Dirty Water Sports
Breaking down the storylines of Boston’s beloved sports teams with brash commentary, pithy reporting, and smart – sometimes snarky – analysis of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins.
Patriots defense shines against Jets
The Patriots invested heavily in improving their defense this offseason and the defense’s performance against the Jets on Sunday was a great early return on that investment. New England held the Jets to six points and intercepted Zach Wilson four times in a 25-6...
Mac Jones Shows Promise, Progress vs. Dolphins
The Patriots lost to the Dolphins, 17-16 on Sunday in a game that could have and should have been won. However, the biggest story of the day was the debut of rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who, despite the result, gave the Patriots many positive signs for the...
Some Patriots Predictions
Another NFL season is upon us and that means it is time for predictions. After having no preseason in 2020, teams experienced their first shortened three-game preseason under the new CBA. The regular season opened last night when the defending Super Bowl Champion...
New Era: Analyzing Franchise-Shifting Changes in Sports
Revolution or evolution? Both are change, and one often more desirable than the other in life as well as in sports. That’s all well and good, but what we have witnessed in the last month or so extends beyond the routine changes accompanying a typical season. Across...
What to expect from Mac Jones
The Patriots surprised the football world this week when reports surfaced that Cam Newton was being released and that Mac Jones would be the week one starter. In choosing Jones, the Patriots believe that he is both the present and the future. For a team that spent...
Five Patriots that stood out vs. Giants
The Patriots played their third and final preseason game on Sunday night, a 22-20 win against the Giants. Before they head into the regular season, here are five players that stood out on Sunday: Josh Uche Uche has had a strong training camp and capped it off by a...
Door Open for Jones
The New England Patriots have had a quarterback battle unfolding since they drafted Mac Jones in the first round in April. Throughout this time, Cam Newton has been the starter, both in reps as well as endorsements from Bill Belichick. However, due to his absence...
Five Patriots that stood out vs. Eagles
The Patriots played their second preseason game on Thursday night and defeated the Eagles 35-0 in Philadelphia. Here are five players that stood out in the victory: Cam Newton Newton started the game and looked sharp. He finished 8/9 passing for 103 yards and 1...
Five Patriots that stood out vs. Washington
The Patriots played their first preseason game on Thursday night. The game marked the first professional game action of quarterback Mac Jones and the debut of several big name free agent acquisitions. Below are five players that stood out. Matt Judon Judon was the...
Early 53-Man Roster Projection
The Patriots have been practicing since July 28 and in that time several players have separated themselves while others are still battling for spots on the roster. Below is a projection of the Week 1 roster heading into the first preseason game. Quarterback: Cam...
Krejci will be hard to replace
David Krejci finished his career with 215 goals and 515 assists. His ability to pass the puck exactly where it needed to be was uncanny and he was able to still put up consistent point numbers although he had inconsistent linemates from the 2014-15 season until the Taylor Hall acquisition at the 2021 trade deadline.
Begarin’s intangibles are intriguing
Celtics fans had to play the waiting game during the 2021 NBA draft, as this marked the first time since 2009 that Boston did not have a single pick in the first round. The Celtics originally had the 16th pick, but traded it to simultaneously end the Kemba Walker...
Taylor Hall’s return a huge win for Bruins
Taylor Hall and the Bruins agreed to a contract extension on Friday worth $6 million per season over 4 years. The deal locks up the 2010 first overall pick and finally gives the Bruins a great scoring presence on their second line wing. The deal puts Hall at 4th in...
Five Most Important Patriots Heading Into Camp
The Patriots open training camp on July 28th and will be looking to rebound from a disappointing 2020 season. The organization certainly has its sights set on improving after shelling out a quarter of a billion dollars in free agency and using their first two draft...
Carlo Re-Sign a Win
Carlo is the second-best defenseman on the team behind Charlie McAvoy and will anchor the Bruins second defense pairing for the length of the contract. The only concern with Carlo is health.
Verdugo Changing Trade Perception
When the Red Sox traded franchise cornerstone Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February 2020, there was understandable angst in Red Sox Nation. Since then, however, the play of Alex Verdugo has begun to change perceptions about the trade and Boston’s future. Betts, a...
