The Doc Is In.

Amid the cross-burnings held in Danny Ainge's honor and the good-bye letters written for Paul Pierce stood an unfinished gravestone with Doc Rivers' career etched on the front. 2006 was not a pretty time for the storied Boston Celtics. They finished an Eastern Conference-worst 24-58 and seemingly destined to occupy the cellar for years to come.

Enter Kevin Garnett. Enter Ray Allen. Heck, enter Eddie House. Fifteen months after the dismal Boston Celtics closed their pitiful Red Auerbach-dedicated season, they stand as the 2007-08 NBA Champions. The coach once blamed for the demises of Tony Allen and Gerald Green was showered in basketball's first-ever Gatorade bath (however unsafe a tradition it may become).

This week the Celtics extended Rivers' contract by a reported two years. The monetary terms of the deal were not disclosed. The mere thought of it brings to mind one question -- who makes a team, the players or the coach?

Is Doc Rivers really responsible for the Celtics' turn of success? Pierce, Garnett and Allen might have something to say about it. Is there a cemented ceiling to how much influence a coach can have on a team, no matter how great he or she is? When thinking of the all-time greats in coaching, a series of superstars is always attached to each leader on the bench.

Would Phil Jackson have his plethora of rings without the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Scottie Pippen? Would the aforementioned Red Auerbach be the most revered coach in basketball history without Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn? Would Jordan have become the greatest star in the game had he not been under Jackson's regime? Who made the other great?

...this is basically the "chicken and the egg" thing, isn't it?

Posted by Dan Zappulla, VendorBall Columnist.

A-Ray-zing Resiliency.

Tampa Bay came back to take games two and three of the series. One involved a comeback against Jonathan Papelbon, the other took 14 innings and 4 hours of my life that I'll never get back.

Tuesday: Tampa Bay 5, Boston 4
Wednesday: Tampa Bay 4, Boston 2 (F/14)

That's about all. Toronto's up next.

Posted by Dan Zappulla, VendorBall Columnist.

Mid-Game Thoughts (9/9 - 8:28 PM ET)

...aaaand he escaped a ridiculous situation again. Man on third, nobody out. Runner gets stranded there. How? Apparently Matsuzaka can strike batters out when he absolutely needs to. He's been laboring through the first four innings, though. Already over 80 pitches.

Middle of the 4th: Tampa Bay 3, Boston 1.

Posted by Dan Zappulla, VendorBall Columnist.

Mid-Game Thoughts (9/9 - 8:07 PM ET)

Dice-K just escaped yet another bases-loaded-nobody-out situation with minimal damage. How the hell does he keep doing that? He's yet to allow a single hit with the bases loaded this season.

Bottom of the 3rd -- Tampa Bay 2, Boston 1.

Posted by Dan Zappulla, VendorBall Columnist.

Boston 3, Tampa Bay 0 -- We All Saw This Coming, Right?

And with that, baseball started to resume its natural order. Jon Lester came out last night and threw what was seemingly his 300th gem of the season, as the hometown boys took down the young Rays, 3-0.

It was a big first inning that got the night started. The marquis names in the middle of the order -- Ortiz, Youkilis, Bay -- did the damage off Tampa starter Edwin Jackson. Though Jackson would calm down to pitch a strong game overall, he couldn't touch the heat, precision and marksmanship of Boston's young southpaw. Lester meticulously carved through the heralded Rays' lineup with ease, tossing 7-and-two-thirds strong innings before giving way to a 4-out save from the venerable Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon punched out 3 in his extended save to bring the Red Sox within a half-game of first-place Tampa Bay.

Tuesday night brings the second game of this three-game set, as the Rays will send tough lefty Scott Kazmir (11-6, 2.99) up against Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2, 2.88). Runs will be at a premium with these two craftsmen on the hill. A win would guarantee Tampa Bay the A.L. East lead by the time they leave Boston.

Written by Dan Zappulla, Vendorball Columnist.

