Patriots and Yankees, one and the same?

It seems as if the Patriots are becoming the Yankees of the NFL, and while you may say I'm nuts, just follow along.

The Yankees run began in 1996 when they won their first World Series since 1978. Just like many other teams though, they needed some luck on their side, and that luck came in the form of a young fan named Jeffrey Maier. As a 12-year old, Maier reached over the right field fence in the 8th inning of Game 1 of the ALCS to give Derek Jeter a game-tying home run. The Yankees went on to beat the Orioles in five games, and advance to the World Series. There, they faced the Atlanta Braves as underdogs, and actually got blown out in the first two games by a combined score of 16-1, which happened to be played at Yankee Stadium. Of course, they went on to win the next three in Atlanta, including Jim Leyritz's improbable game-tying three-run home run off Mark Wohlers in Game 4, and then went on to seal the deal in Game 6 back in New York.

When the 2001 NFL season began, the Patriots were nowhere close to being a favorite to win the Super Bowl, let alone even make the playoffs. Yet early in the season, in a game against the Jets, Drew Bledsoe got hit by Mo Lewis which knocked him out of the game, and effectively the season. In comes Tom Brady, and before you know it, the Pats are making an improbable run to the playoffs. But like the Yankees, they needed some luck on their side. And where did that luck come from? How about from the officials and the "tuck rule" in the playoff game against the Oakland Raiders. Then, in the AFC Championship game, Brady goes down with an injury, Bledsoe returns, and leads to the team to the victory. Of course, we all know what happened next...As 14-point underdogs the Pats scored one of the biggest upsets in football history defeating the Rams on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri to win the Super Bowl.

The Yankees failed to defend their title in 1997, losing to the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the playoffs. The Patriots, well, they too failed to defend their title as they missed the playoffs entirely. But both teams rebounded spectacularly well the following year. For the Yankees in 1998, they reeled off a then-American League record, 114 wins, and finished the season 125-50 sweeping the San Diego Padres 4-0 in the World Series. After starting the season 2-2, New England won 15 straight en route to another Super Bowl victory, this time over the Carolina Panthers. Both teams repeated as champions the following year, and the Yankees completed the three-peat in 2000.

Yet after that, or maybe even during the run, a change took place. When both teams first won, they were essentially America's team for their respective sports. The Yankees, baseball's most storied franchise, were once again relevant, and the Patriots were loved because of their underdog status. Both organizations were led on the field by men who many believed were classy individuals which in turn, translated to their players. But as the teams continued winning, fans grew sick and tired of seeing the same teams celebrate over and over. The Yankees became known as the "Evil Empire," because they went out and signed the biggest stars to the biggest contracts in hopes that they could "buy" a championship, and the Patriots reputation as a clean, kind, well-run organization has taken a major hit in the last year. First it was LaDanian Tomlinson suggesting Bill Belichick lacked class following the Patriots playoff victory over the Chargers, then Spy-Gate, and now teams are complaining New England is disrespecting the game and teams by running up the score.

And what does this all stem from? One word, JEALOUSY. In baseball, if other teams were able to spend the money the Yankees were on star players (despite the fact that that plan of building a team does not work), you better believe they'd be doing it. And in football, if other teams were as good as the Patriots, well they'd be doing the same thing. So while one team is from New York, and one team is from Boston, and one team plays baseball and the other plays football, they're actually quite similar.

Pats Should go for 16-0

One of the hot topics right now is whether or not the Patriots can finish the season 16-0, and whether or not they should actually go for it. While there is still plenty of football left to be played, if the Patriots are in position to go for it, then they absolutely should! I know people will say you can't risk losing a star player to injury, but frankly, that's part of the game. And I know people will also say you will never remember a team that goes 16-0 but doesn't win the Super Bowl, and I think that's lunacy.

How many teams have gone undefeated? One, the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Virtually every football fan knows that fact (true they won the Super Bowl that year too). Now, how many teams have won a Super Bowl? A lot more than one. Furthermore, in this day in age the accomplishment of going 16-0 is far greater than getting hot for 3 weeks, and winning a couple of big games.

Brady vs. Manning

Now before I say anything, please understand that I believe both quarterbacks are future Hall of Famers, great leaders, and great people. This is not an attack against either player, but merely an observation. With that said, here we go...

For the longest time I've wondered why I think Manning looks awkward when he plays, and it finally dawned on me. Everything he does on the football field seems learned. From the way he changes the plays at the line of scrimmage, to the way he drops back in the pocket, to the way he throws, nothing seems natural. To me, he is the Bernie Williams of football, a great player, with unbelievable work ethic, but a little awkward to watch.

