Looking at the Pats Playoff Chances

The world is ending for the Patriots, right? Back-to-back weeks of poor performances, one more week before the playoffs, and a chance at a first round bye seriously in doubt. With tomorrow's match-up against the Dolphins being a potential precursor to their playoff success, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at this team heading into the playoffs.

For starters, I don't believe last week against the Jaguars is any representation of the team heading into the playoffs. Many underestimated the effectiveness of Brandon Spikes, Alfonzo Dennard, and Aqib Talib. Of course, two of those names were not considered at the beginning of the season, which highlights how flimsy the defense is.

What's concerning is the Patriots simply have not shown they have overcome many of the problems which plague them each year in the playoffs, even during Super Bowl runs.

Tom Brady is the catalyst to this team. Say what you want about the improved running game, but against high level defenses, Stevan Ridley is not a reliable option. Ridley struggles against physical fronts with aggressive linebackers, essentially rendering him a non factor against the Bengals, Texans, and Ravens in the playoffs. Despite the improved running game, the success will lie in Danny Woodhead's ability to complement Brady out of the backfield.

Now this may sound crazy, and it may not even get a chance on the field, but I believe Danny Woodhead is the "giant killer" of the three running backs. And by that, I mean you can use Danny Woodhead against teams who pride themselves against stopping the run. Woodhead picked up 15 carries against the Ravens, 47 yards against the Broncos, and 61 yards with two scores against the 49ers. He's not a 25 carry player, but he's someone who get's lost behind his lineman and has the ability to get 3-4 yards a carry to jump start a sputtering offense.

What's worrisome is that the offense still shows general flaws which continue to haunt them against strong teams, and in the playoffs. For whatever reason, Patriots teams in big games still find a way to give up pressure to Tom Brady. In his last 3 games, Brady has been hit more than he had been previously all season. And the one thing Brady cannot handle is pressure in his face. I constantly hear that Brady is "great against 5 man pressures" which is accurate, but most pundits conveniently like to forget that Brady does not like pressure up the middle.

Teams who can generate pressure with 4 men will consistently be Brady's kryptonite, especially those who can do it with defensive tackles. Again, the Bengals are a team to watch in the playoffs. They have one of the best defensive lineman in the game with Geno Atkins, two 10+ sack guys, and are winners of 6 of their last 7. They play physical coverage, and have big wide receivers who will give Patriots CB's problems.

I believe the offensive will falter in the playoffs, it's all a matter of when. It may not be week 1 depending on the matchup, but an "offensive juggernaut" will not be able to function at a high level for an entire playoff.

Because of this, the onus will fall on the defense. A scary thought for many. This is where I believe the Patriots will crash and burn, because I feel the false-confidence in the defense will be short lived against talented offenses. This team still struggles in coverage, does not generate pressure well when asked to just bring 4 men, and recently proven to be surprisingly inconsistent against the run game.

That spells a recipe for disaster.

The only reason the Patriots defense has "won games" this year is because they've won the turnover differential by a wide margin. They are opportunistic, and if you make horrific mistakes, they will make you pay. However, against talented teams, mistakes will be few and far between. Do you believe Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos will be careless with the ball? I don't, and the idea of Manning flinging the pigskin around against the Patriots all Sunday afternoon is downright scary.

I don't think the Patriots will make it to the Super Bowl. In fact, I think they're hoping they don't have to play the Cincinnati Bengals in round 1, which could provide for a similar letdown like the Baltimore Ravens debacle of 2010. New England is on a crash course with the Broncos, which will make for compelling TV. But I don't believe New England is playing efficient, consistent football right now.

Unfortunately, 2012 will end as another year just a bit too short, which neither Tom Brady or Bill Belichick can afford as their careers wind to a close.

Why the Celtics are in Trouble

All Celtics fan know what's going on. They are fully aware of a talented, championship driven team which is severely underachieving. We see three losses to the Bucks, badly blown leads, and an underlying sense of worry grows.

But Celtics fans, for the most part, are doing a fantastic job acting as if they don't care. Outside of the true NBA fanatics, it seems as if Boston's slow start has gone somewhat under the radar. Sure, there are problems, but many fans and pundits seem to take the "relax, it will be fine" approach.

After all, it happened last year. An aging Celtics squad in a lockout shortened season plodded through the first half of the year, only to ignite in the second half and captivate Boston, ending in a wild playoff run. Surely, this team will do it again, right? After all, it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Hopefully, everyone relying on past success will be right, and the Celtics are going through the motions.

But this isn't the same situation.

This year's team, as many know, have new pieces still trying to find their way in this offense. The Celtics, schematically speaking, are not an easy team to join. It takes time offensively and defensively. But through 26 games, the Celtics define mediocrity. They are 13-13, and even worse, show little signs that some of the new pieces, who figure to be crucial role players, are "getting it."

The regular season for Boston is a touchy, somewhat inexact science. As a coach, Doc Rivers' largest responsibility is keeping Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce fresh, limiting their minutes. This puts more of an onus on the role players as well as Rajon Rondo. What's concerning is that players such as Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, and Jeff Green are playing significantly below their ability.

Let's Do Some Math

Jeff Green, in 26 games, plays 22.6 minutes a night off the bench. He's averaging 9.6 points per game, shooting just 42%, and has a Player Efficiency Rating of just 11.92. Even worse, Green fails to execute simple defensive rotations, and generally is a non-factor on the boards.

Jason Terry is playing almost 30 minutes a night. But he's averaging only 9 shots a game, significantly lower than his 13 last year. As a result, Terry is averaging only 11 PPG, and some may say is being used incorrectly in Boston's system.

And Courtney Lee? Lee plays 24 minutes a night, averages just 6.7 points a game, and is shooting just 28% from 3. He is a career 38% shooter. His defensive skills are obvious, but he maddeningly makes mistakes from time to time and doesn't seem to be comfortable in his role in Boston.

What's even more frustrating is that many fans believe the team is having the same problems as last year. The defense will come in due time, and the team will be fine. But the Celtics, at no point last year, were ever this bad defensively or on the glass.

Through 26 games last season, opposing teams were averaging 86 points per game against Boston. Teams shot 41.8%, turned the ball over 13.8 times per game, and were averaging 41 rebounds per game.

Through 26 games this year, the Celtics are allowing 97.9 PPG through the same number of possessions, 94. Teams are shooting 45% and are pulling in 43 rebounds per game. Not a terrible rebounding increase, until you realize the Celtics are the 27th best rebounding team in the league.

And fans can't ask for the offense to carry this team, mainly because the offense has already made improvements over last years team. The Celtics are currently shooting almost 47% from the field, are averaging 7 more points a game than last year, and have an eFG% of .502, which is better than last year's team which FINISHED with a .492. Heck, Paul Pierce is averaging his highest point total since 2006, with 21 a game.

Moving Forward

Now you could crunch numbers for days, but what does it really tell you? From an outsider's point of view, I see a team that simply cannot play championship-level basketball in the areas that count. This is not a strong defensive team. Despite Kevin Garnett's presence, the Celtics still struggle with rotations and allow too many easy baskets. Rebounding wise, the Celtics need to get better, but how?

Right now, the Celtics are predicated on their role players, and the role players are not performing. Brandon Bass, owner of a shiny 43.6% field goal %, is playing so far below his 2011 level it's sickening. If he's not going to score, and he's not a tremendous rebounder, what is his purpose? If Jeff Green can't play better defense, and continues to look timid offensively, why should he continue to get minutes?

The team needs a wake up. Whether that's cutting playing time for unde-rperformers, or finally trading for a center so Garnett can return to his customary power forward position, remains to be seen. Personally? I'm trading Courtney Lee and potentially Brandon Bass as soon as Avery Bradley comes back, in return acquiring a viable center. This paves the way for Jared Sullinger to get more playing time, who sneakily has a decent jumper and can provide more rebounding off the bench.

But let's not act like Avery Bradley is the savior to the defensive woes. His offense is limited, and would surprise me if he can play 30 minutes a night. But the Celtics need tenacity, they need rebounding, and they need someone willing to get into the paint and make things happen. And if that guy isn't Rajon Rondo, then they may need to go out and find someone.

Through 26 games, don't let last year's record fool you. This Celtics team isn't where they need to be. And if they don't turn up the intensity in the next few weeks, Danny Ainge may turn up the heat in the locker room.

Incompetency Reigns Supreme in New York

There are plenty of ways to describe the 2012 for the New York Jets. Disappointing, discombobulated, spotlight-studded, embarrassing, butt-fumble, etc. But the overarching description of the entire franchise from top to bottom throughout the last 2 seasons? Utter incompetence.

The Jets do a lot of things well. They also do a lot of things incredibly poorly, and often use the national spotlight to showcase their most egregious flaws. The focus of this post is to shed light on all the mistakes made this season and last, ranging from their general manager to the lowest player on the depth chart.

However, in order to move forward, we must first move backwards. We must travel back to a time when all was well in the Canyon of Heroes, where the Jets were the kings of the Concrete Jungle, where a brash, arrogant Rex Ryan commandeered a 9-7 bunch to the AFC Championship Game.

