The gang's all here

THE ENCHANTED FOREST: Where the food tastes better.



















See you guys in two weeks. I doubt we'll be wearing shorts.

10 from 4

The NFL Network has lots of great series. "America's Game." The new "A Football Life." "Playbook." One of my favorites is "Top 10." The show highlights the top 10 of a variety of NFL subjects. Top 10 Coolest Uniforms. Top 10 Ugliest Uniforms. Top 10 Quarterbacks. Top 10 Super Bowls. Top 10 Bad Weather Games. Hmmm. Wonder which Pats' game would be high on that list?

The latest edition of "Top 10" came on tonight. The Top 10 Greatest Brett Favre Moments. Can I please -- please -- have a break from this guy? After his multiple pre-mature retirements can we have a rule of no Favre programs for a year? I guess not. After all, we're talking the greatest human on the planet.

OK. I'll admit it. Favre was a great player. Just outside the ten best quarterbacks to ever throw a pass in the league. He made lots of amazing plays that I certainly can appreciate. So I stopped to think what my Top 10 Favre moments would be. I mean #4 is a legend. He has so many huge game-changing plays. So many. Let me see...

There was the interception he threw in overtime against the Eagles in the "04 playoffs. That was awesome. There was the six interceptions (six!) he threw in the playoffs against the Rams in '02. Brady hasn't done that. Of course Brett's greatest moment of all -- in my opinion -- is the pick six he threw in the '08 NFL title game against the Giants ... in overtime. To lose the game. Huge. And those are only the on-field moments. There were also the three separate drawn-out, tear-filled, American hero retirements. And something with a cellphone. I can't remember the details.

So many great moments.

I think Jon Gruden summed it up best when talking about the classic Vikes-Saints NFC title game in 2010. It came in at #9 on the list.

"If Brett Favre hadn't thrown that interception at the end of that game and instead led the Vikings to a victory and the Super Bowl, that game would have been his greatest moment ever by far." As usual, Gruden has hit it right on the nose when it comes to Favre.

Yes. If only he hadn't thrown that game-killing pick it would have been one of the greatest performances in league history. If only.

The Favre list counted down to the inevitable #1. Yes, the Monday night game he played just days after his father passed away. How could he do that? Such a hero. How can you not watch those highlights without a few tears?

The one thing that made watching this "Top 10" less annoying was this thought: One day the "Top 10" will feature the Top 10 Greatest Tom Brady moments. There won't be any interceptions in that list.

A break in the schedule

WEEK 7
The Patriots have come to their bye week. Time to take a little break from football -- and blogging. My break is a two-week bye as Dev and I head to Spain and then Morocco to visit my brother and let him know that Brady is having another MVP season. Oh, and see North Africa.

By the time I return to the land of the NFL the Patriots will have played a road game against the Steelers (VCR set) and will be in the process of hosting the Giants in Week 9. The way the 5-1 Pats have played, I like their chances in both those games.

The combined records of the six teams the Pats have played so far is only 13-14, but one of those teams is the 0-5 and soon-to-have-a-new-coach Dolphins. The Jets, Chargers, Bills, and Cowboys are all in the top 15 teams in the league and have posed serious tests to both the Pats' offense and defense. Tests they have mostly passed. As the players and coaches recharge -- and I head overseas -- here's a quick look at where they stand on both sides of the ball.

OFFENSE
What's not to like? The whole key is to keep Brady standing upright as much as possible. Give him time -- with all the weapons at his disposal -- and he will almost always make a play. He's one of the all-time greats and one more Lombardi away from sitting atop everyone's list. I know the rest of the football-loving world can't stand looking at him anymore. But he sure makes it good to be a Pats fan. And although I really don't care what his hair looks like, I have to admit his short hair is better.

The offensive line holds that aforementioned key and so far they have more than done the job. The last two weeks against Ryan brothers' defenses. They don't get any tougher than that. And all without center Dan Koppen. There aren't many teams that can miss a player like him and yet not miss a beat. That's coaching. Brian Waters (left), the veteran from KC, may be the best offseason pickup in the entire league. He's been that good. And he seems to have a lot left in the tank. As does Matt Light, the versatile leader with the three rings who can move all over the field. Mankins and youngsters Vollmer and Solder are beasts. The Pats have a lot of strengths, but none stronger than the O line.

The emphasis is always on protecting #12. But the last three games have seen the offense rush for more than 100 yards. That shouldn't surprise because the Pats could run the ball pretty well last year. BenJarvus and Woody are perfect for this offense. Tough. Protect the ball. Rarely lose yards. Solid blockers. Rookie Stevan Ridley has shown some flashes and maybe -- just maybe -- Kevin Faulk has a little more magic left. The Patriots can attack all kinds of ways.

