Time Out for Sports Talk: Of Sox and Sacks

Todd: We’re back and just in time to wish the Celtics the best of luck tonight as they try to deliver the gift of a loss to defending champion Golden State Warriors this holiday season. Of course it’s been six months and I’m still having trouble typing out the words ‘defending champion Golden State Warriors’. Through my entire life, that franchise had been a joke of sub-mediocrity until Stephen Curry arrived on the scene.

As I tweeted the day the Red Sox signed their ace, ‘Bob Barker and Drew Carey’, if only to avoid typing the most-used sports pun headline of the last week. Yes, the price was right—I’ll go higher than $200 million, Drew—for Dave Dombrowski to sign David Price, which to me was a no-brainer in the world of smart moves.

The Sox didn’t give up any good young players or prospects, and they land a legitimate ace (who’s only 30 years old) with a proven record pitching in the AL East. Is $30+ million per year an insane number? Of course it is, but Zack Greinke is two years older with a poor AL history and received an even larger contract.

Most importantly, Boston desperately needed an anchor for the top of the rotation in order for Buchholz, Porcello, Rodriguez, et al to each slide back a spot and not feeling the pressure every start of needing to be stop losing streaks. Hopefully the Price signing brings out the best in the rest of the starters, and the bullpen improvements have been solid too. Just hope the Sox don’t miss the solid innings-eater that was Wade Miley.

While the Red Sox keep adding to their squad off-season, the Patriots continue losing reinforcements in-season and now find themselves dealing with back-to-back losses for the first time in three years and only the fifth time since 2003.

If there’s anything positive to take from those losses, it’s that it took a muffed punt and some horrendous officiating to fall to Denver in overtime, followed by a complete lack of special teams play (featuring the first punt return for TD against the Pats in nine years) AND a 99-yard ‘pick six’ to lose to the Eagles.

Can you believe the last time the Pats allowed 35 unanswered points to any opponent, the late James Orthwein still owned the team, TOST was still an idea an not an actual show and Mike and I barely knew each other? Guess what I’m saying is that these losses had a somewhat fluky nature to them. They’ll bounce back, despite all the injuries.

The biggest stat I can offer when looking ahead to Sunday night in Houston is that the Patriots have not lost three straight in one season since 2002, and that’s the only time it’s happened in the Tom Brady era. The Pats might still be a bit depleted and are going up against several old friends, but I feel they’ll find a way to grind out a victory: Patriots 26, Texans 20.

Week 14 Picks (2-1 last week, 19-14 season): Mike’s incredible season-long comeback against me is nearly complete…can I hold him off down the stretch? My latest strategy may well cost me our head-to-head competition, as it includes an element of reverse psychology: Bengals over the Steelers, Jets over the Titans and the Broncos over the Raiders.

Mike:Why am I not surprised the Sox finally went out and overspent on a top-line pitcher? Getting Price was the move they needed to make, no question. It does signal a major change in philosophy, but they have the money, why not spend it?

In fact, I'd rather see them add an ace this way over making a trade. and getting rid of the future for a pitcher that may or may not pan out. And let's face it, doing things the cheap way has really not gotten them anywhere. Sure, they did win a title in 2013, but that seemed more like a perfect storm of everything hitting on the right cylinder, with that success never to be repeated again.

I actually have some hope for the Sox this season. now if they can only get rid of Hanley Ramirez...

As for the Patriots, I know deep down, they are going to be OK, but I am having trouble getting the bad taste out of my mouth after the last two losses. Let's just hope they trun this thing around. I think they will, Pats win 28-17.

Week 14 Picks (3-0 last week, 18-15 season): OK, now the pressure's onI need to keep the comeback going here.  I'll go with the Panthers over the Falcons, the Packers over Dallas and the Colts over the Jaguar

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