It's a holly, jolly Christmas edition of the Audio Blog, featuring Tom Brady talking about leadership and Dan Koppen setting the stakes for Sunday's game at home against Jacksonville.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Weather on their minds.
The wind changed just about everything about that game, including the angle of the goalposts (as seen in the accompanying photo by Keith Nordstrom). So, needless to say, the Patriots are thinking about weather conditions as they prepare for another December game with the Bills in the winter wonderland that is Orchard Park, N.Y. I'll have a story in Friday's Sun Chronicle with comments from Sam Aiken (a Bill for the first five years of his career) and punter Chris Hanson about how Buffalo weather might affect them this sunday.
By the way, according to the Weather Channel, the Patriots and Bills can expect morning clouds followed by afternoon sun, with temperatures in the 20s and a 20 percent chance of precipitation on Sunday, with winds from the north northwest at 8 mph -- almost summer weather for upstate New York.
My bad; I forgot the Thursday game.
You won't find my pick in today's paper for tonight's NFL game between the undefeated Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars because, simply, I forgot all about it.
To be honest, I really despise the regular schedule of Thursday games forced upon the public by the NFL to promote its own cable network. Players and coaches aren't fond of the short week of preparation for these games, either -- especially because, coming as late in the season as they do, many players are banged up and don't get the same healing time that they need after the previous week's game when they're forced to play on Thursday.
Fortunately, the Thursday games don't affect the "Beat Fearless" contest. Still, that's no excuse for me being a bonehead and forgetting to type in the pick (which has to be done at the office because it's specially formatted). So, here it is:
COLTS 24, JAGUARS 21 (at Jacksonville, 8:20 p.m.): The word out of Indianapolis is that the Colts are thinking of resting starters as they've done in the past when they've had the top seed in their back pockets early in December. I wonder if Sheriff Roger Goodell will intervene, citing the sanctity of competition in the quest for an undefeated season, blah blah blah. My thought is that the Colts have come out flat in the playoffs when they've done that before, and given how many close calls they've had lately, one would think they'd want to keep that competitive edge.
Whew. That's more than the two lines I get in those little pick boxes in the print edition.
This week also marks the return of the Saturday games to the schedule, as the league's other undefeated team, the New Orleans Saints, will play host to the Dallas Cowboys (again, on the NFL Network only). I will remember to type in that pick at the office later today.
To be honest, I really despise the regular schedule of Thursday games forced upon the public by the NFL to promote its own cable network. Players and coaches aren't fond of the short week of preparation for these games, either -- especially because, coming as late in the season as they do, many players are banged up and don't get the same healing time that they need after the previous week's game when they're forced to play on Thursday.
Fortunately, the Thursday games don't affect the "Beat Fearless" contest. Still, that's no excuse for me being a bonehead and forgetting to type in the pick (which has to be done at the office because it's specially formatted). So, here it is:
COLTS 24, JAGUARS 21 (at Jacksonville, 8:20 p.m.): The word out of Indianapolis is that the Colts are thinking of resting starters as they've done in the past when they've had the top seed in their back pockets early in December. I wonder if Sheriff Roger Goodell will intervene, citing the sanctity of competition in the quest for an undefeated season, blah blah blah. My thought is that the Colts have come out flat in the playoffs when they've done that before, and given how many close calls they've had lately, one would think they'd want to keep that competitive edge.
Whew. That's more than the two lines I get in those little pick boxes in the print edition.
This week also marks the return of the Saturday games to the schedule, as the league's other undefeated team, the New Orleans Saints, will play host to the Dallas Cowboys (again, on the NFL Network only). I will remember to type in that pick at the office later today.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Audio Blog 32.
Tom Brady offers his defense of Randy Moss in the face of ongoing criticism of the veteran receiver's performance in Sunday's game, and Bill Belichick looks ahead to Buffalo.
Brady in defense of Moss.
Tom Brady met the media Wednesday, and as can be expected, one relative newcomer to the media corps asked a long, rambling question (37 seconds, which means it would have violated the shot clocks in the NBA, high school basketball and men's college basketball) about Randy Moss and what the team sees in him that the national pundits don't.
If nothing else, Brady is a diplomatic soul. And his answer was actually a good one.
"He's a great competitor. He works extremely hard and he's a huge part of this team. They don't break down all of the film and see what we see and what the other team's trying to do game-plan wise. Randy's a great part of this team. He's a leader, he's a captain, a great teammate for all of us ... you're not going to find anybody in that locker room that doesn't enjoy being aroudn him. I love playing with the guy. He's made catch after catch this season, last season, the season before, that no other player in the league makes. I know everybody wants to criticize all of us when we don't do well, or we don't play our best, and we're OK with that. That's just part of the job description, so to speak. Within our locker room, we're all just trying to focus on what we need to do better, not necessarily what the other guys need to do better ... it's part of our jobs, and we can all handle it. And fortunately for all of us, when you don't play your best game, whether it's me or Wes (Welker) or Randy or the offensive line, we get to go out there and play the next week, too. I think we take a lot of comfort in that."
Brady was asked for an example of the Randy Moss the public doesn't see.
"He's a very smart player. He recognizes coverages ... sometimes he knows when he probably won't get the ball, and that's probably the ones they focus on on TV ... and you know, he probably won't based on the coverage or based on that week of practice. I don't think any of us think that when you're triple-covered, this is when we've you've really got to (throw there). And I think that sometimes the cameras focus on him at that time and they say, 'look,' and that's not really right. I'm sure you could go through a lot of players in the league and do that. Randy's there, and believe me, I have so much confidence in him. That's why he keeps getting the ball and that's why we go to him in the most critical situations, because he's one of our very best players. Like I've said, I've always enjoyed our relationship, we're all in this together and we all just keep fighting through whatever adversities we face as individuals and this team."
If nothing else, Brady is a diplomatic soul. And his answer was actually a good one.
"He's a great competitor. He works extremely hard and he's a huge part of this team. They don't break down all of the film and see what we see and what the other team's trying to do game-plan wise. Randy's a great part of this team. He's a leader, he's a captain, a great teammate for all of us ... you're not going to find anybody in that locker room that doesn't enjoy being aroudn him. I love playing with the guy. He's made catch after catch this season, last season, the season before, that no other player in the league makes. I know everybody wants to criticize all of us when we don't do well, or we don't play our best, and we're OK with that. That's just part of the job description, so to speak. Within our locker room, we're all just trying to focus on what we need to do better, not necessarily what the other guys need to do better ... it's part of our jobs, and we can all handle it. And fortunately for all of us, when you don't play your best game, whether it's me or Wes (Welker) or Randy or the offensive line, we get to go out there and play the next week, too. I think we take a lot of comfort in that."
Brady was asked for an example of the Randy Moss the public doesn't see.
"He's a very smart player. He recognizes coverages ... sometimes he knows when he probably won't get the ball, and that's probably the ones they focus on on TV ... and you know, he probably won't based on the coverage or based on that week of practice. I don't think any of us think that when you're triple-covered, this is when we've you've really got to (throw there). And I think that sometimes the cameras focus on him at that time and they say, 'look,' and that's not really right. I'm sure you could go through a lot of players in the league and do that. Randy's there, and believe me, I have so much confidence in him. That's why he keeps getting the ball and that's why we go to him in the most critical situations, because he's one of our very best players. Like I've said, I've always enjoyed our relationship, we're all in this together and we all just keep fighting through whatever adversities we face as individuals and this team."
Leading active scorers.
