Thugs’ Coach Fired

Well, I have to say I am a little surprised by this move. Given the type of character the Baltimore Ravens seem to enjoy employing (Ray Lewis, Chris McAlister, Bart Scott — all punks), it seems a bit odd that they got rid of the chief punk… the ego that is Brian Billick.

Don’t get me wrong… head football coaches have to have big egos to succeed. And there is no doubt that Billick is a talented coach. But just probably not as talented as he likes to think. The Super Bowl in 2000 bought this guy seven years of latitude; maybe the team will now wise up and sign players that will play more than they talk. One thing for sure; I can’t say I am going to miss this guy’s smug expression on the sidelines any more.

Billick fired after 9 seasons in Baltimore
By DAVID GINSBURG, AP Sports Writer
December 31, 2007

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Brian Billick was fired as coach of the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, less than a day after his team concluded a disappointing 5-11 season.

Players were told of the dismissal as they packed up their lockers at the team’s practice facility.

Billick won the 2001 Super Bowl in his second season with the Ravens, and led the team to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006. But Baltimore lost a team-record nine consecutive games this season before ending the skid Sunday with a 27-21 win over Pittsburgh.

“This is the reality of our business,” cornerback Samari Rolle said.

Billick’s nine seasons with Baltimore was tied for third with Philadelphia’s Andy Reid as the third-longest current run with the same team. He took the Ravens to the playoffs in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006, but Baltimore won only one postseason game since its Super Bowl run after the 2000 season.

Full story here…

The 2007 NFL Post-Season plus Power Rankings

The regular season is finally in the books and the twelve survivors now move on to the playoffs. These look like great games coming up this weekend. First I offer my overall picks for the post-season, and then I’ll tackle this weekend’s games.

AFC

Wildcard Round

Jacksonville over Pittsburgh
San Diego over Tennessee

Divisional Round

Indianapolis over San Diego
New England over Jacksonville

AFC Championship Game

New England over Indianapolis

NFC

Wildcard Round

Seattle over Washington
Tampa Bay over New York Giants

Divisional Round

Green Bay over Seattle
Dallas over Tampa Bay

NFC Championship Game

Green Bay over Dallas

Super Bowl XLII

New England over Green Bay

For this coming weekend:

Jacksonville over Pittsburgh - The Jaguars are playing exceptionally well, and the Steelers are not. Without Willie Parker the Steelers’ ability to control the pace of the game is compromised, particularly against a tough Jacksonville defense. The Jaguars’ offense is one that does not make major mistakes, and the Pittsburgh defense has been inconsistent all season. Jacksonville won here two weeks ago and looks to be in line for a repeat performance. Jaguars 31 Steelers 20

Seattle over Washington - I think the Redskins are the fashionable upset pick here but they are playing on emotion, while the Seahawks’ explosive passing game promises problem for the Skins’ defense. If this game were in Washington I might be tempted, but with home field between these two, I’ll take the Hawks. Seahawks 38 Redskins 17

San Diego over Tennessee - The Titans barely made the playoffs, and struggled mightily against the Colts’ backups. The Chargers, while on a six game winning streak, have beaten teams in the past six weeks with a combined record of 37-57, beating only one team (the Titans) with a winning record. So they will beat the Titans, but to say this team is on a roll is really stretching it a bit. Tomlinson will be too much for the Titans again, assuming Rivers doesn’t throw away the game. Chargers 27 Titans 20

Tampa Bay over New York Giants - Probably the toughest game for me to call this weekend. Tampa rested over the final two weeks, resulting in two losses heading into the playoffs. Conversely, the Giants played their hearts out against the Patriots on Saturday and gave New England its closest call but pinning post-season hopes on Eli Manning is a bit like having a blind man as a guide through a mine field. I expect that the Giants’ defense could win this game, but it’s more likely that Eli will lose it with more poor decisions in critical situations. Buccaneers 20 Giants 16

Last Week: 10-6

Season: 164-92 (.641)

FINAL 2007 REGULAR SEASON
POWER RANKINGS

1. New England Patriots (16-0, unchanged) - A perfect regular season now needs to be followed up with a perfect postseason

2. Indianapolis Colts (13-3, unchanged) - The Colts are well situated for the post-season, but injuries and the prospect of playing in New England in January cast doubts on their hopes

3. Dallas Cowboys (13-3, unchanged) - The Cowboys may have peaked too soon, judging by recent performances; their Super Bowl hopes may benefit from playing in the weaker NFC

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5, unchanged) - A very dangerous team going into the post-season

5. Green Bay Packers (13-3, unchanged) - The biggest threat to the Cowboys, if they can find a way to slow down the Dallas offense

6. Seattle Seahawks (10-6, unchanged) - Passing attack could get them to the NFC championship

7. San Diego Chargers (11-5, +2) - Beating up weaker teams while others rest starters is a sure way to move up in the power rankings, but that’s all it is

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, -1) - No Parker, no chance

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7, -1) - Can Gruden motivate his guys after ending the season with two losses? For one game he can, but not two

10. New York Giants (10-6, unchanged) - Did anyone else notice that Eli wilted in the fourth quarter against the Pats? Expect more of that in the post-season

11. Tennessee Titans (10-6, unchanged) - The weak link in the AFC playoffs

12. Washington Redskins (9-7, +1) - Still dangerous, but now playing the survivors… the games are going to be a lot tougher

13. Cleveland Browns (10-6, -1) - They never should have put themselves in the position of needing the Colts to win against the Titans; an improved team, but not there yet

14. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8, +1) - This team will never win a Super Bowl with Andy Reid at the helm

15. Houston Texans (8-8, +2) - And to think they are the “worst” team in their division… yipes!… best finish in franchise history

16. Minnesota Vikings (8-8, -1) - A good run and a good outlook for next season

17. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, +2) - Moral victory accomplished, but can they make the post-season next year?

