State of the Patriots

This past Sunday's loss by the Patriots to their hated rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, was painful. Despite the Patriots' 6-3 record, the warts of the team were on full display in the 4th quarter. After having some time to allow the shock of the loss to wear off and to reflect on what went wrong, I've come to the following conclusions about the three time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots:

The Patriots are a soft team - Long gone are the smashmouth days of 2001 and 2003, where there was balance in the offensive attack and heavy hitting on defense. When I watch this team, I wonder what ever happened to the 2001 Super Bowl game style where the secondary would punish receivers on every play, whether the pass was completed or not? The Patriots have turned into the 2003 Indianapolis Colts - a pass happy team that is entertaining and can put up points, but cannot physically impose their will on a very good team.

They can't stop anyone on defense - This has been a problem since the January 2007 AFC Championship where they blew an 18 point lead to Indianapolis. The secondary is young and improving, but the defense is in a state of transition. Gone are Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Rodney Harrison. Safeties Brandon Meriweather and Brandon McGowan are trying to be big hitters, but sometimes they are out of position and miss tackles.

They cannot rush the passer - Back in the Super Bowl days, Mike Vrabel or Willie McGinest could be counted on to get a big sack. The 2009 New England Patriots are unable to get to the QB. When you put a team in a 2nd and 18 situation or 3rd and 13 via sacks, a defense has a lot more flexibility in what their next defensive call can be. The inverse here is also true in that it limits what the offense can do. This is why the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense is so good. They are always putting teams in 3rd and long situations. The 2009 Patriots are usually in a 3rd and 5 situation.

No playmakers on defense - When was the last time a Patriot defender forced a big fumble? Other than Jerod Mayo, the Patriots don't have any big time playmakers on defense. The defense is younger and faster, but they are missing the Ty Laws, Tedy Bruschis, and Rodney Harrisons they had during their Super Bowl dynasty days.

Corey Dillon, We Miss You! - Clock killin' Corey Dillon lived up to his nickname. Dillon, and to a lesser extent, Antowain Smith, could be counted on to wear down defenses and chew up the clock in the 4th quarter by moving the chains with their physical styles of running. The Patriots idea of killing the clock and moving the chains now is to throw short passes and slants. It's not the same and it doesn't work as well.

Too Pass Happy - One of the things I don't understand about Bill Belichick is how he has gotten so far away from one of the attributes that made him famous and successful - shortening the game. Tom Brady is one of the greatest QBs ever and it is generally a good idea to maximize the use of him as a weapon. However, Peyton Manning is one of the all time greats, too. Instead of getting into a shootout with the Colts, the Patriots would be better off having long sustained drives keeping Manning off the field, like the one they had in the 3rd quarter that unfortunately resulted in a Maroney fumble. The Patriots ran the football well Sunday night vs. the Colts and should've looked to do it more against the Colts' small defensive front. It is a mystery why the hard running BenJarvus Green-Ellis doesn't see more carries.

Weakness at the Offensive Tackle Position - For years, Matt Light has been the left tackle and the right tackle position has been a revolving door. Remember Greg Robinson-Randall, Tom Ashworth, and Ryan O'Callaghan? Nick Kaczur has been the starting right tackle since 2007, and not a very good one. Neither Light nor Kaczur can consistently handle speed rushers without help. The emergence of rookie Sebastian Vollmer in the wake of Light's knee injury, has easily been the most pleasant surprise of the season. Vollmer is huge, athletic and can move his feet in pass protection and is a punishing blocker in the running game. When Light comes back, the Patriots should keep Vollmer at left tackle and slide Light over to right tackle where he belongs.

