http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071023&sportCat=nfl

Quote :

"Colts-Patriots tilt shaping as battle of Good vs. Evil Patriots at Colts on Nov. 4 is shaping up to be one of the most attractive and exciting NFL regular-season games ever staged. The pairing is fabulous; the teams are the league's best; and there is a chance both will take the field undefeated. Plus, Patriots at Colts has a powerful, compelling narrative. Namely -- Good vs. Evil. The fact that I don't even need to tell you which team represents Good and which stands for Evil says a lot about how low New England has sunk. You knew instantly which was which, didn't you? Argument for the Indianapolis Colts as paladins who carry the banner of that which is beneficent: Sportsmanship, honesty, modesty, devotion to community, embrace of traditional small-town life, belief in higher power, even love of laughter. The Colts are the defending champions, so they obviously play well on the field. Yet after winning the Super Bowl, they have remained humble and appealing. Through prior years of postseason frustration, they never complained or pointed the finger outside their team. Their players are active in community affairs and don't carp about being assigned to a nonglamorous Farm Belt city with an antiquated stadium. Their coach, Tony Dungy, smiles in public and answers honestly whatever he is asked: He never yells at players or grimaces at bad plays and, when defeated, doesn't act as though it's the end of the world. Although religious, Dungy said on the night he won the Super Bowl that God doesn't care about football games, which shows perspective. The team's star, Peyton Manning, stands for love of family, constantly appearing in public with his brothers, father and mother. Manning is happily married and a major donor to a children's hospital. Manning spends a lot of time at children's camps and events, and he constantly makes fun of himself. Ladies and gentlemen, representing Good, the Indianapolis Colts. Argument for the New England Patriots as scoundrels in the service of that which is baleful: Dishonesty, cheating, arrogance, hubris, endless complaining even in success. The Patriots have three Super Bowl rings, but that jewelry is tarnished by their cheating scandal. They run up the score to humiliate opponents -- more on that below -- thus mocking sportsmanship. Their coach snaps and snarls in public, seeming to feel contempt for the American public that has brought him wealth and celebrity. Victory seems to give Bill Belichick no joy, and defeat throws him into fury. Belichick and the rest of the top of the Patriots' organization continue to refuse to answer questions about what was in the cheating tapes -- and generally, you refuse to answer questions if you have something to hide. The team has three Super Bowl triumphs, yet its players regularly whine about not being revered enough. The team's star, Tom Brady, is a smirking sybarite who dates actresses and supermodels but whose public charity appearances are infrequent. That constant smirk on Brady's face reminds one of Dick Cheney; people who smirk are fairly broadcasting the message, "I'm hiding something." The Patriots seem especially creepy at this point because we still don't know whether they have told the full truth about the cheating scandal -- or even whether they really have stopped cheating. They say they have, but their word is not exactly gold at this juncture. Ladies and gentlemen, representing Evil, the New England Patriots. In the Good vs. Evil narrative of the Colts and Pats, running up the score is a telling factor: It reveals a team's sportsmanship or lack of same, and whether a team shows sportsmanship in public might offer insights into its character in private. New England is scoring so many points the Patriots offense looks like cherries and oranges spinning on a slot machine. The Flying Elvii stand plus-159 in net points, by far the best scoring margin in the NFL. This is supposed to be impressive. But I think it's creepy, and New England's creepy on-field behavior is only underscoring the seediness of the Beli-Cheat scandal. On Sunday, the Patriots led the winless Dolphins 42-7 late in the third quarter, yet Tom Brady was still behind center. And he wasn't just handing off the ball to grind the clock, either. Rather, he was back in the shotgun, still throwing to run up the score. Here is a summary of the Patriots' possession with a 42-7 lead late in the third and Brady, Randy Moss and the rest of their offensive starters on the field: Pass, run, pass, run, pass, pass. When backup quarterback Matt Cassel entered the game in the fourth quarter, with the Patriots leading 42-14 -- a margin larger than the greatest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history (see below) -- did he hand off the ball to grind the clock? Here were Patriots' coaches first three calls: Run, pass, pass. Cassel's second pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, and Brady re-entered the game. Did he grind down the clock? Pass, pass, run, run, pass. The final score was 49-28. The week before, New England led Dallas 42-27 and had second-and-goal on the Cowboys' 6-yard line with 1:43 remaining and Dallas out of timeouts. Three kneel-downs would have ended the game. But Belichick kept calling plays, frantic to run up the score -- including calling a play with 23 seconds remaining from the Dallas 1-yard line, resulting in a touchdown that made the final New England 48, Dallas 27. The Patriots then kicked off, and Dallas got the ball with 13 seconds remaining. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips showed the dignity Belichick lacked and ordered a kneel-down. Beyond defeating division-leading Dallas, New England has beaten six teams with a combined record of 11-27. In New England's six games against nonwinning teams, Belichick kept the starters in long after the outcome was decided, trying to run up the score. This doesn't just demonstrate Belichick has no class (although it certainly demonstrates that). It's worse -- this suggests something vindictive. Yes, you can find games the Colts have won by a big margin in recent years, and yes, Manning was on the field through the fourth quarter at Jacksonville last night. But in that quarter, the Colts mainly ran to grind the clock: If they had wanted to win by more, they likely could have. As for New England's running up the score, supposedly the Patriots are angry about the Beli-Cheat scandal and are scoring points like crazy to express their anger against the world. Wait a moment: What right do the Patriots have to be angry? They, after all, are the ones who admitted to systematic cheating. Other people didn't impose that situation on them -- they cheated of their own free accord, imposing the tainting of their accomplishments on themselves. The Patriots were not wronged; they wronged others. Yet they're mad about being caught, and they seem to want to take out their bad feelings about themselves by embarrassing second-echelon teams. That bespeaks lack of character. That's Dark Side. That's Evil. Suppose New England's version of events is true -- that Belichick is a fine person who made an honest mistake about rules that seemed clearly written to everyone else but somehow were confusing to him and that he regrets his honest mistake. If this were so, wouldn't Belichick be attempting to convince the world he is a good guy by showing sportsmanship at every turn? Instead, he is raising his middle finger to the rest of the NFL, to the sporting media, even to the NFL fans who made his wealth and celebrity possible. If he were a misunderstood man who regrets an honest mistake, wouldn't he be candid and open in public because making his life an open book would convince us he's sorry for what he did? Instead, in public, Belichick continues to glare, stonewall and act offended that mere mortals dare to address him. There is not the slightest hint that Belichick is sorry for what he did -- only sorry he got caught. Innocent people falsely accused crave the recovery of their reputation, working hard to convince the world they are good. Creepy people who think they can get away with something act belligerent and show poor sportsmanship, which is what Belichick is doing right now. "

