Borges picks the Broncos, anyone surprised?

[OhExaulted1]

I just caught him and Freddy Smerlas duking it out on ch. 7 with Joe Amorsino. Borges is such a miserable person. What's wrong with him? Is he mad he's not covering the Sox?

I think in some strange way he beleives if he doesn't beleive in the Patriots they'll win and if he does beleive in them they won't. Maybe he gave up hope before we started winning after getting burned too many times and now is afraid to go back because it may kill the dynasty in some superstitious way.

Or maybe he's just a bitter old man who can't stand to see anyone experience joy in their life. Does any of this make any sense, or has everyone written of Ron's opinions a long time ago?

 

[Michael]

LOL. I was going to post the same thing, but then decided ehh why give the clown any more attention. I'm listening to Ted Johnson make the same prediction right now. man he's getting to be quite the chicken little. Every time he gets a microphone he's saying they can't win this year.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

With Borges it's a matter of picking who he wants to win, and it's always the other team unless they have no shot. His distain for BB is pathological.

Just watching Sports Final. DeOssie called the JAGS game pretty well (28-10 but it wouldn't be that close). He says 24-17 Pats over Denver. Felger wasn't ready to decide (LOL waiting to see what kind of ratings bump he needs this week I guess) but when Lobel pushed him he said he's "leaning" towards the Pats. He's still hung up on BB's failure to scheme complexly and play aggressively early in the season (when he didn't have the personnel, Mike but whatever....)

The new no surprise pick was TJ - "Denver is just better" and he doesn't think the Pats can beat them. I really don't think TJ can stand it on some level. I think while he admires BB and TB, he was part of that old boy network, and unlike Tedy and Willie and Adam, he never drank the koolaid, just sipped it reluctantly because it was that or try to catch on elsewhere. The fact that BB was right in hindsight and got him 3 rings never got TJ past the grudging respect point. I doubt he wished the team ill when he left, but I just think seeing them struggle in his absence perhaps was a little ego boost and a smidgeon of payback in his mind for some level of disrespect he and Ty and Lawyer and Drew felt the endured at BB's hand. I also think he's courting Felger - must have prefaced at least two or three of his comments with "Mike is exactly right,...:blahblah:

 

[lobster]

I don't mind reporters or analysts making predictions, however if the prediction turns out to be wrong please publicly admit it! If its an on air prediction, go back on air and apologize the next week.

Some of them slink off and hope nobody notices they were wrong!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't mind reporters or analysts making predictions, however if the prediction turns out to be wrong please publicly admit it! If its an on air prediction, go back on air and apologize the next week.

Some of them slink off and hope nobody notices they were wrong!

I wouldn't say apologize, but acknowledge it and admit you were wrong would be nice. Unfortunately most of these guys will try to wiggle out of it instead. And it's not that hard to do since they have multiple picks in different venues or publications. Sometimes they are picking against the spread as a cover....

Borges pick was a hoot though because while he loves Shannahan (vs. BB he loves most any of them) he has no repect for the Snake - whom he says he too is expecting to revert to form.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Borges picks the Broncos, anyone surprised?

The Sun came up this morning, anyone suprised?

 

[marty]

With Borges it's a matter of picking who he wants to win, and it's always the other team unless they have no shot. His distain for BB is pathological.

Just watching Sports Final. DeOssie called the JAGS game pretty well (28-10 but it wouldn't be that close). He says 24-17 Pats over Denver. Felger wasn't ready to decide (LOL waiting to see what kind of ratings bump he needs this week I guess) but when Lobel pushed him he said he's "leaning" towards the Pats. He's still hung up on BB's failure to scheme complexly and play aggressively early in the season (when he didn't have the personnel, Mike but whatever....)

