the patriots

[NYCfixie]

I have two issues with this map:

1) It's East Granby (and not East Gramby). I know this because that is the town my wife grew up in, I have flown into Simsbury on a small private plane (my older brother needed hours and flew my wife and I up from teterboro to see her parents), and her mother was the town accountant for Bloomfield for many years.

2) It is not accurate. My wife is a Yankees fan (as well as her 6 siblings and parents which matters in a town so small) but also a Patriots fan so there is that too. It is always the border states that cause the problems.

New England is split between allegiances for Boston and New York teams, and the Mason-Dixon line reportedly runs through Connecticut.

[TTX1]

Anecdotal comments...

1) CT is a purple state. You can find BOS/NE fans all the way down to Darien and Greenwich... Let's not perpetuate these artificial divisions that tear our country apart! Here in BOS, we welcome support from all of our good neighbors in CT, and many of us reciprocate with a polite clap for UConn now and then.

2) Amazing to see Brady's hand, post surgery and post game...

[Ras72]

I know it! They’re all doping. I mean, look at the side effects in his hand.

[72gmc]

Tom (not Joe) is the GOAT.

Agree to disagree.

They were different eras. Joe played when defensive linemen with forearm casts could maul peoples' heads with impunity. He played with a horrifying injury-related dangly thing hanging off his arm. He had a check-down arm with a chess-match head. He not only avoided a single Super Bowl pick (or loss), he put together an entire postseason run without a pick.

Tom has made his living by making role players better. He has as much facility for the good pass as Joe had, and more propensity for the bad pass than Joe ever had. He's had a lot more chances (no Roger Craig to fumble away his fifth Super Bowl). He's made it work with a little Randy Moss and a whole bunch of who-dats. Joe had Jerry Rice for two Super Bowls but made his most famous passes to Dwight Clark and John Taylor.

They were both the dominant QB stories of their times, but there is no "all time" equivalency.

[pdmtong]

Agree to disagree.

They were different eras. Joe played when defensive linemen with forearm casts could maul peoples' heads with impunity. He played with a horrifying injury-related dangly thing hanging off his arm. He had a check-down arm with a chess-match head. He not only avoided a single Super Bowl pick (or loss), he put together an entire postseason run without a pick.

Tom has made his living by making role players better. He has as much facility for the good pass as Joe had, and more propensity for the bad pass than Joe ever had. He's had a lot more chances (no Roger Craig to fumble away his fifth Super Bowl). He's made it work with a little Randy Moss and a whole bunch of who-dats. Joe had Jerry Rice for two Super Bowls but made his most famous passes to Dwight Clark and John Taylor.

They were both the dominant QB stories of their times, but there is no "all time" equivalency.

If eric wright doents make that jersey tackl on drew pearson, there is no memeory of 'the catch"

but, i digress. that's me being a raider fan from birth grumping on the niners.

your point is well taken and thoughtful. it is a fun ongoing sports debate. like LBJ vs. Michael.

go even further back...like when stabler called his own plays. it's fun to see greatness across the era's.

[72gmc]

go even further back...like when stabler called his own plays. it's fun to see greatness across the era's.

Wasn't there an old SNL skit about stabler? "Why didn't stabler throw the ball to cliff branch?"

Funny that you're a Raiders fan commenting on Joe and Tom. How do you pick who to hate more?

[pdmtong]

Wasn't there an old SNL skit about stabler? "Why didn't stabler throw the ball to cliff branch?"
Funny that you're a Raiders fan commenting on Joe and Tom. How do you pick who to hate more?

I was born in oakland. so raiders raiders raiders. and A's, Not 9ers and Giants. BTW the irony of the warriors being the best team in the league is not lost on anyone who has been a fan since birth - decades where you couldn't give tickets away. I used to sit on the curve in the lower bowl for $15-20. Once I sat court side in the folding chairs. Those days are loooong gone.

I dont "hate" the niners...but was never a true "49er faithful" or a bandwagon fan even as they climbed out of a 2-14 hole and started wining under Bill.

Growing up here - having two MLB and two NFL was pure luck. Bit the contrast in the two is like the contrast in the region

east bay vs. peninsula
working class vs. the money
fans in the third deck with raider shields tattoo'd in their skulls vs. brie cheese and chardonnay at candlestick

Joe certainly was great.
Tom certainly is great.

No hate for either, EXCEPT Woodson's hit did cause Brady to fumble. Anyone watching that can see the truth. And IMHO no Tuck rule would have changed the arc for the raiders. No gruden trade. maybe my team wins a few more SB before the pats accession.

[72gmc]

No hate for either, EXCEPT Woodson's hit did cause Brady to fumble. Anyone watching that can see the truth. And IMHO no Tuck rule would have changed the arc for the raiders. No gruden trade. maybe my team wins a few more SB before the pats accession.

Great story, thank you. I agree with what you say above. That Raiders team was the team of the moment, until that moment. A rule that should never have seen the printed page transformed those two franchises.

[SteveP]

hey
ne gifted the bay area w a good young qback.
the kid has sat at the right place to learn his trade.

the whole actual story is not likely to come out in the near term though.

[pdmtong]

hey
ne gifted the bay area w a good young qback.
the kid has sat at the right place to learn his trade.
the whole actual story is not likely to come out in the near term though.

