Author Archives: Darshan Shaastri

About Darshan Shaastri

I'm currently a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying business. I'm a diehard Patriots and Spurs fan, and I can make an argument for any view, stance, and position. I'm a stats junkie when it comes to sports, and I could go on for hours and hours talking about my teams.

From google image search for 'Brock Holt'

The Best Ways to Find a Date That Likes Your Sports Team

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You’re looking for a date but you have a problem. You keep running into Yankees fans that have transplanted themselves up to the north. How are you supposed to find a date that likes the same teams as you? It’s not as hard as you think as long as you are willing to do more than ask random ladies out. Use these methods to find dates that have the best features of them all: a love for the top four sports teams.

Use an Online Dating Website

The first method that you can use to find a date that likes the same teams as you is to utilize an online dating site. That might seem a little far out there, but when you consider that you can search a large swath of area using specific criteria, it makes sense. You could find someone in your local area that wants dates and is wearing a Red Sox hat in their profile picture. You might even meet someone from New Jersey dating online that still has a deep love for the Pats or Bruins. The world of possibilities when it comes to online dating is really profound.

Check Out Local Games

Another great method that you can use to find a date that loves the same sports teams as you is by going out to local games. People from all over the city come to the sports complexes to hang out, have a good time, and meet new people. You can find groups of single people that go to the game and are willing to chat with a friendly fan like you. Sure, you might have to trade numbers over the roar of the crowd, but the fact is that it’s definitely worth a shot.

Go to Sports Bars

Going to sports bars is a great way for you to meet a match that loves your sports teams. There are several reasons why this is the case. For starters, you can become a regular there, make friends, and ask around and see who is single and looking. You can also set up a reputation for yourself as being a friendly sports lover who isn’t afraid to buy the right woman a drink, and watch as new numbers fill up your phone. You just have to make sure you aren’t spending every single night there; just head out for good sports matches.

Head to the Forums

The final way that you can find dates that have the same interests in sports teams as you is to head out to the forums online. While some people are naysaying the ability to get a date from online forums, the fact is that you can steer the conversation any way that you wish online. It’s the same as any public setting except that you aren’t meeting someone face to face. Lay down some love for your sports teams, chat with people, see if any of them are single women. It’s not that difficult to do, and you will have a great story to tell your friends and family if it all works out. Picking safe and busy forums is definitely the most important aspect of this plan, though.

All in all, there are a lot of different ways that you can find singles near you for amazing dates that happen to like the same sports teams as you. Whether you are asking around at local forums for interesting people or spending time on an online dating website, the fact is that you can find the person that is right for you. Take some time to implement these strategies and you’ll be dating the right ladies in no time.

The Career of Julian Edelman

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Edelman’s Origin

What I really want to do in this article is to take a look at Julian Edelman’s Hall of Fame (HOF) chances. But in order to do so, it’s important to start at the beginning. As many know, Edelman actually started out as a Quarterback. To start his college career, he attended the College of San Mateo, where he threw for 14 touchdowns and rushed for 17 more, a school record. The next step in his journey was Kent State.

Edelman started out his career as a quarterback at San Mateo and Kent State
Edelman Playing Quarterback at Kent State

Starting each of his three years, Edelman threw for a total of 30 touchdowns, but 31 interceptions. Despite his poor passing performance, his running stood out. He rushed for a total of 22 touchdowns at Kent State, 13 of which came in his final season. When it came to the NFL Draft, Edelman was drafted 232nd by the New England Patriots.

From Edelman to Minitron

As we all know, Edelman turned into a Wide Receiver/Punt Returner once he was drafted. While he made a name for himself returning punts and kicks for big gains here and there, Edelman wasn’t really a known receiver for his first four seasons. He put together a total of 714 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first four seasons. Then Wes Welker left, and everything changed. In Edelman’s fifth season, he put together a phenomenal 1056 yards and 6 touchdowns, totaling more than his previous four years combined. That postseason, Edelman put up an 84 yard game and an 89 yard game.

It was this season that Edelman earned a new nickname from Tom Brady: Minitron.

Canton, Ohio

It would take far too long to dissect every one of Edelman’s seasons in detail – he’s been that great and important. But when you look at what he’s done, especially in the postseason, you can’t help but be in awe. Sure, he’s had the GOAT passing to him for basically his entire career, but that doesn’t take away from what he’s done. Edelman ranks 2nd in both postseason receptions and yards only behind the great Jerry Rice. He also is known to be one of the most clutch receivers, if not players, in the history of the sport, and he has a Super Bowl MVP on top of it all! So is it far-fetched and crazy to say he should be in Canton, Ohio? My answer to that question, is no.

