Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Recap

In the final leg of the road trip, the Red Sox head north to face the Blue Jays for a three game series before heading back to Fenway. Cora made the announcement that Dustin Pedroia and Tyler Thornburg will be playing on Monday and Tuesday for rehab assignment in Pawtucket. David Price is also back with the team after missing a game to get x-rays on his hand in Boston. Chris Sale, Davis Price, and Drew Pomeranz will be the starting pitchers in this series.

Sale vs Sanchez – Toronto Takes the Win

Chris Sale pitches his best game of the season. Fifteen strikeouts in nine innings. Xander Bogaerts hit a homer towards center field to bring the score 2-1 Sox leading in the second. The Sox ultimately fell to the Blue Jays 5-3 in 12 innings. Sandy Leon struck out swinging, but the ball bounced back, allowing Brock Holt to score coming from first base. Chris Sale struck out 15 of the Blue Jays and let up zero walks. He joins Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens as only the third pitcher in Sox history to do so. Jackie Bradley Jr. sat out for his third straight game to hopefully get him out of his slump. He is expected to be in the lineup the next day.

“That was impressive,” Alex Cora said. “That slider was the best of the season. He was outstanding. ”

“You’ve got to tip your cap, he had himself a heck of a night. “

Price vs Estrada – A Comeback win after Injury

David Price made his first appearance since the x-rays we’re taken on his hand to discover that he had Carpal Tunnel. The Sox took the lead 5-2 for the game win. In 93 pitches, Price let up: five hits and three walks. He struck out six Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez hit a two run homer, after Andrew Benintendi hit a double to bring in Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts. Ramirez had himself quite a game, racking up three home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. The Sox scored at least five runs for the 24th time this season, which is the most in the MLB. Both Hector Velazquez and Joe Kelly pitched scoreless innings before Kimbrel entered the game. Craig Kimbrel came out to get his 11th save of the season.

“I saw something different in the way he pitched today. Everything. There was a difference in speeds. Mixing up the breaking ball is very important. He induced some weak contact. They hit a few balls hard too. But I think he pitched great ” – Cora on Price’s performance

“It was good to get back out there,” Price said. “The more I threw, the better I felt. To me, that’s always a good sign.”

Pomeranz vs Biagini – Sox Return Home with a win in Toronto

All players in the MLB wore pink in honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday. Hanley Ramirez, although he wasn’t in the lineup, had on catchers gear and was ready to play. A loose Hanley leads to a fun and much looser Red Sox lineup. Drew Pomeranz let up three runs and four hits, while only making it under six innings. Toronto was up 5-3 in the fifth as Hector Velazquez came in to replace Drew Pomeranz. J. D. Martinez homered and had three RBI’s, while Mookie Betts made the unbelievable “deal catch” to prove that he really is a Gold Glove player. Joe Kelly racked up his second save of the season Sunday afternoon.

“He’s becoming a force, not only the field but in the clubhouse, in the dugout,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s becoming a leader. It’s fun to watch. On a daily basis you’re expecting something great and he’ll do it.”

“To come out of a road trip like that is definitely something to be proud of,” said reliever Joe Kelly.

Up Next

The Red Sox will be back home at Fenway to face the Oakland Athletics Monday through Wednesday. Then the Orioles will come to town for a four game series. Dustin Pedroia will start his rehab assignment on Monday in Pawtucket with Tyler Thornburg. Pedroia hopes to return during the end of May.

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB

ESPN

Statcast

NESN

What If the Celtics Landed Kevin Durant?

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Disclaimer: This is 100% speculation. It’s impossible to tell what would actually happen, but I decided to take a really unrealistic jab at it.

After the conclusion of the 2015-2016 NBA season, six-time All-Star and former MVP Kevin Durant became one of the most coveted players to appear in free agency in a long time. A player with such natural superstar talent hadn’t been available like this since Dwight Howard became a free agent in 2013. Teams swarmed Durant and his agent at the beginning of the summer in pursuit to acquire one of the best players in the NBA. The early front-runners were the super team Golden State Warriors, the superstar-starved Boston Celtics, and Durant’s former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

On July 4th, 2016, Kevin Durant announced in The Players’ Tribune that he intended to sign with the Warriors. His decision came down between Boston and Golden State, and he chose to join the team that already possessed championship talent. But what if Durant chose the latter and went to Boston?

