1. NFL Playoffs:

* LT can’t go again in the playoffs - he just made Sproles a lot of money (300 plus yards)
* Who would have guessed the Cardinals could win a playoff game after quitting in Foxboro
* Peyton gives me no reason to dislike him but I’m glad he lost
* Joey Porter ain’t talking now
* I’m not sold on Philip Rivers
* Baltimore Ravens show that value of a pressure defense - (Ed Reed has to be one of the top Safeties ever)
* What % of playoff games does McNabb throw up in?

2. College Bowls:

* Bad week for the Ingrams - Alabama loses and father arrested after a month on the run
* Jets want to talk to Coach Jags? BC will fire him if he does - I like the would-be new Head Coach Steve Logan
* Look for Texas to dismantle Ohio State
* A playoff would have a great story in Utah moving on to the next round

3. With Boston College beating North Carolina it reminded me of the Billy Curley on the cover of SI (3/28/94) - other Eagles on the cover of SI:

Craig Smith - 3/27/06 - Sweet Surprises
BC Defense - 11/29/93 - Down goes #1
Flutie - 12/3/84 - The Magic Flutie
Flutie - 9/26/83 - Little Big Man

By the way freshman Reggie Jackson is legit (17 points) and Rakim Sanders is much improved (I don’t know how Al Skinner does it but he does it)

4. Bard vs. Varitek:

* Both Switch hitters
* Bard is 6 years younger (and a lot cheaper)
* Last three years average: Bard .282 / Varitek .229
* Throwing out runners last three years - both bad

5. Every Boston team is on a losing streak!

6. How are former Boston Celtics doing as General Managers?

* Larry Bird………..12-21
* Kevin McHale…….8-25
* Danny Ainge…….29-6
* Chris Wallace…..11-23
* Kevin Pritchard….20-13

7.Old School: Olympic basketball stats for USA:

* Highest points per game - Adrian Dantley 19.3
* In 1956 - KC Jones averaged 10.9 / Bill Russell 14.1
* Was the 1960 team as good as the Dream Team: Jerry West, Walt Bellamy, Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas
* Jo Jo White and Charlie Scott were the guards on the 1968 team and didn’t get along (you can read it in the book Rebound)
* Doug Collins hit the clutchest free throws in basketball history in the 1972 Russian game for the Gold Medal
* The 1980 team that boycotted the Olympics included: Mark Aguirre, Sam Bowie, Isiah Thomas, Rodney McCray, Buck Williams
* Jordan averaged 17.1 in 1984 and 14.9 in 1992

8. Amazing Stat: Most offensive rebounds in a game by a Celtic - Robert Parish twice with 12

9. Just a Little Bit Outside: After seeing the Wrestler - performances that resurrected a career or sent an actor off into the sunset a star again:

* Mickey Rourke the Wrestler
* John Travolta in Pulp Fiction (though Samuel L. should have been nominated for best actor and not supporting actor)
* Jack Palance in City Slickers
* James Coburn in Affliction
* Dennis Hopper in Hoosiers
* Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children
* Richard Harris in the Field

10. Randomocity

* Sebastian Telfair is shooting (bad term with him) 33% from the field for T-Wolves
* Boston College hoops was a 21.5 underdog to Tar Heels
* No way should Jack Nicholson got the Oscar for As Good As It Gets over Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting
* Great hockey game in the World Junior Championship with Canada tying Russia with 5 seconds to go ahead and then winning it in a shootout
* I wonder if the Atlanta Falcons allow their QB’s to own dogs anymore?
* Patriots rumors that Cassel will get franchised - can’t be good news for Brady’s knee

!!! New Website for Rebound check it out!!!
Click here

1. College bowling:

* It makes me sick to see the fat-cat bowl directors in their goofy off the rack sports coat relishing their stupid BCS series
* Boston College needs to recruit a QB fast
* Joe Paterno stays one win ahead of Bobby Bowden
* Best players I’ve seen so far - Cincy Punter Kevin Huber / Cal runner Jahvid Best / NC State QB - Russell Wilson / Oklahoma State WR - Dez Bryant / Oregon State QB Lyle Moevao / Nebraska defense lineman Ndamukong Suh / N. Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks
* Hottest teams so far that would do damage in a playoff system: USC and maybe LSU