Should Edelman make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Pro Football Hall of Fame – Canton, Ohio

I strongly believe that when Edelman’s career is over, he should become a Hall of Famer eventually. The postseason stats are there. The rings are there. The Super Bowl MVP is there. And most importantly, the trajectory is there. The way Edelman is used and his work ethic have me believing that he can play two more years at this same level. With Brady all but confirming that he’ll play until he’s 45 years old, I see no reason why Edelman can’t strengthen his career enough to one day land in Canton.

Patriots x Eagles

A Super Bowl XXXIX Rematch

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February 6th, 2005: The Patriots and Eagles face off in Super Bowl XXXIX. Brady already has two rings on his resume while Donovan McNabb is trying to get Philadelphia their first Super Bowl win.

Super Bowl 39 Result

Patriots vs Eagles Super Bowl XXXIX

Both teams hold each other scoreless for the first quarter, and the game remains tied at 14 apiece after three quarters. The Patriots race out of the gates in the fourth, scoring 10 unanswered points. McNabb cuts the deficit to three points, and almost leads a comeback drive with a few minutes remaining. However, the Patriots ultimately stand strong and win the game 24-21 to hand Tom Brady his third ring. So why is this important?

History Repeats Itself

The Patriots won SB XXXVI, didn’t get to SB XXXVII, then won SB XXXVIII prior to the 2004-05 season. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s happening all over again. The Patriots won SB XLIX, didn’t get to SB 50, then won SB LI, and all things are leading to the Patriots returning to the biggest game in all of sports.

The last three times the Patriots lost the season opener (’01, ’03, ’14), they went on to win the Super Bowl, and right now they look like the best team in the AFC. Now, let’s look at the other side of history. The Philadelphia Eagles have raced off to an 8-1 start. The last time they have flown out of the gates to such a start, they went to Super Bowl XXXIX.  History tells everyone that the Patriots and Eagles are going to have a Super Bowl rematch.

Superstition or Fact?

This is more than simple superstition when you look at this season closely. Both the Patriots and Eagles are clearly the best team in their respective conferences. The Eagles have no serious threats in their path to a Super Bowl appearance. Brees is a hall of famer, but his team isn’t as complete as Philadelphia. As for the Panthers, everyone knows how a Panthers-Eagles NFC championship game would end. Cam wouldn’t risk his body to dive for a fumble, and he’d pout after the game. Without Rodgers, the NFC is the Eagles’ to lose. As for the Patriots, they have to be the favorites in any game as long as Twelve is their quarterback, and their defense seems to be coming together just in time. The Steelers constitute a big threat, but they are reminiscent of the Houston Rockets. They can explode offensively at any time, but if they don’t, it’s not hard to beat them.

NFL Awards Race

Finally, Brady and Wentz so far look like the front runners for league MVP.  Roght now, but it appears that Wentz will win the award. In this century, the MVP has often gotten to the Super Bowl, but has ultimately come short every single time. Carson Wentz, you can have the regular season MVP. Tom Brady will take the Super Bowl MVP and underscore his position as the GOAT.

 

Patriots life

How the Patriots Look After Week Three

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We’ve learned a great deal about this Patriots team from week three where they matched up against a potential playoff team with one of the best defenses in the league. This team is starting to come together, but beneath the surface lies holes in several areas of the Patriots offensive line and defense. The good news? Tom Brady still has the reins to this team.

TB12

Let’s start with Twelve. Tom Brady continues his MVP run at age 40. Yes, it’s only been three weeks, but is it ever too early when we’re talking about Brady? He continued to make history this past Sunday. Earlier this season, he became the all-time leader for most games with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game. This Sunday? He set the record for most games with FOUR touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game, now with 22 such games. He seems to be getting better and better as he ages, rather than declining. Checking out this beautiful pass, 40-year-old Brady puts the ball in the only spot where the WR can catch it.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/912002903665123328

To top it all off, he currently leads all quarterbacks in: total yards, yards per game, touchdowns, touchdown to interception ratio, and 40+ yard completions. The last one is the craziest to me. A 40-year-old QB leading the league in 40+ yard completions? This is unheard of. And he leads the league in all these stats despite a 267 yard, 0 touchdown week one performance. Not to mention Brady recording his 50th career fourth quarter/OT comeback.

