A Press Conference With Candy

Friday, January 23, 2015, 11:00AM EST

*With the hordes of media surrounding the bright pink podium at The Daily Dandy headquarters, Candy steps up to the podium clutching a sheet of paper. The sound of camera shutter clicks and reporters shuffling for a better view can be heard  throughout the room as Candy prepares herself to address the media.*

" I'd like to read a prepared statement addressing 'Deflategate' and then I will take questions from the assembled media."
"As a ride or die New England Patriots fan and an even bigger Tom Brady fan I feel the need to address the allegations against My Tommy and my home town team. I first need to state that my silence on this issue on Candy's Daily Dandy in the previous 5 days should in no way be construed as  "disappointment, anger or distress" by me, but simply a circumstantial issue. While I was in NYC moving my daughter into her new apartment over the past week, I had been paying close attention to the daily developments and the reports."

"What I do know is that the NFL's silence on this issue has not clarified any of the facts on 'Deflategate', so we are all left with the Herculean task of Monday morning quarterbacking this controversy. While ESPN has cited a 'report' that 11 of the 12 game balls for the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game were found to be 2 psi's under what the rules state they should be inflated to-the NFL has yet to confirm this fact. We also now know that there is an NFL game official assigned to inspect and deem appropriate for play, those 12 balls."

"Media speculation has been such that there may have been some foul play in regards to Tommy's balls. Tommy's balls foul? I have to defer that answer to the professionals in charge of balls. It's the ball official that deemed Tommy's balls appropriate for play and therein lies the crux of the investigation. The question begs to be asked, were the balls presented to the official by The New England Patriots for play in the AFC Championship game on Sunday, January 18th, 2 hours before kickoff within legal league specifications? If the answer is yes, then the next question that needs to answered is what happened to Tommy's balls between then and the beginning of the third quarter."

"Conspiracy theories about what happened to the balls are abound and hard earned reputations are being called into question. Until I, like countless others, have all the facts and answers concerning the deflated balls, I am unable to decisively form any opinion regarding Tommy's balls or Deflategate. I will now take questions from the media."

Q:"Candy, will this controversy alter your personal opinion of 'Your Tommy' or his legacy in any way?"

"What I know about My Tommy is that he is a guy who works extra hard day in and day out to maintain his elite status as an NFL quarterback. His maniacal work ethic has been well documented and I think his exemplary record stands as testament to the kind of success he has had throughout his career. It's highly unlikely that I will abandon that position after this controversy has been resolved."

Q:"So are you saying that you don't think Tom Brady is a cheater?" 

"I don't think My Tommy cheated or has to cheat to be Tom Brady. I think people who excel at sports are always subject to naysayers or haters who love it when the mighty fall. It's part of his job as a professional athlete, but it's how people like Tom handle adversity that really sets them apart. Tom Brady didn't get to be Tom Brady by cheating. Tom Brady works hard and loves and respects this game."

Q:"If the NFL confirms that that this was cheating, what will you say then?"

"I hope that none of us ever have to address that issue. What I think we may have to address is the issue of what's commonplace in the NFL as far as the rules are regarded and what isn't. For example, if the national speed limit is 55 and your are caught driving 57, should you loose your license forever? Or should you be fined and given a ticket or even let go with a warning for a minor infraction? Rules of the road are rules of the road but what's an appropriate response for a breech? 

Q: "Do you think the Patriots are being unfairly targeted because of their history with scandal?"

"Yes, but I also think the rules are the rules and no one is above them."

"Thank you for coming today."

Hometown Townie

If you grew up in these parts, like I did, there is one thing we know to be true, yet it never ceases to amaze me. We, Bostonians, are true "townies". What I mean by "townie" is that deep down inside we are true to the place we grew up, the culture and the local traditions. And in this town it's all about sports.

Rooting for the hometown team is so much more than a past time around here-it's a passion but what really amazes me is that it knows no boundaries nor age bracket. Take for example our beloved New England Patriots. Saturday was the first game for the home town team in the NFL playoffs which was at home at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The streets, shops, malls and restaurants everywhere were a sea of  red white and blue Pats logos. Everybody was talking about it, preparing for it and anxiously waiting for it, like a little kid on Christmas Eve. The Patriots playoff game was a huge event for everyone in New England.