Then there are the guys that catch Brady's passes. First and foremost there's Welker. He could shatter the record books if he keeps it up. And there's no reason to think he won't because he has lots of help. There's veteran Branch, who can be quiet for a stretch but then put together a string of big catches. And when he's quiet he's still playing hard and throwing blocks all over the field. Throw in the two-headed tight end monster of Gronk and Hernandez and you have lots of offensive weapons. Even Ocho, who has yet to have a big impact, has made some key plays. When he is your fourth or fifth option on a play, well, you have an offense that is tough to stop.

An offense that has had only eight three-and-outs so far this year. Eight. Some teams have that in one game. Like I said, what's not to like?

DEFENSE
Unfortunately, there are several things not to like about the defense. They are last in the league against the pass and last in yards allowed per game. But stats -- as they say -- are for losers and Ron Borges. The D is also ninth in the league against the run and fourteenth in points per game at 22. Now 22 is a lot to give up on average, but not when you are scoring 30 all the time. And the 22 has been trending downward.

The pass rush from the revamped defensive line has only made occasional appearances. Big Vince is having another great season. He truly is one of the rare cases of a star player finally landing his big pay day and actually playing harder and better. Gotta love Big Vince. He's the one constant in an ever-changing cast on the D line. Phat Albert, Shaun Ellis, Andre Carter, Kyle Love, Gerard Warren, Mark Anderson, Jermaine Cunningham. Carter has been a great addition. Not a stud, but definitely a playmaker. Ellis and Albert have yet to make a big impact for guys of their size. I think as the weather and the games get tougher, so will they.

The linebacking group WILL be a strength of this team. When everyone is healthy at the same time. First Brandon Spikes was out. He is back and starting to make an impact. Check out the first and second down plays of the Cowboys possession right before the Pats game-winning drive. Spikes smashed through the middle on back-to-back run plays, forcing Dallas into a third-and-long and eventually a punt. Big plays. And he did it with defensive captain Jerod Mayo on the sideline. Mayo had completely returned to his rookie-of-the-year form and seemed on the verge of taking the next step into Bruschi territory. Then he got hurt again. But he is already back on the practice field. Role players Ninko, Guyton, Fletcher, White, and Tarpinian round out a solid -- if not outstanding -- linebacking corp. When Mayo is on the field they are more than solid.

The secondary? I repeat. The Pats are last in the league against the pass. The pass rush needs to be better. No doubt. But when the D is getting passed on it's the coverage that has been really lacking. Especially in the first three games. Since then the coverage has been better. McCourty is having an ugly sophomore slump. But last year proved that he has the skills. He'll get it right. On the other side, veteran Leigh Bodden is back and you aren't hearing much about him. That's the way it should be for a cornerback. Patrick Chung is the man in the middle. I don't know how many times I've seen him limp off the field only to come back a few minutes later and make a huge tackle. He's fast becoming one of the best young safeties in the game. Which is good because he's practically playing the position by himself. Oh, I know James Ihedigbo, Sergio Brown, and Josh Barrett are on the roster. Someone has to play free safety.

The defense gave up lots of yards last year but the Pats went 14-2 because they got stops and turnovers when they had to. They led the league with 38 turnovers, 25 of them interceptions. They scored five defensive touchdowns. Those are the stats the defense needs to repeat. They already have eight picks and three fumble recoveries. That's a good start.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Gostkowski is back and looks strong although I thought he'd be sending his kickoffs off the lighthouse with the new rules. He made two big field goals last week in the comeback win against Dallas and he was 3-for-3 against the Jets in a game the Pats win by nine points. He's clutch. It was a big loss when he went down last year. Zoltan is having a much better start to his second season than his first. He wasn't bad last year for a rookie punter, but he's looking much more confident and comfortable so far this season. His average is up from 43 to nearly 46 yards and he has already dropped eight inside the 20. He only did that 19 times all of last year. The former Michigan captain is showing he was worth the draft pick.

Young players Julian Edelman and Matthew Slater have the potential to become a great pair of kick returners. Injuries have slowed them down. When one of them can't make it, some guy named Welker is there to fill in. he's pretty good.

COACHING
The quarterback may some day go down in the books as the greatest the NFL has ever seen. The coach already is. Watching the Pats' bench from my view in Section 109, I get to see the coaching staff in action. There's not a lot of high fiving and laughing and hysterics. Whether up by 10 or down by 10, the bench is always focused. Belichick had replaced Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel -- two key parts to the dynasty -- with Eric Mangini (rat) and Josh McDaniels. But they were too quick to bolt for their own head coaching jobs. (How did that work out?) Belichick now has a new group of young coaches led by Bill O'Brien (offense) and Matt Patricia (defense) and they seem to be learning fast. The Pats aren't perfect, but they very rarely beat themselves or look lost. Watch the coaching staffs of many other NFL teams and you'll realize just how rare that is.

Ten years after the first Super Bowl title and the Pats are still one of the best teams in the league. How good can the 2011 Pats be? They have lots of strengths and very few weaknesses. The season is still young. Ten more weeks to go. The Pats -- as they have done with regularity with Belichick as coach -- have put themselves in a good position. If they can stay relatively healthy, they should be in even better position when they finish up Week 17.