Steve, you cannot believe the euphoria around Jimmy G. The lowly 9ers absolutely destroyed the jags in December. who knows his upside, but he certainly is poised confident and a player.

You can blame the superdome power generator for jimmy g being gone. if the power stays on, the 9ers keep rolling instead of being interrupted and beat the ravens in the SB. harbaugh and kap are still here. there's no anthem kneeling. jimmy stays in NE. it was the power generator ...

If jimmy G pans out and a dynasty ensues, I would consider that payback for the warriors sending parrish to the Celtics, along with the pick that became mchale. But he has to deliver a dynasty. Or, as they say on Game of Thrones...din-a-stee

[rwsaunders]

Paul...the Steelers/Raiders rivalry games of the 70's were something to watch. If the Immaculate Reception is a touchy subject for you, don't ever visit Pittsburgh via the airport as there are two historical figures that greet you on the way to baggage claim...George Washington in his appropriate outfit for the times and Franco Harris. You guessed it, hauling in the Immaculate Reception.

[monadnocky]

HUGE fan of Jimmy G. Wish him all the best, and, if the stories are true, it's a travesty what happened to him in NE. Brady does come across as a precious, insecure brat according to the ESPN story.
Shame.

[SteveP]

If jimmy G pans out and a dynasty ensues, I would consider that payback for the warriors sending parrish to the Celtics, along with the pick that became mchale. But he has to deliver a dynasty. Or, as they say on Game of Thrones...din-a-stee

old Red picked so many pockets during the Celtics runs.

[pdmtong]

Paul...the Steelers/Raiders rivalry games of the 70's were something to watch. If the Immaculate Reception is a touchy subject for you, don't ever visit Pittsburgh via the airport as there are two historical figures that greet you on the way to baggage claim...George Washington in his appropriate outfit for the times and Franco Harris. You guessed it, hauling in the Immaculate Reception.

Thanks a lot for bringing that up - the one other play that changed the arc of Silver and Black success. That at least was immaculate (TheTuck Rule was robbery). Tatum flattened the receiver. Whats crazy is the one camera angle from Bradshaw's view...the ball literally goes right to Franco. During the JAX/PIT playoff it still gnawed me to see FH sitting in the box. Not "hate" or "ill will" more like a reminder of a bad dream. The Raiders and the Steelers - at any time in those games 1/3 of the players on the field are now in the HoF. What a time to be a fan. Smash mouth football defined.

I'll have to watch that video link ... but just seeing that statue, man it is hard to look at. I was in the airport once...if I knew it was there I would have forced myself to go see it.

[rwsaunders]

Thanks a lot for bringing that up - the one other play that changed the arc of Silver and Black success. That at least was immaculate (TheTuck Rule was robbery). Tatum flattened the receiver. Whats crazy is the one camera angle from Bradshaw's view...the ball literally goes right to Franco. During the JAX/PIT playoff it still gnawed me to see FH sitting in the box. Not "hate" or "ill will" more like a reminder of a bad dream. The Raiders and the Steelers - at any time in those games 1/3 of the players on the field are now in the HoF. What a time to be a fan. Smash mouth football defined.

I'll have to watch that video link ... but just seeing that statue, man it is hard to look at. I was in the airport once...if I knew it was there I would have forced myself to go see it.

You'll enjoy the video as there are interviews of so many great players from both teams and their insight and stories are great. I especially love the Madden conversations...perhaps my favorite football personality ever.

[pdmtong]

You'll enjoy the video as there are interviews of so many great players from both teams and their insight and stories are great. I especially love the Madden conversations...perhaps my favorite football personality ever.

Madden really is every man. One of our friends is good friends with one of his sons, went back to his HoF induction. Coach used to do a daily 8:15 and 9:15 call with morning news during the season, but his recent health issues reduced that to just monday and friday 9:15...his insights and humor...just great.

Saw him speak at the raider halftime ceremonies for ray guy (HoF punter) and for ken stabler the past two seasons. what a life. it was pouring rain during the Guy ceremony and the first thing he says is "I don't want this umbrella"

I don't know if PIT would have fared much better against the Pats, but IMHO Tomlin totaled gaffed by going for the onsides. He completely wasted some 4th down Big Ben brilliance not to mention that heads up reverse pass to bell. I don't mind the Steelers losing, but not like that.

[Too Tall]

For the first time in forever I'm traveling. It won't be the same.

[Saab2000]

I have no issue calling Tom Brady and Bill Belichick the GOATs. They are never mediocre. This is what, their eighth trip to the Super Bowl since they've been working together? C'mon, I know there have been great teams but this run of excellence is insane.

What I will admit is that I think this is 90% due to Belichick. He's the football genius who seems to get the most out of players other teams can't use. Brady is great and very, very good at being an NFL QB but the head is clearly Belichick, who puts the pieces in place to let Brady do his thing.

[robin3mj]

I stopped reading Peter King long ago, when the bulk of his writing shifted from actual insider info to bragging about said access and carrying water for the NFL on whatever controversial topic they were managing to screw up at the current time, but his "MMQB" page has a good article on Belichick and Saban's friendship.

I'm no fan of the Pats, but you cannot say that Coach B has ever been anything other than a visionary who puts in the work, regardless of whether he pushes the boundaries where he can.

[j44ke]

The only coach better than Belichick is Greg Popovich.