We’re Talking About Patriots Practice

By on • ( Leave a comment )

stephongilmore-julianedelman

ESPN – It didn’t take long for one of the newest members of the New England Patriots to make some noise in training camp.

Defensive back Stephon Gilmore, who signed a five-year, $65 million deal with the team in March, tangled with wide receiver and fan favorite Julian Edelman, resulting in the ejection of both players from Tuesday morning’s practice session…

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has a non-negotiable practice rule: No fights. If you do fight, you are ejected.

I like it. Would a team with a Super Bowl hangover get this fired up in practice less than a week into training camp? I don’t think so.

In one corner you’ve got Julian Edelman, the scrappy 7th round draft pick who played his college ball as a QB in the MAC. Two Super Bowl rings haven’t tamed his drive. The 232nd overall pick didn’t make the team, and stay on the team for eight years, without some serious dedication and drive.

In the other corner you’ve got Stephon Gilmore, the new guy who signed a $65 million deal with the Patriots in March. The former first-round pick made his first Pro Bowl last year and is known for his physical play.

According to Mike Reiss’s story:

[T]he fiery wide receiver took exception to Gilmore’s physical play and wrestled him to the ground before coaches and teammates separated the two.

Both players’ helmets were off by the end of the scuffle.

It’s understandable that two guys like this would get into a training-camp scuffle. The scrappy vet versus the physical new guy. I don’t think it’s an issue. I think it’s great to see that Edelman, 31, isn’t slowing down or backing down, and that Gilmore isn’t taking crap from anyone. He might take some 15 yard penalties in the fall, but that’s okay every once in a while.

The Patriots have been so good for so long, it seems like training camp often comes and goes without anything notable happening. I’m hopeful that this is a good sign that this team is still hungry, and will be ready to roll on September 7.

Tyron Woodley Threatens To “Leak Some Shit” If He Doesn’t Get A Personal Apology From Dana White

By on • ( Leave a comment )

So after UFC 214 Dana White slammed Tyron Woodley’s performance for being boring. I saw it as more of an excuse to re-greenlight the GSP-Bisping fight but it was still some harsh criticism of a guy who just stuffed 21 takedowns. While White is not totally wrong, thus is the nature of a multi-disciplined combat sport. Weary of the one thing Maia could beat him with, putting him on his back and either submitting him or grinding him too a pulp, Woodley fought intelligently, defending takedowns and working the body and sometimes head as necessary. Watching from 300s HQ, I understood why people were pissed, but also understood Woodley’s game. That’s why the strap is still around his waist, after all.

As for his threats, they are interesting to say the least. First off this is NOT how you come to an understanding with Dana White. He has much too much pride and unbridled bravado to bow down to a fighter he is unhappy with, let alone one he believes may have cost him future dollars. Secondly, it is fun to wonder what this information”The Chosen One” has is. Allow me to take a few guesses….

1.)The McGregor Knockout Footage

I did a quick skim of a couple keyboard warrior message boards and this came up a few times – that maybe Tyron Woodley would leak video of Conor McGregor getting knocked out. I’m not sold on this though as it seems a stretch as to how Woodley would have come into possession of it.

2.)Some Shady USADA Shit

Given some interesting anomalies with how CyRoid and Brock Lesnar were treated recently, I wouldn’t be shocked if Woodley had some sensitive info pertaining to a few folks who popped positive for something but were given a pass. You see folks, a lot of people assume that since USADA has “United States” in the title that is either/or an official Government or another kind of organization of the utmost repute. Well surprise! It’s not. It’s a completely private company that has done sketchy shit in the past, including the infamous Floyd Mayweather IV scandal. Hmm, come to think of it, isn’t Floyd fighting a friend of Dana White’s soon?

Quick note on Lesnar – I could even see Brock, before UFC 200, straight up telling the UFC he was on a cycle and them kind of shrugging, putting Mark Hunt at risk.

3.)Gym Deals Or Otherwise Sketchy Promotional Tactics

I’ve said in the past the simplest answer is usually the right one, and this could be the case here. If fighter X from gym/management company Y fights on this date against this opponent, The UFC will do 1,2, and 3 for another fighter from that gym/management company. Something like that.

5.)Ignoring Concussions/Injuries

Another simple answer. Dana White and/or other members of UFC Management knew certain fighters were hurt and either…

-Made them/pressured them to fight
-Allowed them to fight when they shouldn’t have
-kept the knowledge secret longer then they should have in terms of the fighters opponent and the event, maybe for monetary purposes. Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt comes to mind.