Foxboro High's Dillon Myers is the latest local cager to crack 500 points, and he joins a growing list of active players to have done so. Here's the update after Tuesday's action:
Leading active scorers:
Player School Points Games Career
Josh Koneski Dighton-Rehoboth 765 64 2006-
Ricky Silva Seekonk 648 44 2007-
Kristen Hoffman Foxboro 647 67 2006-
Jessica Eason Mansfield 538 68 2006-
Rodney Chance Mansfield 507 63 2006-
Dillon Myers Foxboro 501 51 2006-
Leading active scorers:
Player School Points Games Career
Josh Koneski Dighton-Rehoboth 765 64 2006-
Ricky Silva Seekonk 648 44 2007-
Kristen Hoffman Foxboro 647 67 2006-
Jessica Eason Mansfield 538 68 2006-
Rodney Chance Mansfield 507 63 2006-
Dillon Myers Foxboro 501 51 2006-
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Caserio on Moss.
Patriots' personnel chief Nick Caserio, who also moonlights as an assistant coach at times, was asked during today's conference call with the media what his take was on the Randy Moss situation. His response (according to a transcript provided by the Patriots):
"I think from my perspective, with all due respect, without rehashing what happened last week, here’s what I think about Randy and him as it relates to our team: Randy has been a productive player for us since he’s been here. He’s been one of our most consistent players and I think just like anybody on our club – and you can go through probably any particular player and earmark a few plays – but everybody has some good plays and everybody has some bad plays. But the thing about him is – and there’re a lot of plays in that game, you know, because there have been a lot of things brought up. There’re a lot of things in that game that he did really well that helped our team, that helped our club, whether it was make a block here or run the route and carry the rest of the defense with him in order for [Benjamin] Watson to get open. So the reality is that Randy is a great player. He’s as productive a receiver as there is in the league. I think he’s what - sixth in the league overall in whatever it is, yards. The reality is this year, for Randy, in terms of production, in terms of what he’s done for this team, is really no different than what it’s been in his career. And we’ve had our moments offensively, too, with Randy. You go back to the Miami game where he caught the 60-yard touchdown pass or whatever it was and the rest of the game they did some things to take him away, and we did other things, so…"
"I think from my perspective, with all due respect, without rehashing what happened last week, here’s what I think about Randy and him as it relates to our team: Randy has been a productive player for us since he’s been here. He’s been one of our most consistent players and I think just like anybody on our club – and you can go through probably any particular player and earmark a few plays – but everybody has some good plays and everybody has some bad plays. But the thing about him is – and there’re a lot of plays in that game, you know, because there have been a lot of things brought up. There’re a lot of things in that game that he did really well that helped our team, that helped our club, whether it was make a block here or run the route and carry the rest of the defense with him in order for [Benjamin] Watson to get open. So the reality is that Randy is a great player. He’s as productive a receiver as there is in the league. I think he’s what - sixth in the league overall in whatever it is, yards. The reality is this year, for Randy, in terms of production, in terms of what he’s done for this team, is really no different than what it’s been in his career. And we’ve had our moments offensively, too, with Randy. You go back to the Miami game where he caught the 60-yard touchdown pass or whatever it was and the rest of the game they did some things to take him away, and we did other things, so…"
Monday, December 14, 2009
Leading active scorers.
Seekonk's Ricky Silva took another step up the local scoring ladder Monday night, netting 22 points in a loss at Apponequet.
He's on pace to become Seekonk's seventh 1,000-point scorer.
Leading active scorers:
Player School Points Games Career
Josh Koneski Dighton-Rehoboth 741 63 2006-
Ricky Silva Seekonk 648 44 2007-
Kristen Hoffman Foxboro 632 66 2006-
Jessica Eason Mansfield 529 67 2006-
Rodney Chance Mansfield 504 62 2006-
He's on pace to become Seekonk's seventh 1,000-point scorer.
Leading active scorers:
Player School Points Games Career
Josh Koneski Dighton-Rehoboth 741 63 2006-
Ricky Silva Seekonk 648 44 2007-
Kristen Hoffman Foxboro 632 66 2006-
Jessica Eason Mansfield 529 67 2006-
Rodney Chance Mansfield 504 62 2006-
Seekonk girls 43, Apponequet 29.
A nice start for the Seekonk girls, who can say for the first time in a long time that they're undefeated in the South Coast Conference with their season-opening win over Apponequet.
Heather Carlson (17 points) and Amanda Cavallaro (10) led the scoring parade, while Fantasia Semedo played a great game at point guard for the Warriors. Here's the box score:
Seekonk 43, Apponequet 29
APPONEQUET (29)
Youngblood 4-23 3-4 14, Brune 0-3 0-0 0, Cowley 0-6 0-0 0, Smith 3-5 1-2 7, Couto 1-2 0-0 2, Mason 2-10 0-2 4, Tracey 0-0 0-0 0, O’Connor 0-0 0-0 0, MacWilliam 0-3 2-4 2, Chouinard 0-0 0-0 0, totals 10-52 6-12 29.
SEEKONK (43)
Carlson 6-17 3-5 16, Grocott 2-9 1-4 5, Hurst 1-5 0-0 2, Berard 1-2 0-1 2, Semedo 3-11 1-4 8, Cavallaro 1-5 8-9 10, Silva 0-1 0-0 0, totals 14-50 13-23 43.
Apponequet 8 4 12 5—29
Seekonk 6 15 8 14—43
3-point goals—Apponequet 3-10 (Youngblood 3-9, Couto 0-1), Seekonk 2-7 (Carlson 1-2, Semedo 1-5). Rebounds—Apponequet 44 (Youngblood 14), Seekonk 43 (Carlson, Grocott, Hurst 7). Assists—Apponequet 9 (Brune 3), Seekonk 8 (Carlson, Semedo, Cavallaro 2). Total fouls—Apponequet 20, Seekonk 10. Fouled out—Smith, Mason.
Heather Carlson (17 points) and Amanda Cavallaro (10) led the scoring parade, while Fantasia Semedo played a great game at point guard for the Warriors. Here's the box score:
Seekonk 43, Apponequet 29
APPONEQUET (29)
Youngblood 4-23 3-4 14, Brune 0-3 0-0 0, Cowley 0-6 0-0 0, Smith 3-5 1-2 7, Couto 1-2 0-0 2, Mason 2-10 0-2 4, Tracey 0-0 0-0 0, O’Connor 0-0 0-0 0, MacWilliam 0-3 2-4 2, Chouinard 0-0 0-0 0, totals 10-52 6-12 29.
SEEKONK (43)
Carlson 6-17 3-5 16, Grocott 2-9 1-4 5, Hurst 1-5 0-0 2, Berard 1-2 0-1 2, Semedo 3-11 1-4 8, Cavallaro 1-5 8-9 10, Silva 0-1 0-0 0, totals 14-50 13-23 43.
Apponequet 8 4 12 5—29
Seekonk 6 15 8 14—43
3-point goals—Apponequet 3-10 (Youngblood 3-9, Couto 0-1), Seekonk 2-7 (Carlson 1-2, Semedo 1-5). Rebounds—Apponequet 44 (Youngblood 14), Seekonk 43 (Carlson, Grocott, Hurst 7). Assists—Apponequet 9 (Brune 3), Seekonk 8 (Carlson, Semedo, Cavallaro 2). Total fouls—Apponequet 20, Seekonk 10. Fouled out—Smith, Mason.
Patriots put Moss "on notice" with their comments.
As many of you know, I have to be up bright and early (by my standards) on Mondays to join old friend Peter Gay on the radio (WARL, 1320 AM) at 6:55 a.m. for our weekly segment on The Sun Chronicle News Hour. This morning's topic, among others, was the play of Patriots' wide receiver Randy Moss in Sunday's 20-10 win over Carolina, which was uninspired.
The more I think about what I heard after the game, the more I realized that Moss' teammates share the oft-stated concern that he may be checking out mentally from games in which he receives a lot of defensive attention, and Tom Brady starts throwing to others as a result.
Let's also not forget that Moss, who will be 33 on Feb. 13, is no longer a spring chicken by athletic standards. Age is everyone's Kryptonite. Maybe Moss is learning that he can no longer leap tall buildings with a single bound, and it's troubling him.