Conversely, Brady moves with elegance, and grace. He has a natural smoothness to him, and no I'm not talking about his skills with women, but instead the way he moves around the pocket, holds the football, and then throws it down field. So if Manning is Bernie Williams, then Brady is Ken Griffey, Jr. Someone who is a natural athlete that can pick up any sport quickly and look good doing it.

Is it just me, or is there a small part of you that is actually rooting for the Boston Celtics to succeed? I know it's sacrilege for a Knicks fan to say that, but with the acquisitions of two of the "great" people in the NBA, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, I find myself very interested in watching them this year. It's not often that you see players sacrifice personal stats for the well-being of the team, especially players in their prime, however that is exactly what you could see with guys of this character. If that's the case, then the Boston Garden could once again be a fun place to both watch and play basketball.

Speaking of watching basketball, I think I figured out the reason why players consistently say they love playing at Madison Square Garden (and no, it's not because the Knicks have been awful for seven years). Rather, it's because the lights are aimed on the court instead of on the court AND the seats. You actually get a feeling that the lights are brighter on Broadway because they are brighter on Broadway. Unlike essentially all other arenas, the Garden dims the lights on the stands, whether it's the bottom or upper bowls to give the presence that the show is on the court, which is exactly where it should be! Frankly, I'm surprised more arenas have not taken the same approach.

I know the NBA season just began, and the Patriots are playing the Colts Sunday in one of the more anticipated regular season games in recent years, but my mind is still stuck on baseball. Since Sunday's World Series finale, all the talk has been about Alex Rodriguez, Joe Torre, and Joe Girardi. Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE the hot stove season in baseball, and it's off to a great start. But I feel as if all the attention paid to A-Rod, especially during Game 4 of the World Series, and then the next day as ESPN held a SportsCenter Special to discuss the Yankees and Rodriguez, says a lot about what's wrong with our society.

How is it that a single player can upstage a team winning the World Series?? And it's not as if it's just any team, it's the Boston Red Sox, one that went 86 years without winning one, and now has two within four years!! We get far too caught up in individual achievement, whether it's in sports or real life.

Quick thought: Am I the only one who feels bad for Scott Proctor? Here's a guy who was overused to the point of abuse by Joe Torre, gets traded to Los Angeles, and now gets reunited with Torre...

Now, to the mailbag:

Girardi did a great job coaching a young team with no expectations and still got canned. How will he fare with a team loaded with vets and with an ownership who demands a championship? Go Sox - Carl, Boston, MA.

Carl, thanks for the question. Joe Girardi represents something different than Joe Torre, and I believe that's a positive. While Torre did an amazing job over the past 12 years, one thing he was not known for was his in-game managerial skills. With that said, it will be nice to see someone who is a better in-game manager, and has a little more fire. As for how he deals with veterans, particularly guys he was teammates with, well that's obviously something we'll have to wait and see, but as long as he is honest and upfront with them, I'm sure things will be fine. After all, he was a mentor to Jorge Posada, helped nurture Mariano Rivera to the pitcher he is today, was Andy Pettitte's preferred catcher, and worked with Jeter during his developmental years.

In regards to dealing with an ownership that demands a championship, well hopefully both the ownership and the fans will realize that winning a championship every year is unrealistic, and that maybe taking a step back to take a couple of steps forward will be a good thing. Just look at your Boston Red Sox for an example. They finish in third place in 2006, and then have the best record during the regular season and win the World Series this year. By the way, congratulations on that.

A-ROD - To me, this is more of a story about the Agent than it is the Player. The Agent wants to continue to raise the bar amongst his brethren/peers. He already has the highest paid player in the game, now he must find a way to be unique. Must start thinking about things like equity and/or a percentage of the concessions. Also, the Yankees will still be a part of this...whether it be real or perceived. Boras will make them a participant in the press. He needs them to drive the demand up........however, if he is any good...he already has a deal done. Just wait for it to be announced. - Mark, Norwalk, CT

Mark, I definitely agree with you to a certain extent. If you look at Boras over the course of the past several years, it seems as if he rarely leads his players to their desired destinations, but instead to the teams that will pay the most money. While things have worked out pretty well for Pudge Rodriguez, I highly doubt he wanted to go to the Detroit Tigers back in 2004, however they were the only team willing to give him four years and $40 million. Same for A-Rod back in 2000. It seemed quite clear that he wanted to play for the Mets, however Boras turned Steve Phillips off to him, and Rodriguez ended up going to a dreadful Texas team that paid him a record deal. While Boras has done this, I think the players eventually have to stand up to him and tell him it's not ALL about money.

