Tom Brady the Buffalo Bill: A Hypothetical Look at Two Very Different Franchises

With football season upon us, now would be a great time to present a blog from a friend of ours, Pat Lane.

Pat is a huge fan of the New England Patriots, and a smart one at that. He knows the team inside and out, their history and is well educated on all things NFL.

Pat was kind enough to send us a guest post on a look back at two NFL franchises that went in different directions, the Patriots and their division rival and week one opponent, the Buffalo Bills.


Tom Brady the Buffalo Bill: A Hypothetical Look at Two Very Different Franchises
By Guest Blogger Pat Lane

With 1:50 left in a snowy game in Foxboro on January 19th 2002, one franchise was changed forever.

Everyone knows that the New England Patriots benefited greatly from the “Tuck Rule,” but is there a team besides the Oakland Raiders that missed a great opportunity?  

Sitting in my usual seat in the north end zone, I watched Brady drop back to pass, saw Woodson coming from behind, and then  witnessed Greg Biekert fall on the ball just before Jermaine Wiggins could get there. The unbelievable run that the Patriots were on at the time was finally over.  

Then someone amazing happened and the call was reversed. It was an unreal moment, but as we approach the first game of the season, I started to think about what would have happened if the play had never been reversed, and how both teams playing this Sunday may be drastically different if it did not.

Before we talk about what would have happened if it did not happen, let’s look at some possible scenarios as to why it would not have happened. First, there is the obvious one that Walt Coleman could have decided that it was a fumble, in which case the Tuck Rule would not have been enforced. This seems unlikely because he (Coleman) has come out and said that it was an “obvious” call.  

What if this play happened before the two minute warning? The Patriots were out of timeouts and would not have been able to challenge the play, and since it was called a fumble on the field, the Raiders would have been able to kill the rest of the clock, and send the Patriots packing.  

What if the music crew had not blasted “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins while Coleman was reviewing the play? I may not be able to prove that it made a difference, but something started happening when that song came on, I felt it, and I would be willing to bet that anyone there that night would tell you the same thing.  

So what if any of these three things happened on the night of January 19^th?  Clearly the Patriots would not have won their first Super Bowl against the Rams, but would there have been bigger consequences?

The quarterback controversy had been brewing since Drew Bledsoe had come back to the team from the vicious hit that Mo Lewis inflicted in Week 2. I know that is hard to believe now, but people were split on who should start the Super Bowl after Brady went down in the AFC Championship and Bledsoe led them to a victory.  

So what if Bill had chosen wrong? What if he decided that he was going to go with the proven veteran over the young kid? What if the Patriots traded Brady to the  Buffalo Bills instead of Bledsoe?  

I think that we can agree that both franchises would be very different now. Would Brady have led the Bills to the playoffs, something that Bledsoe, or any other quarterback has not been able to do since? Would Bledsoe have been able to lead the Patriots to wins in Super Bowls 38 and 39? Would the Patriots have won a Super Bowl at all? 

When E.J. Manuel starts on Sunday, he will be the seventh starting quarterback for the Bills since 2002. The team has drafted three quarterbacks in the first three rounds and the other two, J.P. Losman and Trent Edwards, did not pan out.  

Let's look at the Patriots. They have actually drafted more quarterbacks, six, since 2002, then the Bills, who have drafted four. And before you think they did not spend any high picks on them, they used a fourth in ‘02, a third in ’08, and a third in ’11. Their most productive was Matt Cassel, taken in the seventh round, and he is no Tom Brady.

There is no telling what would have happened if Brady was in that deal instead of Bledsoe. Maybe he would have never succeeded under Gregg Williams. Maybe Bledsoe would have been great, and Belichick would have molded him to his system, and then found a competent replacement for him when he retired.  Maybe the fortunes of these two franchises would be flipped, with the Bills being perennial winners of the AFC East, and the Patriots going through four coaches and never having more than eight wins.  

All I know is that, as a Patriots fan, I am happy we never had to find out.   

Is Tim Thomas a Future Hall of Fame Netminder?

With former Stanley Cup (2011), Vezina Trophy (2009 and 2011), and Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas still on the open market, one has to think that retirement might just be the path that Thomas goes down.

If that ends up being the case, is Thomas a Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) worthy netminder? He has put up great numbers, has won hockey’s Holy Grail, and has won several individual awards, all of which make him look like a good candidate to one day get into Hockey’s hallowed hall.

