GRONK: I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed

Oh Robbie. Robbie, Robbie, Robbie.

Why? Why wreck a perfectly crappy early Spring Sunday with this announcement? Why?

Let me start with two sentiments. Thank you and Good Luck.

You have been a mainstay in this dynasty for a decade-ish and the Patriots (and the NFL) have been better with you in their lives. You are a stud. You are a freak of nature. You (gulp) “were” the man. Except for Tom ‘Effin’ Brady, you have been the best thing this franchise has seen since Stanley the Steamer or Hog Hannah. We will miss you. You are beloved. You are part of this history…and always will be.

I could delve into some of your career highlights. Why bother? The nerds at the Globe and Herald are already deep in to film and past articles that we will all enjoy in the coming days. They got this. Rather, I want to reminisce about the insane physical specimen from a Buffalo, NY family that was clearly created in some muscle-bound laboratory of Polish insanity that produced more pro athletes than well….other Buffalo families? Sorry, I am a little verklempt right now just an hour from reading this news. I could carry on. I could opine about the affinity Patriots Nation had for your sophomoric approach to football and life. I could wax poetic about the the childish spirit you played every down. I could say a lot. But, lets just leave it with this; thank you, sir.

You were a always beacon of light for Patriots fans.

You were always fun to watch each and every Sunday.

You left football a better place than where it was when you found it.

Onward and upward my man. Thank you.

P.S. Already bought ticket to Wrestlemania 2020….predicting you may be there.

Patriots draft 2019. mock draft

McAuliffe 1.0: 7 Round Patriots Mock Draft

Scroll through to view all the potential picks in this latest Patriots mock.

Round 1

TJ Hockenson football team picture. 32nd in mock.

32nd overall- T.J Hockenson, TE (Iowa)

Round 2

Deebo Samuel class picture. 56th in mock.

56th overall- Deebo Samuel, WR (South Carolina)

Andy Isabella class picture. 64th in mock.

64th overall- Andy Isabella, WR (Massachusetts)

Round 3

Dre'Mont Jones football team picture. 73rd in mock.

73rd overall- Dre’Mont Jones, DT (Ohio State)

Tytus Howard at NFL Combine. 97th in mock.

97th overall- Tytus Howard, OT (Alabama State)

Will Grier football team picture. 101st in mock.

101st overall- Will Grier, QB (West Virginia)

Round 4

Sutton Smith football team picture. 134th in mock.

134th overall- Sutton Smith, DE (Northern Illinois)

Round 6

Lukas Denis class picture. 205th in mock.

205th overall- Lukas Denis, S (Boston College)

Round 7

Tre Lamar class picture. 239th in mock.

239th overall- Tre Lamar, LB (Clemson)

Khalil Hodge football team picture. 243rd in mock.

243rd overall- Khalil Hodge, LB (Buffalo)

Penny Hart class picture. 246th in mock.

246th overall- Penny Hart, WR (Georgia State)

Alex Barnes class picture. 252nd in mock.

252nd overall- Alex Barnes, RB (Kansas State)

To see the full mock click here. The computer made the picks for the other teams, I only picked for the Patriots. I do not agree with some of the picks the computer made and will be releasing my own full mock soon.

The likelihood that all these players fall into the Patriots hands are somewhat slim but not unrealistic.

Many might point to T.J Hockenson and say he will be long gone before the 32nd pick. Actually, Hockenson by no fault of his own, might slide down draft boards just due to free agent signings and teams having bigger needs than tight end. Despite Hockenson’s unreal potential, teams will not so much pass him up but will more pass up the tight end position all together.

That being said, if Hockenson is gone before the 32nd pick, the Patriots will most likely have a choice between Noah Fanta and Irv Smith. Both tight ends are also tremendous, however, Hockenson remains my favorite tight end prospect in a long time.

Please click on Dre’Mont Jones and TJ Hockenson’s names to see the already written scouting reports on them.

Analysis for the other draft picks are on the way and will be coming soon as the draft is roughly a month away.

Will Grier, WVU quarterback with Gilette Stadium in the background.

Patriots Latest Moves and Rumors 3/23

Let’s take a look at the latest some Patriots moves and rumors that were surfacing this week. Belichick and the Patriots have been pretty quiet this offseason. However, a few stories this week could help shape this team for next year and years beyond.

Move: The Stephon Gilmore Contract 

Stephon Gilmore and Tom Brady on the field after the 2018 AFC Championship game.

Thursday, the Patriots reworked Stephon Gilmore’s contract for 2019. 

