BY KEVIN FRIEDENBERG

In print | Published October 25, 2007

The end of October break came with one significant sports epiphany for me this year: it’s great to be a Boston fan. Maybe I didn’t realize how well Boston teams were playing for the last month, having been under a constant assault of work courtesy of our generous institution. Yet, being at home in the Greater Boston area last week and having been exposed to the sheer juggernaut that is Boston sports, I reconfirmed my allegiances. It’s hard not to feel good when the Patriots are simply otherworldly, the Red Sox just made a gutsy comeback to win the American League Pennant and even the Boston College football team is undefeated thus far. Though I’m sure not all of this New England success will continue indefinitely, I feel like I’ve been reunited with lost friends, pro-athlete friends.

It’s undeniable — the Patriots are that good. For everyone who got on my back when the Bill Belicheck taping scandal broke, all I can say is, come see me. Sure Miami may not have been a solid opponent this week, but the Patriots put up 49 points, and Tom Brady had six touchdown passes. He alone connected for 36 points — in my book that’s a serious competitor. The Pats scored more points in the first half (42) than both teams combined in eight of the NFL’s thirteen games this week. Their passing attack is surreal and their defense stingy; certainly no one can argue that the Patriots aren’t playing championship ball. A quick glance at numbers shows that the Patriots have scored an astronomical 279 points this year, 50 more than the next closest and over a hundred more than the team which is considered their biggest rival this season, the Indianapolis Colts. Going undefeated ain’t easy, and the jury’s still out on whether this year’s Patriots team can do it, but one thing is certain, they are an outstanding football team.

Did I say outstanding football? Certainly that applies to the 7-0 BC Eagles, who have taken the nation by storm and are currently ranked no. 2 in the nation. Sure BC begins its grueling schedule stretch this week when it plays no. 8 Virginia Tech, but it’s hard not to be thrilled for the local boys who get overlooked every year in Bowl Game selections because they historically haven’t sold as many tickets as some other larger schools. It’s going to be hard not to sell tickets if quarterback Matt Ryan (top contender for the Heisman trophy) keeps playing at such a high-octane pace. In case you wanted to know, the last Boston College player to win the Heisman trophy was quarterback Doug Flutie in 1984, and if you don’t like Doug Flutie, don’t ever talk to me again. Though they will be tested in the coming weeks, it’s hard for me to not be excited about the great season the boys at Chestnut Hill, MA are having.

Oh yeah, the Red Sox are playing decently. I mean what other team would bounce back from the brink of elimination (again) to shut down two Cy Young caliber pitchers and win the league championship? The Sox went into game seven with a killer mentality and dismantled the Indians thanks to 5 RBIs from little (a highly suspect “5-foot-9 inch”) Dustin Pedroia. The Sox have a big task in front of them though, and records are on the line because if the white hot Colorado Rockies win game one of the World Series, they will tie the Red Sox record for most consecutive wins in the postseason (8). With Red Sox Nation behind its boys in Wednesday’s Game One at Fenway, the Sox will definitely have that crowd boost, which could be unnecessary if Josh Beckett keeps throwing like a strike zone assassin.

I know it’s a good time for Boston sports because for the first time in years, I haven’t heard any bitching about the Celtics yet. Even though the season hasn’t started yet, by now the sports writers are usually ready to pack it in and hibernate for the winter. Even the Bruins aren’t in last place like everyone thought they would be, having won five of their last seven games — take that Sports Illustrated. Boston teams are the real deal, it’s no joke, and all I can say is that I am going to be one excited sports fan for the next few months.

Kevin is a sophomore. You can reach him at kfriede1@swarthmore.edu.

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