Athletes shouldn't be our role models

In the wake of the recent Tiger Woods apology, I thought I would give my two cents. Originally I was going to comment solely on the speech itself, but that has been done 3,000 different ways already. I think we can all agree that Tiger Woods isn't the person we thought he was, and that he will never truly recover from this scandal. Sure, the sponsors will come back and people will love him again, but this will be a cloud over him for the rest of his life. It's a sad state of affairs, but he has no one to blame but himself.

There seem to be two main camps people are a part of. One group thinks Tiger's personal life is none of our business and he shouldn't feel the need to apologize. After all it's not like he broke any law. The other camp think Tiger is a fraud and thinks his personal life is absolutely our business. I tend to lean toward this group because the personal lives of public figures are open to being scrutinized in this day and age. Plus, I can't defend or say nice things about a person who cheated on his wife. Just don't get married Tiger.

So, what does all this have to do with the title of the post? Well, the biggest reason this is such a big story is because of a huge problem in the world. That problem being that we look at athletes and movie stars as our role models rather than people we actually know. It's kind of sad isn't it? A lot of people in this country come from bad backgrounds where they don't have anyone else to look up but famous people they read about and watch on T.V. We treat these athletes like they are our own family, but in reality we know nothing about them. Tiger Woods shouldn't be anyone's role models besides his own kids. Its fine to look up to him and want to have what he achieved, but don't act like he is the person you want to be because you don't know him.

My dad is my role model and always will be. Even if a red headed NBA player that likes 2pac, Phil Collins, and kayaking comes along, my Dad will always be my role model. You know why? He's always been there for me and I can trust him. I love Larry Bird to death, but he wasn't helping me with my homework when I was a kid or going camping with me. Role models should be people you know and that have been there for you through your good and bad times. Sure, your mom and dad don't have millions of fans paying to watch their profession every night, but that shouldn't matter.

There's a big difference between admiring someone and someone being your role model. I admire Tiger for his incredible talent on the golf course, but I think it's sad that people who have never even met the guy lose sleep over this whole incident. I really hope those people can build actual real relationships with people so they can have something more tangible to consider a role model. Thanks for reading everyone!

Peyton Manning isn't that clutch

Watching the Colts lose is almost as satisfying as watching the Patriots win.  Needless to say I was ecstatic with the Saints 31-17 victory  in the Super Bowl last night.   Going into the game everyone was talking about Manning being the greatest QB ever, and maybe at the end of his career he will be.  However, he definitely isn't the most clutch and his playoff record is pedestrian at best.  Manning has a career playoff record of 9-9 and has repeatedly lost games where the Colts were the favorite.  His only Super Bowl win was against a team led by Rex Grossman. Even that year they had to come back from 18 points down to beat a Patriots team whose best receiver was David Givens. 

The Colts are turning into the Atlanta Braves of the NFL. Year after year they win their division and come into the playoffs as favorites.  But at the end of the day they can't finish.  This is America where we value championships above all else.  Hell, we consider Joe Namath one of the greats and his numbers were average at best. By the way, he could be the most overrated player of all time.  Anyway, when Manning threw that interception to basically seal the game last night, I was the happiest guy in the room.  I thought to to myself how thankful I was not to have to listen to two weeks of Manning coverage. The fact that he refused to shake hands at the end makes it even better.  See, the Patriots aren't the only ones who are bad sports!

Enough talk about Peyton Manning though. Let's talk about one of the best stories in the history of sports; The New Orleans Saints.  Remember this team was as good as gone after Katrina. But Paul Tagliabue insisted the Saints stay in New Orleans.  The Saints had been the Clippers of the NFL for so long and were more or less a joke.  Then Drew Brees gets signed as a free agent and the rest is history.  By the way, that has to be the greatest free agent signing in sports history.  Not only has he put up huge numbers and won a Super Bowl, but also been instrumental in getting the city of New Orleans back on its feet.  I don't know anyone who doesn't like Drew Brees. The guy just seems like a genuinely nice person and he's also an incredibly gifted quarterback.  I hope the Saints continue to do well in the coming years.