The Archer

Speaking of comebacks, Brandin Cooks had himself a feast.  Cooks showed why he could be the biggest off-season move in the entire league. Brady and Cooks are still developing chemistry. Despite that fact, he recorded a game with 131 yards, 26.2 yards per catch, two touchdowns (one of which was the game winner), and a two-point conversion. Cooks looked unstoppable, and he was at exactly the right places at exactly the right time.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/912050350932103168

Gronk Spike

Gronk is Gronk. He played even better than his solid numbers show. Making crucial conversions, pushing through multiple tackles in the game-winning drive, becoming the fastest TE (and third fastest player only behind Jerry Rice and Randy Moss) to get 70 career touchdowns, and his solid performance from week two proves that Gronk is back to his solid self.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/912003339738419200

Gronk spikes are not a welcoming sight for the rest of the league, and it seems as though Gronk will be spiking all over teams on a weekly basis, once again.

The Bad News

However with all the great things that are happening for this Patriots team, there are some serious hiccups that will hopefully be addressed by players returning from injury. First of all, the offensive line needs some serious improvements. Brady needs to be protected, and this O-Line can’t do a great job vs serious teams. Houston’s Watt-Clowney-Mercilus combination is extremely deadly. The Patriots simply could not run the ball, Brady got hit far too many times, and they gave up a strip-sack for a touchdown. The Chiefs with Justin Houston and Chris Jones both in the top six in sacks, and the Raiders with Khalil Mack could pose serious threats as well.

The defense is also in dire need of improvement. Butler played every snap vs Houston and had a decent day, so he could be improving. That would provide some serious, necessary help in the Patriots secondary. Also, the return of both Hightower and McClellin is crucial. With their return and Butler’s improvement, this Patriots defense could pose a serious threat. Until then, Brady will just have to work his magic.

The New England Patriots Dynasty

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After completing the “Drive for Five”, the Patriots have moved on to the “Blitz for Six” as if nothing ever happened last season. As if the Patriots didn’t appear in their record breaking 9th Super Bowl. As if they didn’t orchestrate the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history by coming back from a 28-3 deficit. Why? Because they reset every single season. Win or lose, they refuse to dwell on the past but rather choose to focus on the present and the future. It is this very simple aspect of their organization that has made them one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, dynasties in NFL history. Their favorite ring is indeed the next one. This mindset starts at the very top of the organization with the Krafts, and it trickles down to Belichick, then Brady and the rest of the team.

Owner Robert Kraft, President Jonathan Kraft, Coach Bill Belichick, and QB Tom Brady

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: From left, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, New England Patriots President Jonathan Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick, and quarterback Tom Brady hold Vince Lombardi trophies on the pitchers’ mound at Fenway Park on April 13, 2015, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

THE KRAFTY BUSINESSMAN

Let’s start with Kraft. Unlike some owners, looking at you Jerry Jones, Kraft knows to stick out of the matters at the team level. Little things like who should start at a specific position or who the Patriots should pick up in free agency. Kraft knows to stick out of this. Kraft instead focuses on the business side of the Patriots and excels at his job. For example, by the start of Kraft’s first season, every single game was sold out. To put this in perspective, this had never happened in any of the prior 34 Patriot seasons. Also, what does Kraft say almost every time they win? “This is unequivocally the sweetest one.” His favorite one changes every time they win.

Patriots head coach - Bill Belichick

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on from the sideline during the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

THE BRAINS BEHIND THE ORGANIZATION

What is arguably Kraft’s greatest move? Hiring Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick has done something the mere mortal coaches could only dream of doing. Not only coaching a record breaking 7 Super Bowls but winning 5 of them. As GM and Coach, Belichick knows exactly who and what he’s dealing with each and every season. He resets his focus every season, builds an offense around his super-mega-uber-star QB, and builds tough defenses out of mainly non-star players. What was that chant Belichick led in the 5th Patriots parade? “No days off.” He’s focused on the next ring.

Patriots 2016-17 QBs: Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett

Jacoby Brissett, Tom Brady, and Jimmy Garoppolo (left to right) at the Patriots 2017 ring ceremony

 

THE GOAT

This finally leads us to Thomas Brady Jr. The comeback kid. Tommy terrific. THE GOAT. I firmly believe that Tom Brady is the greatest thing to ever happen to the Patriots organization. What was it that rookie-Brady told Kraft? “I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.” And he was right. If I had to count all the records Brady’s demolished, we’d be here all day, but let’s just say he’s broken almost every significant NFL record. He has the insane stats, and he’s got the rings. And the cherry on top is deep humility and his insane drive to win every single game.

Tom Brady celebrating his 5th ring and 4th Super Bowl MVP after winning Super Bowl 51

HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates after the Patriots defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

 

THE THREE KINGS

It’s these three focal points – Kraft, Belichick and Brady – and the fact that they all have the same vision that has made the Patriots the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Each the best at their respective roles, they do what’s best for the team and the organization. The Patriots are now on the Blitz for Six to cement their legacy as the greatest team ever, and we are all lucky enough to be able to witness it.