very good points all of you guys...now some clarifications... 1.) LT got into a fight with several of the New England Patriots after the game because these individuals were celebrating on the center logo by mocking Shawne Merriman's dance. LT was defending his teammate, and yes, while I disagree with his actions, I'm more upset with the Patriot players. They SHOULD know better than that to act that way, let alone after a win. Where was the honest humility that this team displayed during their run of 3 superbowls in 4 years? 2.) I think that there's even more pressure for Peyton Manning this week. They have home field, their defense has saved the offense for two straight weeks, and they've shown that they can beat New England IN Foxboro (doing it twice in the regular season, including this year). That said, if Manning puts out another dud this week, I think we can begin talking about Manning's legacy as that of one who couldn't win it when it matters most, an unfair account, but the truth. 3.) The time is ticking on Martyball in San Diego. Will the Chargers let him go after losing another playoff game? In all honesty, Marty didn't fumble the ball after McCree intercepted Brady (can we honestly say that Troy Brown IS the definition of versatility in this day and age). However, Marty DID throw that challenge flag. Marty DID neglect his Pro Bowl kicker. Marty DID not use LT to the fullest capacity (25 touches is nice, but in a game of this caliber, I felt that the Chargers did not use LT enough. 30+ was probably necessary). Throw in Shottenheimer's feud with A.J. Smith, and the Chargers could have a new coach patroling the sidelines next year. 4.) Now, can we get a little love for the NFC too? Chicago probably doesn't deserve any because they kept Seattle in the game for far too long, but Rex Grossman made the plays he had to in order for the Bears to pull it out. However, to beat New Orleans, the Bears need their D to return to early season form (not likely, but I did see some glances of it today), and they need the Rex Grossman of the first half and overtime to come out and lead the team. That said, I'm taking the Saints in the NFC Championship game because they just have too many weapons and that feel of destiny on hand...its inexplainable I guess. That's all for now. Indy's been my superbowl team all year, so its too late to turn my back on them now. Go COLTS!
LT didn't get into a fight, he shunned several players who were trying to congratulate him for a great season. He shunned everyone. The players that were disrespecting could care less about shaking his hand. He showed his true colors- which is win with class, lose without any class. As far as the Merrygirl dance-,he danced once all day- on a play he didn't even make. Rivers showed that he can win the big game better than Eli Manning. I am not a Charger hater- yet they give the ammunition and I can't resist. Go ahead and blame Marty- he threw the picks, fumbled, didn't make the plays defensively and of course "blew" the game. Win with class and lose with class. Apparantly no one taught San Diego and its fans how to do the same.
That said, if Manning puts out another dud this week, I think we can begin talking about Manning's legacy as that of one who couldn't win it when it matters most, an unfair account, but the truth. ...just like how everyone labeled John Elway until 1997.
L.T did shake teddy's hand when he walked up to him he just didn't shake any of the players who were mocking merriman L.T is always shown class.New England has been there before they should've acted like it.
L.T may have been upset at the end of the game, but to make the comment that, "It's a reflection of the coach", when a couple of guys dance on the field after winning a game they basicly handed to the Chargers, note- for as many mistakes the bolts made the pats made double, was childlike at best. The fact is it is their house and they let a team come in and smack them around in the second half. Add 2min at the end of the 1st half to that as well. Bills' boys know that you don't have to go 14-2 or 15-1 to be a great team, you just have to know how to win when it counts no matter where you are. Go Pats. There gonna need it.
They're gonna need it. Sorry for the bad grammer
Florence was the culprit IMO, the penalties, the blown coverage. Also the fumbled punt return. Really sad that the Chargers could not make the lead stand up, Chargers-Saints would have been sweet in the SB.
Frazier, Frazier. Where art thou? Any money left in your pocket? 1-3 does not make for a profitable life.
"The challenge" - Marty caved to an overzealous Philip Rivers who ran up to him after seeing the play on the jumbotron and insisted the player was down before the fumble. It may or may not come out, but it was witnessed and reported by a NE journalist right after the game. Notice that Marty wore his headset after that.
Also the fumbled punt return. Pretty sure that was Eric Parker.