The funny thing is people who never follow football instantly become armchair experts, glued to a televised game that they never would have watched previously. Brady, Edelman, Amendola and Gronkowski become like family and even old ladies can tell you that My Tommy threw for over 300 yards, AGAIN,  in Saturday's game. The short pass from Brady to Edelman who launched a 51 yard bomb to Amendola to tie the game? A complete game changer and people are still talking about that one in the grocery store checkout line and at the post office. It just never gets old. Even little kids are talking about the legalities of the Patriots ineligible plays. No one in this town is safe from Patriots fever.

And I guess that's the way it should be. Shouldn't it? Something special uniting people of all kinds and bringing them together, if only for a short time? Whatever the reason may be; the fever, the passion for a game that is uniquely American and a team that is distinctly ours, I wouldn't have it any other way.
I doubt I could ignore it.
It's a way of life for us townies.
All of us.

The Giblets...

Ok, so I'm a Partiots season ticket holder and my family has been for at least 10 years. This means I am a big fan with a lot of great football watched by my two eyes.

Every season there is one game that is just soooo cooold that it makes you wonder why we pay premium prices to sit and freeze in the figid temps. Take last night's game:

It was a legendary set up; Brady vs Manning in the game of the year played in Foxboro in sub par temps with the frigid wind chill. I can't even tell you how cold it was because it doesn't really matter. I have been to and survived frigid games before. The Snow Bowl? Yeah, I was there and I lived to tell about it. But last night? I don't ever remember a cold like last night. It wasn't so much the cold as it was the wind. It was the gustiest, windiest, most freezingly biting cold wind I have ever experienced. And I was wearing fur!! It was insane.

Then there was the game.

Oh boy! I was ready to leave after the first three possessions of the ball. No wonder they fumbled three times in a row! It was so cold I'm not sure how they played in those conditions, but play they did. Going into half time at 24-0, I had enough. I could watch these guys loose big from the warmth and comfort of my own home, why should I torture myself? Then Gronk showed up and suddenly the momentum shifted. Suddenly it didn't seem so cold and the drink in my hand served to warm my soul. I still was disgusted, but when the score was 24-14 with more than enough time left, it was as if the Miami sun had shined it's warmth on every living, breathing Patriots fan in attendance.

Suddenly we were hugging and high-fiving and it wasn't because we needed the body heat of the person standing next to you. It was a new game entirely and the ticket money turned into money well spent. Then they tied the game and every fan practically disrobed because the adrenaline served to warm and wrap everyone up like a blanket. If you don't know what happened next, it was the stuff of legends.

Finally tucked into my bed at 2am, I was blanketed in victory and the cockles of my heart burned like a the hearth in a cozy Inn. And the cold?

What cold? Was it cold last night?

And So It Begins...

If you ask me, I would have to say that this is the most wonderful time of the year. No doubt, it's definitely the best time of the year to be a Boston sports fan. The city is abuzz with all our teams, but none more than our beloved Red Sox. Forever the Fenway Faithful, young and old in this city proudly wear their Red Sox gear as they go through daily life these days. Conversations in the supermarket checkout lines about Grand Slams and walk off home runs take place between the most unlikely and everyone knows what a ground rule double looks like. The biggest question asked is did you fall asleep or did you stay awake to see them win?Baseball in October doesn't get any better when our boys are playing and you can feel the fever the moment you step foot anywhere in this city.

Then there's My Tommy and the Patriots. Take for example Sunday night on my Jet Blue flight home to Boston. Our 5pm departure set up the perfect viewing for the 4pm game against New Orleans. Alone in my headphones, I was quietly wincing and cheering throughout the game and even switching channels when it got too frustrating to watch. But everywhere around me had the game on too; every other seat or even every seat was watching the events play out on their TV's and I was never more than a glance away from the action. It's how I figured out that the Pats got the ball back with a minute to play, one touchdown away from winning the game. And one should never count My Tommy out in that situation.

We were squirming, and praying and then the amazing pass into the end zone to win the game happened and the ENTIRE PLANE erupted in cheers. It caught me off guard because I had been so engrossed in my own headphone and monitor that I had forgotten that a few hundred other people were watching it too. There we were together, cheering our team's exciting victory, united if only for a moment hundreds of miles up in the sky above the clouds.

And that's what it feels like.