New Celtics Coach Udoka Is Young But Seasoned
The Celtics hired Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Ime Udoka to be their next head coach on Wednesday. The hire is Brad Stevens’ second major move as Celtics president after the trading of Kemba Walker last week. In Udoka, the Celtics get a young, but seasoned coach...
Gilmore has earned a pay raise
The Patriots kicked off mandatory minicamp this week and there were two big storylines. The first was the quarterback competition, as New England searches for the answer at the game’s most important position. The other was the conspicuous absence of All-Pro corner...
The Missed Dynasty
The scene is the Celtics locker room after Game 1 of the second round in 2019. Boston had just thumped the Milwaukee Bucks on the road 112-90 to take a 1-0 series lead. Franchise cornerstone Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 26 points and 11 assists in Game 1. Al...
A Case for Sam Cassell
The Celtics rocked the NBA on Wednesday when it was announced that Danny Ainge would be retiring from his position as President of Basketball Operations and that head coach Brad Stevens would be elevated to replace Ainge. The Celtics have had three consecutive...
Jones Would Elevate Patriots Offense
The Patriots have spent the offseason loading up. Whether it was their massive spending in free agency or their draft, there has been an infusion of talent in New England at nearly every position. That includes wide receiver; the Patriots signed Nelson Agholor and...
Hall Key to Playoffs
The Bruins open up their quest for the franchise’s seventh Stanley Cup on Saturday night when they take on Washington in Game 1 of the first round. Boston has come close several times to winning that seventh Cup, most notably in Final losses to the Blackhawks in...
How the Patriots schedule shapes up
The Patriots schedule was released on Wednesday, with play beginning on September 12th at home against the Dolphins. The team will look to rebound from a disappointing 7-9 finish in 2020. Here are some thoughts on what to expect from the 2021 slate of games. 17...
Marchand growing into Hall of Famer
Brad Marchand turned 33 on Tuesday and it got this writer thinking about his place in Bruins and hockey history. The 71st overall pick in the 2006 Entry Draft, Marchand was initially thought of as a grinding player who had some skill. He has grown into a Hart...
Patriots strengthen defensive line in draft
The Patriots had an eventful second night of the draft, picking twice and trading up once. New England entered the night with the 46th and 96th picks. They traded 46 along with two later picks with the Bengals to move up to No. 38. At pick 38, New England selected...
Mac the Knight
The Patriots selected their Quarterback of the Future on Thursday night, drafting Alabama’s Mac Jones at No. 15 overall. Jones is coming of a stellar season that ended with a National Championship and instantly becomes a competitor for the 2021 starting job in New...
Final Mock Draft
With the NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, I completed my final Patriots Mock Draft (barring any major pre-draft trade). Round 1 provided an opportunity to trade down two spots and still land Christian Barmore, a potential franchise defensive tackle. Round 2 had the...
This is The Show: Baseball’s Next Golden Age is Here
I love baseball. There is a myriad of reasons for my love: warmer weather, bat flips, web gems, and customized jerseys from the lower concourse gift shop. But it goes beyond that. More so now than ever baseball is beautiful because it is a game of stories. When...
Patriots mock draft with no trades
We are less than two weeks away from the NFL Draft in Cleveland and this is the most important draft for the Patriots in recent memory. First, let’s look at the roller coaster off-season. Bill Belichick looked like the kid from the movie Blank Check during free...
Edelman an All-Time Patriot
Julian Edelman announced his retirement on Monday evening, ending a 12-year run with the Patriots that was unlike any other in team history. Edelman was drafted out of Kent State in 2009 as a quarterback who was going to convert to wide receiver. He was part of...
Bruins go for it with Hall
News broke late on Sunday night that the Bruins had acquired Sabres forwards Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar in exchange for Anders Bjork and a 2021 second round pick. In a separate deal, Boston also acquired defenseman Mike Reilly from Ottawa. These three additions...
Dan Vladar Showing Promise
Tuukka Rask’s injury came at a bad time for the Bruins. Boston is fighting for a playoff spot while also working through some offensive kinks as they head into the stretch run. In Rask’s absence, much of the goaltending load has been placed on Jaroslav Halak and...
Fournier will impact offense
Around noon on Thursday, Danny Ainge made his first trade deadline move since acquiring Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics traded two second round picks to the Orlando Magic for small forward Evan Fournier. Fournier is 28 years old and a free agent at the end of this...
