Thinking out loud…while wondering how the 'new normal' will like us…
• As Patriots' camp has droned on, I've certainly been intrigued by the play of N'Keal Harry. Could it simply be a matter of a guy finally NOT listening to the hype, and just deciding to use his physical traits to play ball?
• Or could it be a matter of getting reps (and catches) against DB's not exactly in game-mode during practice? You decide.
• What do I like about the potential for these Patriots? Three things.
• 1) An offensive line that, if it stays healthy, should mash people. And protect the QB, whoever it is.
• 2) Which means the running game, if it stays healthy, could be in for a big year.
• 3) A defense that could throwback to old school days as a dominant force. Defense wins championships? Doesn't seem like that's been much the case in recent seasons, but this Pats' D stands a chance – again, if healthy – to stand out like few others. Just sayin'.
• Yes, healthy is important. He who has the most toys left at the end wins.
• It's one game, people. Mac Jones doesn't look out of place, let's say. But he's no closer to 'starting' at QB right now than you are to the sun.
• Let's give him a chance to acclimate and breathe before you crown him as the second coming of TB12. Hyperbole is cheap and plentiful. Real talent isn't.
• Rhamondre Stevenson looks like he has a little giddy up, amiright? Especially against second and third teamers.
• One-time Patriots' QB Tim Tebow is now in a 3-way battle for 4th string tight end in Jacksonville. It wasn't supposed to end this way, was it?
• Tweet of the Week, from @ProFootballTalk, as Gardner Minshew told Chris Long about his battle with Trevor Lawrence: "I haven't taken a **** in weeks because Number 2 isn't an option for me."
• The Baltimore Ravens have decided to ask fans to 'mask up' at all inside areas within their stadium. So are inside premium and club seats still considered a 'premium?'
• The Patriots have done away with physical tickets and introduced 'touchless' purchasing at Gillette. Which is a good idea, but don't stand in line with cash in hand. You'll **** yourself off.
• Not for nuthin', but Josh Allen's new contract is the largest in Buffalo Bills' history. A six-year extension worth a reported $258 million. $150 million guaranteed. Thanks to those bucks, he's immediately either a future superstar, or a future flame-out.
• And the future is right around the corner.
• Why have the Red Sox flamed out since the trading deadline? Scoring 20 runs aside in a single game (while giving up eight Wednesday night – and only scoring ONE the next), it's really quite simple.
• They weren't that good to begin with.
• Overachievers caught fire in the early going, pumped up by the fact a guy they like, Alex Cora, was back in the dugout. But that can only take you so far. Now that we've hit and passed the 'grind,' we're learning this team just isn't what it appeared to be.
• Add to the mix 'stickygate,' when Spider-Tack and other substances were ruled OUT and the number that did on a pitchers' psyche (looking at you, Garrett Richards and Matt Barnes). All the smoke and mirrors disappeared.
• But wait, there's more. Bad defense…and it's been one of baseball's worst all season (29th, next to last in errors committed), shrouded by the outfield assists that tend to be remembered.
• Untimely hitting – leaving runners in scoring position, where the Red Sox are a mere 24th (7th from the bottom) in bringing 'em home.
• A starting pitching rotation that hits a mental (and physical) wall after four innings. Chris Sale's return could provide some relief (his first big league appearance in two years!)…but counting on that is like counting on the Little Dutch Boy to keep his finger in the hole, plugging the dam before it bursts.
• And management deserves its' share of the blame here, too. A failure to support – with no substantive moves made by the trade deadline. And we have yet to see Kyle Schwarber play a position he doesn't even play.
• Uh huh. Demoralizing. It's not a 1978-esque collapse, but it's a doozy.
• And Chaim Bloom, in case you were wondering, is doing exactly what he's been paid to do.
• If you're a serious Sox fan, that should p*** you off a little bit. Or maybe a lot.
• If you don't know the name Yairo Munoz, perhaps it's time to learn it. Munoz, through Wednesday, had a 32-game hitting streak for the Worcester Red Sox – the longest Sox Triple A streak in 50 years…and the longest streak in baseball this season, certainly.
• Munoz is hitting .312 for the season overall, hit .333 in the shortened season last year and is 26 years old. Just coming into his own? WooSox hitting coach Rich Gedman sez he doesn't walk much, but he certainly makes a lot of contact every time at the plate…as his stats would indicate.
