AROUND THE SPORTS WORLD
The evil empire that is the Patriots works its magic again
By Jim Rodriguez
Dec 27, 2017, 9:19 pm
Bill Belichick is at it again. Sbnation.com
Last week I posed the question: Why do these things keep happening to the Patriots? That was in response to the Steelers touchdown that was overturned that led to a New England victory. Well.. I ask again...
First came another touchdown against the Pats that was AGAIN overturned. This time Bills receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, appeared to make a great catch and a perfect toe drag in the endzone for six points.
Upon further review.. and there were plenty.. like forever.. like it seemed the suits in New York wanted to reverse the touchdown. Benjamin was ruled out of bounds. No touchdown. To be fair.. the Pats won the game 37-16. So it’s not like the call cost Buffalo the game.
Now if I remember correctly.. the point of replay was to right a wrong. A call the was so badly missed by an official that the replay upon review showed the mistake. This wasn’t the case. Multiple angles really couldn’t give you a definitive look to overturn the call. And that’s the point of the rule right? If it’s so obvious a wrong call, replay will show it and it will be corrected. It seems like the guys and gals at the league office are now trying to find whatever they can to make sure a call is correct. In principle, that’s a good idea. But so was Communism. We saw how that turned out.
Bottom line: if the evidence isn’t clear to overturn the call, whatever the call may be, it must stand. Let the players play. Let the referees officiate. Brutal.
Meanwhile, this James Harrison thing is getting crazy. If you believe his ex-Steeler teammates, Harrison orchestrated his exit to sign with the Patriots. "Trust me, if if I wanted out, I wouldn't let the team take the blame for it," said center Maurkice Pouncey.
Yes, Harrison’s role had been diminished. Playing 40 snaps in 14 games with only one sack for the franchise leader. But really.. .asking to be cut and then blaming the team? And signing so quickly with the Patriots? Very, very, very curious. ‘He erased his own legacy here, let's be serious," Pouncey said. “It's crazy. It blows my mind."
And for those who think the Pats are once again up to some chicanery...I agree with Pouncey. Let’s be serious. Don’t give me any of this that "he’ll tell the Pats everything they need to know about Pittsburgh’s playbook." Last I checked, New England had little trouble beating the Steelers.
This is classic Bill Belichick head games. Maybe Harrison still has one more big sack in him. Maybe. But if the Steelers and Patriots do meet again with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the dark overlord (that’s Belichick) is counting on a bunch of Steelers, especially on the defensive side of the ball, thinking about Harrison. Hey, worth a shot right?
They say Vince McMahon is thinking about kickstarting the XFL again. They say he might be interested in buying the Carolina Panthers. The is storyline sure smells like what The Rock Is cooking.
Picture this, Steelers driving in Foxborough.. final play of the game... Big Ben under pressure.. here comes Harrison about to make the sack.. and suddenly stops. Roethlisberger then throws the game winning touchdown to send the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Harrison peels off his Patriots jersey to reveal...a Steelers shirt!!
Baw Gawd! Baw Gawd.. not this way! .. not this way!
You can listen to my radio show, The Sports Bosses , weekdays at 10amET on SBNation Radio. Twitter: @mediarodriguez
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A new challenge awaits, and the Astros know what’s at stake
Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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