Despite this list of issues, the Patriots are still a very good team. A few tweaks in the game plan and in personnel, can make a major difference. Any team that has Bill Belichick and Tom Brady is going to be in the playoff mix. However, to be a Super Bowl contender, which I believe the Patriots currently are not, changes need to be made. Those who ignore recent history are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Election Day - one year later

Today is the one year anniversary (first Tuesday of November) of the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. Taking into account the significance of the date, I'd like to post a few facts for those who voted for Obama:

• $1.4 trillion budget deficit
• an $868 billion stimulus bill that didn't stimulate anything.
• a health care reform bill that is conservatively estimated to cost $1.2 trillion and will more likely cost $2 trillion when all is said and done.
• understaffed troop levels in Afghanistan which threaten our success there and hurt troop morale.
• 9.8% unemployment
• trillions added to the national debt
• bad mouthing America and apologizing for our "arrogance" to other countries when traveling abroad.
• traveling to Switzerland to lobby the Olympic committee to bring the Olympics to Chicago for 2016 and coming home unsuccessful, and belittling the prestige of the U.S. presidency.
• a bailout of GM and Chrysler that isn't working.
• Obama Attorney General Eric Holder looking to prosecute CIA agents for some of their tactics to extract information from terrorists
• the value of the U.S. Dollar at very low levels.

Are you Obama supporters happy now? You misguided souls elected the most overwhelmed empty suit since Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976. Supporters will say his nuance on whether or not to add more troops in Afghanistan shows depth of character and thoughtfulness. The rest of us believe nuance is code for indecisiveness.

Barack Hussein Obama ran as a moderate Democrat appealing to independents. Since his inauguration nine and a half months ago, he's attempted to enact the most radical agenda of any president, moving America closer to socialism than ever before.

Despite the first cases of H1N1 appearing in America last April, are you Obama supporters happy with the lack of vaccinations available? If so, then you're going to love the ObamaCare health package. Government has never been and never will be an effective instrument for driving economic growth. The prospect of the federal government taking over 1/6th of the economy (health care) by a bill produced by the House of Representatives that is 2,000 pages long is frightening.

The Obama Administration and the Democrats in the House and Senate want government to run everything. They believe that we all need our hands held through life by big government, taking our earnings in the name of taxes and punishing achievement by allocating the money we earned and giving it to those who don't work and don't pay taxes via grand initiatives.

As a country, we need to get back to the idea of personal responsibility. There's a difference between who needs government help and who doesn't. If you dropped out of high school and had three kids out of wedlock, that's not my problem. If you got fired for downloading inappropriate material from the internet on a company owned laptop, then you're flat out stupid. If you are a drug addict and got Hepatitis from sharing needles, I don't feel the least bit sorry for you. If you've been laid off from work and are actively looking to find gainful employment, then absolutely, you should be helped by the government. Considering the unemployment level and the current economic conditions, your unemployment benefits should be extended.

Candidate Obama promised change, and so far President Obama has delivered the wrong kind of change - big government. The kind of change we truly need are tax cuts, reduced government spending, a pro business, pro growth formula of policy initiatives. It is the private sector that will drive economic recovery with jobs and capital investment, not inefficient, government run programs.

We will ultimately all pay for this gigantic government spending. Right now, the U.S. Mint is printing money with nothing to back it. Why is this a problem? Because it devalues the U.S. dollar in the global market place and this will lead to increased inflation, particularly in the energy sector. Remember the $4.25 gallon of gas? Well, it'll be coming back if this continues.

On this election day, please do your country a favor. Go to the polls and vote for anyone who is a member of the Conservative or Republican parties. Despite the pipe dreams they try to sell, don't believe the rhetoric of Democratic politicians. Eschew them on your voting ballot and opt for real change.

Time to overhaul the Red Sox

After 24 hours of reflection, I came to the following conclusions about the Boston Red Sox who failed this postseason in spectacular fashion:

The way the team is built is flawed - geared too much towards Fenway - they can't manufacture runs.

No athleticism - other than Ellsbury and Pedroia, the other 7 guys in the lineup have below average foot speed.

