The 2013 Boston Red Sox were characterized by their chemistry and team-first mentality. They were probably not the most talented team in baseball. Actually, they definitely were not the most talented team in baseball. They caught lightening in a bottle and won a World Series a few years before they were expected to be a championship contender. However, can a team have continued success relying on chemistry to win ball games, especially when the players may not actually be as team-oriented as they like you to believe?
In 2012, Designated Hitter David Ortiz stated that all he wanted was a two-year deal with the same salary he was currently making. Following the 2012 season, the Boston Red Sox gave Ortiz that multi-year deal. However, after playing through his first year of that two-year contract, Ortiz has yet again started to complain about his contract. Not only does Ortiz want another year, he is now expressing his desire to make $20 million per year, a $5 million raise. The only reason for Big Papi to be pursuing another year would be the fact that he believes he is nearing the end of his career and looking to get a free year out of it. If he has another good year, the Red Sox would absolutely bring him back. They want him back and he wants to be back. In addition to the mutual desire for Ortiz to stay in Boston, there is not much of a market for the slugger. There would be a maximum of 14 other teams that would be interested in Big Papi. Of those 14, many of them already have at least one designated hitter on their roster. In the Yankees’ case, they have five. Furthermore, many teams prefer to have flexibility at the designated hitter spot, like the Yankees do, than to have a player who is limited to just hitting. Ortiz said he felt “disrespected” that people believe he is greedy and only wants to talk about his contract. He should not feel disrespected, and he knows that. I am willing to guarantee he does not feel disrespected; he just wants to see how far he can push the Red Sox. He knows that if he goes public, the majority of the fans will be putting pressure on the front office to give their beloved Ortiz what he wants. Why else would he go public? It makes him look like a fool. There are no haters, David, we just do not like the constant bickering about your contract. Yes, he puts on the leadership and team-first face when he wants to, but his main concern right now is his contract, and he would be more respected if kept it to the privacy of Fenway instead of going straight to the media. And to counter Ortiz’s comment about only wanting to talk about his contract, I know that is not true. He also wants to talk about his stats. While Ortiz demands another year, Jon Lester has also spoken on his contract status. At the Boston Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards dinner, Lester stated that he wanted “to be here until they rip this jersey off my back.” He went on to say, “it’s like Pedey. He left a lot of money on the table to stay here…I understand that to stay here, you’re not going to get a free-agent deal.” During the 2013 season, Dustin Pedroia agreed to an eight year, $110 million deal, a deal that will exceed $15 million per year only once. Lester’s original comments made it seem as though he would be willing to take well below market value, like Pedroia, to stay in Boston. In an interview with WBZ’s Dan Roche, Lester took a step back from his hometown discount comments by saying, “everybody’s hometown discount is a little bit different” and that “mentally you have to prepare yourself for [walking away] as a possibility.” So much for wanting to be here until we ripped the jersey off his back. During the interview, there were a few numbers thrown around; the only number Lester said was $23 million, making it seem as though that is what he is looking for. Last week on CBS Radio’s “Felger and Massarotti,” Roche said he believes Lester will be looking for a seven-year deal worth around $150 million. That does not sound like a hometown discount to me; that would make him one of the ten richest pitchers in baseball. Is Lester a top ten pitcher in the Major Leagues? Absolutely not. Lester is not even an ace. In an eight-year career, the lefty has won 16 or more games only twice. Lester has been heralded as a postseason pitcher, but you do not pay $25 million per year for postseason games, something that you are not even guaranteed to reach. In reality, there is even an argument to be made about how good of a postseason pitcher Lester really is. He pitched well in the 2007 World Series and the entire 2013 playoffs; however, Lester was miserable in the 2008 playoffs and only mediocre in his only playoff start in 2009. Lester’s contract rumblings are not on the level of David Ortiz’s. I know that players are looking to get paid and I understand that; it is their career, how they make money. However, I do not like how he tells Red Sox Nation that he would be willing to take a hometown discount, and then mentions numbers comparable to the best in the game. One of the most egregious and selfish comments from this team had nothing to do with money or contracts and, ironically, it came from Mr. Team himself, Jonny Gomes. Right after the Red Sox had clinched their first World Series title at home in 95 years, Jonny Gomes had an interview with Ken Rosenthal in which he instructed the Fox Sports reporter what to ask him. He wanted Rosenthal to ask him about the team being 10-1 with Gomes starting in the postseason. That is as selfish as it gets. Jonny, the team went 10-1 with you starting, but you did not do much to help. Yes, you hit a big three-run home run in the World Series, but you only hit .167 in the playoffs. Baseball is absolutely a team sport, and yes, the Red Sox won with you in the lineup, but it was more the other players that had an affect on the games. He tooted his own horn even after having a dreadful time at the plate. Come on, Jonny. So, are the Red Sox really all that team oriented? No, they are not. The players want to do what is best for them. Will this be a downfall of the team? No, it will not be; they will still compete for another title. This is not 2012. Every team has players who are all about getting money or their personal stats, not everybody is like Dustin Pedroia. While all these things are irritating, they are all part of the game. Red Sox players are no different from the rest of the league. I am sick of hearing about how this team is different and they are all about the team. Yes, they have chemistry, but they are not as team-oriented as many like to believe.
