SZ711

BY JIM DAWSON

DECEMBER 9, 2019

THROWN FOR A LOSS – KC EDGES PATRIOTS 23-16

To be or not to be. To throw a flag or not to throw a flag. To impact a game or to let the plays determine the outcome. Some circumstances are beyond our control.

Sunday night, the Patriots were impacted by the worst officiating that I’ve ever seen. Only the roughing the passer on ‘Sugar Bear’ Hamilton against the Raiders Kenny Stabler on 4^th down comes to mind and that was a single bad call. This game had multiple messups. The best referees are the ones that don’t stand out for their ineptness. This crew should not be allowed to officiate playoff games.

N’Keal Harry did not go out of bounds at the 3. He hit the pylon and it should have been a touchdown. While the Pats got a FG, they lost 4 points and would have only needed a FG at the end to tie the score. The referee’s excuse was that a defender blocked his view and the call was made by the end zone official. How hard is it to get into proper position to make the call?

Phillip Dorsett gets mugged by a defender on the last drive at about the KC 4 yard line. No call. Where was the official on that play? Blocked from view? Bill Belichick could not challenge either the Harry missed TD nor the interference on Dorsett because he had used his two challenges previously, a 1^st down call for KC that didn’t look like a first down, and Travis Kelce’s fumble (which might have been returned for a TD by Stephon Gilmore), but the play was blown dead, called down by contact. The Pats won the challenge but got the ball at the spot of the fumble. Here’s a suggestion – if you win the challenge then you keep the challenge, like in baseball (which allows only 1 challenge, but you keep it if it’s a successful challenge).

There were also a number of penalty flags thrown that were then picked up and ruled as ‘no flag’. One was a roughing the passer on Chase Winovich. The other was an intentional grounding call on Tom Brady with TE LaCosse near the throw. There was an illegal block in the back (against KC vs Winovich, I think). That was 3 penalties picked up – all in the 1^st half! It’s unusual to see more than one of those ‘pick up the flag’ calls.

None of this will change the fact that the Patriots lost the game, and that stems as much from a horrible first half by the Patriots who were down 20-7 at the break. The Pats had scored first on a flea flicker when James White took a hand off and lateraled back to Brady who hit a wide open Julian Edelman for a TD.

On the very first KC possession, the Pats had an INT by JC Jackson and got the ball at the Chiefs 40 but did nothing with the turnover, going 3 and out. KC would then kick a FG to make it 7-3.

On the ensuing drive the Pats would get to to the KC 23. They then missed a 41-yard FG by post-appendectomy Nick Folk. It was 4^th and 3. Folk’s kick was blocked. Given Folk’s situation, it would have been better to go for it on 4^th down.

After that blocked FG, the Chiefs overcame a 3rd and 19 (pass to Hill for 21 yards) and then a 2^nd and 25 when Mahomes hit RB Mercole Hardman for a 48 yard TD. 10-7 KC.

Matters got worse when Brady didn’t see CB Bashaud Breeland who intercepted and brought it to the NE 35. What followed was the trick play with Travis Kelce and 2 RBs with Kelce getting a direct snap and running it in from 4 yards out. It appeared to be a similar pistol play used by both the Ravens and Houston to score TDs vs the Pats. At 17-7, the Patriots were in a big hole made larger when KC kicked a FG before half to make it 20-7. Plus the Pats were looking at KC getting the 2^nd half kickoff.

KC kicked a FG on that first 2^nd half possession and things seemed dire at 23-7. When Nate Ebner blocked a KC punt with 5:14 in the 3^rd, that sparked the Pats who scored two plays later on a 10 yard end around by Brandon Bolden. Then James White was stopped on the 2 point conversion. 23-13. However there was the whole 4^th quarter to play.

What followed was the missed N’Keal Harry TD which resulted in a Folk 29 yard FG instead that made it 23-16.

Then on their final possession with 5:04 left, the Pats drove deep, but couldn’t get the ball in the end zone with the potential to tie. The egregious miss of the interference against Phillip Dorsett at about the KC 4 was a crusher. Brady rumbled for 17 yards on a 4^th and 6, but in the end the Chiefs defense stiffened and preserved the win for them.

