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Pete Carroll to face old foe, a new name in Red Sox managieral search

October 11, 2012 By

As Tom Brady and the Patriots prepare for their trip to Seattle this weekend (Brady’s first game in Seattle), it is also a chance for Pete Carroll to go against the team he coached for three years from ’97-’99. Much of the talk on sports radio this week has been about Carroll and his time in New England, and he even appeared on the Dennis & Callahan show Wednesday morning.

When it comes to the game itself, it will be interesting to see if the Patriots will be able to run their no-huddle, fast-paced offense with the crowd noise which comes with playing in Seattle. Seattle’s defense is ranked at the top of the league so Brady and the offense will certainly have their hands full, but with how bad the Seahawks’ offense is it shouldn’t take much offense to come home with a win.

More balance paying dividends for Patriots offense- Shalise Manza Young looks at the new-look Patriots offense and how well its been working, making it even more difficult for opposing defenses.

Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick like night at day- Jeff Howe looks at the two coaches and their different styles.

One scout’s breakdown of Patriots-Seahawks: Run key for both teams- Christopher Price begins to preview Sunday’s game.

Patriots determined to win turnover battle- Mary Paoletti says the turnover battle is the key to winning Sunday’s game.

For full Patriots coverage visit Patriotslinks.com.

The first name has come out in who the Red Sox will interview for their managerial opening, and it isn’t a name many people were talking about. Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach will reportedly be interviewed by the team next week. The Red Sox were said to be interested in him last year, but the Dodgers would not grant permission for him to speak with Boston. The news was first reported by the Boston Herald.

Manager choice not as important as roster moves- Tony Massarotti says the way the Red Sox rebuild the roster is much more important than who they hire as manager.

John Farrell not alone on Red Sox’ list- Michael Silverman updates the Red Sox’ managerial search.

Searching for (and finding) J.D. Drew- Rob Bradford catches up with J.D. Drew and touches on a number of subjects including his time in Boston.

Who will, and who won’t return to the Red Sox- Sean McAdam looks at how the Red Sox roster might look next year.

Filed Under: Morning Links

Shaughnessy — “Get Off My Lawn, Bloggers”

October 9, 2012 By

The Boston Globe continued its series of attacks on blogging, Twitter and the internet by old-school media dinosaurs with the publication of today’s column by Dan Shaughnessy.

You’ve probably heard by now that Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel was injured on Sunday and some Kansas City fans actually cheered when he was taken off the field.

The bloggers are to blame, naturally.

It’s an issue about civility in America today. It’s about accountability. It is about angry fantasy football players who do not know how to look someone in the eye, or hold a face-to-face conversation. It is about fanboy bloggers who kill everyone and everything under the brave cloak of anonymity. It’s about instant tweets fired from the safety of your basement. It is about anonymous bullying with the World Wide Web serving as the new bathroom wall.

Those of us who write stories and do talk shows are not blameless. Winston made a good point when he said that Cassel “hasn’t done anything to the media writers who kill him . . . ”

I’ve certainly done my share of tweaking and exposing professional athletes or organizations who don’t give an honest effort to live up to their contracts or fulfill the team-fan accord. In print, on TV and radio, we contribute to a climate of anger in the stands. But at least you know who we are.

That last paragraph is mind-blowing. He only tweaks those “who don’t give an honest effort?” or who don’t  “fulfill the team-fan accord?” What does that even mean?

So has “Amos Alonzo Kraft” failed to give an honest effort, or has he not fulfilled the team-fan accord? Which is it? (By the way, Shaughnessy actually took that moniker from Mike Barnicle. If you’re stealing material from Mike Barnicle, it might be time to acknowledge that you actually do not possess a conscience.) And that is an incredibly minor Shaughnessy tweak.

And “at least you know who we are.”

OK, that makes everything better.

Guys like Shaughnessy are terrified of the internet, because while he might not be the most self-aware guy around, he at least recognizes his increasing irrelevance, as evidenced by this old-man rant.

