Boston Sports Radio's Four Most Ridiculous Current Topics
8:19 PM | boston red sox, Kevin Youkilis; Mark Teixeira, matt cassel, New England Patriots;, Randy Moss, tom brady with 1 comments »
This time of year can be stressful enough without listening to knucklehead after idiot call into Boston-region sports talk shows with their 'well-thought out' theories on who should go where, what manager is doing a bad job and generally playing out the role of the worst General Managers in history.
I realize that putting on ridiculous callers is part of the gag, but at some point, it becomes the exact opposite of entertaining and engaging radio. With that in mind, I want to share four topics that have been dominating the airwaves of WEEI for the past month or so. Whether it's the on-air talent or the untalented people calling in, I'm ready to hear cats singing Christmas carols before listening to people banter about the following news items anymore. Yes, I'm perpetuating the problem a bit by regurgitating these topics, but someone has to provide clarity.
-Coming in at #4: New England receiver Randy Moss is dogging it.
This is more of a reputation issue than anything, but there seems to be an assumption - like this from Mike Felger - that Moss is not giving it his all because Tom Brady isn't throwing him the ball. Has there been any public incidents? No. Have you heard of any behind-the-scenes complaining? Not that I know. Has he been trying less? I don't think so and this floats into that gray area of people not knowing what they're seeing on a field and using the 'taking plays off' tag a bit too liberally. Too many people think they know when they really don't.
So far, Moss has caught eight TDs and 54 receptions for 740 yards, a bit off pace from last season's record-breaking campaign. He's had some bad games, but so have the rest of the Pats' receivers. Moss has needed time to work things out with his new qb Matt Cassel, something that is tougher than most give credit for. And if you still aren't buying it, keep this in mind: unlike Terrell Owens, Moss hasn't gone in front of the cameras this season to publicly demand more catches or undermine the coaching staff. He's in a great position with a team that is winning and will be catching bombs from Tom Brady soon enough. This is a story that isn't even there, but keeps rumbling in the background.
-And our #3, can Kevin Youkilis play another position?
Emerging from the news the Red Sox might be interested in signing free agent slugger Mark Teixeira, there have been plenty of people asking whether Youkilis can play another position like left field, shortstop or even....gulp....catcher. (Yes, people have asked this.) Why would the team want to move Youk, you might ask? So the team can essentially have their cake and eat it too with Mike Lowell at 3rd, Teixeira at 1st and Youk filling a need at another position.
In a word: no. A Gold Glove-winner, Youkilis filled in and played outstanding 3rd base during Lowell's injury-riddled 2008 season, which is the only reason signing Teixeira is even being considered. He provides Boston with an interesting option if they do ink Teixeira and a conundrum in finding a trade market for Lowell, coming off hip surgery.
But rest assured: the man that finished 3rd in AL MVP voting this season will either be at 1st or 3rd...that's it and that's all. You can't have an All-Star at every position and moving Youkilis is asking too much and weakening another position. It's not Little League...this is Major League Freakin' Baseball.
-And now, the nauseating #2: sign Jason Varitek for two seasons and have him apprentice a young catcher.
Baseball isn't like football where a backup quarterback can learn from the starter and then take over when the time is right. To assume Varitek is willing to do this means he feels he only has two relevant seasons left and completely agrees he's in decline. Varitek and agent Scott Boras are looking for a three-or-four year deal at money I feel Boston isn't going to be willing to pay. Varitek bucked the system by signing a four-year, $40 million deal before and I don't think he's going to suddenly devalue himself for potentially the final deal of his career.
Also, this theory assumes the Red Sox will find a young catcher that is going to be good as if there's a plethora of them available. (Side note: If I hear one more theory on a potential deal with Texas for one of their young backstops, I might ask an actual Texas Ranger to shoot me in the head.) Let's face facts here: Varitek has set the bar so high that whoever follows him full-time will pale in comparison. Eventually, the captain is not going to be back there, so it's either a case of ripping off the bandage now or later. But it's coming and it's going to hurt.
-And our #1 most ridiculous topic on Boston sports radio today: should Matt Cassel replace Tom Brady next season?
Oh boy. Suddenly, the man people wanted to see benched for rookie Kevin O'Connell earlier this season is now the hottest athlete in Boston, causing some to attempt to figure out a way to keep the impending free agent. I hate to burst the bubble, but it's not going to happen. No way, no how. Give it to Cassel: he got a shot and has made the most of it, throwing for 2600 yards, 13 TDs and eight INTs. Even if the team doesn't make the playoffs or if he slightly regresses, he is going to get a nice offseason payday based on long-term potential, following in the footsteps of Matt Schaub, Rob Johnson, Scott Mitchell and others that have come before him.
But to even speculate on trading last season's MVP? Ridiculous. I understand the thought of trading top talent for top talent when you have a surplus, but come on now. You really, really, really want to deal the best quarterback in the league for a guy who has put together a nice string of games? Don't even try to imagine a scenario...don't do it. The only way Cassel is back on this team is if the Patriots announce before the end of the 2008 campaign that Brady will be out for the entire 2009 season. Trust me: you'll forget all about Cassel when Brady connects with Moss on the first of many touchdowns next year.
That is unless Moss keeps tearing apart the team with that 'bad attitude' of his.
Josh Nason - josh [at] smallwhiteball [com] - is the publisher and main writer of Small White Ball, an all-encompassing sports blog that began in 2007. You can also read on mixed martial arts, boxing and pro wrestling at brother site RopesRingandCage.com. If you're using any part of this post, please link back to
www.smallwhiteball.com. Thank you!