4.)In-Fight Rigging

More and more recently certain fights, in and outside the UFC, have been accused of being works. Sonnen vs. Ortiz, for example. I want to go on the record as saying I don’t believe it but if Woodley could prove this, it would be explosive. Game-changing even. However, this would hurt Woodley as well as it would negatively effect the entity, and sport, that cuts his checks. That said, it’d be mighty interesting to find out that Correia Vs. Rousey wasn’t all it was cracked up to be or there was a reason CyRoid didn’t jump on Evinger when she first knocked her down on Saturday (WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THAT?!).

All in all it is going to be a VERY interesting to see how this all plays out. After a long period of frustration with how he is treated, Tyron Woodley seems to finally have snapped. With that said he is waging a war against a man with a ton of experience fighting his battles publicly, which is never an edge you want to give.

A Mets Fan’s Perspective on Addison Reed

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Editors note: Had to get Papa Giorgi’s perspective on Addison Reed because as a Mets fan he’s seen Reed a lot over the past couple of years. So on the off chance as a Sox fan you haven’t seen many Mets games recently, here’s a look at what to expect from Reed.

Hey Sox fans, your resident Mets fan here to give you the scoop on your newly acquired deadline acquisition, Addison Reed.

For those of you unsure of who Reed is, he’s been the Mets closer for the better part of this season after Jeurys Familia went to the DL. He was also our setup man for the miracle 2015 run to the World Series that eventually led to me consuming thrice the legal limit. So far this season he’s posted a 2.57 ERA in over 49 innings pitched.

I’m pretty bummed we lost him to be honest as he’s been our best reliever this year and he’s always pretty consistent. I get the move as his contract is set to expire at season’s end and the Sox could use the bullpen help. The return for him was pretty light, but it’s hard to get much back in a rental situation. The Mets have clearly set their focus to 2018 and I’ve come to terms with it. Stud shortstop Amed Rosario is set to debut for us tonight so the sting of losing an all around professional in Reed hurts just a little less. Enjoy him Red Sox fans, he’s a reliable player and I think you’ll find yourselves at ease when he comes in to get the job done.

Dave Dombrowski is Playing Fast and Loose With the English Language to Cover His Ass if Red Sox Falter

By on • ( Leave a comment )

So the MLB trade deadline was yesterday and the Red Sox added a legitimate reliever in Addison Russell, whom they acquired from the Mets. However, the Yankees did more than just add a nice piece, they loaded the fuck up. They added Sonny Gray, the A’s ace thats currently sporting a 3.43 ERA and 8.7 Ks per 9 IP. Not to mention their slew of other moves, without having given up too much of value…

So now we’ve got Dave Dombrowski in full on Cover Your Ass mode it would seem. The Sox added Nunez, who’s been playing really well and then just picked up Reed, but this is a team with glaring holes that has been struggling badly, and now the hottest team in the division just got a LOT better.

Now after the Yankees were wheeling and dealing all week loading up and basically making the Bombers the favorite to win the AL East, Dombrowski starts off by jokingly calling them the Golden State Warriors.

Just really playing up how great the Yankees are and how the Red Sox are really just underdogs for the rest of the season, except leaving out the fact that the Sox were the heavy pre-season FAVORITE to win the AL East. This is the definition of hedging your bets.

Now, I’m sure Dombrowski had some limitations put on him by ownership to avoid going over the luxury tax, but he still built this team. He signed Price and traded for Sale, and Kimbrel, and Pomeranz. Not to mention the trades for guys who have been injury plagued disasters in Tyler Thornburg and Carson Smith. If this team fails its on him. But, by pointing out how stacked the Yankees are and how the Sox are just some plucky underdogs  (with a $190M payroll) scrapping to compete, he’s already hedging so that if the Sox falter and don’t win the division or even straight up miss the playoffs, its not on him. Bullshit. Dave’s conveniently forgetting the fact that the expectations for this team were to compete for a World Series, not sneak into a Wild Card one-game playoff.

Dombrowski has been doing this a lot recently too, its not just his reaction to the trade deadline yesterday. After the Sox put David Price on the DL the same day he was supposed to start and potentially take a verbal beating from the fans, people were rightfully suspicious. Dombrowski scoffed at the suggestion they DL’d price just to skip a start. Dave went on a rant about how you can’t just put a guy on the DL without a serious medical issue that gets clearance from MLB. Uhhh did we already forget about Pablo Sandoval’s ear infection that knocked him out for like 2 weeks?? Thats a vicious ear infection. Did the Sox send a full ear X-ray to the commissioners office to get approval? Get the fuck outta here.