The group of players under Rex Ryan were skilled and they were tough. This was the scariest defense in football, ranging from Bart Scott (owner of a 6 year, $48 million contract), 30 year old Kris Jenkins, to rookie Darrelle Revis and newly signed (to a 4 year, $27 million contract) Lito Sheppard. Offensively, the Jets essentially traded their draft for rookie QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez, only a starter for one season at USC, completed 65% of his passes his final year in college, throwing for 34 TD's and 10INT's. The Jets surrounded him with explosive, yet controversial Braylon Edwards, put Thomas Jones in the backfield, and placed a nasty, physical offensive line in front of him.

The blueprint, at least at first, looked destined for success. The Jets reached the AFC Championship game two years in a row. Granted, they could never get over that final hump, but the team in place was successful. Mike Tannenbaum looked like a hero, drafting a young QB who could "manage games", turning back the clock on football with a run first, defensive team.

Now have you picked up on my subtle hints?

Because the first signs of incompetence started during the two-year peak of success in New York. Convinced they had a team ready for greatness, despite never reaching the Super Bowl and never finishing with more than 11 wins.

See, Mike Tannenbaum made poor financial decisions and became complacent as a general manager. As his defense aged, Tannenbaum never made the requisite moves to inject youth into his squad. There was never an attempt to balance young, uptempo players with the wise veterans. Kris Jenkins faded away due to injury, his defensive line aged without much help. Instead, Tannenbaum elected to saddle his team with immovable contracts and cap problems, making a quick rebuild downright impossible.

This is where we find the Jets in 2012. For the most part, the defense is a decently talented bunch that lacks the essential star power to thoroughly carry a team, especially with Darrelle Revis sidelined for most of the year. Offensively, the team is a mess. The Jets haven't added a worthwhile playmaker, instead piecing together a puzzle centered around the ever-regressing Mark Sanchez, who has no business making another start in the National Football League.

This is where the incompetence lies.

How can a team who once had a talented Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery replace that void with the likes of Clyde Gates and Jeremy Kurley, all while pampering the troublesome Santonio Holmes?

How can a team let the likes of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody walk out that door without finding decent replacements?

How can a general manager be so horrendously bad at drafting? Mike Tannenbaum has laid claim to the likes of Vernon Gholston, Vladimir Ducasse, and obviously Mark Sanchez. He's used other high level picks to draft Kyle Wilson, Kenrick Ellis, and potential busts Quinton Coples and Stephen Hill. Hopefully, for Jets fans, the latter two will improve in their second seasons. Heck, the Jets only made 3 total draft picks in 2009! Not mention cutting veteran locker room presence Tony Richardson in favor of John Conner, simply because the head coach liked his nickname.

The incompetence lies within the general manager.

Now lets look at Rex Ryan. Ryan is a great defensive coach, perhaps even the best in the league. But Rex Ryan cannot manage a 53-man roster, cannot help talent grow, and does not know how to manage his quarterback situation.

Handed Tim Tebow in the offseason in a move which flummoxed the entire coaching staff, Rex Ryan has wasted a talented player on his bench on a team in desperate need for talented play makers. Rex Ryan simply refuses to play Tebow, instead, up until this week, loyally hitching his carriage to Mark Sanchez's horses, as his future potentially goes up in flames because of this.

I'm not saying Tim Tebow could start on that team. But to get him 70 offensive snaps over 15 games, on a team with a horrendous quarterback, invisible passing game, and generally flat offense, is downright pathetic. How can a "ground and pound" team, a team built for the run, not find a way to use Tim Tebow's explosive playmaking ability with his legs to their advantage? Is Sexy Rexy so enamored with Mark Sanchez's ability to stare down receivers and throw interceptions in triple coverages that he won't even give Tebow a chance? No, we are left to believe that a 7th round draft pick out of Alabama, Greg McElroy, will somehow save this team and potentially be the answer at quarterback. The same Greg McElroy who Ryan wouldn't even ACTIVATE for the better part of the season.

Ryan has lost control of the locker room and obviously is not on the same page with his front office. This much is evident by the daily "unnamed" source leaking information from both the locker room and the offices of the Jets. Heck, this team has more underlying turmoil than the Boston Red Sox, a task that didn't seem possible just 6 months ago.

To a degree, the incompetence lies with Rex Ryan.

And last, but certainly not least, is the players. I don't think we need to go into much detail about how badly Mark Sanchez has let his organization down. How the defense has gone from the best in the league, to one of the better defenses, and struggles to stop the run. How Bart Scott has declined so quickly, and how Mohammed Wilkerson has been asked to carry the entire defense.

If the Jets truly do want to succeed, they have to put themselves in a position to win. Mark Sanchez is no longer the franchise quarterback, that much is evident. Rex Ryan needs to either learn how to get the most out of his young players, or hire coordinators who can have a bigger role in the coaching staff to do his job for him. They need to fire Mike Tannenbaum, who has been forced to replace talent with scrap heaps because the Jets do not have the money to spend on strong role players. Ironically, they do not have money because of Tannenbaum's ludicrous decision making with previous contracts.

This team has zero direction. The general manager doesn't know how to rebuild, and hasn't put together a team talented enough to win. The coach loves to talk, but hasn't been able to coach his team up these past two years. They still make timely mistakes, and still underperform. It's time for a total overhaul in New York, starting from the top and ending at the very bottom.

Evaluating the Ryan Dempster Signing

Hello all,

I know it's finals week for some which is a stressful time of year. Students spend too much time studying, not enough time sleeping, and generally fit the description of "stressed." Hopefully, you can use this as a reprieve, even if its only 10 minutes.

Somewhat constricted today in the MLB world due to the Josh Hamilton signing was news of Ryan Dempster landing a 2-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. He's scheduled to make $26.5 million over this time, and figures to fit in to the middle of the Red Sox rotation.

Now, I'm an armchair quarterback thick and thin. But even I can sense a bad thing coming a mile away. You ever get that pit in your stomach when the Red Sox make a free agent signing? Usually fans are at least incredibly optimistic until about the second week of April, when they realize that maybe player X isn't all that they cracked him up to be.

Well with Dempster, I don't even have that three-month period of elation. It was just immediate gloom and doom, something I like to call the "John Lackey" experience. Remember when Lackey was signed? Everyone looked around at each other with that "did this really just happen" look on their faces. No one was overly excited, and only the biggest homers could even attempt to convey any kind of excitement over giving Mr. Lackey a 5 year deal.

Unfortunately, things weren't always like this in Boston. There was a time where Theo Epstein was allowed pretty much free reign to sign who he felt was best. Obviously, when you're winning championships, the fan base will give you somewhat of leeway. Now? The Red Sox have taken a liking to dishing out large contracts to underachieving free agents. A trend which I feel will not end with Ryan Dempster.

Luckily, Dempster only received a two year deal. But at 13 million dollars a year, the price tag is high for a starter who at-best will provide #3 type stuff while eating innings. But you know what? In theory, I'm not even upset about the contract. What people don't understand is that the Red Sox have acres of space for cap room, and a two year deal at $13 million will not break the bank.

What bothers me is that the Red Sox chose to allocate this money to Ryan Dempster. Dempster is 36 years old and will enter his 17th season as a big league pitcher. Before the second half of last season, Dempster had never pitched in the American League.

After a brief period in his career between 2005-2007, where Dempster struggled to stay health, he generally has returned to form as a reliable 200+ inning pitcher. He throws a lot of strikes, gets his fair share of strikeouts, and has maintained the description of a "reliable pitcher."

Here's what concerns me. Dempster saw his velocity dip below 90 MPH for the first time last season, averaging 89.7 on his fastball. As a pitcher who pounds the strike zone, he relies almost exclusively on his slider to generate outs as his secondary pitch, throwing it 30% of the time. Now I'm no doctor, but a 36 year old pitcher who has survived on throwing strikes is now moving to the American League East, home of smaller ballparks and tough lineups, and relies on a slider to get outs. The slider, generally known as the most dangerous off speed pitch for elbows, is what allows Dempster to perform at a high level.

I find it difficult to expect Dempster to show up in Boston and maintain an ERA below 4.00 like he has since 2007, especially seeing as upon arrival in the AL West last season, Dempster pitched to the tune of a 5.09 ERA.

Statistically speaking, Dempster looks like a sure-bet to provide stability to the rotation. He throws strikes, he stays healthy, and has statistically shown to be a front of the rotation starter during his time with the Cubs. However, the move to the American League will hurt Dempster, leaving the Red Sox with another aging pitcher who will log somewhat ineffective innings. With both Lackey and Dempster now entrenched in the rotation in Boston, the Red Sox are finally finding their continuity.

Unfortunately, this continuity will not bring success to the 2013 Boston Red Sox.

Oh, yeah, and he's a career 0-4 in 5 games against the Yankees, with a 7.62 ERA.

Deconstructing The Winter Meetings

First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for not getting my thoughts out on the Red Sox winter earlier. School has decided to drop a load of work on me this week, making it difficult to do some writing just for fun. Thankfully, we've cleared that hurdle and it should be smooth sailing up until finals.

Over in New York there's been little news. In Boston, the stove's been turned up to full throttle, with the Red Sox being linked to virtually every possible free agent and trade scenario at the 2012 Winter Meetings. This has brought both plenty of fun and plenty of agony, as commander in chief Ben Cherington has shown a propensity to swing big deals in only his second season at the helm.

So far, Cherington has done some things well (Jonny Gomes, David Ross), made the somewhat obvious move (Mike Napoli), and potentially made a large mistake (Shane Victorino). Lets take a look at each move independently.