The camaraderie and connection we feel to these few players who we can call our own make us proud to wear the colors. Together we can feel good about the events of the game and if only for a moment we are one. United in sport and our love of the game and united in the place we call home.

And so it begins....and so far, it's been one hell of a ride!

Fade To Black

• He will always be remembered as Tony Soprano. With yesterday's news of the passing of actor James Gandolfini in Rome, Italy (how fitting) at the young age of 51, it's as if Tony Soprano got whacked. And now we will never know what really happened after that "fade to black" moment at the end of the series finale of "The Sopranos". It seems so tragic that the actor's life was cut so short. Somehow, Tony Soprano had more to do. In a way, he was every man's Tony Soprano. 

• Strange goings on here involving New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. Police found the body of a 27 year old Dorchester man who was shot in a car less than a mile from Aaron Hernandez's North Attleboro home. The car the man was found in was rented to the Patriot's tight end Hernandez. Police later spent hours searching the Hernandez home. He has not been named a suspect in the ongoing investigation...yet. Discuss...

• I'm exhausted from staying up watching all the Bruin's overtime games! We lost a tough one last night, but the B's comeback to put the game into overtime showed heart and courage and skill!! I'm enjoying every minute of it and I predict a cup VICTORY!!

• "Kimye" baby, spawn of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian still has no name! Or no name that we know of yet. Which is HA-LARIOUS! This whole "we need privacy please" thing is just not working for them. The Kardashian's would have an enema on TV if it meant lots of dollar$$$ and now Kimmy has decided that she and Kanye's baby are going into hiding? I can't say I blame her. This is the way it should be. All I'm saying is the machine that is Kardashian will put pressure on Kimmy to have baby in the spotlight more often, causing Kanye to back away from Kimmy even more than he already has, leaving Kimmy alone as a single mom.  AND I also predict that "Donda" will appear somewhere in baby Kimye's name. (Donda was Kanye's mom's name. She passed during a routine cosmetic procedure in 2007)

Please, discuss amongst yourselves..

Tommy And Timmy

Tim Tebow? Really?

I'm not quite sure I get this one but who am I to question Bill. "In Belichick, We Trust" has long been the mantra around here, so I'm going to trust. So let's break this down for a second here:

• We know the Tebow signing is not about the QB position. Or at least we think it's not about the QB position. If Tebow is going to ride the bench...again...I would say that would be a waste of money, talent and Tebow's career, and that would be a shame. I swear Mr. Belichick is smarter than that. Somebody knows something and I'm betting Bill and My Tommy have had more than a few conversations about how little Timmy can help the Pats figure out how to break the course of events over the past few years.
• Pats offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, drafted Tebow back when he was with the Broncos and he believes in Tim and his abilities. I can't think of a better reason tho give this marquee boy, who has done a whole lot of nothing in his illustrious career a chance.
• Can Tebow be effective catching short passes and red zone rushing? Possibly. There are a plethora of places Tebow could be effective playing: tight end, H-Back and it's possible Tebow could take a snap here and there to make things more mobile and far more interesting.

One thing's for sure: we will all play the guessing game till Tebow takes the field in his flying Elvis uniform come August. This is his last chance and he's got to know it. There's no better place for Tim to end up than with a future Hall of Fame coach and future Hall of Fame quarterback. Truth is nobody else wants him.

 Whatever happens, Bill Belichick will enjoy making liars out of all his detractors.
Tim Tebow's detractors, that is.

Athletes, Football, The AFC and Faith

On this day of football,
we look upon ourselves,
Think of those whom we love,
and know by which we play for.

God grant us victory,
As we come to battle...
We fight to win.



I watched the Oprah Interview with Lance Armstrong late into the night last night and I came away with an uneasy feeling. The man appeared uncomfortable, smug at times, remorseful at times, incredulous and groveling. I'm not sure what to think. I do know firsthand, that liars believe their own lies. The lies become truths to them and that's how they get away with it. Not for long because Karma is a fierce mistress and she will make you pay.

I did find him to be quite physically appealing, and I'm not talking about attraction or sexual desire (I will save all of that for the man pictured above) I'm talking about his physicality. Lance is the epitome of an athletic specimen, chemically enhanced or not and I couldn't help but be distracted by his chiseled facial structure, and his defined cheekbones. (I just want to highlight and contour that face)

The point is, it's easy to see how he used his physicality and his cunning to get those around him to drink the Lance Kool-Aid. And they did, and now that the jig is up, they are all coming clean. Lance had that invincible "athlete" mentality that Tiger Woods and Roger Clemens so famously choked on too. He then got greedy and says that none of this would have happened if he had not decided on the come back. An intriguing interview at best and the greatest infomercial ever invented for the OWN Network.