Durant Becomes a Celtic

In an alternate universe, Durant chose to don Celtic green rather than staying in the Western Conference. Boston gives Durant his promised max contract deal worth around $26 million, but he only accepts a one year deal with a player option, similar to the one he took with GSW. He joins newly signed Al Horford, who accepted a four-year deal worth $113 million two days earlier, as the highest cap hits on the team. Boston does not exercise Amir Johnson’s contract option to reallocate $12 million in cap for Durant.

2016-2017 Season

The Celtics still had the third pick in the 2016 NBA Draft earlier in the summer and still selected Jaylen Brown, Guerschon Yabusele, Ante Zizic, Demetruis Jackson, and Ben Bentil. All of those draft picks except Brown still play elsewhere for the 2016-2017 season. When it’s all said and done, Boston’s starting five is as follows: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Kevin Durant, and Al Horford.

Boston easily locks up the first seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with an offense led by IT and Durant. Isaiah Thomas has his Renaissance season, but not to the same degree. Instead of averaging 28.9 points a night, he only drops closer to 20. It’s Durant’s world and the rest of the Celtics are just living in it. Him and Horford become the leaders that Brad Stevens and the Celtics craved for since Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded. Durant becomes the offensive workhorse of the Celtics, dropping close to 30 a game like his younger days in OKC.

The Celtics slide by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Durant exploits his match-up with Otto Porter in the second round against the Wizards instead of Porter lighting up Boston’s defense. Without his production early into the series, the Wizards fall to the Celtics in six games instead of seven.

The Celtics do not get eliminated in five games against the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Because Isaiah Thomas does not exert himself as much in this alternate universe, he does not suffer a season-ending hip injury. Avery Bradley does not become the workhorse of the C’s offense, and 20 year old Jaylen Brown isn’t assigned to guard LeBron. Durant against LeBron becomes one of the best match-ups in the playoffs. The red-hot Cavs are taken to seven games and crack under pressure. The Celtics advance to take on the Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals.

The Warriors did not land Durant in the off-season, so they kept a similar lineup compared to their 2015-2016 run. They don’t sweep the first three rounds, but they still found themselves easily making the Finals. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are no match for Boston. The Celtics ultimately fall in six to the Warriors. Durant wins regular season MVP but does not earn a ring.

Summer of 2017

Though Durant doesn’t earn a ring, luckily enough for Boston he is willing to stay. He picks up his player option to play another season with the promise of a ring. Free agent Gordon Hayward never teams up with his former coach, Brad Stevens, and stays in Utah. However, the Celtics still have the assets to make the trade for Kyrie Irving still happen. Boston sends off IT, Crowder, Zizic, and picks for Irving. Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko walk still, but Gerald Green returns on a one year deal. They also still bring in Aron Baynes on a one year deal.

In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Celtics trade down not to third, but to the eighth pick via trade with the Knicks. The Celtics swap the first overall pick and Avery Bradley for Kristaps Porzingis. They then select Dennis Smith Jr. out of NC State instead of the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics have become a super team almost overnight, just to impress Durant.

The new starting five consists of Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant, Kristaps Prozingis, and Al Horford.

Conclusion

If Durant signed with Boston (and decided to stay), Danny Ainge had an interesting situation in front of him. He could either stay with his “build for the future” route or he could also press the “win now” button. If he wants to win now, Boston would have to lease talent to win a few championships quickly. I went the latter route here, but I also made the assumption that everything worked out perfectly in Boston’s favor.

If I were a NBA GM I’d avoid doing something this drastic. Three years down the road Boston could only afford probably one of those players they acquired. In real life, the Celtics’ current situation is a perfect storm. They acquired All-Star talent in Kyrie and Hayward, and without them this team has shown that they already have the talent to contend in the playoffs. Durant or no Durant, don’t mess with the C’s.

Cover image courtesy of SB Nation.

Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees Series Recap

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The long-awaited face off has arrived since the early April bench clearing brawl. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry was in full blast as Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin went at it after Austin was hit by a pitch. The meeting of the two teams was highly anticipated by all.