LT yesterday,has shown ,he needs some maturity before he can ever be considered great in my book.Shawn Merriman comes out and does his bad robot thing.Several times ,during the game he did the same routine.The Patriots did not respond with head butts or in kind as the Chargers did..Instead they played their game and won.It was a tough victory.I don't blame the Pats for a little salt in the wound for the drug'es taunting of them.For LT not to suck it up after watching his teamates tease the Pats and then think they are not going to get some of it back is a baby in my book.Maybe Merriman should have gone out there?Anyway,goodbye for now to all the hawkers that rather than put the effort into winning on the field,pratice dance skits.Enjoy the big game boys,on HD.(In no particular order)Ray Lewis,Shawn Merriman,Terrell Owens,Chad Johnson,Joey Porter.Go Colts."WER'E GOING TO THE BOWL"
Where was the honest humility that this team displayed during their run of 3 superbowls in 4 years? Did it occur to you that this run you speak of in the past tense may still be ongoing? The Patriots didn't win all those games with "honest humility", they won them with superior game-planning, execution and focus, with a dash of underdog resentment. All of which was on display yesterday on the road in a game they probably shouldn't have won. The Chargers, for all their talent, blew this game through mental mistakes. It all started with showboating, one guy dancing 40 yards down the field after an interception, Merriman doing his little dance after a PRESSURE. The unnecessary roughness penalties, the fumbles (two more were overturned on replay). On fourth down, why doesn't McCree just knock the ball down???? Nope, he needs to make a self-aggrandizing return. All kinds of cheap play by San Diego - late in the game one of the Chargers O-linemen grabbed one of the Pats' D-linemen and flung him into Rivers hoping to draw a call. Tomlinson - who I've always liked - going into a ridiculous Miguel Tejada-like hissy fit after things didn't work out the way he wanted them to. The Patriots just hang tough and win. Although they did violate the world football rules of conduct by DARING to violate the sacrosanct temple of the Chargers' center logo with a celebration dance - and by mocking the great, legendary, 100% non-enhanced Shawne Merriman - I will swallow my disgust and continue to root for them. Meanwhile, after all the scrutiny, the Patriots' offseason personnel decisions are looking pretty smart right now. However, Gostkowski will always have a monkey on his back unless (a) he hits every clutch kick for the next few years or (b) Vinatieri misses a crucial kick on Sunday.
It disappoints me Pats' victories always get tainted like this now. By all accounts LT is a good a person as he is a player. As stated above, however, I think he had some trouble handling the adversity. You could see it on the sidelines in the middle of the game: when Charger players muffed plays he look physically pained, frustrated they weren't as talented as he. I don't understand how they can watch Merriman do that dance every week and then get upset like this: "It was disappointing in the way they handled winning. I mean, for as much as everybody said they expect them to win, they didn't act like it, but that's neither here or there. They're playing next week and we're not. I think what got L.T. and I right there was a little bit of taunting. It was a little finger-pointing and I don't know where it came from." - Philip Rivers "You guys know me, I'm a very classy person. I wouldn't have reacted like that, so yes, I was upset. Very upset. When you go to the middle of our field and you start doing the dance that Shawne Merriman is known for, that's disrespectful to me and I can't sit there and watch that. And so yeah, I was very upset. And just the fact the way they showed no class at all, absolutely no class, and maybe it comes from the head coach. There you have it." - LT
Something else to consider about the over-celebrating Pats (I say that as a Pats fan, but after a game with that many mistakes, you have to say thanks and walk away with a bit more humility)...many of the players on the team have not been there for all 3 Super Bowls and probably not even 2 of 3 (percentage not on hand - but I'd guess all of those celebrating).
Don't you think that's the general air about Belichick, though? LT's not the first player to start launching arrows at him in a postgame interview. Maybe it's fueled by frustration or maybe they really feel there's some reason to say it. Rivers showed that he can win the big game better than Eli Manning. That's totally irrelevant, nevermind that the two have won the same exact number of playoff games. Zero. Can you win a game "better" than someone else?
As for LaT (yes LaT not LT until he wins a big game): I like that. I like that a lot, cloolis. I am a Michigan fan, and I am a Brady fan, but I'm really starting to dislike the Patriots. They always have to piss in some other teams' cornflakes. There's still a chance to have a feel-good superbowl, though. I'll be rooting for the Colts next week (please let Vinatieri kick the game winner).
I mentioned in an earlier post that the Chargers would have to overcome the token Marty mistakes in postseason (i'm a chiefs fan, so i am well aware of many of them), and it looks like they were unable to. Marty made some poor decisions, but his players were unable to play above those mistakes. Instead they had dropped passes/punts, and fumbled. It's too bad; they really are a great team. If Marty is your coach, you have got to be prepared to come out and play disciplined, focused football, b/c not only will the opposing team & refs make it tough for you, but your coach will at times sadly. I am hoping the Pats advance. I don't really care much for either AFC team, but i would much rather see Brady continue to win than to see Payton get over the hump. I'm tired of Payton taking in tons of money, then griping when his team isn't good enough come playoff time. You can't have the rings and all the team's money (well, most of the time). I believe Brady restructured his contract at the team's request to bring in needed talent. Result: rings. While Brady's no poor man, the willingness to take a pay cut for the good of the team is still worthy of respect in my book.