18. New Orleans Saints (7-9, -2) - Too much talent to finish 7-9; no excuses

19. Buffalo Bills (7-9, -1) - Solid year for the Bills; as Lynch and the offense mature they may make a playoff run next year

20. Carolina Panthers (7-9, unchanged) - They went out on a high note, but this team had a tough year

21. Chicago Bears (7-9, +1) - I have liked Adrian Peterson (of the Bears) since he carved it up at Georgia Southern; this guy is their answer at running back… Kyle Orton may be the best quarterback this team has.. is that saying much?

22. Denver Broncos (7-9, +1) - Anyone willing to admit that Mike Shanahan has peaked?

23. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9, +1) - Perhaps this entire team has peaked

24. Detroit Lions (7-9, -3) - They wasted a great start and finish in a tie for last place; will someone please fire the idiot Matt Millen?

25. San Francisco (5-11, unchanged) - Thank an idiot 49er front office for the Patriots landing the seventh pick in the draft; in a separate move, was Tully Banta-Cain worth all of that money?

26. Baltimore Ravens (5-11, +2) - The Thugs beat the Steelers; sorry, but for bad team that s not exactly news

27. Oakland Raiders (4-12, -1) - They have the building blocks, but will Al Davis find a way to screw it up?

28. Kansas City Chiefs (4-12, -1) - Ending a season with nine consecutive losses does not exactly create an environment for success

29. Atlanta Falcons (4-12, +1) - I guess it could have been worse… ‘m not sure how, but I’m sure it could have been

30. New York Jets (4-12, +1) - I guess Eric isn’t the coaching genus that he thinks he is

31. St. Louis (3-13, -2) - They couldn’t win even with their starters.. rebuilding time, anyone?

32. Miami (1-15, unchanged) - I guess it’s time for Morris and Kuchenberg to get a life; let me be the first to say that Parcells won’t work any magic in Miami next season… this team is a long way from being a serious contender

New England Patriots 2007 Season - Game by Game

Good synopsis from Yahoo.

New England Patriots’ game-by-game
December 30, 2007
By PA SportsTicker

A week-by-week look at the New England Patriots’ undefeated regular season:

WEEK ONE

NEW ENGLAND 38, NY JETS 14: Randy Moss made a sensational debut with his new team, hauling in nine passes for 183 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots rolled to a 38-14 victory at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Despite sitting out the entire preseason, Moss registered the third-highest single-game yardage total in his career. Tom Brady completed 22-of-28 passes for 297 yards and three TDs.

Ellis Hobbs reeled off a 108-yard TD return on the first play of the second half to make it 21-7 and start the rout. It was the longest kickoff return in NFL history.

But the result would be overshadowed in the following days when it was revealed that the Patriots were illegally taping defensive signals of the Jets.

That led to a $500,000 fine levied against coach Bill Belichick, a $250,000 fine against the club and the forfeiture of one or more draft picks depending on how the team finishes.

WEEK TWO

NEW ENGLAND 38, SAN DIEGO 14: Three days after drawing the heavy fine and loss of draft picks in the wake of “Spygate,” Belichick was introduced to a thunderous standing ovation in the home opener.

Brady and Moss then garnered their own applause, hooking up for a pair of touchdown passes as the Patriots steamrolled the Chargers.

Moss finished with eight receptions for 105 yards, marking his first back-to-back 100-yard performances since the beginning of the 2005 campaign. Brady was 25-of-31 for 279 yards and three TD passes as New England bolted to a 24-0 lead and was never challenged.

WEEK THREE

NEW ENGLAND 38, BUFFALO 7: Brady tied a career high with four touchdown passes as the Patriots cruised over the visiting Bills.

Moss, acquired in a draft-day trade, continued to look like the biggest steal of the offseason, hauling in two of Brady’s touchdown passes and finishing with five receptions for 115 yards.

It gave the former Pro Bowl receiver five touchdowns and made him the first player to crack the 100-yard receiving mark in each of his first three games with a new team.

Moss also surpassed the 11,000-yard receiving plateau - the 19th player in NFL history to reach the milestone.

Brady finished 23-of-29 for 311 yards and no interceptions as the Patriots scored 38 points for the third consecutive week.

WEEK FOUR

NEW ENGLAND 34, CINCINNATI 13: The Brady and Moss show starred again under the bright lights of Monday Night Football in Cincinnati.

Moss had nine receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns, giving him seven scoring receptions in four games. He also became the first player to crack the 100-yard receiving mark in each of his first four games with a new team.

Brady finished 25-of-32 for 231 yards with three touchdown passes and one interception. It gave Brady 13 scoring passes against just two interceptions.

At the quarter pole of the season, New England had put up 148 points and won each of its first four games by at least 21 points.

WEEK FIVE

NEW ENGLAND 34, CLEVELAND 17: Taking advantage of three first-half interceptions, Brady and the Patriots built a 20-point halftime lead in beating the visiting Browns.

Derek Anderson was intercepted twice by New England’s Junior Seau in the opening half. Cornerback Asante Samuel had an interception and forced another one in the first half as New England took advantage of the turnovers to race out to a 20-0 lead.

Brady threw three touchdown passes, completing 22-of-38 passes for 265 yards, and tying an NFL record in the process. Brady joined Steve Young as the only quarterbacks to throw at least three TDs in five consecutive games to begin a season.

WEEK SIX

NEW ENGLAND 48, DALLAS 27: In a matchup pitting two undefeated clubs against each other, Brady completed 30-of-45 passes for 377 yards and a career-high five touchdowns to lead the Patriots in Irving, Texas.

Brady also set a league mark by becoming the first quarterback to throw at least three TD passes in the first six games of the season. The Patriots scored at least 34 points in each of their first six games, tying an NFL record set by the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

Donte’ Stallworth hauled in seven passes for 136 yards, including a clinching 69-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that gave New England a 38-24 advantage. Wes Welker added career highs with 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Moss had six catches for 59 yards and a TD as the Patriots overcame a 24-21 deficit early in the third quarter by scoring the final 27 points.

