Good Morning and Happy Monday to one and all! It’s April 27, 2020, just in case the dates have kind of all melted together for you by now. We’re missing the NFL Draft as much as you, maybe more. The reconfigured, socially distanced format was unique and very entertaining. Not to mention a charitable hit,
raising over $100 million for COVID-19 relief efforts. Some liked the new format more than the traditional over-the-top fan-laden format. And thankfully it was a largely glitch-free technical success, thanks to some remarkable next level work by multiple parties.
The NFL Draft was a huge success! It was an ambitious virtual production with over 150 feeds, our team worked tirelessly to execute a flawless broadcast. #DTCITechnology #NFLDraft #socialdistancing pic.twitter.com/7l5QFbymHa
— DTCI Technology (@DTCITechnology)
April 24, 2020 The broadcast had a lot to offer; highlights galore, analysis aplenty and great looks into the home lives of future NFL stars (some may have provided a bit too much, but the Mashup is a judgment-free zone). And though three networks collaborated successfully on the broadcast ESPN did take some heat for their player trauma profiles). But yes, the 2020 NFL Draft gave us something new to discuss in sports, as opposed to speculation on the return of sports, and reminiscing about games gone by. Sadly, the end of the draft late Saturday began the long stretch until the next live sporting event, the Tiger/Phil/Brady/Manning charity golf match, scheduled to air on TNT sometime in May. SOMETIME? That's not good enough! We need to know now so we can start planning our parties. All social distance friendly, of course. And then there are the outfits and the wagers...
BROADCAST HIGHLIGHT
“The Last Dance”, Episodes 1-4, ESPN 2, 7-10 p.m. EST
(if you’ve missed the sports doc everyone’s talking about and want to binge your way back into the conversation, tonight’s the night)
BEST IN SHOW
You're probably surprised we waited this long to discuss the real star of the weekend; Nike the dog. Yes, Bill Belichick's dog stole the show Friday night when the broadcast cut to Belichick's War Room (otherwise known as a living room in Natucket), and there was Nike sitting all alone at a table flanked by laptops. It was in an instant the highlight of the draft, the most meme-able moment in sports this year, and easily the most Belichick thing possible.
Meanwhile at Bill Belichick's war room --#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/qX55smJh4i
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron)
April 24, 2020 Naturally, social media went to town and had a field day with this (we'd need ten mashups today to share all our favorites).
Some people teach their dogs to fetch and sit.Bill Belichick teaches his dog to draft defensive backs from obscure Division II schools in the second round. pic.twitter.com/86mRjElbh3
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson)
April 24, 2020 Pretty certain Nike is somewhere right now fielding offers for representation, deciding on a bevy of endorsement opportunities. Don't expect Nike's celebrity to diminish anytime soon, seeing as 15 minutes of fame in dog years is a long time.
THE DRAFTERMATH
Beyond the emergence of the new star of the Petriots (woof...that one was ruff!), the draft was monumnetal for the Pats in a number of ways. The first in the post-Tom Brady era came with surprises and storylines galore. From the selection of a safety from a school nobody had heard of before in the second round (our bet: Kyle Dugger will be a Foxboro mainstay for a while) to drafting a kicker in the fifth round - THE FIFTH ROUND - who left a mark on his school almost as significant as the mark on his left arm, the Patriots turned heads time and again. Most thought speed at wide receiver and a quarterback were the most obvious needs, which is exactly why both positions were not addressed until the UDFA signing period. Picks that were mock draft staples and virtual Pats locks went elsewhere for the majority of the draft's three days, as Belichick selected who he liked, from his draft board, which probably didn't look like anyone else's. Please don't pretend to be surprised.
Good to see one second rounder, drafted from a midwestern well Belichick dipped into several times, is ready to roll (and likes the new away whites like we do!)
LFG !! pic.twitter.com/qQFzTgBcvM
— Josh Uche (@_Uche35)
April 26, 2020 The Boston TE Party 2.0 is underway, as the Pats snagged two tight ends in the third round; UCLA's Devin Asiasi and Va Tech's Dalton Keene. Both need some polishing to make some impact at the next level, but one place Keene, nickname of Rambo, has already made an impact is in the style department.
Patriots new TE is just a jacked, mustached @KevinOConnorNBA pic.twitter.com/23Lx2wAWZh
— Evan Valenti (@EvanValenti)
April 25, 2020 Foxoboro football fans are so excited by the look that someone's already made lip luggage lock screens available (wish we were kidding):
New England iPhone/Android backgrounds available now pic.twitter.com/e4FIAC8oIh
— Rob Effler (@RobEffler)
April 26, 2020 One of the dapper gents featured therein is none other than...you guessed it, Bill Murray. Gunga la gunga indeed. And if ever we were going to root for an undrafted free agent to make the team...
The #Patriots are signing William & Mary DT Bill Murray, source said.And before you make jokes and ask about his sense of humor, allow me to present his headshot. pic.twitter.com/nEqepYmmr5
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
April 26, 2020 ...it would be Murray, or RB JJ Taylor out of Arizona, who jumps off the screen with his Dion Lewis/Darren Sproles-like moves. He'll need every bit of flash and pop to make the roster on a team that needs dynamic playmakers, but had quite thr crowded backfield.
The Patriots have signed free agent running back JJ Taylor from Arizona.Notes on Taylor:- Quick & elusive- Able to make a man miss in the open field, great field vision- Able to bounce off of tackles pic.twitter.com/5AepU99Kh4
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore)
April 26, 2020 The jury on this class, filled with talent, gambles, studs and seniors (though sadly no Blankenship) won't be in for some time. But make no mistake; the 2020 Pats draft class has already made plenty of news.
FORECAST CALLS FOR SHOWERS...OF PRAISE
Cheers and happy retirement to a local meteorological mainstay and Boston TV legend, the great Barry Burbank, who delivered his final forecast Sunday night. Barry was on the air with WBZ for 42 years, and few delivered the weather, right or wrong, with a smile and kinder disposition any better. He’ll be missed for sure, and appreciated as much as the good weather he looked forward to telling us about.
"Barry, you're a legend." After 42 years on the air in Boston, meteorologist Barry Burbank gives his final forecast on WBZ-TV this weekend. Use the hashtag #ThanksBarry to join us in wishing him a very happy retirement! https://t.co/TgG8mvRIgj pic.twitter.com/25AFQPIUfn
— WBZ | CBS Boston News (@wbz)
April 24, 2020 BECAUSE YOU NEED THIS
One of our favorite follows, @super70ssports, uncovered this gem over draft weekend. The definition of "so bad it's good". If anything this should make you feel so much better about the most maligned rally song in football history,
“New England, The Patriots And We”.
The late 80s Dallas Cowboys released a rap video and you only need to know one thing:Tom Landry has a verse.I could tell you when he appears but the anticipation is half the fun:pic.twitter.com/yd9wqqPl4A
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports)
April 25, 2020 QUOTE OF THE DAY
"With great sadness, after 10 years together we have come to a loving conclusion to get a divorce." - Reality star Kristin Cavallari announcing her conscious uncoupling from retired NFL QB Jay Cutler. Sorry to probably be the ones to break this to you. If you need a moment during this sensitive time we understand.