Perhaps that's enabling the enigmatic wideout from Marshall, but I want to believe what the players have said for the two-plus seasons Moss has been here -- that he's been a good teammate, a hard worker, worthy of the captaincy they bestowed upon him. There are some jackals in the media corps who live for the opportunity to blast Moss at every turn, and I don't want to be one of them -- even though there's no benefit to me because Moss ignores all of us.
Sunday, however, those same teammates felt the need to call out Moss for a lackluster performance against the Panthers (one catch, fumbled away; a false-start penalty, poorly-run routes and a general level of disinterest in the wake of his punishment for being tardy to Wednesday morning's meetings). They didn't do it by criticizing Moss, but by going a little over the top in their praise for fellow receiver Wes Welker.
You can read some of the comments in this story I wrote for Page One of The Sun Chronicle today. They keep mentioning how much "heart" Welker had for going over the middle, catching the tough passes, taking a beating and continuing to move the stakes.
What I found curious about that is that everyone on this football-loving planet knows that Wes Welker has "heart." Mentioning it repeatedly almost sounded excessive, until I realized that this was the way that Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk and others were telling Randy Moss that Welker was setting the example that he should emulate. They were telling Moss, "Hey, big fella, don't check out on us now. We need for you to be there over the next three weeks and beyond."
Randy Moss has had it good in New England. He's been shielded from the media and encouraged to succeed at every turn. He's set NFL records and may have polished his image enough to settle questions about his worthiness for the Hall of Fame. And you know what? I've come to believe that maybe the excesses of his youth that saddled him with the reputation of being a "bad guy" were exactly that -- immaturity, and child's play compared to some of the transgressions that make it to print about other athletes these days.
Still, I think there's still a bit of immaturity left in Moss, particularly when things aren't going well for him in a game. He has the capability of taking his ball and going home at that point, and his teammates were reminding him -- in as gentle a way as is possible in the NFL -- that they need an adult Randy Moss to help lead them on what may be the last legitimate quest for a Super Bowl for these Patriots as they are constructed now.
If Moss is as smart as he appears to be, he should take the message to heart.
The more I think about what I heard after the game, the more I realized that Moss' teammates share the oft-stated concern that he may be checking out mentally from games in which he receives a lot of defensive attention, and Tom Brady starts throwing to others as a result.
Let's also not forget that Moss, who will be 33 on Feb. 13, is no longer a spring chicken by athletic standards. Age is everyone's Kryptonite. Maybe Moss is learning that he can no longer leap tall buildings with a single bound, and it's troubling him.
Perhaps that's enabling the enigmatic wideout from Marshall, but I want to believe what the players have said for the two-plus seasons Moss has been here -- that he's been a good teammate, a hard worker, worthy of the captaincy they bestowed upon him. There are some jackals in the media corps who live for the opportunity to blast Moss at every turn, and I don't want to be one of them -- even though there's no benefit to me because Moss ignores all of us.
Sunday, however, those same teammates felt the need to call out Moss for a lackluster performance against the Panthers (one catch, fumbled away; a false-start penalty, poorly-run routes and a general level of disinterest in the wake of his punishment for being tardy to Wednesday morning's meetings). They didn't do it by criticizing Moss, but by going a little over the top in their praise for fellow receiver Wes Welker.
You can read some of the comments in this story I wrote for Page One of The Sun Chronicle today. They keep mentioning how much "heart" Welker had for going over the middle, catching the tough passes, taking a beating and continuing to move the stakes.
What I found curious about that is that everyone on this football-loving planet knows that Wes Welker has "heart." Mentioning it repeatedly almost sounded excessive, until I realized that this was the way that Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk and others were telling Randy Moss that Welker was setting the example that he should emulate. They were telling Moss, "Hey, big fella, don't check out on us now. We need for you to be there over the next three weeks and beyond."
Randy Moss has had it good in New England. He's been shielded from the media and encouraged to succeed at every turn. He's set NFL records and may have polished his image enough to settle questions about his worthiness for the Hall of Fame. And you know what? I've come to believe that maybe the excesses of his youth that saddled him with the reputation of being a "bad guy" were exactly that -- immaturity, and child's play compared to some of the transgressions that make it to print about other athletes these days.
Still, I think there's still a bit of immaturity left in Moss, particularly when things aren't going well for him in a game. He has the capability of taking his ball and going home at that point, and his teammates were reminding him -- in as gentle a way as is possible in the NFL -- that they need an adult Randy Moss to help lead them on what may be the last legitimate quest for a Super Bowl for these Patriots as they are constructed now.
If Moss is as smart as he appears to be, he should take the message to heart.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Where's Fearless? The People's Republic of Kraftville.
Tom Brady was, of course, listed as "questionable" on the injury report with shoulder, finger and rib problems. The propaganda ministers on WEEI are now trying to float the notion that The Golden Boy has a cracked rib, suffered early in the Miami game, so he should be absolved of any blame for whatever goes wrong today.
Adalius Thomas has also been banished to Bill Belichick's Gulag in the wake of comments the former made in response to the punishment he received for being late to the Wednesday morning meeting.
And the most fun of the week came when one of the guys who wears the costume of the Pat Patriot mascot was arrested for soliciting prostitutes during a sting by Rhode Island state police. Turns out the guy is the ex-husband of the Patriots' current cheerleading coach. All sorts of interesting things come to mind on that one, none of which are suitable for a family-related blog.
By the way, in that case, most of the public statements issued by the Rhode Island state police were made by the commissioner of the force, Brendan Doherty, who is a proud member of The Sun Chronicle's 1,000-point scoring list in basketball (1,023 points in 62 games for Bishop Feehan in 1974-77).
All in-game blogging will be handled at www.thesunchronicle.com/farinella.
Reports: Thomas to be punitive scratch.
According to reports aired on the NFL Network, Patriots' linebacker Adalius Thomas will be a healthy inactive for today's game at Gillette Stadium against the Carolina Panthers.
The scratch would appear to be punishment for Thomas' attitude (expressed in a lengthy interview with media members on Thursday) over his having been sent home for being late to Wednesday's 8 a.m. meeting.
No word on whether the other members of the Tardy Four (Gary Guyton, Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess) will be similarly punished, but as of now, it's extremely doubtful. This appears to be targeted specifically at Thomas for not keeping his mouth shut, and a reminder that there was more freedom of speech in the former Soviet Union than there is in Bill Belichick's locker room. As they might have said outside Lenin's Tomb, "Do svidaniya, Adalius."
This certainly signals the end of the relationship between Thomas and the Patriots. It could have deeper ramifications for the team if the other three participants in Tardygate play full games today. And, I'm wondering if the Players Association has the gumption to protest the punishment on the basis that it was uneven and excessive.
In a related story, the Patriots denied that they had brought in wide receiver Elroy Jetson of the Little Dipper School for a tryout. No, just kidding on that one. You may recall that Thomas claimed that one of the reasons why he couldn't get to work on time Wednesday because he was stuck in snow-clogged traffic and couldn't just point his car into the sky and fly over it as George Jetson might have in that classic 1960s animated sitcom.
The scratch would appear to be punishment for Thomas' attitude (expressed in a lengthy interview with media members on Thursday) over his having been sent home for being late to Wednesday's 8 a.m. meeting.
No word on whether the other members of the Tardy Four (Gary Guyton, Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess) will be similarly punished, but as of now, it's extremely doubtful. This appears to be targeted specifically at Thomas for not keeping his mouth shut, and a reminder that there was more freedom of speech in the former Soviet Union than there is in Bill Belichick's locker room. As they might have said outside Lenin's Tomb, "Do svidaniya, Adalius."
This certainly signals the end of the relationship between Thomas and the Patriots. It could have deeper ramifications for the team if the other three participants in Tardygate play full games today. And, I'm wondering if the Players Association has the gumption to protest the punishment on the basis that it was uneven and excessive.