I picked wrong on the Ravens (mental note defense only wins championships if offense shows up to the game), while the Pats made me look good (even if the game took five years off my life)... Wherever wfrazerjr is I will go ahead and pencil the Colts in as lock of the week for him. The Pats have about as much chance of winning at Indy as say the Sox coming back from down 3-0 against the Yankees.
I'm sorry, but I find this sanctimoniousness absurd. A few Patriots players celebrate after an improbable road upset and suddenly the team is a bunch of villains?! The Chargers spent the entire game showboating, dancing, head-butting and running their mouths, but I guess the Patriots are the classless ones. San Diego was already planning its Super Bowl parade, and the Patriots were way out of line to piss in those championship corn flakes. "Over-celebrating"? What does that even mean? All I saw at the end of the game were guys like Reche Caldwell extending a hand to Tomlinson, who knocked it away angrily. Do any of you have evidence of some egregious crime, except through the statements of the childish Tomlinson? Merriman does the dance in the game, even when he hasn't made a play -- that's just fine. Someone else does it - what an asshole! It must be his coach's fault. Anyway, Merriman is a proven cheater with a rap sheet worse than Barry Bonds, who made little difference in the game's outcome despite all the hype. Why does his stupid dance deserve any respect? The fact is, if the Chargers had shown any recognition of the team that they were facing, any respect for their opponent, they would probably still be playing today. But they got way too cocky and didn't put the Patriots away. Brady made them pay for it.
They SHOULD know better than that to act that way, let alone after a win. Where was the honest humility that this team displayed during their run of 3 superbowls in 4 years? I was surprised by the amount of unsportsmanlike behavior coming from the Patriots during the game. I know some of it was instigated by the Chargers, but that team was new to big playoff expectations. The Patriots know what it takes to win a Super Bowl, and getting chippy in the divisional round seems like uncharacteristic behavior. As for LT, I think it was out of character for him to nurse a grudge after the game, but he did say something in the post-game press conference worthy of praise: "We lost to a better team today."
Beware the tricorn! If the Pat's create an opportunity to win, they always seem to find a way (Tom Brady) to capitalize on it. Instead of sounding like miffed children (Philip Rivers), maybe the Charger players should take one step back and say how do these guys do this? Learn from your mistakes Bolts...disrespect is the 15 yard penalty for showing your backside and head butting someone after you've done your job and gotten the ball back! LT is without a doubt the best back in the league this year. He lead the league in rushing, set a record for TD's and has shown class and respect in all that he has done. Shawne Merriman had a great year also, leading the league in sacks and creating havoc for opponents offenses in 12 games this year. He got to dance his jig with some regularity all around the league That said, I wonder if LT will ask Shawne to cool it the next time he starts doing his little jig in an opponents stadium because it's totally disrespectful of the other team? I'm thinkin' not.
Do any of you have evidence of some egregious crime, except through the statements of the childish Tomlinson? It's all over the press. Several Pats danced on the Chargers logo after the game in mockery of Merriman's sack dance.
While you make some good points venice, i think that what everyone is partly surprised by is that such a successful postseason team like the pats would be doing anything remotely disrespectful. I understand that there have been some major personnel changes in NE, but that doesn't justify that behavior since there is a major core of the team that remains from the outset of their playoff success. The vets shouldv'e whipped those newbies into shape when appropriate. That being said, i agree with you venice that it is pretty convenient that one team can talk crap and then be scandalized when the favor is returned. That said, I wonder if LT will ask Shawne to cool it the next time he starts doing his little jig in an opponents stadium because it's totally disrespectful of the other team? I'm thinkin' not. Exactly. Everyone does this kind of crap, and while i'm not a big fan of it ever, i think that people need to take it with a grain of salt when they see celebration in some manner at their opponent's stadium. The chargers were pissed b/c they let one get away; i can understand that, but don't deflect that by focusing on being "disrespected." I'm just saying that both sides acted poorly; they both need to put this childish episode behind them and act like professionals again.
Regarding Unsportsmanlike conduct post-victory: What? Like this is supposed to surprise anyone, anymore? I find it all very distasteful and not at all entertaining. Is it the decline of the American Empire? No - that's a movie. A good movie. But it's tasteless and moronic and makes the Pats look like a bunch of thin-skinned stupid men. Sorry - that's the price you pay for dancing like you're the man after a squeaker on the road. So, for the remainder of the playoffs the Patriots are now the stupid, infantile team from New England. Such a shame. They should be known as the team with the best QB in the land and a good coach, but they blew it. And I'm not so sure that San Diego should be terribly disappointed. They seem to have some pieces in place that should assure competitiveness for a little while. Everyone has to lose before they get to win.
