Red Sox Break Franchise Record For Wins In A Season

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Move over Tris Speaker and Smokey Joe Wood, there’s a new Sox sheriff in town.

Boston won its 106th game Monday night, defeating the hapless Orioles 6-2 at Fenway Park. With the win, the 2018 Sox have now won more regular season games than any other team in the franchise’s history. That’s a pretty incredible feat, considering the Red Sox have been around for 118 seasons.

As if breaking a century-plus old record wasn’t enough, the Red Sox also clinched the best record in baseball. Home field advantage: actually good.

Mookie Betts: Award Tour

As has been the case for nearly all of 2018, Boston’s victory was spearheaded by the AL MVP favorite. Betts was electrifying once again, going 2-5 with a 2-run homer and a stolen base.

The dinger was an absolute rocket, and capped off a four-run 2nd inning for the Sox. Orioles starter Dylan Bundy hung a 1-0 breaking ball over the dead-center of the plate, and Betts went windshield-hunting on the Mass Pike:

Getting taken deep is nothing new for Bundy; he’s allowed an MLB-worst 39 big flies this season. As for Betts, he’s certifiably on fire again. He has 10 hits in his last 20 ABs, with 3 HR and 8 doubles. He’s also only one steal away from a 30-30 season. Betts has all but locked up the MVP award with an absolutely stellar year. He leads the majors in batting average and bWAR, and has been the most consistently excellent all-around player in baseball. Betts’ 2018 season is also the best individual Red Sox season (per bWAR) since Pedro Martinez in 2000, and best by a position player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. In short, it’s been a historic year, on a historic team.

Eovaldi Makes His Case

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported on Saturday that Nathan Eovaldi had a chance to supplant Eduardo Rodriguez in the playoff rotation. Eovaldi certainly made his case for the 4th spot on Monday night. He allowed only 1 run (while striking out 10 Orioles) over 5 innings of work.

Rodriguez made his first appearance out of the bullpen, as well. He followed up Eovaldi’s start with two shutout innings of his own.

Manager Alex Cora has said who starts Game 4 of the ALDS will be matchup dependent. At this point it makes sense that Eovaldi has closed the gap on Rodriguez. E-Rod has been inconsistent in four starts this month after missing half of July and all of August on the disabled list. He’s posted a 5.79 ERA in his September starts, mixing a pair of solid outings against sub-.500 teams with a pair of poor efforts vs. playoff-bound Houston and New York.

Of course, who is actually slated to start that game could be a moot point. Should the Red Sox sweep (or get swept), or fall into a 2-1 series deficit, we might not see a 4th starter in the ALDS, anyway. Still, it’s a key theme to keep an eye on over the final week of the season.

The Red Sox have made history, and checked all of the boxes that they’ve needed to check this season. They can effectively plan for the postseason, having secured their place at the top of Major League Baseball and as the best regular season Red Sox team in franchise history.

Time will tell whether or not this has any bearing in October, when the records are reset to 0-0 and chaos reigns supreme.

Was Sony Michel overhyped?

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Is Sony Michel a dud?

With the 31st pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Patriots select Sony Michel. So far in the last two games, Michel can’t get in sync with Brady along with the entire offense. Michel was supposed to be this explosive running back and replace Dion Lewis. From the last two games, I would rather have Dion Lewis back. At least he would get a first down on third and one.  Lewis wouldn’t get stopped half the times Michel has in the last two weeks. Maybe it’s a little early to be judging but when Brady is calling Michel out then there’s a problem.

Brady only wants players who can make plays in the game

Last night Brady said he wanted White in the game more.  “Yeah, he had a great catch and had some good runs there at the end. He’s just a great player for us. So, you’re right. He’s gotta be involved. Guys who can make plays are the ones that should be involved. And James is certainly one of them. Guys who can make plays are the ones that should be involved, ” Brady said. In the entire game last night, White had just three touches overall. Meanwhile, overhyped Sony Michel is getting carries left and right throughout the game and getting nowhere, which is leaving Brady frustrated because he can’t get it.