The new no surprise pick was TJ - "Denver is just better" and he doesn't think the Pats can beat them. I really don't think TJ can stand it on some level. I think while he admires BB and TB, he was part of that old boy network, and unlike Tedy and Willie and Adam, he never drank the koolaid, just sipped it reluctantly because it was that or try to catch on elsewhere. The fact that BB was right in hindsight and got him 3 rings never got TJ past the grudging respect point. I doubt he wished the team ill when he left, but I just think seeing them struggle in his absence perhaps was a little ego boost and a smidgeon of payback in his mind for some level of disrespect he and Ty and Lawyer and Drew felt the endured at BB's hand. I also think he's courting Felger - must have prefaced at least two or three of his comments with "Mike is exactly right,...:blahblah:

Good post! Especially your take on TJ...I think you've nailed it!

 

[PatsDeb]

The best part about Borges picking the Broncos was Fred Smerlas excitedly answering, "Great, now we [the Pats] are sure to win!" Guess who Freddie picked?! GO PATS!

 

[cloud34]

As much as I despise Borges, picking the Broncos in this game is not an outrageous pick...

 

[dryheat44]

As much as I despise Borges, picking the Broncos in this game is not an outrageous pick...

Nope. I think the Broncos are the best team in the NFL. And I'm just a fan. Remember how Del Rio got ridiculed earlier this season, because the local sportswriters weren't sucking off the Jags? That's not a reporter's job. I don't see it being a travesty if one doesn't pick the home team to win.

And my God! Why should he/she apologize if he's wrong? Apologize to whom, and for what?

 

[Garbanza]

.....I dislike Borges, but really folks what do you expect him to say at this point? Borges is what he is.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a Denver win too. Not because I think they are the better team, but because of the intangibles. I don't want that to be true and I will certainly cheer on my Pats. But I listen to a Hobb's interview, where he said, "I had a hard time breathing and my lips were dry the entire game," regarding Denver, and then I look at Tom Brady's 1-3 record against Denver, the fact that it will not be cold (TB has never lost a game where the temp was lower than 40- except this years season finale which was a throw-away game) and I remember how dirty the Bronco's o-line plays.....it doesn't create a whole lot of confidence.

 

[PromisedLand]

Borges picks the Broncos, anyone surprised?

Borges picks the Broncos, anyone care?

 

[Bella*chick]

Personally, I'm leaning towards a Denver win too. Not because I think they are the better team, but because of the intangibles. I don't want that to be true and I will certainly cheer on my Pats. But I listen to a Hobb's interview, where he said, "I had a hard time breathing and my lips were dry the entire game," regarding Denver, and then I look at Tom Brady's 1-3 record against Denver, the fact that it will not be cold (TB has never lost a game where the temp was lower than 40- except this years season finale which was a throw-away game) and I remember how dirty the Bronco's o-line plays.....it doesn't create a whole lot of confidence.

I'm not saying your points aren't valid, but to read this, you'd think Denver was this unstoppable beast that no one can beat. That anyone who goes into Mile High comes out on a stretcher or something.

I mean, I'm not saying the Broncos aren't good, or that Denver is not a difficult place to play (because it is!), but you know, I never thought of Denver as a monster who would not be denied. Oh well.

 

[Garbanza]

wow - you get "unstoppable beast" out of that?

Homer! LOL!!!

Kidding.....

 

[Bella*chick]

wow - you get "unstoppable beast" out of that?

Homer! LOL!!!

Kidding.....

LOL! What can I say. I have an active imagination.

 

[mcsully]

Just a quick fact. Both teams are equal in talent and coaching. The only difference is the location. VEGAS opened the line as Broncos favored by 3. You get 3 points for being a home team. So vegas sees this as an even game.
(BTW its up to 3.5 probably because a lot of people are taking the pats )

Anyone else listen to Borges on 890 last week. He was on for I believe two hours. They took calls and I swear 90% of the people had the impression that he doesn't like the pats.. It was funny on how he tried to defend himself. On that note, I realized something.. he DOES have an agenda against the pats (even if he doesn't like to admit it.. WHEN ONE TALKS ABOUT SOMETHING SO MUCH AND DOESN'T LET IT GO, THEY LOVE EITHER FEEDING OFF THAT OR THEY ARE JUST A STUMP AND DON'T SEE THERE IS AN ISSUE.. ) but he knows his football. When he talks about other teams, I really believe he has a good knowledge of the game and gives some solid feedback on gameplay.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Was Ellis' interview after the October game? Because at that point he was rookie who had yet to start and had only seen extremely limited game action at all. I know last week he said he was wearing a rookie muzzle and could not talk to the media. LOL