In a related story, the Patriots denied that they had brought in wide receiver Elroy Jetson of the Little Dipper School for a tryout. No, just kidding on that one. You may recall that Thomas claimed that one of the reasons why he couldn't get to work on time Wednesday because he was stuck in snow-clogged traffic and couldn't just point his car into the sky and fly over it as George Jetson might have in that classic 1960s animated sitcom.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Mansfield girls, boys sweep Canton.
The Mansfield High basketball teams started the season in an unique way Friday, scheduling a girls-boys doubleheader at the Albertini Gym against Hockomock League foe Canton. They'll be also doing it at the Canton High gym later in the season.
It was a good night for the Hornets all around, as the girls prevailed by a 67-44 score and the boys won 64-50. Here are the box scores from both games.
Mansfield girls 67, Canton 44
CANTON (44)
Gualtieri 0-0 0-0 0, Ivanoski 0-1 1-5 1, Pitts-Anaya 1-4 0-0 2, Buchanan 1-2 0-0 2, Murphy 6-9 2-4 14, O’Brien 2-8 0-1 5, Strahan 1-2 0-0 2, Fralick 3-16 3-4 9, Bornemann 2-10 5-11 9, totals 16-52 11-25 44.
MANSFIELD (67)
McPherson 1-4 0-0 2, Davis 2-4 1-2 5, Shannon 0-5 0-0 0, Copley 2-7 0-0 4, McCarthy 0-1 0-0 0, Morizio 0-2 0-0 0, Luchette 1-2 0-0 3, Walker 7-14 2-5 17, Bowes 2-4 0-0 6, Katherine Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Keohane 0-0 0-0 0, Trombetta 1-2 0-0 2, Hooper 5-12 5-6 17, Kathryn Campbell 0-1 1-2 1, Eason 5-9 0-1 10, totals 26-67 9-16 67.
Canton 9 9 15 11—44
Mansfield 17 16 19 15—67
3-point goals—Canton 1-5 (Pitts-Anaya 0-1, Buchanan 0-1, O’Brien 1-1, Fralick 0-1, Bornemann 0-1), Mansfield 6-20 (McPherson 0-3, Shannon 0-4, Luchette 1-2, Walker 1-3, Bowes 2-3, Hooper 2-4, Kathryn Campbell 0-1). Rebounds—Canton 43 (Bornemann 13), Mansfield 44 (Eason 8). Assists—Canton 9 (Pitts-Anaya, Fralick 3), Mansfield 15 (Bowes 4). Total fouls—Canton 15, Mansfield 21. Fouled out—None.
Mansfield boys 64, Canton 50
CANTON (50)
Murray 0-0 0-0 0, Abelard 3-5 2-4 8, Guillaume 1-11 0-0 2, Boivert 9-19 0-1 21, Levy 0-0 0-0 0, Gavigan 2-5 4-5 8, McCabe 2-4 0-2 4, Nichols 2-5 1-2 5, Sheehan 0-0 0-0 0, Wiggins 0-4 2-4 2, totals 19-53 9-18 50.
MANSFIELD (64)
Baskin 4-11 3-3 14, Introini 1-7 2-3 5, Lofton 4-7 0-0 8, Chance 1-4 3-4 5, Jenkins-Maxwell 3-5 1-4 7, Boyle 2-4 0-0 4, Lambrecht 3-5 2-4 8, Gracia 0-0 1-2 1, Hill 4-6 1-2 10, D. Hershman 1-1 0-0 2, K. Otto 0-0 0-0 0, totals 23-50 13-22 64.
Canton 12 11 13 15—50
Mansfield 14 18 19 13—64
3-point goals—Canton 3-10 (Guillaume 0-2, Boivert 3-7, McCabe 0-1), Mansfield 5-19 (Baskin 3-8, Introini 1-6, Chance 0-1, Jenkins-Maxwell 0-1, Hill 1-2). Rebounds—Canton 35 (Nichols 7), Mansfield 36 (Lambrecht 10). Assists—Canton 5 (Abelard 3), Mansfield 17 (Hill 4). Total fouls—Canton 20, Mansfield 17. Fouled out—Abelard.
It was a good night for the Hornets all around, as the girls prevailed by a 67-44 score and the boys won 64-50. Here are the box scores from both games.
Mansfield girls 67, Canton 44
CANTON (44)
Gualtieri 0-0 0-0 0, Ivanoski 0-1 1-5 1, Pitts-Anaya 1-4 0-0 2, Buchanan 1-2 0-0 2, Murphy 6-9 2-4 14, O’Brien 2-8 0-1 5, Strahan 1-2 0-0 2, Fralick 3-16 3-4 9, Bornemann 2-10 5-11 9, totals 16-52 11-25 44.
MANSFIELD (67)
McPherson 1-4 0-0 2, Davis 2-4 1-2 5, Shannon 0-5 0-0 0, Copley 2-7 0-0 4, McCarthy 0-1 0-0 0, Morizio 0-2 0-0 0, Luchette 1-2 0-0 3, Walker 7-14 2-5 17, Bowes 2-4 0-0 6, Katherine Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Keohane 0-0 0-0 0, Trombetta 1-2 0-0 2, Hooper 5-12 5-6 17, Kathryn Campbell 0-1 1-2 1, Eason 5-9 0-1 10, totals 26-67 9-16 67.
Canton 9 9 15 11—44
Mansfield 17 16 19 15—67
3-point goals—Canton 1-5 (Pitts-Anaya 0-1, Buchanan 0-1, O’Brien 1-1, Fralick 0-1, Bornemann 0-1), Mansfield 6-20 (McPherson 0-3, Shannon 0-4, Luchette 1-2, Walker 1-3, Bowes 2-3, Hooper 2-4, Kathryn Campbell 0-1). Rebounds—Canton 43 (Bornemann 13), Mansfield 44 (Eason 8). Assists—Canton 9 (Pitts-Anaya, Fralick 3), Mansfield 15 (Bowes 4). Total fouls—Canton 15, Mansfield 21. Fouled out—None.
Mansfield boys 64, Canton 50
CANTON (50)
Murray 0-0 0-0 0, Abelard 3-5 2-4 8, Guillaume 1-11 0-0 2, Boivert 9-19 0-1 21, Levy 0-0 0-0 0, Gavigan 2-5 4-5 8, McCabe 2-4 0-2 4, Nichols 2-5 1-2 5, Sheehan 0-0 0-0 0, Wiggins 0-4 2-4 2, totals 19-53 9-18 50.
MANSFIELD (64)
Baskin 4-11 3-3 14, Introini 1-7 2-3 5, Lofton 4-7 0-0 8, Chance 1-4 3-4 5, Jenkins-Maxwell 3-5 1-4 7, Boyle 2-4 0-0 4, Lambrecht 3-5 2-4 8, Gracia 0-0 1-2 1, Hill 4-6 1-2 10, D. Hershman 1-1 0-0 2, K. Otto 0-0 0-0 0, totals 23-50 13-22 64.
Canton 12 11 13 15—50
Mansfield 14 18 19 13—64
3-point goals—Canton 3-10 (Guillaume 0-2, Boivert 3-7, McCabe 0-1), Mansfield 5-19 (Baskin 3-8, Introini 1-6, Chance 0-1, Jenkins-Maxwell 0-1, Hill 1-2). Rebounds—Canton 35 (Nichols 7), Mansfield 36 (Lambrecht 10). Assists—Canton 5 (Abelard 3), Mansfield 17 (Hill 4). Total fouls—Canton 20, Mansfield 17. Fouled out—Abelard.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Doubting Thomas still a Patriot.
Those who were expecting a quick resolution to the Adalius Thomas saga today will be disappointed, but the disgruntled (and outspoken about it) linebacker was on the practice field for the Patriots as they continued preparation for Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium against the 5-7 Carolina Panthers (1 p.m.; Ch. 25, 64).
