Strap in kids, it's the Winter edition of the Top 10. These are the things that were rattling around in the mind of Justin McIsaac this week....

10. MERRIMACK VALLEY IS UNBEATEN, I REPEAT, UNBEATEN

The #10 ranked team preseason in D2 has stormed out of the gates and has a 6-0 record in what one may have been tempted to call “The Kearsarge Invitational Division”. The Pride have spread it around too, with just two players averaging in double digits (Ryan Defina and Kyle Dube). A real test awaits tomorrow when MV takes on… you guessed it… Kearsarge, who should have their regular lineup back in action.

9. BORTLES AND CANS, JUST CLAP YOUR HANDS

Blake Freakin’ Bortles now has as many playoff wins as Tony Romo. Think about that! Congrats to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who spent the entire week talking about the Patriots, or their contracts, or retiring, or literally anything but facing a team that had whacked them 30-9 in the regular season.
 

Listen, I don’t think the Jags can beat the Pats on Sunday, but I also don’t think it’ll be the cakewalk you might expect with Bortles on the other sideline. That D is legit, and they can run, and you need that in the playoffs. But don’t worry, by Sunday, Belichick will have the Pats thinking Bortles is Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly all wrapped into one.

8. CODY MORISETTE TOOK OVER

Good ballgame Friday on NHSportspage, with unbeatens Exeter and Londonderry locking horns. Londonderry has been the surprise of D1, and Exeter the favorite, but the Lancers showed they were legit in defeat, giving the preseason #1 all they could handle and then some.

An early 4th quarter outburst from Fighting McIsaac and Words With Friends expert Cody Morisette was the difference, giving the Blue Hawks enough breathing room to hang on and get the W. Don’t sleep on Nate Stanton’s team though.

7. HE’S BACK! HE’S BACK! BAH GAWD PETE TARRIER IS BACK!

Master of the “We Undefeated” dance, savant of the names of all NH gyms and fields, Halloween costume maestro, Pete Tarrier will return behind the NHSportspage cameras this week! Anyone at NHsportspage will tell you, we do a lot of games, and we’d do even more if things like “Full time jobs” and “Families” and distractions like that didn’t get in the way. It’ll be good to see Pete back in action.

6. I THINK I JINXED THE SPAULDING GIRLS

They were 2-1 when I bragged about them a few weeks ago, and now after a heartbreaking loss to Keene they are 2-5. This is all my fault. WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS, LADIES! Overcome the McIsaac Jinx, and let’s roll.

5. SOMERSWORTH IS NOT MESSING AROUND

7-0 including a signature win at Berlin for Bryton Early and company has the Hilltoppers flying high. They made a surprise visit to the Final 4 last year, and gave Kearsarge a damn good game too. This year Rob Fauci’s team has higher expectations, and at the moment they are living up to them.

They’ve got a couple of tough games coming up (including at the ’86 Celtics, I mean Gilford), but everyone is looking at the 2/2 rematch vs Berlin, this time in Somersworth as a Can’t Miss game.

4. MEMORIAL AND BEDFORD ARE LOOKING ACROSS THE ROOM AT EACH OTHER IN D1 GIRLS PLAY

They don’t meet until February, but the Crusaders and Bulldogs are both off to unbeaten starts (Although I may have jinxed the Red Raiders, Coach Cotreau appearing on a podcast with Jen Chick-Ruth and I seems to have helped out). Memorial has a tough one with Winnacunnet this week, and the Mother of All Trap Games when they visit Spaulding right before heading to Bedford on 2/9, but that’s a game that won’t be one to miss.

3. KEITH BROWN IS KILLING IT AT ENDICOTT

Thus continuing the tradition of NH players slaying records for the Gulls. First it was Kamahl Walker, and now Keith. Brown had 53 vs Roger Williams last week, breaking the single game scoring record (which was held by, that’s right Kamahl Walker). If you want to see KB and the Gulls in action, (Griffin Curtis and Rob O’Brien and Brendan Johnson are on the team as well), they’re playing at UNE in Biddeford Maine this coming Saturday, it might be worth the trip.

2. THE FINAL 4 QB’S ARE BRADY AND…. WAIT WHAT?!

Bortles. Keenum. Foles. That’s not exactly a murderers row, but it’s a team game, kids. Fun fact about the NFC Championship, Keenum and Foles were both coached in the last few years by Jeff Fisher. And their numbers? 7 and 9. Sometimes the universe smiles on you…

1. NOT TO GET ALL PSA, BUT DON’T SMOKE

As some of you know, my mother, Melissa O’Hara, passed away last week. She was just 59, and had battled COPD and Emphysema for many years. Emphysema is not pretty, and it’s not a quick or easy way to go out. So at the risk of sounding like your dad here, do yourself and your loved ones a favor and don’t ever pick that crap up.

Also, thanks to everyone who reached out and said something nice, the NH Sports community is awesome.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: The Verizon commercial with the logo under a sheet is stupid, PS Vue is awesome, Colebrook at Farmington Friday might be the furthest regular season travel this year, That Minnesota - Saints ending was insane

Justin McIsaac is the Founder of MOSN: The McIsaac On Sports Network. He's the radio color commentator for UNH Football. He also does pxp for St Anselm's, UNE, Harvard, and anyone else that will cut him a check. Follow him on twitter: @Justin_McIsaac