SZ674

BY JIM DAWSON

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

KEEPING OUR QUARTERBACK FROM GETTING CRUSHED

There was no doubt in my mind that the Patriots were going to beat the Dolphins. They were about 16½ point favorites (and won by 18). My only fear was that #93 Ndamukong Suh, #91 Cameron Wake or #47 Kiko Alonso would wreak havoc on Tom Brady. Wake was reported to have 5 hits out of the 8 on Brady by Miami and their one sack. Wake seemed to come from the left side, beating RT LaAdrian Waddle. Brady got hit a lot of times after he had released the ball. One time he was thrown to the ground after passing. No call. The NFL had better start taking care of their quarterbacks if they want to keep that Golden Goose laying Golden Eggs (football shaped).

It didn’t help the Patriots offensive line when with the score 28-17, Waddle (subbing for the injured Marcus Cannon) limped off in the 4^th quarter with 11 and change to go. That left it up to Cam Fleming to play RT and protect Brady from rushers hell bent on breaking Brady’s bones.

A look at the Gamebook summary shows that after Waddle went out, the Patriots stopped Miami and took over at the Dolphin 38. They ran Lewis 4 times in a row, and on the third carry, he took it 25-yards to the 4. Brady then threw a short shovel pass to Brandin Cooks. TD. 35-17.

The next time the Pats took over, they ran Rex Burkhead 3 times in a row. And punted. Last possession, 3 kneel downs by Brady. One way to protect your quarterback is to keep the ball out of his hands by running and short passes. On the day, the Pats ran it 38 times. They passed 28 times. Dion Lewis had his first 100 yard rushing game (112 yards). Burkhead pitched in with 50 yards (on 13 carries) and 2 TDs, one rushing, one receiving.

The offensive line is beaten up. Center David Andrews is out with an undisclosed illness and Ted Karras did well last week, but yesterday gave up a TD on a hike when Brady wasn’t ready for it. I was hoping that Brady would stay away from the fumbled ball so as not to give the cheap shot artists on the Dolphins a chance to hurt him. He survived it.

Going forth, the Pats will have to face these ‘Good Fellas’ again in a couple weeks (Dec. 11, a Monday nighter). The Dolphins will be trying to beat up Brady if they can. The Pats face Buffalo away next week, and Christmas eve (1:00 start). They’ll be trying to do the same. The Jets get another crack and Pittsburgh awaits Dec. 17.

Let’s hope that shortly Andrews is back at Center and Marcus Cotton (ankle) returns to RT as well. The Patriots need to keep their star player safe. It would be nice if the NFL instructed their refereeing crews to be aware of quarterbacks receiving late hits, hits made to impair and any other cheap shots. Unless of course, the NFL doesn’t care. Remember back in 2014 when Suh intentionally stepped backwards onto Aaron Rodgers’ ankle? Suh was suspended for the wild card game against the Cowboys, but then the suspension was lifted on appeal! Ask Goodell to stop counting his money and pay attention to his quarterbacks who do a lot to fill his larder.

BULLETS

• Belatedly, I realized that last week I never mentioned the Celtics streak. Until Miami beat them to end the streak at 16, the Green had been out rebounding opponents and getting to the foul line by driving to the basket. The Heat outrebounded the Celts 48-37. Four guys are left from last year’s team. What a turnover! Masterful job by Danny Ainge to assemble this crew and making the bold trade for Kyrie Irving. And Coach Brad Stevens has molded these players into a formidable unit (without Gordon Hayward). Fun

• The Boston Bruins are starting to get some players back and starting to show some life. I saw them beat the defending champion Penguins. Strangest thing is Anton Khudobin (whom they almost gave up on) being better in goal than Tuukka Rask. They need both.

• And our local lads, the Rhody Rams (big win over #20 Seton Hall) and the PC Friars, whomping BC by 20, are doing well. Keep it up guys. We’ll need relief from the winter doldrums.

• It took Jimmy Garoppolo a little over a minute to throw his first touchdown pass.

• On a sad note, long time PawSox season ticket holder and all around good guy ‘Big Al’ Beaulieu passed away last week at age 89. Al had the answers to all the baseball trivia and a bag full of souvenirs for the youngsters. He was one of a kind and will be missed.

EMAIL

Nice Sportzine, Jim! Brady was laser sharp in Mexico City vs. the Raiders. And yes, we all remember that call against ‘Sugar Bear’ Hamilton. I think too, many Patriots fans have additional bad memories from many years ago, with the Raiders, in regard to Jack Tatum's hit on Darryl Stingley, which left him paralyzed (he died in 2007).