continued....

10/24/2007 2:22:55 PM

Quote :

" Since Belichick took over the Patriots and began the franchise's remarkable run, he and his team have been praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised, praised; criticized when it was discovered New England had engaged in what commissioner Roger Goodell himself called "a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid long-standing rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition"; then -- after about a week of criticism -- praised, praised, praised. This is not a sequence of experiences that would leave an honorable person angry at the world. Yet Belichick acts that way, and he appears to be encouraging anger in his players, which is itself unsportsmanlike. Perhaps you can say in Belichick's defense that the modern American ethos encourages us all to feel sorry for ourselves -- so much so that even someone to whom football has brought wealth, celebrity and Super Bowl rings can tell himself he's a victim. Perhaps you can say in Belichick's defense that claiming victim status is a solid psychological ploy for the New England players -- who are not to blame for their coach's cheating, which they most likely did not know was happening. The New England players still might suffer some long-term harm from the cheating, though: Given the image New England is projecting, would you want Patriots' players endorsing your product? But if the Patriots are unfairly maligned, why the whole screw-you act they are staging? If the Patriots were unfairly maligned, they'd be trying hard to convince us their hearts are pure, and that distinctly is not what they are doing. Sure, many New England players are awesome performers: Both of Moss' touchdown catches Sunday came when he was double-teamed; the Flying Elvii offensive line was flawless again; Mike Vrabel, waived by Pittsburgh, might be the best linebacker in the NFL. But if the Patriots are so awesome they don't need to cheat, then why were they cheating in Week 1? The whole situation remains creepy. Should New England continue on and win the Super Bowl without a major attitude shift toward nice-guy behavior -- and should the year end without the NFL's ever explaining what New England evidence it destroyed or why -- there could be a huge amount of cynicism about this NFL season. Cynicism doesn't sell a sports product, nor is it what the NFL should be marketing to the young. That's why the Pats at Colts game Nov. 4 so clearly represents Good vs. Evil. The Colts stand for everything the NFL, and sports enthusiasts, should be proud of. The Colts stand for a positive future for the NFL. The Patriots stand for -- well, wouldn't it be nice if the Patriots would explain to us what they stand for. When Good meets Evil, I know who I'll be rooting for."

