Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum.... I Smell a Championship Run

“The Big 3” has been a familiar nickname heard throughout New England sport circles for a few years now.  This, of course, refers to the three central stars of the Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.  These talented players have earned this moniker due to their magnificent play, historical milestones achieved and superstar notoriety.  However, there are three other members of the Celtics whose contributions will be just as vital to Boston’s success this season.

Allow me to introduce you to the “Really Big 3.”  This cast is comprised of three of the largest bodies you can find in professional basketball today: Kendrick Perkins, Shaquille O’neal and Glen Davis.  With news of Kendrick Perkins’ return targeted for the Celtics’ game on February 4^th, these three giants will unite to form one of the most formidable, imposing trios in the entire NBA.

Being sidelined since Game 6 of last year’s NBA Finals with a serious knee injury, Kendrick Perkins has been fully participating in full contact practices for about a week now.  A critical cog in the Celtics’ defensive game plan, Kendrick is highly respected around the league and is widely considered as one of the premier one-on-one, big man defenders in the game.  

His ability to guard some of the most offensively talented centers allows Boston to avoid double-teaming those post players, preventing opposing offenses from benefitting from the open lanes and spaces that ordinarily are created from having to do so.  Standing at 6’10” and weighing in at a massive 280 pounds, it’s easy to see why opposing players have such a difficult time successfully maneuvering their way around this mammoth man.  

Struggling to maintain his full health recently, Shaquille O’neal is the second member of this group of jolly, green giants.  Despite missing a couple games as of late, the level of concern isn’t too high just yet, as Doc Rivers’ typical protocol does call for a more cautionary approach than normal.   Easily claiming the largest frame on the Celtics’ roster, Shaq stands 7’1” tall and tips the scales at a weight of 325 pounds.  He has actually been a really pleasant surprise filling in at the starting center position in Perkins’ absence.

With Perkins’ inevitable and eventual return to the starting lineup, I feel this will benefit Shaquille immensely.  The pressure for him to perform will receive a dramatic reduction, and, as a result, the minutes he will be relied upon to play will become much more efficient while exerting far less energy.  This will pay huge dividends toward the stretch run at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.

Rounding out this titanic trio is Glen “Big Baby” Davis.  His tremendous contributions off the bench this season have him vying as a legitimate contender for the NBA’s “Sixth Man of the Year” award.  An extremely tough, hard-working individual, his versatility, smooth shot and quick feet are superb for a player of his stature.  Despite officially measuring in at 6’9” tall, he is often considered to be undersized at his position, but his scrappiness and hustle provide a spark for this Celtic team that is evident on both ends of the court.

Adding in Davis’ 289 pounds, this gives us a grand total of 894 pounds!  To put those numbers in perspective, there is only one other NBA team who has two players who are 280+ pounds.  The Utah Jazz have Al Jefferson (who, ironically, used to play for the Celtics) and Kyrylo Fesenko, both weighing an even 280 pounds.  Whoever coined the phrase, “size doesn’t matter,” was obviously not a basketball fan.


 Now, of course, size isn’t everything, but, combined with the right amount of talent, heart and a compelling championship drive, it could provide this team with the tools they need to capture the title this season.  Therefore, if my prediction of the Celtics winning it all comes to fruition, the time to alert the t-shirt company responsible for those championship shirts might be now.  I’m not sure how long it may take to produce a 5XL tee, but the C’s will need three of them, and that’s a lot of cloth!

The Move: Pats to Sox

Alright, Boston sports fans, unfortunately due to the Patriots early postseason exit, we find ourselves in that frustrating and awkwardly uncomfortable transition period.  It's kind of like when you're attempting to grow out your luscious locks and you hit the phase in between short and long, where you cannot do anything that looks good with your hair. Tom Brady knows what I'm talking about...

So, as we try to refrain from replaying that horrendous defeat in our heads over and over again, a method that might help us to move on is to look forward to the future as our fanaticism transfers from football to the start of baseball season.  It's certainly not an easy task, but with a little guidance and support we can all make it through these trying times.

With Pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to spring training in City Palms Park on February 14th, the Red Sox look like they're prepared to field an exciting team this year.  Several key additions were made this winter which have elevated the Sox as the preseason favorites to win the American League.

Despite the high expectations and bevy of new personnel, there are still a few question marks that remain from a season ago.  Here is a list of five players to keep an eye on, who, I believe, could perhaps hold the key that will either make or break the Red Sox this year.

1.       Josh Beckett:  Topping the list, after a season full of injuries, is this fiery 30 year-old.  This once dominant pitcher will look to rebound from one of the most disappointing statistical seasons of his illustrious career.  His contributions will be vital to the success of a starting rotation who failed to meet last season's high expectations.  An aging arm with a ton of innings logged raises the level of concern and allows more skepticism to surround a complete bounce back, especially considering he has failed to pitch 200 innings in two of the last three seasons.  If he is, somehow, able to maintain his health, he will be heavily relied upon to provide much more consistency and will be under enormous pressure to put up better numbers than the 6-6 record and 5.78 ERA he posted last season.

2.       John Lackey:  Sticking with the starting pitching theme, this brings up another Red Sox starter who struggled in Boston last year.  After signing a huge contract last winter, Lackey failed to live up to the hype in his first season at Fenway, compiling a painfully pedestrian record of 14-11 with an ERA of 4.40.  If Lackey and Beckett can improve upon their lackluster performances in 2011, the Red Sox pitching staff could compete as one of the deepest, talented, and experienced rotations in baseball.

3.       Jacoby Ellsbury:  The Red Sox were dealt a significant blow when Ellsbury collided with Adrian Beltre, breaking three of his ribs, limiting him to a total of 18 games in 2010.  Dubbed as the lead off hitter of the future for the Sox, the injury was a major setback in his development as a young player, who had shown significant strides of improvement in each of his first few years in Boston.  He is widely considered as one of the most dangerous threats on the base path, and his speed and defense will be welcomed back atop the lineup, and in center field as well.

4.       Jonathan Papelbon:  With a newly renovated bullpen employed to precede this closer’s entrance into the 9th inning, Papelbon will be facing the most important season of his professional career.  2010 was, by far, his worst season since coming up with the Red Sox, and his eight blown saves were worst in the AL.  The Red Sox will be monitoring his production very intently as he is in the final year of arbitration eligibility, and could become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.  The acquisition of Bobby Jenks was a move, at the time, to add depth to the back end of a sub-par bullpen, but it also allowed the Red Sox the ability to trade away Papelbon if he struggles and they decide they have no intentions of re-signing him next year.

5.       Jarrod Saltalamacchia:  The departure of Victor Martinez forces this young catcher into the starting role.  A highly regarded prospect, his talents have yet to translate into productive numbers at the major league level.  He was actually the centerpiece in the trade that sent Mark Teixeira from the Rangers to the Braves in 2007.  Fortunately, the amount of pressure on him to produce will not be as high on him with the Red Sox hitting near the bottom of the order in a fearsome lineup.  Hopefully, under the tutelage of Captain, Jason Varitek, he will learn to become more comfortable in his new, elevated role of responsibility, and will be able to flourish under the strong influence of a veteran pitching staff.

      Nothing else can be said or done to change the events of this past Sunday.  As Boston sports fans, we're emotionally conditioned to absorb these types of blows.  So rather than wallow in our sorrows, let's begin to to realize that we have another great team to get behind.  I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but we should consider ourselves lucky to live in such a great professional sports town.  Imagine being in a place like Tennessee...  Once the Titans season is over, they don't have any other sports teams to redirect their attention toward.

Therefore, raise the shades and crawl out of your dark rooms of depression.  Life isn't over; football season is.  So get out there and purchase your "T" passes and re-route your GPS destinations from Foxboro to Fenway, for it won't be too long before the Pats are a faded memory.  And that, my friends, is a very good thing.                                                     

Pats Fall Flat

I’m writing this with wounds still fresh, so forgive me if the excruciating pain emanates throughout.  But, I think it’s safe to assume that many of you out there are experiencing the same depressed dejection.

