Letters to the Editor
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Running up the score
A good bit from today's Boston Globe, by Jim McCabe
There is, up ahead, a big game. Bigger than big. But there exists, back over there, a big issue in which a lot of points were made. Too many points, some would say. Some questions linger from a 52-7 game that has done for the Patriots' national approval rating what opting out has done for Alex Rodriguez.
The Patriots' team song for 2007 is:
A. "You and Me Against The World."
B. "Superman (It's not easy to be me)."
C. "You Can't Deal Me All the Aces and Expect Me Not to Play."
When they met at midfield after last Sunday's game, Joe Gibbs said to Bill Belichick:
A. "Now I regret that I only beat you, 42-17, when you were with the Browns in 1991."
B. "You and me, pal. Talladega. Any time, any day, 500 laps. Let's see what you have under the hood - and I don't mean your sweat shirt."
C. "I've got the Jets next week. Can I borrow your tapes?"
Why couldn't Belichick have shown more class like:
A. Don Shula, whose 1972 Dolphins threw for two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 52-0 win over the Patriots.
B. Gibbs, whose 1991 Redskins went to the air late in the game and rubbed it in against the Falcons, 56-17.
C. Coach Otto Graham and linebacker Sam Huff - beloved Hall of Famers, both of them - who were involved in the decision to kick a field goal with seconds left to give their Redskins much-needed breathing room over the New York Giants, 72-41.
OK, then, why didn't he exercise great sportsmanship like:
A. John Heisman, whose 1916 Georgia Tech club demolished Cumberland, 222-0, and so endeared himself to colleagues that they named college football's most prestigious award after him.
B. George Halas, the icon of icons to the helmet-wearing crowd, and such a gentle, fair-minded, and dignified gent that he called for a double reverse to score his team's ninth touchdown, then faked the extra point and ran in for a 2-point conversion after the Bears' 10th touchdown to cement a 73-0 squeaker over the Redskins in 1939.
C. Lou Holtz, who in 1992 ordered a fake punt in the third quarter to give his team added space in a 54-7 win over Tom Coughlin's Boston College Eagles.
When they met at midfield after the game, Belichick said to Gibbs:
A. "Joe, there are yellow caution flags in NASCAR, not in the NFL."
B. "My memory goes back to 1991, you know."
C. "Tell me, have you folks in the NFC considered flag football?"
The picks
New England (-5) at Indianapolis - By all means, you Patriots and Colts can say hello to one another, but do not say goodbye. You'll see one another again in January. Pick: Colts
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/11/02/questions_worth_running_up_the_flagpole/