Not Everyone Can Win the Super Bowl

G now knows how the Patriots feel.  And the Vikings and the Buffalo Bills, too.  Anyone can MAKE the Super Bowl, but not everyone can win the Super Bowl once they get there.

It all started back in the end of July.  I had just got done doing double duty coaching little league and summer baseball for C and G.  I was also an assistant for DLG's Tee Ball team (Mom was going to coach that team, thank you very much).  I had coached G last year as a 2nd Grader in football, but only in an assistant's capacity.  Because of that "experience," I was named head coach of the 3rd Grade team this year the last week of July.  My first thought was that we needed to improve on our 0-7 campaign last year.  Well my first thought was actually how I was going to pull this off while busy at work.  My second thought, was improving our record.

What followed was three weeks of intensive coaching and league requirements.  I felt like I was on a job interview when I first met the League President on a warm summer afternoon at the field.  I grabbed the roster and the equipment bag and started doing some game and practice planning in my head as he was explaining the dos and don't of coaching in this league (Had my reputation from baseball proceeded me?).  That job interview turned into a full time job, I soon found out.

And as the days turned into weeks leading into our first game, I had a feeling that we were going to be pretty good.  Maybe even a playoff team.  We had a good QB, a good running back and a lot of aggressive kids who wanted to play defense.  G was our starting Right Tight End, and for those of you who know youth football, that's the position that the kid who can catch a pass plays.  And G can really catch a pass.  And while 87 was unavailable (Gronkowski's number is popular in our league), he was just as psyched to get 83, Wes Welker's number.

Not even an uneven performance in our first game could deter my confidence.  That game turned out to be the only game we lost in the regular season, going 6-1-1 over our 8 game schedule.  We ended up winning the coin toss to be the 1st seed and went into the playoffs as the 1st place team. 

In our first playoff game, we played probably our best game, beating a tough East Bridgewater team 26-0.  But did we peak too early?  The week before the Super Bowl was met by a Nor'easter, practices in gyms rather than our normal field, a pasta dinner the night before the game and a police escort for our team bus the afternoon of the game.

I think we probably did peak a little early.  We looked flat during the pregame warm ups.  Even our pregame speeches fell on somewhat deaf ears.  But our kids found a way to stay in the game.  After scoring a touch down in our first series, we could not get anything else going as we went into the half tied at 6.  When our opponent came out and scored a quick touch down to start the second half, I knew that we were going to be facing a tough up hill battle.  The team ended up losing the Super Bowl 12-6.  The kids made a valiant effort, we just ran out of time.

So now off season planning has begun.  Off season work outs will be instituted.  I want to do some weight training as well, but that just sounds psychotic.  I won't go that far.

Until my kids get into the 5th Grade, that is.

Wes Welker and I Both Share a Giant Nightmare

We were driving around earlier tonight when I asked C if he blamed Tom Brady for last night's Super Bowl loss against the New York Giants.

"No, I don't blame him.  I blame stupid Wes Welker.  He should have caught that ball!"  He was dead serious.

So one of the most valuable players on the Patriots, who couldn't catch a pass that was thrown about two yards behind him with 4 minutes left was the sole reason for the Patriots to choke away another Super Bowl against the New York Giants?  It had nothing to do with Tom Brady foolishly throwing the ball away on the Patriots first offensive play for a safety?  It wasn't a defense that couldn't force a Giants punt when it counted most?  And I suppose the Giants played pretty well, but my loser's lament will never really admit that.

But was it really Welker's fault?  In that sequence, BenJarvis Green-Ellis was absolutely stuffed on First Down, losing a yard.  Welker's miss was on Second Down.  On Third Down, Branch seemed to have also whiffed on a Brady pass that would have ensured a first down.  But let's just say that Welker catches that ball.  There is 4 minutes left, the Patriots have the ball on the 25 yard line with a 2 point lead.  I see the Patriots turning on the conservatism, centering the ball within the hashmarks and kicking a field goal to make it 20-15.  I think the outcome is the same - just a much more powerful and lasting loss.