Which brings me to football.

I'm not feeling any swagger, making any predictions or talking any trash. I'm grateful to the man above, (My Tommy) for the luxury of  being able to keep watching Patriots football in mid January. I have faith in my team and I have enjoyed every second of this pro football in the NFL at Foxboro's Gillette Stadium ride. I pray that Tommy never has to sit down with Oprah for anything other than to discuss his Hall of Fame NFL career.

Let's just take it one game at a time.  Good Luck. Go Pats!

Cinnamon Says...

Listen honey:

•  “I also didn’t get the acting nomination. I noticed no one was saying I was snubbed there!” Ben Affleck said after the press asked him how he felt about the Best Director Oscar snub.  I love that! Sexy Bostonian.

• Watched "Seal Team Six" last night. Interesting, powerful and somewhat hard to believe? Two of the actors are from TV shows that I used to watch, and I found that to be distracting. I am embarrassed to admit that missed the most important part! I fell asleep before they executed mission. I'm just an old bag. Good thing it's a two-day rental. I'm going to watch the last 25 mins tonite.

• Oprah talked to Lance...Did she make him cry? I'm especially intrigued. Although I think Babs (Barbara Walters) would have been a better interview.

• What you say? Facebook is expected to make a big announcement today. I'm waiting with bated breath. Even still, I sold my stock yesterday...Is it a smart phone? A search engine? Will it be revolutionary  Life changing? Industry transforming? Should I buy again? 

• Going to my second straight AFC Championship game on Sunday in Foxboro and I'm cautiously optimistic. Just sayin..

• Pannini's for dinner tonite!! Aren't I a fun mom? I got a Pannini maker from Santa and I'm using it tonite. Minestrone soup too!

Kraft-y

So there's a HUGE bru-ha-ha going on here with the Patriots head poobah, Bob Kraft. Seems Mr. Kraft, he of the flawless PR, known in pro football and business circles as a King Midas of sorts, has until yesterday been literally untouchable. His organization, The New England Patriots, are one of the most successful NFL organizations in the league and Kraft has been credited with turning the Patriots into NFL gold.

All the while, Mr. Kraft and his family have been a public relations dream. His wife of 47 years, Myra, a well known and respected philanthropist, passed away last July after a valiant battle with cancer. At 71, Bob public mourned the "love of his life" and the 2011-2012 Patriots dedicated their season to their matriarch, Myra Kraft. Coverage of Myra's funeral was streaming live on almost every Boston news organization. Bottom line, if you are a Pat's fan, you mourned too.

So was it a surprise when Mr. Kraft was seen at a recent Celtics game squiring a 32 year old aspiring actor named Ricki Lander?

The answer to that question lies in your tolerance level for a proper period of mourning. Who's to say what's mournfully acceptable? And who really cares what their relationship is? Kraft publicly declared his young attendant a "pal" and that was enough for me.

That was all fine and well until yesterday.

That's when Bob Kraft "regretfully" joined the ranks of the creepy and the Kraft-y, although I'm sure this was "never his intention". A video with Ricki and Bobby (see what I did there?) was leaked to the press and instantly went mega viral. She in a bikini, and Bob in a casual sweater, can be seen reading lines from what is thought to be parts of the script from the upcoming Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie called "The Interns". Word has it that Kraft intended the video audition for his "pal" to be seen by Vince Vaughn's eyes only but when something is just not right, and it's caught on film, it always jumps up to bite you in the proverbial ass. Doesn't it?

The video has since been removed by Fox, claiming ownership of it's content, and I did not see it, but plenty of people did and the reviews were not exactly stellar. I can only speculate at this point what the fallout will be, but  I do know that Mr. Kraft immediately released a statement to the press using the words "intention" and "regretfully" which is never a good thing.


“I tried to help Ricki prepare an audition tape for an upcoming Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson comedy by reading Wilson’s lines,” Kraft said in a statement from the team. “I never intended that it would be made public and I regret that it has. I think we can all agree that Owen Wilson has nothing to worry about. I am going to stick to my day job.” 



