AGRI Biz

Next week, the Patriots have their last shot to prove they can win against the league's elite. They will face the Saints, quite possibly the best team in the league and one of two unbeaten teams left (and they've appeared a lot more dominant than the Colts, who have struggled to win their last few games). Though the score of last Sunday's game (a 31-14 victory over the Jets) would appear to ...

After a week of debate over "the call," the Patriots have another bitter rival to face this week. The Jets, of course, handed this team a bitter loss in Week Two, meaning the Pats have extra incentive to focus this week. Though the Patriots typically rebound the week after a loss, it would be a mistake to assume this game will be a rout. Though the Jets have struggled as of late ...

This year, the NFL's much-vaunted parity has become something of a joke. The league has clearly been stratified this yearùthere are the top contenders, and then there's everyone else. We have a bevy of teams that are just plain horrible: the Titans, Browns, Bucs, Chiefs, Rams, Redskins, Raiders, and Lions are all haplessly running out the clock at this point. Pundits everywhere are decrying the blowouts and questioning what can be done. Why ...

In his latest article in The New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell writes about the toll professional football takes on the brains of former playersùhow the years of collisions eventually lead to serious mental problems down the line. At issue is whether the sustained legal hits to the headùas opposed to illegal actionsùcause the long-term damage many players suffer from later in life. Gladwell even draws a parallel to football and dogfighting, suggesting the ...

With five games in the books so far in the season, the defining characteristics of this Patriots team have begun to emerge. What we have seen is a decent teamùa team that performs well in spurts, but lacks any kind of sustained excellence. Basically, a team like every other NFL team. The Patriots are emerging from an era in which excellence was a given, an expected quantity in any given game. This ...

Perhaps the most frustrating thing to see in professional sports is talent unrealized. For years, running back Laurence Maroney has befuddled Patriots fans; he shows glimpses of the gifted back drafted in the first round, but then either gets injured or succumbs to indecision. Maroney has caught a lot of flak for his between-the-tackles running (or lack thereof). He simply can't seem to hit the holes in the line; he's always ...

One of the most importantùand difficultùtraits to obtain is self-knowledge. Constant and honest re-evaluation of oneself is the key to success. When individuals lack it, they are susceptible to neuroses and delusions. When organizations lack it, they are susceptible to institutional dysfunction. Football teams must constantly evaluate and re-evaluate players, coaches, and opponents. With the incredibly talent gap between any two professional teams, the correct read of a situation can mean the difference ...

It's only the fourth week of the season, but the Patriots may be facing their most important game of the year. A win against the Ravens would once again cement the team's place among the elite in the NFL. A loss would consign them to the tier of "good but not great" teams and prove a serious blow to the Pats' championship hopes. In short, the Patriots must win on Sunday. What's ...

The Patriots face their toughest test of the season next week when they face a Ravens team that finally appears to have put it all together. Tom Brady, to be frank, has not looked impressive over the past three weeks. He's missed throws, been skittish in the pocket, and got visibly frustrated during last week's win against the Falcons. His receivers have been mediocre thus far. Joey Galloway has been a disaster. ...

If there's one thing that bothers me about the NFL community (media, fans, etc.), it's the fetishism for "tough" or "no-nonsense" coaches. I don't know why we seem to have this pathological need to see grown men chewed out by some emotionally unstable jackass, but everywhere I look, I see paeans to these individuals. Take this Sports Illustrated piece by John Lopez. His thesis: tough coaches are needed because of the ...