Monday, August 31, 2009

Monday 08/31 Quickie: Brady, Cassel,
Cutler, Michigan, NL Wild Card, Greinke

Very big anniversary today around here. More on that later.

Meanwhile, I lead today's SN column with an attempt at a unifying theory around the weekend's biggest NFL news: The injuries to Brady and Cassel.

I am all for picking the Pats to win the Super Bowl -- I'm picking them. But, of course, it all rests on this assumption -- a big assumption, frankly -- that Tom Brady stays healthy.

And Friday night's shoulder issue illustrated why that assumption is not to be taken for granted. Sure, you can say, "Well, ANYONE can get injured." But, at this point, I think that Brady has to show that he ISN'T injury-prone, rather than giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Especially if you are doing something like making your preseason pick to win the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, Brady's injury (and the Pats subsequently cutting "next Cassel" Kevin O'Connell) is a nice reminder that the Pats had a pretty decent backup QB last year -- who is now doubtful-to-maybe for Week 1 with the Chiefs.

I said this yesterday: The Chiefs will regret paying for Cassel when they had no expectation of competing this season anyway, putting themselves in a position to draft regional superstar Sam Bradford.

Speaking of regret:
*I'll bet RichRod has no regrets about Michigan's off-season workouts.

*Think Pat Bowlen regrets trading Jay Cutler? Think Jay Cutler has any regrets about leaving Denver?

*I regret ever making a case (even jokingly) about Cliff Lee for NL Cy, when Tim Lincecum is so clearly the best pitcher in the NL, in MLB and on the planet right now.

*(No offense, Zack Greinke. I hope you win the AL Cy, because you deserve it, running a close second to Lincecum.)

*I wonder how many people will regret picking Ole Miss to finish in the Top 5? That implies that they will go 12-0 in the regular season (or, at the very least, 11-1 with a win over Alabama but a loss to someone unexpected).

*No regrets if you're a Little League World Series champ. (Although you have to wonder how many LLWS participants -- 20 or 30 years later -- still think it's the best thing that ever happened to them.)

Lots more in today's column. Check it out here. More later this morning and today. Big anniversary today!

-- D.S.

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