Mike Napoli

Napoli is a move I thought had to be made from the beginning of the off-season. He fills a gigantic need, 1B, and provides some thump to a lineup that suddenly looked very weak compared to other American League teams. I like Napoli as a player, if for no other reason than every time he's faced Boston, he's mashed. Napoli is a career .306 hitter in Fenway Park, adding a .710 slugging percentage, a ridiculously high .404 in isolated power, and an OPS north of 1.

He also provides versatility, which I believe is a factor overlooked by many Red Sox fans. One of the big goals of Cherington and co. was to bring in players who provided depth in multiple options. Napoli can play first, catch, and even DH. Jonny Gomes can play both corner outfield positions, and Victorino can slide over to center field without a hitch. This helps combat the injury bug which has plagued the Red Sox each of the last three seasons.

My main concern with Napoli is the money, coupled with how severe of a drop off his stats took last year. Napoli regressed significantly, and was rewarded with a 3 year deal worth $39 million. But in the end, what can you do? The market is so inflated that a right handed bat with power will cost you.

Shane Victorino

As much as I feel the Mike Napoli signing will work out in Boston, I struggle to comprehend the Shane Victorino signing. I understand he's a switch hitter, I understand he's versatile, and I understand he's a strong defensive glove. What I DON'T understand is how a 32 year old outfielder with deteriorating skills can command a 3 year deal, also worth 39 million.

Now I don't know if the rumor that Cody Ross wanted 3 years 25 million is true. For arguments sake, we'll say that's a rough ballpark of a contract Cody Ross would get. Can someone help me understand how Victorino is a better option? Sure, he's a left handed bat. He also hit .229 against right handers last year and is notoriously better facing left handed pitching.

Best case scenario for Victorino is that he uses his ability to hit for power in the gaps and carves out a niche in Boston, securing the bottom half of the lineup. His career averages indicate he's quietly pretty decent at hitting for power, and should still be somewhat of a threat on the base paths.

Worst case? The Red Sox just paid 39 million for a platoon player. By year 2 of this contract, Victorino could easily struggle to start every day in Boston, especially if he shows a lack of plate discipline like he did in Los Angeles at the end of last season.

Jonny Gomes

Unlike the other two signings, I'm fully on board with Jonny Gomes after taking some time to process the signing. Compared to other deals, 2 years at 10 million looks like pocket change for the Boston Red Sox. Gomes is built for Fenway Park, and should be able to hit left handed pitching extremely well in Boston. His power will be a nice addition to the middle of the lineup, and if he sees success, may even end up starting in left field at Fenway.

What This All Means

As a fan, you want to trust your general manager, trust your coaches, believe in your players. One thing the Red Sox did is bring in guys who fans will enjoy rooting for. Gomes and Victorino are extremely hard working, quality clubhouse guys. The types of guys you want on your team, playing every day, and mentoring rookies. Mike Napoli is your classic baseball slugger and fans will love some of his towering shots over the monster.

But is that all the Red Sox did? Build a roster filled with cliche players? At the beginning of the winter, Ben Cherington showed that he hoped to stay away from long-term financial mistakes that burdened Theo Epstein in his final years in Boston.

Instead, Cherington has thrown an abundance of money at players who most likely aren't worth their salaries. Are we supposed to feel good about this as Red Sox fans, since they aren't 6 year deals? After all, now the Red Sox only overpay players for three years instead of 7!

I can't help but shake the feeling that Cherington is doing a great job putting on a "show" for Red Sox Nation. Big contracts, players from winning teams, depth, all of these things are moves that winning teams make. The kinds of moves that solidify your confidence in a competitive baseball team.

Only there's one problem.

The Red Sox aren't a competitive baseball team yet, certainly not until they figure out their pitching dilemma. And the more I look at these moves, the more I see players who will "bridge" the Sox to the next phase of young prospects eager to make their mark on Boston. Is this all a game of charades put on by Red Sox front office?

If it is, they're certainly putting the time,effort, and resources into making us believe it.

Show Me the Money!

Hey all, hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Updates on here have been pretty sparse, returning home combined with an increase in schoolwork will do that. Also, I feel like we're stuck in a lull in terms of Boston sports. The Patriots throttled the Jets, but are one week away from potentially wrapping up a playoff spot. In Week 13. The Red Sox are fairly quiet, the Bruins are, well, we won't discuss them, and the Celtics haven't yet got out of "small sample-size don't take much from this" part of the schedule.

So basically, I wanted to blog about throwback Nelly music.

Well, not exactly, although in theory that would probably be one of the more entertaining things you'd read on here.

What I wanted to touch on was the absurdity, the downright ridiculousness, of contracts in professional baseball. While reading twitter, (shocking I know) I came across a report that said Russell Martin is looking for 4 years and $40 million dollars. What seems like a bizarre request from a player who barely cracks most MLB starting lineups, actually isn't all that bizarre at all.

All throughout baseball, the influx of high-priced middle tiered players is widening. Take Jonny Gomes for example. The newest addition to the Boston Red Sox, Gomes somehow managed to secure not only a multi-year contract (2 years) but also $10 million bucks. 5 million bucks a year, not ridiculous in the grand scheme of things, right?

Well, not so much, seeing as the average MLB salary is $3.31 million and climbing. The NFL, the worlds most popular sport, averaged salaries of roughly $1.9 million in 2011. Yet somehow, someway, Jonny Gomes will get $5 million beans each year. Yet a career .244 hitter, who really shouldn't be facing right handers in the first place, is now paid like an above average player.

It makes you think about the way baseball is set up contractually, and the absurdity that comes along with a professional athlete's contract. Just yesterday, Evan Longoria agreed to a $100 million contract extension, and rumor has it David Wright has his own on the way.

Vernon Wells is 33 years old and hasn't hit above .300 since 2008. He's also owed a whopping $48 million dollars through 2014, and is routinely mentioned among the worst contracts ever handed out in the MLB.

Jayson Werth signed a $127 million dollar contract in 2010. He played in exactly half of Washington's games last year, is a career .267 hitter, and was admittedly overpaid for by his own club. And do I need remind Red Sox fans how out of control spending can decimate the future of your organization?

Maybe I sound like a whiny fan, and I know there's really nothing that can be done about this. But the out of control spending in a cap-less league makes it very difficult to support and relate to the MLB. There is talk of parity, yet small market teams can't even get into bidding on Jonny Gomes without being outbid by a bigger fish in the pond.

One of the greatest draws about the NFL and NBA is the ability to study how teams meticulously build their teams through drafting and free agent spending. The MLB simply does not have that. Throw enough money at someone, and you'll get your guy.

Oh, and remember Russell Martin? He wants $40 million dollars. Martin also hasn't hit above .250 since 2008, saw his power numbers drop significantly before playing in the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium, and now sits right around the league average in runners caught stealing. Would you feel comfortable paying for that?

But for now I'll sit back, ruefully watch, and wish I had somehow possessed enough baseball talent to get beyond the 8th grade. Oh, and add in more music. We all love music.

Life Without Gronk

It's every Patriots fan's worst nightmare, seeing the big, lovable goon that is Rob Gronkowski walking off the field with a limp left forearm.

As many of you know, Gronkowski broke his left forearm blocking the Patriots final Point After Attempt. To add salt to the wound, former Patriot Sergio Brown delivered the blow. Now we could play the hindsight game and discuss why Gronkowski is out blocking in a 30 point game, but then we'd have to play that game for every football injury ever known to man.

Instead, Patriots fans will have to eventually learn how to cope without Gronk roaming the middle of the field, acting as Tom Brady's best receiver. With a short week, as the Patriots play the Jets on Thanksgiving, things will change fairly quickly.

What's Being Left Behind

However, you cannot move forward without first assessing what you've left behind. In New England's case, the Patriots will be leaving behind a core concept of their offense. With both Gronkowski and Hernandez out, the Patriots lose the ability to confuse linebackers and safeties by playing a Hi-Lo game.

In common speak, the Patriots send Gronk on a deeper route over the middle, and send Hernandez on a shorter route. You can't cover both, so teams are often forced to choose. In the off chance a defense does manage to blanket both Hernandez and Gronkowski with a two linebackers or safeties, it opens up Wes Welker underneath in one on one coverage, or Brandon Lloyd on the sidelines. This is a staple of the Patriots offense not only because it schematically works, but it forces defenses to choose one player, creating impressive mismatches.

Take a look at next weeks opponents, the Jets. This offseason, they openly proclaimed that the signings of Laron Landry and Yeremiah Bell, two physical safeties, were to offset the Patriots' usage of the two tight ends. They believed that a bigger safety could match up on Gronkowski or Hernandez. Of course, we didn't see much improvement in their first meeting this season.

Without Gronk, the Patriots lose their best all around player, as well as their best blocking tight end. No one will replace Gronk, they will have to work around his absence.

Moving Forward

The Patriots will leave a huge chunk of their offense in Gillette, with Rob Gronkowski. I jokingly tweeted last night that now Josh McDaniels would have to time warp back to 2007, picking up Wes Welker and using Brandon Lloyd as his Randy Moss.

While the Patriots obviously can't change their offense in four days, the theory at least has some merit. Without Gronkowski, and I'm assuming we will not see Hernandez this week, the Patriots now have one kinda-sorta receiving tight end on the roster, Visanthe Shiancoe. Behind him? Daniel Fells and the Hoo-Man, neither of which strike fear into the hearts of opponents.

