Thinking out loud: Some thoughts on Antonio Brown

Thinking out loud…while wondering whatever happened to Ryan Mallett…

• Friday the 13th AND a full moon?  First time since 2000 for the two to be in sync.  Hope you survived – and it won't happen again for 30 years, in 2049.  Time to start howling.

• So, Antonio Brown?  Not even sure where to begin at this point.  But let's certainly say this – we're not lacking for storylines around here.  Just sayin'.

• You undoubtedly have your own thoughts over the week's events surrounding the mercurial receiver.  The football decision to bring him aboard was a no-brainer.  The conscious decision to bring him aboard – if the team knew what was ahead of them after signing him – defies logic.  And sensibility.

• That angry Giants fan who got so upset over the Patriots' signing Brown that he threatened to randomly shoot up Foxboro in a Facebook post?  He was arrested and charged with simple assault and threatening police officers at the time of his arrest, and also charged with making terroristic threats.

• Certainly not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, he was also wearing a Giants' jersey at his arraignment.  And he's from Rhode Island, too, where wonders always cease to amaze.

• Tweet of the Week I, from @nflresearch: "Tom Brady is now the 1st QB to pass for 300+ yards in a game at 42+ years old, breaking Vinny Testaverde's Super Bowl era record of 258 yards. He is also the 2nd QB to throw 3 touchdowns in a game at 42+ years old. The other? George Blanda, who did so vs. the Steelers in 1970."

• As for the Patriots' debut Sunday night against the Steelers, let's just say it was a smash-hit for a first-run performance.  Is improvement needed in a few places?  Of course, but you can't expect post-season play with pre-season stink still lingering.

• Red zone.  Secondary.  Offensive Line.  And those lolly-pop snaps from Ted Karras to TB12.  Stuff to work on.  Even the Roman Empire took longer than a week to come together, however.

• Not for nuthin', but are you wondering why you heard some of the pregame banner ceremony, and missed out on some of it, too?  Gillette Stadium's speaker transformers blew, taking out sound to about half the crowd during the proceedings. 

• Problem was fixed, eventually.  But you probably forgot Gillette is now 18 years old – that's at least middle-aged-to-retirement for a stadium these days. 

• So, Cleveland?  As we said here last week, methinks the hype has gone straight to their heads.  Or to the Dog Pound.

• The J-E-T-S blew a 16-0 lead over a Buffalo team that turned the ball over to them four times.  They wish they had our problems.

• Another Miami miracle this week?  I don't see it, and I don't believe Bill Belichick has let anyone on his team forget it, either.  But – a double-digit road fave of 16 points or more has NEVER covered the spread, in NFL history. 

• Tweet of the Week II, from @ShannonSharpe: "This new airline just came out Skip, it's called Cowboy Airlines. Cheap fares too, like $35 one way, anywhere in the world you wanna go, except the Super Bowl."  

• California's state assembly voted unanimously to pass SB 206, which would allow college student-athletes in that state to earn money off their name, image and likeness.  The governor might veto, and he might not…after all, the bill was passed by a 72-0 margin.

• But the NCAA sure has its' radar pointed westward, calling the legislation unconstitutional.  While the law wouldn't take effect until 2023, it's fair to say if it is signed, California schools will either gain a huge edge in recruiting, because some of their athletes will make money – or they'll have all their athletes' eligibility voided by the NCAA because some of their athletes will make money.

• As the Wicked Witch of the West once said in the Wizard of Oz, "how about a little fire, scarecrow?"

• Two updates on previous items for you: 1) The English language received a major victory from the US Patent and Trademark office, telling Ohio State to 'go pound sand' in their effort to trademark the word 'THE.'  THE End.

• 2) A buddy in CT says too many people want a piece of the action when it comes to sports betting in that state – so it may be awhile before Nutmeggers (are they still called Nutmeggers?) get that chance.  Sounds like the norm for Lil' Rhody, doesn't it?

• URI has added another home men's basketball game against Manhattan on November 27th, bringing the total schedule to 30 games for the season.  Six non-league home games, four on the road and two neutral-site games (Jamaica Classic) will precede the 18-game Atlantic-10 slate.

