Just some Pats stuff I wanted to keep here...

This space for rent. These snippets were on the following website on 2/21/08, regarding league reaction to videotaping procedures by the New England Patriots this past season:

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

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Martz interested in Walsh

INDIANAPOLIS -- San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams team that lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI, said he is interested in seeing whether Matt Walsh comes forward.

Walsh is the former Patriots employee who has hinted he has potentially damaging material, including an alleged tape of the St. Louis Super Bowl walkthrough prior to the Patriots' 20-17 win in 2002.

"Of course, I'm interested. I was involved in that," said Martz to a group of reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine who asked about Walsh. "It was my responsibility. I was responsible for a lot of people in that game. I am interested. But I'm going to assume, like anything else, that this is totally false. Until it proves differently, there's really not much to talk about."

When asked whether he was surprised that one of his former St. Louis players, Willie Gary, was named as a plaintiff in a $100 million lawsuit filed last week against the Patriots, owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick stemming from the alleged taping, Martz demurred.

"I'm not going to go there. When this is all over with and the investigations are finished I hope that Bill is exonerated and this didn't happen, so we'll see."

However, Martz did say that if the Patriots did tape the walkthrough it would have to be considered cheating.

"First of all, I doubt that this happened, I really do," said Martz. "I'll only say this, and I'm not going to talk about it anymore. I don't think the point is ever whether they got something out of it. The whole point is, were they cheating or not? Isn't it? Isn't that really the point? I think so.

"When you say he took some steroids that did help or didn't help. ...that's never the point. The point is to all these high school coaches and high school kids and college kids, if they did cheat, I think that's the point, not whether it was effective or ineffective. I guess that's what is being glossed over.

"But I'm going to choose to believe this is all not true. I just have too much respect and admiration for Bill, and I just don't think it's true. But I guess when I hear people say it didn't affect [the game], well, it probably didn't. No, it probably didn't affect it at all. But that's really not the point, now is it?"

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Competition Committee on Patriots

INDIANAPOLIS -- Members of the NFL Competition Committee just addressed media members here at the combine. Co-chairman Rich McKay indicated that the committee received details regarding the Patriots’ taping procedures.

“This morning, we spent a lot of time on the issue of the New England tape situation, just getting a briefing, an understanding of the procedures and everything that went into it,” McKay said.

“They took us through the investigation, what they did, and what transpired and what they found. They asked our opinion on the penalty, and if there were any suggestions we had that we needed to do from a rules perspective to address it.”

Members of the committee seemed to agree that there was nothing from a rules perspective that needed to be further addressed to avoid the situation in the future.

Another member of the committee, Colts president Bill Polian, shared his opinion on the NFL’s investigation of the Patriots.

“From my perspective, that was a thorough, fair, efficient process with lots of integrity,” he said. “I think it’s fair to say we [as a committee] were satisfied with the explanation, satisfied with what was done, and at least I am anyway. It’s behind us. It’s time to move forward.”

Giants co-owner John Mara also shared his thoughts of the Patriots’ taping procedures.
“I can’t speak for everybody else, but I’m just tired of hearing about it,” he said. “I think we’re all satisfied that it was thoroughly investigated.”

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Lovie on Super Bowl 36:

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bears coach Lovie Smith answered questions from media members this morning. Smith was the Rams defensive coordinator during Super Bowl XXXVI and was asked about a Feb. 2 Boston Herald report that stated a Patriots official taped the Rams' walkthrough the day before the game.

Some of the Q&A:

Did you ever feel that the Patriots had information that helped them be a step ahead?
"No. Not at all. Again, I'm having a hard time remembering last year's [Super Bowl]. To think back to St. Louis, that's definitely harder for me. What I recall is that we were beaten by a good football team that year. It was an excellent football game. That's about all I remember."