Pomeranz vs. Severino

Tuesday night, the Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2, allowing the two teams to tie for first place. Betts and Benintendi made it on base to lead to the Sox first run of the game. In the second inning, Drew Pomeranz broke a nail, causing some concern to bring the trainers out. Giancarlo Stanton hit two solo home runs. Luis Severino struck out 11 players against Drew Pomeranz’s six strikeouts. Mookie Betts hit an RBI triple in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Kelly came in to a sea of boos and chants from all of Yankee Stadium. Kelly came out as the Yankees loaded the bases with only one out to prevent more runs. The Yankees are now on a 16-1 win streak, and are showing true competition for first place as Porcello will face Masahiro Tanaka.

“They’re good hitters. They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling.” -Severino on the Sox at bat

“We’re playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. ” -Manager Aaron Boone on the win against the Yankees biggest rivalry

The 24 Hour Yankees AL East Lead Porcello vs. Tanaka

Rick Porcello pitches a game earlier than normal, as David Price was sent to Boston for x-rays. In the past few games, he had experienced problems in his hand, causing the x-rays to be needed. Later we found out that Price was okay and would be pitching in the upcoming series. Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Moreland all hit homers on Wednesday night. But it was nothing compared to the electric eighth inning that the Yankees had. Brett Gardener hit a triple allowing two to score, and Aaron Judge’s 117 MPH homer allowed the Yankees to go up 9-6. Rick Porcello only struck out three players, ending Wednesday with a 2.79 ERA. The Yankees have taken the lead over the Sox to be in the AL East first place. Tomorrow Eduardo Rodriguez will face CC Sabathia in the series finale.

“It got my attention. I looked around a little bit that inning. It’s May and it’s bedlam.” -Aaron Boone on the win to bring the Yankees into first place.

The Sox and Yankees are Tied Again Rodriguez vs. Sabathia

The rain never stopped the Red Sox as they were 4-0 at the delay in the fifth inning. The Red Sox escaped a Yankees sweep with a 5-4 win on Thursday night. The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, but Martinez wanted the win and hit a homer in the eighth to take the win. Joe Kelly came in again to clean up the mess of players on base and got Giancarlo Stanton out on a grounder to retire the side. Craig Kimbrel has his 110th save. Ramirez hit a homer to the visiting bullpen to allow the Sox to reach the rain delay with a lead.

“Definitely. You saw it today. They don’t give up. I’m very confident in what we’ve got. This is our team right here and we’re concentrating on what we can do and see what we can do better to keep winning.” -Hanley Ramirez when asked if the Sox and Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball

“I hit it, and I was like blowing, praying, doing everything I can to push it over. I knew it had a chance.” -J. D. Martinez on his homer that won the game

Up Next for the Sox

The Red Sox will travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays before heading back home to play the Oakland Athletics. Up first in the series against Toronto will be Chris Sale and Aaron Sanchez. David Price will return to pitch this series after x-rays in Boston. Alex Cora also reported that Jackie Bradley Jr. will be back in the Saturday line up while Brock Holt will return on Friday.

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB.com

ESPN

Statcast

Is Danny Etling the Future?

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Patriots Sign Etling for Four Years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-cePbBqucU

The New England Patriots are trying to plan post-Tom Brady. Earlier this week they signed their seventh-round pick out of LSU Danny Etling to a four-year contract. It looks like Josh McDaniels, Bill Belichick, and the rest of the Patriots staff like what they see out of Etling. Etling is working on his mechanics with Tom Brady’s throwing coaches in California. Etling threw for 2,463 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior at LSU, while also completing 60.0 percent of his throws.

Danny Etling had a 16-7 record as LSU’s starting quarterback and finished in the top ten in school history in passing yards per game. Etling will be a nice addition to the Patriots quarterback position. It looks like Belichick will be keeping three quarterbacks on the Patriots roster for the 2018 NFL season. Etling looks like he can get the ball downfield and find an open receiver. Director of Player Personnel for the Patriots Nick Caserio spoke after they selected Etling and said, “You look at his career production and this guy didn’t turn the ball over. I think it was 16-2 this year, a low percentage. He takes care of the ball, smart, pretty accurate thrower.”