Too many DH/1B types - Ortiz, Lowell, Youk, Kotchman, V-Mart Lousy defense from the catching position. I can live with V-Mart's lack of throwing ability, but they need a second catcher who CAN throw and is a threat back there defensively.

No true ace - Beckett and Lester are #2 types. They don't have a Sabathia or a Lincecum shutdown type.

David Ortiz is no longer an elite 40+ HR slugger.

It's going to take a major overhaul and they may need to take a step back to move forward again.Papelbon should be made available in a trade. I'd shop him to see if they can get a power bat. They have the depth in the bullpen.

I'd make Beckett available, too. He is what he is. He's never going to be an elite starter again like he was in the 2007 postseason. They've gotten 4 years out of him. He's a free agent after next year. They've proven they can develop pitchers, but they've been unable to develop power hitters. They need an elite bat.

What is the plan with Casey Kotchman?

Enough with the Varitek nonsense. Eat the $3 mill. How much of Renteria's and Lugo's contracts did they eat? Get a real defensive catcher to back up Victor Martinez.

Unfortunately, they are somewhat hamstrung in that Ortiz, Lowell, and Drew are untradeable.

Keep Alex Gonzalez. They've got a solid guy there and have proven they have no ability to scout the shortstop position. Let him be, pick up his $6 million option.

Red Sox End of Regular Season Team Awards

Now that the postseason is upon us, it is time to hand out some team awards for the regular season:

Most Valuable Player- Victor Martinez - The July acquisition of Victor Martinez was the best by any team during this year's trading deadline. The team was struggling at the time and the offense definitely needed another bat. Enter Victor Martinez, who filled the biggest hole on the roster - starting catcher, and proved to be a power threat from both sides of the plate. Despite the fact that he doesn't have a great throwing arm, Victor Martinez, is a very good game manager, helping Clay Buchholz develop into a good starter. Also, pitchers such as Jon Lester didn't miss a beat when he caught them. To put it simply, Victor Martinez saved the season.

Most Valuable Pitcher - Jon Lester - The big lefty has supplanted Josh Beckett as the team ace with a 15-8 record and 3.41 ERA. After a rough start to the season, Lester's ERA's month by month were:
June - 1.85
July 2.60
August - 2.41
September - 2.52

An outstanding performance by this workhorse., who is still only 25 years old.

Least Valuable Player - Jason Varitek - See, I told you so. Last winter before the Red Sox re-signed him to a 1 year deal with a dual option, I outlined 25 numerical reasons why the Red Sox should not re-sign Jason Varitek. http://passpatterns.blogspot.com/2008/12/jason-varitek-by-numbers.html I was proven more correct than I thought I'd ever be - not only did Varitek bat .157 in the second half of the year, but his defense has become a serious liability. The Captain is not a major league caliber ballplayer anymore. It's over.

Least Valuable Pitcher - John Smoltz/Brad Penny - Daisuke Matsuzaka had this locked up, until he came back and redeemed himself with 4 strong starts and a 2.22 ERA in September. Former NL All Stars Smoltz and Penny were so abysmal for the Red Sox, they were released midseason.

Most Improved Player - Jacoby Ellsbury - 70 stolen bases, Gold Glove caliber defense, plus he's cured that hole in his swing and learned to work the count. What's not to like? While he was compared to Johnny Damon when he was drafted, I doubt he'll ever turn into the power and run producing threat that Damon is. But that's ok. Ellsbury is a fine, homegrown player and a valuable contributor to the Red Sox team.

Most Improved Pitcher - Clay Buchholz - Clay was a lost cause 12 months ago. However, he started the season at Pawtucket, pitched his way onto the Red Sox roster, and has emerged as the #3 starter. Buchholz really hit his stride and gained confidence when he went toe to toe with CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, and Roy Halladay in three consecutive starts, holding his own against them. Not so coincidentally, young Clay's emergence came once Victor Martinez started catching him, instead of Jason Varitek. As long as Buchholz mixes his pitches and keeps his fastball down, he's going to have success.