As a coordinator and coach, what type of precautions do you take to protect signals?
"Signals, we take all type of precautions. Most teams have wristband calls, and things like that. I don't spend a whole lot of time. Most of my effort goes into trying to find a way to be successful on the football field, doing it the right way, we spend most of our time on that. We have precautions in place to guard against that on game day. That's how we've always done it."

What were your inital reactions when you heard about the report that the Patriots might have taped the Rams' walkthrough?
"I don't go into accusations an awful lot. I think it's dangerous to do that. Of course, I was aware of what was going on [with the report]. Whenever you have people accusing guys of doing things like that, it's just hard for me to fathom that anyone would do anything like that. Those were my thoughts right away. I trust our NFL office and I'm sure that if there is something to it, No. 1, that will come out later on. Time has a way of taking care of all things. Again, during that time, I was more interested in watching a great game which I saw. I have this picture of the Chicago Bears being back in Tampa next year in that same environment."

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Gene Upshaw has strong feelings on videotaping

Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association, shared his feelings on the Patriots' videotaping procedures following a meeting at the downtown Westin. His thought is that the impact of the videotaping has been overblown. "It's absolutely ludicrous to believe it affects a play," he said. "Look at the play in the Super Bowl, you can have all the film in the world but Eli [Manning] still gets out of the pocket, sheds those tackles, and throws that ball. Then go back to the Super Bowl against St. Louis, do you think filming had anything to do with Kurt Warner's fumble?"

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Can we finally put this thing to rest now...for Christ's sake, the COLTS GM, Polian, is running to the Pats' defense...do we need even more of a signal to remind us that this isn't really that big a deal...?

Of course, this is courtesy JF.

This rules. It just does. I'm getting the briefcase...so who cares if it needs to be refrigerated each night?

The Land of Bacon

Email from JF:

The Boston Phoenix cover story this week is all about bacon. That fucking rules. When my Dad was done in the service [editor's note: NAM, BABY!] and he and my Mom were getting ready to move back to the Boston area, they were cleaning out their fridge and there were two pounds of uncooked bacon that my mom was going to throw away. My dad, being the fucking war hero that he is told her no fucking way, cook it up bitch - and he proceeded to eat TWO FUCKING POUNDS OF BACON IN ONE SITTING. Since then, he has never eaten bacon again, but has always been my hero. I think it's time to get him back on the bacon bandwagon. And i think Byam is just the man to do that. I can just picture, Byam in his tight little cabana shorts and crocs, shoving slice after pan-fried slice of crisp pigmeat down my Dad's gullet. That would fucking rule.

Yes, J...that WOULD fucking rule. Since I'm already too portly, I indulge in slices of turkey-thigh bacon, which is actually quite good..but somehow, the above story simply wouldn't be the same if it involved bird instead of pig.

Team USA bringing own food to China

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3256375

Some highlights of the article:

Wary of food quality in China following recent incidents of tainted products and reports of the heavy use of drugs and insecticides in food production, the USOC is planning to transport tons of meats and other foods to a training camp at Beijing Normal University.

"I feel it's a pity that they [Americans] decided to take their own food," Kang Yi, the head of the Food Division for the Beijing organizing committee, said Thursday. She added the U.S. had not officially notified her department of the plan.

The U.S. delegation will number more than 600, and many will eat their daily meals at the training camp, rather than the Athletes Village. The Village will house about 17,000 athletes and officials during the Aug. 8-24 Games and will be capable of serving 6,000 meals simultaneously.

The New York Times reported earlier that the U.S. will ship 25,000 pounds of lean meat to China.

"We have made lots of preparations to ensure that they [athletes] can get together at the Olympic Games," Kang added, speaking at a news conference Thursday on food safety. "If the American delegation is not at that gathering, it's a pity."

The safety of food in China has become a major issue for the Olympics, where athletes will face extensive drug testing. Security officials are aware that a positive drug test triggered by contaminated food could ruin an athlete's career and generate a public-relations disaster for China, which is intent on showing itself as a modern, sophisticated country.