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewib47Wpwu4

Comparing Brady to Etling’s college numbers, their senior years are similar. Etling threw for 16 touchdowns his senior year at LSU. Tom Brady threw 16 touchdowns at his senior year at Michigan. Danny Etling threw two interceptions in his senior year, while Brady threw six. The two quarterbacks had similar senior years in college. I’m not saying Etling is Brady, but look where Brady got drafted and where he is now. Pretty soon we may see Danny Etling over at TB12 to get pliable.

The Patriots Will Groom Etling for Two Years

Tom Brady has two more years left and then he’s done. He knows it, Kraft knows it, and Brady’s wife knows it. Belichick, McDaniels, and Brady will groom Etling for this year. Then it will just be McDaniels and Brady in the 2019 season. Then in 2020, it will be Danny Etling’s time to shine as the starter for the Patriots.

David Price Acts Like A Little Kid

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David Price Is A Full-Time Complainer

Via CBS Sports

I swear there is always something with this $31 million dollar pitcher. All David Price does is complain about everything like a little kid. These are David Price weaknesses. Fresh cut grass and dogs, however, he has two of them. Cats, cold weather, Video Games, pitching in Texas against the Rangers, Pitching against the Yankees, and he can’t pitch in the postseason. I’m sorry but that does not sound like a guy who is ready to pitch on a big league team. Price couldn’t pitch a bullpen in Texas on Sunday because of allergies. Like seriously take a Claritin or Zyrtec and just pitch. Price sounds like a little kid who wants attention negative or positive.

David Price Is A Joke

Via GIPHY

Price spoke to the media today and it was classic Price. He won’t play Fortnite in the clubhouse anymore because of the talk it has made these last few days. Price also said playing Fornite isn’t the cause of his Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. If that wasn’t true he’d still be playing it in the clubhouse. Also, him complaining about the laundry detergent the Tampa Bay Rays used when he was playing for them. The Rays had to wash Price’s clothes separately. What a disaster! Price is nothing but a baby and a complete waste of money like Pablo Sandoval, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez. I want to know what’s going to happen in October when the weather is cold, the allergies start kicking in and Price can’t pitch. That would put a dagger in the starting rotation.

Boy, does Alex Cora have his hands full with David Price. You would think with a new manager Price would want to turn things around. Nope, he wants to act like a teenage girl and be a complete drama queen. I, personally, am done to hear his constant complaining about the weather, and his dogs, cats and not liking it here. All I want, along with the rest of Red Sox Nation, is for him to shut up, pitch and win games.

Sox Lose Series Opener in New York 3-2

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The Red Sox and Yankees started up their second series of the season on Tuesday. Drew Pomeranz got the ball for Boston, as well as Luis Severino for New York. Luis Severino pitched for six strong innings, striking out 11 and giving up two earned runs. Drew Pomeranz, however, gave up only two earned runs as well. But here’s the catch- both runs came off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton. One solo shot to left field and one to right. Besides Stanton, Pomeranz was able to work around the lineup, going six innings strong and striking out six.

Heath Hembree took over at the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and only one out. With Aaron Judge coming to the plate, Joe Kelly made an appearance. Amid the 45,000 + boos in Yankee Stadium, Joe Kelly got two outs to end the inning. But not before giving up a run on a base hit by Aaron Judge. Andrew Benintendi made a nice throw to nail someone at the plate to hold the damage to one run. With the score still 3-2 in the ninth, Chapman came in. After hitting Jackie Bradley with two outs, Chapman got Christian Vasquez to ground out to second to end the game.

It Was Just New York’s Night

Going into this game, I did not have a great feeling. I wasn’t too confident in Pomeranz on the mound. If I had known we lost the game beforehand, something around a 7-1 final would’ve been my guess. It ended up being only 3-2. Now I know losing is never fun, but when it’s all said and done, there wasn’t too much to complain about in this game. It was one of those games where the other team just got a couple more breaks than you. It was just their night. Pomeranz ended up doing a great job, much better than what I was expecting. Other than Stanton, he was able to get everybody else out, including Aaron Judge who he struck out three times. Luis Severino was great and shut our offense down.