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Anquan Boldin would be a different kind of addition to the Patriots than Hakeem Nicks or Danario Alexander. Boldin will be 34 in October. He does not have the speed of either of the previous two receivers mentioned. However, he would bring a lot to the Patriots offense. Using FanSpeak's "On the Clock" draft simulator, I was able to take control drafting duties for the New England Patriots. The Patriots have a few positions that need upgrading this offseason. They could use some pass rushers, some offensive line depth, and possibly a few more weapons for Brady. The Patriots start their draft at the 29th pick, where they immediately focus on the defensive side of the ball...
1(29) Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame Tuitt is a 6'7", 315 pound defensive lineman who can play any position on the line. He played defensive end in Notre Dame's 3-4 defense and recorded 7.5 sacks from there in 2013. However, Tuitt has the size to move inside in a 4-3 defense. Tuitt could provide depth as a defensive end, or bring some pressure as an inside lineman and we all know Bill Belichick loves versatility. 2(62) Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame Troy Niklas is a pass catching tight end who could be a great addition to Brady's weapons. At 6'6" Niklas will serve as a matchup nightmare to both linebackers and safeties. He could help the Patriots go back to the two tight end offense that they thrived with before Hernandez's release. Niklas has the potential to be Rob Gronkowski-esque with his size, physicality, and superior blocking abilities. 3(93) Kelcy Quarles, DT, South Carolina Quarles is more of a pass rushing defensive tackle than a run stuffing tackle. While the Patriots do need a run stopping guy in the middle, with Brandon Spikes leaving via free agency and Vince Wilfork coming off of a major injury, Quarles could still be a valuable addition to the defensive line. If Wilfork can come back as a force, he would serve as the run stopper while Quarles provides extra pressure on the quarterback. One observation that is worth nothing, however, is that Quarles, 9.5 sacks in 2013, recorded most of his big plays while teammate Jadeveon Clowney was being double teamed. Wilfork could take up extra defenders allowing Quarles to get to the quarterback, but if Wilfork does not return to form, how will Quarles perform? 4(126) AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama He came right out and said he wanted to play for the Patriots and back up Tom Brady. How can you not like a guy like that? He truly is all about winning and would love to improve his game behind the best quarterback of all time. 6(182) Kadeem Edwards, OG, Tennessee State From CBS Sports, "Scouts love linemen with long arms and Edwards has the longest of any of the athletes measured Monday at the Senior Bowl, measuring in at 34½ inches. The 6-4 1/8, Edwards also showed good weight distribution with a relatively trim middle at 308 pounds." Edwards, named to the AP FCS Second All-American team would provide size and depth on the offensive line. 6(190) Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbuilt Hal, Second Team All-SEC, has great speed and was dubbed "one of the leagues best cover corners" by the Sports XChange. Hal has good size for a cornerback standing at 6'1". In 2013 he had 14 passes defended to go along with three interceptions. The Patriots have some good young cornerbacks in Alfonzo Dennard and Logan Ryan; however, with Aqib Talib's future unknown, and his inability to stay on the field, they could use another solid cornerback. 7(221) Michael Schofield, G, Michigan As stated before, the Patriots could use some depth on the offensive line. Schofield was a guard as a sophomore for the Wolverines, but transitioned to tackle for his final two years. Schofield is now making the move back to guard to show off his versatility to NFL scouts. Again, Bill Belichick loves versatility and Schofield would provide depth across the the offensive line. Who knows, Bill may even have him learn center. You can view the entire mock draft here. Jared Allen will be 32 years old for the 2014 season. In a ten-year career, Allen’s teams have only made the playoffs in four years (five games). However, in those five games, he still did some damage, recording four sacks. While he has made the playoffs, Allen has yet to be on a true championship caliber team. He would be on a true championship contender if he came to New England.