Last night Michel rushed for 50 yards on 14 carries. While James White had that nice touchdown catch from Brady for the only touchdown in the game. Michel had missed a lot in training camp because of a knee injury that kept him out most of the preseason too.  If he’s not fully ready to come back, then he shouldn’t be on the field. It should be the running back who can push the ball up the field and make plays. For Michel, I’m not sure he’s really ready yet, but I could be wrong and he has a great season. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

The Patriots lost to a bad team and there’s no excuse

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The Patriots loss last night was worse than the Jacksonville one

Last night’s game for the Patriots was dreadful as they get. The Patriots didn’t get a first down until almost the end of the first half. It’s like the Patriots aren’t together on offense and defense. The Patriots desperately need Julian Edelman back because after Gronkowski, White, and Brady the rest of that offense is nonexistent. Patterson runs the wrong route which makes Brady throw the ball to nobody which then is an intentional grounding penalty. Dorsett can’t get open or he drops passes. Chris Hogan seems like he’s not even on the field, and Gronkowski is double covered so Brady has nobody to throw to.

What’s going on with the ‘Patriot Way?’

There was no excuse to lose that game to the terrible Lions who hate their new head coach. The New York Jets went into Detroit and destroyed the Lions two weeks ago. The Patriots, on the other hand, couldn’t do the same with the best quarterback in the game. Why? Because the receivers are weak and the running game besides James White is awful too. Sony Michel is a disappointment so far. I know he’s a rookie but things would be different if they had Dion Lewis and Danny Amendola to help the offense. Someone that can catch the ball would also be nice.

Patrick Chung and Trey Flowers were big losses last night, however as a whole they need to get better on defense or they won’t beat anybody. Gronkowski talking about how the reports were true about him only wanting to play with Brady. That’s fine however what happened to ‘that’s in the past I’m focused on this season.’ Now there’s some pressure on the Patriots to win in week 4 against the Miami Dolphins. If they fall to 1-3 you won’t hear the end of the drama in Foxborough. This loss seems different than last week to Jacksonville and Kansas City in 2014 they don’t seem together or on the same page. When Edelman comes back, maybe the offense will have some life.

Athletes and Drug Addiction: What You Need to Know

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Athletes have skills and talents. And they are always in great physical shape and a competitive side that keeps them still on top of their various games. Unfortunately, the competitive streak may often lead some of the athletes to injuries and stress. The pressure of winning for their teams and making more money for both the professionals and scholastic can be high.

The strain to perform may be so high in motivating the athletes to use the performance-enhancing drugs to keep up on their game. Additionally, because the athletes are always getting injuries, they may get prone to the use of prescription painkillers that help them to manage pain and injuries. The continual use of such prescription painkillers for the treatment of chronic pain may lead to over-dependence hence becoming an addiction. 

Drugs that get commonly used by Athletes

Although some of the athletes may get addicted to the alcohol and some have to go through meth withdrawal treatment, they tend to use the performance-enhancing medicines frequently. These types of performance-enhancing drugs are known as ergogenic blends. And they do include stimulants, anabolic-androgenic steroids and erythropoietin.

Erythropoietin 

Athletes mostly use erythropoietin drugs as a hormone. It enhances their performance by significantly increasing the stamina though boasting of the body red blood cell counts. However, it becomes dangerous when lots of it live in a person’s body. Since the hormones work is to thicken the blood, overuse of erythropoietin makes the heart work harder to maintain the various body activities. Addiction to erythropoietin may lead to high risk of heart attack or stroke. Those needing assistance should look for programs and healthcare systems, like Tricare drug rehab coverage, that help to cover the expense of recovery

Steroids 

Steroids act as muscles builders that get abused by the athletes. When used for a more extended period they may lead to medical issues that include liver failure and heart problems. Additionally, steroids may cause the athlete to experience some extreme psychological effects like violent tendencies, depression, severe mood swings and aggression. 