Team Enigma - Player - Jed Lowrie - Why can't this guy stay healthy? He's a solid defender, can play multiple positions, and can hit a little, but he continues to be dogged by a bad wrist that keeps him on the shelf. The Sox really needed him back in the spring when Julio Lugo and Nick Green played the worst defensive shortstop seen in Boston in a long time. A year after his surgery, his wrist still isn't right.

Team Enigma - Pitcher - Manny Delcarmen - Manny Delcarmen's ERA in the second half of the season was 7.27 and he basically pitched himself off the postseason roster. For a pitcher with a live fastball and excellent stuff, Delcarmen remains a mystery; he's never matured into a pitcher you want on the mound in a close game.

Rookie of the Year - Daniel Bard - despite some recent struggles, the young fireballer has helped shore up an already strong bullpen. With Bard and Billy Wagner in front of closer Jonathan Papelbon, it really shortens the game. If Bard ever sharpens up his breaking ball, he's going to be unhittable.

Mr. Consistency - Jason Bay - every year, Jason Bay gets 30+ HR and 100+ RBI. This year was no different. I don't care that he only hit .267, the Boston Red Sox went as Jason Bay went. When he went into a slump, the team slumped. Unfortunately, Bay is a free agent at the end of the season. The Red Sox definitely need to re-sign him.

Comeback Player of the Year - Mike Lowell - After hip surgery, there was serious concern about what Lowell could bring to the team in 2009. While he definitely lost range in the field, and is among the slowest runners in all of baseball, Lowell's bat wasn't affected by his surgery. He batted a productive .290 with 17 HR and 75 RBI in 445 AB.

Weirdest Season - David Ortiz - He had 1 HR after two months and at one point was hitting .175. From June on, he hit 27 HR and drove in 81 runs. Very strange, indeed.

Welcome Back Award - Alex Gonzalez - Theo Epstein never should've let this slick fielding SS go after the 2006 season. His acquisition in August stabilized the infield defense, plus A Gone had some key hits and did well with the bat.

Here, There, and Everywhere

Only in Massachusetts - the inevitable change in the law to allow the governor to appoint an interim Senate appointee will be the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award with the likely appointment of former Governor and presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis.

The Boston Globe has led the cheerleading for former Governor Dukakis, endorsing his candidacy to be appointed to Ted Kennedy's seat. And the Globe wonders why they are losing subscribers by the thousands.

With very little fanfare, the stock market is approaching 10,000 again. Is it due to companies being overvalued or to the supposed end of the recession?

The recession has ended? Tell that to the people of Michigan where unemployment is a shocking 15.2% or those living in Nevada where unemployment is 13.2%.

Considering Nevada's unemployment rate, I guess that blow the theory out of the water that casinos bring good jobs to states.

Never mind the harm President Barack Obama is doing to the country domestically with trillion dollar budget deficits and a potentially disastrous health care bill, what about the incredible damage he's doing in terms of the war on terror?

Intelligence and spycraft is dirty work. Let the CIA do its job and keep the Justice Department out of the way.

What is the purpose of removing some of the prison rules on shoe bomber Richard Reid, who had ambitions on blowing up an airplane?

Since the House and Senate voted to stop funding ACORN, will President Obama have the temerity to veto the bill?

It wouldn't surprise me if he vetoed it. Since April, the Obama Administration has done nothing but continually prove themselves to be amateurs who have no clue how to govern or realize when they are going in the wrong direction.

In the real world, Sox reliever Manny Delcarmen would be arrested and held without bail for arsony. He has been brutal lately.

The Houston Astros fired former Red Sox and Brewers slugger Cecil Cooper yesterday as their manager. Poor Coop didn't have a chance. Astros owner Drayton MacLane is one of the five worst owners in baseball and every season never looks to seriously upgrade his team.

Can you teach a soft team to be tough? That's the quandary the New England Patriots find themselves in two games into the season.