WEEK SEVEN

NEW ENGLAND 49, MIAMI 28: Brady connected on his first 11 passes - four that went for touchdowns - as the Patriots remained undefeated by routing the hapless Dolphins in Miami.

Brady set a career high with six touchdowns, bringing his season total to 27 through just seven games. He established a franchise single-game record with his six TDs, becoming the first player to achieve the feat since Colts quarterback Peyton Manning did so on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions on November 25, 2004.

Moss and former Dolphin Welker were each on the receiving end of a pair of Brady’s scores. Brady finished 21-of-25 for 354 yards as New England scored at least 34 points in each of their last eight games (including the 2006 season finale) to tie the 2000 Rams for the NFL record.

WEEK EIGHT

NEW ENGLAND 52, WASHINGTON 7: Brady threw for three touchdown passes and ran for two more in a 52-7 home rout of the Redskins.

Only halfway through the season, Brady reached a career high for touchdowns in a season (30) while completing 29-of-38 passes for 306 yards. Brady has thrown for at least three touchdowns in all eight games.

Brady had his first rushing scores since December 11, 2005 vs. Buffalo. He added a 2-yard keeper for a score in the third quarter and threw touchdown passes of 2 yards to Mike Vrabel and 7 yards to Moss in the second quarter to help New England take a 24-0 halftime lead.

WEEK NINE

NEW ENGLAND 24, INDIANAPOLIS 20: Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final eight minutes as the visiting Patriots rallied from a 10-point deficit to knock off the defending Super Bowl champions.

With its high-powered offense flustered for the first three quarters, the Patriots used a pair of quick-strike touchdowns to remain undefeated and hand the Colts (7-1) their first loss of the season in one of the most anticipated regular-season games in NFL history.

New England ended a 12-game winning streak by Indianapolis while avenging a 38-34 loss in last season’s AFC Championship game.

Brady connected with Moss and Stallworth on a pair of long passes to set up his last two touchdowns - a 3-yard pass to Welker and and a 13-yard scoring strike to Kevin Faulk for the go-ahead score with 3:15 to play.

Brady finished 21-of-32 for 255 yards with the three TDs and two interceptions. Moss hauled in nine catches for 145 yards and a touchdown - his league-leading 12th of the season.

WEEK 10 (bye)

WEEK 11

NEW ENGLAND 56, BUFFALO 10: Coming off a bye week and on the road, New England continued its dominance of the Bills.

The Patriots have won nine straight in the series, but none of those previous victories were as impressive as this one.

New England scored on its first six possessions, four of those scores being touchdown passes from Brady to Moss.

Moss had scoring catches of 43, 16, 6 and 17 yards as the Patriots built a 35-7 halftime advantage.

WEEK 12

NEW ENGLAND 31, PHILADELPHIA 28: Samuel ran back one interception for a touchdown and killed a potential go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter with a pick in the end zone as the Patriots held off the visiting Eagles.

New England already had clinched its fifth straight AFC East title earlier in the day when Buffalo lost at Jacksonville.

Brady threw for 380 yards but was held to just one touchdown pass. New England did not go ahead for good until Laurence Maroney capped the scoring with a 4-yard run with 7:20 to play.

It was only the second time the Patriots trailed in the final quarter this season.

WEEK 13

NEW ENGLAND 27, BALTIMORE 24: Brady threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney with 44 seconds to play as the Patriots kept their undefeated season alive with a pulsating road victory on Monday Night Football.

The dramatic finish allowed the Patriots to become only the sixth team in history to start a season with a 12-0 record. The last team to do it was the Indianapolis Colts in 2005.

Taking over at their own 27-yard line with 3:30 to play, the Patriots drove 73 yards for the winning touchdown, twice converting a pair of bizarre fourth-down plays.

It was the 21st game-winning drive led by Brady since 2001 and came on a night when the two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player became just the fourth quarterback in league history to throw 40 touchdowns in a season.

A defensive holding call in the end zone on 4th-and-6 kept the Patriots’ final drive alive, and Brady hit Gaffney with the go-ahead TD on the next play.

WEEK 14

NEW ENGLAND 34, PITTSBURGH 13: Brady threw four touchdown passes as the Patriots remained undefeated by hammering the visiting Steelers.

Moss had seven catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns as New England clinched a first-round bye for the playoffs and drew within three games of the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history.

Perhaps motivated by the guarantee of a win by Steelers safety Anthony Smith, Brady torched the Pittsburgh secondary by completing 32-of-46 attempts for 399 yards on the afternoon.

Moss caught a pair of scoring passes in a span of 1:59 and now has 19 touchdowns - a franchise record and second only to Jerry Rice’s career NFL record of 22 for receivers set in 1987.

WEEK 15

NEW ENGLAND 20, NY JETS 10: In the much eagerly anticipated rematch of “Spygate,” Eugene Wilson returned a first-quarter interception for a touchdown and recovered a key second half fumble as the Patriots overcame a winter storm in Foxboro and held off the Jets.

Maroney rushed for a season-high 104 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries as the Patriots became the first NFL team to go 14-0 since the Miami Dolphins in 1972 and in the process clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

New England won despite a season-worst performance by Brady, who failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since December 10, 2006. Brady finished 14-of-27 for 140 yards and an interception.

Wilson became the 21st Patriots player to score a touchdown this season, tying an NFL record held by the 2000 Denver Broncos and the 1987 Los Angeles Rams.

WEEK 16

NEW ENGLAND 28, MIAMI 7: Brady threw two of his three first-half touchdown passes to Moss, and Maroney rushed for a career-high 156 yards as the Patriots coasted past the visiting Dolphins.

In the process, the Patriots became the first 15-0 team in NFL history and now stand one win away from the first perfect regular-season mark since the 1972 Dolphins. It is the most wins by the franchise in history.