On the other hand, one can make the argument that Thomas should not get inducted into the Hall. The number of years he played, his playoff failures and some other inconsistencies are all factors that one can point as not adding up to a Hall of Fame masked man.

Let’s delve deeper into this and allow me to explain my thought process.

Put Him in the Hall

Looking at Thomas’s numbers, they are quite good for a goaltender that has played just seven years in the NHL.

If his career were to end today, Thomas’s record would be 196-121-50 along with a 2.48 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and 31 shutouts. His record would also show that he won at least 30 games in four of his seven seasons while also picking up at least five shutouts in four of the seven seasons he has been in the league.

Thomas’s limited postseason numbers are also quite remarkable. In his four years of postseason experience, Thomas has won 29 games and has posted a 2.07 GAA, a .933 save percentage to go along with six shutouts.

Speaking of the playoffs, Thomas is a Cup-winning goaltender and did so in a remarkable way in 2011. To go along with his 16 wins, he had a stellar 1.98 GAA, an incredibly high .940 save percentage and four shutouts en route to winning the Conn Smythe as the league’s most valuable player in the postseason.

Thomas also has quite the trophy case. In his seven years in the NHL, Thomas has won the following:

- Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder (2009 and 2011)

- Stanley Cup (2011)

- Conn Smythe Trophy (2011)

- Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award as the goaltender with the highest save percentage (2009 and 2011)

- William Jennings Trophy that he shared with Manny Fernandez for the least amount of goals allowed (2009)

- Four All-Star Games (2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012)

Based on the above, one could definitely make a good case for Thomas to be inducted into the HHOF one day.

No Way

While there is no doubt that Thomas has accomplished a lot in the NHL, there is also a good argument to be made on why he should not be inducted into the Hall one day.

For starters, he does not have a large enough sample size. Thomas has played just seven seasons in the NHL and has not even eclipsed the 500-game mark yet.

The goaltenders that are in the Hall of Fame have played a ton of games and have a lot more years to look back on when it comes to their respective careers. Thomas may have good numbers but could he have put up these kinds of numbers had he played in the league for 10 or 12 years?

Secondly, Thomas’s win total would be considerably low for a Hall of Fame netminder. Of the 36 goaltenders that are in the HHOF, many of them have either won over 300 career games or have at least come close to it and at 196 wins, Thomas still probably needs at least between 60 and 70 more wins to be considered for the HHOF based on wins.

Lastly, while he did win a Cup in 2011, his success in the playoffs has not been stellar. In fact, Thomas got his team into the second round of the postseason in just two of the four seasons, with both 2008 and 2012 ending in the first round.

Final Say

We are in no way, shape or form knocking Thomas. Just look at all the good things that were said about him above.

With that said, when all is said and done, I believe that Thomas is not a future Hockey Hall of Famer.   

Mike Silva Makes the Big Leagues

When someone works incredibly hard at the passion and does everything they possibly can to make it a career, there is no doubt that at some point in his or her life, that person will be rewarded.

This was exactly the case with New York sports radio host Mike Silva. Silva spent many years working at different independent sports radio outlets until last week when he announced that he would be joining Long Island's Champions Radio (96.9 FM and 107.1 FM in Suffolk County), an ESPN affiliate, as the host of "The Weekend Watch. Silva's show will be on Saturday's and Sunday's from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Silva was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to tell us about his new gig, what he wants his show to be as well as what he thinks about the sports radio industry as a whole.

PH: How did this whole gig with Champions Radio come about?
MS: I received an e-mail from Rich Anderson, their owner, in early June. They found me while during some Google research for local radio talent on Long Island. We discussed the Champions Radio concept, what my show would look like and the parameters of a deal were formed. I basically have the autonomy to bring my “Watchdog” show to their medium.

PH: What kind of show will you be looking to deliver on the network? How do you plan on accomplishing that?
MS: My show is a New York sports themed show with a modern twist. I will be involved with social media interaction (Twitter, Facebook), and have members of the media as well as current and former athletes as guests on the show. Most shows have that but adding independent media and blogs is where I diverge from other mainstream outlets. I like to call it the New York sports version of a variety show. You don’t know what you will get, but it will be interesting. Unlike other talk show hosts, I pride myself on being accessible and interacting with the listeners. You don’t have to call in to be heard as I will be surfing the web the entire show.

