WTF???

If you're a football fan, you had to love the Patriots-Colts matchup last night. However, if you're a football fan, you have to be scratching your head wondering just what the hell Patriots coach Bill Belichick was thinking. Did he have money on the Colts? Does he not want his team hosting the AFC championship in January? He had one of the biggest brainfarts I have ever seen from a head coach and yes, it cost him.
With the Patriots leading 34-28 and facing a 4th and 2 from their OWN 28 yard line with two minutes left, Belichick inexplicably decides to gamble. That gamble fails and the Colts get a touchdown on a much shorter field than they should have. Indy wins it 35-34 and as a result, they are 9-0.
I'm not sure exactly what was going through Belichick's mind, but even those who aren't that smart when it comes to football realizes that you have to punt the football away and make the Colts work for that final touchdown.
I can only imagine what is being said in that dressing room behind closed doors. The Patriots know to a man that their head coach screwed this one up and screwed it up bigtime. It simply baffles me as to what Belichick was thinking. The Colts had their logo up their ass in that one. WOW!!!

It capped off what was a great day of football. I don't know how my remote and my television handled all the channel changing that was going on and I know I'm not alone in making that statement.
The CFL semi-finals were both exciting games. B.C keeps the idea of an all-Western final in place as they beat Hamilton in overtime in a game they should have won in regulation. The Lions led the Ti-Cats by 10 with less than three minutes to play, but Hamilton rallied to tie it. They won the toss, but elected to play defence which was the right call. They couldn't stop Casey Printers and the B.C offence though and that was it. Say what you will about Printers, but he has been outstanding (with the exception of one overtime throw in Regina) since he got back into the Lions lineup. If he had been with B.C all season long, you have to wonder if the Western final wouldn't be played at B.C. Place. You also have to wonder if the Lions can walk into Montreal and beat the Alouettes next weekend. Montreal hasn't had to play a big game in a while and B.C will give them what I think would be a better game than what Hamilton would have given them. It will be interesting.
By the way, thumbs down to Ti-Cat fans. Its their first home playoff game since 2001. Its the first time they have been in the playoffs in five years and they are 2-thousand tickets shy of a sellout. That's brutal!!! The 27-thousand plus crowd was into the game, but not selling it out?? That is terrible!

Meanwhile out west, it will be the Stampeders and the Riders in the Western final, and that shouldn't surprise many. Edmonton had their chances to beat the Stampeders, but they couldn't get their offence going and at the end of the game when it looked like they were in position for a game-tying field goal, they take two holding penalties and a sack to take them out of position. As crazy as Mosaic Stadium was last weekend, it will be that and then some next weekend as the Stampeders come to town. It will be crazy on Sunday, but I don't know if it would have been the same had Edmonton been there. Say what you will, but there isn't as much hatred for the double E as there is for the Horsemen.

A B.C-Saskatchewan final in Calgary. That would be more of a scene than Winnipeg-Saskatchewan in Toronto. Get ready for what will be a great week. By the way, the Weather Network says it will be plus 2 with a low of minus 3 and little wind. In other words, it will be cool, but pleasant.
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After looking so bad on Saturday, one couldn't like the Pats chances as they went into Brandon and it looked like another one-sided beating was on its way as Regina trailed 7-3, but they roared back to tie the game and then lose it in overtime 8-7. That's tough, but coming back from four down is encouraging especially after basically going through the motions in Moose Jaw on Saturday.
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It was great that CKRM brought those who couldn't be around the television the Western semi-final, but it would have been nice to have heard the Edmonton feed instead of the Calgary feed for just one reason. Yesterday's game was the last for the iconic Bryan Hall as he is retiring as voice of the Eskimos. Its a job he has had since 1954. Say what you will about Hall, but it would have been nice to hear what turned out to be his swan-song. I don't know if it was an emotional farewell for him or not but you would have to think there was a lump in his throat as he realized his time was up. It was always good to see Bryan at Mosaic or at the Grey Cup. He always had a "Hey Blair, what are you up to." He was always willing to give me a couple of minutes if I needed it and he told me some great stories about the Eskimos when I talked to him for Vanstone's book on the 89 Riders. He is a legend!
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Have a good Monday. Start getting ready for Sunday and try to rationalize just what Belichick was thinking!