New England also matched its own NFL record by winning its 18th consecutive regular-season contest, tying the record it set in the 2003-04 seasons. The Patriots can shatter that mark and complete a perfect season when they visit the New York Giants on Saturday night.

Maroney needed just 14 carries to register his second straight 100-yard performance and third of the season, highlighted by a pair of runs over 50 yards.

WEEK 17

NEW ENGLAND 38, N.Y. GIANTS 35: The final - and toughest - obstacle to the perfect regular season.

The Patriots faced their largest deficit of the season, trailing 28-16 with just over nine minutes to play in the third quarter.

But Maroney sandwiched a pair of scoring runs around a 65-yard scoring pass from Brady to Moss as New England scored 22 unanswered points to take a 10-point lead.

The Patriots left a trail of broken records, shattering the single-season scoring record with 589 points while Brady set a league mark with his 50th TD pass and Moss caught his 23rd scoring pass to surpass Jerry Rice’s all-time record.

Patriots beat Giants; First team ever to complete undefeated 16-0 regular season


Randy Moss scores on a 65-yard strike, setting
individual records for both Moss and QB Tom Brady

Give props to the Giants.

The Giants came out and played with a lot more intensity than I expected last night. Given the way the Patriots played for the first three quarters, it’s clear that they were taken by surprise too. But the Patriots overcame a 12 point deficit to beat the Giants 38-35 and become the first team in NFL history to complete the regular season at 16 wins and no losses.

If this was a heavyweight fight, the Giants came out and bloodied the Patriots noses by taking the opening drive down and scoring a touchdown, the first such opening drive score the Patriots have allowed all season. The Patriots struck back with a field goal on their opening drive and the game see-sawed after Brady hit Randy Moss for the first of two scores on the night. The Giants however returned the ensuing kickoff for a score, and it was clear they were going to give the Patriots all they could handle. In the first half the Giants scored touchdowns while the Patriots settled for three Stephen Gostkowski field goals and trailed 21-16 at the half.

Wes Welker had another blue collar performance,
setting the Patriots franchise reception record
with 112 catches

The Giants drew first blood in the second half as well, marching the ball on the ground for the only effective ground attack of the night, to bring the score to 28-16. The Patriots’ twelve point deficit was the largest of the season.

And then Tom Brady took over.

The Patriots struck back with a scoring drive of their own, with Laurence Maroney taking the ball the final six yards for the first of his two scores. The third quarter ended with the Giants ahead 28-23, but even then it was clear that the momentum had shifted back to the Patriots.

Tom Brady celebrates TD pass #50…


…as Randy Moss celebrates TD
reception #23

After Brady underthrew a completely wide open Randy Moss, he came back to Moss on the very next play for a 65-yard connection and a place in history for both Brady and Moss. The Giants offense fell apart in the next series, setting up the Patriots with good field position as they marched down the field again, with Maroney running the final five yards for a touchdown and a 38-28 lead with just over five minutes remaining.

The NFL Most Valuable Player in
waiting brings the Patriots back
from the brink…again

The Giants’ final drive was productive in that it netted the G-men a touchdown to draw the game to 38-35, but was incredibly wasteful as the Giants and Eli Manning spent too much time at the line calling plays. The result was the loss of at least a minute of time in the final five minutes, and when the Patriots’ Mike Vrabel recovered the on-side kick following the Giants’ score, the result was set, and the Patriots became the first team in NFL history to complete a 16-0 regular season. The Giants finished the season at 10-6 and will travel to Tampa Bay for a first-round playoff game against the Buccaneers next weekend.

A happy coach enjoys a moment of history

The records set by the 2007 Patriots are astonishing. Among others, they include:

NFL Record - Most Points in a season: 589

NFL Record - Most Touchdowns in a season: 75

NFL Record - Most Touchdown passes in a season: 50 (Tom Brady)

NFL Record - Greatest Differential between TD passes and Interceptions: +42 (Tom Brady - 50 TDs and 8 INTs)

NFL Record - Most touchdown receptions in a season: 23 (Randy Moss)

NFL Record - Most consecutive regular season wins: 19 (breaking own record of 18)

Franchise Record - Most receptions in a season: 112 (Wes Welker)

The Patriots became just the fourth team in NFL history to complete a perfect regular season, joining the 1934 Chicago Bears (13-0), the 1942 Chicago Bears (11-0), and the 1972 Miami Dolphins (14-0). Both Bears’ teams lost the NFL Championship Game, while the Dolphins went on to win the Super Bowl. Only three games now separate the Patriots from a 19-0 season and their fourth Super Bowl title.

As a Patriots fan since 1976, to say I am stunned is an understatement. Growing up, the Patriots were perennial losers who found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The lovable losers went to only one Super Bowl prior to Robert Kraft buying the team (a 46-10 trashing by the Bears), and ownership and coaching debacles were the norm. At best it could have been described as a dysfunctional franchise.

All of that changed with Robert Kraft. Since his taking over, the Patriots have been to the playoffs ten times in fourteen seasons. They have been to four Super Bowls so far and won three of them. And now they have set a standard for perfection in the regular season that will stand forever in NFL history. To say that Patriots’ fans appreciate what the Kraft family has brought to Foxborough is llike saying that Red Sox fans were a little excited to see the Curse of the Bambino fall (along with the Yankees) in 2004. It’s a good time to be a fan of Boston teams, and the Patriots have set the standard for success.

Perhaps the most astonishing part of this is that it has been accomplished in a league that has changed itself to inhibit dynasties and discourage perfection, in that the salary cap (which I believe to be a great thing for the game) has created a parity in the league that allows all franchises an opportunity to compete for the championship. Thus, as much as this accomplishment belongs to the players on the field, it also belongs to Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli, who have made the smartest decisions of any front office in the league, harshly evaluating talent and always doing what is in the best interest of the team. The fact that players are willing to play for less money just to be a Patriot says a great deal about the culture that has been established in New England.