10/24/2007 2:23:17 PM

VS

10/24/2007 2:29:35 PM

i hope they both lose this week to shut these people up.

10/24/2007 2:30:10 PM

meh i've never understood the problem with running up the score... I've put a lot of beatings on some teams and i've taken my fair share too... it's more disrespectful to me for a team to just stop trying and scoring and my team not being able to do anything about it. that's a bigger show up then both teams going all out until the final whistle... if i get beat then i get beat, big whoop.

10/24/2007 2:36:23 PM

I've never seen so much hype for a game between undefeated teams when each team still had another team to play first. Fucking ridiculous

10/24/2007 2:38:59 PM

I don't know, the OSU/Mich. "game of the century" hype started real early last year.

10/24/2007 2:47:40 PM

I thought this was about the good Bengals vs. evil Steelers

10/24/2007 2:50:21 PM

aha i wondered when all of this was going to get started up

10/24/2007 2:56:38 PM

Quote :

"meh i've never understood the problem with running up the score... "

Then I'll bet you really like Tommy Bowden's coaching style.

[Edited on October 24, 2007 at 3:06 PM. Reason : e]

10/24/2007 3:06:39 PM

go colts.

10/24/2007 3:14:08 PM

Quote :

"I don't know, the OSU/Mich. "game of the century" hype started real early last year."

then watching OSU get stomped by Florida was intensely satisfying

10/24/2007 3:21:14 PM

Quote :

"still had another team to play first. "

Yeah, I'm wondering who overlooked next week on the schedules...

10/24/2007 3:22:59 PM

Quote :

"good Bengals "

Good at getting arrested maybe...

10/24/2007 3:24:05 PM

i hope they both lose this week

go redskins and panthers

10/24/2007 3:27:08 PM

BTTT

10/30/2007 12:27:43 PM

WELL SHIT.

10/30/2007 12:28:26 PM

Manning's not all peaches and cream, though.


Lest we forget...

Quote :

"The trainer, Jamie Ann Naughright, disputes the contention in Manning's book that he dropped his pants and showed his backside to another athlete in the training room "thinking the trainer wasn't where she would see." In Manning: A Father, His Sons and a Football Legacy, he wrote the act was "crude, maybe, but harmless" and that Naughright should be able to "shrug it off." According to Naughright's deposition, Manning, while being examined by Naughright, placed his "naked butt and rectum" on her face. In the book, Peyton Manning also wrote of Naughright, "I thought she had a vulgar mouth.""

10/30/2007 12:29:39 PM

I'm thinking they'll tie.

That'd really piss the commentators off.

10/30/2007 12:58:59 PM

New England by 20.

10/30/2007 1:12:32 PM

I want the Colts to win, but my fantasy team wants Tom Brady to throw for 10 touchdowns.

10/30/2007 1:16:45 PM

Fuck the idea of "running up the score." I think that theory is BS. I have been smashed, and I have been in close games. I have pounded others and played in games that I barely won. The object of most sports is to score, and stop teams from scoring.

Who fucking tells a person "Don't do your best," "Take it easy," "Let them score," "Ok, guys we are going to win so try not to score, let them score." WTF is that about. If a defense can't stop a team in the 4th quater, whose fault is that. I hate seeing teams "playing it safe." More players get hurt when you take it easy, tone it down, or just run the ball to run the clock.

Let the players play the game. I think of games like a test. Would you stop answering questions just because you got a passing grade? Or just because you know that you answered enough not to fail? FUCK no, you try to ace the MF, and put your grade, GPA as high as possible.

Oh...its just a fucking game. Give me a break. Put points on the board when you can. When you put your back ups in the game, call plays like you trying to score, like you trying to win. Don't put back ups in and then tell them we not going to use our best plays that we know work, we are only going to use plays that will fail, not help us score...I don't care who the teams are-if you winning, keep winning.


III

By the way...Lets Go Patriots...I never liked the Colts, never liked Peyton (more of an asshole in person). Great team, coach, QB etc...but I am a Patriots Fan. Pats by 24

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 3:35 PM. Reason : ]

10/30/2007 3:30:07 PM

The Pats by 24???

Indy has won the last 3 times they have played.

And how on this Earth anyone outside of NE could pull for them assholes is beyond me.

10/30/2007 3:46:46 PM

lol at this random magazine cover from ten years ago

10/30/2007 3:55:20 PM

^^^Agreed, but at the same time, they kept Brady/Moss in the game for a lot longer than they should have.