He finished the 2013 season with 11.5 sacks, his seventh consecutive double-digit sack season. Allen is just two years removed from a league-leading 22 sacks; however, his play has definitely slipped. He is not the same player he once was. Allen has said he does not want to go somewhere where he would be a situational pass rusher. He wants to start, or retire. If he came to New England, it is tough to say what exactly his role would be. He is a better pass rusher than Rob Ninkovich, but Nink has been very good for the Patriots. Perhaps the Patriots could convince Allen to come here in a role where he is not just a situational pass rusher, but not a starter either. By that, I mean they could run a rotational defensive line. They would have three very capable pass rushers in Allen, Ninkovich, and Chandler Jones, and a rotation could keep them all rested for the extended season that Patriots are almost guaranteed to have. Allen may be somewhat of a stretch. It all comes down to if he would be willing to accept the limited playing time, something he has already stated he would not want to do. (Money may be somewhat of an issue as well.) However, if he had the chance to win a championship, would he change his mind? Not only would his play be a great addition, with Allen’s tutelage, Chandler Jones could take the next step to becoming the elite pass rusher the Patriots believe he could be. The New England Patriots saw a change of epic proportions on the offensive side of the ball in 2013. They went from having the best tight end duo in the National Football League, to not having a single tight end who teams had to game plan for.
With Aaron Hernandez facing murder chargers and Rob Gronkowski recovering from yet another injury, the Patriots had to turn to Michael Hoomanawanui and rookie Zach Sudfeld. Sudfeld played in three games before being cut and was not targeted once in any of the three games. Hoomanaawanui was targeted only 19 times all year, catching 12 of his targets. Back-up tight ends Matthew Mulligan and DJ Williams had two catches on three targets and zero targets respectively. So there you have it. Tight ends not named Rob Gronkowski caught 14 passes all year long. To put that into perspective, Gronk reached that mark almost immediately upon his return. Clearly, the Patriots need some help at tight end. This is a very deep draft class for tight ends, but Bill Belichick may look to acquire a veteran instead of going with another young receiver for Brady, and Scott Chandler would be the most likely of the free agent tight ends to be signed by New England. Chandler has always been a tough cover for the Patriots and Belichick likes to acquire players he has trouble against. (See Welker, Wes) His 38 yards receiving on opening day are the fewest against the Patriots since 2011. He caught three touchdowns against the Patriots in 2012. Last year, Chandler even had more catches than Vernon Davis, and did so on fewer targets. I am not by any means saying that Chandler is better than Davis; however, he is a productive and talented receiving threat (he led the Bills in receptions and receiving yards) that has yet to get the opportunity to play on a good offense with a good quarterback. Money would certainly not be an issue if the Patriots decided to pursue Chandler. What might be the deal breaker is that the Patriots like to have a player who is well versed in all aspects of the game at his position. Chandler, however, is not a very good run blocker. That being said, Hernandez was not called upon to block very often. Rob Gronkowski, on the other hand, is exceptional at both aspects of the game, so they may accept the fact that Chandler is more of a receiver. That is, after all, what they need in a tight end. Houston Texans: Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida
The Texans are clearly in need of a quarterback and Bortles has quietly been moving up draft boards. However, the Texans could decide to make the fans happy and bring in Johnny Manziel to keep him in Texas. They could also add Jadaveon Clowney to pair with JJ Watt, making that the scariest defensive line in football. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins): Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn The Rams are reportedly looking to trade down, which would be a good idea for them to do. There are many teams in need of a quarterback and the Rams, sitting at number two, could be a perfect trade suitor. If, for example, the Browns want to jump the Jaguars to make sure they get their guy, the Rams could still get their guy at the fourth pick or even trade it away again. However, they are in need of a tackle and Robinson is the best available. Jacksonville Jaguars: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville Owner Shad Khan came out and said “everybody knows we are going to draft a quarterback, maybe two.” However, the general manager also said they would consider trading down. With the desperate need for a quarterback, I do not see the Jags dealing this pick. They will take a quarterback; it will just matter who is available at the time. Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M It was reported that the Browns are “willing to trade up” to pick Johnny Manziel. That trade I mentioned with the Rams was not just an example; it is a legitimate possibility. I do not think the Browns are really that far away. If Manziel comes in and shines, they could win some games in 2014. Oakland Raiders: Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina The Raiders need a lot of help. If Clowney, who is by far the best defensive player in the draft and a once in a generation talent, falls to them at five, they have to take him. They have passed on exceptional talent in the past; they cannot afford to do it again. Atlanta Falcons: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo The Falcons need some help on defense. They will be looking to take the best defensive player available. A pass rush is absolutely necessary to have success in the NFL and while Osi Umenyiora was decent for the Falcons, he is 32 years old and they need an upgrade in their pass rush and run stop. Mack is the NCAA leader for forced fumbles and tackles for loss. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLA The Bucs need an edge rusher and Barr can provide some pass rush that will help a secondary that already has some very good talent on it. He is also very good against the run. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State While the Vikings will be in the market for a quarterback, Ben Goessling of ESPN believes Ryan Mallett could be a trade option for the Vikings saying, “Mallett and Adrian Peterson have a friendly relationship through a mutual coaching connection, and Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has done a number of deals with the Patriots. If the Patriots were open to moving him, it's possible the Vikings could take a look.” However, that has yet to happen and quarterback is a major need for the Vikings. Buffalo Bills: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M Nobody in the Bills’ backfield had a very good season. EJ Manuel was constantly hurt and they did not get the production out of CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson that they expected. Matthews could very easily be the second pick in the draft that falls right into the Bills’ lap at nine. Detroit Lions: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson The Lions need a wide receiver to line up opposite Calvin Johnson. Yes, Megatron can beat double and even triple teams. However, if they want to win, they need to give Stafford another option so he does not have to keep forcing it into tight spaces and hoping Calvin comes down with it. Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan After Robinson and Matthews, Lewan is the best offensive lineman available. The Titans need to upgrade their line. Lewan is a very good run blocker who will most likely start on the right side then could become the starting left tackle when the team and Michael Roos part ways. New York Giants: CJ Mosely, MLB, Alabama The Giants have needed an upgrade at linebacker for a few years now and have yet to address it. Mosley They were so weak at linebacker last year that they traded for Jon Beason. While he could be back, they could still use an upgrade at linebacker Mosely is the best available. St. Louis Rams: HaHa Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama After offensive tackle, secondary is another need the Rams need to address. While they do need to upgrade the cornerback position, they can hope that Cortland Finnegan gets back to his ways of a shutdown corner and they can draft the best safety in the draft. Chicago Bears: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St. With Charles Tillman leaving Chicago, the Bears need to get a replacement cornerback to play opposite Tim Jennings. However, they also need to replace DT Henry Melton and S Major Wright. To do so, they could look to add either Timmy Jernigan or Louis Nix III on the line or Clinton-Dix at safety if he falls to them. Pittsburgh Steelers: Marqise Lee, WR, USC Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that the Steelers intend to take a tall wide receiver early in the draft. While Mike Evans has about four inches on Lee, I believe they would go for a guy with more speed, like Lee, who still has great down-field playmaking abilities. Baltimore Ravens: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M The Ravens need to get a receiver to replace Anquan Boldin. Evans has great size and ability to win a jump ball. With teams game planning for Evans, Torrey Smith could finally live up to expectations as a go-to wide receiver. Dallas Cowboys: Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida St. DT Jason Hatcher said he will test free agency and, after coming off a Pro Bowl year in which he had nine sacks, he could be tough to retain. Jernigan is considered by many to be the best defensive lineman available and would instantly upgrade the Cowboys’ defensive line. New York Jets: Eric Ebron, TE, UNC Unfortunately for the Jets, the top three receivers are all gone by now. However, they need any help they can get on offense and Ebron, the best tight end in the draft, is available and could give Geno Smith a legitimate weapon. Mel Kiper writes, “Ebron is the kind of new-breed tight end who can be split out, line up in the slot, or take a hit from a strongside linebacker and get into a route where he becomes a constant matchup threat and a likely winner for contested passes.” The Jets need exactly that type of player. Miami Dolphins: Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame Do I really even need to explain why an offensive lineman is a necessity for the Dolphins? Between the Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin saga and the sub-par play of Tyson Clabo, this is the number one need for Miami. Arizona Cardinals: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama Head Coach Bruce Arians stated that he believes OT Bradley Sowell will improve next year and that tackle is not their top need. However, they could still use an upgrade over Sowell. Green Bay Packers: Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech Jermichael Finely is not only a free agent, but he is coming off a major injury and spinal fusion surgery. Amaro led the NCAA in receiving yards by a tight end and with the possibility of losing Finley and maybe even James Jones, Amaro could help the Packers keep their offense at an elite level. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma St. The Eagles are in serious need of some secondary help. They do not have a true number one corner to cover guys like Dez Bryant and Pierre Garcon, each of whom they see at least twice a year. Gilbert brings size and speed to the secondary and should be able to prey on the gun-slinging tendencies of Eli Manning and Tony Romo. He will not single-handedly change a secondary that allowed the most passing yards per game in 2013 (289.8), but he is a step in the right direction. Kansas City Chiefs: Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Louisville The Chiefs need some help on offense. Alex Smith is a very good game managing quarterback and Jamaal Charles is arguably the best running back in the game; however, they need to add to their passing attack. Jamaal Charles was their leading receiver in 2013. Beckham is a guy who has potentially game changing speed after the catch, turning a short slant route into an 80 yard touchdown reception. Smith does not like to throw downfield but could still end up with a lot of passing yards with Beckham’s YAC ability. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida St. For a team with a good defense, the Bengals could use a serious upgrade at cornerback. Adam Jones and Terrence Newman are both getting up their in age and Leon Hall is attempting to recover from his second torn Achilles in the past three years. In addition, Hall is making almost $9 million next season. The Bengals should try to get him to restructure his deal and if he is unwilling, it is always possible they cut him. However, with their lack of depth at corner, the Bengals surely do not want it to come down to that. San Diego Chargers: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU The Chargers’ cornerbacks are not very good. They gave up the fourth most passing yards per game in 2013 (258.7). He is not very tall, standing at only 5’9”, but is believed to be the quickest man coverage cornerback in the draft by Todd McShay. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis Colts): Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida St. The Brows got their quarterback, Johnny Football, with the fourth pick in the draft. Now, they get a receiver to line up opposite Josh Gordon. Gordon had an incredible season, but teams will begin to plan for him and then who will the Browns go to? Benjamin, 6’5”, Gordon, 6’3”, and Jordan Cameron, 6’5”, would give the Browns a plethora of red zone options. While they still need a running back, they have probably learned their lesson when it comes to taking them in the first round. New Orleans Saints: Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee The Saints are not very strong at the tackle position and the one thing they should be most concerned with is keeping quarterback Drew Brees healthy. To do so, they need to upgrade their offensive line. Carolina Panthers: Davante Adams, WR, Fresno St. After Steve Smith, the Panthers are very weak at WR, and Smith is no spring chicken, at 34 years old. If they can add an offensive threat, they could seriously compete for with the Niners and Seahawks for the NFC Championship. New England Patriots: Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame Pass rush is possibly the number one need for the Patriots. Assuming the re-sign Aqib Talib, defensive line and safety are the top two positions they need to address. Tuitt has the size to play inside on a four man line, as well as the speed to be an edge rusher. Tuitt with Chandler Jones and Rob Nincovich could give the Patriots the pass rush they are in need of. They could also look to draft Louis Nix III as Vince Wilfork’s replacement. San Francisco 49ers: Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame Nix could very easily be gone in the middle of the first round. However, with the way the NFL currently is, nose tackle is a dying bread. Nix is an exceptional run stuffer, but lacks pass rushing skills. The Niners, though, are in a position to take the best player available, as they have no glaring needs. Denver Broncos: Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida The Broncos cornerbacks are Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (free agent), Chris Harris (torn ACL), Champ Bailey (old), and Quinton Jammer (bad). They need to seriously upgrade their secondary. Unfortunately for them, they are one of many teams with the same need and are at the end of the round. The Broncos did have scouts at the Florida vs. Georgia Southern game. Teams scout many players throughout the year so it may not mean much. Seattle Seahawks: Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St. The Seahawks could potentially lose Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin to free agency. However, they also played just about the entire season without Percy Harvin. Cook and Harvin could make for the speediest wide receiver duo in football. They are already the favorites to win the Super Bowl in 2014 and if they add to their offense, they could be an even better team than they were last year. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MOCK DRAFT CHART In How I Met Your Mother’s most recent episode, “Sunrise,” Robin gives Ted who she believes are his best and worst “girlfriends” over the years. While she does a decent job with her bottom five, her top five needs some serious work.
