Retweet of the Day - March 21, 2013

Calendar year 2013 has been a tough year for Patriots Fan, even tougher for their future Hall of Fame signal caller. New England was smothered at home and eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. Quarterback Tom Brady restructured his contract to free up salary cap space. His guaranteed money went up, but total money went down. The Pats’ glaring free agency priority was Brady’s favorite receiver, Wes Welker.

What happened? The Pats lowballed Welker and Welker took his talents to the Mile High City for a Scorned Lover’s Discount (i.e. less than New England offered). He will be catching his passes from Peyton Manning next year. Welker’s defection, in my opinion, makes the Denver Broncos the front runner in the AFC in 2013.

Super Bowl run? Gone. Money? Gone. Favorite receiver? Gone. Tuck Rule? Gone. what's next?

Tainted Legacy

How could things get any worse for Tom Terrific? Yesterday, the NFL announced that it was eliminating the Tuck Rule. If you talk sports with me personally or read this blog regularly, I need not explain how “TuckRule” is a profanity within the confines of my fanhood. The careers of Brady, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, and the legacy of the current Patriots regime were launched due to the Tuck Rule.

If you are new to watching the NFL, or are not old enough to drink yet, the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots met in Foxboro in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff round. The Raiders led by three points in the final minutes of the game. The Patriots were out of timeouts. Cornerback Charles Woodson of the Raiders hit Brady as Brady was bringing his arm back to his body after pump-faking a pass attempt. Linebacker Greg Biekert of the Raiders fell on the loose ball and the game appeared to be over.

Lo and behold, upon review of the instant replay, the officials ruled that Brady was in the process of tucking the ball away, part of the process of a forward pass by rule. The rule became known as “The Tuck Rule”. It was virtually unheard of by the masses prior to that January night in 2002. It has been a lightning rod football discussions ever since.

At least one problem wife (Anna Burns Welker) is out of the Patriots' clubhouse.

The Fallout

The result of the play was an incomplete pass, not a fumble. The rest is history. The Patriots tied the score, sent the game into overtime and won on clutch Adam Vinitieri field goals at the end of regulation and in the extra frame. The Patriots went on to beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans and the Patriots current AFC dynasty was born.

This is more than just a rule change. It is a subtle, implicit statement about the Belichick-era Patriots' legacy. It is the most legitimacy-challenged sports dynasty in my lifetime. Tom Brady himself couldn't believe the Raiders' fumble recovery in the '01 playoffs was overturned. Without it, either the Raiders, Rams, or Pittsburgh Steelers win the Super Bowl and the Pats' three championship dynasty is an impressive, but tainted, back-to-back run in 2003 and 2004.

Of course, the three Patriots Super Bowl wins have been overshadowed by the specter of the Spygate controversy, in which the Patriots were caught videotaping divisional opponents' defensive signals. New England has not won a Super Bowl since the scandal broke in 2008. 

Today's retweet could be a summary statement for the aforementioned, from Rick Fox (@RFoxxWNY):

"Tough week for Tom Brady he loses his favorite wide receiver and now the Tuck Rule has been eliminated." 

The karma from the football gods keeps piling up.

Images cited in a prior Daily Hat Trick Postings.

Retweet of the Day - January 22, 2013

The New England Patriots have been the most dominant franchise in the AFC over the past dozen years. They've won the AFC five times and won three Super Bowls during that time. The Pats have repeatedly reached the summit of pro football that most men can only dream of.

While the Pats have dominated other men in their way, apparently their stars are having some trouble with the ladies. After last year's loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, Gisele Bundchen, the wife of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, said, in so many words, that her husband cannot throw the ball and catch it himself. This came across as a shot pointed at Pats wide receiver Wes Welker, who dropped a fairly routine pass at a critical moment late in the game, causing the drive to stall.

This year, Welker himself got to experience the sensation of his manly fortitude being seized and held in a jar by his spouse. Anna Burns Welker, the wife of Wes Welker, made comments on Facebook regarding linebacker Ray Lewis (of the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens, who eliminated the Patriots on Sunday) and his presence during a double stabbing homicide in Atlanta following Super Bowl XXXIV, 13 years ago. I refuse to dignify the remarks by printing them but, in essence, Burns went for a low blow by implying that Lewis was guilty by association and unworthy of the Hall of Fame, a place that Lewis will walk right into and view his bronze bust five and a half years from today but Welker may only get into by paying admission for the rest of his life. Lewis never plead guilty or was tried for anything more than wasting the cops' time during his interview after his arrest following the incident.


LET LIFE IMITATE ART

I've made references to the Adult Swim animated comedy, The Boondocks in the past. I think it is a very well written and thought provoking show. There is a recurring character on the show named, "A Pimp Named Slickback", hilariously voiced by comedian Katt Williams. While he is a pimp, he "gives back to the community" by teaching men how to get their women under control for a nominal (four figured) fee.

Today's retweet, by M. King (@notezbeingking), ties all of these story lines together:

"A pimp named slick back needs to have a seminar with Wes Welker @KSpade64 @NateD0doubleG"   

Take notes, Mr. Welker.

Video from www.youtube.com

Just Burns Her Up

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker's wife, model Anna Burns Welker, caused a small stir following the Patriots' loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's AFC Championship Game. Burns Welker went for a bit of a sour grapes low blow by making incendiary comments about retiring Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Burns Welker effectively said that Ray Lewis tried to buy justice after two associates of Lewis were charged but later acquitted in a double murder case in Atlanta in 2000.

Miss Burns apologized but, of course, the damage is done. I could get on my soap box and talk about how people show you how much class they have (or lack) when they open their mouths, in this case venting about her husband losing a football game by invoking an irrelevant but delicate issue in an opponent's life. Instead, I'll present Anna burns in the best light: one in which we can use our eyes to take in the sight of her skin without hearing the sound of her voice or reading the thoughts in her mind.

We know who wears the crown in the Welker household. 1

♫ Wes Welker: "The La-dy in Red...is embarrassing me."♪ 2

I'm sure Wes met her one day when he had a craving for wings. 3

I would say that I don't know how he puts up with his wife putting him in a bad way with his peers. But I think we can all clearly see how he puts up with it. 4

And Wes sees more than we do! 5

Parties at the Welker house have got to be a "can't miss" event for all of Wes' single buddies. 6

1, 2, 3, 6) Images from www.usatoday.com
4, 5) Images from www.listal.com

Wes Welker is Better Than .500

The New England Patriots are off to an unceremonious 3-3 start in the 2012 NFL season. While they are still in first place in the AFC East, their record is no better than that of anyone else in the division. The Patriots are off to their worst start since 2005. However, all three of their losses came by two points or less to teams with records of .500 or better.

Like his team on the field, Wes Welker's record is much better than .500 off the field. His wife is model Anna Burns, the subject of today's Chick Pic.

Wes must take a ton of fishing trips in the offseason. 1

Lots of fishing trips.... 2

That outfit is completely out of place with the background. I doubt it is OSHA approved and I doubt any of you guys care. 3

Wes watches her blindside. 4

Wes is the only one with the key to those gates.

I don't know what Gisele was talking about after the Super Bowl. Wes Welker knows how to reel in a catch! 6

1, 2, 3) Images from www.athleteswives.com
4) Image from http://celebrity24news.blogspot.com
5) Image from www.lazygirls.info
6) Image from www.inquisitr.com