Pats deserve * for easy schedule???

[VJCPatriot]

The reason this logic is stupid is that the 72 Dolphins had a FAR easier schedule than the Patriots.

The Patriots on the other hand have had to go through the Colts, Cowboys, Steelers, etc. All top seed, playoff bound teams.

That particular sports writer must be mentally handicapped not to realize the stupidity of his statement. Either that or he doesn't care that he's wrong. Which wouldn't surprise me after Tom Jackson's the team "hates their coach" kind of reporting.

 

[sieglo]

The guy who wrote this article obviously rides to work on the short bus.

This could be the most idiotic article I've seen all year. Well, maybe not. But close!

 

[ClevTrev]

Can't say I was surprised to see this coming out of Indy.

Agreed. Consider the source. More media fodder.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

This is the basic flaw with having multiple 24 hour sports news programs, multiple sports websites etc. You simply run out of actual news, so you have to invent controversy to keep busy.

Same problem MSNBC, CNN and FNC have.

 

[FrontSeven]

We only play **6** divisional matchups per year now.

Where to the other **10** come from?

We drew six contenders: San Diego, Indy, Dallas, Philly, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

 

[TruthSeeker]

the Pats strength of schedule was ranked 3rd toughest coming into season by ESPN. It's not the teams fault if some of these teams have underachieved this year.

Bingo, we have bingo !! As mentioned, the Jets were a playoff team that won 10 games last year, the Steelers stunk last year, but are now better. Strength of schedule has always been one of the most absurd statistics out there.

 

[godef]

I hate asterisk columns, but his guy has a new spin... we should get one because of our easy schedule.

Can't say I'm buying it, but it was a suprising spin:
http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/sports/local_story_332233401.html?keyword=secondarystory

Here are some snippets:

"The reason is [for the asterisk] that the Patriots’ schedule is easy enough that many teams over the past 10 years could have come close to Miami’s unbeaten mark. New England’s division gives “weak” a bad name."

"Brady managed one touchdown pass [vs the Eagles]. But that’s understandable. Mostly Brady is playing against defenses that would have trouble stopping running water with a tap."

"Staff member Richard Torres put together some stats that show that the season Manning set the record, he had faced teams, to this point, with a combined record of 30-23. Brady has faced teams with combined records of 30-26. There are two things misleading about those stats."

... I'll let you read the article to discover his 2 points about Manning's achievements being better ...

If the season ended today, the accumulative won/loss ratio of the teams on our schedule would be far better than what the 72 Dolphins faced.

The Dolphins faced teams with a sub .400 winning pct, whereas the Pats currently stand at .479 (58-63). Add in their final 5 opponents, and we're still talking .449 (79-97).

If he wants an asterisk next to our record, he'll also have to put one next to the '72 Dolphins.

 

[PatriotReign720]

what a poor article. one could 'nitpick' at almost anything. proves nothing.

 

[onegameatatime]

If you exclude the losses we have inflicted, we have:

6 games against teams > .500

2 teams at .500

3 teams < .500

 

[Seacoast Fan]

This is the basic flaw with having multiple 24 hour sports news programs, multiple sports websites etc. You simply run out of actual news, so you have to invent controversy to keep busy.

Same problem MSNBC, CNN and FNC have.

Exactly.

I read the column, (my bad) and at the very beginning he drops this little tidbit:

"Now the reason for this goes well beyond my hatred of the Patriots and especially of head coach Bill Belichick."

I have never attended journalism school (yes, I know, something of an oxymoron) nor have I ever studied any journalism ethics (there I go again with the oxymorons), but I would be willing to bet that the first rule of journalism is not to "hate" your subject, but rather be objective, unbiased and dispassionate.