Thomas was one of four players who were sent home from the stadium Wednesday after they arrived late to the 8 a.m. meeting -- presumably because of the snowfall that clogged the morning commute.
All four have been at practice since, and only one, Randy Moss (not surprisingly), has not spoken to the media about it. Linebacker Gary Guyton refused to answer any questions about his tardiness today, while fellow linebacker Derrick Burgess said he was disappointed in himself for putting himself in a position where he would be disciplined.
The guess here is that Bill Belichick will wait until after the season to drop the hammer upon Thomas. There are salary cap ramifications to a release now that would make it prohibitive, and there's always the possibility that Thomas (who has been acting pretty much like a me-first mercenary all season) may motivate himself to play hard over the last month of the season and make himself more attractive to other teams for the day when Belichick sends him packing.
The fallout of this, however, is that now there's clear evidence that the "locker room culture" of the past is dead and buried. There are no longer any players in the locker room with the cache to tell malcontents to shut their mouths and play, as there had been in the past. Thomas was supposed to be one of the next generation of leaders, and he failed miserably.
The Patriots will probably still limp their way into the playoffs and be ousted no later than the second round (they'll get a home game if they win the AFC East), but the "dynasty" is dead -- and that was evident much earlier in the season when one veteran after another either retired or was shipped elsewhere.
Thomas was one of four players who were sent home from the stadium Wednesday after they arrived late to the 8 a.m. meeting -- presumably because of the snowfall that clogged the morning commute.
All four have been at practice since, and only one, Randy Moss (not surprisingly), has not spoken to the media about it. Linebacker Gary Guyton refused to answer any questions about his tardiness today, while fellow linebacker Derrick Burgess said he was disappointed in himself for putting himself in a position where he would be disciplined.
The guess here is that Bill Belichick will wait until after the season to drop the hammer upon Thomas. There are salary cap ramifications to a release now that would make it prohibitive, and there's always the possibility that Thomas (who has been acting pretty much like a me-first mercenary all season) may motivate himself to play hard over the last month of the season and make himself more attractive to other teams for the day when Belichick sends him packing.
The fallout of this, however, is that now there's clear evidence that the "locker room culture" of the past is dead and buried. There are no longer any players in the locker room with the cache to tell malcontents to shut their mouths and play, as there had been in the past. Thomas was supposed to be one of the next generation of leaders, and he failed miserably.
The Patriots will probably still limp their way into the playoffs and be ousted no later than the second round (they'll get a home game if they win the AFC East), but the "dynasty" is dead -- and that was evident much earlier in the season when one veteran after another either retired or was shipped elsewhere.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
As Astro might say, "Ruh-roh!"
Patriots' linebacker Adalius Thomas, a member of the Tardy Four from a day ago, met with media members just a few minutes ago and didn't sound terribly contrite about the circumstances that resulted in his being sent home for being late to practice.
But he did come up with the line of the year.
Saying he was stuck in snow-slowed traffic and trying to avoid accidents, Thomas said there was nothing much he could do to speed up his progress toward the stadium.
"There's nothing really to apologize about," he said. "I didn't try to be late. That's basically it. I don't know what else to say. You leave home, you have people there, cars sitting in the road and you're sitting there, and what do you do? It's not the 'The Jetsons,' you can't jump up and just fly."
Thomas was, of course, referring to the 1960s animated sitcom on ABC about a futuristic family. The iconic opening scene shows George Jetson and his family (wife Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy and dog Astro) jetting off to school, shopping and work in their flying car.
But he did come up with the line of the year.
Saying he was stuck in snow-slowed traffic and trying to avoid accidents, Thomas said there was nothing much he could do to speed up his progress toward the stadium.
"There's nothing really to apologize about," he said. "I didn't try to be late. That's basically it. I don't know what else to say. You leave home, you have people there, cars sitting in the road and you're sitting there, and what do you do? It's not the 'The Jetsons,' you can't jump up and just fly."
Thomas was, of course, referring to the 1960s animated sitcom on ABC about a futuristic family. The iconic opening scene shows George Jetson and his family (wife Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy and dog Astro) jetting off to school, shopping and work in their flying car.
Bouncing into a new season.
There's not much of a turnaround any more between fall and winter sports, but the sooner we get into my favorite time of the year, the better.
Basketball season officially begins tonight with two games involving local teams. I'll be at Dighton-Rehoboth to watch the second game of the season-opening girls' tournament (D-R vs. Falmouth at 7, following Bishop Stang vs. Taunton), while the Bishop Feehan boys will visit Seekonk under new coach Joe Reddington.
The first full slate of the season is Friday night (and I'll be seeing both games of the girls-boys doubleheader at Mansfield against Canton), although some teams aren't kicking in until next Tuesday. I've got games to cover practically every day until New Year's, so those flotation devices I bring with me to preserve my spine will get a good workout. I covered 50 high school games last season and I hope to beat that record this year.
Coinciding with all that, The Sun Chronicle's annual basketball preview section will come with your copy of the newspaper on Friday. It will be chock-filled with information about your favorite teams and also contain schedules that are as up-to-the-minute as they could possibly be.
See you in the gyms!
Basketball season officially begins tonight with two games involving local teams. I'll be at Dighton-Rehoboth to watch the second game of the season-opening girls' tournament (D-R vs. Falmouth at 7, following Bishop Stang vs. Taunton), while the Bishop Feehan boys will visit Seekonk under new coach Joe Reddington.
The first full slate of the season is Friday night (and I'll be seeing both games of the girls-boys doubleheader at Mansfield against Canton), although some teams aren't kicking in until next Tuesday. I've got games to cover practically every day until New Year's, so those flotation devices I bring with me to preserve my spine will get a good workout. I covered 50 high school games last season and I hope to beat that record this year.
Coinciding with all that, The Sun Chronicle's annual basketball preview section will come with your copy of the newspaper on Friday. It will be chock-filled with information about your favorite teams and also contain schedules that are as up-to-the-minute as they could possibly be.
See you in the gyms!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Audio Blog 31
There was disappointment in Miami Sunday, but joy in Foxboro now that Tom Brady and wife Gisele have a new addition to their family. That, and thoughts on leadership, are all in today's edition of the Audio Blog.
So here's the roundup:
What's happened so far today:
** Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are the proud parents of a playa to be named later; i.e., a baby son born Tuesday. Details are lacking, but mother and child are reportedly doing well.
** Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess, Adalius Thomas and Gary Guyton were all late for the 8 o'clock meeting and were sent home in a punitive action by Coach Bill Belichick. Apparently, snow-related traffic tieups are not a valid excuse for tardiness. Belichick did not confirm the punitive action, but in a press conference that followed the coach, Brady inadvertently did confirm it by saying, "You guys find out everything these days."
** Safety Bret Lockett was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. Defensive lineman Titus Adams was activated off the practice squad to replace him.
** The Patriots also added quarterback Jeff Rowe and wide receiver Darnell Jenkins to the practice squad.
** Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are the proud parents of a playa to be named later; i.e., a baby son born Tuesday. Details are lacking, but mother and child are reportedly doing well.
** Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess, Adalius Thomas and Gary Guyton were all late for the 8 o'clock meeting and were sent home in a punitive action by Coach Bill Belichick. Apparently, snow-related traffic tieups are not a valid excuse for tardiness. Belichick did not confirm the punitive action, but in a press conference that followed the coach, Brady inadvertently did confirm it by saying, "You guys find out everything these days."
** Safety Bret Lockett was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. Defensive lineman Titus Adams was activated off the practice squad to replace him.
** The Patriots also added quarterback Jeff Rowe and wide receiver Darnell Jenkins to the practice squad.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Quick random thoughts.
Because I'm in full basketball preseason mode and am not doing much on the Patriots for a few days, here are a few quick random thoughts to make sure the post changes...
