I like the batch of emails this week. Most of you seemed intent on pointing out the few things I got right this year while ignoring the myriad of things I screwed up. It’s a feel-good bag, and I appreciate it.

Did I just say, “feel-good?” Okay, maybe the fine folks out at Boston College have a different opinion on that, and they make it known this week. All I know is that I’m enjoying the crap out of bashing BC for this pathetic Jeff Jagodzinski firing, and a few of you even agree with me. Either way, anytime I receive angry emails from the touchy and the self-important out at the Heights, I know it’s all worthwhile.

Finally, I made the mistake of making a joke on the radio last week about trolling for porn on the internet in my spare time. I’m not going to post what was sent to me, but thanks for the recommendations just the same. You people are sick.

On to the emails -- and go Eagles!

--

Mike,

When the Patriots decided to dump Adam Vinatieri for a younger Stephen Gostkowski, one of the points stressed by all the media experts is that you cannot make an emotional or financial decision based on a player’s past performance. The decision must be based on current and future value. Since none of us knows for sure the real scoop on Brady’s knee, let us assume for this discussion that he will not return until game six or later in ’09, or not at all. Under that scenario, I predict that the Patriots will trade Brady and keep Cassel. Cassel is younger, undamaged, and has proven that he can get the job done. Cassel does not have to break every record in the book to get to the Super Bowl. 

Regarding your three possible conspiracy theories in the alleged “leak” to Tom Curran: Your third scenario hypothesizes that the Patriots could be trying to spook Cassel into going along with the Patriot organization’s plans for him. Have you considered that Brady would also have to be sticking it to Cassel for that one to work?

A DB from Foxboro

A: A few things, DB. Unless someone offers me a Herschel Walker deal (three firsts and three seconds spread over three years), I’m not thinking about trading Brady. And that’s for the exact reason you state: present and future value. I believe over the next 3-5 years Brady will continue to win at a championship-contending level. It’s possible he may not have the same physical capabilities after he returns, but his intangibles (leadership, intelligence, toughness, clutch play, etc.) aren't going anywhere. Even if Brady is a question mark for 2009, I trade Cassel and use the picks to build the defense. Sell high, in other words, and cross your fingers on Brady.

As for my conspiracy theories over the “purpose” of Tom’s story, they’re fun to talk about but hardly realistic. To refresh, I said there were three things the Pats could gain with the story.

1. When they go to trade Cassel as a franchised player in March, they can use the Brady injury as leverage against whatever team they’re negotiating with. If, for example, the Lions plan to low-ball the Pats with a mid-round pick in the belief there’s no way the Pats would retain Cassel to back up Brady, the Pats can counter by saying, `We NEED Cassel. Brady’s hurt. He could be our starter. We’re not giving him away for nothing.”

2. If the NFLPA or the league challenges the Pats over operating outside the spirit of the collective bargaining agreement, which frowns on franchising players with the express intent of trading them, the Pats can say their primary intention is to retain Cassel because Brady is hurt.

3. If the Pats had any designs of retaining Cassel, they can sell him on the fact he won’t necessarily being holding a clipboard next year. Given Brady’s condition, he could very well be playing again.

I believe Curran’s story has the potential to help the Pats out on all three of those PR fronts. But to believe the Pats planted or approved the story to achieve that end is crazy. And the reason is very simple: They would NEVER screw around with Brady like that. They would never release, on the record or off the record, medical information on their most valued player. It’s just not what they do. They wouldn’t do it if the information were accurate, never mind making up a story to make Brady’s condition appear worse than it is. Think of the implications of them doing that. It’s just not viable. And all to gain leverage over Brady’s teammate and friend? You’re right, DB. No way. Curran’s source may have his or her own motivation to give him the story, but giving the Pats’ leverage over Cassel, the NFLPA or another team isn’t it. Unfortunately, I believe Curran's story on its face.