Sean Payton has to be given a lot of credit as well.  The onside kick call to begin the second half was the play that changed the whole complexion of the game.  What other coach makes that call in the NFL? Certainly not Jim Caldwell, who I'm still convinced is some kind of robot.  That call reminded me of how Belichick used to be back when he was at the top of his game(sigh).  If the play doesn't work out the Colts probably win the Super Bowl.  But you know what, if they just kicked it off regularly the Colts probably would've won as well. Never underestimate the importance of momentum in sports.

Well, football is over now and it's bittersweet.  The Saints beating the Colts was pretty much the best thing that could happen  with the Patriots being elimintated.  The fact that it happened in that fashion makes me down right giddy.  On the other hand, football is over and my Sunday's wont be the same.  Thankfully I'm a huge NBA fan, but there's something about football season that puts an extra hop in my step.  Congrats to the Saints and to the city of New Orleans!.

The Super Bowl that could've been

Even though the Patriots aren't in the Super Bowl this year, I'm still very excited.  The two best teams all year are playing in the final game and that is how it should be. I've said all year that if the Pats didn't win I'd want the Saints. Hopefully they can pull out a victory in Miami.  It's safe to say I'm very relieved the Vikings decided to fumble away(literally) the game yesterday.  Now I don't have to avoid SportsCenter for two weeks.

As great as this match up should be it could've been better if both teams were undefeated.  I think it's probably for the best each team lost because the pressure of an undefeated season can wear on you.  But just think of what kind of excitement there would've been if both teams came into that game with no blemishes on their record.

The games itself were up and down yesterday.   Even with the Jets up 17-6 I kind of knew the Colts had that game in hand. As much as I dislike them, they had a hell of a post season run and should be a great rival to the Patriots next year. Peyton Manning is an incredible quarterback. As much as I hate to admit it, he's the best we've ever seen and though I will be rooting hard against him in the Super Bowl it would be hard to bet against a team led by him.

The other game was just plain weird.  Both teams kept trying to give the game away whether it was the Saints with penalties or the Vikings with fumbles.  The Saints had a chance to recover two of those fumbles but the Vikings were able to recover.  Adrian Peterson is going to have a hard time sleeping for awhile.  Without his fumbles the Vikings probably win that game.

As great as Brett Favre has been in his career he's not very clutch.  The last two NFC title games he has lost for his teams with dumb interceptions.  You never throw the ball across the field especially in that situation.  Plus, the fact that he could've scrambled for about 10 yards instead.  I think all the hits he took during the game really influenced the decision.  As much as I've hated on Favre this year for being a sellout I kind of felt bad for the guy afterward.  He's been remarkable in his durability and is very entertaining player to watch.

All in all very satisfied with this match up.  I don't see how any person who isn't a Colts fan would not be cheering for the Saints in this one. This city deserves a champion and what a moment it would be if they were able to win.  I think it will be a close game throughout but in the end destiny prevails and the Saints win.  It's silly to bet against Peyton Manning but I'm going to do it.  Let's go New Orleans!

What in the Jets?

Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Mark Sanchez. Wait, Mark Sanchez? Yes, somehow the Jets  are in the AFC title game and I'm still trying to piece together how this happened.  I thought this was the only game that would be a blowout all week. As it turns out, the other 3 games, which I thought could go either way, weren't even close.  I guess in retrospect it makes sense. 

The Jets matched up very well with the Chargers, as the Chargers can't run and the Jets have the best pass defense in the league.  Still, I thought Mark Sanchez would find a way to blow it, yet it was the Chargers that choked.  I don't know how their kicker is going to recover from that. Also, LT needs to retire, like right now.  He never runs for more than a 2 yard gain and it is just sad to watch one of the best running backs ever be so plain average.

