Brady has been freed! And so begins the 2015 regular season…
The New England Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX last February in dramatic fashion, further cementing their legacy as one of the top dynasties of all time. But several turbulent months followed.
The air was let out of their celebration, so to speak.
Brady’s bunch was called into question for allegedly letting the air out of footballs used in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. NFL head honcho Roger Goodell, aka “The Commish,” suspended Tom for the first four games of the season in what would come to be known as “Deflategate.”
Brady, with the support of the players’ union and the New England Patriots fought back, taking the NFL to court. On Thursday, a judge overturned that ruling, paving the way for Brady to take the field in next Thursday night’s opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.
The Patriots’ Super Bowl championship banner will be raised. Another captivating season is sure to follow.
One can assume the Patriots will be playing with a chip on their shoulders, similar to the year they posted a 16-0 regular season following allegations of illegally videotaping signals on the sidelines, or simply, “Spygate.”
Another record season is at hand.
For the last two years, I have correctly predicted the Super Bowl champion and runner-up prior to the start of the regular season. I even came within one point of predicting the final score prior to kickoff in the Big Game.
Like the Patriots, I’m ready to bring my “A” game this NFL season.
You, the reader, can put your skills to the test every single week. Beat my record each week, and you qualify for the end-of-season grand prize drawing. The grand prize winner takes home a 40-inch TV courtesy of Manny’s TV & Appliances. But that’s not all.
Every week, the entrant with the top overall record will receive a gift certificate to the Tavern Restaurant. If there is a tie, the contestant with the closest tiebreaker points will be deemed the winner.
The best part of it – it’s free.
Just pick up your copy of The Westfield News Monday through Friday, check off a winner for every NFL Sunday game, and fill in a number for the total points scored in the Sunday night game.
For instance, if you believe the Dallas Cowboys are going to beat the New York Giants 24-17 in Week One – as Patriots’ fans, we’re secretly seeking a tie – you would check off the Cowboys and fill in total points of 41.
Don’t forget to include your name, address, and phone number. Entries must be postmarked by midnight Friday, or dropped off at our office located at 62 School Street by close of business day Friday.
As for my Super Bowl 50 prediction: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots cement their legacy by becoming the greatest of all time with a win over the Seattle Seahawks, again.
Good luck, and Happy Pickin’s!