At most, his intended humor serves to relay the message, "lighten up" people, I'm human, too.

Super Sunday

This is it.

This is for all the marbles. For the Big Kahuna. For the Lombardi hardware, so that we can have an even set of four.

This is for 2007.

This is for all the king's horses and all the kings men.

And this time we don't have that arrogant swagger.

This time we know how important and how vulnerable this team and this game is. It's anybody's ball game and there is no team I would rather be taking the field with than My Tommy and the Pats. This year I won't be in Indy with my brother. I decided last Wed to give up my ticket. Too much of a logistical nightmare for me and three 50 year old, crazy guys. Can you believe I took a pass? Hey, I've been there, done that. I can check attending a New England Patriots Super Bowl win off my bucket list. This year I will be home hosting a party and will be in front of the screen come kick off. The party is half the fun anyway.

Some fun Super Bowl party facts according to The Nielsen Group:

1.25 BILLION chicken wings will be consumed Sunday.

9 out of 10 people in the US will be watching the game.

Domino's Pizza estimates they will deliver over 9million pieces of pizza.

11.2 million pounds of potato chips will be consumed and 8 million pounds of guacamole.

Historically, the team with the lower unemployment rate tends to win the Super Bowl. Today, Boston's unemployment is at 6.8 percent and New York is at 8.5 percent. This fact bodes well for the Pats, BUT, the last time a team with a higher unemployment rate beat a team with a lower unemployment rate was in 2008 when the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. F-them.

1/3 of all adult will be betting this game and 51.7 million cases of beer will be sold. (do you think Heff is part of that equation?)

Hotels in Indy are sold out! But, if you want to stay close the airport, the Indy news is reporting that a hotel that normally charges $39.00 a night is available for $729.00 a night this weekend.

The Super Bowl is the second highest food consumption day in the US, second to Thanksgiving.

7-11 stores report an 20% increase in the sales of antacids the day AFTER the Super Bowl.



If my stomach is the only thing that is hurting after this Super Bowl, then I will be a happy girl.I'll pray for Tommy like Giselle wants me to. I'll pray to anyone who will listen. Let's bring it home.


God speed boys, bring it home to mama. We will all be waiting.

Indy, Here We Come

The Good The Bad And The Really Ugly

I'm starting this post off with the Really Ugly and work my way backwards because I want to end this on a high note.

The Really Ugly: It's a good thing I'm not suicidal. Yeah I know, I'm always talking sports smack when my team is winning. Yup, I'm sure I'm righty obnoxious about my Beantown purebred when it comes to game but I'm definitely not feeling it now.

I feel sick. An entire Nation feels sick.

Tied for the Wild Card today and on the verge of TOTAL self destruction. It's just a matter of time. The worst part? I'm more obsessed with them now than when they are winning. There's a tiny little gremlin called optimism that lives in my soul and he can't get off this sinking ship. It's epic, this fail.

The only consolation would be if Jacoby Elsbury wins the MVP. Yeah, that would make it better.

Sort of.

The Bad: Patriots-Bills last Sunday? Not only am I sick, but I'm also mad.WTF was that? This has probably been the WORST couple of weeks in my life as a Boston fan. Who was that at quarterback and what did they do with Brady? Is My Tommy a bitch? Horrid, humiliating, heinous and any other disgusting adjectives I can use to describe the scene in Buffalo on Sunday would be helpful.

Here's the thing, My Tommy's so good when he's good that it's scary. We marvel and pull out terms like, "one of the greatest" and grown men swoon over him like giddy school girls. But when he's bad he's HORRID. He's Hagrid the Horrible and nobody wants to even be near him.

Which makes him like the little girl with the little curl in the nursery rhyme.

Which makes him a little girl. Jus' sayin.

It's just bad. Period. But at least the Pat's have a chance to redeem themselves.

The Good: Like a happy reprieve should be, I was so inspired by your comments on yesterday's Bucket List post. A quite eclectic and supremely unique and passionate bunch, we are, bloggers. I have to tell you that I so enjoyed the responses the subject brought out in you all.

When I decided to actually compose a list, I learned a bit about myself , but I learned so much more about you all in your responses. Funny, eloquent, caring and insightful were your comments and I am so grateful you shared with me. Sometimes blogging is just me talking it out to myself with you all listening. I learned to live for today and enjoy the moment.