Yes, there are nasty, vicious people on the internet. I sometimes am disgusted myself at just how angry some people are online, and the things that they say. But speaking in sweeping generalities, like Shaughnessy does, isn’t right either.

It’s easier for Shaughnessy to write a column like this now, because a lot fewer people – especially those online, who are his targets – are able to read it due to the paywall.

Which just might be the best thing about the paywall, limiting the exposure of a Dan Shaughnessy column like this one.

Filed Under: Boston Globe, Dan Shaughnessy

Q&A with NESN Red Sox reporter Jenny Dell

October 9, 2012 By

While NESN Red Sox reporter Jenny Dell hasn’t been in the Boston media market for long, she certainly already has developed quite the following. Dell grew up in Southbury, Conn. as a Yankees fan, but once getting to college at UMass she converted to a Red Sox fan following the 2004 season. From UMass Dell went to work for ESPN in the event production department before being asked to try on-air positions after a few short months, which led to many appearances for the network before getting the Red Sox reporting job this past winter. A major change for someone who in high school had her own catering company and actually was offered a scholarship to attend culinary school. Boston Sports Media Watch had the chance to catch up with Dell following her first season covering the Red Sox for NESN:

NESN Red Sox reporter Jenny Dell recently finished her first season with the team.

BSMW: You didn’t take the conventional path to becoming an on-air personality. Was there a specific moment or advice that you received which made you really consider a career being an on-air reporter? As a child, what was your dream job?

JD: As a child, my dream job was to be a chef and own a restaurant. I loved cooking and even had my own small catering company in high school called “Simply Dell-icious”. This passion lead to my initial major at UMass Amherst in hospitality and tourism Management.

I picked up my second major in Sport Event Marketing my sophomore year in college. UMass has a program where you can create your own major, called Bachelor Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC). You come up with a course plan that completes a certain number of credits and I combined my love for sports with my interest in event planning and marketing. I started working for the UMass athletic department my junior year, where I helped out in the advancement office and assisted with the event planning for the football and basketball programs.  I loved the constant energy and excitement that came along with the job and it was then that I decided to pursue a career in the sports industry.

I applied for a position as an administrative assistant for three coordinating producers at ESPN, with the intention of eventually making my way to the Marketing department. They ended up offering me a position as a production assistant, working on the NBA. I immediately fell in love with production; helping in the creation of show segments and creative video packages for our live game broadcasts. It was about four months into my time at ESPN that I was approached in the ESPN cafeteria about working on-air. I’ll never turn down an opportunity, so I went for it. I started off doing a few fantasy segments here and there, and that turned into weekly shows, and major interviews. I truly believe that working both behind-the-scenes in production and on-air made me well rounded in the field. It’s been beneficial to know both sides.

I decided to pursue a career in front of the camera about a year and a half ago. I really enjoyed conducting interviews, being in the middle of the action and the challenge of working on-air. I realized I could combine my passion for production into a full-time career in front of the camera.

BSMW: Coming into this season were you nervous at all? What were your thoughts upon arriving in Ft. Myers for spring training?

JD: Coming into spring training, I was more excited than nervous. There were so many unknowns and I had so many questions, but I was eager to jump right into it all. My first priority was to get to know my production crew and introduce myself to the team. I wanted to establish relationships, get to learn everyone’s personalities and start to understand the job as a whole. The whole NESN crew and team were so inviting, and helpful. Even former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine pulled me aside and said, “We’re all rooting for you this season. Let me know how I can help.”

Getting this opportunity in Boston has been a dream come true. I welcomed the challenge and knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Boston fans are so passionate and knowledgeable. It makes me strive to be the best I can, and to always be prepared. There is an immense amount of pressure in this position and this market, but I think the majority of that pressure comes internally.