I certainly didn’t think that I would be hammering out my final Patriots article with two weeks remaining in January.  Even more surprising was how much of a disaster it was for New England from start to finish.  There were several occurrences that transpired Sunday afternoon that Patriot fans were not accustomed to seeing from this team.

From the very first offensive drive, which initially resembled the team that had dominated opponents for eight straight weeks, things just appeared to be out of sync.  Looking like the well-oiled, offensive machine that was so familiar to Pat fans, Tom Brady was methodically moving the team down the field with poise and relative ease. 

And then it happened.  Something that had not happened since Week 6, 335 pass attempts ago- Tom Brady threw an interception.  It wasn’t just the interception itself, though.  It was the way the interception was thrown.  It was just such an incredibly, uncharacteristically inaccurate miss, overthrowing his target by at least a couple of yards and finding its way perfectly into the waiting arms of the defender, as if it was intended for him.

This was not necessarily the play that sealed the Patriots fate, mainly due to a terrific individual effort by Alge Crumpler that prevented a pick six, because Nick Folk then inexplicably missed a 30 yard field goal, stripping the Jets of what seemed to be an assured three point, early lead.  That play only served to give Patriot fans a false sense of hope as all the luck and momentum swung to the Jets sideline in a hurry as they rattled off 14 consecutive points following a Shayne Graham FG to close the first half.

It was a very disappointing day all around, not only because of the loss, but just the way the game played out.  The Patriots played the entire first half without scoring a single touchdown, which hadn’t happened since Week 4 against the Dolphins.  The difference in that week was the Pats managed to score 35 points in the second half in a rout; this was definitely not the case on Sunday.

The coaching decisions seemed to have an uncharacteristic quality to them as well.  Bill Belichick has certainly earned a reputation of a risk taker, but the timing of the choice to try and pull off a fake punt was very questionable.  Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but not only was the execution poor, but the call itself was an odd one.

The play calling, particularly on the offensive side of the football, didn’t resemble the Patriots team that steamrolled through the regular season.  Down ten points in the 3^rd quarter, Tom Brady elected to hand the ball off on several consecutive plays with time winding down, almost as though there was a complete lack of urgency, especially since the defense hadn’t shown the ability to consistently stop the Jets when they needed to.  Taking up almost eight minutes, this time-consuming drive proved to very costly as it ended with zero points on a dropped pass on a failed 4^th and 14 conversion.

Well, the list of apparent missteps and frustrations could be endless.  With each recount of a mistake, my blood pressure seems to be on a steady rise, and I’m not sure continuing to harp on the mishaps would be a responsible health decision.  In the end, this playoff loss has to be a considered one of the most shocking in the history of the organization.  Maybe the loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII was more stunning with all the talk surrounding that team as perhaps being the greatest of all time, but this defeat has to be a close second.  

Defiant to the end, the Jets stayed true to their form, while the Patriots looked like the team absent of an identity.  An incredibly under whelming performance by the NFL’s supposed best team and predominant favorites to capture this year’s championship; this loss now brings New England’s streak of home playoff losses to two and places a significant blemish on a dynasty that has now lost their last three playoff games.

This performance definitely brought to light the holes this Patriot team needs to fill in order to set themselves up for success next season.  With no more games to prepare for, the NFL draft could be a positive event to look forward to in this abrupt, unexpected shift of focus for New England football fans.  The Patriots have six picks in the first three rounds, and they will certainly have plenty of problems they must address.

A roller coaster of a season, their early departure, ironically, was almost as surprising as the amazing regular season they put together.  I expected the Patriots to be good this year, but 14-2 was certainly a pleasant surprise, which made this loss all the more difficult to process.  

So, Patriot fans, in your fuming frustrations, try not to burn those Brady or Welker jerseys just yet.  Return them to the back of your closets for next year and exchange them for whichever Celtics or Bruins attire you have available, because we still have a couple teams worthy of your cheers in the upcoming months.  Let’s just hope that the conclusion to their seasons will end in a far less disappointing fashion.

Yanks $ign $oriano

I doubt that Rafael Soriano was the player Yankee fans were expecting to be headlining their list off season signings this winter, but it appears that is exactly the case today.  

