My Week 5 FCS Poll

There are probably a great number of readers here who many not be familiar with the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly I-AA) but I follow it closely since that is where the New Hampshire Wildcats play. Several other New England schools also play in the FCS including Maine, Massachusetts, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Northeastern. For the third year I cast votes in the weekly AGS Top 25 poll. This poll is the most accurate poll of the FCS when comparing each seasons playoff field to the preseason poll. Starting this week I will share my poll with my readers. 1. James Madison (4-1) Last: defeated Maine 24-10 Next: Saturday vs Hofstra 2. New Hampshire (4-0) Last: defeated Dartmouth 42-6 Next: October 11 vs William & Mary 3. Cal-Poly (2-1) Last: defeated Northeastern State 52-18 Next: Saturday vs South Dakota 4. Appalachian State (2-2) Last: defeated Presbyterian 48-14 Next: Saturday vs #18 Citadel 5. Montana (4-0) Last: defeated Central Washington 38-35 Next: Saturday at Weber State 6. Delaware (2-2) Last: defeated Albany 38-7 Next: Saturday at #17 Massachusetts 7. McNeese State (2-1) Last: defeated Southern Virginia 63-7 Next: Saturday at #19 South Dakota State 8. Villanova (3-1) Last: defeated then #1 Richmond 26-20 Next: Saturday vs William & Mary 9. Richmond (3-2) Last: lost to then #17 Villanova 26-20 Next: Saturday at Virginia Military Institute 10. North Dakota State (2-2) Last: lost to Youngstown State 32-24 Next: Saturday vs #11 Southern Illinois 11. Wofford (3-1) Last: defeated then #23 Georgia Southern 38-37 in overtime Next: October 11 vs Chattanooga 12. Southern Illinois (2-1) Last: defeated then #5 Northern Iowa 27-24 Next: Saturday at #13 North Dakota State 13. Furman (4-1) Last: defeated Chattanooga 35-10 Next: Saturday vs #14 Elon 14. Northern Iowa (2-2) Last: lost to then #15 Southern Illinois 27-24 Next: Thursday vs Nicholls State 15. Citadel (3-1) Last: defeated Western Carolina 34-14 Next: Saturday at #2 Appalachian State 16. Elon (4-1) Last: defeated Samford 23-17 Next: Saturday at #15 Furman 17. Eastern Washington (2-2) Last: defeated Idaho State 45-31 Next: Saturday at Portland State 18. Central Arkansas (4-1) Last: lost to Tulsa 62-34 Next: October 11 vs Sam Houston State 19. Liberty (4-0) Last: defeated then #24 Youngstown State 31-28 Next: Saturday at Coastal Carolina 20. William & Mary (2-1) Last: defeated Norfolk State 42-12 Next: Saturday vs #12 Villanova 21. Jacksonville State (3-1) Last: defeated then #22 Eastern Illinois 23-10 Next: Saturday vs Southeast Missouri State 22. Northern Arizona (3-1) Last: defeated Northern Colorado 25-22 Next: Saturday vs Sacramento State 23. South Dakota State (3-2) Last: defeated Stephen F. Austin 50-48 Next: Saturday vs #4 McNeese State 24. Prairie View A&M (4-0) Last: defeated Morehouse 28-17 Next: Saturday at Grambling State 25. North Dakota (4-1) Last: lost to Southeastern Louisiana 38-35 Next: October 18 vs Western Washington Rankings referenced in past and future games are based on the overall AGS poll and not my specific ballot.