(Source – Game Book)

LEFTOVERS

The Patriots were unable to run effectively despite the fact that KC’s run defense is poor.

NE held KC to 3 points in the 2^nd half. Losing this game gives the Pats a chip on the shoulder. Do not count this team out. Others have made that mistake.

EMAIL

Hi Jim - Love the 'zine as usual, but not a word about that 2nd place team in the AFC East? Only one game behind! Re trivia: Otis?

Best,

Buff Steve

Hi Steve, yes it's the late great Otis Redding. Never should have bought that small plane. It was the first tour that they used it when it crashed.

The Bills are doing great. Pats will have to be on their toes when they play them on Saturday, Dec. 21 – 4:30. I'd love to see them beat the Ravens, but that's a tall task. - Z

I think I know this trivia. Gotta be Otis Redding —Sitting on the Dock of the Bay ??

Jim Dwyer

Jim, yes you are right, it's Otis Redding. Sadly he died too early. - Z

Hello Jim, Merry Christmas. Trivia answer - Otis Redding?        

Thanks for the "ZINE".

David Annese

Yes, David, the answer is Otis Redding. Good for you. Merry Christmas. - Z

Jim,

Let’s hope that loss is the low point for the Pats. I’m sure all those guys being sick was a factor. Word is that they took both planes to Houston, one for the healthy players and one for the sick. Hoping for a needed rebound against the Chiefs.

I’m thinking that the artist you’re looking for is Otis Redding and for the bonus points the song was “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”.

Keep up the good work, always enjoy the Zine.

Cheers,

Tom Robinson 

Right you are Tom, the quiz answer is Otis Redding. Glad you enjoy the Zine. Thanks for the kind words. - Z

I just re-read Zine-three names come to mind-Otis Redding(Sitting on the Dock of the Bay)-Jim Croce (Time in a Bottle)-Janis Joplin (Me and Bobby McKee)-she also had hit Album-Pearl-so I will go with Janis

Ken Forestal

Ken, good guesses on the trivia. One of the 3 is right, but not Janis Joplin. - Z

Hey compadre, answer to your quiz is Otis Redding. Good Zine James.

Mike Curtis

Thanks Mike. Otis Redding is indeed the answer to the quiz. You’re the only one of Team 6 to get it. - Z

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

THE HOT CLUB

Asked Professor Peter if he’s noticed an increase in songs from our era being used to sell product on various TV commercials. I mentioned a few, like Free’s All Right Now, Toots and the Maytals’ Pressure Drop, I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher and Roxy Music’s More Than This. Professor Peter smiled and said that he had noticed it, and then added that the ads are targeted to us because the Boomers have all the money.

The subject of desserts came up and FootJoy asked me if I opted for cheesecake on Thanksgiving. I responded “You mean like women?” He didn’t know what I meant. I said that the term was used to describe sexy photos of women. Not only did he not know it, but the Hot Club staff I asked had not heard of that definition. Neither did Special K, though Dr. John and Fleet Feet Pete knew that connection. So Special K asked some random but young patron if he knew that meaning of cheesecake. He said that he didn’t, and I pointed out that he was too young to know it. So I asked him if he knew that the game that they now call ‘corn hole’ had a very bad connotation. Yes, that one he knew.

ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION

Last time I asked you to name the singer/songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout who had the first posthumous #1 song in the US and the first posthumous LP to reach #1 in the UK. The answer: Otis Redding. Buffalo Steve Lenz had it as did Jim Dwyer, David Annese, Tom Robinson, Mike Curtis and the duo of Mark Allio and Peter Bortolotti who combined to get it at the Hot Club. Otis Redding, who was born in Dawson, Georgia, died 12/10/67 at age 26 when his Beechcraft H18 crashed into a lake near Madison, Wisconsin. Four members of the Bar-Kays also died, with only one, Ben Cauley, surviving. The song was (Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay (co-written by Steve Cropper), which was released in January of 1968 and the LP, released in February 1968, was similarly named. Otis Redding is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music. He was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

THIS ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION

This American band had four #1 hits but initially only had success in the UK and Australia. Their #1 hits in the US were in the 70’s and 80’s, and if you count a #1 in the UK (for a the 5th #1 hit) the 90’s. The band is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The band has sold around 40 million records worldwide and is still active. Name?