Coming off of his best season last year, Soriano is the latest name to abandon a rebuilding Tampa Bay team.  After seeing the contract the desperate Yankees organization inked him to, it's easy to see why the Rays were obligated to part ways with their former closer.

Piling up 45 saves in all-star effort in 2010, Soriano was one of the top relievers in the American League.  He posted a dazzling 1.73 ERA in one of the most difficult divisions to pitch in.  However, with Mariano Rivera just signing his new two-year, $30M deal, solidifying his role as closer, three years at $35M is a ton of money to be throwing at full time set up guy.

This is a very puzzling move for a team who has been searching to find some glimmer of hope in an off season marred by disappointment and failure.  Obviously it cements the back end of their bullpen for the next few years, but with their current rotation, there will be a lot of games decided long before the 8th and 9th inning arrives.

Not only is the list of acquisitions for significant free agents a very short list for the Yanks, but the list of players who chose to take their talents elsewhere is quite extensive.  Here is a breakdown of all the players they managed to snatch off the leftover free agent scrap heap.

Rafael Soriano
Pedro Feliciano
Brian Schlitter
Russel Martin
Luis Vizcaino

Conversely, here is a list of players who were either on the team last or were projected sign with the Yankees in the off season.  This is, by far, a much more substantial list, in quality rather than quantity.

Cliff Lee (not ever actually on the roster)
Lance Berkman (signed with St. Louis)
Andy Pettitte (considering retirement)
Javier Vazquez (signed with the Marlins)
Kerry Wood (signed with the Cuns)
Austin Kearns (Signed with the Indians)

The projected starting rotation for the Yankees is a topic of much debate and speculation, but public opinion seems to suggest that the top four spots seem to be relatively sealed with C.C. Sabbathia, Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett and Ivan Nova.  After those names, the situation gets a little hairy.

I've heard multiple options being considered to patch up this pathetic excuse for a rotation, but the most popular choices at this point seem to be either Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre.  Now I understand that the Yankees are a very capable team offensively, and that alone will certainly win you some games, but it's hard to imagine them being a serious threat to the Red Sox next season with the rotation in the state it presently finds itself.

For years and years, Red Sox fans have listened to Yankee fans whining and knit picking about their team with a $200M payroll.  For once, they actually have a legitimate reason to complain and, I have to be honest, it sounds a little less annoying and more like music to my ears.  Oh yeah, and this is just in:  Yankees are close to signing Andruw Jones... Look out!

Celtics Halt Short Skid

Wednesday night the Celtics seemed to finally put an entire game together that included both ends of the court, albeit the effort came against the struggling Sacramento Kings.  Despite the opponent, Boston looked like they were trending in a more positive direction than the last couple of games of uninspired performances.

That win, combined with two consecutive losses by the anointed Miami heat, has allowed the Boston Celtics to reclaim the top position in the Eastern Conference.  Collectively the Celtics combined to produce eight players in double digits in their impressive victory, which is practically an offensive anomaly in today's NBA.  It was an incredible display that even Doc Rivers could not resist complimenting.

Things are certainly looking up for the C's as Kevin Garnett seems sure to return Friday night versus the Bobcats.t.  In the seven games since he succumbed to an unfortunate calf strain, the Celtics are a severely average 4-3.  Staying with the positive energy vibe, reports seem to indicate that Delonte West and Kendric Perkins are close to a comeback as both have returned to some form of practice this week.

With the meat of the schedule approaching it will be imperative that the Celtics prepare for a run with a healthy squad.  If the Celtics are able to maintain any semblance of the roster which Danny Ainge envisioned at the beginning of the season, Celtics fan should prepare themselves for another deep run into the post season. 

 

There is not another team in the league that can boast the amount of talent that Boston will possess on their roster from one to twelve.  The development of Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis and other role players will prove an irreplaceable asset as the season progresses.

Therefore, as the All Star break quickly approaches next month, Celtics fans have much to be appreciative of and also have much to look forward to.  As we witnessed last season, Doc Rivers is the perfect captain to steer this voyage to the potential promised land.  Once all of these lingering injuries have finally healed, he will have a roster at his disposal geared for success.

