Adam Hart rounds up and rates all the Boston-sucks comments from losers in other cities (here's lookin' at you, Lackey).

Meanwhile, Bruce Allen lets us know that the Sporting News has just named Boston the best sports city in America. For the fourth time in seven years, Mr. Lackey.

David Scott wraps up the Globe apologizing for not reading what Patriot back-up quarterback Kevin O'Connell had taped to his wrist in the presence of a Globe photographer.

Pax Arcana, meanwhile, explains how the joke could help O'Connell score with the ladies.

Chris Collins says good bye to Troy Brown:

... Off the field, he was always just so approachable. Even as his numbers grew and the team's stock soared off the charts, there was never much of change from Brown. He was always the same guy - really humble and a leader. ...

Take your pick sports fans. Sound off.

Dice K gets 18th win, Red Sox move closer to playoffs
(Clinch Tie for Wild-card)
The Sports Network
Toronto, ON - David Ortiz belted a two-run homer and Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched seven shutout innings, as the Boston Red Sox crept closer to a playoff berth with a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a three-game set from the Rogers Centre. more

Howie must be working on another book about the Bulgers, or maybe he spent too much time at Fenway with Castig and Obie last night, because based on the amount of time he put into today's CHB-like column about loser Patriots fans, he clearly is too busy to do any actual reporting for the Herald. Or maybe, he just needs a hug.

Beth: It's not the same as Oct. 17, 2003, but these past couple days, for at least a minute or two, some people have had a faraway look in their eyes.

Adam Pieniazek will not be deterred; predicts the Patriots will win the Super Bowl.

Lewis Forman explains how the Fenway sold-out record has come at the cost of a piece of the soul of Sox fandom:

... It's less of a game and more a destination. It becomes classic blue hats vs. pink hats instead of right handed relief vs. left handed relief. Clam Chowder vs. gourmet pizza instead of a hot dog vs. a box of popcorn. People watching vs. GAME watching.

Papel-blog comes back from an extended blogging break:

The Red Sox are engaged in a three-game set to determine who will emerge in first place in the AL East, and I can't spend the duration of the series making jokes about Derek Jeter's sexual orientation in order to cope. And judging from what went down in Foxboro on Sunday, football is not going to be the stress-reducing distraction from the pennant race that it has been in previous years.

Kristen writes:

I would like to personally thank the Red Sox for at least temporarily, lifting the spirits of a grieving region. Jason Bay would not want us to cry, people. Jason Bay would want us to be happy. And Jonathan Papelbon would probably make some obscene sock puppets to get us laughing again if he thought that'd work. ...

And, of course, no matter what, we'll always have Debbie CHB Downer to tell us what to think:

Dan likes to portray New England fans as little more than infantile sycophants with a lack of perspective. ...

Indeed, harrumphs Soxaholix:

... Let me get this straight, the same fans who endured 86 years of Red Sox futility *and* years of the Patriots as also rans "are lost boys and lost girls"? ...

Isn't he supposed to be the sensible, rational one over at the Globe? In any case, he claims he doesn't get how people can be so fixated on football today. Huh?

... I'm not ridiculing or downplaying the Patriots, but let's not lose sight of the fact that it's still early September and the leaves haven't even thought of changing yet. Football is the intruder here. It is still very much baseball season, and the Red Sox have their biggest series of the season taking place right now. We don't need football 24/7 to keep us occupied. ...

Would the phrase I'm thinking of be "straw man"?

Vickie watched Brady after the hit:

... It was the closet thing I've seen in professional athletics to a little child trying to find the happy place where things hadn’t reached the point of worst case coming true.

The instant realization that pulsed out from Brady’s spot on the field to all of us watching the television screen was what made that moment all the more gut-wrenching. We were all just trying to stay in our happy places for as long as we possibly could. ...

Mike Giardi writes:

... As I was driving home from the game, still not sure what the news would be regarding Brady, I was thinking how lucky we’ve been to witness his rise from 6th rounder with an outside shot of making the team to a 3-time Super Bowl-winning QB and reigning NFL MVP. I can't think of any athlete that I’ve covered that I have enjoyed watching more. He makes good teams great, and great teams special. There are few you can say that about. ...

John: It's time to take a deep breath, say our prayers, and get behind backup QB Matt Cassel.

Leslie goes for some perspective:

... Whatever happens to the team going forward, though, nothing can be as disappointing as losing the Super Bowl in the final seconds after an otherwise unbeaten season.

Adam Hart, who works at NECN, provides a play by play of yesterday's game (with appropriate video).

The Outraged Liberal ponders who has really led the Patriots to success in recent years:

... Granted honesty and integrity are not crucial to winning football games. But my money is on Brady being the linchpin to the Patriots over the years, not the guy in the hoodie.

Beth: I would like to thank the Boston Red Sox for not making today any worse.

Kristen exhales:

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...

/deep breathe

...uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

That about sum it up?

Yesterday:
The Matt Cassel Era has begun.

Tom Brady took a borderline illegal hit from Bernard Pollard of the KC Chiefs in the second drive of the first game of the season. His left knee buckled a bit and he was helped off the field and to the locker room. His return is questionable.

Matt Cassel steps into a big pair of shoes for what may be a few weeks to come. His first drive of the game? He connected with Randy Moss for a 51-yard reception leading to another Moss connection for the touchdown. Are we witnessing the beginning of the Matt Cassel Era, similar to the way that Brady took over from Bledsoe due to a period on the injury list? No. Just, no.