Hanky Stein Crying Over Yankees Missing Playoffs

This should come to no surprise to anyone. Hank Steinbrenner is whining over Major League Baseball's playoff format the day after the Boston Red Sox officially eliminated the New York Yankees from the playoff race. "The biggest problem is the divisional setup in major league baseball. I didn't like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now," Steinbrenner wrote. "Baseball went to a multidivision setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn't fair. You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while we're not. I'm not sure how the Dodgers making the playoffs would keep the Yankees out in any format since their in a different league. Even if Major League Baseball still listed teams as a league instead of divisions, the Yankees would only have the fourth best record among American League teams and thats only by a half game over the Chicago White Sox. "I'm happy for Joe, but you have to compare the divisions and the competition," Steinbrenner wrote. "What if the Yankees finish the season with more wins than the Dodgers but the Dodgers make the playoffs? Does that make the Dodgers a better team? No." Again he's using an argument that wouldn't matter in any format. Steinbrenner also questioned the legitimacy of the Cardinals' 2006 title, noting that their 83 regular-season victories were two less than the Phillies' total, but because of the system, St. Louis reached the playoffs as NL Central champs while Philadelphia lost the wild card race to the Dodgers, who had 88 wins. "People will say the Cardinals were the best team because they won the World Series," Steinbrenner wrote. "Well, no, they weren't. They just got hot at the right time. They didn't even belong in the playoffs. And neither does a team from the N.L. West this season." Someone should ask Hanky if he should be taking shots at World Championship teams since the accomplishments of at least two of the Yankees recent Championships are tainted by steroids. Of course, the same could be said for the 2000 Yankees, who won the World Series that fall after registering just 87 wins to capture the AL East title. Four other teams in the AL had more victories that season, including a 90-win Indians team that missed the playoffs. Ahhh and one is tainted by Hanky's own logic.

Sox Will Finally Honor Pesky

This weekend the Boston Red Sox will break franchise protocol and honor Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky. Pesky has been a part of the Red Sox franchise in several roles for 57 of the past 69 years, he will finally receive and honor he so truly deserves. The Red Sox have requirements that must be met for a player to have his number retired. They include finishing your career with Boston, playing for Boston for at least ten seasons and being a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Pesky meets the requirements except for the final one, this move by Boston could also open the door in the near future for the retirement of Jim Rice's number should the Hall of Fame voters continue to keep him out of Cooperstown. Pesky today is one of the most beloved of all the Red Sox family. On opening day 2005 he received the loudest ovation from the Fenway faithful and one would assume Fenway will be rocking this weekend when his number 6 is unveiled in right field between Joe Cronin's #4 and Carl Yastrzemski's #8. Congratulations Johnny, this honor is well deserved for such a great member of the Boston Red Sox.

High School Game Plan Fails Patriots

Today was the perfect time to open the Patriots offense for Matt Cassel and let him start airing the ball out. Instead the Patriots stuck with their past games plans and continued to work on short passes that made the completion percent look nice but nothing else. If Matt Cassel can't be the quarterback who can pass the ball down field and help the offense score points then don't put him on the field. We would be better off using the game time in a failed season to develop a younger Kevin O'Connell, because if Cassel can't be a down field passer now, he never will be, he is completely useless to the New England Patriots. Losing today was tough to take, it was the Miami Dolphins after all. Several people have used the words "karma is a bitch" or "karma sucks" and while that maybe true, right now I'm not upset about losing to Miami, I am upset with how we managed to lose. Trailing 21-6 with about a minute left in the first half and knowing Miami gets the ball first in the second half, the Patriots offense went out on the field and continued to good off with the damn short passes. I don't care if coverage was tight, at some point you need to say the hell with it, send Randy Moss deep, air it out and let Moss do what he does best, make amazing plays. Early in the fourth quarter the Patriots had a series that went, incomplete short left, Cassel 2 yard rush, Cassel 2 yard rush, punt. It was clear even before then that this team gave up. The Patriots have a bye next week and then have back-to-back games out west, first in San Francisco and then in San Diego. It may benefit the team to remain out west between games, if not to save them from the excessive jet lag, than to save the players from seeing the trashing they are sure to take in the media over the next couple weeks. If the Patriots aren't competitive in three weeks against the Chargers it will be clear this team is toast for 2008. At least we have the ability to look forward to the day Tom Brady returns to the huddle for the Patriots.

Sox Announce 2009 Schedule

Well numerous Red Sox bloggers wont spend weeks this year patching together the Red Sox schedule as the team today announced it's 2009 schedule. Here is a link to the schedule, I will be back in a bit with more on it.