BSMW: What was the best moment for you this season? What is it like working for NESN with Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy? Has the teams’ struggles on the field impacted your job at all?

JD: My favorite part of my first year was the fact that I was able to experience the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park. All of the ceremonies and events were so exciting and it was amazing that I could take part in all of the celebrations. I enjoyed being able to report on the Red Sox 100 Acts of Kindness, where the players and Red Sox Foundation completed 100 acts of charity throughout the year.

Working for NESN has been a dream come true. The production team is full of experienced and talented individuals, who all had my best interest at heart. They made me feel part of the family and did everything in their power to put me in the best light possible in this new career.

What can I say about Don and Jerry? They are simply the best. They made me feel comfortable from day one, and have given me advice and support throughout the whole season. Don and Jerry welcomed me with open arms and I couldn’t ask to be a part of a better broadcast crew. They keep me on my toes, keep me laughing, and made a long baseball season so enjoyable.

My job is to tell stories, to share with Red Sox Nation what is going on with the team, the match-ups, Red Sox Foundation, Fenway Park, etc… I’ve had the chance to get to know these players over the year, and naturally, when you are surrounded by the same people every single day, you want to see them succeed. Whether they won or lost, I would need to report on the game and situation.

BSMW: Have you ever gotten this much attention at any other point in your career? How long did it take for you to adjust to being a celebrity in Boston, having people come up to you everywhere you go asking for you to pose for a picture, etc.?

JD: I have NEVER received this much attention at any other point in my career. It’s all a bit crazy to me, because (in my eyes) I am just a normal girl who grew up in Connecticut, went to college at UMass and has been blessed with this amazing job opportunity. I will never turn down a request for a picture or autograph, and to be honest, I don’t think I will ever get used to getting those requests. The fact that I can help someone have a positive experience at Fenway, or that I can help make someone’s day a little better just by signing my name or taking a picture is really special. I feel honored.

BSMW: What does the off-season have in store for you? Will you be making any appearances on NESN? What are you looking forward to most next year?

JD: This off-season, I will be hosting NESN Daily, which will provide an incredible opportunity to anchor a studio show.  I had my first taste of hosting last Thursday, with the special edition of NESN Daily: The Bobby Valentine Edition.  Working in the studio is so different than my normal job on the field and I am looking forward to learning the anchor role. Also, I will be working at the Patriots home games- providing content and interviews pre-game and post-game. As a huge football (and Patriots) fan, I couldn’t be more excited to work with the team.

I am looking forward to next season for so many reasons. First and foremost, I will go into spring training having a much better idea of what this job entails. Last season was full of unknowns. Now, I have a much better handle on the position and have established relationships with the NESN production crew, and the Red Sox players and staff. There are going to be a lot of changes to this Red Sox organization over this off-season and I can’t wait to see what next season holds.

 

Filed Under: NESN

Patriots Hold Off Manning, Broncos

October 8, 2012 By

For most of this week, on sports radio anyway, you’ll probably hear non-stop about Wes Welker saying that it was ‘nice to stick it in Bill’s face‘ and about Stevan Ridley’s fourth quarter fumble, which apparently completely invalidated his 151 yards and a touchdown yesterday.

The Ridley fumble, egregious as it was, was made up for when the defense forced a fumble of its own. Yeah, you can say his night was stained by the fumble, but it is also clear that the coaching staff cannot bury him on the bench like they did last season. He’s become essential to the offense. Ridley has given the Patriots an element they’ve lacked since the Corey Dillon days came to an end.

As for Welker and his comment, it’s clear to me that he was goofing on Felger. He knows the crap that Felger has put out there, and his comments said with a wink and a smile was poking fun at that. Anyone searching for a more malicious intent to the comment either isn’t very bright, or wants to bring attention to himself.

A few links of coverage on this Columbus Day:

Patriots’ defense may never be great, but good enough – Greg A Bedard says that the defense is ahead of where it was a year ago.