While the 16-0 record will live forever in NFL history, the expectations on the Patriots have not subsided. For this season to be truly successful in the eyes of the fans and the players, the Patriots must now march through the playoffs and claim their fourth Super Bowl championship. In the AFC, it is no easy task to get to the Super Bowl. Besides New England, there are the defending champion Colts, the hard-nosed Jaguars, the improving San Diego Chargers, and the perennially tough Pittsburgh Steelers. The Titans or Browns will serve as the final entry, and definitely serve as the weak link in the AFC chain.

So the Patriots must take a hard road to another championship. They have the advantage now of a week off and to play at home, but it will still be a tough journey. But the New England Patriots wouldn’t have it any other way.

Game Recap

Gamebook

Video Highlights

photos from nfl.com and patriots.com

Patriots go for perfect regular season; Power Rankings and Predictions

Tonight the New England Patriots go for the NFL’s first perfect regular season of 16-0, with the Patriots already having set the record with the league’s first 15-0 start ever.

Now perhaps I’m mistaken, but it seems like every time a team has talked smack towards the Patriots in the week leading up to the game, they have paid dearly for it. If I were coaching an opposing team, my message would be simple; do what the Patriots do.. talk up the other team and how talented they are, talk about how tough it is going to be to beat them, and then let your playing speak for you on the field. So, with the Giants having locked up the NFC #5 seed and needing to rest some players before a playoff game next week, you’d think the Giants would be smarter than to talk smack.

Not so, apparently.

This week Giants’ linebacker Antonio Pierce said that Brady walks around like he is Prince Charles, and that his accomplishments this year don’t merit such an attitude. Now I’m not sure that he walks around like royalty (though he deserves to), but I can say this, his accomplishments are staggering and Pierce isn’t fit to hold Brady’s jock; perhaps he should shut his yap.

Not wanting to be outdone on outrageous comparisons, Giants’ defensive end Osi Umenyiora said that the Giants weren’t afraid of the challenge of playing the Patriots because Brady and the Patriots are not Jesus Christ and the twelve disciples. What? What kind of effing blather is that? And do you both realize that you are going to be made to look like idiots in a game that will be viewed by more fans than any other regular season game in major sports history?

Good luck with that.

Oh, and Osi… all good Kevin Smith fans know that there were actually thirteen disciples, with the thirteenth being named Rufus.

Yes, tonight should be a fun game to watch. Yes, the Giants are a talented team. Yes, the Patriots will beat them as well and complete a perfect regular season.

Patriots 31 Giants 10

Week 15 Power Rankings

1. New England Patriots (15-0, unchanged) - Four games away from perfection

2. Indianapolis Colts (13-2, unchanged) - Solid win over Houston with a meaningless Week 17 game upcoming; the team is on a roll heading into the playoffs

3. Dallas Cowboys (13-2, +1) - Heading into the playoffs as the #1 seed, but are they the NFC’s best?

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, +1) - This is the team no one wants to meet in the playoffs

5. Green Bay Packers (12-3, -2) - For such a good team, how do you lose twice to the Bears?

6. Seattle Seahawks (10-5, +2) - This team is looking ready for the playoffs

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5, unchanged) - A win over the hapless Rams doesn’t change my opinion; this team is overrated

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6, -2) - Good team, but not long for the post-season

9. San Diego Chargers (10-5, +1) - Conquering the AFC West doesn’t impress; let’s see what they do in January

10. New York Giants (10-5, +2) - Wrapping up the playoffs has them running at the mouth; not a good idea against the Patriots

11. Tennessee Titans (9-6, +2) - Struggling against the Jets doesn’t bode well

12. Cleveland Browns (9-6, -3) - Talk about picking the wrong time to choke

13. Washington Redskins (8-7, +2) - The team has finally come together under adversity; dangerous first round team if they get there

14. Minnesota Vikings (8-7, -3) - Losing to Washington took the air out of the balloon

15. Philadelphia Eagles (7-8, +3) - Nice recovery at the end of the year, but this team will be mediocre until Reid and McNabb are both gone

16. New Orleans Saints (7-8, -2) - Pity that they wasted this season

17. Houston Texans (7-8, -1) - The loss to Indy doesn’t take away from a successful year

18. Buffalo Bills (7-8, -1) - It’s been a good run, but this team isn’t yet ready for prime time

19. Arizona Cardinals (7-8, +1) - Getting to .500 would be a major moral victory for this franchise

20. Carolina Panthers (6-9, -1) - They gave Dallas a scare, but just don’t have enough firepower

21. Detroit Lions (7-8, +1) - They finally win one and now hope to close the season at .500

22. Chicago Bears (6-9, +1) - Two wins over the Packers will be about 90% of the season’s highlight reel

23. Denver Broncos (6-9, -1) - This team is just plain bad

24. Cincinnati Bengals (6-9, unchanges) - Is this the end of the road for Carson Palmer, or will he rebound in ‘08?

25. San Francisco (5-10, +3) - Damn Niners…

26. Oakland Raiders (4-11, unchanged) - No surprise in a blowout loss; time to prepare for the future; amended from earlier… J is right that the Raiders are better than the Chiefs right now… of course, that’s a little like saying that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are better than the Kansas City Royals :-)

27. Kansas City Chiefs (4-11, -2) - Huard looking good, but the Chiefs are not


28. Baltimore Ravens (4-11, -1) - The Thugs continue their futility

29. St. Louis (3-12, unchanged) - They made a game out of it against the Steelers, but most bad teams do

30. Atlanta Falcons (3-12, unchanged) - The season is mercifully coming to an end

31. New York Jets (3-12, unchanged) - Well, on the bright side they get a high draft pick

32. Miami (1-14, unchanged) - Hey Mercury… we’re on your block…

Week 17 Picks

Last week was hard enough to pick… this week will be a nightmare with some teams having something to play for while others might be resting players. Here is the list of predictions for the final week of the regular season:

