes a bit of a discount and stays in Foxboro.
Honestly, it all comes down to whether or not #24 and #32 want to win, or just get money. New England has a good chance to win it all again next year, so if I'm them, I take wins now, money later.

What I will say: after yesterday, Devin McCourty isn't too optimistic about returning to the Patriots. Given the Patriots' history when it comes to safeties, I'm not too confident either. In my opinion, safety just a position that Belichick puts a lot of value in. I mean, c'mon, we're talking about the guy who decided to cut Lawyer Milloy and basically stunned the entire football world. I love DMac; I think he's a great guy on and off the field. So I'll hate to see him go, but wish him the best wherever he winds up. IF the Patriots don't resign McCourty, however, there's really no excuse for them to not get Revis back on a longterm deal. His presence clearly impacted our defense in ways we hadn't seen in years. It'll be interesting to see how this busy offseason plays out. Let's gooooo.

As always, go Patriots.

2 Years Later: Welker or Amendola?

Just shy of 2 years ago, Wes Welker and the New England Patriots parted ways. Something many Patriots fans, myself included, thought would never happen. Welker, Brady's best friend on and off the field, retiring in another uniform? Not in a million years. But it happened. Several things contributed to "the separation." Welker and Belichick didn't always see eye-to-eye; Wes had been under a lot of scrutiny after having a couple big drops in the postseason; and of course, he was 31 then, and wanted more money than the Patriots were willing to spend. At the time, I was flat out pissed at the Patriots for not making more of an effort to keep him around. Welker has just always been my favorite player. Bringing in Amendola to essentially replace Wes just didn't sit well with me. Because in my mind, no one was going to replace Welker. The chemistry he and Brady had was out of this world. His productivity was insane, hard to beat. But we've found someone who fills the role pretty well. Edelman has essentially emerged as Wes Welker 2.0. Maybe even better. 

The scenarios:
As free agency approaches, many people are wondering what happens with Danny Amendola. As the guy who was brought in to be Welker's replacement, he hasn't quite lived up that over the past 2 seasons. Partly due to injuries he's had to battle, and partly due to the fact that he doesn't get used as often and as much as Welker did. Why? Because up until recently, he hadn't earned Brady's complete trust on the field. And when you have Gronk and Edelman, Brady's security blankets, why risk it with the new guy? Amendola did prove his worth during the postseason stretch, though. He might actually get my vote for postseason MVP. 
Wes Welker denied reports that he was mulling retirement, earlier this week. In my opinion, as a huge #83 fan, retiring would be in his best interest. Too many head injuries, too close together for me to be comfortable with. His contract is up in Denver and I don't think they're planning on bringing him back. He's had a great career and put up some crazy good numbers. One of the be2st slot receivers of this decade. The one thing he's missing, the one thing that's keeping him from being a sure-thing HOFer? A Super Bowl Championship. In his career, Welker has played in 3 Super Bowls, and lost each one. You know he still feels like he has something to prove...

The questions:

• If the Patriots and Amendola part ways for whatever reason, and Welker hits the market (which is likely), is there any chance of a Welker/Pats reunion?                                       I've heard a bunch of speculation about this, and as good as it may sound, I really don't see it happening. We don't really need Welker, and I don't really see him and Belichick becoming best friends over the next month. Belichick isn't going to apologize to Welker (whether you think he should or not is your opinion) and Wes is probably still looking for an apology...So in my opinion, there's no way Welker is ever suiting up for the Pats, again. 
• If Amendola doesn't take a pay cut, and decides to move on, who do the Pats sign to replace him? If Amendola and the Patriots can't restructure his contract to a team friendly deal, let him go. While he came up big in the postseason, that's really all he's done in his two years here. If there is one person I'd like to see the Patriots sign as another "Welker replacement", it would be Devon Wylie. Very similar mindset, skills, and body type. 
• Okay, so say Brady really wants Wes back and begs Robert Kraft and Belichick to bring him back...then does it happen? To be honest, Wes still isn't Bill's biggest fan, and while Belichick doesn't exactly like anyone, he really doesn't like Welker. There is no way in the world that Belichick apologizes to Welker, gives him the kind of money he probably wants, annnd fakes a smile and BS's it when asked how happy he is to have Wes back...all in the same year? No way. 
• So you're saying the Patriots would be okay without Welker or Amendola?! New England's offense has changed quite a bit over the past couple seasons. Edelman does a fine job filling Welker's old role, and we've added new pieces to give us a more balanced, well-rounded offense. I don't want Amendola to leave, but I think we could survive. He's going to make some team very happy... (but really, Devon Wylie!)