Patriots win by a few feet – Ron Borges has the Patriots picking up Rex Ryan’s ‘ground and pound’ mindset.

Patriots’ defense contains Peyton – Mike Reiss says that the defense, while vulnerable at times, did its part in the win.

What we learned Sunday: In stopping Peyton Manning, Patriots rely on familiar formula – Chris Price runs down some takeaways from yesterday.

Patriots turn up tempo to new level in win over Broncos – Tom E Curran has Denver unprepared for the pace at which the New England offense was operating.

Get the rest of the coverage at PatriotsLinks.com.

Filed Under: Morning Links

The Bobby V Aftermath, and Another Brady/Manning Duel

October 5, 2012 By

With Bobby Valentine officially fired yesterday, the process of replacing him, and rebuilding the Red Sox begins in earnest. Ben Cherington has already said they don’t wish to drag out the process of hiring the manager, so if John Farrell is their guy, you can be sure they’re already putting together a plan.

I’ve heard plenty of people point to Farrell’s record with the Blue Jays and wonder why the Red Sox would be interested in bringing him back. To me, it seems similar to the Patriots and Bill Belichick. Farrell was here previously as a coach, the front office and ownership got to know him, and liked him, and were comfortable with him.  It reminds me of Belichick when he was with New England as an assistant under Bill Parcells, and developed a relationship with Robert Kraft. They got to know each other and were comfortable working together. Belichick’s previous coaching record in Cleveland didn’t concern them, so Kraft was willing to pay the price to bring him to New England after firing Pete Carroll. John Farrell’s record the last two years with the Blue Jays probably doesn’t bother the Red Sox all that much, as he is a known quantity to them.

If they want him, they will pay the price to Toronto to get him.

Previous managing record isn’t always an accurate barometer. Terry Francona didn’t set the world on fire as manager of the Phillies.

Red Sox eying Farrell, but open to others – Sean McAdam looks at the interest in Farrell, but also provides some alternative candidates.

Red Sox pushing for John Farrell – Gordon Edes has more on why the Sox like Farrell.

Heat’s on Sox to get it right this time – Michael Silverman says whomever they hire, it needs to be the right guy.

Patriots

The Patriots take on the Broncos and Peyton Manning this Sunday. All the coverage is available at PatriotsLinks.com, but here are a couple of film-study looks at the Patriots from Football Outsiders:

Word of Muth: Crashing the Nickel – Ben Muth has a really good look at the performance of the Patriots offensive line in the running attack against Buffalo.

Film Room: Broncos-Patriots – Andy Benoit looks at the disguised coverages the Patriots may employ against Manning, and how the Broncos will counter. Matt Chatham also discussed disguises this morning.

Media

ESPN Radio finally has a Boston home – Chad Finn looks at ESPN Radio finally debuting on 850 AM today, with a focus on the Mike and Mike Morning Show.

Ryen Rusillo is back on Boston airwaves with return of ESPN Radio – My SB Nation Boston media column also looks at ESPN 850, but with a look at the newly renamed SVP & Russillo show.

Ron Darling, John Smoltz predict long road back for Red Sox – Bill Doyle has the TBS analysts speaking of what the Red Sox need to do to return to contender status.

Filed Under: Morning Links

With Valentine gone, now the most important part of the off-season — rebuilding the roster

October 4, 2012 By

Now that Bobby Valentine has been fired and nightmare of a season is over, now the hard, and most important part begins – rebuilding the roster. After their worst season in more than 45 years and the events which took place, there was no question of if Valentine would be fired, just a matter of when.

Although the new manager is a major part of the 2013 team, what is most important is the players themselves. With the needs the Red Sox have, and financial flexibility, it certainly will be a busy, very important offseason.

The only players virtually guaranteed to return are Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Felix Doubront and John Lackey. The team could trade away players currently inked to contracts including center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. But, that isn’t a bad group of players to build around to say the least.