PH: The fact that this new network is a part of the ESPN brand, what does that mean for you? How will being a part of ESPN's radio network help you grow?
MS: For all the criticism ESPN takes (rightfully so at times), they are still the worldwide leader in sports. Having the relationship with the Knicks, Jets and Rangers adds credibility, and it will open up doors with all types of guests that probably would not partake in my brand when it was independent.

PH: It appears that the sports radio industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Why do you think that is?
MS: That depends on how you look at it. Sports media is growing by leaps and bounds, but I am not sure radio is keeping up with alternative methods of media consumption. I pride myself on being informed, interesting and approachable. I embrace new ideas and alternative media outlets. Just because someone does not have a big name does not mean they can't add value to the program. I want listeners to walk away respecting my opinion even if they don’t necessarily agree with it. I want them to learn something, and feel like their time was well spent. Remember, it’s a privilege for someone to invest time and listen to your product. You can’t ever get time back so it must be respected.

PH: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers at Beyond the Back Page?
MS: Check out championsradio.com where you can listen to my show and all the other members of the Champions Radio family. If you are in Suffolk County, Long Island you can listen on 96.9 or 107.1 depending on your location. You can also catch up with me at my personal website mikesilvamedia.com.

Pumped for Football Season

Based on what you have read so far on this site from me, it is very easy to see that I am an unbelievable huge hockey fanatic.

For awhile, it was really the only sport I ever followed until 1997 when my co-publisher John Strawbridge got me into baseball. From 1997 to 2012, hockey and baseball were the only sports that I truly care about.

This all changed in the fall of 2012 when I became a football fan. Football was my escape from the NHL lockout and the more I watched it, the bigger fan that I became.

Here we are several months later and I am absolutely pumped for the upcoming NFL season. It will be interesting to see the kind of follow-up seasons that both the San Franciso 49ers and Baltimore Ravens have among many other things.

Here are some questions I have going into the season:

- Who is going to be the starting quarterback for the New York Jets, Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith?

- What kind of season will Minnesota Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson have? He had a record-breaking year last season so it will be interesting to see if he can have a repeat performance?

- Speaking of repeat performance, what can we expect from Indianapolis Colts' second-year quarterback Andrew Luck and Washington Redskin's second year quarterback Robert Griffin III? They were both terrific last season, especially RGIII, so will they be able to avoid a sophomore slump?

- Who will be the best quarterback in the league this season? Will it be Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, RGIII, etc., ?

This is just a start in terms of the questions I have coming into this season so feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Nova Strutting His Stuff

While there is no doubt that the New York Yankees have problems generating offense, keeping guys healthy or even having one stay off the juice, one problem they do not have is pitching.

This really came to light in last night's 8-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. Yes, the team's offense came to life but more impressive was the second straight solid performance from starting pitcher Ivan Nova.

Nova burst onto the scene with the Yankees in 2011 and in his first big-league season, showed that he had the stuff to be an above average starting pitcher in the Major Leagues. That season, Nova won 16 games, had a 3.70 ERA and finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

With that kind of season, the team and their fans were excited about his future and their expectations were raised. Unfortunately, Nova fell off last season as he won 12 games and had an ERA of just over five, which made the team wonder if he was a one-year wonder.

While that question is still being asked, Nova has definitely turned it around in his last few starts. As Yankees' manager Joe Girardi mentioned after the game last night, Nova did a good job of mixing all his pitches and showed that he is more than capable of being a starter in any Major League rotation.

Nova's last two starts in particular are reasons why the team and their fans should continue to be patient and show some faith in him. Last Friday night in the team's 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, Nova was masterful in pitching a complete game, allowing two earned runs and striking out 11 against an extremely talented offensive Orioles ball club.

Last night against the Royals, Nova was just as good in allowing just one run and striking out five over eight innings. Put the last two games together and that three earned runs in 17 innings.

Remember folks, Nova is just 26 years old and has shown that he can pitch well and do so in big games. If the Yankees want to stay in the tight race in the American League East, Nova will need to continue to strut his stuff like he has done over the last few games for his team.

Is Howard Worth It?

When talking about the NBA's best players, one thinks of Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and many others before thinking about the Houston Rockets's newest acquisition, Dwight Howard.