Smart move

BRADY: Seeing everything.

WEEK 6
Patriots 20, Cowboys 16 (10/16/'11): "I can't stand stupid."

Those were the words of the State Trooper drill sergeant who was directing traffic into the parking lot across the street from Gillette before yesterday's game against the Cowboys. Seems the drivers were just a little worse than usual making their way along Route 1. Maybe it was all the Dallas fans. There were quite a few of them.

"I can't stand stupid."

That's what I was thinking during most of yesterday's game as both teams made mistake after mistake after mistake. Why was Brady dropping back to pass so much when almost every time the Pats ran the ball there were huge holes in the Cowboy line? Why was Aaron Hernandez having another game of dropped passes? Why was the offense coughing the ball up all over the place? Why are all these Dallas fans so annoying? How could the defense lose track of Jason Whitten at the goal line? Why didn't we get Shep's wife Della to come to a tailgate years ago?

That last one wasn't because of stupid. Della's not a big football fan. Nor is she a fan of standing outside for eight or nine hours in October. But she's an outstanding cook and always great to hang out with. After all, she's a newspaper person. I've hoped she would attend a game for years. I was very glad she decided to join us. Let's just say we've never had pitchers of Tom Collins at the tailgate before. They were good.

As was the Pats' thrilling come-from-behind win against Big D. I love the Cowboys. They are fun to root against and they have had some of the greatest and most entertaining teams I've ever seen -- good and bad. And they have great uniforms. Love when the Cowboys come to town. This edition of the team with the star is quite entertaining. Romo. Rob Ryan -- the one with more hair than stomach. DeMarcus Ware. And of course Jerry Jones.

The Cowboys came in at 2-2 but should have been 4-0. They blew what should have been easy wins against the Jets and the Lions. They have a very good defense and a talented -- but mistake prone -- offense. Expectations of a 49-40 game were not out of line.

Score at the half? Pats 13, Cowboys 10. Brady and Welker connected on another TD and Romo hit his favorite target Whitten. But both also threw picks in a penalty filled but fun first half. I was sitting up in Section 322 so Steve and Della could sit in 109 and get a good view. I took a walk to find some Don Julio and missed several minutes of the second quarter. Seems the upper deck concourse is about as big as the one at the old stadium. Which was way too small. Whoever thought that was a good idea ... well, I can't stand stupid. No Don Julios.

I took my perch for the third quarter and watched as the Cowboys D did what few defenses have been able to do the last two season. Slow down the Pats offense. The Pats had four possessions and came up empty -- mostly due to a Hernandez fumble and unusually bad Brady pick. The Cowboys managed to put together two field goal drives and, with five minutes to play they lead 16-13. Brady got the ball and a chance to drive for the lead. Instead the Pats went three-and-out. Dallas got the ball back with about three and a half minutes to go. One first down would have sealed the game. That's when Brandon Spikes took his turn stepping up. The young linebacker -- still working his way back from injury -- smashed through the middle of the line on first and second down, forcing the running back wide and right into the arms of several Pats tacklers. The Cowboys were forced to punt and Brady got the ball at his own 20-yard line with 2:31 left.

I looked at Matt and said "Brady's so due to have a comeback drive. He has a lot of them but no real big ones in the last few years. It's time." He agreed. Seems Brady and the offense agreed as well. They moved the ball with killer efficiency. Pass after pass. Brady to Hernandez. To Gronk (Brady got nailed as he threw). To Welker (Two-minute warning). To Welker again. To Woodhead. To Welker (the only incompletion). Brady sneak. To Woodhead. To Welker. First and goal at the Dallas 8-yard-line. 22 seconds left. Time out. It was what they call carving up the defense. Surgery.

The Pats lined up to go for the end zone. Brady took the ball, waited, waited, slid to his left, waited, waited, and then fired a strike to Hernandez along the back of the end zone. Gillette erupted. The Cowboys fans were quiet. Brady pumped his fist with the same intensity as he did ten years ago. It was a great drive and a great touchdown.

Brady explained after the game that he saw double coverage on Welker and Branch on his right and on Gronk just off left tackle. He recognized that Hernandez, slotted out to the far left, was in single coverage. I had a great view from my seat looking right down on the play. I couldn't see any of that. Brady saw it all. That's what separates him from the rest. There's no stupid there.

J-E-T-S in T-R-O-U-B-L-E

REX: Who's laughing now?

Mt. Ryan can spin it all he wants. The Jets are gonna win the Super Bowl. The Jets are the best team ever assembled. The Jets all love each other. The Jets are going to solve the nation's economic woes. Since the media loves him so much, he must be right. Right?

Uh uh.

Seems there is dissent in the ranks of the Green Team. Not only are the Jets 2-3 and on a three-game losing streak, but one of their captains -- Santonio Holmes -- has been throwing more blame around than there are snacks in Ryan's desk drawer. Wait? Santonio Holmes is a Jets captain? Whose idea was that?