The future Mrs. Barney Stinson ranked Ted’s top five as follows: 5) Stella 4) Zoey 3) The Slutty Pumpkin 2) Marshall when they pretended to be a couple to see Barney’s apartment 1) Victoria The only thing that could make that list worse would be if Robin put herself in the top five since she has a very high opinion of herself. Ted has dated a lot of girls over the past nine years; let’s take a look at his real top five. 5) Robin I tried to avoid putting Robin in my top five; I really did. They were a good couple; however, at the time, Robin did not want to get married or have kids. However, she decided to tie the knot with Barney, which means she is actually open to marriage. That must really be tough for Ted knowing that he could not get Robin to commit, but Barney Stinson could. 4) Janet Janet would have been a perfect match for Ted. Besides for being brilliant, she also loved Annie Hall, which was big for Ted. If only he had done it his way and not let his friends talk him into looking her up online; they would be a deadly duo doing the Sunday crossword puzzle. 3) Trudy Trudy was not a prominent character in How I Met Your Mother. Ted and Trudy met in MacLaren’s when Ted turned off his mind and another time when he decided to wear a suit. We do not know much about Trudy, but she seemed to be a good fit for Ted. While she was not the brainiac like Janet (she could be, we do not know much about her), she seemed like a girl that Ted would have had a good time with. 2) Mary the Paralegal Mary was in even fewer episodes than Trudy was. However, she was perfect. Ted had a great time with her, she referenced Star Wars, and she had never been with Barney; it looked as though it was a match made in Heaven. However, Barney had told Ted that Mary was a prostitute and Mary was not too happy when Ted called her a hooker. If only we could have gotten to know Mary better. If Mary had stuck around longer, she could have competed for the number one spot. 1) Victoria This had to be obvious, right? Victoria actually was perfect. She was the best girl ted ever dated (We know very little about the mother and even less about her and Ted together). Plus, she owned a bakery! Does it get better than that? No, it does not. I am not the only one to think they would have made a great couple; if CBS had cancelled How I Met Your Mother, Victoria would have been Ted’s wife. Ok, now that we have gone through Ted’s top five, it is now time to list his five worst girlfriends. It was much easier to come up with five terrible girlfriends, and I am leaving some bad ones off the list. First, let’s take a look at Robin’s list of Ted’s worst girlfriends… 5) Blah Blah 4) Boats, Boats, Boats 3) Karen 2) Zoey 1) Jeanette Robin did a little bit of a better job here, but Boats, Boats, Boats (Becky) is only on the list because Robin was jealous of her co-worker’s popularity. The real bottom five is… 5) Natalie Natalie was not a good fit for Ted. She was not the first time they dated and he should have accepted that the first time they broke up instead of going back and breaking her heart again. Yes, I do feel bad for Natalie after Ted broke up with her on her birthday…twice; however, she was not very likeable, and overreacted to Ted breaking up with her. Who doesn’t tell his or her significant other when his or her birthday is?! 4) Karen Karen was horrible. She was pretentious, arrogant, a lingerer, and did not pass Lily’s front porch test. There was nothing good about her. 3) Strawberry I do not have any problems with vegetarians. That being said, nobody likes a vegetarian who throws it in your face and tries to make you feel guilty for having a nice juicy steak or burger. Strawberry not only looked down upon those who eat meat, but she actually screamed “meat is murder” and threw food at the chef. She ruined the gang celebrating Marshall passing the bar exam. Like they said though, Ted should have known; HER NAME WAS STRAWBERRY. 2) Jeanette Jeanette was number one on my list for a while. He thought it was fate that he ran into her at school. She was actually stalking him. For a year and a half. She was crazy. She would not accept that they were broken up and after dropping Robin’s locket into a river asked Ted to get back together. Cuckoo. 1) Stella I do not understand how Robin had Stella in her top five. She was just terrible. I did not like her even before she left Ted at the Altar. She lied to Ted about liking Star Wars. She refused to move to the city, then moved to the city with Tony. She and Tony portrayed Ted as the bad guy in The Wedding Bride. I could go and on. After winning their third World Series in a decade, the Boston Red Sox could have very easily abandoned their plans to build up their farm system and not overspend for a big name free agent. However, the kept to the plan and did not make a big splash during the offseason; but did they not do enough? While many people believe the Red Sox have been too quiet during the winter months, here are three reasons that the Red Sox offseason was wildly successful.