Based on what happened with Howard and the Magic and then Howard and the Lakers, it appears that no good can come from signing him. In fact, one has to really think about if he is really worth all the drama that seems to find him.

For starters, Howard was the main reason Stan Van Gundy was let go. Although Howard made it seem like things were cool with him and Van Gundy in front of the media, that simply was not the case behind closed doors so the Magic thought they did what they had to do to keep Howard happy.

Unfortunately for the Magic, they never got to witness Howard's happiness and he left and went to the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time of the move, it seemed like the Lakers were doing everything they can to win another championship but as it turned out, things never ended up going their way.

Howard dealt with injuries, clashed with teammates and once again came up short in a quest for a ring. While he was not terrible on the floor, he was not at his all-time best.

Even with that, the Lakers were determined to do everything they can to try and make him stay. They hung big jersey's of his as advertisements and even the great Magic Johnson, along with teammate Steve Nash,  tweeted Howard asking him to stay.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, their courting efforts fell short and Howard ended up deciding to go join the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are one of the younger teams in the league and with a player like James Harden and a terrific head coach in Kevin McHale, the Rockets are a franchise that is definitely on the rise.

With all of that said, one has to wonder if Howard is going to pull the same kind of stunts that he did with both the Magic and Lakers? Will he try and get a coach fired? Will he have trouble with a teammate or will he end up leaving the Rockets if things don't go well for him after his first year?

If these are the kind of questions that you have to ask yourself before trying to bring this player to your franchise, can he really be worth it? 

Can The Yankees Offensive Offense Be Fixed?

“Get us to Memorial Day, and the reinforcements will come.”

That was the general message for the New York Yankee offense heading into Opening Day, which entered the season with an already injury-depleted, old, un-Yankee looking lineup. Although the offense has been a problem since day one, the first 83 games have yielded results that tell the tale of two different halves:

1^st Half – an upstart group doing just enough to support a great pitching staff, featuring rejuvenated veterans and unexpected, timely contributions.

2^nd Half – a feeble failure of patchwork fill-ins, dejected by the failure of the reinforcements to come back and STAY back, whose luck has apparently caught up to them.

They did their job in that first half of the 83, but were immediately asked to duplicate it beyond what was expected and forced to reach beyond their capabilities.

The Yankees entered Memorial Day, the finish line for “the replacements”, with a record of 30-19. Curtis Granderson had just suffered yet another bad “break” two days earlier, but the team was feeling good after hitting their high water mark for the season just one day earlier. All reports also indicated Mark Teixeira was progressing nicely and would be riding in on a white horse to do his best Tywin Lannister impression to save the day.

Since Memorial Day, here is what has taken place:

• The Yankees have gone 14-20 (winners of their last 2)
• Mark Teixeira has come and gone, for good this time
• Kevin Youkilis has come back and gone back, for good this time as well
• Eduardo Nunez has fallen deep into the injury abyss for the second straight year
• Alex Rodriguez joined Twitter to do his best to take our attention away from what was actually happening on the field – Brian Cashman took his bait
• Derek Jeter may or may not have ran from 1^st base to 3^rd base… and this is “major progress”

 

Beyond their lengthy credentials and proven track records, these players all have something else in common – they’re all right handed hitters. The Yankee lineup looks positively anemic against left handed starters, and they are also extremely vulnerable against the lefty specialists that occupy every team’s bullpen for late inning situations. The offense has been an issue all season long, but there was always the hope of an end date in sight… not anymore.

The permanent absence of Teixeira and Youkilis is crippling to this roster, as is the failure of Eduardo Nunez to seize a golden opportunity to be a regular. The black cloud representing a 50 or 100 game suspension that hangs over the head of Arod, coupled with the soap opera drama surrounding his ability to even rehab and get back to the majors, dilutes our only main organizational threat from the right side of the plate. Yankee third basemen have hit 4 home runs and driven in a total of 23 runs in 83 games this season. I’m sorry, but Arod WILL be an upgrade to those numbers regardless of the extent that his skills have eroded. Look at all of those who have come through and played third base this season:

(numbers ONLY as a third baseman)

Player	Average	HR	RBI	OPS
David Adams	.189	2	7	.547
Jayson Nix	.267	0	7	.621
Alberto Gonzalez	0/11	0	0	.000
Chris Nelson*	.222	0	2	.521
Kevin Youkilis**	.266	2	7	.759

* no longer on team

** out for season

Lyle Overbay has done an admiral job filling in for Mark Teixeira this year. His numbers come in underwhelming (.240/9/34), but they are watered down by his production against lefties. There is absolutely no way he should be playing against lefties, but honestly, there’s noone else! Overbay is hitting .260/8/24 against righties, with 12 doubles, which is acceptable when paired with his great defense. His numbers have also dipped lately due to decreased playing time in June when Teixeira made his brief appearance.