There were also a couple of concerns in this game, mainly with Heath Hembree and Jackie Bradley Jr. As far as Hembree goes, Tyler Thornburg can’t be back soon enough. Hembree is just not somebody who you can ever trust late in a game, and he’s continued to prove that. It’s looking like he’ll be the odd man out once Thornburg is finally back.

Jackie Bradley Woes

Talking about Bradley, it’s time that the Red Sox might have to start doing something with him. Personally, I love the guy. His defense is fantastic and very valuable, no doubt. But there comes a point where you have to think about doing something with him. All year, he’s been an automatic out. He’s only ever hit over .250 once, and that was because a 29 game hit streak carried him there. It comes a time when you just have to make your lineup better, and unfortunately that happens with benching him. Maybe he’ll need to start working with the hitting coach extra, if he hasn’t already. But they are going to have to figure something out with JBJ.

Rick Porcello will get the ball on Wednesday night to try and even up the series. David Price was originally going to start tonight, but he was scratched and sent back to Boston to see a doctor as he has continued to feel numbness in his fingertips. Eduardo Rodriguez will now pitch on Thursday.

Why Mitch Moreland Is Key For Boston

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The Red Sox resigned Mitch Moreland to a two year deal in the offseason. It was not seen as a major addition. Through twenty six games, Moreland is hitting .325 along with six home runs. Along with Hanley Ramirez the two have formed an impressive platoon at first base with both getting bats as the DH as well. Moreland again is proving why he is a key player for this Red Sox team.

Mitch Moreland’s First Season In Boston

Last season Moreland got off to an impressive start at the plate. He hit a career high thirty four doubles and had the second highest on base percentage of his career. The former Ranger played in a career high 149 games and hit twenty plus homeruns for the third consecutive season. Hanley Ramirez was coming off an impressive year but struggled in 2017. This made Morelands contributions even more important. Resigning him was not seen as a major move given that Sox fans were expecting J.D. Martinez who the Sox eventually signed. The Sox first baseman won’t hit forty home runs or drive in one hundred runs but resigning him was key.

Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Moreland’s Hot Start to 2018

So far this year Hanley Ramirez has rebounded from his poor 2017 season. This has meant less at bats for Moreland as the Red Sox have also used Martinez in DH spot. Moreland could see more playing time if Jackie Bradley Jr. continues to struggle. He will not hit .325 all season and that is not what the Red Sox expect of him. Moreland can be a very effective bat last as he showed in 2017 until he cooled off due to a fractured foot. He provides the Red Sox with depth and allows them to give Hanley or Martinez a day off without losing much offense. He has stepped up in the clutch like in Oakland when he hit a pinch hit grand slam.

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Expectations Going Forward

Last year Moreland played in 149 games. It is unlikely Mitch will play in that many games this year but he will still be given his chances. If Bradley continues to struggle Moreland will see more playing time as Martinez will see more time in the field. If the Sox first baseman continues to step up then it will be hard for Cora not to put him into the lineup. Last year it seemed as if he was on pace for a career year before he fractured his foot. In 2018, he is picking up where he left off.

Three Takeaways from the Revs Loss Against Montreal

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The Revolution were off to a good start on road games in 2018 going into Saturday’s game vs Montreal. With their only road loss coming from a 2-0 defeat against the Union to start the year, the Revs turned it around and won in Houston and earned a point in Columbus. For the most part, the Revs had a decent first half, until they conceded in extra time at the end of the first half. In the second half, the floodgates opened for Montreal as they added three more goals. It wasn’t until the 78th minute when the Revs got on the board from a Wilfried Zahibo header off the corner kick. Ultimately, Montreal took the three points with a 4-2 win. With all that said, here are three positive takeaways to look forward to:

Revs Resilience

Photo by David Silverman

Many Revs fans remember last year’s road matchup against future MLS Cup finalist Seattle Sounders. New England held a 3-0 lead entering the 75th minute. All was perfect. They were 15 minutes away from securing three points in a place that many say is the toughest building to play in MLS on the road. Well, it was too good to be true, as Seattle rallied back and tied the game 3-3. This was a huge turning point as this caused many supporters to join in the #HeapsOut movement. Not only did this cost two points, but it set the tempo for road games for the rest of the season.