And, as well have become accustomed to over the last few years, success in Boston will only be measured by championships.  Plus, on a more personal note, we can't allow Phil Jackson to peacefully retire into the sunset as the all-time winningest coach  in NBA history.  We all know that that distinguished honor should be associated with the late, great Red Auerbach.

So have patience.  This team was constructed upon the sole principle of winning a championship and that goal is most definitely within reach.  Consequently, let's keep this aspiration in mind as these next few weeks unfold.   Bumps in the road may present themselves as the Celtics keep the bigger picture in sight at the sake of a few possible losses along the way.  Let's trust the powers in place leading this team and ride them all the way to the Finals, because that's where the Celtics belong this season and anything less would be a harsh, bitter disappointment.     

Seeing Green

Be careful what you wish for, Rex Ryan!  Just moments after getting blistered 45-3 by the Patriots in week 13, the N.Y. Jets coach claimed that he wanted to get right out on the field and play New England again in one of his patented, postgame demonstrative displays of conceited egotism.  So clear your schedule and cancel those reservations you had at the Golden Corral for the Sunday buffet, Rex, because the football gods deemed it fit that your desperate plea be granted. 

 

As if the Jets coach hadn’t provided Bill Belichick and the Pats with enough bulletin board material already, he subtly took another swipe specifically at Tom Brady last week, basically stating he thought Brady is an underprepared quarterback who has succeeded in the league only because of the great coaching that has surrounded him his entire career.  An unbelievably misguided opinion, and one that was noted, not only by the reporters in that media room, but also by the players in the New England locker room.

Meanwhile, as Rex Ryan is consuming himself with launching insults at the two-time Super Bowl MVP and shoe-in for this year’s league MVP, his own quarterback, Mark Sanchez, produced one of the most pathetic displays in a playoff game at that position I’ve seen in a long time.  One would think this might be more of a concern for him rather than trying to surmise the amount of time he feels Brady does or doesn’t spend in the film room.

Overall, when all the dust from this crazy, wild card weekend finally settled, the Patriots made out about as well as they could have hoped.  Three of the four teams who were eliminated (the Saints, Eagles and Colts) were all serious, potential threats to the Patriots path to win another championship.  Of the remaining teams, Seattle and Pittsburgh are the only squads left with QBs who have even played in a Super Bowl.

 

Also, by winning that game against the Colts, the Jets helped the Patriots avoid meeting the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, who demolished the Chiefs in Kansas City and looked extremely impressive doing so.  Patriot fans should definitely be excited on multiple levels after this weekend’s results, and the anticipation of this favorable matchup will only help build that excitement level as the game approaches.

These are the types of games that make this time of year so much fun for football fans.  The storylines surrounding this matchup enhance an already incredibly intriguing game.  It will be a tough competition between intra-division rivals, who plain do not like one another. 

 

As Patriots fans, there are several indicators that should leave us feeling very optimistic heading into Sunday’s game in Foxboro.  Despite the devastating domination New England displayed over the Jets last meeting, I wouldn’t expect such an overwhelming blowout this time around.  However, under Bill Belichick, the Patriots are 13-1 in their last 14 games played following a week off. 

Additionally, early weather reports predict the temperature for Sunday to be at a high of 32 degrees.   This is another statistic in support of a Patriots’ victory, because in his terrific career, Tom Brady has an amazing 18-2 record in games played in below freezing conditions.  This is a perfect opportunity for revenge to be served up cold for all of the big mouths existing on this Jets team. 

 

Needless to say, the Jets return to Gillette stadium will be a welcomed sight, and one that New England fans, and players alike, will be anxiously awaiting.  It’s time for New York Jets players to be made aware of the fact that it’s the play on the field that does the only talking that matters.  A victory on Sunday would finally silence their big-headed babble (at least for this season) and force Rex Ryan, once and for all, to put his foot in his mouth.  Although, rumor has it, he might not be so opposed to that activity…  Go get ‘em Pats!

Could Beltre Signing Benefit Sox?