Holmes has blamed his quarterback, his offense line, his defense (except Revis, of course), the refs, and the guy who serves the hot dogs. One of them has finally fired back. No, not the hot dog guy. Offensive lineman Brandon Moore had this to say about Holmes: "I've never seen a captain do that. That's not leading. That's not being a leader. It actually fragments the locker room.''

When asked about dissension in his locker, Ryan responded by saying all is well. And then he made a joke about how offensive linemen have "armadillo skin."

Ryan has been in a huge state of denial these past few weeks. At least publicly. He keeps saying things like "We're fine." "We're playing well." "We can fix this." "We're still winning the Super Bowl by 100 points." If I was a Jets fan I'd be nervous. I would want to hear things like "We're playing like crap." (They are). "If we don't start winning games, we're screwed." (They will be). "I'm going to kick some ass till we get our act together." (He should). If I'm a Jets fan I'm hoping the big man is saying all that -- and more -- behind closed doors.

That's the trouble with a coach like Ryan and his comedy routine. It's must-see TV when things are going well. And things have sure gone well for the Jets since he brought his appetite to the Meadowlands. But when things turn sour -- as they always do in sports (see Red Sox, Sept. 2011) -- a coach who is all bravado suddenly looks a little foolish. And if he starts being critical of his team or if he shows some concern or doubt about the way his team is playing then it exposes his bravado as nothing more than that.

I expect the Jets to start winning some games, starting Monday night against Miami. I also expect them to make the playoffs where they will once again be a very tough team to beat.

But if they don't, the Foot Doctor is going to have his size twelves planted firmly in his size twenty mouth.

Football talk

Big Vince was miked up during the Patriots win over the Jets on Sunday. He's not quite the intense on-field leader that Willie or Tedy were. But he sure is entertaining.

Feeling the heat

PRE-GAME: Warming up.

WEEK 5
Patriots 30, Jets 21 (10/9'11): Eighty degrees and sunny. Shorts and T-shirts in October. An array of foods from land and sea (and manufacturing plant). A visit by the Stanley Cup. An enjoyable victory over the rival J-E-T-S. A near propane tank disaster. Tailgating is never dull.

I arrived at the Enchanted Forest a little before noon -- well before the traffic jam -- and staked out a spot in the shade. A half hour later Shep, Matt, Mark, Bergs, and Billy had joined me and the sausages, ribs, burgers, and little neck clams were all cooking on Billy's new, shiny grill. We raised a toast to Al Davis, the weather, and to our continued good fortune to be getting ready for yet another big game.

The game was a standoff of mistakes and near mistakes for the first five minutes -- and then Brady hit Welker down the middle for 32 yards to the Jets 27. Four BenJarvus carries later and the Pats were up 7-0 and the summer-like day got that much better. Rex Ryan was quoted after the game as saying the Pats ran the ball on plays the Jets thought Brady would throw it. That was the key to the game and will be a key to the rest of the season.

The Pats continued to pound the ball against the Jets defense and added a 44-yard Gostkowski field goal with 11 minutes to go in the half. The Pats had 10 points. The Jets had zero points. And zero first downs. And only 38 yards of offense. Jets' QB Mark Sanchez was feeling the heat of the Pats defensive line. He was sacked once and hurried often. It wasn't a dominant rush, but with the return of Haynesworth the D line got some push. Better, but still not good enough.

Much like last year's playoff game, the Pats were dominating but they couldn't pull away on the scoreboard. And like the playoff game, the Jets finally put together a nice touchdown drive to get back into it. A 13-play, nearly eight minute march was capped by a Shonn Greene touchdown and the score was 10-7. And then, like the playoff game, the Pats made a key mistake late in the first half.

With just more than three minutes to go, the Pats got the ball at their own 7-yard line and moved the ball with the no-huddle all the way down the the New York 11. It was a drive that saw Brady sacked three times -- he was feeling the heat all day from the Jets' D. And it was a drive that ended when Brady hit Hernandez right in the hands for what would have been a touchdown on the last play of the half. Instead, the ball bounced out of the tight end's hands and was picked by Antonio Cromartie. It was the only good thing Cromartie did all day.

The Pats walked off the field dejected and only up by three. The first play of the second half would help change the mood and the score.

Welker got behind the defensive backs and Brady hit him in stride for a 73-yard play down to the Jets' 7-yard line. A Deion Branch fumble at the two was overturned -- whew -- and then Branch burned Cromartie and was wide open in the endzone for a touchdown to put the Pats up 17-7. The teams exchanged points in an entertaining second half. Every play was a battle for both offenses. Nothing came easy. The game had a definite playoff feeling. The Jets scored with seven minutes to go in the game to cut the score to 27-21. It was one of those season-defining moments.