I hope the Patriots keep winning and keep winning by 20+ points a game. Let's face it, at least a third of the teams in the NFL are pure shit, and more than that have absolutely no shot at making the playoffs. At the end of the day, only 3-4 teams have a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl, and all of them are in the AFC to boot. I have absolutely no problem with the Patriots taking a giant dump on the entire league, and showing off just how terrible most of these teams are. The NFL tried to taint the record (for doing something every team tries to do) of the only team in the past decade who's front office has been smart enough to keep them consistently good from year to year, while almost every other team gravitates between mediocre and garbage. The rest of the league deserves to be embarrassed by the Patriots, because that's exactly what most of them are, an embarrassment.

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 4:07 PM. Reason : :]

10/30/2007 3:58:30 PM

FUCK

THE

PATRIOTS

10/30/2007 3:58:34 PM

The bandwagon haters are really much more pathetic than the bandwagon fans.

10/30/2007 4:11:23 PM

i wish there were a way they could both lose.

10/30/2007 4:21:09 PM

I hear you on the the idea of keeping Brady/Moss in too long, but I have always been the type of a person that does not like the idea of pulling starters/best players out of the game until last 5 or 4 minutes of a game. BUT THAT IS JUST ME.

I was being a more sarcastic than real by saying Pats by 24. But How great would it be for them to whip the colts by 24 points or more...totally deflating peoples hopes that the Pats have a weakness. The league wants to claim that Manning is the best QB, but Brady hardly ever had a a good receiving core. He did have a good receiver, but now he has the equivalent of what Peyton had. And a strong RB core.

I don't know how people can cheer and be a fan of the Colts...


III

10/30/2007 4:27:20 PM

that good evil nonsense is so fucking stupid

it is going to be a hell of a game

10/30/2007 4:34:12 PM

This is how a view the RedSox v the Yankees in MLB.

the RS are the white knights against the evil Yankee empire.

10/30/2007 8:22:35 PM

^^i agree with that, this column is basically nonsense

but

Quote :

"I hear you on the the idea of keeping Brady/Moss in too long, but I have always been the type of a person that does not like the idea of pulling starters/best players out of the game until last 5 or 4 minutes of a game. BUT THAT IS JUST ME."

what about going for 4th down twice when you are already up by 38 and 45 instead of kicking FG's?

10/30/2007 8:34:26 PM

There is no such thing as running up the score in professional sports. If you are getting paid then there is not obligation to help the opponent "feel good about themselves."

10/30/2007 8:58:19 PM

not sure what i hate more, bill belicheck leaving in the first teamers to run up the score to "make a statement to the league" or the annoying ass bandwagon pats fans that were nowhere to be seen when the pats were a perennial doormat and they were stockpiling top 5 picks

10/30/2007 9:20:59 PM

Quote :

"The bandwagon haters are really much more pathetic than the bandwagon fans."

Seriously.

Anyone know how many snaps Jim Sorgi played when Indy rocked Carolina?

Lastly, NE wins because they have a better offense and defense. QED

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 9:24 PM. Reason : sdf]

10/30/2007 9:23:54 PM

NE should win this easy, offenses are potentially the same, but NE's defense is much better... only way Indy wins this is if their D steps up big time

10/30/2007 9:35:54 PM

Indy players definitely "embraced traditional small-town life" by allowing themselves to be drafted/signed to the Colts, what a dumbass article

10/30/2007 10:02:54 PM

I don't really have an opinion on "running up the score" but at some point, some coach will send in a goon to put an "accidental" rough hit on brady and possibly put him on injured reserve...

10/30/2007 10:30:16 PM

the patriots seem to be like a weird cult with tom brady as their cult leader,
they act weird and they dont seem to share their victories with the fans

10/30/2007 10:38:12 PM

patriots: 38
colts: 24

10/30/2007 10:38:31 PM

what are the combined records of the opponents both teams have faced?

i would almost say that the colts have a better offense because they have a more balanced attack with addai and the run game

belichick is a hell of a coach though...i cant wait to see the schemes that new england will run

10/30/2007 10:41:22 PM

^^^^ It would be deserved if he's still in the game mid-way through the fourth with them up by 28. That's exactly what I'm hoping for.

Running up the score using subs and basic plays is one thing, but going for it on fourth down and bombing it out on every other play is bullshit when you're already up by 28. Why don't they work on their run-blocking or something? It certainly doesn't seem like they need to work on piling on the points as their margins of victory imply.

