MVN - Most Valuable Network

Randy’s all clear, and game day is here

Well, now I feel like a horse’s ass.

Since I wrote my post when the Randy Moss news first came out, further detail has been revealed about the “battery” in this case, the injuries suffered and what “would not allow her to seek medical treatment” means.

My communications with Mr. McGill began last Wednesday. He told me that Randy had intentionally hurt his client’s hand and wouldn’t take her to the hospital and that if Randy didn’t pay up, he would go public and file suit in Florida for battery. He gave me until 3 pm Friday to let him know. He demanded that I not come up with “something like $50,000 or $75,000,” but something with “six figures.” He had told me that the x-rays on her hand or finger were negative. I explained that it was my understanding that what occurred was the result of a horseplay-type accident and Randy was sorry it had occurred and he would pay for her medical bills and pain and suffering and that I would prefer to turn this over to his homeowners’ insurance coverage as we normally do with accidents. He said he was not interested in insurance or what her injuries were. He said he was evaluating the claim based on what Randy stood to lose. He threatened that Randy would suffer large amounts of money in future salaries and endorsements and what he claimed would be game suspensions.

He also threatened that his client had lots of “dirt” on him. Making such threats is clearly unethical, and in my opinion, criminal. When I tried to ascertain the extent of her injuries, he said that he didn’t know and that it didn’t matter as I just needed to make an offer big enough that she would take it.

First of all, much credit to Boston.com for printing this in its entirety rather than quoting from it. Second of all: she sprained her finger and Moss wouldn’t drive her to the hospital. And for that she wants 500 large. And also, to embarrass and distract Randy Moss in public just before the biggest game of his career.

Um.

When I wrote my post the other day the injuries had not been detailed. I did question why that was, but when I heard “battery” I thought it must have been something like a punch to the face, and the medical attention needed being stitches. I was picturing threats, explicit instructions not to go to the hospital…

She sprained her finger and he wouldn’t drive her to the hospital.

Thanks for wasting our time with this.

***

Anyway, what time is it? GAME TIME!

Well, not quite. But for the few hours between now and game time, here are some thoughts.

Will the starting Chargers show up? “Sources close to the team” are tipping off the press that Rivers has a partially torn ACL and is ‘doubtful’ for this game. Apparently the only day he practiced this week was Friday. LT has been practicing and will reportedly make the game.

Here’s another question: does it matter? Look what the Chargers did with Billy Volek against Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. A team that doesn’t let injuries slow it down…hmm. Who does that remind me of?

However, the “intangible” factors aside, FootballOutsiders.com crunched the numbers with a vengeance and predict

a blowout on the Patriots’ way to 19-0 — particularly if Billy Volek or a hobbled Philip Rivers throw a couple of early picks. The Chargers’ pass rush will get to Brady a couple of times, but most of the time he’s going to have time to throw and some big holes in the secondary to throw at. The biggest reason to believe it won’t be a blowout is the Chargers’ red zone defense, which could force Stephen Gostkowski onto the field numerous times.

Also, that Defensive Value Over Average (DVOA) graph for the Patriots, as one commenter put it, “is just so elegant and beautiful.” He added, “This really is Bill Belichick’s masterpiece if they win it all. Their graph is a cosine graph right now implying this team has come full circle.”

But, as always, we’ll see. Remember what happened in Indianapolis, after all.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 20th, 2008 at 10:43 am and is filed under San Diego Chargers, LaDanian Tomlinson, Patriots Game Previews, Indianapolis Colts, Randy Moss, Philip Rivers, Patriots Playoffs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.