Basically, what I'm saying is that neither Welker nor Amendola is completely vital to this teams success. I like both and think they're great players. Welker's recent head injuries are something to be concerned about, as is Amendola's injury proneness. When healthy, you won't find many other receivers who can do it better. I do believe though, that at 33, Welker is past his prime. He's no longer a number 1, go-to type of a guy. More like a #3, every once in a while, player. 

Looking back on it almost 2 years later, the Patriots made the right choice by not overspending on Welker and signing Amendola. Welker will always have a special place in every Patriots fan's heart, and we will forever be grateful for everything he did for this team. When all is said and done, forcing Brady to be a little uncomfortable and having to adjust to a receiving corp without his security blanket (Welker), did nothing but help both the team and Brady himself, further cementing his place as one of the best to ever do it. Who else could have done what Brady is doing, so consistently, with such an ever-changing supporting cast? The past 2 seasons, the Patriots' receiving corps was 3 rookies, Gronk, who struggled to stay healthy, and Julian Edelman emerging as the #1 go-to-guy...something he was never really supposed to be. To sum it up...the Patriots knew what they were doing. It just wasn't always easy to see it. 

As always, go Patriots.  

How Revis Affects Our Entire Defensive Scheme

It is no secret that the Patriots' secondary was much improved with Darrelle Revis on the team. Nearly every defensive position and unit improved with the addition of Revis. This season, New England finally had a shutdown secondary again, for the first time in years. It was pretty sweet. While Revis was good, not perfect but close, is he worth the $25 million cap hit in 2015? Keeping Revis at that number, under his current contract would be quite the expense, almost surely erasing our chances of keeping other top priority free agents, such as McCourty, Gostowski, and Connolly. Those guys are important. Gostowski's leg is pure money; Connolly is one of the only remaining solid offensive linemen who's been with Brady for years and has earned his trust; McCourty is one of the top safeties in the league, and in my opinion, is often under appreciated in New England. Even when he's not making huge plays or coming up with interceptions, he's (quietly) making some noise and disrupting plays. They're valuable to the Patriots. But that leaves Pats fans with the question: who's more important? Defense wins championships, yes. The Revis-led secondary had a lot to do with the Patriots hoisting the Lombardi again for the first time in over a decade. Sure we hear more about Darrelle Revis and his ability to consistently shut down the best receivers in the game...but without McCourty showing up big at safety, and without Gostowski's near perfection for 3 points every time he's called upon...where does that leave the Patriots?

Simply put, Revis is worth every bit of the $25 million he's due if the Patriots pick up his second year option. But when it comes down to it, I wouldn't want New England to do that. If he wants to win and have another shot at a second Super Bowl Championship, he'll work out a deal that fits both him and the Patriots. If it's all about the money, now, he can walk. I will definitely miss the shutdown man-to-man coverage and stellar schemes if he signs elsewhere. With Browner in our secondary, though, we can keep the torturous press-man schemes. He can compliment nearly any corner that comes to Foxboro.

Hopefully the Patriots are able get some deals done before the start of free agency, which is less than a month away. If McCourty hits the market, he's surely gone. Same goes for Gostowski. If we won't pay them what they want, some team will.

Ready for free agency, the combine, and the draft..annnnnd the 2015 Season kickoff.

As always, go Pats.

GOAT. Montana or Brady?

The Montana/Brady debate has been going on for a decade, and will probably continue for years and years to come. Many people, especially Patriots fans, think that Brady getting ring #4 sealed his spot as the greatest quarterback of all time. I'm not disagreeing with that, but I'm not agreeing either. Anytime you compare two players there's a lot to look at, especially when those players played during different times, in much different leagues. I mean, the NFL today isn't the same now as it was when Joe Montana was tearing it up, shredding defenses Sunday after Sunday. 

• Of course, Montana played in the 80's when the league was much rougher. Brady however, has dominated the NFL during the free agency era, where rosters are constantly changing every off season. Just give Brady someone to throw to, and I'd almost guarantee he gets the job done. In short, Brady has done more with less. 