--

Hey Tony Dungy, how you enjoying that Illegal Contact rule buddy?!

Leo

Wakefield

A: What a terrible, awful call on the Colts in overtime last Saturday. Third-and-8, Rivers flushed out of the pocket, nowhere to go with the ball, wild throw with no chance of being caught, flag. I know Patriots fans loved it. Sweet irony, right? But let's face it: pass interference/illegal contact is one of the worst rules in sports. It ruins games and kills entire seasons. Why are playoff football games being decided by touch fouls? If that's what I was looking for I'd watch the NBA.

--

Emptying out the desk drawer of the sports mind:

•I have been staunchly opposed to pass interference being a spot call because of the brutal, game-changing calls that have occurred (Asante Samuel, Denver 2006) and I appreciate your carrying the torch. Can you also attempt to expose the inexplicable draft order rules where playoff teams pick ahead of non-playoff teams?

•Please call out all of your colleagues at WEEI who act as if they knew Cassel was going to be franchised all along. I don't recall the specific positions of each of them, but I do recall you being the only one to do your homework and take a position, and now there's a pretty large bandwagon.

•The Pats' defense has been in decline since the departure of Willie McGinest. I don't think he had the same skills when he left, but wasn't the entire team afraid of him (see Larry Izzo, Denver 2006)? Seeing that Colvin was only with the team for two years after he left, I think it was a mistake letting him go. The defense hasn't played with the same accountability since.

Jimmy

Charlestown

A: 1. I don't know why the draft order doesn't bother me like it does most of you. Maybe because I think there's no real difference between drafting at 24 or 21 or 19, etc. You'd rather be higher, I guess, but the odds of landing a good player are roughly the same at 19 as at 24. And it seems to me the Pats always want to be lower anyway. 2. Once Cassel started to play well, the franchise tag became an obvious option. I still don't know why it took so long for folks to figure it out. I defy you to find someone promoting it as an option earlier than yours truly. 3. I think the “defense-has-never-been-the-same'' moment came after the 2004 season, not after '05, which is when McGinest left. The year before saw Ty Law get released, Tedy Bruschi suffer a stroke, Ted Johnson retire, Roman Phifer depart and Romeo Crennel take the job in Cleveland. And then, early in 2005, Rodney Harrison shattered his knee in Pittsburgh. I believe that's when the decline began.

--

Re: Year-end grades

Felger,

You forgot about ownership. I give Krafty Bob a D for putting up that Patriot Place Pimp House. The complex is nothing more than overpriced crap for fat, over-indulged, over-privileged, platinum-carrying yuppie dirt bags who carry the kids around in these little over the shoulder holsters. I guess that’s so the parents can keep their hands free to sort through all the high end merchandise.

Dan McCarthy

A: No need to sugar coat it, Dan.

--

Mike,

After watching the Colts-Chargers last Saturday night, something that has been on my mind for some time was really in focus. As you know, the Chargers were ranked 31st in passing defense, just ahead of Seattle. The Pats were 11th in the league. As you also know, all we have heard about all year is how absolutely awful the Pat's secondary is relative to talent, with you as one of the loudest voices.

It is my feeling, especially after watching Phillip Rivers compete against the Pats in Week 6 and not even hit the ground once while throwing for 300+ yards, the defensive scheme has as much to do with the Pats problems as the talent. If you take out the 72-yard pass play to Reggie Wayne on Saturday, which happened when the Chargers defense wasn't paying attention and got “quick snapped,” Peyton threw for 238 yards, which for him is poor.

He was held in check by the worst pass defense in the AFC. What the Chargers were against the Colts was very aggressive, pressure-wise. Unlike the Pats, who could not mount a pressure defense against any opponent despite what I believe is superior talent in the front seven to that of San Diego -- and the Eagles as well, another high pressure defense. Frankly, I think the Pats front seven20could go toe to toe with just about any in the league.