Thoughts on First Mock Draft
Now that the free agent frenzy has somewhat settled, the Patriots have a clearer picture of what they will look like heading into the draft. With that in mind, I used Pro Football Focus’ Draft Simulator tool to see how the board could shake out for New England....
James White Re-Sign a Big Win
News broke on Wednesday that the Patriots agreed to terms with running back James White, allowing the team to keep the running back they drafted in 2014. White has been a do-it-all back for New England; excelling in the passing game while also being used in the run...
Brady and big guys propel Bucs to championship
Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl on Sunday night and moved past the likes of Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth to the hallowed place of Greatest Team Sport Athlete in history. To win his seventh championship Brady and the Buccaneers had to knock off Patrick Mahomes...
Super Bowl Preview: Kelce is the key
In one of the most anticipated Super Bowl matchups in recent memory, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will look to repeat as champions against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. The headliners of the matchup are the quarterbacks and...
Here’s Why Pedroia is a Hall of Famer
In a bittersweet move, the Red Sox announced on Monday that second baseman Dustin Pedroia would be retiring from baseball. Pedroia is a three-time World Series champion and Red Sox icon, but injuries had allowed him to play in only nine games over the past three...
Here’s why the Patriots should pick Stafford
The most glaring hole on the Patriots roster is at the game’s most important position, quarterback. New England went from the GOAT to subpar play at the position and it cost the team a chance to reach the playoffs in 2020. Thankfully for the Patriots, they will...
Stafford is a perfect fit at QB for Patriots
After a disappointing 2020 campaign, it’s time for Patriots fans to look toward the off-season and the rebuilding. Quarterback is the biggest question mark for the Patriots and Lions QB Matthew Stafford should be the answer. The man has accomplished so much on a...
Bills Could Top Chiefs Using 2018 Patriots Recipe
The Buffalo Bills will play in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday for the first time since the 20th Century. Their reward for making it this far is to face the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and all-world quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In order for the Bills...
Some hindsight on the 2020 season
Disappointment, not disaster: Finishing with a losing record for only the second time this century, the Patriots wrapped up the 2020 season with a disappointing 7-9 record. While it is tempting to call the season a disaster based on the Patriots lofty standards, it...
Chara’s leaving leaves a hole
2020 has been a rough year for Boston sports fans. The year began with the Red Sox trading away icon Mookie Betts, who promptly won a World Series with the Dodgers. Then the biggest of all legends, Tom Brady, departed the Patriots in free agency. Gordon Hayward, a...
Reset Year or Downhill Slide?
The Patriots will head into the final week of the season at 6-9, their first losing season since 2000. The first year without Tom Brady has been a disappointing one in New England and the biggest question for the Patriots is: Is this a one year reset or the...
Time for Brad Stevens to deliver under pressure
The Boston Celtics are going into this season in an arguably worse position than last year. Having lost Gordon Hayward to Charlotte and with Kemba Walker dealing with more knee problems, the Celtics may have to scratch and claw their way back to the Eastern...
Time for Chaim Bloom to Make a Move
Dear Chaim Bloom: Please do something, anything. When New Englanders have finally had enough of snow and cold, the one thing that keeps us going is the promise of a new season of Red Sox baseball. There’s something special about Boston in the spring and summer when...
A Defense of Josh McDaniels
Throughout his time as offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels has often drawn the ire of Patriots fans. Despite coordinating the most prolific offense in NFL history and winning three Super Bowls from 2014-2018, McDaniels is often a fall guy for a fan base loathe to...
Time to End the Cam Newton Experiment
Cam Newton was signed in June and instantly divided Patriots Nation. Fans were just getting over a rough break up and weren’t quite ready to move on from Tom Brady. Some fans thought that Newton was just a rebound, others thought that he could be the future. As...
Butler making big impact on pass rush
The Patriots defensive line has had problems all season, both stopping the run and getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Over the past two games, Adam Butler has helped improve the latter of the two deficiencies. The Patriots did a great job containing Kyler...
The Path Goes Through LA
Throughout the previous 20 seasons, the path to the Super Bowl has often gone through Foxborough. The Patriots played in 13 AFC Championship Games from 2001-2018, seven of them being at Gillette Stadium. To say that the 2020 Patriots are not up to that standard...