As my good friend, the very wise Walking Man said:

"My bucket list consists of two things Go to bed breathing and wake my ass up the same way. Everything in between is an adventure of one kind or another."

My Tommy-less Weekend

Yeah...it's a My Tommy-less weekend for us Tommy-lovin Patriots fans. That shot is from today's Boston Herald, and yet I still marvel at his awesomeness and beauty.

Sorry... so I was saying before I was distracted by greatness, that we'll take the bye week and enjoy the view from up top while we can. Cuz anything can happen in the coming weeks. It's like a whole new season. So I'll watch the AFC Wildcard game; Jets vs. Colts and wonder who I hate more. It's pretty close to a tie, although I might just have to wear my flip flops, with my freshly pedicured toes and root for the Colts.......hee hee. This year I hate the Jets more, but then again Manning tends to get lucky in the postseason. It's a toss up.

Either way, it makes for good football and gives me a reason to marvel at My Tommy.

That man is sheer perfection.

Happy Weekend bloggers. I hope all your NFL dreams come true.

sNOw Problem

Dang this is getting exciting.

I'm not at all sorry to say that I'm loving every minute of this. I can't help but look ahead. And there's a whole lotta football left to be played, I know, but last night I checked hotels in Arlington, Texas.

What?

I've never been to Texas....;)

Monday Night Showdown

PLEASE HIT THE BUTTON TO PLAY.



This is the one we have been waiting for......

This is one for the ages......

Two teams, in a race with destiny.....

Who will come out on top?

All the films have been watched, all the plays have been set.

From Foxboro, MA to God's ears, this is what game day is all about and only He knows who tonight's victor will be.

Godspeed Tommy. Take us home.

NFL Stands For No F**kg LOSERS

Today's post is a sports rant, so if you are not into profanity or football, sorry. It's probably best to step aside and check out my new graphics or come back tomorrow cuz I'm fighting mad.

Now it's one thing to loose. Hey, every team does it in the course of a season and I actually think that loosing is a great way to re-group and make a team focus. I've said it before, I HATE winning streaks for the simple fact that when a team is on a winning streak, they forget what it's like to loose and when they are faced with a "come from behind situation" they get all crazy because keeping the winning streak alive is the only thing that matters.

So having said that, I'm not at all upset that the Pats lost yesterday.

I'm upset that they lost to him.

Mangini (I said that just like Jerry Seinfeld says, "Newman"...)

That little F*CK has no business being an NFL coach, much less a freakin thorn in Coach Belechick's side, yet there he is, wreaking havoc again. Can someone please put this little dirtbag out of his misery and BAN him from the NFL or something? Mangini sucks simply because he is a little man with a Napoleon complex and feels he has to prove his worth when facing his former mentor. And he will stoop to deviance and trickery. SEE: SPYGATE.

Coming into yesterday's game the lowly Cleveland Browns, the last stop on your, "I'm on my way outta the NFL as a head coach, anyway" tour, were a pitiful 2-5 going into the game. In come the big, bad New England Patriots. The cheese who stood alone with the best record in the NFL at 6-1, their three shiny Super Bowl trophies causing quite a glare in the Ohio sunlight. It was a Davey and Goliath tale for the sports writers to spin, but the Pats just might have forgotten about one critical factor.

Mangini...

Or did they? I don't know what is is about Mangini, but when he plays the Pats he usually manages to throw a wrench in the iron clad mind of Bill Belechick. Is this because Mangini spent six seasons on Belechick's staff, along side Belechick, earning those three Super Bowl victories? Did student learn all there is to know about mentor? Could be. But the Cleveland Browns team I watched yesterday won that game by plaing pretty fantastic football. And believe me, it pains me to admit that.

What happened to the Pats? Do they really need to be coddled by home turf and fan support to beat a 2-5 team?? I can't even blame this on on our young defense. I watched My Tommy sitting on the sidelines, dejected and silent, viewing a energized Cleveland team make unbelievable, exciting catches as they collected first downs like a kid trick or treating in a suburban neighborhood. I sooo wanted to go sit next to him, put my arm around his shoulder and get up close to whisper in his ear, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? FOR CHRIST SAKES GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF A** AND MAKE A FRIGGIN PLAY!"