General manager Ben Cherington has already stated resigning David Ortiz and Cody Ross are a top priority this off-season and this needs to happen.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Red Sox

Nightmare finally over for 2012 Red Sox

October 4, 2012 By

Editor’s note – both Ryan and Bruce contributed to this abbreviated post.

The nightmare of a season for the Red Sox finally came to an end Wednesday night with a brutal 14-2 defeat at the hands of the Yankees. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitching in undoubtedly his final game in a Red Sox uniform and possibly his last game in the major leagues in general, did not go out on the right note as he allowed five runs on six hits, including two home runs in just 2 1/3 innings of work. The Red Sox finished 69-93, their worst record since 1965, and they finished last in the AL East for the first time since 1992.

The first report of Bobby Valentine being fired following the season came Wednesday from CBS Sports. (Jon Meterparel “reported” this morning on WEEI that Valentine will be fired.)Ben Cherington would not comment and told reporters in New York he would not talk about the situation until following the season. It was a bit of a surprise Valentine did not make any comments directed at the Red Sox organization about the season at all during his three days in New York. It would be assumed upper-level management would meet Thursday to make a decision on Valentine with an announcement soon there after. Last season Terry Francona was let go on a Friday, with a press conference early Friday evening and it would not surprise me if it were the same this time around with Valentine.

Once the manager situation is taken care of it will be all about rebuilding the team, which will certainly keep things interesting in these parts all winter long.

Shortened links today due to a variety of factors, none of which you care about…

Valentine was a managed disaster for Red Sox – Sean McAdam doesn’t hold back in his criticism of Valentine and ownership, of whom he says “failed to take into account, however, was that, often, for every problem Valentine solves, he creates two new ones.”

On 98.5 this morning, McAdam suggested the possibility that Ben Cherington could quit if he does not get to make the decision on the next manager.

Ben Cherington plays blame game- Nick Cafardo looks back at the season at the relationships within the organization.

For Bobby Valentine and Red Sox, 2012 is a wrap- Dan Shaughnessy says Valentine did not go out “guns blazing” in his final days.

A year of chaos: The Bobby Valentine Timeline – Alex Speier looks back at an unmitigated disaster.

Bitter end for Bobby V, Sox – Michael Silverman says that Valentine didn’t change who he was right to the bitter end.

Bobby V’s longest year will end soon – Gordon Edes looks at the end of the longest year for Valentine and Red Sox fans.

Is the NBA in prime position to usurp MLB? – Ryan Hadfield wonders if the struggles of the Red Sox and the lockout of the Bruins will vault the Celtics and the NBA past the Red Sox and MLB locally.

The Patriots will face Peyton Manning and the Broncos Sunday at Gillette in a game where weather may play a factor, with rain expected and highs only in the mid-50′s. For Patriots coverage visit Patriotslinks.com.

If you tune into 850 AM this morning, you’ll hear a loop recording pointing you to 93.7 FM in preparation for ESPN Radio to take over the 850 frequency tomorrow.

Filed Under: Morning Links

New England 5-3? Second Quarter 2012 Predictions

October 3, 2012 By

You know, a .500 record in September isn’t that bad, people.

When we predicted a slow 2-2 start by the Patriots in our preseason column, we were met with, shall we say, resistance (link here).

New England has had some misfortune. The Aaron Hernandez injury forced them into a different offensive mindset, and other players struggled to take up the slack. The defense displayed lapses similar to 2011 (for whatever reason, it seems rare that defenders look back at the ball). Special teams failed to live up to their adjective.

The good news? This young New England team should only improve as we head into the second quarter of the season. Judging by their 45-0 second half at Buffalo, the Pats have tapped into the potential to do some damage.

So, relax, think positive thoughts, and check out our first quarter review/second quarter preview.

