Haven't blogged for awhile but figured I'd throw a few thoughts out there about the Pats and the G-Men............
The NFL Network could not be happier based on the quality of the game that America got to see tonight but the quality of the production.....nothing to write home about.
Is it just me or did the cadence for Rich Eisen's voice change since he's left ESPN? He almost sounded like he was doing a bad Howard Cossell imitation. Not to pile it on ol' Rich, but he also looks like he aged about 20 years since he left ESPN. What must Alycia Lane be thinking now?
As much as I love Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk, there pregame commentary was about as useless and uninsightful as could be. Even Steve Marriucci's pregame commentary seemed geared toward folks that have never watched football. I must say though that Deion and the boys looked sharp as usual.
And on the opposite end of the "sharp" spectrum, who dresses Cris Collinsworth and Bryant Gumbel? Collinsworth looks like he got his suit at the thrift store and Gumbel looks like he's off to teach a Literature class.
While I'm on the subject of Bryant Gumbel, I must say that he is a positively awful play-by-play announcer. He should stick to conducting interviews. How rough it is for Collinsworth to have to work with someone who always seems on the verge of wanting to cross examine him. I'd imagine Gumbel caught an afternoon matinée of Denzel's movie, "The Great Debaters" and wanted to try to pick an argument with Collinsworth.
Could anyone else not hear the National Anthem or was it just me?
As for the game.............
The Giants are one corner and one receiver away from being a solid football team. Plaxico Burress and Aaron Ross are solid but Amani Toomer is not a #2 receiver anymore and the combination of Corey Webster and Sam Madison couldn't cover the chair I'm sitting in right now. Either Mario Manningham or Aquib Talib will look good in Giants blue come 2008.
I would have nightmares if I were an AFC Secondary coach trying to figure out a way to stop Moss, Welker, Stallworth and Gaffney.\
I would have nightmares if I were an AFC Linebackers coach trying to figure out a way to stop Ben Watson or Kevin Faulk.
Speaking of Faulk, 8 catches for 64 yards including to catches that resulted in first downs on scoring drives for the Pats in the second half... those are solid numbers. Faulk may be the most underrated part of the Patriots offense but tonight, he was money in the bank.
26 rushes, 32 receptions, 4 kickoff returns and 2 punt returns. 64 "touches" and no fumbles. That's why the Pats are 16-0.
Is anybody else sick of hearing Mercury Morris and the '72 Dolphins whine about the Patriots season?
My name is Frank Irizarry and I am an Assistant Professor of Communication at Suffolk University in beautiful Beantown. I teach courses in public relations. I am an avid sports fan with football being my true passion. I played two seasons of College Football for Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York (1989-1991). My most rewarding football experience though has come in the past four years as the Head Coach for my oldest son's Pop Warner football team, the Deland Knights. This past season we were 8-1, 6-0 in our Division and we finished in third place in the Mid-Florida Conference (The SEC of youth football!) . I used to be a college debate coach so I like to make and hear what I think are good arguments.