The Pats started the drive with eight straight running plays. The biggest was on a 3rd-and-4 at the Jets' 46. Brady was in the shotgun and Mt. Ryan and his Jets were ready for the pass that everyone knew was coming. But Bennie took the direct snap, broke left, and ran for 14 huge yards. It was a great call. The offense took 13 plays and chewed up more than six minutes of clock, setting up Gostkowski for the game-clinching field goal with just a minute to play. The Pats put up 30 points for the 13th straight regular season game. Quite a streak. I don't think any of those 30 points were more hard earned than in this game.

Some tailgaters were shooting off fireworks as we started to set up our post-game celebration. It wasn't the Fourth of July, but with the rockets red glare and the warm temperatures it sure felt like it. Billy connected the propane tank to his new grill and started it up. A flash of orange and blue flame shot out of the tank and quickly engulfed Billy. He jumped away from the grill and the flames vanished. We all huddled around him to see if he was OK. The hair on his arms, legs, even his eyebrows were all singed. In some places completely burned away. But his skin was safe. Red, but not burned.

The couple tailgating next to us brought over a big bag of ice. Billy sat there cooling down as we all relived his past experiences with fire. There are a few. Matt offered Billy some words of reassurance.

"It doesn't look too bad," he said. "You didn't get burned as bad as Cromartie did on that touchdown by Branch."

POST-GAME: Overheated.

What about Bob?

TALES FROM THE TAILGATE
New York Jets 24, Patriots 17 (11/15/'99): The original reason I started this blog was to have a place to write down memories of all the great (and not-so-great) games that I've been to over the years. I thought it would be good to read as I get older and the memories become a little fuzzier. It happens to us all eventually. Some days it feels like it's already happening.

I've been titling those memories Tales from the Tailgate. There's one about the Snow Bowl. The Fog Bowl. The night they raised the first championship banner. The night the old stadium almost washed away. There's one about Drew Bledsoe's greatest game. Even a few from the strike year of '87.

It's been nothing but fun. Even on days the Pats lose. Well, except that playoff game against the Ravens two seasons ago. That wasn't much fun at all.

The thing that makes football different from all the other sports is tailgating. It's a party unlike anything else. OK, except maybe a Dead show in the '70s. Or a Buffett concert. Whether a sunny and warm day in September or a snowy and frigid day in January, it is always a memorable time. The game has a lot to do with it of course. As does the food. And, yes, the beverages. But the best part is the company. Tailgating is as much about spending time with friends who you might not otherwise see all that much as it is about touchdowns and sacks.

GILLETTE: If you build it ...

Sundays at Gillette (and before that Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium) have kept alive longtime friendships with Shep (and his sons), Mark, Bergs, and Billy and introduced all of them to my brothers and nephews (cue "Circle of Life" music). When the warm months arrive we might see each other once or twice a summer. But from September through (hopefully) February, we get to spend several Sundays hanging out talking family, politics, work, and the thing that distracts us from all that -- football.

As with any group that's been tailgating for years and years, there are always going to be some characters who make the memories just a tad more colorful.

There's Billy, whose fondness for fire, things wrapped in bacon, and great stories make him a guy you always enjoy spending seven hours with in the parking lot. There's Cousin Benny, who may or may not have been Billy's cousin. He was a Raider fan who came with Billy to the Snow Bowl. It was his first time in Foxborough and he got separated from us in the celebration after the game. He wandered down Route 1 in the snow looking for our car in one of the south lots. Problem was he was walking north. For about two miles. By the time some stranger finally figured out he was heading in the wrong direction we were all long gone. I haven't seen him since. Whenever I'm driving near the stadium I still keep an eye out for Cousin Benny.

Another guy I haven't seen in quite a few years is Bob Lee. He was a town reporter at the newspaper and a true one-of-a-kind friend. His full name is Robert E. Lee. It was fitting. He's quite the historical figure among those that have stood on the pavement and dirt along the side of Route 1. There are many great Bob Lee tales from the tailgate. But as I get ready for another clash with the Jets -- as well as lots of  food and laughs -- one tale stands out as my favorite.

FOXBORO RACEWAY: Park here.

During the '99 season and into the next year construction began on what is now Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place. When you are erecting a giant new building right next to the old stadium something has to give. In this case, it was parking spaces. Several lots were swallowed up by the construction. When the stadium plan was first outlined we all asked the same question. Where the heck are we going to park?

One answer turned out to be on the dirt surface of the harness racetrack that sat in the shadow of the old stadium. Foxboro Raceway was built in 1947 and on the visits I made to it during the '80s and '90s to lose some money it seemed that the place was still populated by the guys who were there when it opened. It was like walking onto the set of the "Sting." I can still smell the cigars.

By '99 the horses -- and the gents with the cigars -- were just a memory. The clubhouse was being torn down and on game days cars were directed to parking spots on and around the dirt track. On a mild mid-November afternoon our carpool came to a stop right at the first corner. We set up and enjoyed a great tailgate, grilling, drinking, and playing football on the dirt. At some point Bob -- as he sometimes did -- disappeared. Mark and I sat in our chairs listening to music and talking about the 6-2 Patriots vs. the 2-6 Jets. Even though we were not Pete Carroll fans, we were feeling good about our team.