• Barstool Sports is in negotiations to pick up a midweek Major League Baseball TV package. YouTube and Peacock are also in the running.
• There's a lot wrong with the game of baseball, the ol' Towne Team notwithstanding…but this move would be smart. The sport needs to skew younger and 'hipper,' and streaming is where that's at.
• As the Summer Olympics end (with a whimper?), so did an era in basketball. USA basketball won gold, as just about everyone expected…making it four straight. It's tough to win with the weight of America (and the world?) on your shoulders, so those guys should get SOME credit.
• It was also the swan song of ex-Bulls, Suns and Sixers honcho Jerry Colangelo, who has largely been responsible for re-building the USA into its' (rightful?) spot at the top o' the world. Now, the duty/burden falls upon the shoulders of Grant Hill as USA Basketball's new managing director.
• Hill would be wise to fall back upon his collegiate/Coach K roots at Duke and pluck the next coach from within the college ranks. Those fires, they always need to be stoked.
• And consider this – the USA won gold without LBJ, Harden, Kyrie, Steph, CP3, Jimmy Butler or Anthony Davis. It'll be up to Hill to unearth the next gold mine.
• On the women's side, seven straight golds, 55 consecutive Olympic wins. Sounds an awful lot like the men's team from 30+ years ago, doesn't it?
• But one thing is certain about the ladies, besides their winning – they probably won't have ex-UConn stars Diana Taurasi (39) or Sue Bird (40) any longer. Bird is retiring from Olympic hoops after winning her 5th gold medal.
• Great that Katie Ledecky leaves Tokyo as the most decorated female swimmer of all time. But, thanks to her sponsorships and prize money tied to her medal winnings (2 gold, 2 silver), she also owes the government about $44K in taxes. Welcome home.
• Lasting impression of the Tokyo Olympics? No fans in the stands was weird, but something we've been used to seeing. Happy to see the USA win hoop gold…that's still OUR game. And I still like watching swimming and track & field…every four years.
• And once again, I always enjoy watching athletes and athletics rise to the occasion. Over the competition, and over covid.
• Better queue up to the vax line – more and more entities are requiring your having one if you want to be admitted into a public arena, an indoor place of business, stadium or facility.
• Or even the military.
• And before you go off complaining about your rights, let's remember the rights of those who your rights are stepping on. We have rules and laws in this country, ostensibly so we don't have anarchy.
• Or did you forget that?
• But it seems like that's all this is. A big, politicized 'it's all about me' mess…and it shouldn't be. This is a public health issue, not a red or a blue issue, as some politicians want you to believe.
• It's also not an "I'm not putting that in my body" issue. Don't be ridiculous.
• You put worse stuff in your body every time you drive through your favorite fast-food joint. Or drink alcohol. Or smoke. Ever read the labels on your groceries – if they even have labels?
• C'mon, man.
• Every time Florida Governor Ron DeSantis opens his mouth, and he's done that a lot lately…we all get a little bit dumber.
• And Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a one-time classmate of mine in Austin, is dangerously close behind him.
• Covidiot of the Week: PGA golfer Bryson DeChambeau had a ridiculous reason for not getting vax'd. He told the media he didn't want to take it from someone who needs it, when there are literally millions of shots available.
• He also had to withdraw from the Olympics, too, and sez he doesn't regret it. Now, he's freezing out the media? Brilliant, Bryson.
• For something HE said. Stupid is as stupid does.
• Did you know…that around 60% of the actual betting done on the Olympics was on women's competitions?
• Yahoo Sports reported this week that men's leagues in the NFL, NBA and MLB account for about 90% of the sports wagering in non-Olympic months.
• Team Canada is bringing in the heavyweights for next year's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Tampa Bay's Jon Cooper will coach the team, and the Bruins' Bruce Cassidy will be an assistant.
• My buddy "Big E" sez he tried to explain to his 5-year-old grandson that it's perfectly ok to **** your pants…but his grandson is still making fun of him.
• URI football is a preseason pick for 6th in the CAA and receiving votes in the preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25.
• It ain't Air Ehhardt of the '80's, but it's as close as Rhody football has been to that level in some time.
• PC's hockey schedule was released this week, featuring a potential of 12 games (out of 36) played against teams in the NCAA Tournament last season. That's one way to grow up in a hurry.