If the Pats are going to turn things around in 2009 on defense, in your opinion, how much of it is going to be talent-related relative to the secondary, and how much of it is going to be scheme? I look forward to your thoughts.

Mike

Putnam, CT

A: When it comes to what priority is for the Pats on defense, the scheme or the personnel, I don't think it's even close. They need better players. As we discussed above and at many other points this year, Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli just haven't replenished the veteran pieces they've lost on defense over the years. It starts there.

That being said, the scheme will definitely be on the table when the Pats do their self-scouting this offseason. The last time the Pats missed the playoffs in 2002, Belichick took an armload of game tape down to his house on Nantucket, poured himself a cup of hot chocolate and then sat in front of the TV watching his team for a few weeks. When he emerged, Belichick had decided several things, including that the Pats from that point forward would always fundamentally be a 3-4 team on defense (they played 4-3 for much of 2002). They might throw out different alignments for different games and specific opponents, but the 3-4 would be the base defense taught in training camp and the foundation. And so it has been ever since. He also decided several smaller schematic things that winter (for example, Mike Vrabel was a much better player when he lined up on the line of scrimmage, not off it), and for the next two years the Pats had a championship-caliber defense. Of course, they also upgraded the personnel those seasons between Harrison, Ted Washington, Tyrone Poole, Ty Warren, Eugene Wilson, Samuel, Keith Traylor, Randall Gay and Wilfork, among others. So the transformation following the 2002 season was twofold, personnel and scheme. I would expect something similar this time around. The Pats need players. But they also need to look at everything. The bucket may be a cold, lonely place in January, but it's a great to watch film. We’ll see what Belichick comes up with.

--

Felger,

You’re a breath of fresh air. Just because Gene DeFilippo comes on WEEI does not grant him exempt status from criticism. How could anyone look down upon a college coach interviewing for a professional coaching position?

All that Meter would say is that BC won eight straight bowl games. What’s the matter -- doesn't the ACC championship the last two years mean anything? Since BC lost both times, I guess it's not good to consider that a “bowl game,” when in fact if BC did win either ACC championship game the competition would have been much tougher in the bowl game. Please keep up the sanity

John

A: Isn't it funny that this story has generated far more interest than any actual game Boston College has played in years? Do you ever stop and wonder why we're making such a big deal of this? BC's own students and fans don't even really support the team, never mind the majority of average sports fans in Boston. Isn't Ted Sarandis still begging us to go to the friggin' basketball games? Doesn't it tell you something that this story has generated 20 times the coverage than the hoop win at North Carolina did? It tells you that most of the folks in Boston could give a rat's ass how BC does. We’re only talking about the coaching thing because it’s a good story. Here's the bottom line: BC will have a coach in 2009 -- and they'll win a bunch of games until they get to a really important one in December. They'll lose that one, of course, and then go to some ridiculous-sounding bowl and probably win. And through it all -- win, lose or draw -- 90 percent of the sports fans in Boston will respond with a collective shrug.

--

Michael,

Who knows if you'll respond, but why do you feel the need to take a shot at BC whenever you can? We all know you went to BU, so it makes you look like a childish yahoo. Even better, your school doesn't even have a football team, yet you feel the need to slam BC. Get over yourself.

John

A: I feel the need to take a shot at BC whenever I can because I don’t like their teams and their fans bug me. I never liked the place while at BU, and other than the presence of Jerry York (who seems to me like a gentleman and a class act), I haven’t found one reason to change my mind. Simply put, they believe their poop doesn't stink. Their fans are hyper-sensitive. They think they are something they are not, whether it’s in academics or athletics. They’re snobs. I've heard a lot of garbage over the last few days how BC has higher standards, how they make their athletes go to class, how they graduate a high percentage of players, blah, blah, blah. Spare me. I'm sure Mark Chmura graduated. I'm sure Bill Romanowski did, too. What does that mean? Those are two of the worst people to ever come through the NFL I’ve ever seen. BC has had just has many cretins in their program as anyone else. How many gambling scandals have we had there? Two? Three? I've lost count.

