Oh Hud, you finally asked me!

I'm teasing. Glad you wrote. Despite what some of you might think, I actually enjoy talking to you guys.

A couple things top of my head. 1) As someone in that thread pointed out, my role here as both the beat guy and a "columnist" (not a true title, but close I guess) makes it a little tough for me to just spout off every time I have an idea. I do it more for hoops than football in large part because I feel more confident in my opinions on that sport. I know football more than well enough to do my job, but I couldn't coach it. (Not that I'll be coaching D-1 hoops anytime soon, but I feel confident enough to ask the right questions to Coach Dickenman).

That's also why sometimes Hud you think I'm "stealing your stuff." I don't, I just take the questions you guys want asked and ask them, then write about the answers I get. That's why I always say I work for you guys. My job is to find out what you guys want to know to the best of my ability.

To that end, Hud, here's my promise to you: Next week, when I talk to coach Mac, I will ask him about coaching/playcalling. Who, why, when, etc. I can't promise he'll give you good answers or the ones you want, but I will ask the questions. Seriously, write me a list.

My gut is that Mac is more involved than you think, and that (and I could be dead wrong on this, but this is my observation) you have the roles reversed on the coaches' philosophies. There are times when I think, if it were up to Mac, the forward pass would be outlawed.

When I play Madden I play that way, 3 yards a carry, 10-minute drives, but that's the extent of my personal football experience.

Btw, a bit of news for Saturday's preview: I'll have a note that you'll find interesting Hud. I usually promise to hold onto it until the preview (per the team's request, not just because I want you to buy that paper, though it helps), but read it.

The quarterbacks, I can tell you, will be a "game-time decision," on Saturday.

Pedroia is doing just fine at 2nd, and I'm one of the guys who tried to run him out of town last year, so what do I know?

Anyway, glad you guys are using me as a conduit to info, that's the whole point of my work. And always feel free to say hi at games, I'm the guy in the wheelchair.

And Hud, I'm a Pepsi man. Cherry if possible.