As The Ankle Turns...

This week sounded more like a Soap Opera than a preparation week for Super Bowl XLII. Here are some tidbits from the week that was, as we tune into "As the Ankle Turns".

The big question plaguing the Boston media was "Where's Tom Brady?" Since last seen sporting a walking boot in NY, Brady’s been kept away from the media. Since Brady is silent, this leaves it up to the media to fill in the missing pieces. Linebacker Junior Seau said. “It makes for a great story. You guys can jump on that and blow it up and do whatever you need to do, but as far as getting between the lines and going out there and competing, there’s no better competitor out there than Tommy. He’s proven it.” He might be MIA right now, but there is no way Tom Brady misses the biggest game of the year!

Wednesday cannot get here fast enough as far as the media is concerned. Wednesday is the day the NFL releases it official injury report. Let’s be truthful here, there is more anticipation for this report than there was for the Mitchell report!

With Brady’s MIA status, is there a quarterback controversy brewing in New England? I'm not talking Cassel and Gutierrez, but more like Stallworth and Welker! Given Tom Brady’s injury, the two receivers were fighting over who is going to run the quarterback option in the Super Bowl. Yes, this was all in jest to make light of the whole Brady injury situation. If Belichick was serious though, I think he would still find a way to win with either one of them!

Is it sour grapes or dirty play? San Diego Chargers Center Nick Hardwick accused Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour of being a dirty player. “(Richard) Seymour is not a dirty player. Are you kidding me?” Patriot’s safety Rodney Harrison said, “One guy says it and it gravitates through the media. The guy’s been to five Pro Bowls. You don’t like it, beat him.” The Patriots have knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs two years in a row now. Sour Grapes or Dirty Play, you make the call.

Don’t they say, where there is smoke, there is fire? Now offensive lineman Matt Light is getting a similar rap as Seymour from New York Giants defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora. "I wouldn't call them a dirty team. I wouldn't say that. I haven't really experienced them as a team to be dirty. They have certain individuals, like I am sure we have certain individuals, who are perceived to be dirty, but people wouldn't call them a dirty team." Teams should learn that the best thing to do before playing the Patriots is not to talk to the media. It is just fuel for the fire!

Defensive end Michael Strahan figures he should chime in too. “Everyone’s so worried about who’s dirty. I’ll be honest with you, you tick me off, I will stomp on your neck, too. “Everybody does it. I mean, we’re punching, we’re clawing, we’re in the pile grabbing each other God-knows-where. That’s just the game of football. “I love it when I read, ‘He’s a dirty player.’ To be honest with you, we’re all dirty. You’ve got to be a little insane to do what we do. It’s just the nature of the beast.”

When questioned about the recent accusations of underhandedness levied at the Pats, linebacker Tedy Bruschi said “Can you look at football and say it’s clean?” with regards to the recent accusations of underhandedness levied at the Pats. “We’re a bunch of men with shoulder pads and helmets trying to knock each other over. I think dirty goes with the game of football.”

It looks like Safety Rodney Harrison is tired of all the talk. “The good thing about the National Football League, and I think in life, is you that have opportunities and guess what? Our offense and their offense, our defense and their defense, our special teams and their special teams will have an opportunity to make sure that comes to light. So we’ll see.”

What is the NFL coming to? Enough talk already, let both teams game play do their talking on Super Bowl Sunday!