The Patriots are now just another good offense. They still have Wes Welker, they still have Brandon Lloyd, and Julian Edelman will come to the forefront as another playmaker. McDaniels will have to revert back to many of his three-WR plays, a staple of the offense in 2007. Luckily, the same players are in place, so they will have other ways to gameplan effectively.

What New England did not have in 2007 that McDaniels now has at his disposal is a run game. As the weather gets colder and the calendars turn towards playoff football, it's imperative the Patriots increase their use of the run game if they want to remain successful. Whether that be Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, or Danny Woodhead remains to be seen. But the Patriots will need to utilize their running backs in both the traditional run game and the screen game.

Upcoming Schedule

In terms of this week, I think the Patriots will have their hands full with the New York Jets. At home, on Thanksgiving, with their backs against the wall, the Jets normally play these games very tight. No Gronk, no Hernandez, and potentially no Logan Mankins means this game will fall squarely on the shoulders of Tom Brady.

Moving forward, I think the Patriots will survive without Gronkowski. They won't replace him, but as we've seen with this team, when one man falls, someone else steps up in a big way. Team doctors anticipate Gronkowski to return by the playoffs.

So buckle in, Patriots fans. We may not be seeing any thunderous spikes any time soon, but the Patriots offense will not spontaneously combust before our eyes without 87 lining up at tight end. They'll just have to reinvent themselves yet again.

The Rotten Apple

For all the bravado and all the coverage, the New York Jets have made a funny little habit of not living up to their self-imposed expectations.

This year, head coach Rex Ryan graciously refused to predict a Super Bowl win, sparing us the misery of ESPN talking heads analyzing the legitimacy of his claims. However, the confidence still permeated from Jets camp, and expectations were at an all time high following the acquisition of Tim Tebow.

But much like last years 8-8 letdown, the Jets are off to a poor start. Losers of three straight and five of their last six, New York stands at 3-6, helplessly fading from the AFC's playoff picture.

Just a short time ago, the boisterous Rex Ryan took the NFL by storm, leading a ferocious defense which backed up his confident predictions. Now? Ryan continues to say what he's said for the last four years. But the cliche states a picture says a thousand words. Looking at Ryan, the picture paints a man lost, defeated, and losing control of the situation.

Mark Sanchez

With the murmur of cries for Rex Ryan's job growing every day, Ryan may have very well committed career-suicide by staking himself to starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Jets are currently ranked 27th in the league in passing offense. After a bye, the Jets spent two weeks preparing for a strong Seattle defense. The outcome? 7 measly points in a game that was never as close as the score would insinuate.

Is it time for the Jets to move on from Mark Sanchez?

Sanchez is in his fourth year and was drafted to be the franchise quarterback. By year four, the idea is that Sanchez should have made progressions, maturing as a decision maker and shouldering more of the load in the offensive attack.

Instead, Sanchez continues to make first-year mistakes as a fourth-year veteran. He's yet to complete more than 56% of his passes in a year, and has thrown exactly 60 interceptions in roughly 3 1/2 years.

As of now, Sanchez ranks dead last in completion percentage at 52%. He ranks 25th in passing yards, 22nd in touchdowns, and has thrown the 10th most interceptions this year with 9. Last year? Sanchez was 5th highest in INT's with 18, ranked 28th in completion percentage, and ranked 23rd in passer rating.

Jets fans, he's going the wrong way.

If New York is serious about contending for a championship in the coming years, changes will have to be made at quarterback. You cannot seriously contend for a title with a bottom-tier QB. While Rex Ryan and Woody Johnson may believe they can replicate Ryan's Trent Dilfer-led Ravens, it won't happen in today's NFL. Mark Sanchez is best described as a below-average starting quarterback, yet he now can't rely on a top 5 defense to carry him.

Rex Ryan

We touched on Ryan earlier, but questions remain. With rumors that Ryan has lost the locker room and the production regressing every season, it's fair to ask how much longer Ryan has in New York. A defensive wizard, Ryan's defense is 30th in the league at stopping the run. They've allowed 58 points in the last two weeks to rookie quarterbacks, and no longer strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses.

I personally believe Ryan is an exceptional defensive coordinator. But in his time in New York, he's never cultivated a successful offense or hired the correct coaches to do so. His strengths are now turning to weaknesses, and his shtick runs dry when wins aren't produced.

Mike Tannenbaum 

"Mr. T", as fans affectionately refer to Tannenbaum as, has somehow slipped under national radar. While all of the blame has been placed on Ryan and Sanchez, Tannenbaum has hidden in the shadows.

While the Jets will continue to fail because they've put their eggs into the Mark Sanchez basket, the talent has severely regressed within the last three seasons. Ryan is now asked to direct an NFL leading defense without stalwarts like Kris Jenkins. Talent continues to age without suitable replacements, and the Jets have horrendous depth.

The same could be said offensively. To Sanchez's credit, he isn't exactly working with a Pro Bowl cast. The Jets could use upgrades across the board, as their running back Shonn Greene can't break tackles, their receivers are downright pitiful behind Santonio Holmes, and their one playmaker Dustin Keller fails to remain healthy.

Whereas other teams have talent to replace injuries, the Jets use injuries as an excuse to validate yet another disappointing season. Look at Tannenbaum for reasons why there is little depth behind star players.

Simply put, the way the Jets are built is not successful. The organization will need major overhaul. Now where that starts remains to be seen. If it was me? I'd give this regime one more chance, starting with a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator. Mark Sanchez is what he is, and the waiting game must end. If the Jets want to compete before serious talent overhauls are needed on both sides of the ball, they will need to find a franchise quarterback either through the draft or via free agency.

While there is still time to salvage the season, don't plan on it. These are not your 2009 Jets, and this is not your 2009 Rex Ryan. The Jets may still bark, but they don't bite.

Evaluating the Red Sox: Infielders

The Boston Red Sox have a myriad of problems to attend too. Top to bottom, this is an organization in need of change, an organization in need of a new direction.

There is perhaps no better place to start the reconstruction of your Beantown 9 than with the starting infield. For evaluation purposes, I've chosen to include catchers as apart of the infield, and David Ortiz goes without saying.

It's bizarre to think that heading into the 2013 season, the Red Sox return only Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Just a year ago, Adrian Gonzalez was set to bolster the middle of the order and Mike Aviles finally gave Boston a sense of stability at the shortstop position.

Now? Well, there's work to be done.

The Incumbents

As of now, the Red Sox seem fairly set at the catching position. However, is being "set" good enough? Jarrod Saltalamacchia, otherwise known as "The Perm", is one of the more frustrating players on this team. He's possessed with great ability, 25 homers as a catcher and a SLG% of .454. But he's also extremely frustrating, as he hit just .222 last season, struck out an amazing 31% of his at-bats, and graded out as a below-replacement level fielder.

Behind him? Questions. Ryan Lavarnway, for now, is penciled in as the backup. This is a scary thought considering 2012 was 166 at-bats of pure misery for the soon-to-be 26 year old "prospect." Who is Lavarnway? Is he the catcher who hit .157 in the majors last year, striking out 24.7% of the time and accumulating a horrendous .459 OPS? Or is he the ever-improving defensive catcher who happened to hit .295 in each of his last two AAA seasons?

UPDATE: Just getting word that the Sox have signed David Ross to a 2 year, $6.2 million dollar deal. His role will be "more than a backup but not a starter." If you remember, Ross briefly played with the Red Sox in 2008. He's backed up Brian McCann in Atlanta, and is considered one of the better offensive catchers in the league.

First base is nonexistent as of now, with Mauro Gomez potentially providing a backup right handed bat off the bench.

Obviously, Dustin Pedroia returns at second base. Pedroia provided another strong season in 2012, hitting .290 with a .797 OPS. Pedroia finished the second half of the year much stronger than he started, due in part to his recovery from a nagging finger injury. Expect him to produce similar numbers in 2013.

Shortstop provides yet another issue for the Sox. After trading Mike Aviles as compensation for manager John Farrell, the team is left with only Jose Iglesias. Iglesias is a mysterious player. As strong as he is with his glove, (which is really damn strong) Iglesias is weak with his bat.  Can the Red Sox really trust a player to play every day after he hit just .118 in 77 at-bats in 2012?

Will Middlebrooks provided one of the few bright spots for the current roster. Assuming he fully recovers from a nasty wrist injury, Middlebrooks is primed to take the next step as a major league hitter. The talent is there (.288avg, 15 homers) but Middlebrooks must learn to be more patient at the plate and become a more professional hitter.

Improving the Infield

If Ben Cherington truly believes he can improve this team enough in one off-season to contend in 2013, changes will need to be made. The team has no first basemen, essentially gives up an out every time the shortstop steps up to the plate. and creates a black hole due to the lack of contact hitters.

Moving forward, I will provide options and scenarios which I believe will likely happen. I will also provide sleeper, more far-fetched, scenarios. After all, who doesn't like playing GM for a day?

Free Agent First Basemen

I've seen many names linked to the Red Sox, which is natural due to the high-profile nature of the team. Among those names, I first want to focus on first basemen. I've seen everything from Mike Napoli to Lance Berkman, with Adam LaRoche, Nick Swisher, and even Kevin Youkilis in between.