"Where's Bob?" I asked Mark. "He's been gone for a while and I have his ticket. We should start heading to our seats soon." (It was '99. We didn't have iPhones.) Mark just shrugged. I shrugged back. Then in the distance I saw Bob walking around the bend. He was dragging something.

"Oh, no," I said. "Bob's up to something. Again."

A buzz arose through all the tailgaters around us as Bob approached, dragging a long black-and-white checkered pole beside him. It was made of metal so it clanked and clattered as it scraped along the ground.

"What you got there, Bob?" I asked.

"It's the quarter pole from the race track," he said in his best Kramer voice. "I was gonna take it home."

That was not good news for me since Bob came in my car.

"I don't think that's going to fit," I said. "It's about 10 feet long."

"And you're getting the attention of the man," Mark said, as police and security began taking notice of Bob's unusual game souvenir. "We don't want that."

Bob took the pole and propped it up against a tree in the track's infield as the police watched, not quite sure if what he was doing was illegal or not.
We got Bob safely to our seats where we watched our high hopes for the Pats crushed. The Jets -- with Ray Lucas as their QB -- jumped all over the Patriots for a 24-3 lead. We were really starting to get down on coach Carroll. Drew Bledsoe tossed two late touchdowns to cut the lead to 24-17 but he also threw three picks. The last one to seal the disappointing defeat. It was not a fun game.

We walked back to the dirt track in the dark. No one had thought to put lights in the new parking lot. We hung around rehashing the mistakes of the team and hoping it was not a sign of things to come. (Turns out it was, as Carroll's Pats won only two more games to finish 8-8 and out of the playoffs). I had to cut the post-game tailgate short in order to drive several people home. Me, Mark, my brother Jim, and Bob piled into my green Taurus wagon. Much like today, traffic getting out of the lot was inching along. And then it was stopped.

"I'll be right back," Bob said and he jumped out of the car and ran back to Bergs, Billy, and the others who were still grilling.

"I'm leaving you here if the traffic starts moving," I yelled out the window. We sat there for another 15 minutes before the traffic starting flowing. I drove through the parking lot with one eye in the rear view looking for Bob.

Suddenly he appeared in the mirror, running at full speed, his hands full of something. The traffic moved faster. I moved faster. Bob ran faster. Just before we got to Route 1 we slowed a bit and Bob caught us. He tumbled into the car, spilling burgers and beers everywhere.

"I forgot I left our burgers on the grill," Bob said as we all laughed. "I figured we needed something for the ride home."

It was a great ride home as I ate my half-cooked burger and retold the story of how I would have left him in the parking lot over and over.

There have been so many great times over the 15-plus years of going to Pats games. Today's Pats-Jets clash should be another one. The victories are certainly the sweetest. But as great as the memories from the Snow Bowl or the 16-0 season are, the memory of Bob dragging the quarter pole towards me is as entertaining a memory as any. Even after a dissapointing loss.

Just win, baby

Bob Ryan wrote a column in the Globe praising Jets coach Rex Ryan for being honest and brash and funny. Writer Ryan says coach Ryan is a breath of fresh air in the world of pro sports where all talk is cliched and programmed. He feels most coaches, GMs, and managers are boring. No life, color, or laughter to be found. Mt. Ryan, he says, is a rare breed. Actually, sports has been -- and still is -- filled with cocky, colorful, outrageous, and entertaining characters. One of the biggest of all -- Oakland Raiders' leader Al Davis -- passed away today.

Talk about brash.

Davis was the perfect villain. Sunglasses. Black leather jacket. Pompadour. Bad teeth. Davis would make my blood boil when I was a kid in the '70s and his Silver and Black were breaking as many rules as they were winning games. In New England, fans hated the Raiders. And their arrogant owner.

But without Al Davis there wouldn't be an NFL. He was one of the most important figures in the creation of the AFL in the '60s and then the merger of the two leagues at the end of the decade, forming what has become the largest -- and most entertaining -- sports monster since the days of chariot racing. In fact, Davis was expecting to become commissioner of the NFL when the merger dust settled. Instead, Pete Rozelle was moved into that spot by the more mainstream owners of the day and a bitter Davis never forgot it.

He spent the next 30 years suing anything with an NFL logo on it. He moved his team to LA just to piss off the owners who didn't wear leather jackets. He then moved it back to Oakland -- where the team belongs -- just to piss off everyone in LA who did. All the while his team of castoffs, criminals, and crazies were winning Super Bowls and breaking opponents. Literally.

In 1976 the Raiders -- by way of a highly-disputed and debated roughing the passer call -- knocked off what was at that time the best Patriot team ever. It actually still might be the best one ever. The Raiders went on the win the Super Bowl and I can still remember the moment Rozelle had to hand Davis the Lombardi trophy. The look on both their faces is priceless.