Gilmore, who was originally scheduled to have a cap hit of $14,837,500, saw $8.5 million dollars worth of his contract get converted into a signing bonus. 

Doing this frees up $5.67 million dollars for the Patriots in cap space. The current cap for the Pats is now $8,332,763

This move should not be the only one for the Patriots as more money will need to come their way. The Patriots still have key free agents like Stephen Gostkowski and Chris Hogan, who remain unsigned. 

The Patriots also must compensate for the projected $8,970,997 dollars it will take to sign all their draft picks. 

With their cap as it is, expect the Patriots to move some money around with players like Devin McCourty, Tom Brady, and maybe even Rob Gronkowski, D’onta Hightower, and Lawerence Guy. 

Many expect Gostkowski to be back and Hogan looks more likely to return by the day. The Patriots will need at least 6 million in cap for those two signings alone. 

Expect them to restructure some contracts, resign some players, and trade a couple of draft picks. 

Rumor: Patriots Schedule Meeting With WVU Quarterback Will Grier 

Will Grier playing Texas Tech during his time at West Virginia.

The Patriots lack of attention to the quarterback position in this year’s draft might hint what they have planned for next year’s.

Although, one quarterback prospect who they have scheduled a meeting with is former West Virginia quarterback Will Grier. 

Grier, who was in the Heisman conversation for a brief time last year, seems to be moving up draft boards each day. 

After his very impressive pro day, several teams have called to meet with him. 

In fact his pro day was so impressive that he has potentially moved up into late first-round consideration. 

Grier makes sense as a potential fit in the Patriots system. In addition, some other quarterbacks that scouts think could come to New England are Daniel Jones of Duke, Brett Rypien of Boise State, and Ryan Finley of North Carolina State. 

Rumor: Stephen Gostkowski Resigning Reports

Stephen Gostkowski waiting on bench with the Patriots.

It seems inevitable that the Patriots and veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowski will reach an agreement to reunite. 

Now it appears that after the readjustment of Stephon Gilmore’s contract that the Patriots now have the money to resign their long-tenured kicker. 

Tom Curran reported on Thursday that the Patriots and Gostkowski are making progress and are actively talking about a return. 

Curran also reported that other teams are interested in Gostkowski. Almost any team would kill for a kicker like Stephen. Although, Gostkowksi’s interest in other teams seem very small and he obviously holds the Patriots as his top destination. 

Gostkowski will be entering his fourteenth year in the NFL and will not consider retirement at this time. 

Most expect Gostkowski’s contract number to be in the $3mil to $4mil range. 

Losing a kicker like Gostkowski would obviously be bad news for New England. Replacing his production would certainly not be an easy task.

Sean Kuraly

Boston Bruins Sean Kuraly Out

The Boston Bruins announced an update this morning on center Sean Kuraly. This past Thursday, March 21st, Kuraly sustained a fracture to his right hand after blocking a slap shot from New Jersey’s Steven Santini during the third period. Dr Matt Leibman performed the surgery and recovery time is expected to be four weeks.

ANOTHER MAN DOWN

With the many injuries that have plagued this Bruins roster, Kuraly has displayed hustle, while developing chemistry on his line, especially with Chris Wagner.

sean kuraly
(Photo Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)

“They’ve been a good pair, whether they’ve been wings with Noel or whoever gets thrown in there. Or if Sean goes to center. I think they both play the same way…Hard to play against, because of their ability to possess the puck, but also to get it behind you and make you earn your way back up the ice.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy

He came up big during the 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders this past Tuesday, netting two goals in that game. The 6-foot-2-inch center has become an important part of the Bruins shut-down line. With Kuraly out, the Bruins have recalled Providence’s Karson Kuhlman on an emergency basis.

Kuhlman made his NHL debut back on February 16th in a game against the Los Angeles Kings, and scored his first NHL goal in a game against San Jose Sharks.

OTHER BRUINS NEWS

The Boston Bruins have also announced that they signed veteran and Captain Zdeno Chara to a one-year extension through the 2019-2020 season worth $2 million, plus an additional $1.75 million in performance-based incentives.

The team is currently down in Florida where they enjoyed a day off a the Jacobs Manor. The Bruins will be facing the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center tonight, with puck drop at 7:00pm. If victorious over the Panthers, Boston will punch their way into the Playoffs.

BREAKING: Chris Sale is staying with the Boston Red Sox

One of the Red Sox stars who was facing free agency has now re-upped with the club. Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Rick Porcello are still yet to commit their futures to the team, but for now, Chris Sale is staying with Boston. All offseason the discussion has been central to Mookie Betts and his extension. But when Chris Sale said “My phone is on”, in reference to extension talks, Dombrowski knew what he needed to get done.