With Adrian Beltre finally inking that lengthy, far too expensive contract that I predicted someone would eventually offer him, this got the wheels turning.  I wondered if the signing of this former Red Sox player could somehow benefit Boston.

Eager to spend all that money burning a hole in the new owners' pockets that was intended for Cliff Lee, Texas dropped $96 million on an oft-injured, 32 year-old third baseman who produces a good season about every five years.

Good for them.  I'm just glad the Red Sox, as usual, displayed more sense and stuck to their guns by not submitting to Scott Boras' preposterous demands.  In the meantime, the Sox not only got younger, but they got much better with the additions of Gonzalez and Crawford.  This move by Texas is an interesting one, though.  Mainly because they already have an all-star caliber third baseman on their current roster in Michael Young.

Word is that Young will now be reduced to more of a utility role with the Rangers, playing some first base, third base, DHing and perhaps sending him to the outfield every now and then.  This is quite a disrespectful request for one of the most loyal players the organization has had over the last decade.  Originally, a second baseman, Young moved to short stop with Ian Kinsler's arrival and then, after 700+ games there, the team forced him to switch to third base when they promoted Elvis Andrus.

I propose that the Red Sox help assuage his undoubtedly betrayed and sore ego by trading for him and offer him the starting gig back at short stop, his most comfortable and familiar position.  With a bountiful supply of quality starting pitchers and mostly below average or unproven options at short stop, Boston could help themselves by assisting Texas in their quest to acquire a solid starter, which they desperately need after losing out on Lee to the Phillies.  Earning about $5 million less, on average, over the next two years than Young, Matsuzaka would give the Rangers another starter in their depleted rotation and free up some salary for them to explore re-signing Vlad Guerrero, who was an offensive juggernaut at the DH position for them last year.

I understand this would be somewhat of a long shot, but I really think it would make sense for both sides.  Scutaro is a decent #9 hitter and an average fielder.  Jed Lowrie, who came on very strongly the last month of the season, has never made it through an entire year healthy and all kinds of questions and doubts would surround him as a starting short stop.

Michael Young would be a significant upgrade over either of those options, and it would also allow the Sox to include Scutaro in another deal to acquire another starter to replace the departure of Matsuzaka, or he could also be included in the Young deal with the Sox offering to pay a percentage of his remaining salary next year to help even out the salaries exchanged in this deal.  Scutaro's name has been mentioned as trade bait on several different occasions this off season anyway, so it might be in the best interest of both parties to part ways.  Scutaro could be shopped as that ultra-utility infielder for Texas, with the ability to play both middle infield spots and some third base, which would be a comfortable role for him, as that was his calling card for the majority of his career before coming to Boston.

Young could be that one missing ingredient that Jayson Werth was speculated to contribute- a good, disciplined, right handed hitter with some pop with the ability to protect Ortiz in the 6th spot in the order.  Last season Young hit .284 with 21 home runs with 91 RBIs, and has a career .300 average.  Despite being 34 years old, he has developed into an incredibly durable and consistent player, playing in at least 150 games in eight of the last nine seasons.

With Matsuzaka out of the picture, I think that there a couple viable, inexpensive options on the free agent market that the Sox could try out to fill that final 5th spot in the rotation. The best option, in my opinion, is Chris Young, former Sand Diego Padre pitcher.  Yes, he certainly comes with some health concerns, but when he has pitched he has been a solid, above average starting pitcher. 

In two early season with the Rangers and five with the lowly Padres he complied a career record of 48-34.  14 games above .500 is actually quite an achievement considering the teams he was on.  In that time period, he recorded an ERA of 3.80, a 1.21 WHIP and opponents have only managed a .220 average against him.  At 6'-10", he's an imposing figure on the mound who possesses a hard sinker, which usually translates into good results at Fenway.  He reminds me of a bigger Derek Lowe, who had a reasonably successful career for the Red Sox.  As a fifth starter, if he can stay healthy (and that is a big "if"), he would be a more than capable replacement for Daisuke, who, coincidentally, has a career record of 46-27 in his four seasons with the Sox.