We all realize that football can be a brutal game (your section on CTE in this week's 'Zine is so important) and I for one, would like to see more strict rules about 'head shots' and late hits in games. I've always enjoyed the fast pace of an NFL game, but I've never enjoyed the sight of a player lying on the ground, seriously hurt from an excessively hard hit.  By the way, in my older age, I now view boxing (and its even more violent offshoots) as an asinine sport. Self defense ?....o.k. ....as a spectator sport ?....viciously stupid.

I'll go with Carlos Santana and of course, Santana (band name) for the quiz answer. "Supernatural" in 1999? Hi Brad, first off - you are right - it's Carlos Santana and Santana the band. And yes, he got a Grammy for Supernatural in 1999. Glad you mentioned Tatum's devastating hit on Darryl Stingley, which ended his career and changed his life. It was an exhibition game, too, as I recall. The hits to the heads of NFLers, accidental or on purpose, will cause many players to reconsider whether to play on. It may cause some to never go into the NFL. The poobahs at the NFL are about to find out what their blind eyes towards CTE did to their sport and the Golden Goose. And remember Bennet Omalu said don't believe the NFL about the safety of any future football helmet. Jerry Jones can 'take his medicine' and shut up. You lose Jerry. Feel the same about boxing. It's still ingrained but the reality of CTE and the punishing nature of the sport makes it difficult to watch. I tend not to, and want nothing to do with the savagery of MMA and the ilk. That idiot Pete Carroll went for a fake FG. His team lost by 3. I had Seattle in my pool. Pissed? Naw. - Z

The guitarist was Carlos Santana and the band's original name was "Santana Blues Band", which was later shortened to "Santana". Walt Dzialo Walt, you are right - it's Carlos Santana. I did not know that Santana Blues Band was the original name of the band. Good info. - Z

Hi Jim,

Enjoyable Zine! 

Wondering if your acronym BAP was an outgrowth of drinking BABs on Beale St (big ass beers)?

Bill Shea

Actually the guys will tell you that while in Memphis, we just stayed with the 16 oz beers (sometimes many). I've used BAP for many years at Patriots games. It's of my own origin. I also yell '7' when the Pats need a TD. A young kid pointed out to me that a TD is 6. So I told him that the 7th point on the kick was pretty automatic. That was before they moved the extra point attempt back. - Z

Sportzine is available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz

THE HOT CLUB

A few weeks back I mentioned that Captain Jack was telling us that he used to motorcycle race on ice. There was an ice rink in Massachusetts where they raced. The motorcycles had knobby ties with sheet metal screws in them. The rink had bales of hay. And unlike European style bike racing on ice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_racing) where they race ‘anti-clockwise’, Jack said that they raced clockwise.

Speaking of bikes, in this case bicycles, Captain Jack said that his son Jackie, who lives in Vermont, and skis Killington, told him that the mountain is making as much money in the off-season with bike racing as skiing. Rent a mountain bike, pay for a lift ticket and try one of the trails. Oh and while you’re in Vermont, pick up some Heady Topper, considered one of the best craft beers in America. If you can find it.

Dr. John related a story about a soldier who hit his commanding officer in the face with a pie. The soldier went on trial in California and Soupy Sales was called as an expert witness on pie throwing. Soupy was asked, “Is it OK to hit your commanding officer in the face with a banana cream pie?” Soupy said, “No. That calls for lemon meringue.”

Heard that the old Bocado’s on Valley Street is now home to Troop, co-owned by Master Brewmeister Sean Larkin. The location was once the site of Cuban Revolution. Still shocked that Bocado’s, which seemed to be thriving, went under. Good luck, Sean.

ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE’S QUIZ

So who was it that moved to San Francisco, was discovered by Bill Graham, had album of the year in 1970 and won a Grammy in 1999? It’s Carlos Santana from Calisto, Mexico. My brother Brad had it as did friend Walt Dzialo. Few will forget Santana’s riveting performance at Woodstock. Influenced by Ritchie Valens, Carlos Santana got his break when Paul Butterfield was too drunk to play the Fillmore West and Bill Graham added Santana to an impromptu band which filled in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Santana

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

A changeup of sorts. When was the debut of the first juke box and in what US city? Don’t look it up. Give me a guesstimate of what year it would have been, and pick a big city for the debut.