Sui Generis X 2

They are utterly different and utterly unique. Okay, that’s redundant. But poetical. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are gonna love us long time. In a pigskin way. What were you thinking?

75

I guess whoever said this team wasn’t the 2007 Patriots was right. Adios, Jabar. Arrivederci, Donte. Goodbye, goodbye to Rome…

Evaluations and Expectations

I know you’ve heard it before. I’ve said it myself. It’s just the preseason. They aren’t game-planning. It’s about building the roster, not winning the games. Somehow it’s just not as reassuring after the third preseason game as it was after the first.

Dreaming of September

The good news has piled up over the last few days. First, Logan Mankins put on pads and got to work. Then the Patriots signed world class sprinter Jeff Demps (despite the oblations of the Jets and former Florida teammate Tim Tebow). Now we’re hearing that OT Sebastian Vollmer and TE Daniel Fells will be activated and begin practicing next week. How psyched am I? I’m actually counting the hours to kick-off Monday night, knowing full well I won’t see anything of Demps other than college and Olympics clips and with the near certain expectation of Brian Hoyer starting at QB.

Still Waiting

How do we know its preseason? The Cleveland Browns beat the Green Bay Packers 35-10.

A Sip of Kool-Aid

Time for a tall, icy cold glass of Belichick Kool-Aid.

Jaws

No, not the character in the Bond movies. It’s Shark Week! And "Jaws" is finally out on Blu-Ray. I still can’t believe they couldn’t get the disc out for the 4^th of July. Five years ago. Did I mention it’s Shark Week?

Already Gone

Wins aren’t nearly as important in the preseason as hope. The Raiders lost to the Cowboys 3-0 but with Darren McFadden looking like he’s fully recovered from the injuries that ended his 2011 season, Oakland fans have got to feel a lot better about their team’s chances than the good citizens of Dallas do today. Tony Romo looked like whatever the opposite of elite is. The good news for fans of America’s Ex-Girlfriend? According to Romo, they tried hard. Wait a minute. That’s not good news. If you’re trying hard and you look that bad it is definitely not good news.

One Thing

To Plax or not to Plax? That is the question. For Monday, anyway. Plaxico Burress coming in for a workout and Chad Johnson on the market bail has Patriots Nation thinking. Granted, it has most of us thinking we’d rather hear about a solid veteran offensive lineman coming in for a workout than a 35-year old ex-con wide receiver but solid veteran offensive lineman are apparently a lot harder to come by than 35-year old ex-con wide receivers.

It Gets Better or It Gets Worse Unless of Course It Stays the Same

I guess those of us in Patriots Nation who were actually worried the Artist Formerly Known as Ochocinco would have a career resurgence in Miami can relax. The once and future Chad Johnson dropped the only pass thrown his way in the Dolphins opening preseason game then went home and “bumped heads” with his wife. Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Whatever. Chad may still might have a career resurgence, just not in Miami.

Here's None for You Nineteen for Me

How do you know a politician is lying?

His lips move.

Finding Meaning in Meaninglessness

The best thing about preseason games? They don’t count. The worst thing about preseason games? Players can still suffer a season-ending injury.

Almost Real

We get our pigskin amuse-bouche tonight, as the Patriots play their first preseason game of 2012. As is usually the case, if the Patriots play well, I will be surfing a 40-foot wave of wild optimism. If they struggle, well hey, it’s early, you know?

Breakfast with Glenn and Steve - A New Hope

The booths in The Good Egg are lacquered hard wood without cushions or covers.  The tabletops are Formica edged with brushed metal.  Plastic salt and pepper shakers flank a bowl of creamers and a small, rectangular plastic container with disheveled white, yellow, pink and blue packets of sweeteners sits on every table.  The walls are dotted with watercolor seascapes featuring lighthouses or ships under sail.  Three friends occupy a booth near the back.  They consider their menus as their fresh coffee cools in large ceramic mugs.

Living the Dream

Injuries will have an impact. Replacement refs will blow a call. Prima donnas will melt down. The NFL celebrates parity and I’m sure Roger Goodell had a party in his pants when a 9-7-0 team won the Super Bowl. What happens at the dance is unpredictable but who goes to the dance – the starting QB and the head cheerleader, the nerd who secretly has the dope dance moves and his ugly duckling girlfriend who turns out to be Emma Stone – isn’t that hard to predict, is it?

Fight Club

The first rule of Fight Club is, Don’t Talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is, Don’t Talk about Fight Club. The third rule of Fight Club is, Take a Lap, Son.

Can We Really Make God Feel Sad?

I’m generally suspicious of people who say they know what God is thinking. Mostly because I’m an atheist and so what I think is, “Oh, you have an imaginary friend named Yahweh who tells you what to do. That pretty much ticks all the boxes on the crazy questionnaire, doesn’t it?”