Of that list, I believe the best option is Mike Napoli. Napoli will not command the years/salary of Swisher, isn't 33 years old like LaRoche, and is similar to Cody Ross in the sense that he's a perfect fit for Fenway Park. Frankly, I'm sick of seeing Mike Napoli stroll on into Fenway Park and annihilate Red Sox pitching as well.

Unfortunately, Napoli is not a long-term solution. He's a streaky hitter who will hit his share of homers, strike out a lot, and has the ability to catch fire. He's also capable of catching and playing first base. Ideally, Napoli signs a 2 year deal and bolsters the middle of the order while they search for a long-term fit.

Oh, and by the way, Kevin Youkilis isn't coming back. Stop with that. And unless Nick Swisher changes his attitude and takes a paycut, I don't want him either.

The Iglesias Conundrum 

The other focus area? Shortstop.

Call me a hater, call me a non-believer, but I'm not on team Jose Iglesias. Can he bridge the position until star prospect Xander Bogaerts is ready? Probably. But is a .200 hitter worth the defense? I guess the argument comes down to what Ben Cherington surrounds Iglesias with. If 1-8 in the order can return the Red Sox to a dominant offensive team, I can learn to deal with a AAA bat at the end of the lineup.

But guess what. As of now, the Red Sox are nowhere near in a position to accommodate Iglesias' inability to hit the ball in the air.

Unfortunately, the only viable free agent at shortstop is Stephen Drew, brother of J.D Drew. Unless the Red Sox want to kick the tires on Alex Gonzalez for the 374th time or re-sign Marco Scutaro (who isn't a viable shortstop anymore, despite what talk radio tells you), they're left with Drew,

Drew is a career .265 hitter coming off a down year. When healthy, he has the ability to hit 10-15 homers a year and put up an OPS around .800. This is a superior upgrade over current production. Drew is 30 years old, injury prone, and looking for a multi-year deal. One figure I saw was 3 years 30 million, a tall order for someone who can't stay on the field. Is it worth it with Bogaerts waiting in the wings?

Lets Get Creative

For the sake of argument, lets say the Red Sox can't land a target in free agency. Perhaps the trade market is where they will make their splash.

The Red Sox are not in a position to be handing out prospects left and right for star players. But I also believe there may be second-tier deals to be made, and I think there are a few possible deals to be made.

We've spent time talking about former Angel Mike Napoli. Well, why don't we focus more on current Angel Kendrys Morales. Morales has struggled to stay healthy, but could be serviceable as a 1B/OF option, if Boston is willing to overlook his defensive deficiencies.

Morales, in theory, could offer 20-25 homers and a marginal middle of the order bat without commanding top-level prospects.

Another interesting trade option is Asdrubal Cabrera of the Cleveland Indians. Cabrera is a career .280 hitter, hit 16 homers a year ago, and strikes out roughly 16% of the time. The drawback? He's a subpar fielder. But hey, Jose Iglesias late-inning substitution anybody?

How I see it Playing Out

If I was to jump in a time warp and fast forward to April of 2013, I would expect the infield to look something like this.

C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross, Ryan Lavarnway
1B: Mike Napoli, Mauro Gomez
2B: Dustin Pedroia, Pedro Ciriaco
SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Iglesias.
3B: Will Middlebrooks.
DH: David Ortiz
There's also the options of Ivan DeJesus and Danny Valencia as fillers, and I don't think we've heard the end of Nick Swisher to Boston rumors. Hopefully, for everyones sake, that does not happen.

The Faceless Red Sox

Yes, it is November. Yes, the Celtics season just started and the Patriots are coming off a bye, looking to generate momentum as they push towards another playoff run. And yes, I will spend the next week or so focusing on the Red Sox.

It's always baseball season in Boston.

And despite last years catastrophe of a season and a playoff drought of sorts, (three whole seasons!) the 2013 baseball season brings great hope to Red Sox nation. Well, kind of great hope. Maybe some hope. Hope?

One of the strangest things about the Red Sox is that now more than ever, this a team fans simply have a difficult time identifying with. For the first time in at least 10 years, the majority of this team is a question mark. It does not have a strength to fall back on, a leader to guide them, or an energized fan base.

From a business perspective, the team also does not have as many reasons for fans to come out to the ballpark. Outside of the incumbents, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, fans have a hard time finding that player to get behind. Jon Lester? Coming off his worst season in the major leagues, Lester not only has to win fans over by his game, but he has to continue to distance himself from the chicken and beer fiasco that was the 2011 season.

Behind Lester, the only other Red Sox pitcher you'd enjoy recognizing on the street (sorry John Lackey) is Clay Buchholz. Unfortunately, I don't think the reserved Clay Buchholz excites people. Fans used to Shipping up to Boston and the quirky bullpen band are now subject to watching Andrew Bailey attempt to close out games and Junichi Tazawa in the 8th inning, hardly a back-end duo fans can relate too.

For as much as the Red Sox lack in the pitching department, they also lack faces on the field. There isn't a Kevin Millar walking through that door to Cowboy up the clubhouse. There's no Nomar Garciappara or Kevin Youkilis to win over the hearts of Red Sox nation. Heck, I'd even take Manny Ramirez taking another inopportune leak behind the Green Monster over the boring bunch in place now.

As of now, if asked,  could you even pick Jose Iglesias out of a crowd? The team doesn't have corner outfielders at the moment, (BRING BACK CODY ROSS. JUST DO IT.) they don't have a first basemen, and their lineup is the weakest it's been in years. Heck, Pedro Ciriaco is the closest thing to a fan favorite on this team as of now. Pedro Ciriaco. Seriously.

Many of you will ask about Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Sure, fans love them. They're about the only guys left on this team fans CAN love. For all the minor flaws that have revealed themselves about both players in the last two seasons, you cannot ignore Pedroia's daily effort on the field or Big Papi's endearment to Red Sox Nation through clutch heroics.

But here's the thing. Bostonians love grit, they love the underdog, and most of all, they love winners. This team as a whole is not a winning ballclub, which makes David Ortiz's clutch heroics non-existent and devalues Dustin Pedroia's willingness to play hard for a team destined for 90 wins.

Moving forward, words cannot do this off-season justice. This is an absolutely pivotal off-season for Boston not only because they simply cannot afford to repeat another 90 win season, but this team needs an identity. And you know what, it probably won't be found in 2013. You're asking a lot out of Ben Cherington to turn a 90+ loss team into an 85-90 win team with one off-season and an open payroll.

I actually saw today than an unnamed GM considered the Red Sox contenders in 2013. I think that's surprising, but I wouldn't rule it out. Because of that, over the next few installment of Mark's Thoughts (I need a better name), I'll focus on what I believe the Red Sox should do to improve this team for 2013 and beyond. I'll focus on each position group for each post, and would enjoy any opposing opinions.

After all, who doesn't like pretending they're the GM?

Dear Hockey

Hello, Hockey.

Listen, I know we haven't always had the best relationship. I know I never played hockey as a child, and I know I still can't skate backwards. I know we didn't always get along when the Bruins were a bottom-feeder in the East, and I know that I still don't actually own a Bruins jersey.  (They're expensive, I'm a broke college student, what do you want from me?) I also remember when our relationship briefly went through a rough patch in 2004-2005.

But recently I feel like we've been on better terms. I celebrated a championship you know, even went to a Stanley Cup Finals game. I routinely watched Versus/NBC Sports Network/Whatever channel they decide on for this month last year, as hockey has never been more exciting. But now you've been taken away from me again.

To be honest, hockey, I miss you.

I miss turning on the TV at night and being able to watch both the Celtics and Bruins. I miss having a valid excuse to not start whatever assignment I've procrastinated until roughly 10:00. Heck, I STILL miss Kathryn Tappen, no offense Dale Arnold.

I miss Brad Marchand short-handed goals and shouting Nose Face Killah at no one in particular.

I miss Shawn Thornton angrily skating around looking for his next fight as if a hockey game is a Saturday night bar-crawl in South Boston.

I'm not quite sure if I'm suppose to miss Tim Thomas or not.

I miss ESPN going out of their way to devote as small amount of time as possible to hockey coverage, instead shoving Tim Tebow and fantasy football analysts down our throat.

I miss hearing the Bruins goal horn and being excited. Now I hear it every third-down in Gillette Stadium. WARNING: Disappointment is imminent.

I miss Jack Edwards shamelessly screaming at Canadien's players and his overall bias towards Boston.

I miss laughing at Daniel Paille's inability to finish breakaway goals, watching Johnny Boychuk take slapshots. I miss calling out David Krejci because he's the resident scapegoat, even though he's a damn good player.

I miss Milan Lucic's crooked nose.

I miss hockey rivalries, no matter where the game takes place. I miss having a season to look forward too, and I miss yelling Tuuuuuukkkkaaaa.

I miss, wait a minute, no I definitely do NOT miss the Vancouver Canucks.

I want to experience going into a Bruins game as a college student, seeing as I have such easy accessibility to the Garden.

What saddens me the most is that this is a salvageable situation, hockey. How dare you threaten your fan base with the Winter Classic? This is one of the most loyal fan bases in sports. And despite hockey enthusiasts willingness to stay hibernated, not allowing new fans in and disgracing basketball fans, I miss you guys too.

