A pretty light day for links today:
John Tomase has the Pittsburgh Steelers bringing the top ranked defense in the league into Gillette on Sunday to face a Patriots squad that has put up over 500 yards of offense in each of the last two games. AP writer Howard Ulman has Randy Moss hitting his stride just in time to face the Steelers.
Mike Reiss runs through the Patriots options when it comes to Matt Cassel – will they franchise him, will they let him walk – what will they do? Steve Buckley tells us that Matt Light wasn’t too bright to get into a fight on Sunday against Miami. Jeff Howe has this week’s NFL power rankings.
Tomase’s notebook has Anthony Smith, now just a bit player with the Steelers, still mouthing off about the Patriots. Reiss’ notebook has more on the impressive Steelers defense.
Bruins
Joe Haggerty has four veteran Bruins reflecting on their time in Boston and how things appear to have changed from the tough times earlier this decade. After being a student in the Bruins defensive system much of last season, Dennis Wideman is now doing some teaching back there. Mike Loftus has the story. Barbara Matson has Marc Savard working to become a more complete player this season. Stephen Harris has the Bruins taking on the unfamiliar role of the hunted.
The Union Leader has Five questions with Ken Cail the radio play-by-play voice of the Manchester Monarchs.
Loftus’ notebook has the Bruins trying to be ready for the Sabres’s best tonight.
Celtics
Julian Benbow has the Celtics with Kendrick Perkins leading the way, collecting by far the most technical fouls of any team this season. Jim Fenton also examines the technical difficulties experienced by the Celtics. Mike Fine has Patrick O’Bryant hoping to get out on the floor more, but especially tonight against this old team, the Warriors.
The Celtics are mourning the passing of Helen J. (Weiss) Heinsohn, the beloved wife of Tommy Heinsohn, referred to by Tommy on the air as “The redhead from Needham.”
In his notebook, Steve Bulpett says has Doc Rivers saying that his team needs to get better. Benbow’s notebook has Paul Pierce in agreement with his coach.
Red Sox
Alex Speier has a look at what 22-year-old Japanese import Junichi Tazawa means to the Red Sox and MLB. Michael Silverman has the Red Sox exploring options for replacing Jason Varitek. Dan Lamothe wonders when Scott Boras will begin allowing his players to sign. Amalie Benjamin has the Red Sox announcing their 2009 Spring Training schedule.
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Mike Reiss makes every single other sports media hack look like a hack when it comes to the Patriots. You realize, through Reiss, how utterly clueless they all are. I say, make him the lone pool reporter on the Patriots and charge all the other media outlets a fee to use his stuff. I’ll bet Reiss is the only media member respected by the players and team personnel.
I’m especially amused by Tomase reporting that Anthony Smith trash talked, when he basically stated that if the Steelers play well, they should win… Ummm, how is that trash talking?
Considering how humiliated he and his teammates were the last time he discussed the Patriots in this manner – and how even the coach cited it afterwards as a motivating factor -isn’t the fact that he would even entertain the question this time damning? I was stunned that he would even be quoted on it. I would have expected him to say something along the lines of “You guys really expect me to get into that again after last year? Next question” in kind of a joking way. People would have laughed and probably had a one-liner in the notes that Anthony Smith had learned his lesson. The story is that he responded at all.
That Speier piece is very good. I hate to say this but weei.com isn’t half bad.
why do you still link to Tomase’s articles?
Anything to do with weei.com cannot be good…
Because he covers football for the Herald and this is a site that links to the day’s articles in the sports section of the newspapers (and other media vehicles)?
Just a wild guess. Maybe he meant to instill some sort of faux tough guy boycott and just forgot.
I had to clean the dumb that was oozing from my car’s speakers with Butchie and LJ on the Big Show. Flipping through, I heard LJ start a discussion about whether the Patriots should have signed Cassel to an extension before the season. Other highlights were Butchies repeated factual errors that McAdam had to clear up. I am sure the Sean is thinking that nothing he could have earned for his appearance today was worth the mind numbing stupidity that he had to navigate.
you mean they took Larry Johnson out of mothballs??….
I just took a look at Amalie Benjamin on Google Image. Having done that, I’ve nominated here for What Not To Wear. A haircut and a makeup makeover and you’ll be just fine, dear.
On the other hand, there’s nothing you can do for Tony Maz.