New England over New York Giants
Cincinnati over Miami
Philadelphia over Buffalo
Seattle over Atlanta
Chicago over New Orleans
Tampa Bay over Carolina
Cleveland over San Francisco
Green Bay over Detroit
Jacksonville over Houston
San Diego over Oakland
Kansas City over New York Jets
Arizona over St. Louis
Washington over Dallas
Minnesota over Denver
Pittsburgh over Baltimore
Tennessee over Indianapolis

Last Week: 7-9 (bad week)

Season: 154-86 (.642)

Romney must be stopped

I wholeheartedly agree with this editorial, published by The Concord Monitor in New Hampshire. Mitt Romney is a shallow candidate willing to sell his soul on any issue in order to secure power. Of the six major candidates from the two parties (Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Giuliani, Romney, and McCain), Romney is arguably the most dangerous. His “moving target” on domestic and social issues, coupled with his comments on Guantanamo Bay and the mess in Iraq tell us all we need to know… as President, he would perpetuate the fear of terrorism for his own advantage, and he would cater to the demands of the lunatic fringe of the Republican party; something we are already all too familiar with. Mitt Romney has no business being the President of our nation.

Editorial
Romney should not be the next president
Monitor staff
December 22. 2007 3:00PM

If you were building a Republican presidential candidate from a kit, imagine what pieces you might use: an athletic build, ramrod posture, Reaganesque hair, a charismatic speaking style and a crisp dark suit. You’d add a beautiful wife and family, a wildly successful business career and just enough executive government experience. You’d pour in some old GOP bromides - spending cuts and lower taxes - plus some new positions for 2008: anti-immigrant rhetoric and a focus on faith.

Add it all up and you get Mitt Romney, a disquieting figure who sure looks like the next president and most surely must be stopped.

Romney’s main business experience is as a management consultant, a field in which smart, fast-moving specialists often advise corporations on how to reinvent themselves. His memoir is called Turnaround - the story of his successful rescue of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City - but the most stunning turnaround he has engineered is his own political career.

If you followed only his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, you might imagine Romney as a pragmatic moderate with liberal positions on numerous social issues and an ability to work well with Democrats. If you followed only his campaign for president, you’d swear he was a red-meat conservative, pandering to the religious right, whatever the cost. Pay attention to both, and you’re left to wonder if there’s anything at all at his core.

As a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994, he boasted that he would be a stronger advocate of gay rights than his opponent, Ted Kennedy. These days, he makes a point of his opposition to gay marriage and adoption.

There was a time that he said he wanted to make contraception more available - and a time that he vetoed a bill to sell it over-the-counter.

The old Romney assured voters he was pro-choice on abortion. “You will not see me wavering on that,” he said in 1994, and he cited the tragedy of a relative’s botched illegal abortion as the reason to keep abortions safe and legal. These days, he describes himself as pro-life.

There was a time that he supported stem-cell research and cited his own wife’s multiple sclerosis in explaining his thinking; such research, he reasoned, could help families like his. These days, he largely opposes it. As a candidate for governor, Romney dismissed an anti-tax pledge as a gimmick. In this race, he was the first to sign.

People can change, and intransigence is not necessarily a virtue. But Romney has yet to explain this particular set of turnarounds in a way that convinces voters they are based on anything other than his own ambition.

In the 2008 campaign for president, there are numerous issues on which Romney has no record, and so voters must take him at his word. On these issues, those words are often chilling. While other candidates of both parties speak of restoring America’s moral leadership in the world, Romney has said he’d like to “double” the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, where inmates have been held for years without formal charge or access to the courts. He dodges the issue of torture - unable to say, simply, that waterboarding is torture and America won’t do it.

When New Hampshire partisans are asked to defend the state’s first-in-the-nation primary, we talk about our ability to see the candidates up close, ask tough questions and see through the baloney. If a candidate is a phony, we assure ourselves and the rest of the world, we’ll know it.

Mitt Romney is such a candidate. New Hampshire Republicans and independents must vote no.

We don’t have Tom to kick around anymore

Well, in one way this is good news: There is one less candidate who would play on fear-mongering and prejudice in securing more power.

The bad news? We lose a “Moron of the Moment” favorite.

That’s right, Tom Tancredo has dropped out of the presidential race.

The same Tancredo who ran an ad featuring a terrorist attack to play off of irrational fears and who offered a “final solution” for Islam.

Well Tom, on behalf of myself and the loss of entertainment I will experience, and on behalf of your six lunatic supporters, I wish you well in retirement. No doubt you can find comfort in retirement hurting small animals or scaring little children.

No wonder our young people don’t vote

This is a guest commentary from educator Tom Hanson, the editor of openeducation.net. I think it is well thought out and insightful. It highlights to me why people like me (and I presume some of the folks reading this) should care about the ruination of our country… our children have to live with the mess, and the lessons they are learning right now are not good ones. Imagine being a child right now and trying to make sense of the corruption, the war, the torture, and the stripping of civil liberties. The Chancellor and Vice Chancellor lied throughout their campaigning for the presidency and have continued to lie to us for seven years. And Americans have sat back and accepted it. In an environment where adults act like helpless sheep, I am not sure how children are supposed to learn a better lesson.

No Wonder Our Young People Don’t Vote

I wonder if anyone recalls the original campaign promises. Back when George Bush would raise his right hand as if taking a solemn vow and announce he would restore “honor and integrity” to the White House if elected. Sometimes he would alter the phrase ever so slightly, making it “dignity and honor” or other variations of the same three words.

With today’s Internet, we can easily check on some of the original statements. How about Vice President Dick Cheney, August 2, 2000, offering:

On the first hour of the first day, he will restore decency and integrity to the Oval Office. They will offer more lectures and legalisms and carefully worded denials. We offer another way, a better way, and a stiff dose of truth.

Those were followed by the words of President Bush himself dated September 23, 2000.