Listen, I'm not a lawyer. I'm not going to pretend to tell you all about the CBA and what either side should demand. I do know the players felt disrespected, they felt like they gave the owners a good piece of the pie last time, and I know they want some respect for single-handedly growing the game in a way it hasn't grown before.

I also know the players had a deal from the owners which they most likely should have taken. But somewhere along the way, rumors, pride, ego, whatever it may be, got in the way.

So now hockey continues into the month of November permanently on hold. As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, we'll look to hockey even more. Sadly, it's not there, and may not be there for a long time.

Do you see what you've done with this lockout, hockey? I'm writing a love letter to a sport. Thanks for nothing, Gary Bettman.

Love,

 Mark.

The Mysterious Rajon Rondo

Last night didn't exactly go as planned now did it?

The first game of a long NBA season against the villains. Revenge against Ray Allen. Showing off a new and improved Celtics team to the rest of the league as an intimidation factor. It was truly the perfect combination of events to spoil a Miami Heat ring ceremony.

Only the Celtics left their defense somewhere in between Boston and Miami, and we all know that an aging Celtics roster isn't beating the Heat in a track meet.

Perhaps the only player in Boston who could keep up with the blisteringly fast Miami Heat is Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo needs no introduction to Boston fans.  2012 is supposed to be Rajon Rondo's coming out party. For years, Rondo has always operated within the shadow of an aging Big 3, the kid brother to the three seasoned veterans. Only now its becoming increasingly apparent the team runs through Rajon.

In what might be my first "oh my god I'm getting old" moment, Rajon Rondo is no longer a youngster. He's a 6 year pro, an NBA champion, a three-time All Star. Somewhere between James Posey and Darko Milicic, Rondo transformed from an exasperatingly stubborn role player to the next face of the Boston Celtics.

Rondo is a man of many talents, but also a man of many faces and many moods. What's plagued Rondo is not his body of work on the court. On pace to break John Stockton's 28 game double-digit assist record, Rondo is one of the best point guards in the league. What comes with the territory of greatness is that Rondo is under an excruciatingly wide microscope. When Rondo takes the court, we see the breathtaking greatness, but we also see the inexcusable and inexplicable mistakes. We see a player who fights through gruesome injuries and a player who can sulk, mentally removing himself from the game.

Rajon Rondo entered this year on a high-note. A preseason article by Jackie Macmullan featured Rondo in a light not many have seen before. Quietly, word spread that Rondo overhauled his jump shooting and possessed a shooting consistency he's never had in his professional career. Expectations were high for the newest star in Boston.

But last night was a microcosm of all that is Rajon Rondo.

There was brilliance. Rondo slashed his way to the rim on numerous occasions, dropped 13 assists, chipped in 20 points, even tallied 7 rebounds. Statistically speaking, Rondo did his part. He shot 9 of 14, despite missing both three-pointer attempts and going just 2-4 on free throws. When Rondo got out on the fastbreak, he often made things happen.

But there was also frustrating mistakes. Rondo turned the ball over 4 times, was a -11 in terms of +/-, and frankly didn't play elite defense on Mario Chalmers. But what doesn't show up on the stat sheet is Rondo's demeanor. For most of the game, Rondo had a quizzical, sometimes sulky, look on his face. At one point, Paul Pierce even had to remind Rondo to stop thinking and just play, noting he was taking himself out of the game.

And with under a minute left, the game already well out of reach, Rondo for lack of a better term, pulled a Rondo. A vicious flagrant foul on Dwyane Wade pathetically signaled the end of the game for the Celtics. Already down in the scoreboard, Rondo, the "next face of the franchise," took a swipe at the head of one of the NBA's biggest names out of pure frustration, yet again losing control of his emotions. Was the foul egregious? Maybe not. But Rondo was probably better off fouling Dwyane Wade to send a message when the game was hanging in the balance, not while the Heat were essentially running off the clock.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Rondo was already given one technical for arguing with an official. Remember last year? Suspended for a playoff game after making contact with an official following a bad call, Rondo put the Celtics in a tough position.

As Celtics fans, we keep waiting for Rondo to turn that final corner. We keep waiting for Rondo to shake off mistakes and to display the characteristics of a leader that he reportedly possesses.  I don't dispute reports that he is a much improved leader within the locker room. Rondo truly does care, he just has a bizarre way of showing it. There are times when Rondo most certainly needs to maintain his emotions at the expense of the team.

Unfortunately, I don't believe Rondo will ever change. Believe me, he will frustrate you and I again. He will make a bonehead decision, he will go through stretches of play where he looks as if he borrowed an invisibility cloak from Hogwarts.

But the beauty of Rajon Rondo is that for every low, there is an equal high. There will be times when Rondo "puts the team on his back." There will be plays where our jaws will drop in amazement. Rondo is the most talented player on this basketball team, and he also may be the toughest. Lets not forget that Rondo may be the toughest SOB in Boston, fighting through even the most grotesque injuries.

Rondo is 26 years old, and has proven that his only consistency is that he's hellbent on not changing. As fans, we can continue to hope he becomes the prototypical leader that we see strewn across sports. Or, we can accept Rondo for what he is. Mercurial, yet passionate. Often in a bad mood, yet always capable of greatness. This team goes no further than Rajon Rondo. Rondo may be the most misunderstood athlete in Boston, but he also needs to become the most appreciated. He's a cutthroat competitor, a true team player. He's also moody and doesn't particularly enjoy allowing those from the outside take a look at his personal life. Now I've heard these descriptions before in Boston...

Larry Legend anybody?

Is Bill Belichick to Blame for Defensive Struggles?

Yesterday we focused on the inconsistencies of the Patriots offense. And although the consensus is that there's a feeling of doubt following the offense's fourth quarter struggles, there's no denying they are a top 5 offense in the league week to week. Unfortunately, when looking at the Patriots defense, this minuscule sense of panic turns into full fledged uproar.

Let's come right out and say it. This Patriots defense is bad. I mean, really bad.

Statistically speaking, it could be worse. New England is 23rd in the league in yards per game, averaging 376 yards per performance. Jerod Mayo leads the league in tackles. So, uh, yeah. From there, the story gets worse. New England ranks 29th in passing yards allowed, allowing 290 yards a game. Thankfully they only allow 86 yards a game in the run department, good for 9th in the league.

Unfortunately, these statistics are on par with prior seasons. For the last 3 years, New England's defense has consistently rolled out the doormat for below-average to average quarterbacks, turning them into the second coming of Terry Bradshaw. Realistically, the only reason the Patriots aren't dead last in all categories is because the offense possesses the ball for long periods of time.

So what is the reason for the struggle?

Most Patriots fans won't want to hear what I believe the answer is. The answer lies within Bill Belichick. Long regarded as a defensive guru, Belichick has failed to produce a competent defense which can carry the offense at points throughout the season.

Some writers around the region have pointed to Belichick's draft-day failures as a reason the defense is so porous, but I don't quite see it. This defense has talent across the board. Devin McCourty has the physical tools to be successful, and had a great rookie season. Jerod Mayo consistently contends with the league leaders in tackles, and Brandon Spikes is one of the best run stopping linebackers in the league. The Patriots drafted two rookies in Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower who clearly display they have the requisite talent to compete in the NFL. Throw in Vince Wilfork and the emerging Kyle Love, and this team has positional talent.

So why can't they play as a unit?

Simply put, I don't believe the scheme in place allows this team to be successful. Time to delve into the X's and O's for a minute.

When you look at the Patriots defense, they keep things extremely basic. Rarely do you see pressure brought from a blitzing linebacker or safety, and before the snap there isn't much movement. What this means is that the opposing quarterback can read the defense at the line of scrimmage, make his own adjustments based on what is thrown at him, and not have to worry about a disguise from New England. One of the staples of Bill Belichick's defenses during the "Super Bowl Era" was their ability to confuse quarterbacks. There is perhaps no bigger example than Belichick's dominance over Peyton Manning earlier in his career.

Now? The Patriots generally stay in a basic cover-2. Rarely does Belichick allow his cornerbacks to play man to man defense. The linebackers almost always drop deeper into coverage, opening up the flats for running backs and tight ends on release-routes. The idea behind this approach is to make the opposing offense earn it, keeping the ball in front of the defense. This is why the Patriots are much stronger in the red zone, because they have less ground to cover and can come up and play tighter defense.

I'm not sure if many of you noticed, but there were times that Belichick's safeties lined up outside your television picture against the Jets this past weekend. Sometimes Tavon Wilson was as far as 25 yards away from the line of scrimmage. Trying to find New England's safeties in coverage has been similar to playing the NFL version of Where's Waldo? On the snap, the safeties rarely came up to the ball, opening up the middle of the field.

The result? While we didn't see many 50 yard pass plays like in Seattle, we saw Mark Sanchez of all people completing 20 yard strikes over the middle. Belichick's defense essentially asks linebackers such as Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes to turn into coverage linebackers on pass plays. Not exactly an endearing title for two guys who are much stronger against the run.

My opinion is that this defensive mentality is setting the Patriots up for failure. If the team doesn't bring more than 4 or 5 rushers each pass play, they're essentially asking Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich to single-handedly disrupt the quarterback on every play. There is zero aggressiveness from the defense, zero identity. After all, the whole design of the defense is to take away the big play. The only problem is that New England leads the league in 20 yard pass plays allowed, at 38. 38. In 7 games. It's not working.