The Jets win sets up a lose-lose scenario for any Boston fan. Colts-Jets is as bad as it gets, so I guess I'll just root for a tie(just kidding.) Thankfully the Saints are still in it. Everyone who doesn't have a team left in the field should be cheering for New Orleans. The city needs something positive to happen and that team is very likeable across the board.

I loved the Cowboys getting crushed yesterday but I wish it wasn't to such a sellout like Brett Favre.  Anyone who has ever loved a team shouldn't respect a selfish person like Favre no matter how good he is. I'm hoping the Saints blow them out of the water next week in New Orleans.

All in all I guess it could be worse.  With the Cowboys losing, it makes the nightmare of all scenarios, a Cowboys-Colts Super Bowl(which I would not watch) impossible.  The Jets getting to the AFC Title game makes the Patriots loss seem even worse.  There is no way Belichick lets that Jets team beat them in the playoffs. Oh well, I guess maybe the Jets fans deserve something good to come their way.  Hope everyone had a great weekend and go Saints!

Patriots fans deserve an apology

Yesterday's Patriots loss to the Ravens was embarrassing and unacceptable. Give the Ravens credit for playing a pretty solid game, but the Patriots simply did not show up. It's not the loss that makes me mad, because without Welker the Pats weren't going to win it all anyway. Rather, it is the fact the Patriots were so unprepared and out coached. I've defended Belichick over and over again this year, but I can't this time. I am finally at the point where I think he might have lost his touch. While I still think he's a good coach, he's no genius anymore.

Randy Moss is the laziest player in the NFL. Seriously, for all the great he did in 2007 we don't need players like him on this franchise. I can't remember the last time I saw a player put in so little effort in a game this big. He could be catching 3 touchdowns a game, but chooses when he wants to play. If he had half the heart of Welker he’d be unstoppable. Instead he just jogs around disinterested for most of the game. At this point, I say get rid of him. During our Super Bowl run we had Troy Brown and other role players as receivers and beat teams with our defense and coaching. I don't care if the Patriots don't win as many games. It makes me sick watching a player as talented as Moss play like such a coward.

This "is the Patriots dynasty over" story the media is conjuring up is crap. What is the definition of a dynasty anyway? The Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl since 2004 so if your definition of dynasty is winning titles then they haven't been one for a long time. The NFL is a fickle league, and just because the Patriots played one terrible game doesn't mean the franchise is done. People put way too much stock in one game and don't look at the body of work. Please also remember Brady just came back from knee surgery this year and had about 3 broken ribs for most of the season.

All in all it was a pretty terrible way to end what was an up and down type of season. The Patriots lacked heart and were unprepared; two things I never thought I'd ever say about a Bill Belichick coached team. All I can say now is, go Celtics.

NFL Playoff Preview

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is behind us and it's time for playoff football. Three of the four first round Wild Card match ups will feature rematches from Week 17 games, and the fourth will be a rematch from earlier in the season. I was excited for a possible Patriots run until the news of Wes Welker's season ending injury.

First off, Welker should be a legitimate MVP candidate. He had 123 catches this season, even while missing almost 3 full games. He was by far the MVP of the Patriots, and is one of the toughest players in football. For those people out there saying Belichick was stupid to play his starters, I will say this. It's very easy to say things like that after the fact. But the truth is this was a freak accident and could've happened the first play of the playoffs too. I'd rather have a coach that takes risks and wants to win every game, than someone like Jim Caldwell whose team might as well have not shown up yesterday.

Let's not complain Boston fans because we've still had it pretty damn good the last decade. Even though there have been some really crappy injuries (Brady and now Welker), the fact that we have been consistently a top tier team during the post-free agency NFL is pretty remarkable. Plus, even if the Pats lose, at least we get to root against the Colts, Cowboys, and whoever is playing Brett Favre.

Though the Patriots are going to need a miracle to win the Super Bowl this year, I still think they can beat the Ravens. While they've lost Welker, they have all their running backs back and I'm not sold on the Ravens being that good. The Jets lucked out that they got to play the Bengals to get in the playoffs, and then get to play them again in the first round. The Bengals look to be by far the weakest team in the playoffs, and I expect the Jets to win an incredibly boring and ugly game.