Coaches lie. They sniff around about jobs constantly. If you want a good coach, you've got to subjugate your ego and put up with it. Ask anyone who's worked with Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick or Nick Saban. That's the deal. But Boston College is somehow different. I mean, really, have you ever heard of a college firing a coach for TALKING to an NFL team? Only BC.

--

Felger,

As usual, I am sure you won't reply because it is simply easier (and more cowardly) to spew your bs to thousands while merely looking into a camera without those people being able to respond -- but tell me, why don't you reference BC's top two in the nation graduation rate for its football players when referring to it as a “second tier'' program?  What is your definition of second tier? Bert Breer's comments on Comcast were similarly idiotic -- the man has NEVER been correct about ANY information he gives as an NFL “insider,” yet he can smugly insist that BC is not a top tier program? Did you ever hear of a STUDENT-athlete?? What other program in the country has the record of academic/athletic success that BC does? Certainly not Ohio State or BU. Get your facts straight before you perpetrate your agenda -- your failure to do so is probably consistent with why you DIDN'T get into BC. PS, before you tell the Sports Tonight audience that BC fans and students “don't go to the games,” try going to one first. I have been going since before I became a student in the fall of 1990, and I can't remember the last time the stands weren't full and the student section wasn't rocking.

Jeff Sowa, Esq.

Providence

A: Why do the BC fans think I won't reply? Hey, Eagles fans: I'M NOT YOU. I DON'T TAKE MYSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. BRING IT ON. I CAN HANDLE IT.

Now, as to some of your points, Jeff. There you go again with the graduation rate thing. Does BC have higher standards than, say, Ohio State or Florida State? Sure. Good for them. But I wouldn’t separate your shoulder patting yourself on the back. Chmura. Romanowski. Kevin Stevens. Chris Sullivan. Chris Herren. Throwing basketball games. Betting on football games. Drugs. Cheating. Bar fights. You name it. BC has problems like everyone else. No matter how hard they try and pretend they are somehow above it, they aren’t. Just like they aren’t above getting lied to by a coach.

Look, BU is a mediocre academic school and, other than hockey, a horrid athletic one. BC is a better school in most regards. I have no issue admitting that. Again, that's because I DON'T TAKE MYSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. Why do you?

--

Felger,

Peyton manning once again got the MVP of the league, and I feel like he got it more because of his commercials than his play on the field. His team won 12 games, again, he threw 27 or so touchdowns, again. Why would he win the MVP? He did just as he was expected to do. Matt Cassel, on the other hand, came into the season expected to be cut before the first game. He not only had a great year, but considering all of the injuries, he had a stellar year. The a-hole in NY, Brett Favre, got voted to another Pro Bowl throwing nearly the same amount of touchdowns (22) than Cassel (21) and WAY more interceptions (22-11). My questions is, do you think he wasn’t mentioned because the Pats failed to make the playoffs? Albert Pujols won the MVP on a non-playoff bound team in baseball, so what is the difference?

Eric,

Wareham

A: You know the answers to these questions, Eric. Favre goes to the Pro Bowl because of his name. Manning gets the MVP over the other candidates (not Cassel) because of his name. It’s a much bigger factor in football than in baseball, where the numbers really carry the day. Pujols had the best numbers, so he won. It’s more nebulous and reputation-driven in football.

--

Hey, Mike

What's Tank Williams' status for next year? Also, who is Josh McDaniels' replacement should he leave? Is it automatically an in house promotion? P.S., You have to come up with another line for Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight to start the show (“and it starts right now”).

A.K.

Quincy

A: Williams (the free agent safety who missed the entire season on injured reserve) is a free agent again this offseason. You want him back? I don’t. I’d rather have Rodney come back for another year. Either way, Meriweather is the guy you need to focus on. The Pats need him to be a stud. As for the Sports Tonight open, Tanguay/Dickerson like saying the “right now” thing. Makes them feel important. Take it up with them.