For most of Brady's career, he's had a bunch of no names to throw to, with the exception of Moss and a few players of recent seasons (Gronk & Welker{but he was a no name until he played with Brady}). Of course, the Patriots have kind of done that to themselves (or to Brady, really). Everyone knows New England doesn't spend big money on many players. And Belichick has a ridiculously good way of knowing when a player is a season or two away from being out of his prime. When he notices, he gets rid of them, or doesn't make much of an effort to keep them. Much like what happened with Welker (of course there was more to that situation). For the most part, Brady has had to do it with nobodies. It's not often that Brady has a star studded supporting cast. 

• Montana had Rice, the greatest receiver to ever play the game. Brady has had no one who compares. Randy Moss is the only one who *might* come close, but Brady never even won a Super Bowl with Moss. He won with guys like Deion Branch, Troy Brown, Jermaine Wiggins...Montana had a better receiving corp and was even surrounded by a better running game. Think Roger Craig. 

Many make the argument that Montana is better simply because he never lost a Super Bowl. He went to four, won all four, and the rest is history. Brady's been to six, won four (tied with the Great #16), and played against top ranked defenses each time. Sure Montana never lost a Super Bowl, but he never even had the chance to win five, let alone six. 

• If we want to go by stats, Brady has the edge. If we want to go by wins alone, Brady has the edge. TB12 has a better win percentage, more wins in both the regular season and postseason, and his touchdown to interception ratio tops Montana. Brady's been to 6 Super Bowls in 14 years; Montana went to 4 Super Bowls in 17 years. In my opinion, this alone speaks volumes. 
• "Brady won because of his defenses." Montana had pretty good defenses, too. 

Right now, it's still too hard for me to say who (I think) is the greatest quarterback of all time, hands down. Brady and Montana are both insane competitors and understood the game better than anyone. If Brady wins one more, which I sincerely hope he does, that ends the debate, in my opinion. Best post season quarterback of all time? Brady, absolutely. Just in general? Still up for debate, but after Brady won his 4th, against a defense that will be talked about for ages, it sure does make his case a little bit stronger. 

As always, go Pats. 

And go Brady. 

Tough Decisions for the Champs

It's completely okay to still be on some sort of high from the Super Bowl win, right? Definitely. I'm actually pretty bummed that we have to wait 7 months for another football game...and preseason just isn't the same. Luckily, we have free agency, the combine, the draft, and training camp to keep us occupied until September. 

When it comes to New England...

What are the Patriots' biggest offseason concerns? 

• Resign Revis for a team-and-Darrelle Revis-friendly deal. He's good, but I wouldn't break the bank for him. Nor do I think the Patriots would do that. Now that he's got a ring, I hope he doesn't decide to chase the money. Stay in New England and take another shot for ring number 2. 
• Resign McCourty. I honestly see the Patriots using the franchise tag on D-Mac. He wants to stay, but he also deserves to get paid. He's earned it. If the Patriots don't use the franchise tag on him, he won't be returning to New England. He'll make big noise in free agency. 
• KEEP VEREEN. I see a lot of people saying that the Patriots should let Vereen walk. In my opinion, he's just as much a priority as McCourty. His versatility and productivity would be hard to replace. Think about how useful he was during the playoffs. I don't love the idea of a Patriots' offense without Vereen. Pay the man.
• Rework Amendola's deal. I don't want to get rid of him, but I think we could rework his contract and get a team-and-Amendola-friendly deal done. 
• Interior offensive line. Do you bring back Dan Connolly, who's 33, or take another risk with the O-Line and bring in someone new, and a few years younger? 
• I think you keep Akeem Ayers, and let Alan Branch go. 
• I'm not sure we need Stevan Ridley. As much as I'd hate to see him go, I like Gray, Blount, and White. IF we want to bring Ridley back, I hope it's a one year, "prove it" deal. 
• Gostowski deserves to be paid...to a certain extent. He is money, that's for sure. But he's also 30 years old, and we can't spend a ridiculously high amount on a kicker. 
• Vince Wilfork - our best defensive lineman. Just how valuable is he? He's due a $4million bonus in March, and his 2015 cap hit is just shy of $9million. That's a lot of money for a 33 year old defensive lineman. Wilfork did have one of the best seasons of his career, while coming back from a gruesome injury. We want him back in New England, and I think he wants to stay. Though it didn't go so well last March, asking Big Vince to restructure his contract might be worth a try. If not, the Patriots have a major role to fill via free agency or the draft. And I don't know that another Big Vince is available right now...
• Restructure Jerod Mayo's deal. With Collins and Hightower coming along SO well, I honestly think that the Patriots would be just fine without Mayo. I hate to say that, because Mayo is one of the best veterans in the league, and his leadership on the sideline is almost irreplaceable. Asking Mayo to rework his contract or take a pay cut is the only way keeping him makes sense.