Stimulants 

Stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamines sometimes get used by athletes to help them maintain a higher level of alertness and energy. Also, stimulants are used to increase the aggressiveness in combat sports like wrestling, martial arts and boxing. 

However, these stimulants become highly addictive, and athletes cannot perform correctly without using them leading to a full-blown addiction. 

Narcotics 

The usage of narcotics drugs has embraced the athletic world. Most of the athletes always push their bodies to perform in high gear beyond its natural capacities. And this may lead to chronic pain, injuries or both. Most doctors still prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to relieve the pain, but for the severe pain, they may not work leading to the prescription of opioid painkillers. These opioid painkillers may lead to abuse, dependence and then addiction 

The Warning Signs 

There are at least five main types of warning signs noticeable for any athlete using and struggling with drug addiction and abuse. While not all athletes may exhibit these warning signs, in case you recognize more than couples, talk to the individual 

Physical signs 

The main physical symptoms for the athletes using performance-enhancing drugs include acne, puffiness and swelling of the neck, oily hair and skin, excessive weight gain and loss. Others include excessive sniffing or having a runny nose, slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. 

Medical Signs 

Some of the unusual medical symptoms recognizable in an athlete addicted to drugs include heart palpitation, hypertension, nausea, arrhythmia and digestive problems. 

Psychological signs 

Mood swings are the most common psychological signs of any drug additions. Others include insomnia, depression, anxiety, unexplainable anger, rationalization and diversion of the drug subject. 

Behavioral Signs 

You may notice an athlete exhibiting some behavior changes that include obsession with their performances and changes in their social circles. Others are poor performances, financial problems and loss of activities enjoyment. 

Drugs Paraphernalia 

Some athletes may have the rather obvious items that indicated abusing of drugs. The paraphernalia may include syringes, folded papers of nicotine and pill vials. 

Finding the best treatment for the Athletes 

Getting addicted to drugs for athletes may give them a competitive edge for short-term success, but this may lead to dangerous hard-term effects. It’s vital to encourage such athletes to seek treatment to help them recover.  The first step of this treatment is the drug test by saliva drug test or urine drug test.

For any athlete drugs, addiction may lead to failure in life. Lots of encouragements and family support plays a significant role in their road to recovery. If you are an Athlete suffering from drug addiction in Washington state seek help ASAP. There are a number of reputable drug rehab centers that are willing to help you get better.

Matty P the Magician?

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“I think we’re talking about something that’s pretty common to when you have to face an opponent, there’s going to be things there that you’re very familiar with”

The Patriots New Nemesis

Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia was quoted as saying this in response to several Jets players “knew what plays were coming”. However, this also applies to the upcoming Sunday Night matchup with his former employer, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Even with beginning his career as head coach 0-2, he still possesses an undeniable advantage. Patricia has been a benefactor of seeing Tom Brady every day in practice for 14 seasons. The last six was in his capacity as defensive coordinator and crafting the plays and philosophy charged with stopping him. In case you haven’t heard, #12 is pretty good.

So, will Matty P enjoy success and give his new team in the Motor City a puncher’s chance to win? All depends on his defense. Having the bend, but don’t break schooling drill into him can have its advantages. With him manning the controls, the former aeronautical engineering can apply every complex algorithm that he can muster. He will have to.

A Team with Nothing to Lose

The Lions are entering crisis mode. Injuries to two of the most talented players on the defense will limit their impact. Darius Slay (concussion) and Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) will either be out or severely curtailed in effectiveness. This is today’s NFL and getting to the quarterback and covering his favorite target are premium positions. Will he be able to hold Brady enough to give his own gunslinger in Matthew Stafford a chance to score some points? He’s gonna have to get weird.

The Patriots can be stumped by unique and unusual formations. The Wildcat offense allowed the late Tony Sparano to eek out a win in 2008. Rex Ryan often deployed a new defensive wrinkle in order to even the odds. Sometimes they worked and sometimes they don’t.