And on the ensuing Giants' possession, Mario Manningham caught a beautifully thrown ball from Manning for a 38 yard gain that seemingly dealt the Patriots a death blow.  I even remarked during the game that I didn't know how Manning made that pass since he was entirely throwing off of his back foot.  After that, Manning connected with Manningham again for 18 yards and Nicks for 14 yards to bring the ball comfortably within field goal range.  Again, I ask...was it really Welker's fault?

Ultimately, yes.  If Welker catches that ball, the Patriots go up by 5 with less than two minutes left.  The Giants have no timeouts left and if there is one thing that the Patriots were good at all year - it was the one turnover at the end of the game to save the game.  It would have been a tough catch, but Welker's made tougher catches and it's tough to make that argument when we see David Tyree on the Giants' sideline.

I agree with Gisele.

Oh yeah, if the Patriots scored a field goal and stopped the Giants to keep the score 20-15, ole JMR would have won the Fourth Quarter squares.  Like I said, Loser's Lament.

Reliving the Giants and Patriots Super Bowl Feels Fantastic

Please tell me I'm dreaming.  Tell me that I didn't just see Eli Manning throw a fade over the head of an over matched Patriots defender to pull out a last second win over the Patriots, again.  Tell me I didn't have to endure a bunch of Giants' fans acting the fools in the parking lot after the game (You know you still live in New Jersey, right, and that's not going to change).  Tell me again that Number 77 has checked in as an eligible receiver.

This time some unknown linebacker named Tracy White was the outclassed defender, as Brandon Spikes went down with pulled pansy earlier in the drive.  And this time I had the good fortune of attending the game live as I grew increasingly disgusted as the game went on.  Not so much because of the loss but because I had seen this same exact game played a couple of years ago - February of 2008 actually.  Is Bill "V Rings" Belichick just mailing these games in or something?

Better times yesterday afternoon

The comparisons are startling.  Two high-powered offenses (although not that high powered recently) that didn't come alive until the Fourth Quarter.  The Patriots taking the lead with just a couple of minutes left in the game.  Wes Welker leading the offense, even though the team should be running against this Giants defense.  And plenty of time for Eli to win the game.  I'm still shaking my head just thinking about it. 

But did it have to be this way?  Bill O'Brien has seen the tapes from the Super Bowl, right?  The Giants front four is REALLY good.  They don't need to blitz and try different formations to put pressure on quarterbacks in passing situations.  I'm no genius, but couldn't they have run a little more than they did?  Pound the ball into that line.  Except for some trickery with Danny Woodhead taking a direct snap and handing off to Wes Welker on a reverse (which my friend insisted was tapped up in the air on purpose...yeah I laughed too), the Patriots' offense looked exposed and sorry.  I am actually considering purchasing tickets to this franchise next year?  Lord help me.

But let's not place the blame entirely on O'Brien.  Despite 2 touchdowns and over 300 yards passing, Brady looked awful against the Giants.  People were booing Chad Ochocinco every time a pass sailed over his head or wide left or right.  But that's the point.  Brady wasn't even close on the pass to Ochocinco in the endzone.  A couple of passes to Rob Gronkowski at the end of the game seemed like they should have been caught, but they weren't crisp passes.  I believe the words "Where the Hell was that pass going?" came out of my mouth after each of those passes.  Add to that two hideous interceptions and a fumble, and Brady looked positively Bledsoe-dian.

I'm still not ready to talk rationally abut this.  But where do we go from here?  A tough game against the Jets is looming next week and it appeared that Patrick Chung and Brandon Spikes are both hurt.  Not that they're that great to begin with, but I'm afraid we're one more injury away from seeing Junior Seau pulled out of retirement.  Oh God, no.  Please don't tell me.