However, Brad Freidel seems to be lighting a spark this year. Down 4-0 in the 78th minute, the Revs didn’t give up. They fought to get two goals and almost got themselves back into the game. This also isn’t a new mentality this year, as we saw similar attitudes against Colorado and NYCFC. It’s the “this game isn’t over yet” mentality, and it hadn’t been on display more than it was on Saturday.

Wilfried Zahibo

When the Revolution first announced the signing of Wilfried Zahibo, the move was met with a lot of criticism. Fans were expecting a bigger and better signing that they could get behind, instead of someone they had never heard of. It didn’t help that Zahibo got a red card just 12 minutes into his debut in the preseason. When he didn’t perform to fans’ liking in his first couple of MLS starts, people were quick to jump on him. Since then, Zahibo has redeemed himself with some quality performances.

Photo by David Silverman

If there were still doubts about him being what the Revs needed, almost all of them are gone after Saturday’s performance. Zahibo showed off his height with his header. He also showed his athleticism on a side volley that earned him a nomination for MLS goal of the week. Zahibo now has 3 goals in 2018, 1 behind team leader Teal Bunbury, and also has 2 assists. From a defensive standpoint, there aren’t many mistakes you can point out either. It’s still early, but you can make an argument for Zahibo being a bigger signing then Penilla so far.

Set Pieces

It’s no secret a big weakness of the Revs last year was their inability to score goals off set pieces. In 2017 they scored only ten goals off set pieces in 34 games. So far in 2018, they have scored four in nine games, two of which came on Saturday. The first coming off the corner, which got headed in, and the second coming off a freekick just short of a corner kick. It seems Freidel came in and really transformed this team mentality and physically. When you have a team that is able to take advantage of set pieces, it makes everybody’s job easier.

You also have to keep in mind that the Revs main set piece taker last year was Lee Nguyen. In the offseason, it was a big question who would fill his role, and many people have stepped up. They have plenty of options in Somi, Diego, Dielna, Penilla or Tierney, who have all showed potential. If the Revs can continue their success on set pieces they will produce a lot more offense. Set piece success will also just make them that much more lethal to play against and allow for more creativity.

The Revs will have a big challenge on Saturday as they take on defending MLS Cup Champions Toronto FC and their set piece master Sebastian Giovinco at Gillette Stadium.

Brad Stevens Has a Great Coaching Mentor

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Bill Belichick Takes Young Average Talent and Makes Them Elite

Bill Belichick is remarkable at taking players with average talent and transforming them to have elite level skills. He’s trained Wes Welker, Chris Hogan, and Danny Amendola and turned them into exceptional players. Can we say the same for another coach in Boston? Brad Stevens? Brad Stevens currently is without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. Stevens has taken his rookies, especially Jayson Tatum, and has turned them to greatness in the playoffs. Tatum is something special and is averaging 20+ points a game. Terry Rozier has taken the place of an injured of Kyrie Irving and has been great. Stevens has taken a page out of Bill Belichick’s book. Since taking over in 2013, Brad Stevens and his Celtics have steadily become one of the top NBA playoff contenders.

Brad Stevens Is Trying to Become the Next Great Coach in Boston

Stevens is always seen at Patriots training camp. He is fascinated at how the Patriots run their organization. Brad took Isaiah Thomas last year. Brad Stevens told Cynthia Frelund of NFL Network about his relationship with Bill Belichick: “I think when you walk out of there, and I’ve said this before, you feel inadequate as a coach. Their culture, the way they move from drill to drill, how they pull together, how connected they are, it’s special and it does not happen everywhere.”

Brad Stevens Praises Bill Belichick

Stevens also said, “The one thing that the Patriots have always been great about is they don’t beat themselves. They pride themselves on that. I think the idea of that, plus doing your job or the idea of ‘everyone has a role to play in being a superstar in your role’ those are all things that coaches are talking about all the time. They just do it better than everybody else.”

As of now, the Celtics are moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics were big underdogs against the 76ers last round; at some betting sites online, their odds were as long as +300 to win that series.