In the couple months since Sale’s comments, the two sides were working hard on a new contract. Dombrowski gave up a lot to bring Chris Sale to Boston, and wasn’t going to let him just walk away. He was facing free agency at the end of this season, a luxury Sale has never experienced.

Entering 2013, Sale agreed to a deal to buy out his remaining arbitration years. He signed an incredibly team friendly deal of 5 years and 32 million in total. In three seasons with the Red Sox, he’ll have made roughly just 30 million with incentives. This is absolutely nothing relative to how good he’s been since he’s got here, and all the leadership he’s provided (especially in a certain World Series comeback).

Sale Gets Breaded Up:

Which brings us to his new deal, finally paying Chris Sale what he deserves. The deal was agreed upon between the two sides Friday afternoon. It’s a five year deal stretching from 2020, through 2024, with a value around 150 million total. This would make the average annual value about 30 million. Certainly not a bargain, but for one of the top 5 or 10 pitchers in the league, it’s a reasonable price tag.

Questions will be asked about the durability of Sale. Or if the fatigue he’s experienced in cohesion with arm issues will subdue. The hope for the Red Sox is that it does. The hope is that he can put these issues behind him. Also the hope is for him to use his off-speed pitches to help himself become more of a finesse pitcher. With a guy who has faced issues with falling off later in the season, this much money is slightly concerning.

He absolutely has earned every penny of it, and more. But for the Red Sox, this deal is certainly a risk. They now have close to 100 million tied up in four starting pitchers (Sale, Porcello, David Price and Nathan Eovaldi).

What this Means for Boston’s future

The hope is Sale keeping his form and maintaining consistent seasons with an ERA around 3. If this happens for the next few years, this contract will be completely justifiable. Could Sale have tested the open market and/or pushed for a contract with 35+ million a year? Sure he could’ve. He decided to stay faithful to the team that had faith in him, and I think he’s going to reward this team for locking him up. The deal allows the team to still be flexible enough to sign Mookie, and hopefully Xander, while still keeping a huge piece in Sale around.

Does he possibly have a Cy Young in his future? Find out!

Good move Dombrowski, now make Mookie next.

Kyrie Irving Will Never Be The Leader Tom Brady Is

Tom Brady will always be an example of a real leader

When Tom Brady was drafted he always wanted to be a leader. He wanted to help the Patriots be a great team for many years and play at a high level. Since 2001 he’s had the most success than any football player in history. The Super Bowl appearances and championships are insane and that’s because Brady always does what’s best for the team and never takes games off.

Kyrie Irving isn’t an example of a leader

Now the opposite of a leader is Kyrie Irving. I’m talking about two different sports, but they both need leaders on the team. Kyrie has done nothing but complain and trash his teammates, but he’s supposed to be a leader? What kind of leader would say he’s taking games off in the regular season to get ready for the playoffs? A leader wants to play well in the regular season and the playoffs. Kyrie saying that he’s taking games off to rest is pretty much what his teammates will be doing since he’s the leader. Imagine Tom Brady saying that hes taking games off in the regular season to get ready for the playoffs. Monkeys would fly before that happens.

Kyrie isn’t a leader, he’s just like LeBron James, all about himself and thinking he deserves a championship. His work ethic is all about having superstars around him, not working with teammates who made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Brady loves the game and doesn’t need superstars to win championships. He creates superstars from average talent on offense. He just won a Super Bowl without Josh Gordon. Whereas Kyrie, all he cares about is himself playing with other superstar talent and an easy way to win a championship. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Celtics get bounced in the first round after Kyrie’s recent comments about the regular season.

Uprising Stage 1 Playoff Preview

New to Overwatch? Get caught up on everything Overwatch League by reading our introduction.

Thursday, March 21th @ 11 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Vancouver Titans

After an epic reverse sweep against the Dallas Fuel last Thursday and getting some help from other teams around the league, Boston has secured the 8th seed. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, they have to play the undefeated and top seeded Vancouver Titans. You’ll be hard pressed to find any pundit giving the Uprising a prayer. If you’re drinking the Kool-Aid on Boston, how do you chart a path to victory? Let’s take a look.

It’s High Noon

It may be Vancouver’s first season in the league, but you wouldn’t know it by the way they’ve performed. The former Contenders Korea Champions have run roughshod over the rest of the league. For example, they’ve already gotten three 4-0 sweeps, more than any other team in the league. Records don’t tell the whole story, as the Titans reign supreme statistically, too. Jjanu and SeoMinSoo are the top two players in eliminations per 10 minutes across the league of players with at least 5 hours of playtime, while Jjanu is also second in lowest number of deaths. Obviously, Jjanu is a force to be reckoned with, and someone the Uprising need to prepare for if they want to win. As an off-tank, Jjanu has been knowing for his aggressive pokes and timely self-destructs. How can Boston counter that?

