Bill Belichick's resume speaks for itself - the man has won three Super Bowls and helped to turn a doormat franchise into a borderline dynasty. As far as people in New England are concerned, his reputation is cemented.

But Sunday night wasn't one for Belichick's personal highlight reel. In fact, he essentially cost the Patriots a game that would likely have driven a dagger through archrival Indy's heart.

Belichick's questionable decisions left the Patriots without a timeout in crunch time, forcing an ill-fated fourth-and-a-mile attempt and leaving the Pats no hope of stopping the clock in the final minutes. What they ended up with were two grossly overthrown lobs from Cassell and a botched lateral play during a maddening final "drive."

Ugly doesn't even do it justice.

Continue reading "Not one for the film vault"

You can't turn on a TV or pick up a newspaper in the greater Boston area these days without the same never-ending argument slapping you squarely in the face: Does Paul Pierce rank among the top 10 players in the NBA?

Celtics broadcaster Mike Gorman puts him in the top three. Magic Johnson puts him somewhere just behind behind Kobe ( http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/). Local loudmouth Michael Felger has him in the top 10. And Pierce anointed himself the league's best player in an interview this off-season.

It's a fascinating discussion. Pierce certainly has the kind of skill set that often leads to such a discourse - consistent jumper, deep range, the ability to create his own shot at any time - and lately he's added another element to the mix: He's absolutely and indisputably clutch. His fadeaway jumper to bury the Hawks last week was the definition of the word. His performance down the stretch in that game and against the Raptors (in another Pierce-led comeback victory) two nights earlier prove he's among the game's greatest closers. There are three Hall of Famers in the Celtics huddle, but there's never a doubt where the ball is going in crunch time.

Continue reading "Truth Time"