Patriots Proceed To Bowl (Super) And Ravens Recede To Stadium (Bank)

Instead of my favorite New England sports living bar, a booth, dozens of televisions and knowledgeable fans, I watched today’s AFC Championship game in a house, on a sofa, one television and with non-fans. No matter the venue and the lack of other New Englanders, I am exceedingly happy that the New England Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 23 to 20 to become the AFC Champions. This is a definite contrast to the last time these two teams met in the playoffs.

The Patriots took an early lead and kept it during this back-and-forth scoring game until the third quarter. That’s when the Ravens were able to garner a four point lead by the end of the quarter. However, as in the first quarter, all the scoring in the fourth quarter was done by New England. And thanks to a Ravens missed thirty-two yard field goal with eleven seconds left in the fourth quarter, the game does not go into overtime – New England Patriots are the AFC Champions!!

This wasn’t the most exciting football game I’ve watched – just a couple of touchdowns, interceptions, long passes, no long runs - but the outcome is what matters. So, on Sunday 5 February 2012, the New England Patriots will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Good Luck Pats!

Teams	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	TOTAL
New England Patriots	3	10	3	7	23
Baltimore Ravens	0	10	10	0	20

New England Patriots logo from the website wikipedia.org

Patriots Redown: October 2010

Game 4 – Monday 4 October 2010 – Patriots won – Away

New England Patriots: 0 6 21 14 - 41
Miami Dolphins: 7 0 7 0 - 14

Total game points equal 55. Patriots 74.55% of the points. Dolphins 25.45% of the points


Game 5 – Sunday 17 October 2010 – Patriots won – Home

New England Patriots 7 0 3 10 3 - 23
Baltimore Ravens 3 7 7 3 0 - 20

Total game points equal 43. Patriots 53.49% of the points. Ravens 46.51% of the points


Game 6 – Sunday 24 October 2010 – Patriots won – Away

New England Patriots 7 6 7 3 - 23
San Diego Chargers 3 0 0 17 - 20

Total game points equal 43. Patriots 53.49% of the points. Chargers 46.51% of the points


Game 7 – Sunday 31 October 2010 – Patriots won - Home

New England Patriots 0 7 14 7 - 28
Minnesota Vikings 0 7 3 8 - 18

Total game points equal 46. Patriots 60.87% of the points. Vikings 39.13% of the points

New England Patriots logo is from the website wikipedia.org

Revenge In Five Quarters: Patriots Pluck Roosting Ravens

The last time the New England Patriots played (if you want to call it that) the Baltimore Ravens was back in January of this year and what happened on the gridiron was indeed ugly. The Patriots utterly lost to the Ravens in their final game of that football season and there was no happiness in Sonny McLean’s that winter Sunday. On this autumn Sunday there are smiles on every face in Sonny’s, as New England, who trailed at halftime, comes back to beat Baltimore in sudden death overtime by a score of twenty-three to twenty. It was a back-and-forth game, with the most excitement happing in the fourth and overtime quarters. Much high-fiving and cheering in Sonny’s after the winning field goal! With five games completed, the Pats have four wins and one loss which places them second in the AFC East. Next week the Patriots head to my part of the world to play the San Diego Chargers. Although I won’t be traveling south to see them play, I’m sure a number of Sonny’s patrons will be making the trip, like Lexie (from Sudbury) who is one of the three people at my table today. The other two people joining me this morning are Lexie’s cousin David (who is from Newton and has a television production company) and Mike (also from Newton, who has one-year old twins – a girl and a boy). In September, both David and Mike had previously sat with me, but during two different Patriots games. Most of the people in the bar I don’t recognize – fewer and fewer of the usual people are coming to Sonny’s. Today’s familiar faces (in addition to the wait staff) are Rich, Lisa, Joe, I think I saw Nick, and at the end of the game, another Mike. Wonder where Tom and his girlfriend are these days – the high table across from me has been occupied by others. Anyway, the bar is full of New England people supporting the Patriots and that is surely something about which to give a Rah! Rah! Rah!

New England Patriots logo is from the website wikipedia.com

Ravenous Ravens Devour Pathetic Patriots

A nightmare of a morning at Sonny McLean's as a packed house witnessed the New England Patriots completely fall apart at the sure-football hands of the Baltimore Ravens. Unbelievably, for Pats fans, the game was decidedly over halfway through the first quarter. And the Pats continued to reinforce that fact throughout the remainder of the game. Excuse me - not game, rout. New England suffered its first home playoff loss since 1978 and it was a horrible way to end the streak with a score of 33 to 14.

All was not sadness at Sonny's on this last Sunday football game for the season. The former owner of Sonny McLean's, Jim, had returned to California after spending six weeks in Massachusetts. It was good to see his familiar face around the bar. Jim is not sure what he will do next, but he will be around here for awhile. Also returning from back East was Lisa who experienced the new high tables and chairs for the first time, which she liked. Additional rare faces in attendance were Caroline and another Lisa, who raffled off a signed Tom Brady jersey with the proceeds going to Hollywood HEART. After today's rout, the jersey is sure to have decreased in value! And speaking of raffle, I won a blue Patriots adjustable cap at halftime - my second (and last) raffle win of the season. A few weeks ago I won a throwback red T-shirt which had the name Boston Patriots on it. Guess there is some good fortune in my life.

There was lots of commiserating (among the less than packed crowd that remained until the last play) after the game. Now will have to put this horror of a season-ending game behind all of us. The Celtics and Bruins are still playing, but I am looking forward to when the Red Sox begin their season. Gave out a few Red Sox Box cards before leaving Sonny's. Not sure if I'll be back before baseball season begins, but I will be back to my favorite New England sports living bar!

Baltimore Ravens logo from team website.