• Former St. John's guard Justin Simon signed a one year, minimum guaranteed contract this week with the Chicago Bulls.

• Just why did DePaul announce this week they're in negotiations with Dave Leitao about a contract extension through 2024?  Who does that before a deal is signed?

• Most likely, it's due to rumors about Leitao's status since the program was hit with NCAA penalties this offseason (three years' probation and a three-game suspension for Leitao) and some key players changed their minds (St. Louis transfer Carte'Are Gordon is transferring again) about joining the program.

• DePaul did have its' first winning season since 2006-07 (19-17) last year, so there's that.

• CBSSports.com surveyed 100 college coaches this week to select who they thought would be the best player in the country for next season.  Two of the top five vote-getters (Markus Howard, Marquette and Myles Powell, Seton Hall) are from the Big East.

• Powell made the cover of the preseason Street & Smith magazine, Basketball Preview Edition this week.  But the target on his back has been attached for some time already.

• The latest pre-preseason look at the Big East? 1) Seton Hall 2) Villanova 3) Georgetown 4) Providence 5) Creighton 6) Marquette 7) Xavier 8) Butler 9) St. John's 10) DePaul.

• Xavier won't finish 7th.  They're getting some run as a potential Top 25 team.  But the league is as D-E-E-P as it has been, maybe ever.  Seven legit NCAA Tournament contenders for 2020.  And Butler has an all-Big East returnee in Kamar Baldwin, you can't count the Bulldogs out.

• And with a little good health, some improved free throw shooting and taking better care of the ball, the Friars could very well find themselves right in the thick of the title chase.  11-13 BE wins are possible, 14 wins probably takes at least a share of it.

• The USA's performance – with the pros, including four Celtics (Walker, Brown, Smart and Tatum, who were injured) – was awful.  Can't sugarcoat it.  Once they lost to France, snapping a 58-game winning streak in international play with NBA players, they appeared to give up. 

• Serbia then beat them in the 5th place game.  Two straight losses for the first time in 17 years.  And for Fifth Place?  Don't give me "the world has caught up to us" cliché.  No excuses.  Dr. James Naismith IS rolling in his grave over that one. 

• If our 'professionals' (and I often use that term loosely) no longer care (you too, LBJ), it's time to give the international game back to the amateurs.  Or at least the collegians, who showed plenty of heart this summer in the Pan Am games up against other countries' pros.

• At least the college kids medaled. 

• Now I know how Canadians feel when we beat them at hockey every year.

• Speaking of 'quit,' how 'bout those Red Sox?

• It's really very simple.  Dave Dombrowski's firing was the right thing to do – but the wrong way to do it.  He delivered what was expected of him – a World Series, and a depletion of the farm system.  It's his modus operandi. 

• Dealer Dave also failed to improve this years' team when he had the chance to deal…but probably had his hands tied on that one.

• So, Sox management basically hung him out to dry for the buzzards (that would be ALL of us) to attack.  And then included his departure in a Sunday night news dump, thinking few would notice because of the Patriots?

• Stupid is as stupid does, Red Sox.  Cowardly, really, no matter your reasons, and disrespectful to your loyal, paying customers and fans.

• Kudos to two:  1) The Boston Bruins, for re-upping one-time Providence Bruins' head coach Bruce Cassidy to a new, multi-year extension this week.  He has some work to do, especially in light of last seasons' swoon at the end of the Cup finals, but he certainly deserves the chance to re-tool.

• 2) Jim Martin, who has decided to retire after 26 years as the Bruins' PA voice.  I've known Jim for more than 30 years, through both of our tenures with the Pawtucket Red Sox and WJAR-TV.  A pro's pro, and as nice as the day is long.  Woo!

• On the pitch this week in Kingston, URI took the upper-hand in this year's rivalry with PC, with a 2-1 men's soccer victory over the Friars.  The Rhody win snapped a four-game streak of the road team claiming bragging rights.

• Senior wide receiver Aaron Parker was named the CAA Player of the Week, for his 12 catches, 227 yards and a TD against Delaware last Saturday.  Those numbers were the 5th-most yards in a single game in URI history, and the most receptions in a game in 25 years.