The Plan

In order to roll the dice and come away with the win, Patricia is going to have to gamble. Disguising pressure with pre-snap movements will be the order of the day. A phrase that has often been heard in New England is “manufacturing” the pressure. Stunts and exotic rush combinations can confuse an offensive line group and make Brady feel uncomfortable in the pocket. This can be done without exposing defensive backs to big plays and reducing coverages. Overloads on one side of the line can saturate the blockers without blitzing. And finally, delayed blitzes can allow someone who was not initially on Brady’s radar as a rusher to suddenly appear and force him into sub-par throws. I expect Patricia to explore any and all of these in the desperate attempt to get hands on Brady before he throws.

Could we see some strange and unusual personnel groupings? Two down linemen, two or even one linebackers and the remainder defensive backs? He could just flood the field and play the hand on the run and see what happens. Patricia could go the other route and blitz five, six or even seven players. The hope that one of them could get home before Brady can find the open man throw an on-target pass. Double-teaming Rob Gronkowski, especially in the end zone has proven to be effective for stretches. This would work particularly well as the Patriots are still sorting out the pecking order and effectiveness of its wide receivers.

The Counter Plan

All of these thoughts and ideas carry their own risks and rewards. The Lions are around a single touchdown underdog with what should be a high octane offense playing against an underperforming defense. I could see this as a signature game for Matt Patricia the head coach as he plays his “Super Bowl” against this old boss. A win, or an unveiling of a new defense that can flummox two Hall of Famers, will go a long way to quieting the Lions fans. You can bet that he is spending extra hours watching film, eating his meals at his desk and scribbling with his signature #2 pencil. Doing the same this week will serve the Patriots well.

 

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

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How Many Points Can You Expect the Celtics to Score This Season?

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The Boston Celtics are primed to have a huge year in the Eastern Conference, and anything less then a Finals appearance will be a disappointment for the franchise. The team is loaded with not only stars but depth talent. One of the best scorers in the game plays the point guard with Kyrie Irving, and two up and coming young players (Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum) are working their way among the leagues elite. Oh, and don’t forget about the former Utah Jazz star, Gordon Hayward.

I have put together a formula for predicting how players will perform by game, and what you can expect to see over the course of the season. In our latest Celtics podcast here, I made a hot take where I said that we could expect a healthy Celtics team to score 130 points per game.

I think I’m going to walk that back a little bit. However, I think it is reasonable to expect the Celtics to score 120.

The Expectancy Rating formula

The formula is all about numbers. I firmly believe there are three stages of a players career. They are either rising, at their peak, or falling. The expectancy rating formula factors that. Let’s talk about the stages.

Rising

When a player is rising, he is expected to score more points then he averages over his career per game. Here’s the first example I will use: Kyrie Irving.

Irving currently averages 22.0 points per game. I think it’s easy to assume he is still on the rise, playing at a high level in this league. After adding the rise factor, we can expect Kyrie to score 25.3 points per game.

Peak

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When a player has hit his peak, I expect him to meet his career averages. Great example for the season: Gordon Hayward.

Hayward averages 15.6 points per game in his career. With his ankle injury last year, I think it’s easy to assume that he might not hit that number and that 15.6 points are his maximum he can bring to the table.

Fall

When a player has passed his prime, his season per game averages generally falls under his career averages. A great example of this is Al Horford.

Horford was 31 years old last season. Going into last season, Horford averaged 14.3 points per game when he joined the Celtics. Last season, he scored 12.9 per game. He has hit his peak, and now we can’t expect him to score as many points per season.

How accurate is this expectancy rating?

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I ran these numbers on the seasons past, checking the Celtics numbers for three seasons between 2014-15 to 2016-17. It’s surprisingly reasonable and accurate.

In the 2014-15 season, the expectancy rating was 98.3 points per game. Boston averaged 101.4 points per game, a 3.1 point difference from the expectancy rating.

In the 2015-16 season, the expectancy rating was 103.8 points per game. Boston averaged 105.7 points, a 1.9 point difference.

In the 2016-17 season, the expectancy rating was 106 points per game. Boston averaged 108 per game that season, a 2 point difference.