The Dallas-Philly match up is intriguing and could be the best match up of the weekend. Dallas hasn't won a playoff game in 14 years. Let me say that again, Dallas hasn't won one single playoff game for 14 years. I would love if that streak reached 15 Saturday night, but sadly I think this could be Dallas's year to get to a NFC title game. I think Dallas wins a close one 24-20.

In the final game of the weekend I see Green Bay winning an exciting game against Arizona. My reason for this is simply because I have no idea what Arizona team will show up on any given week. Arizona could win the Super Bowl or lose to a JV high school team, you really just never know.

My Super Bowl prediction is Chargers-Saints, though to say I lack confidence in this pick would be the understatement of the decade. My only hope is that it isn't Dallas-Indianapolis. I seriously would not watch the Super Bowl if that happened.

In any case, the football playoffs are bittersweet to me. Though I love watching the games, it also sadly signals the end of football season, and means it's a few months closer to Baseball season. I guess we should all enjoy this last month as much as we can. Thanks for reading everyone!

Dream Decade for a Boston Sports Fan

Ten years ago today if you had told me that Boston would be the most successful sports city in America going into 2010 I would have laughed. Then I probably would have gotten a little angry at such a cruel joke.  However, after 6 titles in the 4 major sports this decade, that is the reality.  We Boston fans love seeing the glass half empty, but we really need to recognize this past decade for what it was; the greatest decade for Boston sports ever.

Let's start off with Boston's favorite team the Red Soxxxxx. No fan base(besides maybe the Cubs) was more tortured than Red Sox nation up until 2004.  I was attending Umass at the time, and was amazed how serious and loyal people from New England were about the Red Sox.  You really need to be around it to comprehend the level of passion they have for their team.  When the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees in the greatest come back in sports history, mass hysteria ensued around New England.  Sure, they had one more series to go, but nothing was stopping that train.  With another title two years later, the Red Sox were no longer the loveable underdogs, but a team expected to win a title every year.

Now on to the dynasty of the decade.  Say what you want about the Lakers or Spurs in the NBA, but everyone knows football is by far the hardest sport to build a dynasty.  Yet, the 2000's(what are we calling that decade anyway?) Patriots were just that.  Three Super Bowl wins in four appearances and a near perfect season made the Patriots the model franchise in the NFL.  Sure, a lot of the haters will remember them for Spygate and 18-1, but what the Patriots accomplished in that decade could never have been predicted.  Say what you want about Brady, but for a 6th round pick I don't think he's done half bad for himself.  As for that unfortunate Super Bowl game against the Giants, I'm still in denial about that one.  Patriots win that game 8 out of 10 but just got outplayed that day.  Anyway, whether you love or hate the Pats, the past decade put them in the national spotlight, which could not be said for any decades before.

Now on to my favorite sports team, the Boston Celtics.  Sure, until the 2007-2008 season the Celtics were mired in mediocrity.  However, the 2008 title victory over the hated Lakers was worth it.  The Celtics were the 3rd wheel in Boston with the success of the Red Sox and Patriots.  But on July 31,2007 that all changed. The addition of Kevin Garnett brought back Celtic Pride and that whole season was a magical ride.  My whole life I had heard about the great Celtics teams of the past, but had never witnessed more than a Conference Finals trip from my beloved team.  Winning a title that year was worth all the years of frustration. The fact that we beat the Lakers made it even more sweet.  That Celtics title was worth more to me than all the other Boston sports championships combined.

All in all I was ridiculously spoiled this past decade in terms of sports success. Along with the 6 titles my Boston teams won, my favorite college basketball team, the UNC Tarheels, won 2 titles and were in most people's minds the college basketball team of the decade.  People need to cherish their teams success. Too often we think our teams will always be good, but sports is cyclical.  The next decade my teams might be terrible but that will never erase the great decade that was the 2000's.

Happy New Year Everyone!