Remember too this is a night game in Denver. It may be over 40 degrees at kickoff, the current guesstimate is 47 degrees at 6PM MST, but it will not be for long. Nightime lows are projected to be mid 20's to mid 30's. And it's not like Tommy isn't pretty good above 40 either - after all he's won 3 SB's in climate controlled environments. Dale and Holley are also currently discussion how BB's winning percentage against teams he has faced earlier in the season is .857. Another nice point, Denver is dead last in sacks this season.

A lot went wrong for the Pats in Denver the first time around, yet they managed to battle back to an 8 point deficit in the final analysis. That was the game where Mankins got tossed for nut punching. No Dillon, no Tedy, no Richard, no Hawkins, no Davis, Starks starting.....

This really is the second season where everyone starts 0-0. We are now 1-0 though and a very different team from the one who traveled to Denver in week 5.

As for Borges pick, as I said it's more his lack of rationale that most annoys me (he has no use for Plummer and still anticipates the real Jake will show up eventually). And I think TJ has just painted himself into a corner now and decided to tough it out.

 

[Bella*chick]

Was Ellis' interview after the October game? Because at that point he was rookie who had yet to start and had only seen extremely limited game action at all. I know last week he said he was wearing a rookie muzzle and could not talk to the media. LOL

Remember too this is a night game in Denver. It may be over 40 degrees at kickoff, the current guesstimate is 47 degrees at 6PM MST, but it will not be for long. Nightime lows are projected to be mid 20's to mid 30's. And it's not like Tommy isn't pretty good above 40 either - after all he's won 3 SB's in climate controlled environments. Dale and Holley are also currently discussion how BB's winning percentage against teams he has faced earlier in the season is .857. Another nice point, Denver is dead last in sacks this season.

A lot went wrong for the Pats in Denver the first time around, yet they managed to battle back to an 8 point deficit in the final analysis. That was the game where Mankins got tossed for nut punching. No Dillon, no Tedy, no Richard, no Hawkins, no Davis, Starks starting.....

This really is the second season where everyone starts 0-0. We are now 1-0 though and a very different team from the one who traveled to Denver in week 5.

As for Borges pick, as I said it's more his lack of rationale that most annoys me (he has no use for Plummer and still anticipates the real Jake will show up eventually). And I think TJ has just painted himself into a corner now and decided to tough it out.

Great post, Mo. You brought back my warm and fuzzy feeling.

I forgot that the last game Mankins was tossed, but oh yes, he was. As you say, alot of stuff went wrong. In fact, the way that game started reminded me alot of our regular season Pitt debacle last year. It was just boom! and they were up by 17 or so points immediately. They were basically in control of how we played the game. Yet we hung around (despite the fact that they went into cruise control) and tried to at least make it interesting. And as you say, the team then and the team now= night and day.

Good point re: the weather. It'll get colder as the evening progresses, no doubt about it. And in ANY weather, I take Brady over Jake Plummer, good grief!!

 

[mosi]

Good post! Especially your take on TJ...I think you've nailed it!

When he retired did you notice that he thanked a whole bunch of people from Parcels to Al Groh but did not mention BB once. I think there may be something there.

 

[Garbanza]

I must confess - I have a habit of feeling negative about games.....and quite frankly it has worked for me three of the last four years. At this point (playoffs) I do what it takes to convince myself that the Pats will probably lose. A reverse jinx of sorts....I 'dunno.....it's messed up. LOL! As they say, "don't fix it, if it 'aint broke." Still - Denver does scare me. No convincing required. They scare me more than Indy. Pats have historically had a very hard time against Denver - and especially in Denver.

My take on TJ? I think he takes this negative stance for much the same reason I do.....and I suspect he enjoys getting his former teammates riled up about it.