7Live Blog

1.Tom Brady will play the Saints for the third time this season – he has played a team three times in a season twice before: 

2006 – Jets…..1-1 regular season / win in playoffs (beat Mangini)

2010 – Jets…..1-1 regular season / loss in playoffs (feet)

2020 – Saints..0-2 regular season / ? 

2. Steve Lyons games played at each position:

Pitcher…….2

Catcher……4

First………115

Second…118

Third…….229

Short……….6

Left……….59

Center….237.

Right……..43 

3. NFL Stuff 

* Last nine playoff games: Pittsburgh 3-6 / Seattle 3-6 (both coaches not Hall of Fame worthy)

* “Genius” Mike Vrabel decision to punt from Ravens 40 yard line was considered the worst coaching decision of the year by analytics people (reduced their chance to win by 1 4%)

* How to finish strong Ben – Steelers started the season 11-0 – ENDED 1-5 

4. Drew Bledsoe in postseason: 6 TD to 12 INT 

5. Top five Celtic free throw shooters – minimum 100 attempts – no Larry Bird or Bill Sharman: 

Sam Vincent…………..116-125…..928

Brad Wannamaker…..150-164…..915

Ray Allen………………..973-1064..914

Wally Szczerbiak……..228-254….898

Isaiah Thomas……….1182-1130…889 

6. Gordon Hayward – guess it wasn’t a fit: 

* Last Three years at Utah…..20.3 points per game

* Three years at Boston……..13.9 points per game

* Charlotte so far………………22.5 points per game 

7. Amazing Stats – Stanley Morgan had more Patriot career receiving yards (10,352) than Terry Glenn, Deion Branch and Hart Lee Dykes combined (10,307) 

8. Old School – I believe Alabama could beat the Patriots (better QB, skilled positions, front seven on defense) – From 1934 to 1974 – College All Stars played NFL champion: 

* Pros were 31-9-2

* MVP always given to college team – winners included Larry Czonka, Billy Kilmer, Ray Guy 

9. Just a Little Bit Outside – Inventions in Massachusetts (onlyinyourstate / Globe / Masslive)

* Telephone…………….Boston

* Sewing Machine……Boston

* Facebook……………..Cambridge (Harvard)

* Rubber Tires…………Woburn

* Toll House Cookies..Whitman

* Tupperware…………..Leominster

* Disposable Razor…..Boston

 * Revolver……………….Worcester

* World Wide Web……Cambridge (MIT)

* Transistor Radio…….Cambridge (MIT)

* Black Box……………..Cambridge (MIT)

* Dictionary………………Springfield

* Synchronized Clock..Ashland

* Envelope………………Springfield

* Fluff……………………..Somerville

* Fire truck………………Springfield

* Game of Life…………Springfield

* Basketball…………….Springfield

* Liquid Fueled Rocket..Auburn

* Monopoly………………Salem

* Typewriter……………..Worcester 

10. Randomocity 

* Tim Thomas before Tuukka Rask / Tiant before Clemens / Brady before anyone / Vinatieri before Gostkowski / Sam Jones before Paul Pierce

* If you like real crime tv series – The Ripper on Netflix

* Kyrie will be paid $65mm for the last two years by the Nets – he has played in 27 of 84 games (32%) and has been paid $24,058,446 for the games he has missed  

* Creamsicle – over-rated

* Joey then Chandler then Rachel then Monica then Phoebe then Ross

* Standing Room Only – under-rated
The post Connelly’s Top Ten – Inventions, Brady and Clutch Players appeared first on Trifecta Sports.

On Thursday Major League Soccer announced a 176 player list that are eligible for selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. The SuperDraft is slated to take place virtually on January 21st. Bruce Arena’s New England Revolution currently has three draft selections including the 24th overall pick in the draft.

Revolution Draft Picks: No 24, No 51, No 78

Last year the Revs selected Henry Kessler with the 6th overall pick in the draft. Their second pick of the draft was Simon Lekressner at 30th overall and their final pick was Keegan Meyer at pick 43. In the 2021 MLS SuperDraft player pool, there is a number of individuals that have local connections either thru their collegiate career or other soccer relationships.