--

Mike,

Would it be worth your while to take a full time radio gig and leave the TV side? WEEI is like the Pats linebackers -- they need to get younger. I, like you, can't take the Favre worship. Someone said or wrote that ESPN has a mandate, that when speaking of #4, always refer to him as Brett Favre, not just Brett or Favre. Has his buttboy, Peter King, ever broken a significant story?

Keep up the good work,

Scott

A: Wasn’t Peter the first to report last week that Favre is leaning towards retirement? Good scoop there. As for your first question, why would I ever want to leave Tanguay’s side? That bond is too special to ever break.

--

Hi Mike,

I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you that I am a teacher and you entertained me during my vacation the last few weeks. Admittedly, prior to the last few weeks, I did not like listening to you at all. I guess you could say you have grown on me a bit over the past few weeks. I appreciate your candid, tell-it-like-it-is nature. Not that my opinion means anything, but keep up the great work and don’t ever change your nature. You may be irritating at times, but there is no hidden agenda with you and it is refreshing!

Sincerely,

Gary Rockcliffe

Somerset

A: I can’t tell you how many people email me to say they used to hate me but are now only irritated by me. I call that progress.

--

Felgy,

I just need to tell you that I completely enjoyed your Christmas Eve rant and proposal (the Wood is a patient woman, obviously). Of course, it’s ridiculous, but you don’t care. You believe yourself no matter how crazy your opinions. That’s why I told my jock husband a few years ago when you trotted into town that you were the ONE sports talking head that I believed in. You tell it like it is every time. Do not change. The ones who criticize you are the ones who don’t like to hear the truth. These are the people who cannot think for themselves and who vote one way or the other just because of the party and not because it makes sense or is the right thing to do. They are spoon fed and cannot make judgments for themselves based on FACTS. That’s why I like you, Mike. You use FACTS to form your opinions.  

By the way, why are you obsessed with gays? 

Jeanne

Nashua, NH

A: I don’t really have an answer for you on the gay thing. All I know is that when Larry Craig, a neo-con phony who was elected on “family values” and an anti-gay rights platform, got caught trolling for gay sex in an airport bathroom I had a smile on my face for a month. As for the facts thing, that’s what I’m all about, Jeanne. Never any factual errors here. Right, editor boy? (Ed Boy Note: Never. I just fact checked and discovered that all BC alums are, in fact, humorless snobs with no sense of reality. And, checking again, yup, no one will care about any BC stuff again in about a week. Still batting 1.000 in the accuracy department, Felger.)

--

Felger,

What do you think the agent/player dynamic is like between Boras and Manny and Boras and ‘tek? If ‘tek wants to stay in Boston, can he not tell Boras, “No matter what, I want to stay. Just get me the best deal in Boston because that is where I want to play!'' (Providing the Sox want him back). Unlike Manny where he just will say, “I'll go to the city who gives me the fattest contract." I am hoping Manny does not get anywhere near $20 million a year and he and Boras regret shooting their way out of a two-year, $20 million-per-year club option. Even my hot wife thinks the Wood is a MILF!

Scott

Worcester

A: I think there is no “dynamic” whatsoever between Boras’ various clients. They all go to him individually because they want the most money. That’s why Varitek is with him, even though you may not think that way about the captain. He has Boras as an agent for the same reason Manny does. They just go about it different ways. Meanwhile, it looks like Veritek got screwed listening Boras this time around by declining arbitration, where he would have been virtually guaranteed a 2009 salary in the $10-12 million range with the Sox. What a stupid decision by Boras. No one is going to sign his client because they’ll have to give up a first-round pick to the Sox to do it, which pretty much means the Sox can name their price. I’m really rooting for Boras to take that one on the chin. And the MILF thanks the hot wife.