2. Top paid local athletes (Boston Business Journal)

1. Kevin Garnett…….$24.7mm
2. Paul Pierce……….$18.0mm
3. Ray Allen………….$17.3mm
4. Randy Moss………$14.0mm
5. JD Drew……………$14.0mm
6. David Ortiz………..$13.0mm
7. Mike Lowell……….$12.5mm
8. Jason Varitek…….$10.4mm
9. Josh Beckett……..$10.1mm
10. Julio Lugo………..$ 9.2mm

3. Wrigley Field Hockey:

* Awesome national anthem
* Typical NHL marketing - their highest profile game of the year and they go up against three bowl games
* Can’t wait for the game at Fenway Park - but someone said Harvard Stadium would be a better venue
* Cool with the players wearing eye black
* Wasn’t the same without announcer Mike Emrick
* Like the old school Red Wing shirts

4. Gifts given to players playing in bowl games include:

* Video camera
* DVD player
* Wii system
* I Pod
* $400 Best Buy gift certificate
* Vizio 26 inch hd-lcd

5. Bruins and Celtics

* Don’t know about Stephon Marbury - can he be a team player?
* Big miss not securing Mutombo (went back to Houston) - they’ll have to bring back PJ Brown
* Bruins are outshot again but still win
* Ten in a row for the B’s first time since 1973
* Bruins are on pace to win 62 games which would be the best record since 1929-1930 (38-5-1)
* Celtics are on pace to win 70 games which would be their best record 1972-1973 (68-14)

6. According to Scout.com Boston College has the 78th ranked recruiting class with only two three star recruits and no four or five star recruits. This is last in the ACC

7. Old School - In an effort to not be associated with the McCarthy witchhunt for Communists, the Cincinnati Reds changed their name to the Redlegs from 1954-1959 (from the book the Kennedy Men)

8. Amazing Stat: Jacques Plante was 7-1 for the Bruins in 1973

9. Just a Little Bit Outside: Saddest Songs

* Eleanor Rigby - Beatles
* Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
* Christmas Time - Charlie Brown Christmas
* Everybody Hurts - REM
* Brian Song
* My Youngest Son Came Home Today - Mary Black
* I Don’t Like Mondays - Boomtown Rats
* Rainy Days and Monday’s Always Get Me Down - Carpenters
* Hurt - Johnny Cash

10. Randomocity

* Can’t wait for Lost to start again
* Drinkability is the worst Bud Lite campaign
* Speaking of Drinkability John Daly has some time on his hands
* Hats off to the Boston Police and those who keep the streets safe - only 64 murders in a big city is first-rate police work
* Speaking of Police the group is over-rated

To purchase the #2 selling basketball book in the country - Rebound
Click here

* I will not criticize Terry Francona for not using the hit and run, sacrifice bunt, squeeze, etc, etc..
* I will allow Bruins fans to run wild with their imagination that the team as constituted can win two playoff rounds
* I will not yell for Scal to shoot a three everytime he handles the ball over midcourt
* I will always trust in Bill
* I will respect guys who carry a clipboard for eight years
* I will not mention Boston College Football’s record in big games
* I will not think bad things of drivers going 55 in the speed lane
* I will not compare the Globe’s Sunday Sports page to a generation ago
* I will do my best to have compassion for a certain catcher that strikes out a lot and doesn’t throw out many runners
* I will not make any jokes about a certain first baseman’s sweat glands
* I will not try to diagnose JD Drew’s injuries from my TV room (but I have an idea)
* I will try to get a Tommy Point
* I will enjoy the Boston Marathon start to finish
* I will make it to the Charles Regatta
* I will not incorrectly spell any words this year (right)
* I will allow Greg B and “Trust Me” think they’re right for a week
* I will not shamelessly promote my book Rebound anymore (books available at Amazon and another your local bookstore)
* I will not think about the Patriots losing to the Giants ever again (how did Hobbs let the Shooter get behind him)
* I will appreciate all those who read (already do)

Happy New Year be careful!