Game One Prediction: NE 23, TEN 20

Actual Result: NE 34, TEN 13

We figure the visitors will get off to a slow start, but New England shines in all phases of the game. Most Telling Stat: Titan Chris Johnson gains 4 yards on 11 carries while Patriot Stevan Ridley garners 125 on 21 totes.

Game Two Prediction: NE 31, ARI 13

Actual Result: ARI 20, NE 18

Underrated Arizona stuns New England – both the team and the region – as the home opener includes a blocked punt, a holding call on what would have been the leading TD, and a missed potential game-winning field goal.

Game Three Prediction: BAL 27, NE 23

Actual Result: BAL 31, NE 30

Playing with a little something extra after the death of his brother, Torrey (aka Torrid) Smith burns the Patriots secondary as, in a well-worn scenario, the offense can’t run out the clock while the defense can’t keep an opponent at bay late. New England surrenders a 30-21 lead in the final five minutes.

Game Four Prediction: BUF 21, NE 20

Actual Result: NE 52, BUF 28

Things look grim going into this one with the absences of receiver Julian Edelman and guard Logan Mankins. New England’s D delivers a goal-line stand to keep it close at the half; their offense come through with a remarkable outburst to erase a 21-7 deficit. Four Patriots compiled over 100 yards of offense each (Ridley and Brandon Bolden rushing, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski receiving).

As Coach Belichick might say, we’re looking ahead to next week. Or the next four weeks, actually. The good news? The Pats should have a winning record by the bye. The bad news? Peyton Manning’s coming to town, and he’s bringing his friends.

2012 SECOND QUARTER PREDICTIONS

Vs. DENVER (Sun, Oct. 7, 4:25 p.m.) – DEN 27, NE 24.

Manning has looked like his old self of late, and few quarterbacks know the Patriots better than he does (Broncos center Dan Koppen knows them even better). New England needs enough skill players to allow Tom Brady to avoid cornerback Champ Bailey; with their current slate of injuries, they may have a hard time keeping up.

As an aside, I’d pay to watch video of Patriots backup QB Ryan Mallett doing his impression of Manning on the practice field. It must look like a stork imitating an ostrich.

At SEATTLE (Sun, Oct. 14, 4:05 p.m.) – NE 20, SEA 16

This could get ugly. Seattle QB Russell Wilson strikes fear in the hearts of few, but the 2012 version of the Seahawks has proven a tough out at home. Pass-rusher Chris Clemons, helped by a level of crowd noise Gillette Stadium hasn’t seen since forever, could do some damage against Pats tackle Nate Solder.

Plus, Coach Pete Carroll seems to know what he’s doing. Go figure.

Vs. NEW YORK (Sun, Oct. 21, 4:25 p.m.) – NE 30, NYJ 20

The Patriots should be able to control the game offensively considering the Jets’ difficulty defending the run and their acute Revis deficiency. We predict a relatively close one because this rates as the Jets’ annual Super Bowl. Unfortunately for them, their offense has been lighting it up about as often as a non-smoker in a gunpowder shack.

(I assume gunpowder shacks exist. I watched a lot of Bugs Bunny cartoons.)

At ST. LOUIS (Sun, Oct. 28, 1 p.m.) – NE 28, STL 20

The Rams have competed this season, yet remain mediocre in almost every statistical category. QB Sam Bradford will have to beat the Pats, as the visitors will focus on stopping St. Louis’ running game. Notable stat: in last week’s 19-13 victory over Seattle, the Rams’ kicking team scored all points (including a nifty fake kick/TD pass that looked an awful lot like the Adam-Vinatieri-to-Troy-Brown hookup of November 2004).

We expect the Patriots’ defense to mesh better and the offense to find its rhythm by the end of October, setting the team up for success in the second half (and, we assume, beyond the regular season).