Local Connections

Revs II Signees

Michael DeShields- The Wake Forest product was a Revs II signee in NovemberFrancois Dulysse: The defender was another Revs II signee Sean O’Hearn: Revs II signee out of Georgetown University

Played At Area Colleges

Don-Junior Bobe: Forward, Fairfield University Jake Dengler: Defender, UConnRobert Lapert: Defender, UConnAJ Marcucci: Goalkeeper, Connecticut CollegeDawson McCartney: Midfielder, Dartmouth CollegeFelix Metzler: Midfielder, UConnPatrick Murphy: Forward, Dartmouth CollegeAldo Quevedo: Forward, YaleAlex Valencia: Midfielder, University of New HampshireJahmali Waite: Goalkeeper. UConnMark Winhoffer: Midfielder, Yale

Bruce Arenaville (University of Virgina)

Daniel Steedman, ForwardColin Sutler, GoalkeeperIrakzoe Donasiyano, ForwardNathaniel Crofts, Forward

If you are looking for a full list of the eligible players click here.

Revolution Mindset For 2021 MLS Superdraft

The college game has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what the Revs do in it could be very different than in the past. The 24th overall pick is the latest pick the Revs have had in a draft since 2015 when they didn’t make a selection at all with their pick going to Sporting Kansas City for Teal Bunbury.

New England’s roster doesn’t have a lot of holes and getting a 24th overall pick to contribute minutes in 2021 feels unlikely. The Revolution could opt to go after a forward/winger type player and go the project route. The last time a club drafted a player 24th overall had found great success was when Toronto FC drafted Daniel Lovitz 24th overall in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. Lovitz played in 18 matches his rookie season and has since appeared in 146 MLS matches, 110 starts becoming a regular fixture in Montreal and now Nashville. Every player drafted 24th overall since Lovitz have failed to break into MLS.

So unless the Revolution are looking to trade up or trade out of the 24th pick the expectation is whoever they select will likely be a project. That is departure from recent top Revs picks who have logged minutes right off the bat but signals that the club has performed better during the regular season.
The post Revolution NotebooK: MLS SuperDraft Player Pool Includes Revs II Signees appeared first on Trifecta Sports.