To purchase the #2 selling basketball book in the country - Rebound
Click here

1. Patriots season a success - Belichick brilliant coaching / good for Cassel:

1st Quarter

* Matthew Slater should thank God that the team won after his whiff on the loose football in the end zone
* Surprised that the Patriots weren’t picking up the pace with the wind and should have been running the play clock down against the wind
* 13 yard Buffalo punt helped

2nd Quarter

* Despite the fact the Patriots had 9 in the box, Fred Jackson had 100 yards rushing in the first half
* Awesome effort by Matt Cassel on 4th down to lower his head
* Crazy movement on Lindell’s field goal attempt

3rd Quarter

* Great call on Cassel roll out and run
* Great call on the Welker reception on the flat
* How about Morris dropping cornerback Donte Whitner

4th Quarter

* Got Moss a ball to give him 1,000 yards
* The brilliance of Belichick calling for the 3rd down punt
* Crazy spearing play by Mike Wright (lucky he’s walking and didn’t get thrown out of the game)
* Moss misses a great catch again in the end zone - this year out of an estimated 10 opportunities to make a great catch he only made 2 this year (Dolphins one handed / Jets to send game to OT)

Misc

* Got lucky with Marshawn Lynch out
* Is Jarvis Green better than Richard Seymour?
* If Buffalo ever came back to win that game - the officials picking up a flag on a holding call would have been up there with Ben Dreith

Stats

* Casell’s punt 57 yards / Brady’s punt 36 yards (2003)
* Patriots 2 for 10 on third down / 3-3 on 4th down
* Drives into the wind of 7:58 and 7:05
* Cassel 8 for 10 in 70 MPH winds

2. Jets turtle and other notes from around the NFL:

* Mangini didn’t have the guts to bench Favre - Mangini same as Wormer, Marmalard and Neidermayer
* Mangini should have challenged that the Dolphin kickoff returner brought the ball out of the end zone and then went back in and took a knee
* A Ty Law penalty negated a Jet interception
* Can the Jets have a more vanilla offense?
* Detroit Lions 0-16 - according to Vegas they went under for the season
* Disgraceful - Jacksonville, Dallas, Cleveland
* Willie McGinest knocked out Roethlisberger

3. Bruins

* Michael Ryder on pace for 30 goals
* Bruins have won the last three games despite being 0-12 on the power play
* Bruins have been outshot in 9 of their last 12 wins
* Why not move Manny Fernandez now at his highest trade value for a sniper?
* A win Tuesday gives the Bruins a 12-1 December

4. The original six in the NHL have a combined record of 125-55-??? (can’t figure out ties)

5. Celtics:

* Celtics are 11-0 when Scalabrine plays more than ten minutes
* Garnett shot 26-39 on the west coast trip
* Celtics outscored their opponents by 26 points on the trip but went 1-2
* Celtics need to respect the basketball more
* Sacramento shot 28% from the field

6. Favre’s performance in his team’s final game of the respective seasons from this decade:

2008 - Vs Dolphins………………20-40 / 233 yds / 1 TD to 3 INT
2007 - Vs Giants in playoffs…..19-35 / 236 yds / 2 TD to 2 INT
2006 - Vs Carolina……………….21-42 / 285 yds / 1 TD to 1 INT
2005 - Vs Seattle………………..21-37 / 259 yds / 1 TD to 1 INT
2004 - Vs Vikings in playoffs….22-33 / 216 yds / 1 TD to 4 INT
2003 - Vs Eagles in playoffs…..15-28 / 180 yds / 2 TD to 1 INT
2002 - Vs Atlanta in playoffs…..20-42 / 247 yds / 1 TD to 2 INT
2001 - Vs Rams in playoffs…….26-44 / 281 yds / 2 TD to 6 INT
2000 - Vs Tampa…………………20-42 / 196 yds / 0 TD to 2 INT