Dombrowski is preemptively chilling his seat before it gets too hot if the Sox do get bounced early, but I’m on to you Dave.

FloCombat Just Posted This Video Of A UFC 178 Pre-Fight Press Engagement….Listen To The End

By on • ( Leave a comment )

…Just really spooky. Jones probably has had that in his back pocket ever since. Insane how cerebral some of these guys are on top of their immense physical talents.

Steve Bartman Gets a Cubs World Series Ring. He HAS to Throw it in the Ocean like the Old Lady at the End of the Titanic Right?

By on • ( Leave a comment )

WGN -“On behalf of the entire Chicago Cubs organization, we are honored to present a 2016 World Series Championship Ring to Mr. Steve Bartman,” the Cubs told WGN in a statement. “We hope this provides closure on an unfortunate chapter of the story that has perpetuated throughout our quest to win a long-awaited World Series. While no gesture can fully lift the public burden he has endured for more than a decade, we felt it was important Steve knows he has been and continues to be fully embraced by this organization. After all he has sacrificed, we are proud to recognize Steve Bartman with this gift today.”

What an absolutely hollow gesture from the Cubs. You can’t pay off your guilt like a goddamn credit card guys. Hey sorry we totally fucked up your life, here’s a big shiny ring that you can never wear anywhere because you’re Steve Fucking Bartman. This guy got hosed plain and simple. If Steve Bartman got excommunicated from the city of Chicago, then everyone sitting in his section should have been forced to walk the ice on the Chicago River like they did in The Dark Knight Rises.

They all reached for the ball guys. Bartman just got blamed for it. So Bartman became a notorious recluse, never did any interviews, declined to be in any documentaries, basically just wanted to be left the hell alone.

Bartman did issue a statement though saying how grateful he was for the ring and bringing him some closure:

“Although I do not consider myself worthy of such an honor, I am deeply moved and sincerely grateful to receive an official Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Championship ring. I am fully aware of the historical significance and appreciate the symbolism the ring represents on multiple levels. My family and I will cherish it for generations.”

So maybe it does help? I don’t know, but I think if you’re Steve Bartman you have to just throw this thing in the ocean like the old lady at the end of the Titanic right? If there’s one thing I can respect in a man, its a long standing grudge. Keep the grudge alive, Steve.

Jonathan Stewart Just Won NFL Training Camp With His Oregon Ducks Themed Audi

By on • ( Leave a comment )

As an Oregon Ducks fan (This is on you, Boston College) Jonathan Stewart’s newest car legit has me sweaty and short of breath. And not in the fat guy climbing stairs kind of way. That car is so money. And I love that J-Stew went for the even uglier Oregon color scheme and design of his heyday rather than the more recent neon and chrome color scheme.

Its even got the absurd attention to detail that Phil Knight’s favorite school is so fond of like the duck wings on the goddamn mirrors.

Impeccable. The little yellow touch with DUCKS on the door handles is phenomenal as well.

Now hopefully Stewart can get another one of these for the Ducks to illegally bribe a 5-star QB recruit with because Oregon has been absolutely awful under center since Mariota left school to turn pro. Vernon Adams, who plays in the CFL now, was the best they’ve had but he was a short term solution for a team that suddenly finds itself back in the dark, pre-Mariota days without any known commodity heading into 2017. Look good, feel good, play good. Ducks are halfway there.

George Costanza Protege Danny Tartabull Calls Cops, Forgetting That He Himself Is On The Run

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Yahoo –  Danny Tartabull was finally arrested by police Wednesday after more than five years on the run. The former New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals outfielder was caught after he called the cops, according to TMZ.

Tartabull wasn’t calling police to turn himself in, though. He was calling them to report that someone broke into his car. Cops ran his name when they arrived at the scene and realized there was a warrant out for Tartabull’s arrest.

This is just incredible. Not just because of the basics of the story itself, which are indeed awesome – a non-pro athlete nobody calling the cops when he himself is wanted is still an absolute hoot – but a pro athlete from the 90’s who guested on “Seinfeld” getting caught in a self-devised sting – a scenario that very well could serve as a “Seinfeld” episode? Now we are in the “GOLD BLOG CONTENT” category.

