John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

Thinking Out Loud…while wondering if Rex Ryan will go out on a limb (or a foot, maybe?) to pick the Giants over the Patriots…

• I suspect the good Lord decided to take Joe Paterno quickly, not wanting him to suffer from his illness, or the ignominy from his dismissal at Penn State any longer. His son Scott said that his dad was “serenely calm” right to the end before he passed away last weekend, and that there was never any bitterness toward the school…

• Paterno’s career will be looked upon favorably, as it should be, once the scandal that has plagued the school and program comes to a conclusion. He is a man who made a difference for so many – in and out of athletics – for more than six decades, and I hope his alma mater (Brown) can honor him further in some fashion…

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• Progress, or regress? Navy is apparently ready to enter the “big time,” by joining the Big East Conference for football starting in 2015. One more school will be added to bring the football membership to 12, in order to play a conference championship game. Could former Big East football member Temple be on its’ way back? It should be…in all sports…

• What goes around, comes around…Pitt’s announced move to the ACC has been followed by their football coach (Todd Graham) abandoning the program after only one year to go to Arizona State, and an eight-game losing streak for the once-invincible basketball team…gotta love that karma…

• There’s never really a perfect time to pull it off, but Greg Schiano’s leaving Rutgers for the Tampa Bay Bucs with less than a week to go before signing day is dangerously dumb. In fact, Schiano left several high profile recruits waiting for him earlier Thursday morning, while he was negotiating with Tampa. Without telling his assistants what he was doing. But that’s the lure of the NFL’s “bright lights…”

• It will never be easy, but the PC hoop schedule does lighten up somewhat over the next six games…with no currently ranked teams on the docket. Opportunity is the mother of invention…now, if the Friars could invent a way to keep teams from hitting threes, they might actually have something…

• Radio and web reports from the Baltimore/Washington area over the past couple of days are saying that two PC players may be transferring to Towson to play for former Friar assistant Pat Skerry after this season.  When your rotation is only six or seven players deep, and you have a need for more - Ed Cooley has often said his priority is to "recruit" - this should not come as a surprise.  But if true, It could certainly be a distraction for the current team...and how is that good?

• Oh, and I’m hearing the sound of ocean waves in the Friars’ future…

• I know the Patriots were lucky – very lucky – to beat Baltimore for the AFC title. But I also know that good teams, and teams of “destiny,” know how to manufacture their luck…

• Funniest post-game comment actually came the day after they lost, when Ravens’ linebacker Terrell Suggs told ESPN First Take’s Skip Bayless to not be a “d-bag” on the air. Yo, T-Sizzle. That’s kinda like telling ya’ boy Joe Flacco to not be mediocre…

• I will give Flacco his due, however. He outplayed Tom Brady on Sunday. But he doesn’t have Brady’s je ne sais quoi...

• Stupid is, as stupid does…Baltimore’s Bernard Pollard says he hopes the Giants “thrash” the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and that his reputation for injuring Pats’ players is “fine and dandy.” He hit Tom Brady and tore up his knee in ‘08, he was nearest to Wes Welker when Welker went down in ’09, and he put the hurt on Rob Gronkowski’s ankle last Sunday. Yo, Bernard. Watch ya’ back…

• I generally like San Francisco. But I seriously wonder where our culture is headed when some whacked out 49ers’ fans actually threatened kick returner Kyle Williams’ life, after his mistakes helped the New York Giants win the NFC title game…

• Not for nuthin’…but even though Super Bowl parties can be fun, I need to get away to actually WATCH the game (and the commercials). That’s sometimes tough to do with all of the talking, laughing, eating, drinking…wait a minute, what am I missing?

• Pro Bowl, anyone? Anyone? Buehller?

• Thinking the unthinkable…what could the Celtics get for trading Paul Pierce? There are teams in the Western Conference (Houston, Utah) who could use his skills to help put them in a more-competitive position. It’s time to look to the future…

• I don’t have a problem with Bruins’ goalie Tim Thomas’ decision to not go to the White House. He has the right to do as he pleases, especially as an American citizen. I do have a problem with his decision taking away from what should be a “team” moment, not a “me” moment…

• Tim, did our government’s apparent failures wash away from your consciousness when President Obama honored you as just the second American ever to be recognized as the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ MVP? Just sayin’…

• You know political correctness has gone too far, with the story this week that Corner Canyon High School, a new school in Draper, UT rejected “Cougars” as their mascot on the grounds that it would be offensive to some middle-aged women…

• Jamie Moyer is currently ahead of Tim Wakefield to be baseball’s “Methuselah” this season. Moyer, 49, just signed a minor league deal with Colorado. Wakefield, a comparative pup at 45, has no current deal. But things could change…

• That sound you heard was the Red Sox’ lock clamping down on 3rd place in the AL East this year, with Prince Fielder heading to Detroit from Milwaukee…

• Between Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers should be fun to watch. Can Prince hit 50 taters in a season like his daddy once did? Probably. The great Al Kaline said this week he remembers Prince hitting the ball OUT of Tiger Stadium as a 12-year-old kid…

• The Sox’ hot stove news this week…sending Marco Scutaro to Colorado for Clay Mortensen, who will probably start the season in Pawtucket? Picking up Cody Ross? YAWN…

• My buddy Statbeast sez the Sox need to wake the @#$% up, and make a move that counts…or at least ticks off Yankee fans…

• He guaranteed a Super Bowl win for his Jets, he predicted the Ravens would beat the Patriots. Now, Rex Ryan is (so far) refusing to honor the numerous requests for his “analysis” on the Giants-Patriots match up. Somebody offer the guy a cheeseburger, will ya?

• This week’s mailbag question comes from Tom in Windsor, VT via Facebook: “John, how do you think our guys (Pats OL) match up against this type of (Giants) D-Line in comparison to a smaller, purely athletic speed type of front?” Tom: Awesome question. And the honest answer is – not very well. The Giants have the rare combination of size, power and speed, as opposed to a smaller front like Denver’s which tries to out run you around the end. Smaller players are easier to keep in front of you. NY can just bull rush you with power, then spin away…leaving your tackles grasping at air. The most important plays for the Pats may be their line calls, and blocking assignments. I suspect this could be a problem come Super Sunday…

• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @jrooke0722…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...