By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)
There is nothing like a Monday after a Sunday like last Sunday.
The Red Sox explode on an Ortiz clutch home run, and few people are talking about it. Buchholz implodes, and few people are talking about it, because they won a very big game. The Patriots… They've grabbed the spotlight just because.
Just because what?
Face the moment for what it is. It was not a big game for the W or the L. It was an NFC team that doesn’t carry extra credit in tiebreaker world. Just a game. Yeah, but… Ok it was the opener, but we all know it wasn’t an ordinary opener.
It may have been the Pats' biggest meaningless regular season win in years.
A stunning regular season game that had so many side stories, it's hard to choose the most important. Like everything else in the league, it all starts at quarterback. The new guy played well, and already people are trying to trade Brady.
People are just nuts sometimes.
The Cardinals were supposed to be a really good team, but their play and coaching were horrific. Our home team with the surrogate quarterback just kept it in the road. They won it by allowing Arizona to lose it. Does it matter how they did it? Not at all. They just did it. That was the brilliant part.
It's why they are most hated team of all time and the envy of the football universe.
Let some quarterback controversy begin. This one is more about smoke and mirrors, and manufactured “what ifs” than the usual quarterback controversy.
Like the one that got Belichick fired in Cleveland- Bernie Kosar vs Vinny Testaverde.
One thing did happen that I think we can agree upon: Unless he really goes belly up, number 10 is about to score big money.
It may be here, but probably not. I'm sure people are now reluctant to see him play anywhere else after one game, but it's human nature. Then there is the guy behind him and the guy in front of him. Now that’s a quarterback controversy to be the envy of every team in the league.
Bring on the offers!
Speaking of the league run by the Satan of Sunday, Goodell has become a really unpopular guy. Not only here, this is a growing movement.
Not with his owner bosses, but with fans. It's not so easy getting a grip on what's going on with the National Anthem. It is not so easy to pick a side here, but I wish it was more definitive than kneeling or fist in the air. There is palpable unrest in the nation, and I am really trying hard to see if this is a cure, or just throwing gasoline on the fire.
I don’t know.
Age has brought a little more tolerance and understanding to situations like this, but it's not easy. I don’t think I'm alone on this either. Sure, it would be easy to come down hard on one side or the other, yet to know it's bothering Roger Goodell is a vote in its favor.
Like most things, it will play itself out.
So, I understand the Patriots are taking the Brady banner down inside the stadium. Is this tantamount to admitting they were wrong to put it up? Seems like that, but for them to admit they do anything wrong is pretty unique. It probably was a matter of the coach simply telling the owner to take it down and stop making this a distraction.
Well done, Bill. Just like in Arizona. Well done, Bill.
By this time next week, it all could be turned upside down. Both with the Red Sox and the Patriots. In our world, it always seems to be a day to day and week to week affair.
There are plenty of towns that don't enjoy drama like this. That makes this a pretty special place.
Roger that!
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