Finally, the US - even if it's just our Olympic committee - is willing to stand up and, in a very public way, proclaim, 'WE DON'T TRUST YOU, CHINA'. How can we trust anything our own companies in China, or the Chinese themselves, produce, after all the recent stories about lead paint potentially poisoning children, among other horrific products coming from China?

This nation does NOT need food or anything else from China, which has years to go before it catches up to safety standards expected of producers in the USj. Unfortunately, in our decaying society, economics and the bottom line rule all. As such, we're going to keep doing business with China and take the diplomatic course, no matter how poisoned their goods are, instead of saying, "no thanks".

See Note Below

....from my 2/19 post. My wife pointed out that I should clarify about whom I refer when I wax philosophical about certain issues. This is what happens when I get caught up in the moment.

Boston.com post regarding Matt Walsh

Obtained from http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

A CLOSER LOOK AT MATT WALSH

While the NFL world still waits for something to happen regarding the indemnity impasse between the league and the attorney for former Pats employee Matt Walsh, more and more of our readers and friends have been tracking down information about Walsh.

A couple of them found this slideshow from Walsh's 2004 wedding. Two of the photos caught our eye.

In the first one, Walsh is in what appears to be his bedroom, with a collection of Super Bowl posters. The irony is obvious, given that many in the media believe that he was/is the source for the story that appeared in the Boston Herald regarding alleged cheating by the Patriots in connection with Super Bowl XXXVI. Here it is:

The other photo, shot in the same room, shows a bunch of official NFL footballs that Walsh likely didn't buy off the shelf at a local sporting goods store. And unless the Pats routinely give multiple footballs away to low-level employees, videotapes might not be the only thing he "borrowed" from the franchise when he left:

Also, as to the 31-year-old Walsh's claim that he played golf at Springfield (Mass.) College, this link to the historical rosters of the team contains no one named Matt Walsh in 1997, 1998, 1999, or 2000. It's possible that he played in 1995 or 1996; those records aren't available on the page linked above.

Does anyone of this have anything to do with whether he knows something incriminating? Nope. But to the extent he isn't able to tell a clear and persuasive story, any evidence of embellishment or outright fabrication will hurt him.

The guy robbed all kinds of crap from the Patriots...its incredible!! You all have to see this!! Arlen Specter...you, Matt Walsh and your sucky Eagles will burn in hell.

And people wonder why Commissioner Goodell has said Walsh has all the immunity he wants IF he tells the truth. For some reason that isn't good enough for Matt Walsh's lawyer, who wants full immunity no matter what. So the lawyer wants Matt Walsh to be able to fabricate a story to damage the Patriots, with no jail time for lying in a court of law...? That makes a lot of sense. Typical passive-aggressive behavior; a golf pro living in Hawaii, embittered about being released by the Patriots, bringing up a fabricated story about more videotapes from 2001-2002. I'm glad Belichick finally commented on all this, stating he couldn't "pick Matt Walsh out of a lineup".

Read...

...this.

Nice response on www.myspace.com/datejesus:

If an animal has babies and a runt is not able to get food from the mother it will die. This is how nature works.

Sadly our once great nation has created an UNNATURAL state that will destroy itself or be destroyed by others not because of the ignorant but because of the tolerant.

"Tolerance is the attitude of those who believe in nothing." - G. K. Chesterton

Today people and politicians have been so brainwashed and desensitized by tolerance that we don't even know when an entity is destroying us within. How could we know? The government is supposed to have the people's best interest in mind. Is it in the interest of the middle class for our GOVERNMENT to pay for someone else's food, shelter, DOCTOR bills? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Is it in the best interest to not only give out these things but elect a president who make more of these programs? Personally I do not think that there is person running that is going to change. Every candidate with a chance to win is basically the same.

America is so corrupted and tolerant that it is basically an anarchy. Anything goes man. Our leaders desire power but don't care about the citizens.

