“The best thing that ever happened to Canada is that they lost that game to the U.S.,” Cherry said. “They’re like hungry wolves now.”

The U.S. men’s hockey team defeated Canada 5-3 in Vancouver, but Cherry says a Canada loss on Sunday is unacceptable.

“The silver is not good enough for us,” Cherry said. “It’s a failure if we win silver.”

Cherry roots for Canada, but understands Sabres goalie Ryan Miller gives the U.S. a chance to win.

“Any team that’s got Miller in net absolutely scares me,” Cherry said. “He is red-hot right now.”

Check out Cherry’s complete breakdown of the U.S.-Canada men’s hockey matchup below. 

The Celtics have many questions that need to be answered following their 104-96 loss to the Nets on Saturday. The team has struggled in recent weeks, an indication that they may not be a championship contender.

NESN Insider Tony Lee understands the team has many issues that need to be resolved before the playoffs.

“It’s tough to pin that one specific thing where they can turn this thing around,” Lee told SportsDesk‘s John Chandler. “They’re certainly not a contender in the East at this point in time.”

One of the team’s problems may be the play of Rasheed Wallace, who has been inconsistent in his first season in Boston.

“He seems to be very up-and-down,” Lee said. “He’s been struggling to find his role.”

Another struggling role player has been Nate Robinson, whom the Celtics acquired less than two weeks ago at the trade deadline. Robinson hasn’t fit into the Celtics’ defensive scheme.

“You haven’t seen a ton from him on the defensive end,” Lee said. “We really haven’t seen if the fit is quite right yet.”

Check out what else Lee had to say about the Celtics’ struggles below.

The RemDawg called in to Tuesday’s edition of SportsDesk to chat with John Chandler about all of the Red Sox’ preseason storylines, including closer Jonathan Papelbon‘s satisfaction with his contract situation.

“I think he’s comfortable with the one-year deals — it seems like he has been that way for the past couple of years,” Remy said. “He knows as well as everybody else that Daniel Bard could be a closer of the future, but I don’t think he worries about that right now. I think he’s very confident in what he’s able to accomplish and has accomplished for the Red Sox, and I think he also knows he’s one of the elite closers in the game and his day will come to make that elite money.”

Boston’s spring training schedule begins with a matchup against Boston College on March 3.

Watch the video below to find out what else has the RemDawg pumped up as the season begins.

John Chandler

The Bruins beat the Panthers Saturday night 3-2 after an eight-round shootout which capped off an ugly game, but who cares if it’s ugly as long as it’s a win?       

Tim Thomas‘ contract situation is also discussed. As a bench player, should Thomas be traded? Actually, it’s not a case of “should” — it’s a case of “can,” as Thomas holds a no-movement clause for the first three years of his contract.

Check out the video for the status of the B’s as the Olympic break is upon us.

It wasn’t sour grapes – just a sign that the competitive juices are still flowing for the Patriots quarterback.

You know this eats away at Brady, this whole Colts-in-the-Super Bowl thing.  And it should.  Nothing tortures you more than watching the rival you once owned catch up to you. 

And that, folks, is exactly what has happened here.  The Colts are now the AFC’s signature franchise.  And Peyton Manning is the NFL’s signature quarterback.

Now, to be fair this debate has no right answer, just like back in the day when some were Joe Montana people while others swore by John Elway.  Flip a coin, really (I’ll take Montana for the record).

The argument against Manning was always Super Bowls – the discussion ended with Brady’s three rings.  And to an extent, it still does.  But what if Manning adds a second this year?  And after that? 

Looking ahead, the Colts clearly sit in better position than the Patriots for the simple reason that they’re getting more out of their young players. 

Austin Collie was a fourth round pick this year, four selections after the Patriots picked guard Rich Ohrnberger.  Pierre Garcon was a sixth rounder out of Division III powerhouse Mount Union in the 2008 draft.  That’s doing your homework.  Seven picks before the Colts grabbed Garcon, the Patriots selected linebacker Bo Ruud; one round earlier, they drafted wideout Matthew Slater.

I’m just saying…

You could make the argument that Manning could make anybody look good, especially with weapons like Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark to open up opportunities for the others.  But shouldn’t the same apply to Tom Brady?

That theory did apply in 2007, when Jabar Gaffney caught five touchdowns in the wake of Randy Moss and Wes Welker.  Gaffney was then dumped in favor of veteran Joey Galloway, who just couldn’t turn to the same playbook page as Brady this year.