Along with Overbay, Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner played starring roles in the team’s early success. Unlike Overbay, Wells and Hafner have completely disappeared. 

• Travis Hafner since May 1:  .174 (25-144), 6HR, 19RBI, .256OBP
• Vernon Wells since May 16: .147 (19-129) 0HR, 8RBI, .160OBP

These numbers are completely unfathomable. I honestly don’t even know how to comment on them. These two guys have spent the majority of the season protecting Robinson Cano. Clearly Cano is getting nothing to hit, and this is why. Hafner and Wells did everything they could over the first six weeks of the season to get us off to a good start, but they have rapidly descended to the depths that made them bargain investments in the first place.

So, what is the solution? There seems to be a litany of problems with this lineup, and I think the front office needs to look outside of the organization to find a solution. Even if Arod comes back, remains healthy, and gives us solid production, the Yankees still have at least one glaring hole to fill in order to make a run at the postseason. After all, Arod is going to need regular rest and will probably be spend a lot of time DHing when he comes back. 

With the addition of the second Wild Card last year there are more teams in contention as the trade deadline approaches, thus thinning the market and allowing the few sellers to raise their asking prices. Here are a few players the Yankees should at the very least take a look at.

Michael Young (Phillies) – I have said throughout his entire career that Michael Young is among the most underrated players in baseball. Of course he’s 36 now, but year in and year out he produces. He brings a wealth of experience, along with rare production from someone with such versatility; he has the ability to play all four infield positions. With the uncertainty surrounding Jeter and Arod, coupled with the ineffectiveness of Overbay against lefties, Michael Young seems like a perfect fit. If the Phillies make him available I fully expect the Yankees will try to acquire him.

Kendrys Morales (Mariners) – Morales has come a long way since the infamous walk-off broken leg that dropped a bomb on his budding career. A switch-hitting 1B/DH may be a good fit.

Chris Carter (Astros) – Absolutely the cheapest option on this list. A power hitting, right-handed first baseman, his addition could create a 4-way 1B/DH platoon with Overbay, Hafner, and Wells. It would also give Girardi at least 1 option off the bench to pinch hit late in games – a luxury that has not been available this year. Carter would also provide the Yankees with a definitive right-handed power bat, something that has been absent this season.

Paul Konerko (White Sox) – This is a very remote possibility, since he is practically married to the White Sox and has been one of the faces of their franchise since Frank Thomas left. However, there will be a massive firesale in Chicago sometime very soon, so you never know. Konerko would be a more permanent fixture at First Base for the remainder of the season; he is not splitting playing time with anyone. This is a longshot, since he is so beloved in Chicago that he was actually briefly discussed as a possible player-manager candidate before the team hired Robin Ventura. Perhaps Jeff Keppinger, a player the Yankees pursued in the offseason, would be a better option (although he has had a dreadful season).

Clearly this offense needs a pick-me-up. Whether it is a healthy Arod and/or Jeter or the addition of a player via trade, there needs to be a shakeup on this offense before it’s too late. The Yankees currently sit at 44-39 and are 6 games out of first place (5 in the loss column), with the Wild Card safety net within 2.5 games. The playoffs are certainly within reach, but they are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. There must be an improvement on these American League rankings:

(of the 15 AL teams)

AVG	RUNS	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OBP
13th	11th	11th	12th	12th	12th	13th

 
After being swept this past weekend in Baltimore, the Yankees began a stretch of 14 winnable games this past Monday, against Minnesota (7), Kansas City (4) and Baltimore (3). They must use the next two weeks to gain some momentum heading into the All Star break, before hitting another rough patch in the schedule immediately thereafter. Although two months follow July, the tenuous state of this lineup gives July a make-or-break feel.

It's your move, Mr. Cashman.