** I just love listening to all of the panicky fans calling in to the talk shows, claiming that Bill Belichick has lost his mind, Matt Cassel should have stayed and Tom Brady should have been traded and so on. These are the same people who would have called me a "no-talent hack" seeking to draw attention to myself and mocked the size of my newspaper if I even hinted that there might have been cracks in the Patriots' dynastic armor entering this season.
Nobody jumps off a bandwagon better or more entertainingly than the New England sports fan.
** One revelation after another with Tiger Woods. Does it really surprise you? If I mention the name "Todd Marinovich," is it an accurate analogy?
One has to wonder what happens to kids who are wound so tightly and programmed to become little sports machines in childhood once they grow up. I think we're seeing it.
** On that note, this area goes ga-ga over the Deutsche Bank Tournament every year because of the presence (or anticipated presence, even if he doesn't play) of Mr. Woods. How do you think that's going to go over with the masses this year? Personally, I think the crowds will be bigger if he shows, because everyone loves to watch a train wreck.
** Gisele Bündchen's bündle of joy is due in two weeks. So, my question to you -- how would you feel if, through an accident of incredibly bad timing, Tom Brady skips the Buffalo game to be present at the birth of The Spawn of the Supermodel, and the Patriots lose and fall out of first place in the division because of it?
Brady's already made it clear that he wants to be front-and-center at this birth because he was denied the privilege of being present at the birth of his son by spurned actress/ex-galpal Bridget Moynahan. Food for thought ... would Brady skip a game, and how would he be perceived if it means the Patriots miss the playoffs?
** Those who want to expand the high school football playoffs, take note. Would you rather have the excitement and emotional attachment to the Thanksgiving games? Or do you want the ultimate goal of high school football to be playing shortened games in crappy conditions (and in front of sparse crowds) as we saw in the last two Super Bowls at Gillette on Saturday?
** The way things are going this week, it looks as if I may skip the Audio Blog. But we'll see how things go tomorrow. Remember, the high school hoop season kicks in Thursday night and I'll be doing a game practically every day until Christmas. Not enough hours in the day sometimes...
** I just love listening to all of the panicky fans calling in to the talk shows, claiming that Bill Belichick has lost his mind, Matt Cassel should have stayed and Tom Brady should have been traded and so on. These are the same people who would have called me a "no-talent hack" seeking to draw attention to myself and mocked the size of my newspaper if I even hinted that there might have been cracks in the Patriots' dynastic armor entering this season.
Nobody jumps off a bandwagon better or more entertainingly than the New England sports fan.
** One revelation after another with Tiger Woods. Does it really surprise you? If I mention the name "Todd Marinovich," is it an accurate analogy?
One has to wonder what happens to kids who are wound so tightly and programmed to become little sports machines in childhood once they grow up. I think we're seeing it.
** On that note, this area goes ga-ga over the Deutsche Bank Tournament every year because of the presence (or anticipated presence, even if he doesn't play) of Mr. Woods. How do you think that's going to go over with the masses this year? Personally, I think the crowds will be bigger if he shows, because everyone loves to watch a train wreck.
** Gisele Bündchen's bündle of joy is due in two weeks. So, my question to you -- how would you feel if, through an accident of incredibly bad timing, Tom Brady skips the Buffalo game to be present at the birth of The Spawn of the Supermodel, and the Patriots lose and fall out of first place in the division because of it?
Brady's already made it clear that he wants to be front-and-center at this birth because he was denied the privilege of being present at the birth of his son by spurned actress/ex-galpal Bridget Moynahan. Food for thought ... would Brady skip a game, and how would he be perceived if it means the Patriots miss the playoffs?
** Those who want to expand the high school football playoffs, take note. Would you rather have the excitement and emotional attachment to the Thanksgiving games? Or do you want the ultimate goal of high school football to be playing shortened games in crappy conditions (and in front of sparse crowds) as we saw in the last two Super Bowls at Gillette on Saturday?
** The way things are going this week, it looks as if I may skip the Audio Blog. But we'll see how things go tomorrow. Remember, the high school hoop season kicks in Thursday night and I'll be doing a game practically every day until Christmas. Not enough hours in the day sometimes...
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Pats-Dolphins hots and nots and game notes.
Here are the hots and nots and the Patriots' game notes. I'll add the Miami notes at some point if they come to me.
WHO'S HOT
WES WELKER: No one puts more of himself into the effort than the diminutive wide receiver, who caught 10 balls for 167 yards. He looked pretty upset at the end of the game, and can you blame him? He didn't come here to be 7-5 and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
CHRIS HANSON: Give the guy credit. He dropped a punt at the Miami 7 and had it negated by a penalty on Kyle Arrington, but on the second punt, he put it out of bounds at the Miami 3. At least someone is doing the job.
SAMMY MORRIS: Nine carries for 40 yards, two catches for 25 more. He's trying to make himself useful when he gets the call.
SAM AIKEN: I said in training camp that he earned his chance to get more passes thrown his way this year. That was a pretty impressive play he made to pull the ball away from a defender and go 81 yards for a score. But would I send him deep with the game on the line and 1:02 left to get into field goal range? No.
WHO'S HOT
WES WELKER: No one puts more of himself into the effort than the diminutive wide receiver, who caught 10 balls for 167 yards. He looked pretty upset at the end of the game, and can you blame him? He didn't come here to be 7-5 and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
CHRIS HANSON: Give the guy credit. He dropped a punt at the Miami 7 and had it negated by a penalty on Kyle Arrington, but on the second punt, he put it out of bounds at the Miami 3. At least someone is doing the job.
SAMMY MORRIS: Nine carries for 40 yards, two catches for 25 more. He's trying to make himself useful when he gets the call.
SAM AIKEN: I said in training camp that he earned his chance to get more passes thrown his way this year. That was a pretty impressive play he made to pull the ball away from a defender and go 81 yards for a score. But would I send him deep with the game on the line and 1:02 left to get into field goal range? No.
Final: Dolphins, 22-21.
I'll say it straight out, this was one of the worst squanders of the Belichick Era.
Defense let down in a big way, with the right side of the secondary allowing Chad Henne to complete every pass that he didn't overthrow. With more accuracy, Henne could have thrown for 500 yards today.
Jerod Mayo? A lot of tackles, not a lot of stops.
And the offensive play-calling? It's almost enough to make me long for Charlie Weis' return. Going deep in a possession that started with 1:02 left -- where it was clear that Brady could work the sidelines and get into range for a field goal with a more reasonable approach -- was decision-making ineptitude of the first order.
Final individual stats coming shortly at www.thesunchronicle.com/farinella. And when you see Wes Welker's numbers, you'll know why he looked very p'd off at the end of the game.
Defense let down in a big way, with the right side of the secondary allowing Chad Henne to complete every pass that he didn't overthrow. With more accuracy, Henne could have thrown for 500 yards today.
Jerod Mayo? A lot of tackles, not a lot of stops.
And the offensive play-calling? It's almost enough to make me long for Charlie Weis' return. Going deep in a possession that started with 1:02 left -- where it was clear that Brady could work the sidelines and get into range for a field goal with a more reasonable approach -- was decision-making ineptitude of the first order.
Final individual stats coming shortly at www.thesunchronicle.com/farinella. And when you see Wes Welker's numbers, you'll know why he looked very p'd off at the end of the game.
Halftime: Patriots, 14-10
A few observations: The Patriots are letting the Dolphins back into this game because the right side of the secondary is absolutely pathetic. They're making Chad Henne look like Joe Montana out there -- more evidence that Bill Belichick has lost touch with his coaching roots by neglecting to build his defense up to the standards of the past.
BTW, interesting it is that Junior Seau is actually seeing his first action in a month. Is he taping another edition of "Sports Jobs?"
For statistics, go to www.thesunchronicle.com/farinella
BTW, interesting it is that Junior Seau is actually seeing his first action in a month. Is he taping another edition of "Sports Jobs?"
For statistics, go to www.thesunchronicle.com/farinella
Bonus thoughts from a Super Bowl Saturday.