1) They stuck to the plan. It would have been very easy for Ben Cherington and the Red Sox to go out and chase the top free agents after winning the World Series. With most fans back to trusting the team, they could have taken advantage of their popularity at the time and made a run at someone such as Brian McCann. They could have brought back Jacoby Ellsbury for a ridiculous contract, like the one he got in New York. They could have even pursued Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka. But they did not. And I commend them for that. Overspending for players that you do not need is what got them in trouble in the first place. It is why they made a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in August of 2012 and why they finished in last place the same year. Instead, they stuck to their plan. They were definitely at least a year ahead of schedule; there is no way anybody, including the Red Sox executives, that believed they would win the World Series. Now, instead of spending big money or making a blockbuster trade, the Sox are utilizing something that that was once their strong point, the minor leagues. Two rookies, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr., will be starting come April, and Will Middlebrooks, another young talent, will be the starting third baseman. Even if they struggle out of the gate, just remember that Dustin Pedroia hit .182 in the first month of is rookie season. They stuck with him and now he is arguably the best second baseman in baseball. 2) They did not re-sign Stephen Drew. As of today, Stephen Drew is not a Red Sox. Hopefully it stays that way. They need to let Middlebrooks and Bogaerts show what they can do. Middlebrooks, while he struggled in 2013, had a very good 2012 campaign. Let him play and get in a groove and they very well may have their cleanup hitter of the future. As for Bogaerts, he looked great in the playoffs and is Keith Law’s number two prospect in all of baseball. He is clearly ready to play in the big leagues and has the most value at shortstop. 3) Who they signed. While they did not sign any big name players, the Red Sox made some great additions to the team. First of all, Mike Napoli is bringing his beard back to Boston on a two year, $32 million deal. While he strikes out a ton, he is a big bat that Boston needs in the middle of their lineup. The new faces this year are Edward Mujica, AJ Pierzynski, and Grady Sizemore. Yes, that is the same Grady Sizemore that was once a star in Cleveland. Mujica signed a two year, $9.5 million deal, an absolute steal. He posted a sub-3.00 ERA and saved 37 games last year. He also is a strike-thrower, walking only .7 batters per nine innings last year. Adding him to a bullpen with Koji Uehara, who walks 1.1 batters per nine, makes the Sox bullpen possibly the most accurate bullpen in the game. AJ Pierzynski is exactly what the Red Sox needed behind the plate. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was looking for a multi-year deal and the Sox have a pair of young catchers in Christian Vazquez and Blake Swihart, who are only a year away. Therefore, a multi-year deal for Salty would not have made sense. Grady Sizemore was a brilliant signing. No, he has not played in the Major Leagues since 2011. No, he is not the same player he once was. Yes, he was worth bringing to Boston. Sizemore signed a one-year deal worth under a million dollars. However, he could make up to $6 million in incentives. If Sizemore can be even half of what he was early in his career, he will be a spectacular backup for Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field. The Red Sox have done everything right so far. They needed to bring Napoli back; they did. They needed find a catcher on a one-year deal; they did. They needed to let fan favorite Jarrod Saltalamacchia walk; they did. They needed to give the young guys on the left side of the infield a shot and let Stephen Drew go; they have not brought him back yet. They needed to bolster the bullpen; they did. The only other move that I would have liked to see would be to trade either Jake Peavy or Ryan Dempster, but that could still come. Will they repeat? Who knows, it is very difficult to win back-to-back championships. Nobody has done it since the New York Yankees in 1999-2000. However, they should still be a team that competes and they are building a team that will be successful for years to come. We all know the New England Patriots need some help on the offensive side of the ball. While Aaron Dobson did improve and Rob Gronkowski, when healthy, is the best tight end in football, the Patriots cannot bank on Dobson taking a huge leap in his second year and can never assume Gronk will be on the field. A possible fit for the Patriots is a man who played only ten games over the past two years and did not play a single game in 2013: Danario Alexander.