Point is, the expectancy rating is almost under what can be expected. It’s compiled by the top nine players on the team, where the starters, the 6th man and three role players adjusted totals are added together to put the rating together. Because a lot of teams play ten or even eleven man rotations, there are always going to be a couple of points that are missing. The rating is a reasonable expectation.

What can we expect this season?

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There are so many stars on this team that if they stay healthy, Celtics are going to score a lot of points. I think each of the starters can be expected to score at least 12 points per game, and the bench is going to score a lot too.

The expectancy rating has the Celtics scoring 115 points per game. It could easily be higher. 120 points per game aren’t out of the equation.

The NBA Record is held by the Denver Nuggets team from 1981-82. In that season, on a team featuring players like Alex English, Dan Issel and Kiki Vandeweghe, the Nuggets averaged 126.5 points per game.

If things go Boston’s way, they are going to make a run at that record. Just you wait.

Why Bill Belichick disciples have been failures

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Bill Belichick is arguably the greatest coach of all time, and he has been since 2000. With all of the Patriots success, it makes sense for other teams to hire his assistants such as Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia. This should definitely work, right? The coaches can use the Patriots system and everything will be perfect, right? Well, no, that’s not how it works. Bill Belichick disciples have been failures, and here is why.

The myth of “The System”

Many people think that the Patriots have been using the same system for seventeen years and it never changes. This is not true because strategies change every year, game, and play. Bill Belichick is very good at game planning for a specific team and attacking that teams flaws. If a team has a bad secondary, then Tom Brady will drop back 50 times that game. If a team struggles against the run, then the backs will be featured heavily. This seems like a very simple concept to understand, but so many coaches are stubborn and do the same thing every week. Other teams can game plan against them so easily because they know exactly what they are going to do.

Belichick is also very good at making in-game adjustments and decisions. If the game plan is not working, he can change it on the spot and figure things out. Also, when the game is on the line he knows how to strategically manage the game. The two most famous examples are the intentional safety and Super Bowl 49. After Marshawn Lynch’s run from the five, Pats fans were yelling at the TV wanting a timeout. Belichick decided to let the clock run down, and we all know what happened next.

Coaching players up and keeping them in line

Bill Belichick is very good at coaching players up and getting the most out of them. He can find the seventh round pick or journeyman and turn him into a serviceable player. Last year, the Patriots got to the super bowl with James Harrison, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, and Eric Lee starting. Harrison was a washed-up veteran, Van Noy was traded for a sixth-round pick and has been good since he was traded to New England in 2016. Even though the defense was the reason they lost that game, no other coach in the NFL could come close to the Super Bowl with that roster.

Even though Bill Belichick has taken shots on players with a troubled past, he knows how to keep his players in line. Belichick does not have a great personality, most of the players like him and wants to play for him. One game into the season, it was reported that the veterans on the Lions do not like Matt Patricia. Also, one of the reasons Josh McDaniels was fired from the Broncos is because of off the field issues with players.

Bottom line

The student will never be as smart as the teacher. Bill Belichick is the best coach in football and there may never be a coach as smart as him. It is impossible to copy and paste what Belichick has done over the past seventeen years because he does almost everything perfectly.

Its time to give Mookie Betts a 20 year contract.

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There are many great players around Major League baseball. Players of all shapes and sizes. Fast or slow. Sluggers or big on base guys. But there are no players like Markus Lynn Betts. Let me tell you one thing, that man is special. The moment he came up to The Show you knew there was just something special about him. He’s not necessarily that strong or that tall, he’s a smaller guy. He’s not Jose Altuve small, but he’s not a big guy. None of that doesn’t matter for Mookie.

WHY HE’S SO IMPORTANT

Mookie Betts is one of the best athletic guys i’ve ever seen. He plays in the toughest right field in baseball very well. Any ball hit in his general area is an automatic out. He has amazing fielding to go along with his strong arm. Mookie in right field is one of those situations where if he’s not playing, you notice. Don’t get me wrong now, I love JD Martinez to death. But whenever he’s in right instead of Mookie, there are several plays that go down that certainly would have turned out differently with Mookie out there.