Any path to victory against Vancouver will come through team compositions. Guangzhou and Chengdu each took the Titans to a 5th game. How did they do it?

Stats courtesy of Winston Labs
Stats courtesy of Winston Labs

Both teams were willing to go against the 3-3 meta. That first pic is from Vancouver’s match against Guangzhou, and shows the Charge’s hero usage during the matchup. Here we saw some of the most prominent use of Ana across Stage 1. Those Nanoboosts and Biotic Grenades were devastating to the Titans, and showed they were caught off guard. Next, we see the hero lineup for the Chengdu Hunters. Known for their off-meta play, Chengdu employed some of the highest usage of Hammond and Mercy we’ve seen this season. Though both teams relied on the 3-3 across their matches against Vancouver, it is clear that their boldness in team composition factored into their success.

What does this mean for Boston? Last week against Dallas we saw a flash of brilliance in off-meta play. For example, Note’s brief time on Tracer and Colourhex’s head turning switch to Widow suggest this team can play DPS. Will the Uprising’s coaches go wild? Will Blasé be stuck on Birgitte the whole match, or could he and Colourhex be put on a DPS? Well, it seems to me if Boston wants to win they have to do something crazy. Fortune favors the bold.

Justice Rains From Above

In contrast to team composition, the maps don’t portend as much potential for the Uprising. As the specific map sequence hasn’t been revealed, we can only look at game type. Unfortunately, Vancouver’s dominance and the small sample size of Stage 1 doesn’t indicate any advantage for Boston. Sure, there’s a bit of a statistical edge on escort mode – but don’t hang your hat on that.

Boston UprisingVancouver Titans
Control42%
3 – 0 – 4
88%
7 – 0 – 1
Hybrid67%
4 – 0 – 2
83%
5 – 0 – 1
Assault
60%
3 – 1 – 2
100%
5 – 1 – 0
Escort60%
3 – 1 – 2
50%
3 – 0 – 3

Besides maps and team composition, let’s look at play style. Vancouver’s star tank player, Bumper, is known as one of the most aggressive tanks in the league. How will Boston’s own aggro Rein, Fusions, play? Fusions could scream himself to death shot calling, but it will be for naught if he doesn’t have support. Boston has looked weak when Fusions gets picked first, and needs to make sure he gets the Zarya bubbles and Orbs of Harmony to sustain him. We may find out what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object in Bumper and Fusions. Someone will flinch. And the whole match may rest on it.

Prediction

Given the team’s preseason power rankings, trades, contract signings, and player suspensions, it’s nothing short of a miracle that Boston made the playoffs. From pushing the NYXL to the brink in opening night, to giving Shanghai their first win, the Uprising’s season has been an emotional roller coaster. Is it fair to expect them to take out the seemingly dominant Vancouver? Nope. Not at all. As a result, what can we reasonably hope to see? Ideally, I want to see some flexibility. If Boston runs GOATS and it isn’t working, will they have make adjustments on the fly? Can they run some DPS in the mix, put in an off-support or off-tank hero? Or is the team stuck behind a rigid structure of preset plays and prepared strats? To me this is one of the fundamental questions Boston has yet to answer all season.

That said I think we shouldn’t go in expecting the worse. Even in a GOATS v. GOATS matchup, Boston has plenty to feel good about. Note has quietly become a support assassin. Problem is he always pops off in the midst of the fight, which makes it hard to see on the broadcast. But he’s been on top of his game. Additionally, Aimgod has also flown under the radar as a star Zenyatta main this stage. Can he hope to keep it up and make a name on the biggest stage of the year? That’s what I’ll be looking for. We know this team is resilient (see Fuel, Dallas) so don’t count them out until the end. This team has always been full of surprises.

For more weekly columns and gameday banter, follow Loadscr33n on Twitter #BostonUp

From google image search for 'Brock Holt'

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

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.

She Likes Other Sports Teams; Will the Relationship Last?

We’ve all been there. You are a four for four with all of the Boston sports teams and the perfect woman comes into your life and she is not into them at all. However, you have to consider whether or not that spells doom for the relationship before making it a non-starter or calling it quits. Here’s what you need to consider if you find out that your girlfriend likes sports teams outside of Boston.