In regards to the Yankees still being involved in the negotiating process, Boras will do the best he can to lead other teams to believe that the Yankees are involved, but I really do not think they will be. The fact that reports have circulated that Boras wanted an extension that brought the overall value of the contract to $350 million, will be the final straw if there wasn't already one.

Thanks to all those who made comments or sent questions. Please keep them coming, and I'll do my best to answer them in the next installment. Talk to you then...

Alex Rodriguez opts out - Why are people shocked by this? Was this not one of the more obvious things to happen over the last 10 years? If JD Drew, who stays healthy once every 5 years, opts out of a contract that will pay him $11 million annually over the next three years, then you don't think A-Rod is going to pass up the opportunity for free agency despite three years and $81 million left? Both have the same agent, and that guy, Scott Boras, was able to land Drew a 5-year, $70 million deal with the Boston Red Sox! Puuhhhleease.

Plus, you don't think A-Rod knew he was going to do this the entire year? Why do you think he was so relaxed this year in New York? Because he knew, no matter what he did he was out of there come year-end. He probably figured, hey, if I perform like an MVP, I'm gonna get huge dollars somewhere, and if I don't, well my agent will make sure someone pays me more than my last contract. So either way, it's a win-win.

Now as for those people who wonder how the Yankees are going to replace his numbers, why do they have to? What have they done with A-Rod over the last four years: four trips to the post-season, three one-and-done's, and the greatest collapse in the history of baseball. I'm not saying A-Rod is the lone reason for their lack of success in the postseason, but I am saying that he was certainly part of the problem.

So instead of finding a player or two to replace A-Rod's numbers, why not go out and find players who want to play together, and do what it takes to win? Who says you need a guy who can hit 40-50 home runs and drive in 140 to bat cleanup? Bernie Williams hit cleanup during the run in the late 90s, and he never hit more than 30 home runs in any season! Back then the Yankees were a TEAM, and because they played so well together, the players became all-stars. They were a team where the sum was greater than the parts. Recently the parts have been greater than the sum because of players like A-Rod.

One more thing before we leave this topic...One of the biggest complaints about Rodriguez for the longest time has been his insincerity and rehearsed answers. Well, one of the reasons he chose to opt out of the contract with the Yankees was apparently because he didn't know what direction the team was going in. Really? Was he that concerned that the Steinbrenner sons were not going to spend money and try to assemble a winning team? Did he not look at the young players on the team, guys like Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy and think the future will be ok? For him to ever say that winning is more important to him than money is a complete lie, and he should never be able to live that down. But then again, we won't have to worry about that because players with his attitude never do end up getting that ring and parade they so apparently desperately desire, just ask Barry Bonds...

The Red Sox Win Their Second World Series in Four Years: Congratulations to the Red Sox for another World Series title. To think they had to wait 86 years for one, and now have a second just three years later is remarkable, and a tribute to the job Theo Epstein has done. People ridiculed Epstein after last season's down year when the Sox finished third, but he never wavered from protecting his young players, guys like Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Lester, and it has certainly paid off. Unlike the team that won in `04, this one has potential for the long-haul. Ellsbury is a guy who plays with that youthful exuberance that is infectious for a team, and Pedroia is the gritty player you love to have on your team. As for Jonathan Papelbon, well unlike Keith Foulke from `04, he didn't do it with smoke and mirrors, he did it with just smoke. The guy will be good for a loooong time.

With that said, one has to marvel at the duo of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. People seem to forget that while the Yankees were making a run at the Sox towards the end of the regular season, Manny was not in the lineup. This has to be the best 1-2 combo since Ruth-Gehrig. When the pressure is on these guys, they just seem more and more relaxed, unlike a certain player we mentioned above.

Joe Torre to the Dodgers?: One rumor today has Joe Torre going to the Dodgers for a 3-year, $12 million deal to replace Grady Little who has not been fired yet. While this makes sense in a way for Torre considering he grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan, it certainly tarnishes his reputation a little. I know he said he's not ready to leave the game, and would consider managerial positions if they were offered to him, but am I the only one who thinks it would be weird to see him in a Dodgers hat talking about the job as one he's always wanted? While he left the Yankees with class, I do believe this would tarnish his reputation at least a little bit.

Joe Girardi Offered Yankees Job: This was the absolute correct choice by the Yankees. Girardi is a guy who knows the game, knows how to work with young players, and can obviously manage given his NL Manager of the Year Award in 2006.

On top of all of that, if you're a Yankee fan, the most important part of this decision is that it was made by GM Brian Cashman. It's no secret that George Steinbrenner wanted Don Mattingly to be the next Yankees manager, but Cashman, like in so many of his other decisions (i.e. not giving up Cabrera and Kennedy for Eric Gagne), stuck to his baseball instinct and listened to his baseball people. This will only bode well for the future of the team.