Sports Illustrated: Is M. Faulk the EIC? [de-whined for the elitists]

[JSn]

Looks like we're begrudgingly #8 in their weekly power rankings.

SI.com's NFL Power Rankings, Week 9 - Dr. Z - SI.com

New England Patriots (5-2)
Got the warning light. You're running too long, Z. Sorry boss. Patriots pressed hard by once hopeless St. Looie. They'll lose at Indy. Short enough?

In other bits and pieces around their site this week:

Story of the year: Tom Brady's knee injury. Though they won their opener against the Chiefs, the Patriots' attempt to duplicate their perfect regular season of 2007 effectively ended less than eight minutes into 2008. That's when No. 12 was felled by K.C.'s Bernard Pollard, setting off what I've already identified earlier this season as a seismic shift in terms of the league's balance of power. With no New England in the role of the NFL's Goliath, the league features a bunch of scrappy David's fighting it out. And it's kind of fun.

The NFL is more fun because Tom is injured?

Upset of the year: Miami 38, New England 13, Week 3. The winless Dolphins went into Gillette Stadium and thrashed the Patriots, snapping their NFL record 21-game regular-season winning streak. It was the first career win for Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, and it came on the back of Miami's versatile Ronnie Brown, who scored four rushing touchdowns and threw for one -- with four of the scores coming on the Dolphins' "Wildcat'' formation.

Fail: sucks to lose, but hardly the upset of the year. Maybe if Tom was in the game.

Defensive rookie of the year: Jerod Mayo, New England, LB. Playing inside linebacker as a rookie in Bill Belichick's 3-4 defense is a study in multi-tasking. Mayo has seamlessly fit into his complicated role and consistently shown up among the team's leading tacklers. The Patriots defense has yet to hit its stride, but Mayo's play has represented a big upgrade over last year's starter, Junior Seau.

Did this pretend to be a compliment in order to insult Seau?

I find it difficult to understand all the dislike. Is it because we're not so far suffering the SB curse? Is it because with 3 starters on IR and and even with several chunks of play-time being filled in by rookies and has-been's we're 5-2?

If people want to believe "Karma" had it's way with us, fine. We don't get to celebrate wins before the games are played this year. But I hope the message gets delivered soon: we don't plan to stop winning.

Randy's quote seems more apt to me all the time about the Haters. I don't know exactly what it was, but I assume most of you remember it.

I know it's a long shot, but if we win the SB this year, it will make this season and 2001's SB season historic moments of a scrappy, intelligent team rubbing the NFL's collective face in sh!t.

Maybe I just need more coffee.
Go Pats.

 

[lorijean]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

It just means that all is well with the world. I prefer being the underdog.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

I agree with you, you need the coffee. Just kidding.

I didn't find any of the quoted txt that jarring to be honest. Or maybe I have become used to ESPN's slanted coverage of us that I consider all other reports as positive coverage.

 

[Pujo]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Man, I've never seen so much whining by football fans. Go watch ice skating if you're going to be so sensitive. Especially with the Mayo remark, how can you possibly see an insult there? If you set out to look for slights, you'll find them everywhere, grow a pair.

 

[captadamnj]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

When you find it impossible to attain the level of those above you, the only option is to attempt to bring them down to your level. And so it is with the Patriots organization, they simply have no peer in the industry. Some may be close, but none attain their level.

 

[JSn]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Man, I've never seen so much whining by football fans. Go watch ice skating if you're going to be so sensitive. Especially with the Mayo remark, how can you possibly see an insult there? If you set out to look for slights, you'll find them everywhere, grow a pair.

Ok, so let me get your rule-set straight:

Don't react to negative coverage. It is either whining or looking for issues.
Grow balls (more or bigger?).

I'm not whining. I'm just not understanding why the coverage can't be positive by anyone. -insert childish jab here-

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Don't read too much into it. Dr. Z is a cranky guy who is wrong more than he is right. Remember he predicted the Dolphins to go to the Super Bowl the year they went 4-12.

As for Banks, he lives in Brookline. So he sees and hears about the Pats more. I would agree with him that Brady is a potential story of the year and with his absence the league is wide open. Imagine if Brady was playing right now, the Pats would probably be the clear front runner for the Super Bowl with the current front runners (Tennessee and the Giants) far behind them no matter the record.