Hold on now weedy; is one mistake (albeit a pretty moronic one) sufficient to topple the overall class the Patriots organization has shown for the past several years? I hope not, b/c then everyone else is screwed for the rest of the 21st century. Good point on SD though. It's not like they are in the same state as their division rivals, with QB questions, lack of defense, etc, etc
Another dumb reason to dance: The Patriots shouldn't be acting like a division round win is worth celebrating. You can give a team like the Saints a pass, since they doubled the franchise's total playoff wins this weekend. But if the Pats are the only dynasty in today's NFL, as their fans will proudly suggest, they should act like one.
Kokaku, 10 members of the current Patriots' squad were members of all 3 Super Bowl winners. Suffice it to say that they were not the post-game dance team. Most of the comments on the post-game controversy lean toward a bit of hypocrisy on LaT's (thanks, urall) part for seemingly condoning Merriman's actions, but condemning those of the Patriots. I agree with that assessment, but you can bet that the coach he blames will have a few words for the dancers. I think it was Tedy Bruschi that said that there was a lot of trash talking during the game by both sides. If it was enough to get San Diego off of their game and break their concentration, so be it. In his comments after the game, Tom Brady had a definition of mental toughness that included maintaining one's focus on the task at hand despite adversity and distraction. One final comment from "Howard_T's Dictionary": Martyball (Mar' . tee . bawl) n (From football coach M. Schottenheimer): To suffer defeat due to a failure to properly prepare your team or yourself for a postseason contest.
Wow. You guys are acting as if the entire Patriots team did a choreographed Electric Slide transitioning into the Lights Out dance at midfield, with Belichick acting as drum major, followed by everyone taking a poop on the midfield logo. Wait - only a few players danced for a few moments in mockery of a player who has hardly earned unstinting respect, and who openly guaranteed a win before the game?! It's all over the press. Exactly, the media is creating a frenzy, as they love to do, over a total non-issue. Buying into it much?
I'm buying into it totally. The Pats' act of unsportsmanship becomes one of the storylines of the playoffs and should make next year's Chargers visit to Foxboro a can't-miss game. Chargers LB Shaun Phillips is so fired up about this he slipped into third person: "Every time I will play New England it will be a personal grudge. That was very classless. ... When we went in and beat their head in New England (last season), blew them out, we did nothing but compliment them and say they were a good team. We would never disrespect a team like that. We have class, and that's how classless individuals are. Shaun Phillips will have a grudge against them the rest of his career." Rogers Cadenhead likes that very much.
I know trash talking, dancing and mockery have sadly become part of the game, but my personal unified theory of sportsmanship says that the absolute bright line rule is that this stops at the final whistle. One of the stark juxtapositions of violent organized sports is that large men who are quite literally trying to inflict pain (or worse) upon one another during the game drop all hatred and violent desires at the end of the game and hug, shake hands, etc. and put all of the ill will and showmanship behind them. I didn't see the post-game incident yesterday, but it sounds like it violated this rule.
Wait - only a few players danced for a few moments in mockery of a player who has hardly earned unstinting respect, and who openly guaranteed a win before the game?! Shh Venice, you're screwing up the anti-Patriots argument with these tales of reality and truth. Cut it out.
this stops at the final whistle. Technically, there were a few seconds left on the clock when this "incident" occurred. The Patriots got the ball back afterwards and downed it to end the game. At that point the victors were ready to shake hands and call it a day but the Chargers were in a frenzy of anger that they then made very public, taking shots at Belichick, etc. You stay classy, San Diego. My bias is obvious in this matter, so I won't continue to belabor the point against a clear consensus of disgust. Let the media storylines for next week's game begin!!!!! Manning needs to shake his playoff slump!!!!! Hopefully someone has a sick mother or dying puppy that Jim Nance can discuss during the game.
I don't mean this sarcastically, but i honestly wonder how much of this blowup is over the now very real possibility that the Patriot's win another SB? If you are a fan of another AFC team, then possibly that is why the Patriots dumb move is so extra offensive. If i was say a miami or buffalo fan, then this would give me some ammo to hate an otherwise classy organization who has up to this point dominated the 21sat cnetury NFL.
Howard, then the Pats still fall short b/c the 10 players who have helped cement a legacy in NE should have grabbed them by the necks and told them to quit being idiots.