Optimism vs. Pessimism

Pessimist: Thomas is gone... we're screwed
Optimist: We're going to be just fine

No we're not
Of course we are, this team is still talented.
Not talented enough to do anything, not without Tom at the reins
Remember 2001?
This is NOT 2001!
Of course not, this team is much better than the team in 2001 was.
How do you figure, we had Brady under center in 2001 - beautiful beautiful Brady
And now we have Matt Cassel
HOW IS THAT NOT A PROBLEM!?
Who was Tom Brady in 2001? A backup and a 6th round pick.
Cassel has not started a game since high school!
Bellicheck believes in him, that should be enough for us to give him a chance.
This team cannot do it without Thomas, this is not 2001.
Why not? They have two or three running backs better than all their running backs in 2001. (See comparison in post script)
So what? This is a passing team, now. They need someone who can sling the ball and throw the ball to the right receiver.
And with Moss and Welker, not to mention Jabbar Gaffney and Ben Watson, do you really think there'll be a bad option?
It doesn't matter who catches the ball, it matters who throws it. What happens when his first two reads are covered and he has to sit in the pocket.
You realize that the Pats have three Pro-Bowl offensive lineman. That's more than Brady had when he started. Cassel will have good protection, and good receivers. Plus a good line for the running game, they'll be just fine.
There's no way. They'll never make the playoffs.
They have a preposterously easy schedule: the Jets, Bills and Dolphins twice, plus the Cardinals, Raiders, 49ers, and the Rams in the next 15 games. Going 10-6 is not out of the question.
Well, they'll never be able to beat a playoff team.
Why not? They have a solid defense and they always have Bellicheck.
So what?
Best game planner in the league. Plus, has he ever made a personnel error that you can remember?
Well, no.
So you believe this team can, even without Brady, get into the playoffs?
I guess so.
And once they get into the playoffs they could really put something together and sneak into the Super Bowl?
I don' t know.
Well, that's up to you, but I think they can do it. Worst case scenario, they make the playoffs, Cassel has a decent year and the Pats trade high for a second round pick.
Well yeah, of course.
And best case scenario, they go deep in the playoffs and trade real high for a late first round pick. Or they tank the whole season and take their own first round pick real high.
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing that Laurenitis kid in a Pats uniform.
Damn right.
But we have no idea how this is going to play out.
And how exciting is that? Every week we get a chance to see a young quarterback, potentially coming into his own and winning some games. We had the juggernaut year last year, it's time for something different.
Yeah, I guess it will be kind of fun to see how the team does every week.
That's the spirit!
And they really could pull it together for a surprise run here.
That they could. And you know how the Patriots love being the underdogs.
Yeah... YEAH! Back as the underdogs! No one believes in us! We thrive on that... oh BRING IT BABY!
GOOOOOOOOOOO PATS!


Post Script:
Brady's receivers for 2001 were :Troy Brown, David Patten, Terry Glenn (2 games), Jermaine Wiggins (TE), Rod Rutledge (TE).
Brady's running backs for 2001: Antowain Smith, Mark Edwards, Kevin Faulk, J.R. Redmond

Cassel's receivers for 2008 are: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Jabbar Gaffney, Kelley Washington, Ben Watson (TE), David Thomas (TE)
Cassel's running backs for 2008: Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, LaMont Jordan, Kevin Faulk, Heath Evans

I'd take Cassel's supporting cast any day. If there is any chance for Cassel to make something of himself, this is his shot.

Also, the authors would like to remind you that the Patriots are your team, and if you're dropping them because Brady is gone, then stop going to games so us real fans can get in.

Written by Kyle Baxter - based on an internet conversation between Dan Zappulla and Kyle Baxter

On the Eve of Destruction

I remember back to 2001 when franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe took a woeful hit against the New York Jets. Bledsoe was tossed out of bounds, and rendered virtually useless. In marched a young backup quarterback by the name of Tom Brady. I'm sure you know the rest of the story.

This is not 2001. This isn't even close. When Tom Brady went down in yesterday's Season Opener against Kansas City with what is assumed to be a season-ending knee injury, the hopes of Patriot Country turned its eyes to Matt Cassel. Did I mention that this isn't 2001? Cassel, a backup his entire career, has never had the spotlight shone solely on him. He's always had someone who deferred the attention -- whether it be Carson Palmer at USC, or the aforementioned Brady in New England. This will be a true test of Cassel's skill, poise and endurance, should he hang onto the starting job.

Enough about Matt Cassel. This is about Brady, the reigning NFL MVP, the three-time Super Bowl Champion, heralded by many as the greatest quarterback to grace the gridiron. Perhaps fans around New England and the country in general will now realize just how good he is.

I woke up this morning with a taste of bitterness in my mouth. This was a taste that was sadly familiar. I remember having it only one other time -- the morning of February 4, 2008. Some of you may remember it as the morning following Super Bowl XLII.

I'll reserve judgment, anger and depression until after Brady's MRI results have been released. Needless -- and pointless -- to say, Brady's streak of consecutive games started is in jeopardy.


Written by Dan Zappulla.

Vomit