 

[BadMoFo]

1972 Dolphins:

Combined opponent records (70-122-4 -- .364 percent)

Dolphins 1972 schedule and results>

Regular Season
9/17/72 at Kansas City 20-10
9/24/72 Houston 34-13
10/1/72 at Minnesota 16-14
10/8/72 at New York Jets 27-17
10/15/72 San Diego 24-10
10/22/72 Buffalo 24-23
10/29/72 at Baltimore 23-0
11/5/72 at Buffalo 30-16
11/12/72 New England 52-0
11/19/72 New York Jets 28-24
11/27/72 St. Louis 31-10
12/3/72 at New England 37-21
12/10/72 at New York Giants 23-13
12/16/72 Baltimore 16-0

Playoffs
12/24/72 Cleveland 20-14
12/31/72 at Pittsburgh 21-17
Super Bowl VII (Los Angeles, CA)
1/14/73 Washington 14-7

--------------------

Kansas City -- 8 wins 6 losses
Houston -- 1 win 13 losses
Minnesota -- 7 wins 7 losses
San Diego -- 4 wins 9 losses 1 tie
Buffalo -- 4 wins 9 losses 1 tie PLAYED THEM TWICE
New England -- 3 wins 11 losses PLAYED THEM TWICE
New York Jets -- 6 wins 8 losses PLAYED THEM TWICE
St. Louis -- 6 wins 7 losses 1 tie
New York Giants -- 8 wins 6 losses
Baltimore -- 5 wins 9 losses PLAYED THEM TWICE

 

[Run it up baby!]

Haha what an idiotic article. Can't believe they let this guy write this.

I guess we should put an * next to the Red Sox World Series title this year, since they only beat the lowly Rockies

 

[Pats Fan in Indy]

The thing that annoys me the most about this is the fact that the AFC East is consistently the toughest division in the NFL. If you look at the NFL in the past ten years, the AFC East is the toughest division in probably half of those years.

The AFC East has one off year where the Pats put together the greatest team of all time, and all of a sudden we deserve to have an asterisk? What a load of garbage!

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

Haha what an idiotic article. Can't believe they let this guy write this.

I guess we should put an * next to the Red Sox World Series title this year, since they only beat the lowly Rockies

While we're at it, the Colts faced a team quarterbacked by Rex Grossman in last year's superbowl. That deserves an asterisk.

 

[sieglo]

While we're at it, the Colts faced a team quarterbacked by Rex Grossman in last year's superbowl. That deserves an asterisk.

Right on.

 

[abejarano12]

This guy is a moron. It's the other teams fault that they played so poor againest the Patriots as I recall Chargers, Colts, and Cowboys played in the playoffs. So in other word no friggin *.

 

[godef]

If you exclude the losses we have inflicted, we have:

6 games against teams > .500

2 teams at .500

3 teams < .500

You can't go by that. Remember that the schuedle is "balanced", ie 4 games vs 1st place teams (from last year), 4 games vs 2nd place teams, 4 games vs 3rd place teams and 4 games vs last place teams. If you suddenly take away a first place team from consideration, the remaining accumulated win/lost record is against a weaker schedule, which naturally looks better.

 

[elandadem]

I have never attended journalism school (yes, I know, something of an oxymoron) nor have I ever studied any journalism ethics (there I go again with the oxymorons), but I would be willing to bet that the first rule of journalism is not to "hate" your subject, but rather be objective, unbiased and dispassionate.

I used to think so too. These days all you get is vitriol and opinion. No news, no sports, no facts. We always knew the weatherman might be wrong, but we always thought the sportscaster couldn't screw it up. Oops, guess we were wrong. Sorry, forgot about your agenda. This year it's demonize Belichick and the Patriots - who knows what it will be next year!

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Good to see INDIANA writers are obsessed with the Patriots.
Warms my heart!!!:rocker:

 

[solman]

I hate asterisk columns, but his guy has a new spin... we should get one because of our easy schedule.

This guy is simply wrong. The Pats do have several cake games, but these are balanced by numerous games against the cream of the NFL crop:

Dallas Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers
Cleveland Browns
New York Giants

Remember:

Miami played ZERO playoff teams in the regular season.