The Patriots have a lot to address this offseason. Obviously, not everyone is coming back. Picking up Revis' $25 million option would be crazy, and almost un-Patriot like. He's good, but is he that good? Of course if we don't bring him back, who do we bring in? Who fills that top corner position? And if we don't keep Solder, as much as I dislike him, do we trust Cannon and/or Fleming to fill his spot? Lots of big decisions and changes are coming. Unfortunately, we can't keep our championship team together; but with the right moves, we won't miss a beat, and can be favorites to win it all again, next year. 

As always, Go Patriots. 

Then and Now

While there is no replacing these Patriots' greats, I thought I would look at how current Pats compare with a few of my personal favorites, and no doubt, some of the best players to ever grace New England. 

Rodney Harrison                Safety         2 words that come to mind: dominant & aggressive. Probably the best way to describe him. Some would argue that he was a dirty player, but I won’t say that. I will say that I would’ve loved him as a teammate, but hated him as an opponent.	Brandon Browner        Corner This season, I feel like we finally had a physical, torturous presence back in our secondary. Brandon’s still no Rodney Harrison, but I like what he brought to our defense, this season. Some dislike Browner's playing style for various reasons, but I wouldn't say it's dirty. Is he aggressive? Sure. Does he get in opponents faces and talk trash? Of course. What corner doesn’t? My main complaint with Browner is how many penalties he draws. Other than that, I love that New England picked him up. Browner’s nasty, dominant playing style is exactly what the Patriots have been missing   since, well, Rodney Harrison went out in 2008.
Law is one of my all time favorite players. How could anyone not love watching a secondary with Ty Law? Up until recently, you couldn’t convince me that there was any other 24. In fact, it never seemed right to me to see any other Patriot wearing #24…especially Arrington. Law was dominant, effective, and opposing teams loathed throwing in his direction. He could cover receivers better than most anyone back then.	Revis, the new 24, is another key piece that we’ve been missing for quite some time. Yeah, yeah, Talib, I know..But no; not even close. Law and Revis: pretty much used the same way. Usually responsible for covering the #1 receiver, in either man or zone coverage. And in my opinion, they both really shine in man-to-man. It's just something about #24's in New England...
Kevin Faulk Whether he was running up the middle, catching passes out of the backfield, or throwing to Brady, Kevin Faulk did it all. And he was pretty good at it, too. His versatility was arguably his best trait.	Shane Vereen With similar size, speed, and athleticism, Shane kind of does it all, too. Not quite as much…yet, but he offers a similar skillset for the modern-day Brady led offense. He was vital to the Patriots' success throughout the playoffs and contributed greatly to our Super Bowl victory.

You could make a case for Willie McGinest and Jerod Mayo, but given Mayo’s season ending injuries the past 2 seasons, I’ll hold off on that. Both share a ridiculously good ability to read the offense and make critical adjustments, big or small. It’s hard to tell whether their on-field performance or just their presence alone had the bigger impact. 

As you can tell, my love for the Patriots goes much deeper than Jules and Gronk. The early 2000's teams were probably my absolute favorites to watch. I still get chills. 

As always, go Pats. 

Frequently asked questions!

I thought I'd change it up a bit!

Get to know me: frequently asked questions

Most of these came from Twitter, and a couple random ones from strangers I've met in public that I couldn't resist!

1) Why the Patriots? I get this alllll the time. And my response is always the same : "good question." Truth be told, I have no idea. I just know that it all started back in '06 and my obsession has only gotten worse since. My little 10 year old self had never been so bummed in her life when the Pats lost to the Giants the first time after our perfect season. 

2) Do you want to move to Boston just because you like their sports teams? This one made me laugh but I actually get it a lot. No. I've actually had a slight obsession with Boston since the song "Boston" by Augustana came out. Almost 10 years ago. Liking all their professional sports teams definitely helps, but there's just something about that city that I love. I can't really explain it.