Then comes his hitting. Its safe to say Mookie no doubt has the quickest hands in the game. You can’t pitch him inside, because no matter how inside you want to get with him he’s able to hit it. Not only is he able to hit it but he’s able to put the barrel on the ball which makes it extremely hard to jam him. He’s having a career year in 2018 hitting with a .339 batting average and a slashing of .432/.625/1.057 with 30 home runs. He’s also struck out only 86 times, which is one of the lowest in all of baseball. Pretty decent leadoff hitter i’d say.

https://twitter.com/bostonstrong_34/status/1017805847123161088?s=21

THE HUMBLE MAN

One of the things I love most about Betts is how humble he is. The last thing he would ever do is go around bragging about what he does and how good he is. In fact, he does the opposite. In 2016, Mookie Betts was the runner up for MVP. After the year he said that he may never have a year like that again. He caught some fire for that quote because he sounded like he he wasn’t confident. What everyone has learned since is that is just how Mookie is. If he ever talks about himself, its in a bad way. He’s almost too humble.

Betts has hit 30 home runs this year, thats enough for someone to be called a home run hitter, right? Not for Mookie. During the Home Run Derby, Jessica Mendoza asked him if he was a Home Run hitter. He said that he wasn’t and sometimes the ball “just gets out.” Alex Cora said recently during an interview that Mookie always fears he’ll lose his swing and start to struggle at the plate. But he just ends up going out there every night and making hard contact anyway. This is just who Mookie Betts is, someone who realizes that you can struggle at any point and you just have to stay humble.

Mookie’s had some huge At Bat’s this year, including the 13 pitch At bat that would result in a grand slam as you can see above. But on Thursday night in Yankee Stadium, he hit one that will forever be special and amazing. The Red Sox went into New York needing to win just one game in order to clinch the AL East. After falling in the first two games, they were facing a sweep. They were also facing the possibility of not being able to clinch in the bronx, which would be a real bummer. Mookie Betts had other plans.

ENDING THEIR HOPES

He would start off the game with a line shot that was about a couple feet from getting out that would end up being a double. In his next AB, with runners on second and third with 2 out, he would go the other way to drive in both runs to make it 3-0. His next AB would result in yet another double after the Yankees took the lead in the bottom half of the 4th, and would later come into score to cut into their lead and make it 6-5. His moment of the game was yet to come.

After the Red Sox rallied back to not only tie the game but take an 8-6 lead, Aroldis Chapman would come into the game in the top of the 8th. Devers would get a hit and Jackie Bradley would walk to put 2 men on. With 2 outs Mookie would come up to the plate with Devers at second and Bradley on first. Two pitches into the At Bat it would be a 1-1 count. The packed crowd at Yankee Stadium all hoping that Chapman can get out of this, keep the game close and see if the offense has one more rally in them.

Although this division race had been over for a good while now, the Yankees still had something to play for in this series. They were playing to prevent Boston from celebrating the division on their turf. That’s a big deal, and those Yankees players would be lying if they said they didn’t care if the Red Sox celebrated on their field. I know that if the Red Sox were in the Yankees position, the last thing i’d want is for them to clinch at Fenway. You can’t let that happen.

CLINCHING AT YANKEE STADIUM

So this crowd did indeed have something to cheer for. Those hopes were all crushed and the souls were sucked out of every Yankee fan as Mookie Betts would take a 1-1 slider from Aroldis Chapman and send it into the Yankee Stadium night for a 3 run homer extending the lead to 5. Sending all the Yankee fans home and putting the dagger on the division race. Giving the Red Sox their 3rd consecutive AL East title and their 4th in the last 6 years.

https://twitter.com/redsox/status/1042971871984013312?s=21

Mookie Betts is just one very special player that the Red Sox are blessed to have. You better bet they are going to offer him a big contract real soon. If I any say in it, just give Mookie 20 years and be done with it. Sign this man to a lifetime contract.