Define “The Problem”

The first thing that you have to do is consider the problem. What is the depth of her sports devotion to the other team, and what are the other teams that she likes? Specifically, does it conflict with your love of the Boston teams? It might not be a big deal if she prefers San Jose in the NHL compared with if she likes the Yankees for baseball. If it’s something that could cause conflict, you might have to rethink the relationship.

Does it Really Affect You?

The next thing you have to consider about whether the relationship will last is if her love of other teams will actually affect the way you think about her. Some people like different kinds of music, a common feature of relationships that is correlated with people liking each other more than sports or books. There is no psychological studies that show that you can’t get along with a woman that likes other teams, and the level that it affects you is largely up to you.

Can Her Company Be Replaced with Avid Fan Friends?

Another way that you have to contextualize the relationship is whether or not her presence at games can be substituted. A lot of people want to have someone in a relationship that is not going to root against their team and be at their side during the games. However, if you have enough die-hard fans to go to games with, then it might not be a big deal at all. You can just tell her you’re heading out for a day with the boys and go enjoy the game without being affected by her love of other teams at all. It’s something that is definitely worth looking into before you throw in the towel on an otherwise good relationship.

Consider What is Unique about This Relationship

The final thing that you have to consider is the overall impact that this woman has in your life. She might be a sports fan for a rival team, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth not taking her out. You might connect on a much deeper level than sports games, and that can completely transform your life. You might even realize that sports are just a way for you to be entertained. Yet, if your love of sports runs deep enough, you might come to grips with the fact that you must have someone that loves the same teams as much as you to be sold on a relationship.

As you can see, there are a lot of factors that go into deciding whether it’s worth calling off the whole relationship over one hiccup, as big as it might seem. It’s up to you to decide the role that sports play in your life.  It might not be a big deal to you other than the uncomfortable games you might have to sit through or it might be a rivalry that you’ll hate. Either way, there are plenty of singles that go to games so if you do break up, it’s time to go out and meet black women, white women, and every other kind of woman as long as she has a Bruins jersey and a Red Sox Hat.

Know the different types of advertising brochures

In advertising, as in institutional communication (and in political and / or religious propaganda), it is common for companies to use advertising leaflets, also called advertising flyers, through which they send commercial messages to consumers. Today they have many choices to buy from as there are various brochure print services available on the Internet.

What is a flyer?

A flyer is one of the types of advertising brochures that we can use in the advertising of our company, business or professional service. Actually a flyer is the A6 format of a brochure, which is equivalent to an eighth leaf. However, today, when asked what a flyer is; it is usual for the answer to be “a brochure” or “an advertising flyer”; since its use is always associated with advertising.

Use of advertising leaflets or advertising flyers

Advertising brochures and mailing brochures are widely used in different advertising applications such as the distribution of mail-type advertising, mailing or sending business correspondence, in the distribution of advertising in hand (which is usually done on the street and also at the door of events, shopping malls and stores) and direct mail actions. By the way, only the advertising brochures of political parties or the church are propaganda leaflets; the rest are advertising ones.

Purpose of advertising brochures

The purpose of advertising brochures or flyers is to inform in an economic way -as the rates and budgets of distribution are much lower than the advertising made in the mass media- and segmented to a group of individuals previously geolocated by area of ​​residence. We can find different “modalities” that correspond to different types of brochures.

Advertising brochures should persuade, facilitate their consultation, include a headline that encourages action and transmits a brand image; so the design of advertising brochures is very important for all purposes. Of course, you can consult with us to create effective publicity brochures that generate a response by definition.

Type of advertising brochure

Diptych: This type has an A4 format (297 x 210 cm) and with a size of 135 gr / m2.

Triptych: This type has the same size as the diptych type even though the pattern is different and produces 3 commented faces.

Flyers: although we have used the word flyer on various occasions in the previous definition, there are people who understand it as a Din A5, half-folio brochure, and they also call it a leaflet. This is what is considered a “normal” brochure; although there may be many judgments about it.

Magazines: it is a booklet from various pages, put together in their media section.

Poming: This type has the shape of a hanger to allow its placement and reminds us. The shape is the same with the”Don’t disturb” hotel brochure.

Catalog: although the catalog is different from brochures because the catalog consists of various pages; in general they both have the same characteristics and goals; so we included it in this article because this is a reference now for the catalog of distribution of print advertisements and online catalogs that are currently widely used. In this case it is important to remember that printed catalogs, traditionally, have different uses than online catalogs because the ways in which people accept them are different. But both have similar energy costs.

You see? There are different types of advertising brochures. They all have the same main purpose; to advertise. But they work on different ways. Choose the one suitable with your needs.