Just because our White House has let us down in the past, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen in the future. In a campaign that’s going to restore honor and dignity to the White House……”.

Lack of Ethics 101

By the time 2005 rolled around, those words seemed a distant memory. At that time, the indictment of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby for perjury and obstruction of justice charges had seriously tarnished the view point that Bush might bring a higher level of ethics to the Oval Office. One poll taken at that time indicated that by a 3 to 1 ratio, Americans felt that honesty and integrity had declined under the Bush administration and the president’s 34% rating for ensuring high ethics in government was actually lower than that of Bill Clinton when he left office.

Fast forward to the year 2007 and the vast array of ethical issues that have dominated the headlines. There was Bush nominee Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank President, resigning under the pressure for his ethical lapses including authorizing a $50,000 raise for his girlfriend. Then there was the high profile situation of another Bush appointee, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Whether it be the justices relieved of their duties for supposed incompetence or the push at the hospital bed of former attorney general John Ashcroft to sign off on illegal wiretapping, Mr. Gonzales’ oversight of the Justice department was fraught with a frightening lack of integrity.

There was the pardon of Libby, the request for immunity for phone companies that may have broken the law at the bidding of the White House and the latest, the investigation underway into tapes destroyed by the CIA, tapes that apparently showed interrogation techniques that most of the civilized world would express disdain for.

In between there was Matteo Fontana who had to be placed on leave from the Department of Education as leader of the loan office. In that case, Fontana owned more than a $100,000 worth of stock in a student loan company that received financial benefits from federal loans. There were also the convictions of two Bush appointees tied to the behavior of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. J. Steven Griles, deputy interior secretary and former White House aide, David H. Safavian, were both convicted of white collar misconduct.

The Will of the People?
The theory behind our democratic form of government is to elect officials to office so that they will do the will of the American people. These politicians are supposed to put their personal and family interests aside, even their former business connections so as to act in the best interest of the collective whole. Unfortunately what we are witnessing today is a long way from that theory. Conflicts of interest are evident every where one looks and individuals are actually using their elected or appointed position to further their own financial gain. In addition, loyalty to those who stand fast in the face of the scrutiny regarding potential wrongdoing also appears to be rewarded within the current administration. How else could the White House stand behind either Alberto Gonzales or Paul Wolfowitz for as long as they did. And think where the justice department would be at this moment, dealing with the destruction of evidence by the CIA if the department were still somehow under the guidance of Gonzales.

There is of course another critical issue currently at play for the Bush administration. The discussion of competency is one that could perhaps even trump the lack of ethical behavior. Surprisingly, the president actually thinks his tenure in the White House will be judged more favorably by historians down the road.

Given the extreme ethical transgressions, it seems preposterous that there will ever be a time when this presidency will be seen in a favorable light. I am sure that the ethical transgressions that are so troubling to most Americans today will only get darker as the future rolls in.

For teachers, the behavior and decision-making within the current White House makes it very challenging to fairly discuss politics with the next generation of voters. Walking the political line of fairness in a high school social studies class has likely never been more difficult than it is today. That is because the close examination of these ethical transgressions would be seen as nothing more than bashing our president.

However, our democratic process is supposed to lead our great nation in a direction that puts the proper people in the position to further the very ideals our country was founded upon. If we adults are thoroughly confused and shaken by what we are witnessing, imagine how difficult it must be for our children.

Impeachment NOT off the table

I don’t care what Nancy Pelosi or any of the other spineless leaders in the Democratic Party say… there should be immediate hearings and investigations into the corruption of this administration, and impeachment proceedings should be initiated when “high crimes and misdemeanors” are discovered.

One politician still fighting the good fight is Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), who has called for impeachment hearings against Vice Chancellor Cheney. As a public service, I am re-posting some of the information that I have been sent, as well as an op-ed piece that newspapers like The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, and Boston Globe are all too fearful to print. It’s time to put pressure on our media to stop giving this administration a free ride, and time for our Congressional leaders to show that they have backbones.

I encourage readers to review these materials and to join in the cause to impeach Cheney. If this is a cause you are willing to support, visit www.WexlerWantsHearings.com and sign the petition. As of today more than 100,000 have signed up and the goal is to acquire 250,000 signatures.

From the Congressman:

We have already reached 100,000 supporters. Thank You.

Now We Need Each of You To Send an Email to Ten More People to Get 250,000 Signed Up at WexlerWantsHearings.com by the End of the Year.

I can guarantee that your 100,000 voices calling for impeachment hearings will now be heard in Congress. Together, through our new Quarter Million Person Challenge, let’s now set a new goal of 250,000 Americans signing up to demand action.

It has been just 5 days since I called for impeachment hearings for Vice-President Dick Cheney and already over 100,000 people - including you - have answered that call by adding your name as an impeachment supporter at www.WexlerWantsHearings.com. This is a truly remarkable response that demonstrates the power that average, everyday Americans can have when we come together to pursue justice and accountability.

Never mind that the national media ignored my call and rejected an op-ed that I wrote along with my Judiciary Colleagues Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The Netroots and citizen activists like yourself are spreading our message and demanding action.

Quarter Million Person Challenge

Our movement continues to grow by the hour and the day. But, with the media blackout, I need your help to grow our effort. With 100,000 supporters already signed-up, if each of you e-mail ten of your friends (a “Chain-ey letter”) about www.WexlerWantsHearings.com and the need for Cheney impeachment hearings we will reach over a million Americans and perhaps we can reach a new goal of 250,000 signers by the end of the year!!

Join Me Thursday Night on Blog Radio to Discuss Our Next Steps

On this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. (EST) and 6:00 (PST), please join me as I appear on live on the Internet to discuss my efforts to convince Congress to hold impeachment hearing.