• Parker is currently #2 nationally in receiving yards.  URI is off this week and will play at UNH on the 21st.

• Bryant was blasted at Albany last week, but the Bulldogs finally get their home opener this week against Fordham Saturday at 1:00 pm.  Brown opens its' 2019 season next week – at Bryant.

• Did you see where Kent State stopped a women's field hockey match played on their campus between Maine and Temple before it had ended so they could set up for football pregame fireworks? 

• Yeah, that happened.  Maine is looking into filing a Title IX complaint against the Ohio school.  Kent State has apologized and has offered to pay for a potential re-scheduled contest.

• Eddie Money defined the music of my youth. Still does.  He was responsible for two of the most iconic rock songs of the late 70's and 80's – "Two Tickets to Paradise" and "Take Me Home Tonight."

• "I Wanna Go Back" and "Shakin'" were two of my personal favorites from any artist of any era.  The man was flat-out a hit-maker.  Money passed away Friday at the age of 70 after a battle with cancer.

• Does the world really need a female James Bond?

• How about letting women stand alone for what they can do, not for who they can imitate or be like?

• Like the 77-year-old female sailor (Jeanne Socrates) who just completed a Guinness Book record for soloing around the world?

• Or Carli Lloyd kicking a 55-yard field goal in an NFL practice, and getting two offers to come to camps next summer? 

• Or Elena Della Donne of the Washington Mystics, who became the first player in WNBA history to shoot 50% from the floor, 40% from three and 90% from the line in a regular season.  She could coach up a lot of the male players I know.

• I can breathe again.  "Sitch" is out of prison, and my 'Jersey Shore' life can continue again.

• A sign of the times – or that the apocalypse is near: The Cadillac Lounge in Providence is opening a bar for sports fans where you can have a drink and bet on the state's sports app while, um, enjoying the scenery.

• Where were you when ESPN first launched programming on September 7th, 1979?  The network celebrated its' 40th anniversary this past week, and while at the start there wasn't much to it – it's hard to argue that ESPN hasn't changed our sports world and culture – forever.  Because it has. 

• ESPN is responsible for the growth of amateur athletics into big business.  Or are you not familiar with the Big East?  Responsible for many sports receiving attention and publicity beyond what was then the norm – a rare appearance on ABC's Wide World of Sports. 

• And, largely responsible for our movement into the digital age and still insatiable desire for scores, updates and highlights from the world's best athletic performances and personalities, bringing us closer to what we all wish we could be – famous, if not rich.  Amiright?

• My buddy "Big E" has a widowed neighbor whose husband was a bit on the miserly side. She told him that before her husband died, his request was to be buried with all his money.  "E" couldn't believe she had gone through with that, but she told him, "I'm a good, Christian woman and I had to fulfill his final request.  So before he passed, I got all of his money together, put it in my account and then wrote him a check."

• You remember Ryan Mallett, right?  The one-time Patriots' back-up QB from Arkansas (he started his career at Michigan, btw) was a 3rd round pick back in 2011 and played in New England for three seasons before being traded to Houston.

• In 2015, Mallett lost the Texans' starting job to Brian Hoyer, won it back and then lost it again before the season had ended.

• Mallett then signed with the Baltimore Ravens and played parts of the '15, '16 and '17 seasons before his release.  The XFL is, or at least was, a likely landing spot until his arrest this week on a DWI charge in Arkansas following his involvement in a two-car collision.  Reports have Mallett blowing a .08 on a breathalyzer at the scene.

• Great question posed by John in Rumford, RI: "Which vet gets the job/duty of providing the code red to AB if he steps out of line?"

• John:  Best guess on this one?  TB12, one of the reasons why AB's locker is next to his – with a little room in-between.  I also feel like Matthew Slater will have a say-so in managing locker room temperament, and as the saying goes – "it takes a village."  And if the village can't manage him, the sheriff will run him out of town.

• Interested in having your questions on local Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send 'em to me! It's your chance to "think out loud," so send your questions, comments and local stories to jrooke@weei.com. We'll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...

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