• The Friars will open October 2nd at Schneider Arena against Army after an abbreviated 11-9-5 finish last year.
• What about the hoops schedule? Typically, the non-league games are released in August and the conference schedule finalized in September. Covid may still be throwing a curveball into this mix, especially with teams not (yet) fully vaccinated and NCAA protocols to follow, plus the issue with potential arena protocols changing almost by the day.
• What we do know: Home opener November 9th against Fairfield. At Wisconsin Nov. 15th. In the Legends Classic (Newark) Nov. 22-23, opening against Northwestern. In the Dunk (we think) against Texas Tech Dec. 1st. And against URI Dec. 4th.
• In addition to ex-Friar Alpha Diallo's summer league inclusion in Phoenix, noticed this week where former URI star guard Jeff Dowtin is on the roster – and playing well – for the Orlando Magic summer team…14.3 points per game, nearly four assists and 63% shooting in his first three appearances.
• Former Friar all-American Ryan Gomes has joined the coaching staff of Overtime Elite, the program based in Atlanta that will be recruiting 16-to-18-year-olds and pay them $100K or so instead of going to college.
• It's the same outfit where ex-UConn player and coach Kevin Ollie will be the head coach and director of player development.
• NIL update, ICYMI: PC is partnering with Opendorse, and the school program is called AdvantEdge – preparing its' student athletes with six "fundamental pillars": personal enhancement, academics, DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion), community, leadership and career.
• Shovels finally hit the dirt in Storrs, CT on UConn's new hockey arena – it will hold 2600 fans with 80% of those chairs seat backs. When built, the Huskies ice facility will meet all Division I and Hockey East requirements…where the current Freitas Ice Forum does not.
• Conference realignment talks are continuing – and will probably continue for the foreseeable future. The SEC has re-upped its' commish, Greg Sankey through 2026 for a job, ahem, well done…in luring Texas and Oklahoma into his league.
• Kansas US Senator Roger Marshall is asking the Department of Justice to formally investigate ESPN and what role – if any – they may have played in luring the Longhorns and Sooners away from the Big 12.
• Did ESPN finally get too big for its' britches? Engaging in alleged anti-competitive behavior? Nah. Couldn't be…said the old Big East.
• Just a thought here – but if the NCAA really wanted to score points with its' student athletes? They should copy baseball. College hoop writer David Blumenthal had a great point this week, and he's right.
• Basketball players must give a go pro/no go pro decision shortly after the season ends. Then after pre-draft workouts, they must decide to stay or return to school…and even if they're not drafted, they can't go back. Yet Kumar Rocker was drafted by the Mets, didn't sign, and can always go back to Vanderbilt.
• This should be a universal rule across all collegiate sports. If, of course, the NCAA actually has its' student-athletes' best interests in mind.
• Hall of Fame college football coach Bobby Bowden passed away this week, at age 91 after an illness. Sure, he won a couple of natty's during his 33 years at Florida State and finished as an AP Top 5 team for 14 consecutive years – which set a record.
• But I'll remember two things primarily about Coach Bowden, who started his winning ways at West Virginia in the early '70's.
• 1) His class and graciousness in defeat. He also probably doesn't get the credit he deserves for his hand in rebuilding then cross-state rival Marshall's program in 1970 after a plane crash wiped out the entire team.
• 2) His homespun, country humor. He was a coaches' coach, as he was described by many who knew him, coached under him and played for him. And he was always a pretty solid quote, even when testy, with the media.
• Very cool to see the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame will produce a televised special for the induction of their Classes of 2020 and 2021, which will air on WSBE-TV Channel 36 August 28th. NESN's Dale Arnold is hosting.
• Tony Esposito's passing this week at age 78 took me straight back to my childhood and teenage nights spent watching the Central Hockey League at old Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX. For a bunch of Texas kids, we loved watching hockey on Saturday nights.
• And when we played it – without skates and an ice surface, of course – whoever was in goal would invariably imitate Tony Esposito and his 'flop' in front of the net. Older brother Phil was the big, bad Bruin…but Tony (with the Blackhawks, and Dallas was their farm team) was the guy we all tried to be like.
• I know the new normal is here, and I'll follow it – but I don't have to like it, do I?
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? 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! Would appreciate the follow on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and join in on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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