What do you expect from the Patriots? The perception that New England is "classy" is a joke. Arrogant, cocky, full of themselves, but definitely not classy. FYI for all of you knuckleheads, NE didn't win the game, SD lost it.
"When we went in and beat their head in New England (last season), blew them out, we did nothing but compliment them and say they were a good team. We would never disrespect a team like that." Well sure, except your coach, in trying to be polite, suggested the Pats were done as a franchise. And you said during halftime of last week's playoff (whilst wearing a unitard or a ladies' A-shirt on backwards) you were sure the Jets would come back and win. And you groused about not winning Defensive MVP even though you missed a quarter of the season due to a steroid suspension. rcade, I wouldn't say the Patriots' actions were surprising. They've always done that to teams, especially those that talk (hint to San Diego: don't let it get out in the press that you're planning your Super Bowl parade route). The year they beat the 15-1 Steelers in the AFC Championship they spent the last quarter openly mocking the fans with Terrible Towels. The other high(low)light from that game was Deion Branch waving at the DB he burnt on the long TD. Chargers v. Pats definitely goes on the list with v. Indy and Denver and Jets and half of the Pats schedule until they stop winning. A final aside to Shawn Merriman: it's not the '80s, coke isn't cool anymore and you're not part of the New York Sack Exchange. You shouldn't have a dance and you shouldn't be carving things into your hair, MC Serch.
you shouldn't be carving things into your hair, MC Serch I can't believe that's back. Will players be wearing "Hammer" pants in their off-day interviews next year or what.
NE didn't win the game, SD lost it. I take your point - the Chargers should have put it away while they had the momentum. However, even after all the penalties, fumbles, etc, Brady still had to make a 50-yard completion - almost a touchdown if Caldwell could have stayed in bounds - and the rookie kicker still had to hit the go-ahead field goal with a ridiculous amount of pressure on him and wind in his face. How you can claim that the Patriots deserve no credit for that drive is beyond me. Considering what happened to Dallas, this isn't even the worst meltdown of the 2007 playoffs so far.
If i was say a miami or buffalo fan, then this would give me some ammo to hate an otherwise classy organization who has up to this point dominated the 21sat cnetury NFL. Good lord it hasn't taken Boston fans long to become competely insufferable in triumph. The Patriots still have to go to the Indianapolis Speedway and beat the Colts, something they didn't have to do the last two times they met in the playoffs. Let's not fit them for rings just yet.
Howard, then the Pats still fall short No argument here, braino, but perhaps they were otherwise occupied looking for some Chargers in order to shake their hands. I gather from a lot of the above comments that the Patriots are becoming somewhat disliked due to their success. Is the New England organization becoming the New York Yankees of the NFL? Please say it isn't so; I couldn't stand being a fan of anything mentioned in the same breath as the NYY.
This SD loss just reinforces my NFL theory.In the playoffs and the Superbowl, losers keep on losing.Look at Buffalo and Minnesota.Denver finally broke through. For this reason and the fact that the Pats beat a better team on the road,I'd be very afraid if I was Indy.
In the playoffs and the Superbowl, losers keep on losing. Just a quick reminder: Tampa Bay won a Super Bowl and they were one of the worst franchises in North American sports history. New England won their first Super Bowl after being humiliated twice. So really, your statement is "Losers keep losing until they win.", which isn't that much of a grand pronouncement or "theory" to brag about.
There are newspaper message boards for that sort of trolling. This is a different sort of Round Table.
I'm one of these Miami fans mentioned up thread and I saw nothing wrong with Sunday's events. LDT, (as we call him here), was probably, (understandably), upset that his amazing season led to him getting the same number of superbowl rings as Joey Harrington, but, seriously, get over it. Merriman did his little dance during the game after he got within waving distance of Brady. At least the Patriots' impromptu dance squad actually had something to celebrate.
God bless you JG.
I think it was 1st quarter 4th down,what would have been a 48 yard field goal try Marty decides to try and make the first down,TURNover..........hey San Diego the saying here in K.C when we had Marty was he'll take you to the bar and let you have a drink but he won't let you get drunk.He'll take you to the playoffs but he won't take you all the way..If i was the CHIEFS i would go get Donnie Edwards back and get rid of that joke Kendrell Bell.
I still would like to know where the unsportsmanlike conduct calls were on the Patriots DB slugging the Chargers WR in the head (ref looking right at it) and the Patriots DL punching the Chargers QB in the head. Why aren't those penalties? I'm sure it has nothing to do with the league catering to the Patriots, does it. Sorry, at one time I could've put in all the names, but I have kids now so the only name I knew for sure was QB Rivers. I realize that these in themselves didn't cost the Chargers the game, but they didn't help. Especially since the refs didn't hesitate to throw the same type of flag on the Chargers. I'm sick of hearing how great the Patriots are and I actually used to kind of like them, but they are so OVER-RATED and on the right side of so many calls, that I can't stand them anymore. They are the NFL's version of the Jordan Bulls and it smells.
