Let the real games begin

Page 2 of 19 -- The offense is OK. Only Tampa Bay scored more points in the preseason (108). Brady will always be a top QB in the league. Everyone in Patriots Nation wishes they could have addressed some areas such as one more offensive lineman and a running back, but with a strict salary cap it's awfully hard to address every need in one off season.

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Of concern is special teams. It's too early to say they miss Tebucky Jones, but kick coverage hasn't been top notch so far and that's where Jones excelled. Barring injury and despite a wicked schedule, this should be a playoff team.

Look for a big fight in the courts from Yarde Metals vs. the Patriots. The Bristol, Conn., firm wants its six season tickets back after one of their male ticket-bearers was arrested for using a women's rest room during the Pats-Packers game last season. The patron waited 20 minutes in line to use the men's room. That was at a time when Yarde contends that the Patriots didn't have the right ratio of men's to women's rest rooms. The Patriots have a behavior code and they're sticking to it. Yarde feels this policy is unfair and they're going all out. Yarde filed an injunction to prevent the revocation of tickets and a Suffolk Superior judge should rule on it shortly, which will dictate what the next step for Yarde would be.

Team Marketing Report does a Fan Cost Index on the price of going to a football game around the league. As you would expect, the Patriots are No. 1. Based on their 2002 average price for a ticket, parking and concessions, it cost a family of four an average of $408.64 to attend a game at Gillette. Second to the Pats were the Redskins at $384.12. The Patriots aren't alone in being an expensive buy in Boston as the Red Sox also rank No. 1 in major league baseball, while the Bruins and Celtics are also in the higher bracket among hockey and basketball teams. It just costs a lot to to watch a sporting event in Boston.

Didn't get a chance to extend my sympathies to the Coleman family. Former Red Sox broadcaster Ken Coleman passed away last week. I spent many years traveling with Ken on the Red Sox beat and he was not only a legendary broadcaster, but a great person.

Celebrity restaurant review

Dom DiMaggio, Red Sox great: Dom splits his time between Florida and Massachusetts, but he does enjoy the Oceanic in New Bedford. "Service, atmosphere, good food and a fair price. You can't beat that," said Dom. DiMaggio, who says he wishes Red Sox fans would not give up on beating the Yankees for the divisional title, enjoys the roast duck on the bone. "I don't like it sliced. It has to be on the bone," insists Dom, who occasionally heads down to Pawtucket for dinner with PawSox owner Ben Mondor at McCoy Stadium. DiMaggio's other favorite spot is the Mattapoisett Inn in Mattapoisett, owned and operated by his good friend, Mark Goddu and his wife.   Continued...