--

DB,

Can you tell Perillo that the 1986 World Series debacle was worse than anything? It was devastating. Last year’s Pats loss in the SB was not even close, as we know that the Pats will contend again. The Sox had pulled the rug out from under us AGAIN! The Sox lost as they always had, by some drunken manager’s decision (1967 excepted).

Angry John

Cape Cod

A: I think you have me and Perillo confused. He said there was no bigger choke than the Sox in ’86. I said Patriots Super Bowl loss was a bigger defeat. As pure choke jobs go, I think they run neck and neck.

--

Felgy,

I agree that Chara is playing like the guy we thought he was this year and should be a get Norris consideration for sure. I don’t think his play in his first year here was his fault either to be honest. I think Dave Lewis made him play a passive game that took away from his greatest strength, his ability to punish and intimidate opposing forwards. Lewis is a career killer and it’s no mistake guys are better with Clode. It's not brain surgery. All Clode is doing is putting guys in a position to succeed and isn't asking guys to do things they aren’t capable of doing.

Paul

Whitman

A: If you want to give Julien the credit, that’s fine by me. All I know is that Chara is back to being a beast. You watch him in the playoffs. He’ll be the most important guy on the ice.

--

Felgy,

Though the Patriots like to pick in the late first-round, I think they've got to trade up for USC's Taylor Mays. I personally think he's the perfect replacement for Rodney Harrison. Some people even call him the next Ronnie Lott! Even though the Patriots have been successful at finding value in the later rounds, the truth is the biggest defensive playmakers on that team (Seymour, Warren, Mayo) were selected early on. Wilfork, however, was a great pick in the 20's -- and signs point to Meriweather being a good player. Anyway, I think they need to go after this guy. Pick up a cornerback through FA and draft Mays. Suddenly, that secondary doesn't look so bad, does it? What do you think, Felgy?

Greg Palladino

A: I think I’ve gotten quite a few emails on Mays already. And I think that, as I’ve said before, I’m going to leave most of the draft talk up to you kids. Mostly, it gives me an ice cream headache. I want the Pats to draft an impact defensive player at linebacker or defensive back. Ideally, I want more than one. But give me at least one player with the skill level of Jerod Mayo and I’ll be happy. Mays sounds fine to me.

--

Felgy,

Good analysis in the season ending report. I was surprised, though, that you singled out Vrabel as a “disappointment” since he was your binky for interviews on Comcast Sportsnet. Is it fair to say Vrabel won't be doing those interviews with you next year or will he just plant you a snow bank somewhere and then forgot about it?

And while I agree Deltha O'Neal seemed to have problems, equating him with Duane Starks seems a little harsh. I believe Deltha made the game saving tackle at the end of the Chiefs game and did have three interceptions, one off the team lead.  

 Also, for all the credit Belichick seemed to give Randy Moss, I would have to say he was one of the biggest disappointments. For a player who was tabbed the best receiver in the game, he wasn't even the best receiver of the team.

Thanks,

AJ

A: On Vrabel, don’t you know by now that I don’t have any binkies, AJ? I’m hoping Mike didn’t read that. But if he did, he did. And maybe he’ll be pissed. But does that mean I’m not supposed to say he’s a disappointment if I think he’s a disappointment? Not my style. I’m still expecting the snow bank treatment. And I can’t believe you’re defending O’Neal. He was beyond awful, a worthy successor to Starks as the suckiest Pats corner of the Belichick era. Finally, as for Moss: You said it, not me.

--

Michael,

What was the real cost to our season and future, as a result of the lost first-round draft choice from Spygate? That might impact your reassessment of your coaching grade?

Mark

Grafton

A: It doesn’t, but it’s a point well taken. Belichick cost the organization a chance to improve the defense, its greatest need, with his stupid decision to tape Eric Mangini’s staff last September. No way around that one. But I think you’d agree that Belichick has given the Pats quite a bit more than he’s taken away over the years, even this one.