Hellamarine, nobody punched Rivers in the head. TIVO it up. The Pats D-lineman was being held from behind and was practically tossed into Rivers, who flopped like he was a World Cup striker flying through the penalty box. But as far as blown calls go, how about Tomlinson's obvious face-mask on Rosevelt Colvin? His hand just slipped over the face mask? Huh, that's funny, why did Colvin go down then? We could play this game all day. There were good calls and bad calls on both sides. Why don't you show some of that patented San Diego class and accept that your team wasn't good enough to close it out? The NFL clearly favors high-powered offensive stars in their marketing efforts; it would make ZERO sense for them to fix this game in favor of the Patriots. How can a team be overrated that consistently makes it deep into the playoffs and has won a few trophies? Nothing you say makes any sense upon closer reflection.
Hold on now weedy; is one mistake (albeit a pretty moronic one) sufficient to topple the overall class the Patriots organization has shown for the past several years? No, it shouldn't (and it won't if they win) - but I think NE has done a few things this year to sully that "classy" reputation. Belichek vs. Mangini when the Jets won was one. The fact is that the Pats "classy" reputation was probably a misnomer, or a case of a bad choice of words. That whole rep is founded on basically having a super-cute-and-amazingly-
awesome-aw-shucks Tom Brady, and to a lesser extent a couple good guys in Bruschi, Troy Brown and a few others. Really - they're a competent organization that has manage to succeed despite constant turnover. I'm not sure exactly how that really translates into "classy". But really - have they been the least bit "classy" this year? Certainly not on Sunday, when it would count the most. And not on a few other occassions. Ah - football teams aren't classy. They're football teams. This is keeping in mind that the Pats are my favorite team. I was disappointed with the dancing. I too, thought it unnecessary and tasteless.
You don't know what you are talking about menace, because I am not a Chargers fan or I would know the team members names. I am really close to quitting on the NFL like I did on the NBA. Oh, and for the Tomlinson call I was shocked that they didn't let it stand even though at full-speed it didn't look like he grabbed it (I know the replay showed he did). Woo-hoo, San Diego got by with one thing while the Pats get by with almost everything. BTW, the DL did punch Rivers, I watched the replay and it is obvious.
I'm so sick of this country and the bandwagon jumping. Oh, the Patriots are winning, I'm a Patriots fan. The whole place is about the flavor of the month. BTW, the challenge of the fumble on the interception was, I think, a ploy by Marty to get his defense some time to settle back down. In hindsight it didn't work, but I don't think that it was a bad call. And to the Chiefs fan who was Marty-hating I would just like to say, who has been a better coach than Marty for the Chiefs organization in the last 30 years? As a Chiefs fan myself, I am sick of all the Marty bashing here. Get over it! He took us to the playoffs 9 straight years. How many other coaches did that? Oh, and he did it with an anemic offense.
So what are you saying, hellamarine --- the game was fixed? Why overturn those two fumbles then? I realized about one second after releasing my last post that I may have mistakenly pegged you for a Chargers fan. Maybe it was the fact that you just showed up today, unloading all your ammunition on the Patriots. My bad.
Please stop. What DL punched Philip Rivers? If you're talking about the thing with Wilfork at the end of the game, you are mistaken, as suggested above. Wilfork was pushed into the QB and Rivers flopped. As a Pats homer, I've spent the whole season yelling at the refs for clearly having fixed the games to make the Pats lose, so clearly different folks see things differently. 'Cuz remember when the Chargers TE got hit somewhere on the field one time by someone and he might have fumbled but it was ruled a something-or-other? Me too. I think NE has done a few things this year to sully that "classy" reputation. Belichek vs. Mangini when the Jets won was one. Personally, I think the Belichick/ Mangini thing was turned into a story by the media. Bill banging some other guy's wife for years, now that's classy.
There's still a chance to have a feel-good superbowl, though. I'll be rooting for the Colts next week (please let Vinatieri kick the game winner). Sorry, wingnut, I gotta take exception to that. Peyton Manning has never done anything feel-good for me. He's got boatloads of talents and skill, but his attitude makes it impossible for me to root for him: just the way he seems to abandon his teammates and blame everyone else when things go wrong.
Right, because he obviously caught that ball. The Pats get bad calls, Holy Crap! Guess I missed those games.
