B-Side Sports
Good morning, Boston.
On at the present time in 1959… Clemson star QB Harvey White became the primary player ever to sign with the Boston Patriots of the AFLwhich eventually became the New England Patriots. He can also be the primary Pats player to wear number 10 – a cursed number in franchise history, thanks to 1 Mac Jones. Maybe Drake Maye will finally make “10” look good.
WHAT'S ON OFFER TODAY:
A homecoming for Mike Vrabel?
How Jayson Tatum avoided the Lakers
Josh Allen gives Drake Maye gas
Let's start…
CARRY OUT
What might have been…
Image: Matthew J. Lee/Boston Globe
Boston has some necessary “what if” stories. No, the Red Sox weren’t the leading candidate to sign free-agent slugger Juan Soto a record cope with the New York Mets as a substitute of Boston. But it will have been a franchise-changing acquisition if Boston had chosen the superstar outfielder. That got us considering: What are among the biggest Boston sports moves that just about happened — and was Boston higher or worse off for missing out?
Red Sox: Alex Rodriguez. Sure, we hate A-Rod now. But the Red Sox almost traded him in 2003 for Manny Ramirez and young Jon Lester. (You would then have sent Nomar Garciaparra is traded to the White Sox for Magglio Ordonezwhatever is). However, the MLBPA nixed the deal and the Yankees grabbed Rodriguez after Aaron Boone injured his knee Play pick-up basketball. Ramirez and the Sox won two World Series without A-Rod, while Lester became the ace of Boston's 2013 championship squad.
Celtics: Kevin Durant. The future Hall-of-Famer spurned Boston in 2016 regardless that the Celtics sent Tom Brady – and particularly Kelly Olynyk – to the Hamptons to attempt to recruit him. When Durant wanted to depart Brooklyn within the 2022-23 season, the C's hit back and offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for him. But supposedly the Nets wanted Marcus Smart as a substitute of White within the deal, and Boston didn't budge. Brown and White just won a title with the Celtics — Brown was Finals MVP — while Durant doesn't have a hoop in Phoenix. Advantage, Boston.
Patriots: Larry Fitzgerald. The man who brought a into existence A thousand Logan Airport memes. No one knows exactly how serious the discussions were, but we do know that New England was interested in trade for the long run Hall of Famer after letting Wes Welker leaving after the 2012 season. But they didn't land him, leaving the receiving corps thin without star tight ends Rob Gronkowski (injured) and Aaron Hernandez (cut injury). Fortunately, the Pats won three more Super Bowls within the 2010s. But imagine how significantly better Tom Brady might have been with one other all-time great receiver.
Bruins: John Tavares. Boston landed a gathering with the then-Islanders star in free agency in 2018 before selecting his hometown Maple Leafs with a seven-year, $77 million contract. The B's already had top center and captain Patrice Bergeron, who led them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. But Tavares might have been a younger alternative for David Krejci — and pretty good insurance after each Bergeron and Krejci hung up skates.
BOSTON SPORTS
Quick hits and headlines
Image: Matthew J. Lee/Boston Globe
⁉️ Is Mike Vrabel gunning for the Pats job? NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran reported on the previous Patriots star and Tennessee Titans head coach could be excited about the job with the Patriots when it opened. Given what they saw of their first 12 months under Mayo, would the Krafts tackle Vrabel a second time? Patriots fans might storm Robert's office in the event that they do.
🎉 Dan Connolly's is celebrating an epic anniversary. Thursday marked the 14th anniversary of the Patriots playing right guard shocked the world with an epic 71-yard kick return against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. Between this and Vince Wilfork's interception against the Chargers In 2011, the Pats had two of the most effective big man games in NFL history.
🧌 David Ortiz chides the Yankees for missing Juan Soto. The Red Sox legend got here to New York along with his patented “The…Yankees lose” after Soto signed with town rival Mets. Boston may not have won the Soto sweepstakes or the World Series, but that doesn't mean we will't be comfortable concerning the Yankees' failure. Even in retirement, “Big Papi” still owns the Americans.
😂 Woody Johnson and the Jets are a large number. A brand new exposé from The Athletic suggests the Jets owner rejected a trade for Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy because his Madden rating was too low. That's like not demanding scheduled runs for Drake Maye because he comes last in Rainbow Road on Mario Kart. Imagine Bill Belichick taking the job as a substitute of the North Carolina job.
🏀 Jayson Tatum's agent helped him avoid the Lakers. Magic Johnson, who was president of basketball operations in Los Angeles throughout the 2017 NBA Draft, claimed Tatum's agent Jeff Wechsler botched a pre-draft workout with the Lakers to get Tatum off their board with the No. 2 pick away, paving the best way for Boston to complete third overall. Give this man one other raise, Jay.
ASK A FAN
AVP on the best way?
Image: Danielle Parhizkaran/Boston Globe
“Right or wrong, there’s no way he’s coming back, is there? From the owners' box to the HC to the post-game press conferences, it just seems insurmountable.” — @Cmerc5 (X) about Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
Thanks for the question.
The backlash from Jonathan Kraft's obvious backseat player and Jerod Mayo's postgame comments on it the lack of designed runs for Drake Maye definitely shook my confidence that Van Pelt would come back next season. But Van Pelt's development of Maye was easily the best thing a Patriots coach has done this year. So if the Patriots decide Mayo should stay, Van Pelt should stay too. Don't make your young quarterback learn a new offense right away for no reason. Otherwise, fire both of them.
YOU SAID IT, NOT ME
Game recognizes game
Image: Danielle Parhizkaran/Boston Globe
I think their quarterback is going to be very good for a very long time.
Josh Allen on Drake Maye.
I'm behind him and I think the same goes for everyone in this locker room.
Christian González about Jerod Mayo's future with the Patriots.
Does anyone want to watch a football game and see fewer touchdowns?
Joe Mazzulla on the Celtics shooting “too many” 3-pointers.
PLAY…SET…MEMES
Kneel down
😎 Everyone enjoy your vacation. Of course we will continue to work. But for those of you who don't have time until Christmas, do it. The Victory formation is the best formation. (Not that the 2024 Patriots know much about that.)
🗞 This is a wrap. I'm going to write a last minute Christmas letter for Drake Maye to get help for the last three games of the year.
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