Really though, I feel for my man Danny Tartabull, and not just because I had his card growing up and I thought he looked like a badass with that face full of chew. I feel for him because I too lose all sense of reality and rationality when my car situation gets fucked up. Tickets, towed, fender benders, the one time I thought it was stolen (had taken a cab home drunk, was looking for it on the wrong street). Any and all the above happens and I lose my fucking mind. It sucks. It just brings your day to a screeching halt. Us city dwellers don’t always need our cars, but when we need them, we absolutely need them. If I can Lyft or T-it I will rather than drive 100000% percent of the time. But if I have to be somewhere not applicable to other means of transport, I fully need and expect access to my car. That said I’m sure Danny Tartabull was fucking pissed his carefully planned day was washed by someone swiping his car and called the authorities, with the 2% chance they’d find his car with enough daylight left to accomplish even half his day’s to-do list, in mind. It just so happened he himself was wanted by said authorities and they locked him up. The real shame is that George gave Tartabull tips on his at bats instead of tips on how to get out of an unavoidable arrest. The Summer of Danny it is not.

P.S: This episode would be the called “The Warrant(s)”.

 

Making Sense Of This Weekend

By on • ( Leave a comment )
Image result for mondays grr meme ted

I might start doing this on Monday’s – just quick hits to digest stuff that happened over the weekend. There is a lot that goes down when I’m not attached to this keyboard that is still worth addressing. So now that I’m back on the grind almost rid of the 2 day hangovers I’m blessed with, let’s get to it.


Jon Jones Is Probably The GOAT But Made A Crucial Error

“Bones” beat Daniel Cormier again, this time finishing him to reclaim the UFC Light-Heavyweight title. I think it’s starting to look like we need to anoint Jones the GOAT, as he made another contender for that title look completely human. Good for Jon Jones for getting it together.

On the other hand he screwed up the post-fight presser. I know the Brock Lesnar fight would be huge, I know Jones wants a huge fight, and I know Stipe Miocic is not that well-known of a name yet. That’s all fine and good. However, Lesnar can’t fight until the end of this year or early next year. Jones and Miocic are both sort of hard up for contenders, unless Jones wants to rematch Alexander Gustaffson. Therefore, a super-fight with the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion, Miocic, would have been an easy and logical fight to sell – Jones’ first and long awaited foray into the heavyweight division against the current baddest man on the planet. Well, this fight is kind of hard to make now that “Bones” pretty much trashed it at his post-fight presser, stating Miocic isn’t well known enough and so it wouldn’t really be a super-fight. Maybe you don’t flee crashed vehicles anymore but your decision making still sucks, Mr. Jones.

And Now His Watch Has Ended

Rob Ninkovich retiring is truly the end of an era. He is a textbook example of a Belichick success story – a late round pick and unspectacular player who comes into the Pats’ system, works hard, plays his role, and succeeds. He played both Defensive End and Linebacker without ever complaining about the constant shifts, almost wearing his being taken for granted as a badge of honor. He helped bring us two titles and made a slew of big plays. Hopefully the proud Purdue Boilermaker sticks around to mentor, etc. as if every young player had his work ethic and attitude, the team would be better for it. Thanks, Ninko.

The Sox Clubhouse Would Appear To Be A Mess

We’re only a half-game back and I guess things could get better, but things look ugly in Boston. We knew there was a chance this could happen. Dombrowski’s MO in the past has been to gut a farm system for “win now” players with it being a toss up whether or not those teams actually won. Devers and Nunez I’m actually optimistic about but our pitching staff is a completely different story. Add that to the fact that Dombrowski didn’t even attempt to get Pat Neshek among others to strengthen the bullpen and it’s looking a bit grim. BUT HEY PATS TRAINING CAMP STARTED! FOOTBALL IN A COUPLE MONTHS!


I Have No Fucking Clue What Is Happening On Game Of Thrones

If Dougie doesn’t have a dominoes tournament or something this week we’ll get a pod up to discuss this further, but this is the first time I’m totally lost when it comes to GOT. In the past, even amidst chaos there was a logical, intuitive path you could foresee them taking. Now there isn’t one. Everyone’s dead, or dying, or stuck in neutral, or mind-DVR’ing their sister’s wedding night rape. Just all over the fucking place. Hopefully the next couple of week clears thing sup a bit.

North Korea Has Zero Chill

Having no respect for human life is one thing. Having no respect for the weekend, a time to kick, have a few brews, and not worry about intercontinental ballistic missiles coming out of the clouds is not something I will stand for.

Steph Curry Shitting On Lebron Filled Me With Joy

Chef Curry just confirmed that athletes think the same things about Lebron that sane normal people do: that he’s an insufferable, awkward, try-hard who needs to be relentlessly mocked into silence. Lebron is the rare example of a human that should be bullied. Cyberly. In-person. I don’t care. You just got clowned on by the skinny kid from Davidson. Fuck you LBJ.