I turned off the TV in disgust after taking one last look at the final score. The realization that my beloved Patriots had just lost the AFC Championship for the second straight year had finally started to sink in. To add insult to injury, the loss came at the hands of the gangly Peyton Manning and his heavily favored Denver Broncos team. There would be no Cinderella story for the Patriots this year.
Growing up, I was accustomed to seeing my hero Tom Brady dispense Manning-led teams like it was his job. This past Sunday, it seemed like his mind was on vacation. Perhaps his shortcomings can be attributed to the lack of bona fide wide receivers on his roster or the fact that his team’s defensive enforcers (Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo) were stuck on the sideline with injuries. Regardless of the reason, the bottom line is that the Patriots are out, and I must begrudgingly tip my hat to Manning for an impressive
postseason performance so far.
Nevertheless, though, Go Seahawks.
Yankees Sign Tanaka
Man, this just hasn’t been a good week for Boston sports. As of Monday, Jan. 22, Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka is now an official member of the New York Yankees. Tanaka posted an impressive 24-0 record last year with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League and had a ridiculous 1.27 ERA to match. Tanaka’s presence fills a huge hole in the Yankees pitching staff, especially after the departure of Phil Hughes. Tanaka is only 25 years old and is locked up with the Yankees for the next seven years. All I can say is, with the rejuvenated Yankee roster, reigning champion Red Sox and feisty Rays, the AL East will once again reign supreme over all divisions this season.
Feelin The “Lovie” In Tampa
Less than 24 hours after the NFL season ended, five coaches were immediately canned for their lackluster performances. As such, there will be a great deal of new and old faces popping up as head coaches this year. Geographically closest to us is defensive mastermind Lovie Smith, the newest coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (their fifth Head Coach since the year 2000).Smith enjoyed decent success in his tenure with the Bears, including a Super Bowl berth in 2006. After enduring the reigns of the peppy but unsuccessful Raheem Morris and the rigid Greg Schiano, Bucs fans can find solace knowing that they finally have an experienced captain at the helm of their pirate ship. Smith is no stranger to Tampa, working as the linebackers coach under the legendary Tony Dungy.
Also new in Tampa is Jason Licht, who will fill ex-General Manager Mark Dominik’s spot. Licht most recently worked as Vice President of Player Personnel for the Arizona Cardinals and was an integral piece in transforming the mediocre Cards into a 10-6 team last year. I solemnly believe Licht’s dynamic energy and willingness to stray from the norm will bode well for Buc fans. Licht and Smith will seek to eradicate the air of complacency and stagnancy that has plagued the Buccaneer organization for the past few seasons.
Lightning Strike
Let’s start with the good news, shall we? The Lightning are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference and plan on returning All-Star Steven Stamkos to the ice in about a week. Stamkos’ recovery is truly a sight to behold, as the Canadian stud is already healed from a broken leg endured from running into a goalpost in November. To be playing again in January is downright miraculous.
In the bad news department, prominent Lightning players Martin St. Louis and Ben Bishop were snubbed from their respective Olympic teams. While this may have been a precautionary move in order to eliminate their risk of injury, I believe every professional athlete should have the chance to compete for their country in Olympic competition. The event only comes around once every four years, after all.
Final Word
We’ve got a busy semester ahead of us here at Minaret Sports. Our team of enthusiastic writers are back and ready to bring enhanced coverage of all things sports. The curtain may be closing on the NFL season, but we have a bevy of things to cover in the ensuing weeks. Ladies and gents, the race has begun.
Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com