They are similarly discounted in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron James and the Cavaliers. The just-released odds have the Cavaliers at -290 and the Celtics at +245 to advance to the NBA Finals, even though Boston has home-court advantage against Cleveland and is 7-0 in the playoffs at TD Garden.

Sportsbooks might be making a big mistake there. Stevens hasn’t learned by watching Belichick the importance of teamwork and leadership in the locker room. Having communication with everyone leads to success. Now, we can question whether or not the Patriots are good in the communication part or not. However, the Celtics seem to have great communication, and Brad Stevens has great control of his team.

Look at who the Celtics have next season. With Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back, the Boston Celtics will head to the NBA Finals to compete for an NBA Championship. Not only next year, but for many years to come. Brad Stevens is the best coach in the NBA and he can thank Bill Belichick.

On The Defensive: Who is Brian Flores?

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photo cred. – www.nbcsports.com

Who is Brian Flores and where did he come from?

Brian Flores grew up in the housing projects (Brownsville) in Brooklyn, NY. Brownsville is one of, if not, the toughest areas to grow up in around the country, excluding Chicago. Growing up, Flores and his siblings saw things that kids his age should never have to witness. If you ask Flores it made him into the fearless man/leader he is today.

Flores began playing football around the 8th grade and quickly turned himself into quite the defensive back/running back. Not only was Flores a heck of a player on the field, but in the classroom he was an exceptional student who scored a 1,140 on his SAT. Good grades along with his skills on the field helped him get accepted to Boston College. While at Boston College, Flores was the teams second leading tackler. In 2003, he missed the bowl game and a chance at being drafted due to torn quadriceps.

photo cred. – www.medium.com

How Flores became a Coach/Patriot:

In 2004, the Patriots hired Flores as a scouting assistant within the organization. First, lets backup to before Flores being hired and the process of landing a job in the NFL. After his college and playing career ended, Flores desired a position as either a coach or a GM in the league.

According to Flores, “[He] sent a letter to EVERY team in the NFL and the Patriots were the only team to write back”. Not only did the Patriots see something other teams didn’t, but Belichick must have had a tremendous amount of faith in the potential of this guy. Flores was then brought in for the 2004 season as the scouting assistant.

In 2008, Flores work ethic did not go unnoticed as he was then named the teams scouting coach. Two years later in 2010, they noticed his work ethic and again he claimed the title as special teams Assistant. As usual, Flores was quick to climbing the ladder and the name of assistant offensive and special teams coach was given to him.

On the Defensive:

In 2011, Flores was back on the side of the ball where he belonged, the defensive side. He was named the defensive assistant for Belichick and the Patriots and once again his hard work paid off. In 2012, he was named the safeties coach where he held the position until 2016. In 2016 he became the Patriots linebacker coach and held that title until now. After Matt Patricia left to become the Lions head coach, Flores was named the defensive coordinator/play caller for the 2018 season. Flores will be under the wing of Bill Belichick until the 2019 season when Flores can take over. With Flores running the defense it looks like we will see more hybrid 3-4, 4-3 defenses but only time will tell.

High praise and recognition:

What Flores is doing isn’t a fluke and he has been noticed and recognized by other coaches and players. So much so that Flores who was relatively unknown in 2004, became a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals Head Coaching position. Luckily for the Pats, he ultimately came up short. Here is what veteran LB David Harris had to say about his coach:

“Even though he’s only a couple years older than me, his depth & knowledge of football is outstanding. He knows not just linebackers, he knows entire defenses, he knows the offense as well. He is definitely an up & coming coach in this league. Everybody was happy for him even being considered for a coaching job. I think eventually he will be an outstanding coach.”

High praise coming from a veteran guy like David Harris who has been around this league for quite sometime. Another quote from Jeff Howe (Patriots beat writer for the athletic), is one I found intriguing:

“Patriots players hoped Flores would get this promotion. They LOVE him, this will be well received in the locker room.”

Final Take:

With Bill and Flores in the 2018 season, the adjustment on defense will be interesting to see. Also with new additions via free agency and the draft, this season will be fun to watch. The excitement is high as many fans are eagerly waiting to see what Flores can do.