Here, at long last, are the final "bonus thoughts' from a high school football game from this year. We'll also add some thoughts about the state of the high school playoffs after we get through with the Feehan-related material.
** So, of the four local teams that have played in high school Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium, Bishop Feehan is the only school to have come back a winner -- and the Shamrocks have done it twice, in two different divisions.
They own the place.
Of course, Feehan's success will probably generate another round of comments under the stories written today by Peter Gobis and myself, about how Feehan "recruits" and "cheats" and whatever other gripes some individuals may have with a fellow who coached there almost a decade ago.
I'm getting sick of the nonsense. Feehan has been in the area's midst since the late 1960s and hasn't been that much more successful than any of our local public schools in most of its sports. Its current success in the woe-begone Eastern Athletic Conference could have been tempered somewhat if some of the naysayers in official positions had just swallowed their pride and let Feehan join the Hockomock League, so the kids Feehan allegedly "steals" would be able to play against other schools of similar size and with the added bonus of regional familiarity.
** So, of the four local teams that have played in high school Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium, Bishop Feehan is the only school to have come back a winner -- and the Shamrocks have done it twice, in two different divisions.
They own the place.
Of course, Feehan's success will probably generate another round of comments under the stories written today by Peter Gobis and myself, about how Feehan "recruits" and "cheats" and whatever other gripes some individuals may have with a fellow who coached there almost a decade ago.
I'm getting sick of the nonsense. Feehan has been in the area's midst since the late 1960s and hasn't been that much more successful than any of our local public schools in most of its sports. Its current success in the woe-begone Eastern Athletic Conference could have been tempered somewhat if some of the naysayers in official positions had just swallowed their pride and let Feehan join the Hockomock League, so the kids Feehan allegedly "steals" would be able to play against other schools of similar size and with the added bonus of regional familiarity.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Five already ruled out of Miami game.
The Patriots have already announced five of their eight inactive players for Sunday's game at Land Shark Stadium against the Dolphins.
WR Julian Edelman, S Bret Lockett, RB Fred Taylor, OT Sebastian Vollmer and CB Shawn Springs have been downgraded to "out." Three more will be announced an hour before the 1 p.m. game time.
WR Julian Edelman, S Bret Lockett, RB Fred Taylor, OT Sebastian Vollmer and CB Shawn Springs have been downgraded to "out." Three more will be announced an hour before the 1 p.m. game time.
Friday, December 4, 2009
The blogging plan for the weekend.
It will be a busy weekend for "Blogging Fearlessly," starting with our efforts at the Bishop Feehan-Marblehead game and ending with the Patriots-Dolphins game on Sunday.
Saturday, I will blog live during the MIAA Division 3 championship game at Gillette Stadium (11 a.m.), much as I do at the Patriots' games, but only on thesunchronicle.com/farinella. We'll also have statistics here after the game. Readers of thesunchronicle.com will also see news updates at halftime and after the game on the first page of the Web site to get the scores to the public as quickly as possible (if you're not watching on TV on Comcast SportsNet New England or listening on WBZ-FM, 98.5, that is).
Sunday, I won't be in Miami. But as I have in the past, I will post halftime stats, final stats, some hots and nots and the game notes from the Patriots' media relations staff. Miami's Harvey Greene is also likely to send along the Dolphins' game notes, too.
Saturday, I will blog live during the MIAA Division 3 championship game at Gillette Stadium (11 a.m.), much as I do at the Patriots' games, but only on thesunchronicle.com/farinella. We'll also have statistics here after the game. Readers of thesunchronicle.com will also see news updates at halftime and after the game on the first page of the Web site to get the scores to the public as quickly as possible (if you're not watching on TV on Comcast SportsNet New England or listening on WBZ-FM, 98.5, that is).
Sunday, I won't be in Miami. But as I have in the past, I will post halftime stats, final stats, some hots and nots and the game notes from the Patriots' media relations staff. Miami's Harvey Greene is also likely to send along the Dolphins' game notes, too.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Super Bowl Saturday just two days away.
What a perfect day for the annual media day at Gillette Stadium for the teams participating in the six MIAA Super Bowls to take place on Saturday. Captains, coaches and administrators of the 12 schools all visited the field where champions will be crowned, an annual tradition, and the weather gods cooperated with sunny skies and temperatures nearing 70 degrees.
Bishop Feehan sent captains Ted Schwieger and Andy Nunes along with Coach Tony Wood, the second time the Shamrocks have visited Gillette since the Super Bowls came here in 2007. Feehan defeated Walpole in the Division 2 game two years ago; this time, because the MIAA dropped the Eastern Athletic Conference two divisions this year, Feehan will play Marblehead in the championship game Saturday at 11 a.m.
Tickets will be $13 for adults and $10 for students at the game, and parking is free. I'll have a full story on the Shamrocks' visit in Friday's print edition.
The Boeing folks would be proud of us.
I just figured out our season standings for the high school football picks, and there's something about them that I thought was hilarious. You may not think so, but hear me out first.
The five members of The Sun Chronicle's sports staff are all one game apart from each other over 99 games, with Danny Crandall in the lead at 74-25 and Peter Gobis bringing up the rear at 70-29. But our averages all correspond with commercial jet aircraft manufactured by the Boeing Corp., and straingly enough, our corresponding planes sort of mirror our performance.
For instance, Danny leads the pack at .747. The 747, of course, was the flagship of Boeing's fleet for many years -- the first true jumbo jet, a leader in the industry, and the plane that still serves today as the platform for Air Force One, our President's conveyance around the world. Danny's our leader in the picks, so he gets the designation of Blue Ribbon One.
James Schneider is next at .737. The 737 is the workhorse of the Boeing fleet, and James is a workhorse for us, doubling his efforts by putting together the Foxboro Reporter's sports pages as well as working for the daily.
I'm standing at .727, and of course, the 727 was a revolutionary plane that changed the industry (and I'd like to think that I made a few positive changes here a long time ago). Northeast Air Lines (remember them?) used to call it the "Whisperjet" because it was so quiet, but no one has accused me of being stealthy lately. OK, so the analogy has a few holes in it.
Dale Ransom checks in at .717, and yes, there is a 717 in the Boeing fleet. It's the new regional jet in the fleet, and it's making its mark as a popular short-haul carrier. Airlines rely upon the regional jets to keep things moving from city to city, and we rely upon dale as our editor to keep our copy moving into print.
Finally, Gobis is at .707, and how fitting is that? The 707 was Boeing's breakthrough plane, the jet that revolutionized air travel for all time. Gobis was our first jet, and he's been flying high here since 1972.
Fun with airplanes. That's why I love to blog!
The five members of The Sun Chronicle's sports staff are all one game apart from each other over 99 games, with Danny Crandall in the lead at 74-25 and Peter Gobis bringing up the rear at 70-29. But our averages all correspond with commercial jet aircraft manufactured by the Boeing Corp., and straingly enough, our corresponding planes sort of mirror our performance.
For instance, Danny leads the pack at .747. The 747, of course, was the flagship of Boeing's fleet for many years -- the first true jumbo jet, a leader in the industry, and the plane that still serves today as the platform for Air Force One, our President's conveyance around the world. Danny's our leader in the picks, so he gets the designation of Blue Ribbon One.
James Schneider is next at .737. The 737 is the workhorse of the Boeing fleet, and James is a workhorse for us, doubling his efforts by putting together the Foxboro Reporter's sports pages as well as working for the daily.
I'm standing at .727, and of course, the 727 was a revolutionary plane that changed the industry (and I'd like to think that I made a few positive changes here a long time ago). Northeast Air Lines (remember them?) used to call it the "Whisperjet" because it was so quiet, but no one has accused me of being stealthy lately. OK, so the analogy has a few holes in it.