Now, with Wes Welker’s status for 2010 uncertain, depth at wide receiver is an issue for the Patriots.  Sure, rookie Julian Edelman was solid in the playoff game against the Ravens – there’s no doubt he looks like a draft day find.  But do you feel comfortable with Moss and Edelman as your top two receivers to start next season?

Me neither.

The Patriots need to find balance on their offense, something they actually had during that record-shattering 2007 season.  They need more from their tight ends (something, anything?) and could use some consistency on the ground.  I’d also argue they need to get more out of their coaching staff.  At times the offense appeared to lack direction and identity, as if caught between the air show that was 2007 and the ball control offense that won three Super Bowls.

And defensively, well, I don’t have enough space today for all that ails them.  Lock up Vince Wilfork.  Find a lockdown corner.  Switch from their outdated 3-4 scheme to a 4-3…and I could go on.

The Patriots have the tools to repair most of this in the offseason with a deep cache of day 1 draft picks, including four in the first two rounds.  And glancing ahead to 2011 (labor issues aside) they’ll have two first rounders to work with.  But they have to start hitting on them.  While the wait-three-years-and-see approach still applies to judging NFL draft classes, you have to have some kind of tangible impact from young players in their first and second years – at least, from day one picks.  Going back to 2006, the Patriots have missed on more draft picks than they’d care to admit.

Meanwhile, the Colts have taken the AFC’s top spot, the post that belonged largely to the Patriots since they upset the Rams at the beginning of the decade.

There is urgency this offseason in Foxboro.  Tom Brady isn’t getting any younger.  Every busted pick or free agency miss is a wasted opportunity with the NFL’s best quarterback.

Or, as Colts fans will remind you, what used to be the NFL’s best quarterback.

Mark McGwire

So did Mike Adams on this week’s edition of “Take It Or Leave It.”

The WEEI radio host stopped by Wednesday’s edition of SportsDesk to chat with John Chandler about McGwire and Fisk, Jim Calhoun‘s medical leave and more. Check it out below.

In 1990, Cecil Fielder, the calorie-enhanced Detroit Tigers slugger, had baseball buzzing. That year, Fielder crushed 51 home runs. Now, he wants to make it clear that he didn't need steroids to help him do it.

"No, I didn't need that, man,"said Fielder, speaking for the first time about the topic to NESN. "I didn't need that kind of stuff. Never."

He speaks with an edge to his voice and admittedly carries a sizable chip on his size-XL shoulders. And it only grows after watching his one-time contemporary McGwire come clean about steroid use. Fielder, who often put up All-Star numbers as a first baseman in Detroit, takes McGwire's steroid use personally, saying that McGwire started a number of All-Star games that perhaps should have gone to other worthy players.

When Fielder hit 51 home runs in 1990, he was the first to top the 50-homer mark since George Foster slammed 52 homers in 1977. And the last to do it before Foster? Willie Mays in 1965. For the better part of four decades, a 50-homer season was a slightly more common occurrence than a Halley's Comet sighting.

Fielder was the 18th player in history to hit 50 home runs in a season, but in the time since, 23 players have turned in 50-homer single seasons, including his son, Prince Fielder.

In hindsight, it was obvious that the home run parade was just a charade.

"I just didn't understand how these certain guys started hitting the ball as far as I was hitting it," he said. "I didn't relate it to steroids because in the '90s, I didn't feel it was as prevalent as it was later on in the '90s."

Fielder is reminded that McGwire claims steroids can't help you hit 70 home runs, but he doesn't want to hear it.

"I'm not going to buy that at all," he said. "I just don't think that Mark, as a guy that I played against my whole career, and a guy that was the starting first baseman for a lot of those All-Star teams — a few of them that I didn't make … I just can't buy that. I can't buy the fact that he or anyone else who's used substances doesn't believe that it bettered their careers, bettered their numbers."

The conversation inevitably steers toward the Cooperstown question — should McGwire deserve Hall of Fame consideration? Fielder's answer is as powerful as the swing that delivered 318 career home runs.

"I just think that it's a shame that now, you're going to tell me that a guy like Fred McGriff doesn't belong in the Hall? I think he does," Fielder said. "The numbers are so inflated that guys that really deserve to be there weren't getting an opportunity to get there."

As Fielder makes his point, he wonders out loud how an admitted steroid user like McGwire can land a job as a big league hitting coach. Granted, there are plenty who would argue that Fielder isn't without his own shortcomings — a fair point, especially considering the trouble he got himself into by gambling.

But in Fielder's eyes, nothing compares to a player's decision to cheat with steroids.