Labor Day

Yesterday's trade of Richard Seymour by the Patriots certainly caught me off guard. However, considering the salary cap and the contracts of players that expire after this year, the move makes sense. The Patriots will received a first round pick from the Raiders, and it will likely be a high pick. Seymour, while good, has not been a dominant player for a few years now. When was the last time he took over a game and terrorized an opponent's backfield?

The wheels are quickly coming off the Jason Varitek bandwagon. The Captain's batting average has dropped from .233 to .217 since the Victor Martinez acquisition and pitchers such as Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have had some great starts with Martinez behind the plate. Making matters worse is the success John Smoltz and Brad Penny have had during their brief tenure in the NL this season after being released by the Red Sox. Both were primarily caught by Varitek. Smoltz was said to be tipping his pitches and Penny praised Giants catcher Eli Whitside for his pitch selection after Penny tossed 8 scoreless innings in his first outing with the Giants. Toss in Daisuke Matsuzaka's struggles this year and Varitek's reputation as a stellar handler of pitchers has taken a big hit. What exactly is his value to the Red Sox at this point?

Victor Martinez batting third for the Red Sox has really given the lineup the depth it needed. J.D. Drew bats 8th when Martinez plays and Mike Lowell has been scorching the ball at the plate. Considering Tim Wakefield's balky lower back, the Red Sox need to ratchet up the offense, because the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation is in bad shape.

The Red Sox are going to have to throw Daisuke Matsuzaka out there and see what happens. This season has been a wash out for Dice K, but what other choice do they have? Junichi Tazawa has proven he isn't ready to be a full time major leaguer, Tim Wakefield has a bad lower back and has a history of being a lousy postseason pitcher. Paul Byrd is not the answer. The key to the Sox playoff hopes rests on Dice K bouncing back.

I like the way Terry Francona lined up his bullpen in last Thursday night's game vs. the Rays. Billy Wagner in the 7th, Daniel Bard in the 8th, and Jonathan Papelbon in the 9th. Those three can certainly bring the heat and it really shortens the game for the Red Sox. Relievers who can strike hitters out are always preferable to the sinkerball type.

Across the Landscape

Curt Schilling floated the idea yesterday that he'd like to run for Ted Kennedy's seat in the U.S. Senate. Despite chuckling when I read it, I'd vote for Curt over any of the Democrats who will be running.

I hate being redundant, but why do the Red Sox continue to pitch to Evan Longoria in close games?

As a member of the Red Sox, Brad Penny spent 3/4 of the season pitching erratically and not once did he make it through 7 innings. How does he join the San Francisco Giants and pitch 8 shutout innings in his first outing with them? The NL is a joke.

There is no bigger piece of misinformation regarding exercise than the notion that walking is the answer to shedding weight and better fitness. If you want to lose weight and be fit, you need to get your heart rate up, you need to be breathing hard, and you need to bring some intensity to a workout. Doing two 15 minute circuits a day of jumping jacks, karate punches and kicks, running in place, weightless squats and lunges, pushups, and ab exercises is far more beneficial than a 45 minute walk.

A routine like this also squashes the notion of people saying, "I don't have any time." Of course you have time. Perform one circuit first thing in the morning, and then perform the other when you get home from work.

I don't blame Rep. Michael Rodrigues, Democrat of Fall River, for stocking up on booze in New Hampshire at their tax free liquor stores. I will do the same thing next time I am in NH. However, considering he did vote to raise the sales tax on alcohol and then foolishly used his car with the House issued license plate, he deserves the heat he's getting in the paper. Rep. Rodrigues isn't the smoothest operator around.

Barney Frank says critics are distorting his record. No one distorts his own record more than Barney. He's not responsible for anything that went wrong in the banking industry. Just ask him.

RIP former Patriots running back John Stephens who was killed in a car accident in Louisiana yesterday. Stephens was the NFL Rookie of the Year as a member of the Patriots in 1988.