The roughing the passer call was the first in what would become a rather long string of heartbreaking losses that would fill Boston sports pages for the rest of the century. It was the first time I had cried after my team lost. Hey, I was 14. The Raiders were always the most hated team in my house from that moment on and the mere mention of the official who made the call (Dreith) would spark cursing. It was such a bad call.

I would have my payback as a fan about 25 years later in the snow. Tuck rule. Revenge really is a dish best served cold.

The Raiders and Davis have been a big part of my football-watching experience. Every story needs a really good villain. It just makes it more fun. Just ask the rest of the country about the Patriots these days.

Four on the floor

The 16-game NFL season is broken down into quarters, just like each game. The league has come to the end of the first quarter of the 2011 season. There are definitely some surprises so far. The defending champs are 4-0. No surprise there. The other undefeated team? The Lions. They have exceeded even the highest expectations -- so far.

There have been some changes among the rankings for best team since the start of the season. Here are the top 12 after four games. Why 12? That's how many teams make the playoffs.

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0): Guess the Pack wasn't too happy with my preseason rankings. OK. I stand corrected. The defending champs are the best team in the league. They were kind of lucky to win the opener against the Saints. Since then Aaron Rodgers and his offense has been on a tear. Their offense is not as dynamic as New England's. But their D is much better. They are still the team to beat.

2. New England Patriots (3-1): The loss of Mayo is huge. He led the league in tackles last year and was starting to make more of the game-changing plays. Hopefully -- with the bye week -- he will only miss a few games. The defense is still a work in progress. The offense is a work of art. Brady looks in control on every drive -- even the ones that end badly. I can't wait to see if the Jets D can slow them down. I'm thinking no.

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): Ray Lewis and the men in black have looked dominant in wins over the Steelers and the Jets. But they looked very beatable in a loss to Tennessee. I think the one that dominated is the Ravens team we will see most of the time. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis will see too it. If Flacco can step up to the next level of QB then Baltimore could be at the top of this list come Week 17. (I don't know what it is... but Ray Lewis is starting to grow on me).

4. Detroit Lions (4-0): The Lions destroyed the Pats in preseason. If the Pats and Lions played this weekend who would win? I lean towards Detroit just because of their pass rush. The best in the game. But then I see the way Romo and Big D pushed the Lions around in the first half and I think what could Brady and Co. do. I'm not sure who would win, but it would be a hell of a game. Detroit has fallen behind big in its last two games only to pull out come-from-behind wins. That can't last.

5. Houston Texans (3-1): You can just see the difference in the Texans. Just the knowledge that -- ding-dong -- the Colts are dead seems to have made them better. They sure look more confident. Matt Schaub is maturing and the Texans have a great pass rush. It's the one thing all the teams in the top 5 have. Except the Pats. Houston has gotten off to fast starts before only to bow to the Colts. This time teams will be bowing to them.

6. New Orleans Saints (3-1): The 2009 champs are a lot like the Patriots. Great offense. Shaky defense. But they are also a couple of fluky plays away from beating the Pack and being undefeated. Now that they aren't the team with the target on their backs, Brees and the Saints can relax and just play. Replacing Reggie Bush with Darren Sproles was brilliant. When this is your sixth best team, you have an entertaining league.

7. Washington Redskins (3-1): Is it Mike Shanahan? Rex Grossman? Uh uh. It's no Phat Albert. And no Donovan McNabb. Addition by subtraction. The Redskins at the top of the NFC East and the Eagles at the bottom? It's only four weeks but only Baltimore has allowed less points than Washington. The offense is making just enough plays to win. And they have an extremely easy schedule outside their division games.

8. San Diego Chargers (3-1): San Diego has gotten off to so many bad starts in the past several years that it felt like a rule that they start of 1-4. Now that Norv has his team sitting at 3-1 they only have to avoid a late-season collapse not to win the division. It's theirs. Then Norv gets to the playoffs. That's a different story as we know.

9. New York Jets (2-2): So much for my "they deserve to start the season ranked #1" statement. They didn't and now they aren't. The Jets have the ego to match Mt. Ryan's gut. It's not helping much. If it wasn't for a Romo meltdown the Jets would be sitting at 1-3 and the Foot Doctor wouldn't be cracking wise at his press conferences. "We're just the guys for the job," Big Rex declared after his team got spanked by the Ravens. The job of getting their march to the Super Bowl back on track starts in Gillette. Good luck.

10. Tennessee Titans (3-1): Matt Hasselbeck? Really? You just never know. If it wasn't for the Titans' win over Baltimore I wouldn't have them ranked. But beat Baltimore they did. And handily. They lost WR Kenny Britt for the season. A big loss. But Chris Johnson has yet to get rolling. When that happens the Titans might actually get better. Especially if Hasselbeck continues his Kurt Warner impersonation.

11. San Francisco 49ers (3-1): The Harbaugh brothers are 6-1. John has been doing well in Baltimore for a few years now. Former QB Jim looks like he's bringing the same focused intensity to the Niners. And it's working so far. It helps that the three other teams in the NFC West are three of the league's worst. And it helps to have a runner like Frank Gore.

