Dear Non-New England Patriots Fans; Really?

Really?

I find it amusing when the fans of other teams

Think there's a conspiracy because New England creams

Almost every football franchise that we have to play.

"NFL has rigged the game," the latest losers say.

Is there really anybody who believes Goodell

Doesn't think New England's why his ratings went to hell?

It's not 'cause the players took a stand and took a knee,

Not because the fans are worried about CTE.

Ratings fell because New England almost always wins;

Patriots are favored before training camp begins.

When a team's as dominant as we are it's no fun

For the fans whose teams are not on this amazing run.

If we don't get penalized as much as others do

Could it be because we are more disciplined than you?

I'd think - were there bias from officiating crews -

They, like you and Roger, would prefer to see us lose.

Apathy v. Seussilitis

(Courtesy of quickmeme.com)

Haven't written rhymes in months... I really don't know why.

Possibly because I'm giving apathy a try.

I'm not reading books or e-mails; haven't been on-line.

All my time and energy reserved for me and mine.

Kitchen renovations (now completed) left me stressed.

Nightly news and politics were making me depressed...

Donald Trump was only funny when I thought he'd lose.

I'm not laughing now that he's been beaten by Ted Cruz.

Even football got distressing. It's been hard to cheer

When the scientific evidence has made it clear

Football players hurt their brains on every single hit -

I still watched New England though, 'cause I'm a hypocrite.

But, today, I felt some stirrings - got the urge to rhyme -

And, if you are reading this, I thank you for your time.

Hope that you and yours are well and you'll check back to see

If the rhyming bug can help defeat my apathy.

Poor Tom Brady

If you've ever doubted or were sitting on the fence,

Unsure whether football injures brains, more evidence

Surfaced when Tom Brady said he'd vote for Donald Trump...

Sacks on my poor quarterback did worse than leave a lump.

Only explanation I can find is CTE:

Chronic and traumatic brain encephalopathy.

If Tom hadn't been concussed, thus damaging his brain,

He would not support the Donald, 'cause that's just insane.

Donald Trump would make a truly, awful President

(Guess we know where hot air from deflated footballs went.) 

We can't blame Tom Brady - still the greatest of all time -

But, what football does to players' brains should be a crime.

A Hypocritical Pats Fan

Even though it wasn't pretty yesterday, we won;

Leaving my New England Patriots at 2 and 1.

Offense isn't clicking yet 'cause Brady's getting hit...

Losing Logan Mankins' talents hasn't helped a bit.

I feel bad for Edelman who always gets the ball.

Brady doesn't seem to throw to others much, at all.

'cause he's getting open when Tom's pass is being rushed,

Just like Wes before him, Edelman is getting crushed.

Gronk will catch a pass or two and Ridley gains some yards

Yet the other team keeps getting players through our guards.

Until we can slow them, Edelman is on the hook

But, once he has caught the ball, I cannot bear to look.

Football's not as fun for me because I'm now aware

Just how bad the damage they're sustaining is out there.

Knowing that these guys I like are injuring their brain

Makes it hard to cheer about some yardage that they gain.

Does this mean that I won't watch the Patriots next week?

Call me an old hypocrite without a right to speak

But I'd never miss the Pats, despite what I now know...

Will I let my own sons play the game, however? No.

Commissioner Goodell and CTE

 

My sons played Pop Warner football back when they were young.

I remember, once or twice, them getting their bells rung.

Not quite a concussion (because neither one's that fast.)

Thankfully, their football playing days are in the past.

Coaches for our high school's team will stop my youngest son

(16 at 250; he is over 6 feet 1)

"Kid, we need you on the team," the football coaches say.

I can't, in good conscience - now, allow the boy to play.

Not with all the evidence that those who play the game

May sustain brain damage and that tackling's to blame.

Maybe that's the explanation for the recent news;

Players hitting people hard enough to leave a bruise.

What is not as clear is why Commissioner Goodell

Has been guilty of some recent stupid moves, as well...

Moves that make you wonder what is going through his mind.

If he thinks the NFL can weather this, he's blind

Dear Miami Dolphins - Unsolicited Advice from the Home of Champions

Don't encourage him.  (Photo/Watercoolertalks.com)

Bullies in the locker room and team-mates being jerks;

Evidence has shown that's not a strategy that works.

When a player isn't motivated by the cash

You can't fix the situation if you're talking trash.

If you want a team that wins the players have to care;

Feel like they are family and want to do their share;

Have to like each other so much that they'd play for free...

Football isn't hard enough? Concussions? CTE?

Why would someone want to play with guys who aren't his friends?

Only thing he's hoping for is that the season ends.

Teams that win have chemistry and watch each others' backs;

Skill sets that Miami Dolphins' Incognito lacks.

The New England Patriots - In Memoriam; Junior Seau

Junior Seau (1969 -2012) in happier times.  Photo credit: Reuters

Chargers, Dolphins, Patriots (the team for which I cheer)

Mourn the loss of Junior Seau; loved when he played here.

At the age of 43 - with 20 as a pro -

Seau's not the first to take his life this way, you know.

Football fans around the world, when told how Seau died,

Saddened - but not really shocked - to learn by suicide

(Junior, not too long ago, had driven off a cliff)

Faced the truth that penalties for players are too stiff.

Seau must have thought so too; he left his skull intact.

Pretty sure the autopsy will show that it's a fact

After one has played the game as long and hard as he

Almost every tackle does the brain an injury.

Don't know how we fix this; only know it must be done

Before other players blow their chests out with a gun.

I love football just as much as any other fan

But we have to change the game...  We owe it to the man.