3) Most and least favorite sport? I think my most favorite is pretty obvious. Football definitely has my heart, but over the past 4 years or so, I've really grown to love them all. If I absolutely had to answer my "least favorite", I would have to go with hockey, only because I don't know as much about it as I do football, basketball, and baseball. I grew up watching the other 3, but I had to get into hockey by myself. Gramps does a pretty good job covering all the basics with me, though. And about 3 years ago, he told me "if you're going to like hockey, first, you must know who Bobby Orr is, and second, we cheer for fights in the rink." So I think he started me off right. Hahahaha. 

4) How do you know so much about sports? Umm, well sports are my life, so I invest a lot of time in them. I'm constantly reading and researching (my TV stays on ESPN and NFL Network...wake up to Mike and Mike, fall asleep to Total Access). Mainly, I just really love the numbers side of it. I live for stats. 

5) Is your entire family Patriots/Boston fans? Nope. I started it all. My grandpa is now a Pats fan, thanks to me. He tried to brainwash me into becoming a Peyton fan when I was younger. Thankfully I was a smart kid...crisis averted! My mom's a Saints fan, but doesn't mind the Pats; my grandma's a Falcons "fan"(she only admits it when they win); and most of my extended family are Steelers fans. Wow, my family has bad taste.

6) Favorite Celtics player? Past or present? Either way this is wicked hard. I'll narrow it down to my top 5 each. Past: Paul Pierce!, Bird (obviously), KG, Shaq, annnd Bill Russell (again, obviously). Present: Smart, Sully, and Olynyk. Before they got traded earlier this season, Rondo and Jeff Green.  

7) You can draft any current NFL players, create your dream team. Liked this one too much to pass up. But obviously I'm not going to do a whole 53-man roster. Almost, though!

·      QB: I like my qb. But to make it interesting, I'll take Andrew Luck.

·      OL: Give me Dallas' current offensive line.

·      RB: versatility wise, Vereen; solid, all-around back, LeVeon Bell or Denard Robinson

·      WR: This is tough. Gotta go with Megatron and AJ Green. Wait, can Randy Moss still count?!

·      TE: Joseph Fauria and Gronk!

·      K: Gostowski, hands down.

·      P: Ryan Allen is pretty solid.

·      CB: Dream team, right? Revis and Peterson.

·      S: Earl Thomas, Eric Berry. Hard to leave Devin McCourty off.

·      LB: Outside - a healthy Jerod Mayo and Malcom Smith ; Middle - Luke Kuechly

·      Tackles and Ends: T - Wilfork & Kyle Langford ; E - Jared Allen & Robert Quinn. This was the hardest one for me...so much good talent!

8) Second favorite NFL team? None. 

9) How does your family and friends feel about your love/knowledge for sports? Umm I don't really know. But they're pretty supportive! My friends think it's cool. At first I think they were kind of thrown off by it. It took them a while to get used to me having a semi-heated sports debate in the middle of Walmart or Dunkin or wherever. I think they've gotten used to it now, though. 

10) If you could have your own show on ESPN, would you do it? Absolutely! That's a dream of mine! I would also be completely okay with co-hosting a show alongside Skip Bayless. (hint, hint ESPN)

11)  Do you think athletes are overpaid? Yes, but I'm not going to stop watching or supporting them, so I can't say much. Of course someone who gets paid $50 million (and many make even more) to play a game is definitely overpaid. But since I'll still go to games, still buy gear, still buy magazines and papers, still pay the outrageous amount of money for NFL Sunday Ticket...

12) Best up and coming team on the rise right now? Jacksonville. Sounds crazy, but give them a couple seasons. 
13) Predict the NBA Finals. I'm kind of rooting for the Hawks this season since there is no way my Celtics win it all.  I'll go with Hawks vs Mavs. Mavericks winning it all. Dallas' roster is just too loaded not to win it all, in my opinion. 

14) Stadium/Arena in each sport that you want to see a game at? All of them. No, literally. But uh, I'd love to see a Bruins game at TD, a Thunder/Celtics game at Chesapeake Arena, a game at Soldier Field, and a game at Busch Stadium. We'll start with those. 

Those are all the questions for now, as it is 2:30am! 

As always, go Patriots.