There are a few other names that sound enticing that have a similar story: once good,solid, veteran pitchers with injury concerns.  A few of those potential suitors that might spark the Sox interest enough to take a shot on are Ben Sheets, Justin Duchscherer and possibly Jeff Francis.  Any of these pitchers, I believe, would be able to produce the same type of success that an unreliable, erratic and highly inconsistent Matsuzaka would, especially with that high-powered offense supporting them.

Regardless of this proposed scenario, the Red Sox will actually benefit from this move as they will be given a compensatory first round draft pick due to Beltre's type A free agent status.  But, with the Rangers in a depressed state from losing out on their #1 priority this off season, Theo might be able to tack on to this benefit and catch them in a vulnerable position and get a really good player in exchange for a pitcher that has been one of the more frustrating players in recent memories for Red Sox fans.

Beating the Bye Week Blues

The New Year’s ball has dropped and the Christmas trees have been put away (unless you’re like my mother and leave it up until Easter).  That can only mean it’s time for one thing: Start growing out those playoff beards, because the NFL playoffs are here!  

Already knowing that the Patriots clinched the #1 overall seed and would receive a first round bye, last weekend allowed the other five teams to determine their position for the post season.  Sunday’s results allowed Patriots fans to begin to work out all of the possible scenarios that might face New England in the next round.  Being a Pats fan myself, I thought it would be fun to walk through each potential matchup and share my thoughts on each prospective opponent.

Out of the five remaining playoff teams in the AFC, there are only two teams that are statistical impossibilities for the Patriots to play coming off of their bye next weekend.  The first team is obvious, the second seeded Pittsburgh Steelers.  They also will be resting on a bye this weekend, and therefore would be unable to tango with the Pats until the AFC Championship game.  Not a bad deal for Patriots fans, as they are one of the tougher battle-tested opponents remaining.

The Indianapolis Colts is the second team the Pats would be unable to face next round and, if you ask me, this is definitely a good thing.  Once a desperate team bordering on the edge of mediocrity with a record of 6-6, the Colts have ripped off four straight wins to finish the season, capturing the #3 seed and the AFC South crown in the process.  

A lot of people wanted to write off the Colts after twelve games, but like ‘em or hate ‘em, when their backs are against the wall, that’s when #18, Peyton Manning, seems to rise up and will them to succeed.  Plagued with a laundry list of major injuries to key players on offense and defense throughout the season, they are finally starting to get healthy at just the right time.

Facing a team with a quarterback like Peyton Manning, who would already have a post season game under his belt as a warm up, would be a tough matchup for anyone, even for Belichick and Brady.  Ironically enough, we have our old friend, Adam Vinatieri, to thank for this.  It was his late field goal on Sunday against the Titans that handed Indy the three seed and slid the K.C. Chiefs into the fourth slot.

Speaking of those Kansas City Chiefs, as the fourth seed, there is a chance that we will get to see this match up after all.  As I mentioned in a previous posting, this would be an intriguing matchup on many levels.  I really like the idea of seeing Matt Cassel, the long-time backup, coming back to Foxboro to face Tom Brady: the classic tale of former pupil versus former teacher.

If each of the home teams in the wild card round were able to hold serve then the Patriots would indeed face the Kansas Chiefs, bringing back Cassel and Bill Belichick’s former assistants Romeo Crenel and Charlie Weis.  Aside from these side storylines, the matchup itself would be a very favorable one for the Patriots.  From a talent perspective and an experience level, the Patriots would certainly have the edge in both categories, not to mention they have one of the most beneficial home field advantages in all of football.

At the fifth seed sits the Baltimore Ravens.  Now this, I believe, is the one matchup that the Patriots need to avoid at all costs.  Taking New England out of the equation, the Ravens appear to be the most balanced team out there.  They possess a dynamic running and capable passing attack.  Combine that with a stalwart defense that boasts plenty of big-game experience, led by Ray Lewis, one of the most feared defensive players (and fairly decent actor in Old Spice ads), and this game would have trouble written all over it.