Bill Belichick's Football Life in 6 Easy Steps

Is Bill Belichick the greatest football coach in NFL history?  He's won three Super Bowls out of four appearances as Head Coach, and he has won two with the New York Giants as Assistant Coach under Bill Parcells.  Not bad.  But he's been blessed with great players (Tom Brady, Lawrence Taylor, etc.) during his career, and when saddled with a mediocre football team, his tenure went nowhere (Hello, Cleveland!).  I happen to think he is the greatest Football Coach in NFL history.  He's served longer than Vince Lombardi, but yet done more in less time than Tom Landry.  Chuck Noll and Tom Shula may have been more accomplished, but they were also blessed with great players on both sides of the ball for longer periods of time.

A Football Life, produced by NFL Network, follows Belichick around during the 2009 season.  This will be our collective chance to see a human Bill Belichick and perhaps decide once and for all whether he is the greatest coach in history.  I watched Part one of the series with six things in mind.

1.  Not Surprised by:  Notoriously private and paranoid, the first thing I found interesting was that this was a showcase of Belichick from the 2009 season.  I found this to be very telling.  I can see Belichick begrudgingly agreeing to do this, but only under the condition that it not be from a recent year.  What I'm surprised about is that he agreed to this for the 2009 season rather than say 2006.  Don't underestimate Bob Kraft in getting this thing produced.  One note:  I love that Belichick's boat's name is "V Rings."

2.  Greatest Moments (Humor):  Jon Bon Jovi looks ridiculous in the Pat Patriot T-Shirt - he's from Jersey!  Tom Brady's hair growing from a respectable length to Gisele length by Week Four.  Sebastian Vollmer's catch during Training Camp with no meetings and no curfew on the line (Belichick: "I never thought he'd catch that!  I wasn't counting on him catching that." Minutes after a shaky Vollmer settles under a 50 yard punt.  Belichick talking to Tom Brady about missing passes.  "What about Maroney?" "It went right through his hands." "It was over his head!" "Oh that one."

The moment that made me laugh the most, though was the exchange between Wes Welker and Belichick after Julian Edelman returns a punt for a touchdown in the final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Belichick to Welker:  "Do you know who Wally Pipp is?"

Welker: "No"

Belichick:  "He's the player who played before Lou Gehrig when Gehrig played 20,000 games in a row.  That's the story on punt return."

Welker:  "He can have it, man."

Belichick: "Way to compete.  Way to compete."

3.  Greatest Moment (Drama):  Robert Kraft talking to Seymour about the team approximately 17 minutes before Seymour is traded to the Oakland Raiders.

There is also a scene where Belichick is walking through the Meadowlands locker rooms reminiscing - talking about the coaches' locker room and the old racquetball court.  The disappointment and anger he has toward Bill Parcells is palpable; a book should be written about that last year between Belichick and Parcells for the New York Jets.  What a great scene.

4.  Most Surprising Moments:  Belichick drives a Chevy Impala.  Really?!?  Sankaty Head Golf Club allows its players to wear jeans and sneakers on the course?  Another great scene occurs when Belichick kisses Ed Reed's ass and then throws into his missing coverage.

5.  Things I Learned:  Tom Brady is a big whiny bitch!  Seriously, when Belichick asks him to take it easy.  Brady starts to give him the Gisele treatment by whining in a high pitched voice that he got drilled on one pass to Kevin Faulk and that one screen went through Lawrence Maroney's hands (it didn't, it went over his head).  Although I originally thought it was for salary cap relief, Richard Seymour was traded to the Raiders so the Patriots could sign Vince Wilfork.

6.  One Thing I'm Concerned About:  Derrick Mason's I'm sure going to remember Belichick yelling at him later on in the playoffs when the Ravens absolutely spank the Patriots in the Playoffs.  That will be one interesting conversation - if it happens.

We'll see you next week for the conclusion of "A Football Life."  I can't wait.

photo courtesy of pigskinlovinglady.com

2011 Patriots Training Camp - Another Photo Essay

One thing that always seems to get the kids excited includes a confined area games of skill and bouncy houses.  Whether it's a friend's birthday party or the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, I can always count on at least an hour of fight-less, whine-less exuberance.  That's great - a nice day, a little exercise, no yelling about video games...it was all good.  Throw a couple of footballs to cloth receivers and everyone willb e tired tonight.

