Tom Brady knows this. It’s why he’s so good. He does the little things — scoring on quarterback sneaks, taking a ferocious hit just for the sake of waiting until the perfect moment to launch a pass, sucking up to the refs.
It’s true. Officials can claim that they don’t play favorites all they want, but the simple fact is that when a ref likes a player, questionable calls are swinging in his favor. (Apparently, Kevin Youkilis and Terry Francona have some work to do with C.B. Bucknor.)
Brady got two critical roughing the passer calls as the Patriots beat the Ravens 27-21 on Sunday. Both extended critical touchdown drives, and both nailed the coffin in Baltimore’s first loss of the season. The Ravens weren’t happy — they cried foul on the part of the refs, of course — but Brady just shrugged. It’s all part of the game. Baltimore just needs to learn how to play it.
In other news, Rodney Harrison offers up his completely understated opinion on the Baltimore vs. Refs saga, KG confuses children with chickens and Doc Rivers has an endorsement idea for Perk.
"I want the penalty call. I want 15 yards. I don’t care whether they hit me or not. That’s an advantage for our offense. I think you just want to make sure the refs … I go hug the ref before the game, ask about his kids and stuff like that. I’m trying to get him on our side."
–Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, during a news conference, on how he gets an edge during games
"Without totally going off the wall here, it is embarrassing to the game. Brady is good enough to make his own plays. Let him make the play. When you have two great teams that are going at it, let them go at it. Both of their touchdown drives had personal fouls that kept drives alive. Did that win or lose the game? No, but it got them 14 points."
–Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, on ESPN.com, disagreeing with questionable calls against his team
“Pedey quit, because he stinks.”
–Red Sox manager Terry Francona, on Boston.com, on ditching Dustin Pedroia as a cribbage partner
"Tom Brady, if you're listening, take off the skirt and put on some slacks. Toughen up."
–Former Patriot Rodney Harrison, on NBC, on roughing the passer calls that went in favor of Tom Brady last weekend
“I was like a kid in a candy store, running around with his head cut off a bit out there.”
–Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, in the Boston Herald, after his preseason debut
“You don’t need any coffee. Don’t drink coffee. You don’t need nothing to boost you up. You don’t want to get too boosted up and you end up out there arguing with the umpire.”
–Angels outfielder Torii Hunter, on Boston.com, on getting amped for the postseason
"He never lollygags. That's the thing. People really don't understand the game. He blocks. He does all those little things. I wouldn't say he's the greatest blocker, but he does it effectively."
–Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, in the Boston Herald, on Randy Moss
“Come in this week, and have a good week, and get ready for Denver. Enjoy this one. We got to start winning on the road. Stick together as a team now, fellas. We got some good plays — turnover on the kickoff team, we finally got an interception on defense, we took the ball down there offensively. The difference was in the red area. We got it in three times, they got it in twice. That's the difference in the game.”
–Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, on Patriots All Access, in the locker room after his team’s win over Baltimore
“When I see pictures of him his rookie year, it’s amazing. He should be doing those Nutrisystem commercials over all those other guys. He’s in shape, and he’s figured out his role. He tries to play within his limitations, and that makes him a very good basketball player."
–Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, in the Worcester Telegram, on Kendrick Perkins losing 15 pounds in the offseason
WEEI: I read where Ray Allen said: "I told myself during the summer I was going to be in the best shape I’ve ever been in." I don’t recall those fat Ray Allen days. Do you?
Doc Rivers: Me either [laughing]. Maybe he had a hot dog once. Ray has almost zero body fat. He’s such a pro.
–Rivers, on WEEI, on guard Ray Allen
"I felt like we were already jelling together. I felt like we were superglued together. We're having fun together."
–Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather, on NESN.com, on the cohesion of the New England defense in a 27-21 win over Baltimore on Sunday
“There's no problem that can't be made better by having a home game against the Browns. Seriously, if President Obama could arrange for the economy to play the Browns a few times a year, we'd be all good.”
–ESPN columnist Matthew Berry
“This is the fourth week, and the last three, I used up my excuses for what's going on."
–Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck on the team’s 0-4 start