 

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Jacob Hollister out a few weeks with chest Injury

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Jacob Hollister got injured at practice this week

After last week’s terrible defeat against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was certain that the Patriots had to make adjustments. The Patriots travel to Detroit to take on the Lions in Week 3. The Patriots signed Josh Gordon at the beginning of the week to help with the weak receiving core.  Then, Rob Gronkowski who was shut down against the Jaguars was put on the injury report on Wednesday after practice with a minor Ankle injury. However, he would be off the injury report by Friday and will be ready to go on Sunday night. As for Jacob Hollister, I was told Thursday night that he was being transported to Mass General. Then it came out on Friday, he was out because of a chest injury which happened at a practice according to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston.

Hollister will be out a few weeks

Hollister went to the Bringham and Women’s health center around 2:00 on Thursday afternoon. He was there for a few hours before they would then transport him to Mass General for further testing. The injury had to occur between obviously during the Wednesday practice or the Thursday practice. Hollister caught three passes for 35 yards in the week 2 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With Gronkowski being on the injury report at the time, there was a question if it would strictly be Brady and newly acquired Josh Gordon show on Sunday night. But a sigh of relief came when Gronkowski was off the injury report by Friday.

It’s not known if Hollister needed surgery at Mass General or not. The only thing that has come out is he has a chest injury which will sideline him for a few weeks. It would only be a greater loss if obviously Gronkowski was hurt bad and couldn’t play. Gronkowski has missed some time these last few seasons because he gets hurt a lot.

Boston Bruins: 2018 Season Preview

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Photo courtesy:
Matt Stone

The Boston Bruins season is about to begin, with the team and fans alike expecting a deep run to the Stanley Cup.

The Bruins ended last season with a second-round playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Even with the elimination, fans were happy and excited for the road ahead with the promise of the young crop of players who seemed to show promise.

Going into this season depending on Bergeron’s health, the Boston Bruins will still have one of the strongest lines with Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak together. Bruce Cassidy has matched up Danton Heinen with David Krejci during the preseason to hopefully get two strong lines to begin the season. Donato and DeBrusk are still showing they belong; if they can keep up last season’s pace, there will be a good balance of scoring that could make this Bruins team tough to handle offensively.

Defensively, they are still able to depend on Zdeno Chara. Also with players like Grzelcyk, McAvoy, and Krug, they offensively can add some points from the back end. The depth will help them throughout the season when injuries occur with Moore and Miller most likely the other defensemen who will start the season.

Photo courtesy:
Charles Krupa

Important games this season 

Oct. 3 at Washington

The Boston Bruins open the NHL season versus the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals. It is also the night they raise their banner.

Oct. 8 vs. Ottawa

The Bruins will be on home ice for the first time in a matinee game on Columbus Day.

Oct. 27 vs. Montreal

This is the first matchup between the two rivals this upcoming season. This is the Red Sox versus Yankees version of the NHL.

Nov. 10 vs. Toronto

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired John Tavares and this is the first time the Boston fans see him as a division rival.

Nov. 29 vs. Islanders

Rick Middleton becomes the 12th Boston Bruins player to have his number raised to the rafters on this night.

Jan. 1 at Chicago (Winter Classic – Notre Dame Stadium)

Original Six franchises meet in this year’s 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, the Bruins face the Chicago Blackhawks. This will be the third time the Bruins take part in the outdoor game.

Apr. 6 vs. Tampa Bay 

The B’s last game of the season is versus the Lightning, Tampa knocked them out of the playoffs. This game could also have implications in the standings.

  • Longest road stretch: 5 games – Feb 15 to 23, against the Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Golden Knights and Blues.
  • Longest Homestand: 6 games – Feb 26 to Mar 9, against Sharks, Lightning, Devils, Hurricanes, Panthers, and Senators.
  • The All-Star Break is Jan. 25-28, with the game being played on Jan. 27 at SAP Center in San Jose.
  • The Bruins play four matinee games at home this season.

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