I also agree with them that the Dolphins were arguably one of the biggest upsets of the season. When the Pats faced the Dolphins, people were wondering if they would improve on their last year's record. Remember everyone laughing at Porter and his comments leading up to that week. So it was a pretty big upset. Personally, I would have gone with the Rams' win over Washington, but I think you can make the point for the Dolphins. Besides isn't it a compliment to be on the losing end of what is considered the biggest upset of the season. That means the person who states that thinks highly of your team.

 

[JSn]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Besides isn't it a compliment to be on the losing end of what is considered the biggest upset of the season. That means the person who states that thinks highly of your team.

You've got a point there.

 

[captadamnj]

I don't believe it's fair to judge an upset based on previous year's performances. The 'Phins are clearly better this year, and the Pats were just working on getting their legs under them. I was disappointed in the way the Pats lost and I was surprised in the way they lost (getting beat by the same play multiple times), but I wasn't surprised that they lost. The MSM wants to label it a huge upset to make the Pats look bad.

 

[Peekaboo]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Man, I've never seen so much whining by football fans. Go watch ice skating if you're going to be so sensitive. Especially with the Mayo remark, how can you possibly see an insult there? If you set out to look for slights, you'll find them everywhere, grow a pair.

I agree. The entire sports media world has been under the desk of Bill Belichick for the better part of 5 years now. The first couple negative comments and you guys are up in arms. Sheesh.

 

[Peekaboo]

I do have to say though in regards to the title of this thread, Marshall Faulk is the dumbest human being alive. Last season on the NFL Network, he stated that is was good that JP Losman got injured so Trent Edwards could play. Who the hell says crap like that? In a very close second is Emmitt Smith.

 

[JSn]

Yeah, I have my favourite proof-of-stupidity quote by him in my signature.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Last season on the NFL Network, he stated that is was good that JP Losman got injured so Trent Edwards could play.

that one's true

 

[Peekaboo]

that one's true

He also said they would not win a game all season I believe. What a buffoon. "Hi, I know nothing of journalism but played RB in the NFL, I think I'm qualified."

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I do have to say though in regards to the title of this thread, Marshall Faulk is the dumbest human being alive. Last season on the NFL Network, he stated that is was good that JP Losman got injured so Trent Edwards could play. Who the hell says crap like that? In a very close second is Emmitt Smith.

Edwards is a better player than Losman.

Shouldn't you be trolling a Jets site this week?

The Colts trolls they have way more football knowledge than the Bills or Jets trolls. Last year they were here in droves the week before, this week only one or two.

 

[Peekaboo]

Edwards is a better player than Losman.

Shouldn't you be trolling a Jets site this week?

The Colts trolls they have way more football knowledge than the Bills or Jets trolls. Last year they were here in droves the week before, this week only one or two.

Are you stalking me or something? Why do you feel you need to call me a troll in every thread that I post in? Ever heard of free speech? You don't have to like it but I can post my opinion if I feel like it. Deal with it.

 

[Pujo]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Ok, so let me get your rule-set straight:

Don't react to negative coverage. It is either whining or looking for issues.
Grow balls (more or bigger?).

I'm not whining. I'm just not understanding why the coverage can't be positive by anyone. -insert childish jab here-

Ron Borges when he wrote for the Globe? That was negative. All the coverege during Spygate? Negative. But writing that Mayo is an upgrade over Seau? C'monn now.

 

[STFarmy]

Re: Sports Illustrated: Do they hate us too?

Dr. Z: The Z stands for zilch. As in what he knows.

 

[JSn]

Are you stalking me or something? Why do you feel you need to call me a troll in every thread that I post in? Ever heard of free speech? You don't have to like it but I can post my opinion if I feel like it. Deal with it.

Actually, your freedom of speech is overruled by this being a privately owned message board which is moderated according to a rule-set. Don't believe me, start a thread on why Cassel needs to be cut immediately.

 

[Peekaboo]

Actually, your freedom of speech is overruled by this being a privately owned message board which is moderated according to a rule-set. Don't believe me, start a thread on why Cassel needs to be cut immediately.

Did not know that. Still, I don't deserve to be called a troll on every thread. I have done nothing wrong.