I was quite sick, quite often as a child, and seeing and thinking about this crap induces intense nausea in me that I anticipate will be comparable if I need chemo in the future. I haven't been to the Sports Museum of Boston, but I will be shocked if I ever do if I see, say, anything about Walter Brown, or Julius Adams, etc. I watched the '86 Celtics, just about every game, and it's a nice story but no, they would not beat their '66, '65, '64 or '63 predecessors, no. And I like Danny Ainge, even had his Blue Jays baseball card, but no, I would not choose him to run my basketball team. I mean, if after losing the lottery for example, he went on an unprecedented King Midas tear over the following six months and built not only a champion, but the foundation for at least three or four titles; he'd immediately revert back to himself ("I know better than Red") before the champagne dried up and tear the team apart, with zero further titles...Oh, that's right, he already did just that.
In case, there are amongst the many Stepford Fans following what should be the Pats who seek freedom, I can try to help point out what's happened. We seem to be adept at identifying miserable, ignorant, malevolent, useless individuals in football and the media who have nothing but contempt for the Patriots and actively, openly denigrate our team at every turn. So, after accepting that they did not suddenly spring up out of nowhere and that they've in fact been around breeding for generations now, how about facing the fact that they dispatched one of their own, James Busch Orthwein, into our midst, and he did their bidding and wound up selling to R. Milquetoast Kraft, who spun a sick story which was bought hook, line and sinker by those blameless, unsuspecting local sports enthusiasts who simply wanted to root for a winner and have fun.
Billy Sullivan wasn't perfect and had some really serious financial problems which extended to his family. However, he did acknowledge, care about, respect, understand and support the fans of his team.
Seizing leverage, acquiring geographic control, paying a record price to purchase and keep the team here, and financing a new stadium on his own dime are accomplishments that put Robert Kraft in the pantheon of great Boston sports leaders. But he's buried himself in several ways, firstly by going right along with a total outsider's quick and trivial and clueless determination to impose a franchise image makeover into clownship, taking a gigantic dump on generations of loyal fans, players and team members and supporters, whose ranks extended around the globe. Then, Kraft declared his reign the "turning point" and ascribed nonsensical credit to an NFL #1 draft pick who was paid accordingly and handed the starting quarterback position, for "changing the culture" of the franchise. Drew Bledsoe absolutely lived up to my draft day evaluation of him: "Big kid, strong arm, will never lead you to a title." After eight-plus nondescript seasons which were not bad, but absolutely nothing superior to previous Patriots eras in the 60's, 70's and 80's, and obviously headed nowhere until he was mercifully replaced, Bledsoe whined like a baby and then gave himself credit for his restraint. Cry me a river. Steve Grogan fought through far worse injuries in the 70's, only to be benched in the 80's in favor of an inferior player, even after demonstrating that he alone elevated the team into contention. Statistics-lovers may rave about Bledsoe and Peyton Manning, Kerry Collins, Vinny Testaverde et al. but they are not in the same class with Unitas, Plunkett, Staubach, Montana, and another guy who's playing for - even if he's not looking like - us right now.
Bill Belichick wanted to come here. Got it? Kraft obliged, having to deal with Jets whining and league resistance. Congratulations.
Then, Belichick's was the only staff that considered and finally drafted you-know-who. That deserves credit; even acclaim. And after the Mo Lewis hit, Belichick hasn't screwed it up. Good job.
Bending over for the league did not create a dynasty this century. It did create a bunch of people locally who might as well be Ravens fans, who treat their own team with the same contempt and malicious disdain as the loudest national and local proclaimers that the "Patriots are cheaters", and who do not know or care who I'm about to refer to.
But, Julius Adams' surviving family members go on with their lives, after his stroke last year and passing this past April, with no immediate plans or reason to visit here, for, for example, a ceremony to honor his immeasurable contribution to the franchise he remained loyal to forever, like, his sickeningly overdue induction into the team's so-called Hall of Fame. You think Tedy Bruschi is a leader and special player? Forget about it. You can escape Kraft's fantasy house of brainwashing: just reach out your hand, don't be afraid...
>>I watched the '86 Celtics, just about every game, and it's a nice story but no, they would not beat their '66, '65, '64 or '63 predecessors, no.
um, what? 86 Celtics would have destroyed every Russell team in a 7 game series.