Unfortunately, with the defense playing with the schemes and mentalities they are taught, the secondary is set up for failure. It doesn't help that you often ask Patrick Chung to turn into a coverage safety to help out the corners. If you haven't noticed, Patrick Chung gets lost in coverage all the time. In fact, it's more surprising when Chung actually shows up on time for a play.

Moving forward, I believe the ideal set-up is Devin McCourty and Stephen Gregory at safety once he returns from injury, with Alfonzo Dennard and some combination of Kyle Arrington and Ras-I Dowling on the outside. This team is not talented enough to sit back and wait for quarterbacks to throw anymore. If the Patriots want to stop opposing offenses, they'll need to make a decision. Do we get more creative up front? Or do we simply play Russian Roulette on every play, hoping that the quarterback doesn't find one of three to four open receivers.

Time to regain your title as a defensive guru, Bill.

Dissecting the Patriots Offense

As I mentioned last week, the Patriots are in a bit of an identity crisis. And while the problem is two-fold, I've chosen to focus first on the offense. The bread and butter of the New England Patriots is their offensive attack. This is no secret, as New England has survived solely due to their offensive prowess for the better part of the last 5 seasons.

But 2012 has presented fans and critics alike with new firepower. For the first time in what seems like ages, the Patriots don't really know what they are.

Are the Patriots still a prolific passing team? Tom Brady is maintaining stats on-par with his usual performances, but the crispness expected in the offensive performance has eluded the grasp of both Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels, who we'll get to in a bit.

Or are the Patriots better off running the football? Stevan Ridley is 7th in the league with 589 yards, averaging 4.4 yards a carry, and has the most first downs of any running back in the league. The Patriots are the 5th best rushing team in the league, and 3rd in the league in passing.

On the surface, there doesn't seem to be much of a problem. Most fans wouldn't mind a top-5 offense. But in New England, where defensive players come to die, the offense needs to be exceptional at all times. Perhaps that is why the failures have been placed under such a microscope. Due to the defensive ineptitude, New England can't afford miscues on offense.

I also believe that there's been a lot of pressure placed on Tom Brady. Pressure is all relative, but Brady has shown cracks in an armor which used to shake off pressure packed situations as if they were a walk in the park. Look no further than the Patriots 4th quarter production in their last 3 games. New England has scored just 6 points opposed to the 34 their opponents have put up.

It leads me to believe that proclamations of the Patriots demise are far too premature. For the most part, New England's offense has done its part. Double digit leads heading into the 4th quarters of the past two games show an ability to get out in front of opposing defenses.

But what's startling is the focus of the passing offense has shifted dramatically. If 2011 was the year of the tight end, 2012 is the year of Tom Brady's receivers. Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd lead the team in targets. However, whereas Welker has his usual 54 receptions on 74 targets, getting the ball to Brandon Lloyd has proven to be a significant struggle.

Lloyd has caught just 35 of the 65 passes thrown to him resulting in a 53% completion rate. This is the worst completion rate to any receiver on the team with more than 15 targets. Now let that sink in. The receiver who is the 2nd highest targeted receiver on your roster just so happens to be the most difficult to complete passes to. And while Lloyd does play on the outside, it highlights a bad habit that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels needs to kick.

Stop forcing the issue.

Lloyd is a microcosm of the bigger problems in New England. McDaniels knows he has a special offense in New England. They run the best hurry up offense in the league and may have the best collection of offensive playmakers in the league. But so far in 2012, McDaniels has attempted to force the ball to Lloyd when the offense could easily go in other directions.

McDaniels also leaves a lot to be desired in terms of 4th quarter game management. To me at least, the Patriots are giving up downs. So many times do we see a first down run followed by the hurry up offense, only to run a stretch run into a stacked line of scrimmage for a yard or two. This creates a 3rd and long situation, which has never been the strong suit. Or Brady will begin to find his rhythm moving the ball on intermediate routes, only to throw two sideline comebacks and then a go-route down the field on another 3rd and long.

When, or maybe if, the Patriots can get back to playing sound offensive football, they'll be in much better shape. Enough with the gimmicky hurry-up to try and out-will your opponent. Not only does this not work against top-10 defenses, but its a style of play which simply isn't consistent in highly contested games. I think the struggles of New England in recent playoff games is enough to prove that.

To answer earlier questions, the Patriots are not a running football team. They're also not a team which operates to the sidelines and down the field. Wes Welker is the best slot receiver on the field, and Brady has two dynamic tight ends to work the middle of the field with. Is Brandon Lloyd a commodity outside the numbers? Yes. But he should be used as just that, a complementary piece to an offense which already knows their strength. Is Stevan Ridley a talented running back? Yes. But not when he's running against fronts that know the run is coming. The Patriots are good enough at running the ball to use it as a change of pace, but nothing more than that.

New England can be a dominant team again. Getting back to what works is a good start, and let the rest follow. They've developed a deep threat in Lloyd and a run game to use in certain situations, which will help out down the road. But that's not what the Patriots are. And it's time to stop acting like it.

It's OK to Get Involved

It's roughly 10:00 on a Sunday night following a Patriots victory over the Jets. So naturally, you would most likely assume that I have far too many words to write lamenting on the pitiful Patriots secondary and inability to win fourth quarters. But instead, I have something else on my mind tonight. After all, I have all week to talk about the Patriots, or better yet, avoid talking about the Patriots.

Instead, I wanted to turn my attention to something that has absolutely nothing to do with sports. Tomorrow night, the third and final Presidential Debate will air live from Lynn University in Florida. For those who follow me on twitter, you are probably aware that I've attempted to offer commentary on the debates, although I try to keep it somewhat lighthearted. If you don't follow me on twitter, you might want to visit @Mark_Chiarelli. After all, I love shameless self-promotion.

Now I'm not someone who will ever try to impose my political views on someone else. I'm an 18 year old freshman at college who's worked two retail jobs and lived a fairly easy life in a Massachusetts suburb. It's not exactly fair for a kid who has extremely limited real-world experience to preach his "beliefs" to others. After all, I've got plenty to learn and plenty time to do that.

One of the beauties of social media is the ability to share opinions and thoughts in a matter of seconds. When  another teenager attempts to impose their political beliefs on others via Facebook or Twitter, I usually laugh it off. But I've also noticed a troubling trend among many people close to the same age as me within the past two weeks. For as many tweets offering an opinion on the debate or the Presidential Election, there's an opposing tweet criticizing kids for offering opinions. So many times I've seen a tweet complaining of political tweets from other students or kids complaining that they simply don't care.

Now I may be missing something, but am I the only person who sees a problem with this?

I understand that it's not enjoyable for others to tell you who to vote for, or arrogantly talk about issues as if they have all the answers in the world. But what's the harm in back and forth debate? Why is there such an issue if you want to offer opinion on what's taking place on your television screen?

For those who feel as if you're somehow going to convince others to stop talking about politics because "you don't want to see it," you're simply out of luck. Trying to restrict the opinions on policies and subject matter which effect our daily life is an immature, narrow viewpoint on "politics." In my opinion, the more discussion, the better. The more kids who try to get involved and educated on the policies offered in this selection the better, because one day these issues will influence us all equally.

Listen, I'm not saying that kids across the globe need to hibernate in a world encyclopedia for the next 24 hours to discuss the election. And maybe I'm totally wrong on this viewpoint, and I need to just stick to tweeting too much for my own good. But if you want to complain about seeing "tweets about politics on your timeline" instead of passive aggressive subtweeting and song lyrics, I'll proverbially show you the door. It's time more people take a proactive look at real life topics, because in four years, especially for college freshman, this could make or break your life moving forward.

Unfortunately, tomorrow night will roll around and we'll all probably see the same tweets from the same offenders. And that's OK, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however narrow-minded it may be. But if you think you can escape something that affects the entire country, the entire world, by simply telling other people to stop tweeting, you're out of your mind.

The John Farrell Debate

Bobby Valentine, thankfully, has come and gone in Boston. He only lasted a year, which just so happened to be the worst year of Red Sox baseball in my short time on this planet. In his wake, Valentine has left yet another opening at the helm of the Boston Red Sox, the 2nd in as many off-seasons.

Now the idea is that Ben Cherington will have more authority over the managerial hiring process, hopefully finding a manager more suited to the daily needs of the players. The natural candidate to replace Valentine is former pitching coach John Farrell. Farrell, the current Toronto Blue Jays manager, has a strong relationship with Red Sox executives and is touted as the apparent savior to a woefully horrendous Red Sox pitching staff.

Since the season "gracefully" came to an end, reports have circulated around the Red Sox attempting to negotiate compensation for Farrell with the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays have shown resistance, as Farrell is under contract. Most fans who I've spoken to on the issue easily anoint Farrell as the favorite to replace Valentine. The simple connection does indeed exist. Farrell is well respected, knowledgeable on the pitching staff, and capable of handling the Boston media. In other words, he's the anti-Bobby Valentine.

But is Farrell really the best fit in Boston? While on the surface the answer is an easy yes, I simply don't have the same faith in Farrell many others do. In his two seasons in Toronto, the Blue Jays have gone 154-170. Now, being the Blue Jays, this doesn't seem particularly outrageous. But this is a team with considerably more talent than in years past, and has been primed to make that next step since they fired Cito Gaston in 2010.