"It just takes away from the pure players who played the game and did it the right way," Fielder said. "I remember those years that Mark was hurt, but hey, that's athletics. People get hurt, but you don't take away from your legacy."

Chandler's "More Cowbell" team got big Week 17 performances from Matt Schaub (25.25 fantasy points), Frank Gore (25.2) and Jerome Harrison (20.7) of his hometown Cleveland Browns in eking out the 102.75-99.5 triumph over Heidi and "Favre Forever."

The final matchup was a surprising one given that both More Cowbell and Favre Forever had put together rather ordinary regular seasons, each going 5-9 and narrowly sneaking into the playoffs. But both teams got hot at the right time, earning upsets in the quarterfinals then topping the league's top two regular-season squads — Kathryn's Tappenators and Terrence Johnson's Crooked Lettas — in shocking semifinal decisions.

"When I opened my inbox to find [the commissioner's heartfelt and beautifully worded] congratulations for winning the title," Chandler told reporters following his victory in the finals, "well, you can only imagine my surprise. I mean, people, let's be real here — my team was 5-9 going into the playoffs. In the second half of the season, I mailed it in more than the U.S. Postal Service.

"In fact, on the eve of the championship game," a defiant Chandler went on to say, "I was already working on my new team for next season. You know, like Bill Parcells before the Patriots lost to the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI. So go ahead, call me a quitter like the Tuna. At least I can quit on my team and still win."

Take that, Chandler doubters!

Fantasy followers expected big numbers from Schaub and Gore, but it was Chandler's late-season addition of Harrison that really paid dividends in the postseason as he rushed for 561 combined yards in the three weeks of fantasy playoffs. One problem, though, as Chandler didn't hesitate to remind yours truly, the hard-working league commissioner.

"I still managed to knock off Adam [and his gritty Gray Cutoff Hoodies in the playoff opener] even with Jerome Harrison on the bench when he exploded for the third-highest rushing total in NFL history (Harrison rushed for 286 yards and three touchdowns back on Dec. 20). Who knew?"

I knew, Chandler. I knew. A 52-point loss in anything — be it darts, bocce or fantasy football — hurts bad.

And from that point on, winning the fantasy championship seemed like destiny for More Cowbell.

But it could just as easily have been Heidi and Favre Forever hoisting the make-believe trophy. She got an ironic 40 points from her 40-year-old quarterback in his final regular-season game, but no one else on her squad put up big numbers.

Still, Heidi managed to stay strong following her second-place finish.

"Congrats to Chandler and his More Cowbell team," she said wistfully. "Brett Favre, of course, was true to his Favre Forever team right until the end, but it seems some other guys felt the need to rest on this most important of days in our fantasy world."

Nonetheless, the roving (OK, vacationing) Red Sox reporter wasn't sure if she'd be allowed back into town after her Fantasy Super Bowl setback.

"I might just have to stay down here in the Caribbean until I get over this loss … or it stops snowing in Boston. "

When it stops snowing in Boston, we'll be almost ready for another season of Red Sox baseball. And a few short months after that, it will be fantasy football time once again.

Thanks for following this thrilling maiden voyage of NESN.com Fantasy Football and be sure to tune in next year as the NESN staff tries to wrest the title from Chandler's hands.

The head coach was able to get his team riled up enough to put forth a good performance on Tuesday, but in order for the B’s to be successful in the long run, he needs to find a way to get a 60-minute effort out of his troops all the time — without having to beg for it.

Are the Bruins ready to live up to Julien’s challenge? They’ll find out when the mighty Blackhawks come to town on Thursday. NESN.com’s James Murphy stopped by Wednesday’s edition of SportsDesk for more Bruins talk.

We all know how that one ended.

This time around, the Pats are painting themselves in a similar light as they enter the postseason without their offensive spark plug, Wes Welker. These Patriots are also lacking a big-time playmaker, much like that first Patriots Super Bowl team, and will look to a collective attack when they take on the Ravens at home on Sunday in the opening round.

NESN.com’s Jeff Howe and NESN insider Shalise Manza Young break down the Pats’ playoff chances.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been deflecting questions regarding the loss of the wide receiver as part of a ploy to get his team focused on the task at hand: the Baltimore Ravens.

NESN.com’s Jeff Howe and NESN insider Shalise Manza Young look ahead to New England’s first-round playoff matchup against the Ravens as they swung by the SportsDesk set on Wednesday night.