--

DB,

If Bret Favre had thrown those two shoes at President Bush, what is the likelihood that they would have been intercepted?  And given how cold and windy it was in Buffalo for the last game of the season, do you think it was unreasonable of Bill Belichick to make Ben Watson play?

Scott D. Shuster

A: Vicious, Scott, Vicious. Speaking of which….

--

Felger you DB!

You know, a little good news would have been just what this town needed after the Pats missed the postseason. And just when you think you can count on a team that has been so consistently dominant for so long, they let you down. I was shocked, crestfallen and depressed when the BC Eagles' historic postseason winning streak ended in the Liberace Bowl. I know just the prospect of Mayor Menino trying to pronounce Coach Jagodzinski's name during the rolling rally announcement had me all a twitter. Alas...

What really raised my spirits this past weekend? Not only did a team I despise, the Colts, get bounced from the playoffs, but two NFL darlings got exposed as postseason frauds all wrapped up in one nice, tidy package.  Watching the Colts season basically end on the very type of ticky tack defensive holding/illegal contact penalty that Bill Polian famously whined for was almost a religious experience. It couldn't happen to a nicer weasel. Then you have LT once again sitting on the sidelines and watching his teammates gut out a win while he was too busy being fragile. A.J. Smith has to be kicking himself for not dealing LT and having a slew of draft picks to go along with Michael Turner and Darren Sproles. Now he has lost one young MVP caliber back with another on his way to free agency, and he’s saddled with an aging, high-priced RB who is more sensitive than a baby's skin and not getting any younger or tougher. Hell, even the toy makers know where LT is come crunch time. (http://www.yardbarker.com/m/7019/xl/Ladainian_Tomlinson.jpg)

And does M.V.P stand for Most Valuable Player or Manning Vanishes in Postseason? Seriously, Peyton and A-Rod should just start a support group for players who fold under pressure. Manning's postseason record is 7-8. Not exactly stellar for a player that gets more media rump swabbing than a circus elephant with mud butt. But wait there’s more! If you subtract the four wins the Colts complied in surviving Peyton's 3 TD 7 interception Super Bowl run, he's a Heimlich-inducing 3-8 with six one-and-done playoff exits. His only consistent playoff success has been against Denver, who plays looser defense than a drunk prom date. Lucky for Peyton that he is worshiped by the media and he's playing in a market full of slack jawed yokels who get more worked up about riding lawnmowers without beer cozys than their football team. If Peyton and the Colts were a Boston team, WEEI's lines would be a Sorgi orgy for weeks. Would you want your team's postseason fate in the hands of a career gag artist who can't even bring himself to call the coin flip in overtime? If ever there was a football team that needed a closer, it's the Colts. I wonder if Kelly Holcomb’s available?

Mike

Attleboro

A: A circus elephant with mud butt? That’s why you’re the best, Mike. And I’m not giving up on Holcomb to the Pats, buddy.

--

DB,

Please keep writing the mail bag this offseason, I can’t take all this nauseating Red Sox talk for the next nine months. We need unfiltered Pats talk, especially this offseason. How do you deal with the Celtic-green, jock-sniffing crew? The Celtics could get Charles Manson and Dickerson would be like, “well, I think he could be great off the bench.” Love the football show on Sundays. It’s the only time there is real football/Pats talk on WEEI. BC sucks -- and I completely agree with you on the coaching position. BC is a joke and always will be.

Pete Pepler

A: Yes, Pete, the mailbag will continue every Thursday through the year. And yes, it will remain a repository not just for Patriots talk, but for MILFs, gay neo-cons, fearless predictions and, most importantly, Boston College-bashing. Someone’s got to do it.

--

Michael Felger can be seen nightly on Comcast Sportsnet and is a regular contributor for WEEI.com. He can be reached at mfelger@weei.com.