Instead, the Blue Jays have failed to make the steady strides that division rivals Tampa Bay and Baltimore have, prompting a return to the doorsteps of the cellar of the A.L East. Farrell's most notable strength is his ability to handle and work with pitching staffs. But during Farrell's short tenure in Toronto, Blue Jays pitchers have seen an increase in ERA, up to 4.64 last season.

What's even more concerning is that Blue Jays ace and young pitching star, Ricky Romero, had a Jon Lester-esque 2012 season. Romero completely melted in Toronto, posting a 5.77 ERA in 181 innings, with a WHIP of 1.674. An All-Star just a year ago who pitched to a 2.92 ERA, Romero could not turn around his struggles under Farrell's watchful eye.

You also don't have to remind Red Sox fans of the daily headache which presents itself within the Boston clubhouse. While some of the noise has been traded away, egos remain. Is Farrell the man to manage these egos? We can talk about the respect he warrants from executives, but Farrell did not garner full support in Toronto. Yunel Escobar blatantly painted homophobic slurs on his eyeblack, an event which Farrell did not notice until after the fact. Farrell also had small, but meaningful disagreements with respected veteran Omar Vizquel.

What worries me is the tunnel vision when it comes to Farrell's candidacy. As we read reports of the Red Sox exhausting all options to negotiate compensation with the Blue Jays, I wonder if more focus shouldn't be placed on other potential candidates? Two in particular, Brad Ausmus and Demarlo Hale, deeply intrigue me.

Former catchers turned managers are littered throughout the MLB. Look no further than the 2012 playoffs. All four managers remaining are former catchers, with Mike Matheny having no prior experience and Joe Girardi managing a single year in Florida before landing in New York. Jason Varitek is considered a manager in waiting, and other former catchers include Mike Scioscia and Joe Maddon. Ausmus is a well respected baseball mind who knows how to manage a clubhouse on a daily level, and could offer knowledge on both the pitching staff and how to call a game, one area that Jarrod Saltalamacchia is weak. (OK, he's weak in most areas. Except his hair, the man has nice hair.)

Demarlo Hale should garner attention due to his connection to Terry Francona. While Tito ended on sour terms, there's no denying the success he endured and the experiences which rubbed off on his coaching staff. Hale was the third base coach in Baltimore, and is one of the leaders in the MLB in terms of player respect. Hale also has extensive minor league managing experience, and is perhaps the most qualified for the job.

However, I'm just a blogger with too much time and too many thoughts. It seems as if the Red Sox are intent on trying to make John Farrell work, much to the dismay of some. Simply put, why try to chase what you cannot have when the answer may have already interviewed at Fenway Park, in Ausmus or Hale?

Yankees Fans For Hire

The game of baseball is always changing. Big market teams go through flux, small market teams occasionally make runs at the big guys. But baseball is also a game which relies on history and tradition. The pitcher is still 60' 6 inches away, the pitcher still tries to outsmart the batter, etc etc.

When it comes to October, I can think of no stronger tradition than the New York Yankees and winning. Actually, I really don't even have to think for myself. Ask any Yankee fan about their October prowess and you're sure to get a response along the lines of, "Da Yankees awh da best team in basebawl in Octobah, 27 championships!" (give or take)

Which makes the sudden disappearance of the Evil Empire's fan-base even more perplexing. Winners of the American League East and owners of one of the most prolific offenses in baseball, the Yankees should have been primed for postseason success. And while I know during the regular season, some of the white-collars season ticket holders couldn't always make it to their seats on-time. Ok, well, ever. But this is the post-season, this is where the Yankees season begins. Fans expect regular season success, and faithfully pull for the Yankees in October.

So what's the problem? Or better yet, where are you guys?

New York fans love to tell you how much better they are than the rest of the sports fans. Part of this perceived arrogance is what makes New York such a difficult place to play. But heckling bleacher creatures and "Who's your Daddy" chants of the past are now replaced with, well, nothing. Fans simply aren't showing up for games. And I don't mean a lack of noise. There are legions and legions of empty seats at Yankee Stadium, a troubling sign for anyone who supports the pinstripes.

And believe me, I've seen the excuses. Blame the play all you want, but the Yankees struggled to fill seats in a game 5, do or die scenario. Seats sold for as little as $20 on Stub Hub. In other words, for the price of roughly four Subway sandwiches, you could have watched playoff baseball in one of the greatest baseball cities in the country.

So is New York losing its baseball touch? Since 2009, the last year of the Old Yankee Stadium, the Yankees have struggled to fill seats and generate much buzz inside a lifeless replica. While things may look the same, they clearly are not.

My question essentially is where are the Yankees fans? How can fans of a franchise so proud and a fan base so overwhelmingly loud conduct themselves so embarrassingly in a promising postseason? Fans all across the country are selling out ballparks. San Francisco fans, who are operating up to three hours ahead of time due to national scheduling, have created one of baseball's most electric atmospheres. Baltimore, which was once more commonly known to Red Sox fans as Fenway South, provided a picturesque setting for playoff baseball.

But in the Bronx, Yankees fans are content to stay away from Yankee Stadium. And I'm sure the tickets are too expensive and the play on the field is too poor. But something tells me the deafening silence is creating even more pressure for aging stars such as Alex Rodriguez.

It's your move, Yankees fans. Granted, baseball may not even return to the Bronx. But if New York does potentially host one more ALCS game, will the old ghosts of Yankee past present themselves? Or will these ghosts be replaced with silent navy blue plastic and fans who won't even stand up for the final outs of the late innings. We get it Yankee fans, this team doesn't deserve you in the seats. Everyone slumps.

But something tells me that we may not be seeing vintage Yankee crowds for a long time.

Who Are These Guys?

As the rain fades to darkness in Seattle, Patriots fans across the country are left to pick up the pieces following yet another 4th quarter debacle. Naturally, the underwhelming start to the 2012 season has raised many more questions than answers.

But what we do know is that the Patriots stand at a very pedestrian 3-3. Going into today, they were statistically stronger in the running game than the passing game. Their three losses have been by a combined four points, which is a relatively encouraging sign until you look deeper into how these losses have occurred.

The 2012 New England Patriots are facing a full-blown identity crisis.

As fans of the Patriots, we want to believe Bill Belichick has a plan. We want to believe that Tom Brady simply had an off game, and that "Tom Terrific" will still be there when it counts in the 4th quarter. But it's becoming increasingly apparent that the Patriots are just as confused in late-game situations as we are watching them.

In their second loss of the season against the Ravens, New England led by 9 points as late as the 4th quarter.  Today, they led by 13 points. They also took a lead into the 4th quarter of last year's Super Bowl, which I'm sure you all remember. 4th quarter collapses are becoming an all too apparent trend in New England.

Today's loss was a microcosm of New England's season. For long stretches, there was brilliance. The Patriots flew out of the gate, doing their best to quiet the renowned Seattle crowd. But it seemed like the second half was altogether different story. For whatever reason, New England looked completely out of sorts. While some people will look to the defense coming up short, I firmly believe the loss was at the hands of both Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels.

Look no further than the horrendous flow of offense in the 2nd half of today's game. For what seems like the first time in years, Brady led back to back drives in the 3rd quarter which ended in interceptions. The first, a terrible read on a deep ball to Deion Branch (I know, seriously) left a Richard Sherman-led Seahawks defense re-energized.

We could spend hours dissecting individual plays from today's game, but I'd rather let Belichick and co. do that on Tuesday. What I'd rather focus on is one possession in particular, late in the 4th quarter.

The Patriots, coming off a strong defensive showing which forced an immediate Seattle three-and-out, took control with 3:02 left. By now, Brady and co. were sufficiently rattled, with their high-octane offensive approach coming to a grinding halt. But as great teams are often forced to do, the bread and butter of the New England Patriots was asked to close out a game in enemy territory. Seattle had three timeouts and the two minute warning, forcing New England to chew up yardage and run out the clock.

Instead, New England called two straight stretch plays against a run-heavy Seattle front seven, allowing the top rated run defense in the league to make two quick stops. A poorly thrown ball from Tom Brady to a well-covered Deion Branch on third down resulted in a punt, and New England gave the ball back. 14 seconds later, Seattle had the ball back.

These kind of head scratching play call selections coupled with poor executions have popped up during far too many stretches this season. When asked to close out games, great teams do so in their first try. So far in 2012, New England has failed almost every test. Baltimore and now Seattle have resulted in devastating losses while New England also struggled to close out Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Is the season over because the Patriots are a .500 team 6 games in to a long season? Of course not. Should we be concerned that they have successfully made inferior quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Kevin Kolb look like first-ballot hall of famers? Certainly.

As of tonight, there are glaring problems in New England which extend far beyond a struggling secondary and an injury plagued offense. With the hated New York Jets coming to Foxboro and concerns growing, it's finally time for the Patriots to exude some mental toughness. If you want to be considered an elite NFL team, you have to play like it.

Unfortunately, New England is playing like a team that's scared. A team that operates like a machine during the early stages of a game, but cowers in fear when the crowd noise grows and the pressure rises. This is a stigma which has surrounded the Patriots for the last few seasons, and unless both the coaches and players show more awareness late in games, it will continue to grow.

Any questions or comments? Feel free to leave them here or tweet them to me at twitter.com/Mark_Chiarelli