Well fatma, since you saw that as a catch, I guess I can understand how you could see that as not a punch.
Face it, in this day of NFL parity, the only way for continued succes is a little help from your friends (the refs and the league).
Yeah, I saw the "punch" live and the replay. A chargers player was holding onto the Patriot and rotated him which ended up putting his hand into Rivers head. It wasn't a deliberate punch. Since you seem so determined to decry the refs as conspirators, find some video proof that I'm wrong.
who flopped like he was a World Cup striker flying through the penalty box. I thought it was only a Vlade Divac level flop myself. Damn funny though.
Re: Marty coming back next season. Look it, I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with who knows more than I. Most of you follow this 24/7 and I don't but this has been bothering me all morning. How can anyone say that Marty should be gone? He just led them to their best record in Charger history and the best record in the NFL this year. Yes I'm disturbed as to how poorly they played yesterday. Being a fan since Air-Coryal I'm used to many heartbreaks. Bobby Ross didn't get along with Beathard. So what. I guess this explains why I've been an Oakland A's fan for so many years. Boy do I know how to pick them. One last note. About 5 or 6 weeks ago I made a post stating that Indy was the team to beat. I got shot down for that remark by everyone. The response was Baltimore and San Diego were the teams to beat. Sometimes it's better not to know as much.
Very surprised by the dancing celebration by the few of the Pat's players at mid-field.But I'm actually more disappointed of the way LT spoke about how classless the Patriots were and his crying after a tough loss.Being a N.E. fan,I wish we had a Tomlinson in our backfield.I always thought L.T.was a quiet,classy player who would take defeat in a more professional way.I don't think he remembered the way he almost ripped Colvins head off with that non-called face mask penality.Maybe the better team didn't win on paper,but as everyone knows,you don't give Brady a chance to win a game with just minutes to go in any game.The few Chargers that were talking trash all week are now going to be watching from their couches,while the best team of the 2000's are now going to try to win their 4th Super Bowl in 6 years.But they have to get by the Colts first.And I believe that after taking care of the Bolts,Belechick and Co.will come up with a game plan to take care of the Colts.I just hope that Brady has a better day than he had yesterday,even though they won.
You have a valid point, DrJ. I don't really appreciate his holier-than-thou attitude. He would not give Ty Law any lick of credit for schooling him on interceptions. But I still want to see Vinatieri kick the game winner.
As a Pats homer, I've spent the whole season yelling at the refs... yerfatma, are you sure that you aren't me? My son says I'm the worst in the world with my conspiracy theories about how the games are rigged to keep them close until the last quarter, just so the TV audience won't tune out too early. hellamarine, there were a number of calls that weren't made that went both ways. in addition to those called out above, I remember an uncalled holding that prevented Bruschi from making a tackle on a LaT run for good yardage (offensive lineman behind Bruschi with both arms wrapped around Bruschi's torso and clearly impeding him). There was also a clear but close pass interference penalty early on that was not called. My point is that the old saw "It all depends upon whose ox is being gored" certainly applies to any sporting event that is played and judged by humans.
I don't see how it is any different for the patriots to celebrate with "the dance". I wonder if LT thinks his team mate has no class when he is doing it. Quit whinning and go to Hawaii with your pal LT. You lost
the colts offense have been sputtering the last few weeks and they will continue. maybe i am going to end up putting my foot in my mouth here or not, but im going to make a bold prediction anyways. the colts defense is going to come back down to earth this weekend and they will be going home once again this year.
How can anyone say that Marty should be gone? He just led them to their best record in Charger history and the best record in the NFL this year. hoyty, that's a valid point. Maybe a lot of the Fire Marty! thing is just reputation and perception, but I can tell you, as a Pats fan, the one shred of hope I held onto this past week was that Martyball would come through for us. And there were at least two times I thanked him out loud yesterday (yeah, the 4th and 11* and the challenge). The perception is a result of him bringing a series of #1 seeds to the playoffs and never even making the Superbowl. hellamarine, I wouldn't bother to follow the sport if I felt it was as rigged as you do. Don't you find it frustrating? * The one caveat I have here: the team would have been kicking into the wind.
Face it, in this day of NFL parity, the only way for continued succes is a little help from your friends (the refs and the league). So, as I understand it, Patriot fans think the refs are fixing the games AGAINST them, but opposition fans think the refs are fixing games FOR the Patriots. And wasn't it just last year that Steelers fans complained about the refs "fixing" games AGAINST them (or trying) and then the Seahawk fans complained about the refs "fixing" it FOR the Steelers? In my books, that's a wash and a pretty good indication that there isn't any "fixing" by the refs.