Congressman Wexler Live on Blog Radio:

WHEN: Thursday, December 18, 9:00 pm (EST)/6:00 pm (PST)

WHERE: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fpc (a link will be posted at www.wexlerwantshearings.com and www.wexlerforcongress.com )

WHO: Rep. Wexler will appear live on Florida Progressive Radio with host Kenneth Quinnell of the Florida Netroots Caucus, Bob Fertick of Democrats.com, as well as Dave Lindorf, author of “The Case for Impeachment,” and David Swanson with AfterDowningStreet.org.

More on the Media Blackout

The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, USA Today, and Boston Globe have all rejected our op ed (though the Miami Herald just put an edited version in its “Letters to the Editor” section). We have heard from the editors of some of these publications and they are telling us that they are getting overwhelmed with phone calls and letters of complaint. (Well done everybody!)

In short - we need to keep the pressure on if this news will spread far beyond the Netroots community.


The Op/Ed Piece:

A CASE FOR HEARINGS By Representatives and Members of the Judiciary Committee: Robert Wexler (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

On November 7, the House of Representatives voted to send a resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary Committee. As Members of the House Judiciary Committee, we strongly believe these important hearings should begin.

The issues at hand are too serious to ignore, including credible allegations of abuse of power that if proven may well constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under our constitution. The charges against Vice President Cheney relate to his deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent for political retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens.

Now that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has indicated that the Vice President and his staff purposefully gave him false information about the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert agent to report to the American people, it is even more important for Congress to investigate what may have been an intentional obstruction of justice. Congress should call Mr. McClellan to testify about what he described as being asked to “unknowingly [pass] along false information.” In addition, recent revelations have shown that the Administration including Vice President Cheney may have again manipulated and exaggerated evidence about weapons of mass destruction — this time about Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Some of us were in Congress during the impeachment hearings of President Clinton. We spent a year and a half listening to testimony about President Clinton’s personal relations. This must not be the model for impeachment inquires. A Democratic Congress can show that it takes its constitutional authority seriously and hold a sober investigation, which will stand in stark contrast to the kangaroo court convened by Republicans for President Clinton. In fact, the worst legacy of the Clinton impeachment – where the GOP pursued trumped up and insignificant allegations - would be that it discourages future Congresses from examining credible and significant allegations of a constitutional nature when they arise.

The charges against Vice President Cheney are not personal. They go to the core of the actions of this Administration, and deserve consideration in a way the Clinton scandal never did. The American people understand this, and a majority support hearings according to a November 13 poll by the American Research Group. In fact, 70% of voters say that Vice President Cheney has abused his powers and 43% say that he should be removed from office right now. The American people understand the magnitude of what has been done and what is at stake if we fail to act. It is time for Congress to catch up.

Some people argue that the Judiciary Committee can not proceed with impeachment hearings because it would distract Congress from passing important legislative initiatives. We disagree. First, hearings need not tie up Congress for a year and shut down the nation. Second, hearings will not prevent Congress from completing its other business. These hearings involve the possible impeachment of the Vice President – not our commander in chief – and the resulting impact on the nation’s business and attention would be significantly less than the Clinton Presidential impeachment hearings. Also, despite the fact that President Bush has thwarted moderate Democratic policies that are supported by a vast majority of Americans — including children’s health care, stem cell research, and bringing our troops home from Iraq — the Democratic Congress has already managed to deliver a minimum wage hike, an energy bill to address the climate crisis and bring us closer to energy independence, assistance for college tuition, and other legislative successes. We can continue to deliver on more of our agenda in the coming year while simultaneously fulfilling our constitutional duty by investigating and publicly revealing whether or not Vice President Cheney has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.

Holding hearings would put the evidence on the table, and the evidence – not politics – should determine the outcome. Even if the hearings do not lead to removal from office, putting these grievous abuses on the record is important for the sake of history. For an Administration that has consistently skirted the constitution and asserted that it is above the law, it is imperative for Congress to make clear that we do not accept this dangerous precedent. Our Founding Fathers provided Congress the power of impeachment for just this reason, and we must now at least consider using it.

Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema make up; Hobbit flicks on the way

This is terrific news, even though Jackson and Fran Walsh are going to be producers of the films as opposed to directing them. I’m a bit nervous on who they will get as a director, given my love of the first three films. But with Jackson back in the fold, I am confident that the films will live up to the expectations of LOTR fans.

The first film will be based on “The Hobbit” and a second film will span the gap between this film and the LOTR trilogy. I guess it is time for me to go back and brush up on some of my LOTR history, but I’ve got until at least 2010 to get it done.

Peter Jackson Returns To LOTR Franchise
By MICHAEL HINMAN
Dec-18-2007

The valiant battle between Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema is over. In fact, the new peace accords will bring the famed director back to the Lord of the Rings franchise … just not as a director.

The fate of doing “The Hobbit” — based on the prequel book by JRR Tolkien — had been up in the air for some time, especially with Jackson making it clear he would not work on the project while his lawsuit against the studio over residuals from “The Fellowship of the Ring” still remained active. Bob Shaye, the New Line head, had joined in the war of words earlier this year, saying that he wouldn’t work with anyone who would sue him.

The olive branch has been extended, and now both Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as executive producers on a pair of “The Hobbit” movies, according to MTV.

Under the new agreement, New Line will join with MGM to both finance and distribute the two films, with one being based closely on the original novel and a second bridging the gap between “The Hobbit” and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. As part of that particular deal, New Line will get domestic distribution rights of the film while MGM will add its card to the international viewings.

Both films also will be shot at the same time, although no director has been named for either.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us so that we may begin a new chapter with our friends at New Line,” Jackson said, giving thanks to Harry Sloan at MGM for helping both sides “find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”

Even Shaye had good things to say about Jackson and the new team assembled for the movies.

“We are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences, and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively involved with ‘The Hobbit’ movies,” he said. “We know they will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films that they so ably accomplished with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.”

Principal photography for the new films is expected to begin in 2009 with a planned release of 2010 for “The Hobbit” and 2011 for its sequel.