Not running up the score and "letting the other team get closer so they can feel good about themselves" are two different things. Unless you're Bill Belichick.

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 10:41 PM. Reason : asdf]

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 10:43 PM. Reason : grammar]

10/30/2007 10:41:26 PM

If scrubs go in, they should play full speed. It's idiotic to do otherwise. No professional gives a shit about whiny ass pussy fans who have nothing at stake.

10/30/2007 10:44:47 PM

^ That's fine. All I'm saying is they shouldn't be surprised when someone on the other team gets pissed about the Pats trying to run up the score, and said player decides to take a cheap shot on Moss or Brady. I mean, they aren't the most likable players in the game anyway.

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 10:54 PM. Reason : Bill Belichick cut-off sweatshirts ftl]

10/30/2007 10:47:19 PM

Someone asked me about going for it 4th down and not kicking FGs....you want my serious opinion on that? I don't mind, why kick a FG when you get a TD? Why let the other team off the hook and only get 3 points when they will get the ball back and be trying to get 6/7 points. Put the motherfucking points on the board. When my team(s) get demolished, I don't cry/complain/whine/have a pity party about some team scoring when it is a sure win. WHY? Because I expect the best players to put forth their best effort every play.

I hate kneel downs in games...I never liked them. I played OL, and I was that asshole that argued with the coach about kneeling down. I was that asshole that went full speed on a kneel down, why? B/c I did not practice to half ass. So as for kicking FG's when you up...it is the teams choice. But if you can get a TD, get the TD. You always want to put the most points on the board. If you not trying to score TDs every drive, then why play the game at all?

And I was a NE Patriot back since they picked Drew Bledsoe in 92/93 with the Big Tuna there. Panthers were not here yet, and I was a AFC fan (Broncos, Dolphins, Patriots)....if that makes me a Bandwagon..then so be it. They still the shiznit.

I seriously think this can and will be a great game. But people lets stop talking about running up the score in an game where people are paid to do their job, which is to score, win, and do it big.




III

10/30/2007 10:48:22 PM

i just figured it out

combined records of opponents:

IND @ 7-0:        NE @ 8-0:

NO   3-4          NYJ  1-7
TEN  5-2          SD   4-3 
HOU  3-5          BUF  3-4
DEN  3-4          CIN  2-5
TB   4-4          CLE  4-3
JAC  5-2          DAL  6-1
CAR  4-3          MIA  0-8
                  WAS  4-3

TOT: 27-24            24-34

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 11:11 PM. Reason : better view

10/30/2007 10:52:46 PM

People complain the Patriots run up the score because their team sucks and can't do anything about it.

I am not a Patriots fan but it is true.

The game against Miami, Brady toss the ball intentionally into double coverage to Moss twice...

and what happened?

2 TDs.

Yes, the Patriots is "evil" or whatever the sports writers will have you believe. But when your team plays the Patriots and score 30 in the first half, what do you want them to do?

Start taking knees and let you score? So the country wouldn't think your team sucks?

10/30/2007 11:35:27 PM

Ha, like everyone didn't already know that the dolphins suck.

10/30/2007 11:54:11 PM

I do have a problem with running up the score, but at the same time it's not like if you gave Washington the ball back they were just going to run out the clock. But you can still run it on 1st and 2nd down, throw if you need to on 3rd, and not go for it on 4th.

That being said, the Patriots are a lot better on offense and defense than last year, and the Colts are a little bit better on offense and playing a lot better on defense than last year. The Cowboys kept it close for 3 quarters (31-24 NE) and the Colts are better than them, so as much as ESPN and Belichick want to make it seem like the Pats are untouchable, I think the Colts can win this game.

I'll say 38-31 Colts.

10/31/2007 12:03:48 AM

Quote :

"I do have a problem with running up the score, but at the same time it's not like if you gave Washington the ball back they were just going to run out the clock. But you can still run it on 1st and 2nd down, throw if you need to on 3rd, and not go for it on 4th."

Why should the team that is winning have to settle for run, run, and pass if u have to? Why should the winning team have to leave/change their strategy to cater to the losing team? When a team is winning the losing team expects the run, run, pass if u have to or draw-so why play into their hands and make it easier to stop? Just b/c the losing team can't stop the winning team, does not mean that the winning team has to stop performing at its best/highest caliber.

In essence, those that believe in "running the score up" or saying that a team should stop performing at its optimal level, and should just play it safe, and not do their best. Play predictable, make it easier for the opposing team to stop you. Seriously? Seriously??


III

10/31/2007 12:13:31 AM