The Bolts did themselves in, and as usual, Tom Brady seized the game in crunch time. You cannot make as many mistakes against the Pats as they did and expect to win. hellamarine, maybe you should stick to pro rasslin' and such, you know, the stuff that ain't fixed good and proper...
Face it, in this day of NFL parity, the only way for continued succes is a little help from your friends (the refs and the league). To be fair, I should point out that the league does promote parity by giving the poor teams an easier schedule the next season, and the great teams a tougher schedule. However, this has been going on for over 30 years, so I doubt it's much of a "conspiracy".
grum: I thought they tossed that after the last expansion/realignment? Ah... they just reduced it. Only three games are determined that way, so it isn't as wild as it used to be.
On fourth down, why doesn't McCree just knock the ball down???? This bothers me every time I see it, a DB more interested in his stats and getting on TV then what's going on in the game. Why in god's name would you want to intercept a 4th down pass, and why does no one point this out in any of the coverage I've seen? I'm pretty sure Ed Reed did the same in the Indy game just the day before. Just knock it down! As for next week's game, as a Pat's homer, I would point out that the last two meetings were not really indicative as to what will happen. In 2005 the Pats were decimated with injuries and simply were incapable of defending the Colts receivers with their rag-tag band of DBs. This year, they lost Harrison in the first quarter and never really recovered and Brady started forcing passes trying to compensate. I'm sure that I'll now be mocked, and told that I'm making excuses, but it's no worse then the Peyton apologists that are still not willing to admit that he simply folds in January. I've been following the Pats since I've been old enough to comprehend the game. I suffered through the indignity of the first two SB loses and multiple 1-15 seasons in between. One of the hallmark's of the SB winning teams has been their ability to have a perpetual chip on their shoulder. As such I wasn't surprised by the celebration, not that I completely condone it.
McCree's quote is pretty telling (I read it in the NYT article)..."I was trying to make a play," McCree said. "Anytime I get the ball, I am going to try to score." Because he wanted to make a play, he doesn't get to play anymore in the playoffs. Lots of players make mistakes (even costly season-ending ones, Brady had plenty in that game that could've ended the Pats' run), but you have to own up to it not excuse it with a me-first attitude.
LaDainian thats what happens when you play against a PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM. You got your prop's in the pregame the Pats got theirs when it counts post game. Next weekend I'm sure it will be all Peyton this and that from the media pre-game. 1 Pat to the Pro Bowl who cares 1 team to the SUPER BOWL 1 game to go.
Great line from today's Boston Sports Media Watch...
"When Deion Sanders has to come on and remind you that it's not really proper to refer to yourself as "classy" - that's [something] that you should let others say about you, then you know you might need to rethink your position."
Yeah, the Pats looked real PROFESSIONAL doing their little dance on the Chargers emblem. Face it, athletes are a bunch of punks these days with no respect for the fans or their opponents and the dance just proves it further. As for the holding on Bruschi, I don't have enough fingers on my hand to count all the holds on Chargers defesemen trying to rush Brady. I guess they figure the so-called best team of the 2000s must not lower themselves to actually holding the defense to protect that over-rated s.o.b. Brady. Oh sure, he's had a few comebacks, but not without assistance from the officiating. And just ask the Dolphins, get some smackdown on him and he starts throwing the ball like a little girl.
They always have to piss in some other teams' cornflakes Wingnut, once you have tasted New England piss, you will be a fan for life (rename yourself NEPEE4Life maybe?).
Tom Brady is the most over-rated quarterback of all time. He has never one a close playoff game without the foot of his kicker and the only reason he is the player he is today is because of his former genius offensive coordinator, now head coach of Notre Dame, Charlie Weis. Weis has done with Brady Quinn, who two years ago was the worst quarterback in divsion 1 football, what he did with Tom Brady in New England. Without Weis Brady was and will be again just a 6th round back up out of Michigan.
FRAZIER. WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU???? Oh, sorry, did not know you're in drag to duck your bookies. Hope the broken hands do not stop you from posting your predictions later this week.
the legend, that was an amazing troll. Now die. hellamarine, for someone who doesn't care, you sure seem to care. Taunting happens in every NFL game. It's because the athletes are all spoiled, overpaid rapists who don't appreciate how lucky they are to have rich benefactors providing them with facilities with which to practice their sub-human behavior. Not sure why you bother watching.
Wow, someone else thinks that Brady is over-rated. I'm glad that me and my family aren't the only people in the world who think this of Brady. It's also nice to see someone else has some kind of sense and doesn't just swallow the crap that the supposed experts like to spew.