Red Sox Avoid Gorilla Escape Repeat

The Boston Red Sox and Theo Epstein have agreed on a new contract. Terms of the deal were not announced. ‘‘We are all on the same page with regard to our vision for the organization," Henry wrote in an e-mail this afternoon. "The negotiations were pleasant and were all about rewarding Theo for the great, great job he has done in bringing two world championships to the Red Sox. We look forward to the difficult task of trying to win a third." Henry clarified in a later e-mail that while the main negotiations were complete and "lawyers are handling the details," the sides haven't settled all matters.

Red Sox Likely To Land Junichi Tazawa

From Kyodo News Right-hander Junichi Tazawa, who helped Nippon Oil to its first title in 13 years at the national corporate baseball tournament that ended Tuesday, will try to sign with a major league club without playing in Japan, baseball sources said Wednesday. The highly unusual news came as a shock as the 22-year-old Tazawa was expected to draw the spotlight as the key figure in the first round of this year's autumn amateur draft in Japanese baseball. Major league clubs, including the Boston Red Sox, appear to be interested in Tazawa. The right-hander throws a fastball over 150 kilometers per hour and also has a forkball and slider in his arsenal. Tazawa pitched in all five games of the national tournament, posting four wins to help lead Nippon Oil to its ninth overall crown and was named the tournament MVP. There's some good links here on Tazawa. Braves and Tigers among those interested but consensus seems to say Boston will land him. A writer for Yahoo Sports Japan also predicts the Red Sox will land him.

Massarotti Is An Idiot

I'm sure by now most of Red Sox nation has gotten a whiff of the article Tony Massarotti wrote today writing off any importance of winning the American League East and suggesting the Red Sox would be better off resting players and taking the Wild Card then going full force at Tampa Bay for the division crown. First off, too much rest will only kill us come the playoffs, just ask Detroit. Second, does anyone feel comfortable having to travel to Anaheim in the first round? I don't either. As I write this the Red Sox are within three outs of a one half game deficit in the American League East and likely will be division leaders when the series ends Wednesday, exactly why should or would Boston write off the American League East at this point? The prize of winning the East is hosting Chicago or Minnesota in a best of five series, that gives a much safer route to the American League Championship Series than a match up with the Angels on the road. Also as I write this Jonathan Papelbon just now finished off the Rays for a 3-0 Sox victory moving Boston to just one win behind the Angels for the best record in the American League, should Boston also write off securing home field advantage when it is very achievable? The Red Sox have the talent offensively to remain a powerful force while resting players reguarly, afterall they have been doing that most of the season. Chris Carter can play DH while resting David Ortiz, Carter has power and went 3-3 earlier this season during a one game callup. With J.D. Drew ready to return he can get some rest once he's back on track with Mark Kotsay in the fold along with Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury around. When it comes to pitching you can't exactly shut a guy down for three weeks and expect him to be ready to fire up for the playoffs, these guys still need to pitch. As of today the rotation is actually setup perfectly. On the 13th Boston has a doubleheader, Paul Byrd and Bartolo Colon are scheduled to start. If theirs no injuries between now and the seasons end and Boston uses all six starters after this weekends doubleheader then Beckett would be slated to open a October 1st ALDS match up on seven days rest. Depending on when game two was played either Lester (Oct. 2) or Matsuzaka (Oct. 3) would pitch on regular rest, the other would pitch game three on at least regular rest. There are enough arms available or soon to be available that Boston can get these guys out after five innings down the stretch to limit the innings they pitch. There really is no reason to call off the dogs and Massarotti would know this if he even took a few minutes to research what he writes.

REPORT: Brady Tears ACL; Done For Season

If reports are accurate, the Patriots quest for redemption just got a lot more difficult. Multiple sources are reporting that Tom Brady suffered serious damage to his left knee when hit in the first quarter on a dirty hit by Kansas City Chief Bernard Pollard. Matt Cassel played well in relief of Brady but the Patriots could still look around and see what kind of deal they might be able to make for a veteran QB. Among names that could be disussed over the coming days will be Kerry Collins, Brad Johnson, David Carr, A.J. Feeley, Rex Grossman, Kurt Warner and Trent Green. Warner is the only starter in that group, but if the compensation was good enough Arizona has Matt Leinert on the bench and cerainly would entertain moving Warner.