The New England Patriots 2011 Training Camp wrapped up this weekend, and with the promise of the same bouncy houses that provide the kids hours of entertainment, we just had to go.  Maybe we'll see newcomers Albert Haynesworth, Chad Ochocinco and Shaun Ellis, along with Tom Brady and Wes Welker...who knows.  What follows is the JMR picture essay - so successfully executed in the Three Sheets to Epcot Center journal from last year - but refined into the photojournalist equivalent of Pulitzer prize winning visuals.

You got it.  The Welcome sign as we walk around the field.  This sign was ignored by the usher who yelled at us for mistakenly heading into the VIP section of the seats - in the end zone of all places.  She then proceeded to scold us for turning the wrong way into the press area.  For crying out loud!  Give me a break, lady.

Our first stop was the autograph tent.  The Patriots Cheerleaders thought they recognized the person taking the photograph here, but I told them that it wasn't me.  I then shuffled my daughter in between the Cheerleaders.  They proceeded to tell DLG that she was beautiful and wrote that  she should "Keep Dancing."  This made her day, well...at least until she had to take a picture with Pat the Patriot later on.

G, who was standing in line with me, didn't want to take a picture with the Cheerleaders, but definitely wanted to take a picture with Joe Andruzzi.  When G told the former offensive lineman that he wanted to be a running back on his Pop Warner football team, Andruzzi's response was "Stick with the Offensive line, son."  That smile turned upside down pretty quick after that.  Seeing the sad look on his face Andruzzi then told him he could play what ever position he wanted so long as he worked hard.  Obviously he has young children with that deft handling of the 7 year old ego.

 

This is what we saw a LOT of.  Players milling around, not doing much.  It makes perfect sense.  I could have been a scout for the Jets for all they knew, don't give any plays away.  Bill Belichick didn't seem concerned either way as he was gabbing with an assistant almost the whole time that we were out there.   A couple of things to note - Brandon Tate and Edelman took a lot of the punt snaps.  Danny Woodhead was NOT out there (his head was probably still ringing from that hit the other night).  And Haynesworth was out there looking kind of spry.  Who knows what that all means?

These are pictures of three children who are all able to throw the football better than Wes Welker - Jesus.  We were watching Brady and Welker warming up as the Special Teams were out on the field working on punt coverage.  Welker would catch the ball and then shot put it back to Brady.  Even C remarked that Welker seemed to throw a little "girlish" - and this with his sister throwing the football in a flowery dress.  One thing LC noticed was that Brady seemed much taller in person.  Assuming she wasn't swooning, I wanted to remark it was the male Uggs that added a couple of inches.
 

We watched some practice and ran through some obstacle course style of bouncy houses.  Everyone was having fun at this point.  But this photograph was actually our signal that our time was up and that our window was closing.  I had to cajole C into taking this picture.  G literally ran away from me and DLG hesitantly took the picture but only if Mom was standing next to her.  Even then, the tears welling up in her eyes subtly indicated to me that she was unhappy.  When I asked it it was time to go, I received four enthusiastic "yes." 

Luckily for us, after watching a little more practice, we hit the road.  Not 5 minutes after getting inside to our next destination, the rains came.  Lucky us.  All those people we saw in Autograph Alley though scattered like ants when their hill was disturbed.  People were waiting in line when we got their at 11:30.  We got the restaurant at 3 and the line was still queued up.  Then just like that, the autographs were gone.

Any way, we all jumped in the car and tried to dodge the raindrops with varying degrees of success.  And the hall mark of the kids having a good time, they asked me if they could go again tomorrow.  I had to explain to them that Camp is just a couple of days long and today was the last day.  We then talked about the Patriots for the next 15 minutes. 

And another season begins.