So on Tuesday in Ottawa, the Black and Gold responded by popping four unanswered goals in the first period en route to a 4-1 win, paced by Blake Wheeler‘s two goals.

It’s clear that the Red Sox don’t see Mike Lowell as part of their plans for 2010. That being said, Beltre’s bat, compared to Casey Kotchman‘s — who would have likely started the season at first base if Boston hadn’t signed Beltre — is a better option for Terry Francona‘s attack.

NESN Insiders Tony Massarotti of 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Boston Globe’s Amalie Benjamin discuss the state of the Red Sox offense.

The Red Sox are hoping that trend continues in 2010.

Beltre finished the summer with a .265 batting average and just eight home runs to go with 44 RBIs in 111 games played. However, Beltre hit .279 on the road — compared to .250 at home — suggesting that the Seattle ballpark gave the 2004 NL MVP runner-up some problems.

NESN Insiders Tony Massarotti from 98.5 The Sports Hub and Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe discussed what Beltre brings to the club.

The Pats offense certainly relied heavily upon their speedy slot man all season long. But Tom Brady‘s offense can get by without him, and the pressure doesn’t lie solely on rookie wide receiver Julian Edelman‘s shoulders.

Pats running back Kevin Faulk stopped by SportsDesk on Tuesday to explain what New England has to do this Sunday to take down the Ravens.

Clearly, Welker was hurting from the injury sustained to his left knee as he planted and cut in open space on the Patriots' third offensive play against the Texans.

He knew it was bad. And it is.

According to multiple sources, Welker has both a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, meaning he'll miss the entire postseason. And while it's purely speculative, there has to be concern about the start of the 2010 season considering that the recovery for an injury like this could take anywhere from 6 to 12 months. This diagnosis was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, who adds that Welker will undergo further testing on Monday.

The injury is devastating on so many fronts.

First, it's a crushing end to a career season for Welker, who made his 123rd reception of the season on the play that ultimately ended it. He finished the year with 1,348 yards receiving, the third-highest total in Patriots history. His 8.8 receptions per game are second-most in NFL history, behind Marvin Harrison's 8.9 average in 2002. Interestingly, Welker was averaging 9.4 yards per catch entering Week 17; he would've eclipsed Harrison's mark had he sat out this final Sunday of the regular season.

And that brings us to point No. 2: Why was Welker even out there?

The debate has raged over playing or resting starters for playoff-bound teams heading into these final few weeks. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is going so far as to have the league's competition committee consider offering incentives to discourage teams from resting their starters in the future.

No doubt, Bill Belichick will face heavy criticism for this — be it fair or unfair. The argument surely can be made that Welker's injury is Exhibit A for resting starters in what amounted to a meaningless game for the Patriots. But there is no denying the freak nature of it — Welker's knee could've buckled in practice, or in any week earlier in the season.

Regardless, there is no denying that New England's road through the playoffs will now be considerably bumpier without Welker.

NESN insider James Murphy stopped by Thursday’s edition of SportsDesk to chat with John Chandler about the players’ attitudes as they practiced in a snowy winter wonderland at the Fens on Thursday afternoon. 

The weather on Thursday certainly helped the Bruins prepare for what is expected to be a cold and possibly snowy or rainy day at Fenway. Now, they’ll know what to expect.

For more, check out the video below.

For the second time in a week, Boston laid a beating on Atlanta, exploding for three goals in the first period before taking a 4-0 decision at the TD Garden on Wednesday night. So much for the looming Winter Classic being a distraction.

After Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm, Zdeno Chara and David Krejci were named to their respective countries’ Olympic rosters, the B’s got right down to business on the ice. Marc Savard extended his points streak to five games after notching two assists and goaltender Tuukka Rask earned his second shutout of the season against the reeling Thrashers.

Now, finally, it’s time for the Flyers at Fenway, but first, check out all the Bruins-Thrashers highlights below.

Randy Moss appears to be on his game once again. Wes Welker continued his record-breaking ways. And Tom Brady submitted his best performance since injuring his ribs four weeks ago against the Dolphins, completing 23-of-26 passes for 267 yards and four touchdowns.

The Patriots seem to be getting hot at just the right time, and Shalise Manza Young and Mike Reiss joined John Chandler on Wednesday’s edition of SportsDesk to discuss what the team needs to do to stay hot.

Mercury Morris

Caldwell chose to rest his starters with a slim lead over the Jets only to watch New York storm back to an upset victory, spoiling Indy’s chance at perfection.

Smart move? Not according to Mike Adams, who joined SportsDesk on Wednesday night for Take It or Leave It.