The Cleveland Browns and Mangini and his staff deserve all the credit. They played exciting and smart football when it counted and I can appreciate smart, exciting football. They did everything right and the Pats did everything wrong. Everything. They could only stand on the sidelines and watch as the game slipped away. But that's the great thing about this year in the NFL. Any team can beat any team at any given time.

I just don't want my team being beaten by a Mangini team. And I think Belechick feels the same way. It's ok though. Because just when Mangini thinks he's gotten into Belechick's head, Bill will do something amazing to smack Mangini back into the back of the NFL bus where he belongs.

Future Hall of Fame coaches have a way of doing that.

Moss Grows On A Rolling Stone

So you might have heard that Randy Moss was traded a few days ago to the Minnesota Vikings.

Boo Fricken Hoo.

It's not a great thing for my hometown team, per say, but it's not really a bad thing. You see, Randy is what you would call a "coddled" NFL football player. In the two years that Randy has played for the Pats, he's done some amazing things on the field. He's broken records and given Tommy a deep field threat that an unnamed NFL coach yesterday said, "Every defensive game plan against the Patriots starts with the question, 'How are you going to handle Randy Moss?'. You got to deal with Moss before you think about anything else."

That kind of thinking is what stalled Moss' on-field production last year. Now just into the 2010-2011 season, has Belichick thrown away the brass ring? Only time will tell. For now, the Pats decided that Randy had crossed over into the point of no return with his,"I'm not getting no respect" stance and successfully put the last nail in his New England Patriots coffin. He pissed off Kraft.

Story has it that back in February, at a charity event, Moss told a reporter that "the Patriots don't really pay". Not a smart move, to bite the hand that feeds you during a contract year. Mr. Kraft, a proud man, responded in the media with, "Do you know how much Randy has made over the last two years? Over 20 million, so I don't think we don't pay for quality." That was the beginning of the end for Randy and the Pats. Moss then went on to act disrespectful and make his unhappiness known to anyone who would listen. Including an assembled media after a big win. He began a recent post-win press conference with immature babble about feeling unwanted due to the lack of contract negotiations.

It was even more evident when last Monday night, Moss put up a no-catch game and had words with the offensive coordinator during half-time of the Pats/Dolphins Monday night game. Randy was the rolling stone, on a fast track to the bottom of the hill. Now back with Minnesota, Moss is with another star quarter back, hoping to get some love. We are left with not much of anything. Right now. Sure, Tommy has lots of other offensive weapons at his disposal. The question is will they be as effective as Moss. And why now? Is it business or is it football?

Belichick says that he makes decisions based on what's best for the team. Is this really the time to trade a marquis receiver, a future hall-of-famer, because he's being a brat? The Pats are defense-challenged this year and must rely on offensive to win games. Did Kraft and Bill make a big blunder to save face here? I some how feel like a Moss-y stone rolls just as fast as one without. Couldn't we have waited till the end of the season to wipe that stone clean?

*quotes from this report can be attributed to yesterday's Boston Herald*

A True Red, White & Blue New England Patriot

Betcha didn't know that today is a holiday here in the great state of Massachusetts. It's called Patriots Day and I love it because:

• From Wiki: "Patriots' Day (sometimes incorrectly punctuated Patriot's Day or Patriots Day) is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.""Since 1969, the holiday has been observed on the third Monday in April, providing a three-day long weekend."

• My store is closed. YIPEE! Day off!!

• No school!! YIPEE! Day off!!!

• It's the 114th running of The Boston Marathon.

• The weather is beautiful. (after a rainy weekend)

• The Sox play a matinee at home. (here's hoping they win the last one of 4 with Tampa, foiling any sweep chances)

• It's a great excuse to go into the city and have a few drinks with friends on a beautiful day.

• It gives me a great excuse to post a picture of My Tommy. Any day for that is a great day!

You all enjoy your day also, and us "Mass-hole's" will be thinking of you all while hoisting a frosty Margarita at lunch, and wearing sunglasses on the outdoor patio of some fabulous Boyston Street eatery, watching the marathon runners jog by, and then joining the thousands of people who also have the day off and have descended upon our fair city.

Peace!

What The....?

Is that My Tommy?
Carrying a man/baby/purse at the wedding of Giselle's sister in Brazil over the weekend?
Ask Gi if his balls are in there. And I don't mean the regulation pigskin....
Good grief.

Mute Monday: Pain And Suffering