Dale Ransom checks in at .717, and yes, there is a 717 in the Boeing fleet. It's the new regional jet in the fleet, and it's making its mark as a popular short-haul carrier. Airlines rely upon the regional jets to keep things moving from city to city, and we rely upon dale as our editor to keep our copy moving into print.
Finally, Gobis is at .707, and how fitting is that? The 707 was Boeing's breakthrough plane, the jet that revolutionized air travel for all time. Gobis was our first jet, and he's been flying high here since 1972.
Fun with airplanes. That's why I love to blog!
Audio Blog 30.
The shock of Monday night's loss is beginning to wear off in Foxboro, and Tom Brady and Wes Welker say it's time to fix the mistakes and move on to the Miami Dolphins in the latest Audio Blog -- a little later than usual, but still just as fresh as fresh-squeezed.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Playoff plan to be researched further.
According to a report on the Boston Herald's Web site, the MIAA Board of Directors voted this morning to accept a report by the MIAA Football Ad Hoc Committee suggesting a statewide playoff system, but not to implement the plan. The Board of Directors will now be conducting all further study into the plan.
The Herald report said that the main issues raised by board members revolved around issues of financial impact, both on the various member schools as well as the association; appeal procedures for realignment, and sub-varsity team scheduling.
The plan, spearheaded by Plymouth North High School football coach and athletic director Bill Burkhead, would entrust the scheduling for all high school games in eastern Massachusetts to a "football commissioner" with divisions set up according to enrollment, would eliminate all leagues in high school football, and would begin playoff competition after a seven-week regular season. Teams that do not make the playoffs would be assigned games to fill out their schedules on short notice. Thanksgiving games would not be affected, although the traditional importance of the games would be minimized in the midst of an ongoing playoff schedule, and some schools would be forced to cancel the games if still active in the playoffs.
The goal is to have six high school Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium in which teams from all four regions of the state can participate. The Krafts have come under undeserved criticism for not allowing all of the state's championship games to be played at Gillette -- a goal that would be totally unworkable now, in that the Central and Western title games and two of the eight Eastern games are played elsewhere because a six-game schedule taxes Gillette to its utmost.
No timetable has been set for a final vote upon the plan.
The Herald report said that the main issues raised by board members revolved around issues of financial impact, both on the various member schools as well as the association; appeal procedures for realignment, and sub-varsity team scheduling.
The plan, spearheaded by Plymouth North High School football coach and athletic director Bill Burkhead, would entrust the scheduling for all high school games in eastern Massachusetts to a "football commissioner" with divisions set up according to enrollment, would eliminate all leagues in high school football, and would begin playoff competition after a seven-week regular season. Teams that do not make the playoffs would be assigned games to fill out their schedules on short notice. Thanksgiving games would not be affected, although the traditional importance of the games would be minimized in the midst of an ongoing playoff schedule, and some schools would be forced to cancel the games if still active in the playoffs.
The goal is to have six high school Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium in which teams from all four regions of the state can participate. The Krafts have come under undeserved criticism for not allowing all of the state's championship games to be played at Gillette -- a goal that would be totally unworkable now, in that the Central and Western title games and two of the eight Eastern games are played elsewhere because a six-game schedule taxes Gillette to its utmost.
No timetable has been set for a final vote upon the plan.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Patriots-Saints game notes.
OK, I'm feeling a little better ... but that performance by the Patriots last night didn't do much for my blood pressure.
Here are the predictably brief game notes from the Patriots' media relations staff, which include a few significant milestones -- at the top of that list, Tom Brady becoming the franchise's all-time leading passer.
Now, only if he could play defense, too ...
BRADY PASSES DREW BLEDSOE TO BECOME THE PATRIOTS ALL-TIME PASSING LEADER
Tom Brady passed Drew Bledsoe (29,657) to become New England’s all-time passing leader. Brady entered the Saints game needing 163 yards to pass Bledsoe. He reached the milestone on an 11- yard pass to Sam Aiken in the third quarter. Brady now has 29,732 passing yards.
MARONEY SCORES IN SIXTH STRAIGHT GAME RB
Laurence Maroney scored a touchdown for the sixth straight game when he scored on a four-yard run on a fourth-down play in the first quarter. His six straight games with a touchdown are tied for the second longest streak in New England history. The team record is seven consecutive games by RB Curtis Martin (10/12/96 to 11/24/96). Robert Edwards also scored in six straight games (09/7/98 to 10/19/98).
MARONEY HAS TWO-TD EFFORT TO PUSH 2009 TOTAL TO EIGHT TOUCHDOWNS.
Maroney had his second consuetude game with two rushing touchdowns to push his 2009 season total to eight, a new season-high. The eight rushing touchdowns best the six he had in 2006 and 2007. Maroney now has four two-touchdown games in his career.
WELKER KEEPS IT UP
Wes Welker now has nine straight games with six or more receptions after finishing with seven receptions against New Orleans. The record for most consecutive games with 6+ receptions is 16 by Marvin Harrison from 2002-03. Welker has caught six or more passes in 23 of his last 25 regular-season games.
MATT LIGHT RETURNS TO ACTION
Matt Light returned to the starting lineup after missing the last five games due to an injury.
SAMMY MORRIS RETURNS TO ACTION
Sammy Morris returned to action after missing the last four games due to injury. Morris converted a key fourth-and-one situation early in the first quarter to help set up the Patriots first touchdown.
WELKER CAN RETURN
Wes Welker had a 41-yard punt return in the first quarter. He had a 69-yard return last week against the Jets.
SAM AIKEN SETS CAREER HIGH
Sam Aiken set a career-high with his seven receptions for 90 yards. His previous best high was four receptions and 66 yards receiving.
Here are the predictably brief game notes from the Patriots' media relations staff, which include a few significant milestones -- at the top of that list, Tom Brady becoming the franchise's all-time leading passer.
Now, only if he could play defense, too ...
BRADY PASSES DREW BLEDSOE TO BECOME THE PATRIOTS ALL-TIME PASSING LEADER
Tom Brady passed Drew Bledsoe (29,657) to become New England’s all-time passing leader. Brady entered the Saints game needing 163 yards to pass Bledsoe. He reached the milestone on an 11- yard pass to Sam Aiken in the third quarter. Brady now has 29,732 passing yards.
MARONEY SCORES IN SIXTH STRAIGHT GAME RB
Laurence Maroney scored a touchdown for the sixth straight game when he scored on a four-yard run on a fourth-down play in the first quarter. His six straight games with a touchdown are tied for the second longest streak in New England history. The team record is seven consecutive games by RB Curtis Martin (10/12/96 to 11/24/96). Robert Edwards also scored in six straight games (09/7/98 to 10/19/98).
MARONEY HAS TWO-TD EFFORT TO PUSH 2009 TOTAL TO EIGHT TOUCHDOWNS.
Maroney had his second consuetude game with two rushing touchdowns to push his 2009 season total to eight, a new season-high. The eight rushing touchdowns best the six he had in 2006 and 2007. Maroney now has four two-touchdown games in his career.
WELKER KEEPS IT UP
Wes Welker now has nine straight games with six or more receptions after finishing with seven receptions against New Orleans. The record for most consecutive games with 6+ receptions is 16 by Marvin Harrison from 2002-03. Welker has caught six or more passes in 23 of his last 25 regular-season games.
MATT LIGHT RETURNS TO ACTION
Matt Light returned to the starting lineup after missing the last five games due to an injury.
SAMMY MORRIS RETURNS TO ACTION
Sammy Morris returned to action after missing the last four games due to injury. Morris converted a key fourth-and-one situation early in the first quarter to help set up the Patriots first touchdown.
WELKER CAN RETURN
Wes Welker had a 41-yard punt return in the first quarter. He had a 69-yard return last week against the Jets.
SAM AIKEN SETS CAREER HIGH
Sam Aiken set a career-high with his seven receptions for 90 yards. His previous best high was four receptions and 66 yards receiving.
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