11 TD to 22 INT

7. Interesting Patriot Stats:

* Randy Moss had 3 receptions over 40 yards (last year nine)
* Jerod Mayo finished 9th in the NFL with 128 tackles
* Matt Cassel is listed in NFL.com leading the league in punting with an average of 57.0 yards (Donnie Jones of St. Louis finished with an average of 50.0)
* In December Matt Cassel threw 8 TD to 1 INT
* In Wins Matt Cassel 17 TD to 6 INT
* In Losses Matt Cassel 4 TD to 5 INT
* Patriots have won their last 12 December games

8. Old School: Dino Ciccarelli has 608 career goals but is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame - two 50 goal seasons / five 40 goal seasons

9. Just a Little Bit Outside: Movie talk after a long weekend:

* The video Tropic Thunder one of the worst movies ever made - Ben Stiller should be embarrassed and donate any earnings to the Special Olympics
* Saw an A movie this weekend Slumdog Millionaire
* My favorite theatre Dedham Community with great popcorn (beer and wine also)
* Will Smith is in a slump with Seven Pounds, Hancock, I Am Legend

10. Randomocity:

* Is Kenny Anderson still looking for his car?
* Al Jefferson is averaging 22.4 / 10.3
* Didn’t realize that the Kennedy Libarary has the largest collection of Ernest Hemingway material in the world
* Hats off to University of Miami coach Randy Shannon who suspended multiple players (including the starting QB) for their bowl game as he tries to build back the program
* Has a World Series winning team ever signed the player that made the last out to give them the championship like the Sox did by signing Edgar Renteria in 2004 (Reader Paul G)
* Someone should invent a small voice activated detector that you can stick in your wallet, on your keys and on your TV clicker so you can find them when misplaced

To purchase the #2 selling basketball book in the country - Rebound
Click here

1. Patriots Preview

* No one in the league runs harder than Marshawn Lynch
* Buffalo QB’s 14 TD to 15 INT
* Lee Evans needs 46 yards to get 1,000
* McKelvin, Jackson and Parrish all average over 13 yards a punt return

2. Celtics vs Lakers

* I hate Sasha - he lacks shampoo, falls like he’s a soccer player looking to draw a red card and whines like a ..
* Streamers from the ceiling after a regular season win?
* Ray Allen with some big misses down the stretch
* I know James Posey, I watched James Posey - Tony Allen is no James Posey
* Perk didn’t seem like he was up to the challenge of Andrew Bynum
* Surprisingly Kevin Garnett doesn’t block many shots nor challenge many shots - he’s a good one on one defender but no Bird when it comes to help defense
* You know we got LA’s number when they’re chanting Boston Sucks (wow that’s original)
* Christmas Shoelaces were a nice touch
* Rondo is gonna have to start using the other side of the rim to protect the ball from blocks

3. As reader Susan S. pointed out Wes Welker was fined for doing a snow angel while Ryan Clark was given nothing for the most vicious hit I’ve ever seen in football on Welker

4.Sean McAdam note in the Herald: In an ironic twist, the Red Sox remain the only franchise ever to win a World Series with a payroll over $100 million

5. Get the cortisone shot ready - Favre has been laying a qualifying excuse all week with the bad shoulder.

6. Wheres the beef - Mo Vaughn against David Wells: 30 for 66 (.455) / 9 HR / 18 RBI

7. Top five grossing football movies:

1. The Waterboy……….$161mm
2. The Longest Yard…..$158mm
3. Remember Titans…..$116mm
4. Any Given Sunday….$76mm
5. Friday Night Lights…$61mm

8. Update odds to win championships

* Red Sox…..13-2 (Yankees and Cubs have jumped in front)
* Patriots……14-1 (8th - Giants 1st)
* Bruins……..7-1 (4th up from 30-1)
* Celtics……..2-1 (Lakers have jumped in front)

9. Just a Little Bit Outside - The scene in Mall Cop with Kevin James being chased down the street by a dog is West Roxbury

10. Randomocity

* I know it was stormy the other night but I’m starting to sense a ho-hum response to Celtics wins - crowd was dead causing the Garden DJ to start a clapping thing
* Don’t look now but coca beans just went through the roof
* A request to host the Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium has been submitted

To purchase the #2 selling basketball book in the country - Rebound
Click here