Every option at the moment lacks any character capable of being called a "President of the USA".

***********NOTE (via Edit)***********

Please understand that in no way do I tolerate any sort of forced method by which the disabled in our society would be left to rot. Part of the few remaining values I love in this country include the willingness for society to help those out who TRULY NEED assistance living their everyday lives, and even trying to integrate them into society. This is the most giving nation in the world - to a fault, per my below point. Understanding that my spouse's work is in the area of human services, I've met many wonderful people who either have had autism, or younger, troubled children with a real chance at contributing to society with the right people - like her - helping them along into adulthood, when she worked at a home for younger children. This is truly a great accomplishment in our society; in Europe, they still look at you sideways if you have any kind of disability - I've seen it firsthand.

My thoughts and philosophy surrounding the above issues in the original post may seem cruel, but the people I would cast aside in a new, better society would be those that are consistently lazy, hateful, and who have a choice as to whether or not they would like to become active members of our society, but rather refuse and attempt to live off other's tax dollars, blaming everyone but themselves for their plight. The problem in our government is not that we help the disabled, but that we mistakenly help the fully able: those with a choice as to whether or not they need unemployment benefits, welfare; the child abusers, the rapists, the crooks; the people who treat those who need their trust with complete disregard. These are the people society should send to prison without a second thought, or cut off completely and tell them to get off their asses and pay their income taxes like everyone else for the betterment of society.

My favorite new Byam greeting

He left this gem, among others, on my vmail a few months back, and I still can't bring myself to delete the message:

"I hope you get ass cancer."

Now it's funny because I'm young and don't have to worry yet about ass cancer, per se..and it's also funny because it's Byam, telling me that I should get ass cancer, almost threatening me with it. Classic Byam humor. Ass cancer...it just doesn't get much better than that. Unless you, uh, ya know..are diagnosed with it.

Eh...

http://blog.lostpedia.com/2008/02/carlton-five-more-episodes-of-season-4.html

I guess we're only getting 13 eps this season instead of 16. Supposedly they're splitting the 3 eps among Seasons 5 and 6 to bring the total number of episodes up the original amount they intended. But this is another reason why ABC execs and advertising dollars should not be in control of this show, which is right up there w/ Sopranos and The Shield among the best ever.

Beckett & the boys ready to go

The words "Fun" and "Josh Beckett" don't always go together; he always seems to have his mind on the business at hand..which is good when you're a playoff machine. Anyway, here's a great picture from Spring Training. Can we finally get the season started now? Please? What Super Bowl? Huh?

Another Boston team is now 16-0...

...against the NBA's Western Conference, that is.

The Celtics, minus both Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, just beat the Spurs in Boston. They're now 16-0 against Western Conference teams, beating both Dallas and San Antonio without Garnett. I guess at 39-9, they're the real deal now.

BofA's new customer service policy

Bank of America's Ministry of Highway Robbery

Growth by debt. What a wonderful idea. Looks like our gov't is using the same approach. Credit card companies and the US Gov't, working together to bankrupt the middle class and continue false American growth via debt which we'll never be able to pay back (not to mention ridiculous levels of inflation).

New ANUS.com article

Click here.

You don't f*** with The Jesus

From http://www.datejesus.com/:

America has no culture, save that of consumption, so it discusses all issues only in terms of economics. What to do when the brutal implications of compounding debt reveal this too as a failure?

Our illegal population alone exceeds the all the Irish, Jewish and British immigrants who came. Each year, we catch more people breaking in at the border than all the Swedes and Norwegians who came to America in 200 years. Half a million illegal aliens succeed in breaking in every year, more than all the Greeks or Poles who came legally from the Revolution to 1960.

18-1

Wow. Just wow.

The only thing that could make me feel better is three years from now - three Super Bowl victories in a row. Oh well. Now I feel like the Yankees fans after 2004.