Predicted record for Games Five through Eight: 3-1

Predicted record at midseason: 5-3

Predicted season record: 11-5

You can email Chris Warner happy tidings at [email protected]

Filed Under: BSMW Original Column, Patriots

Dupont–”Get off my lawn, bloggers”

October 2, 2012 By

From the Hockey blog Backhand Shelf:

Boston Globe hockey writer, Kevin Paul Dupont, hates bloggers

Daniel Wagner looks at recent Tweets from Dupont which show just an unbelievable animosity towards bloggers. He notes as Dupont crosses the line from cracking jokes on bloggers to “being a jerk.”

Dupont attended a charity event that helps thousands of underprivileged kids receive Christmas presents and decided that this would be a great time to take another shot at insulting bloggers, since his first attempt fell flat. He apparently thinks that bloggers are terrible people who are incapable of charity. I’m honestly baffled at the accusation.

Included in the post are shots of Dupont’s tweets, but you can look at his current timeline and see his witty responses to people.

The incident led to a well thought out proposed letter to the Globe editor about Dupont by Sarah Connors.

KPD gave it this response:

Just the latest example of the old media dinosaurs, fearful of their own positions, trying to keep these young whippersnappers in their place.

(Thanks to BSMW’s Ozzy for the post title.)

Filed Under: Morning Links

Patriots-Bills reaction, Beatdown in the Bronx for Red Sox

October 2, 2012 By

Unlike the past two weeks there isn’t much of a negative story line with the Patriots following their 52-28 win over the Bills on Sunday. The defense generated a pass rush and limited the third-best running attack in the league to only 98 yards rushing. They also forced four interceptions, including two by Devin McCourty who was the major topic of discussion last week. Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski each went over 100 yards receiving and Tom Brady did what he had to do to lead his team to a come from behind win.

This week Peyton Manning and the Broncos come to town, which will be interesting to see how the Patriots secondary reacts to facing one of the better quarterbacks in the league, something they have struggled with of late.

Practice makes perfect for Patriots punt unit- Shalise Manza Young looks at Zoltan Mesko and the punting unit, who were outstanding Sunday.

Easy win, but no easy conclusions- Tony Massarotti says not much can be learned about the Patriots from their huge win. He wants to see them go against tougher opponents.

Game ball goes to ‘D’- Jeff Howe looks at the Patriots defense, which was very impressive, forcing six turnovers.

Patriots report card- Karen Guregian hands out her grades for Week 4.

Patriots in a rush to put up big numbers on the ground- Christopher Price looks at the Patriots running game and how they met the challenge of their coach, Bill Belichick.

Same Peyton, new place- Mike Reiss looks at Peyton Manning making his return to Foxboro.

For more Patriots coverage, visit Patriotslinks.com.

The Red Sox thankfully have just two game remaining in the regular season after their 10-2 loss at the hands of the Yankees Monday night. A nine-run second inning is what doomed the Red Sox. In his last start of the year Clay Buchholz allowed eight runs, on six hits, including three home runs in just 1 2/3 innings. The Orioles couldn’t have been happy with the Red Sox lineup against CC Sabathia, which included Mauro Gomez batting clean up. Following the game Rob Bradford learned Dustin Pedroia broke a finger in Sunday’s game against the Orioles and will miss the final two games. The Red Sox confirmed the report shortly thereafter.

Buchholz, Sox stink- Scott Lauber looks at Buchholz’s worst outing of the season.

Not the ending Buchholz or Red Sox wanted - Sean McAdam also looks at Buchholz’s start, which will be his last of 2012.

Thumbs-up on Bailey for next year- John Tomase says Andrew Bailey is ready to go and is ready to be the teams’ closer next season.

David Ortiz insists this offseason won’t resemble his last one- Rob Bradford looks at Ortiz’s situation for next season and what the offseason has in store for the Red Sox slugger. Ortiz says there is mutual interest in the team bringing him back and him wanting to come back.

Sox need Big Papi more than ever- Gordon Edes says the Red Sox must re-sign Ortiz to get some ‘pop’ back in the Sox lineup.

Filed Under: Morning Links
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