12. Buffalo Bills (3-1): It was either the Bills or the Giants here. I'm just not an Eli believer. I don't think the Giants make the playoffs. I don't think the Bills will make it either. They had a chance to go 4-0 and blew a lead against a mediocre Cincy team. That's not a good sign. And their D is really bad. But they are fun to watch. I can't wait till they come to Gillette on New Year's Day.

Dishonorable mention: Philadephia Eagles. The Dream Team '11. They are 1-3 and blew a 23-3 lead at home against the Niners. With mistake after mistake after mistake. The warm and fuzzy Philly fans are getting a little agitated. On the bright side, Vick has led my fantasy football team to a respectable 2-2 start. Oh wait, that's Wes Welker who has done that.

Say hello to my little friend

SIZE MATTERS: 83 never looked so good.

WEEK 4
So this is what it's like to watch football on an HD television. I still play Madden '04 on Gamecube and still use a VCR to tape Pats' games. But I've finally entered the new millennium when it comes to TV.

A great football season just got better.

The Patriots -- as they have done so many times under Belichick -- rebounded from a tough loss with a big win. Forget the final stats. The 31-19 victory was impressive. Style points don't count when it comes to road wins in the NFL. They are all good. The mighty Jets got smoked on their west coast trip to Oakland last week. So the Raiders were no pushover. The Pats got an early lead -- and this time stayed mostly mistake free.

The same couldn't be said for Oakland. I love that about the Silver and Black. No matter what decade it is. Who is coaching. Who is playing QB. Or what city they call home. The Raiders will commit more stupid penalties and mistakes than the other team on the field. Bank it.

Ex-Pat Richard Seymour got the ball rolling with TWO personal foul penalties on the Pats' first touchdown drive. He single-handedly rescued Brady and the offense from the shadow of their own goal line with a ridiculous roughing-the-passer play well after the whistle blew on 3rd-and-9. The Pats would have been punting, instead they drove from their own 10 in just more than four minutes to take the lead. Seymour added a face-mask penalty during the drive.

Wes Welker -- who may give Brady a battle for league MVP -- had another huge game. He had nine catches for 158 yards. Brady only completed 16 passes. More than half of them to #83. Brady has lots of weapons to choose from, but Welker is the guy who makes this team go. Rookie Stevan Ridley had a big 33-yard touchdown run -- credit to Deion Branch with a big block. Branch -- who had a quiet game catching but a huge game blocking -- caught a late TD pass to seal the victory. The passing game took a rare backseat to the running game. Something that was great to see. The Pats ran for 183 yards on 30 attempts. In case people forgot, the Pats can run the ball. When Brady actually hands it off.

The Raiders moved the ball all day but only put up 13 points till a last second garbage-time score. Points allowed. That's the key stat. All the other stats say the Pats are the worst D in the league after four weeks. But they are right in the middle of the pack in points allowed. Surrounded by teams like Green Bay, New Orleans, and Chicago. Even the good defenses are having trouble stopping teams from moving up and down the field. It's the ones that keep them out of the end zone that will be still standing when the playoffs start.

The Pats D gave up another stadium-full of yards. But once again they made plays when they had to. No doubt about it, they are living dangerously. But as of now the Pats have the players to get away with it. Although losing Mayo with a knee injury is going to make that a lot harder. Maybe Phat Albert can play a little football this week. It's sort of a big game.

The rematch with Mt. Ryan and the Jets. At Gillette. The forecast is mostly sunny in the 70s. It should be a great tailgate and hopefully a great game. I'll miss my new HD friend, but the view from Section 109 is pretty sweet too.

What's cookin?

There's a list of movies that I can watch over and over and over and ...

It includes "The Godfather, Parts I and  II''; "The French Connection"; "The Empire Strikes Back"; "Shawshank Redemption''; "Dr Stranglove"; "Crimson Tide''; "Back to the Future."

Add "Bill Belichick: A Football Life.''

No. Not really. It wasn't that good. But I will watch it again I'm sure.

The two part NFL Network production gave real insight into Belichick and what he is really like as a football coach. It also glossed over a lot of things. Like the dumping of Seymour. But for a Pats fan it was mostly entertaining. What made it more interesting was that it was during a year the Pats didn't play all that well. We get to see the coach and his staff struggling to guide the young team from the dynasty years into a new era.

The whole two-hour program is worth watching, but the clip above includes one of my favorite scenes. The Pats clinched their seventh division title under Belichick with a dominant win over Jacksonville at Gillette a few days after Christmas. My brother and his son came up from North Carolina and joined my other brother and the rest of the tailgating group. It was a great tailgate and a fun game.

Skip to the 3:45 mark and you will see how Bill Belichick and his family celebrated the win and the holidays.

Same way me, my brothers, and my friends did... with a tailgate in the dark of the Gillette parking lot.