The other scary aspect of this matchup is that the Ravens would not be intimidated to come into Foxboro, as it was just last season they marched into Gillette Stadium and destroyed the Patriots on their home turf.  The only way this can happen is if the Colts win their game and the Ravens upset the Chiefs in Kansas City, which is actually a very likely possibility in my opinion.  This is definitely the one game that poses the biggest threat to New England’s championship aspirations.

Last but not least, well that’s what Rex Ryan will want you to believe anyway, is the New York Jets.  They barely squeaked in as the sixth seed after a 9-2 start to the season.  After that Monday Night debacle in New England, they proceeded to lose two of their next three games and finished at 11-5.  Aside from the Chiefs, this would be the second most desirable matchup for the Pats.

Removing my own personal bias to see Kansas City, I think this is the team that Belichick and the Pats secretly want to play.  Line after line of braggadocios claims spew from their arrogant coach’s mouth with each passing press conference, and they still have yet to back all that talk up.  I realize that getting a Patriots player to admit to this would be like getting Pete Rose to admit to betting on baseball prior to signing a book deal, but you can just sense the animosity shared between these two teams and I doubt there is any other team that would be more satisfying for them to defeat.

There it is- all the possible matchups and individual analysis behind each game.  Looking back, it was a surprisingly great regular season.  I mean, honestly, I thought the Patriots would be good this year, but who would have predicted a 14-2 record.  However, as we all know, the regular season is meaningless and their efforts for the past 17 weeks will all be for not unless they put together one more three-game win streak.

So, what is there to cheer for during a Patriots playoff bye week?  If you’re asking me, my answer would be anyone but the Baltimore Ravens.  So rally around the team you want to see march into Foxboro next weekend, because this is one of the rare occasions that it's okay to cheer on a team not wearing the red, white and blue.  Just be prepared by next Sunday to exchange those same cheers for more boisterous boos and more jolting jeers.  Don’t get too carried away, though.  Take this week to rest up, because, whomever the Patriots play next weekend, it’ll be time to get rowdy! 

Boston's Bullpen Looking "Okie" Dokie

At long last, Hideki Okajima has found his way back at Fenway Park.  After an incredibly disappointing season last year, the Red Sox decided to non-tender Okajima in the off season, which resulted in him becoming an un-restricted free agent.  The full details of the contract have not yet been released, but it appears as if it will be for one year.

This seems to be a fairly low-risk move that will bring Hideki into the fold along with a handful of other lefties hopeful to wrangle a final spot in the bullpen.  The other pitchers battling for that role will be Pawtucket prospect Felix Doubront, veteran Rich Hill and Andrew Miller, who both have non-guaranteed, minor league deals at the moment.

Formerly one of the most reliable relief pitchers in the AL, Okajima struggled mightily last season in the same pressure situations that he thrived in for his first two years of service with the Sox.  In 56 appearances, he posted a 4.50 ERA and an atrocious 1.72 WHIP.  Those are, by far, his worst career numbers and light years away from the 2.16 ERA and 1.16 WHIP he compiled in 2008.

Despite his spiraling declination, if "Okie" is able to repeat any statistics that remotely resemble his '08 effort, the Sox' front office could come out smelling like red roses.  On the flip side, with minimal resources invested in this deal, they can easily cut their losses if he flops.

I have to say, on a personal note, that if the Red Sox had decided to part ways with Hideki, I would have missed seeing his peppy trot from the pen to the mound whenever Francona called upon his services.  Regardless of his performance, I have to admit, he does have one of the most entertaining deliveries in all of baseball.  I'm not sure if that factored into Theo's decision process (I'm guessing it did), but I think it's at least worth giving him another shot to turn it around.

In the end, this was a move that made sense for Boston.  He's familiar with the Sox and vice versa.  It's not as thrilling of a signing as Crawford or Gonzalez, but it could potentially fill one of the final remaining voids that exists for the 2011 squad.  When Okajima's on his game, he's downright filthy against left-handed hitters, something that is essential to any club that wants to contend for a world championship. 

His return will be a welcomed addition and, while Red Sox fans might not be jumping for joy, at least Matsuzaka will still have someone to swap Japanese jokes with.  And anything that might help him become more comfortable and improve his performance is a positive in my book!