I know what you are thinking: why would the Patriots bring in ANOTHER injury risk on offense? Haven’t we suffered enough watching Gronkowski and Danny Amendola constantly limping off the field? However, Alexander does not seem to be injury prone; he suffered an ACL tear before the 2013 season, but other than that has been relatively healthy. Alexander is 6’5”. Finally, Brady would have a receiver who can stretch the field and go up to win a jump ball. After posting impressive statistics in his senior year at Missouri, Alexander, surprisingly, went undrafted. After limited action in St. Louis, he was picked up by San Diego. In his Charger debut, Alexander had five receptions for 134 yards. In ten games that year, he had 37 receptions for 658 yards and seven touchdowns. With an upgrade at quarterback, he saw a boost in production. Imagine if he had Tom Brady throwing to him. With his size, he would also be a red zone threat that the Patriots lack when Rob Gronkowski is sidelined. If both are on the field, teams will have a difficult time giving each receiver proper attention and one is bound to get open. Since he missed the entire season, the Patriots would not have to dig very deep into their wallet to sign him. Alexander signed a one year, $1.323 million deal before the season. Having not played a game, his value should not have gone up and, while he is considered one of the best receivers available, should be very much affordable for Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft. At only 25 years old, Alexander could be a very nice fit into this Patriots offense. The Patriots are just one or two players away from a championship. However, surprisingly, offensive players are the greatest needed in New England. The defense, when healthy, is actually very good, assuming they retain Aqib Talib.
Over the next few weeks, I am going to go through the free agent class and profile players who the Patriots could potentially target to bring in and how they could help the team. Today, we start on the offensive side of the ball with an enigma of a wide receiver: Hakeem Nicks. Hakeem Nicks is difficult to figure out. At the age of 23, coming off his second consecutive 1,000 yard receiving season, Nicks was starting to look like one of the best receivers in the game. However, an inability to stay healthy and an inability to hold onto the football have sent Nicks into mediocrity. In 2012, he played on 13 games and put up under 700 yards receiving. In 2013, he had 896 receiving yards and as many touchdowns as the author of this blog. He also was towards the top of the league in dropped passes. While he has struggled lately, we do know there is talent there. Could the combination of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady get it out of him? Nicks is the outside threat that the Patriots have been lacking since Randy Moss and he should not break the bank, since he has not proven to be consistent. The downside of bringing in Nicks is he could hinder the development of Aaron Dobson, who we saw improve as the season went on. If Brady has a more proven target to look for, he may pass up young receivers like Dobson, who may be the future of the Patriots’ offense. That being said, Nicks is still only 26 years old himself. The franchise tag for wide receivers is going to be over $11.5 million and I do not see the Giants spending that type of money for one year on Nicks. If the Patriots could sign Nicks to a contract similar to that of Brandon Lloyd’s $12 million over three years, they should seriously consider it. It might take a little more cash than $12 million, seeing that is what he signed for in 2009 over five years, but he has disappointed in the back end of the contract. If Aaron Dobson continues to develop, they could have two outside threats with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski in the middle of the field and that would put New England’s offense towards the top of the league once again. |
SAMUEL PERICOLOSam is a graduate of Assumption College where he studied History, Marketing, and Political Science and was a Co-Producer on a weekly sports talk television show. Archives
March 2018
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