It’s fair to say that the coronavirus had an immense impact on the sporting world in 2020, with leagues and events across every sport being cancelled, postponed or altered to some degree. And whilst we may have left 2020 behind, the virus continues to affect sports in numerous ways. For the fans, it has meant being far removed from the teams and players we love to watch for the foreseeable future. For the players, whose livelihoods depend on being able to play, it means far more. Andy Murray’s positive test earlier this week is a stark reminder of just how fragile the thread is by which sport is currently dangling, for athletes and fans alike.
Andy Murray Tests Positive for COVID-19
Murray declined to participate in the Delray Beach Open in America over concerns he might catch COVID. He is now isolating at home in Scotland when he should be on his way to Australia. Murray’s decision to miss the Delray Beach tournament isn’t the first we’ve seen of tennis players putting their health first. Rafael Nadal decided against defending his US Open title for the same reason and Ash Barty didn’t play at all last year once the pandemic began. The fact that Murray contracted the virus anyway is a cruel irony. However, it is also a strong reminder to the rest of the tennis world that the return of sport, even a sport that lends itself to social distancing as strongly as tennis does, is not guaranteed.
Murray’s camp remains hopeful that he will be able to fly out to Australia in time for the Grand Slam. Whether there is much point in doing so for a man who, by his own admission, is desperately in need of matches under his belt to regain his previous form remains to be seen. This looks like it may be the latest hurdle in what has been a prolonged attempt to return to the game Murray loves so dearly.
Since his triumph in Antwerp in 2019, Murray hasn’t been able to string together matches consistently. A bone spur shortly after his unlikely win in Belgium put him back on the physio’s table for the start of 2020. That lack of opportunities to play culminated in a disappointing first round loss at the US Open last September. The question is: will Murray be alone in having his plans to return to tennis derailed by COVID-19?
Madison Keys to Miss Australian Open After Positive Test
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long to confirm that he won’t be. Madison Keys tested positive this week as well and confirmed she would be missing the first Grand Slam of the year as a result. Murray is currently in talks with tournament organizer Craig Tiley over the possibility of his participation. Howevre, he could be the second name added to what may become a growing list of players unable to partake in the tournament. It is imperative, then, that the Australian Open organizers don’t slip up, with other sports and leagues around the world demonstrating just how easy it is for things to go wrong.
Clubs such as Aston Villa in England’s Premier League have suffered outbreaks of the virus and been forced to isolate players and postpone fixtures as a result. The same can be said of the NBA in America, Serie A in Italy, and numerous other leagues across a variety of sports around the world. However, these are team sports, with players available to fill in should a teammate be forced to miss a match. The same cannot be said of tennis. A similar outbreak in Australia would be far more damaging, both for the tournament and the WTA and ATP tours set to continue once it has finished.
Both the WTA and ATP tours have tournaments almost weekly, with the players participating in those tournaments a massive part of what attracts audiences too them. As it’s likely most of these tournaments won’t attract actual crowds, the pulling power of players will be more important than ever in getting fans to tune in and watch. It goes without saying, then, that neither tour can afford players missing tournaments on a regular basis as a result of COVID.
COVID-19 protocols and issues in tennis
The players can’t afford it either, with any money they may have made at a given tournament going instead to the person who takes their place. Australia, then, must get it right and set the tone for the year ahead. It can be done, as the USTA showed in New York in September of last year. It now rests with the organizers in Melbourne to take a feather from their cap and do the same.
The 2020 US open wasn’t without issues. Benoit Paire contracted the virus while in the “bubble” and, owing to his social nature, nearly ended the tournaments of four or five other French players such as Kristina Mladenovich as a result. However, they tested efficiently, enforced rules strictly, and were quick to act when the Paire issue came to light. It is vital that the Australian Open is run in a similar manner.
Whether Murray and Keys make an appearance in Melbourne remains to be seen. The tennis world surely hopes so. They hope with equal ferocity that no more players are added to the list of doubtful participants in the days and weeks leading up to the first Grand Slam of the year.
It is more likely than not that players will miss tournaments this year as a result of picking up the virus. However, the organizers of the Australian Open must show that is possible to host a tournament that protects the players participating in it. If they can do that, then there is hope that by and large the tours can continue as planned, and that the numerous story lines tennis fans were looking forward to watching unfold in 2021 are not hampered in the same manner as Murray’s and Keys’ might have just been. Only time will tell if that’s possible. The eyes of the tennis world will surely be fixed on Melbourne, no matter who’s playing, as the sport takes the first stab at running a COVID-safe Grand Slam in 2021.
The post Andy Murray Tests Positive: What it Means for Tennis appeared first on Last Word on Sports.

On Wednesday the National Soccer Hall of Fame revealed the list of candidates that are up for election in 2021. On the list of eligible players is former New England Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph. Joseph is among 41 players on the player ballot this year.

On the veteran ballot side of things former Revolution forward Steve Ralston is one of seven retired players that have moved from the player ballot to the veteran ballot.

Joseph, now 42-years-old, is working once again for the Revolution in their academy. During his playing career he appeared in 11 MLS seasons and was selected to the Best XI on four different occasions. In addition to New England he played for Chivas USA and the Seattle Sounders. He logged over 300 MLS matches, 283 starts.

There is another New England player that is still on the player list with Jamar Beasley being the other.

As for Ralston, he played in 14 MLS seasons between the now-defunct Tampa Bay and the Revolution. Ralston was a three-time MLS Best XI and appeared in 36 international matches for the United States. When he retired he was the all-time MLS leader in both appearances and assists logging 379 MLS regular-season appearances.

Ralston isn’t the only former Rev on the veteran ballot. Also on the list is defender Mike Burns, Leonel Alvarez, Julio Cantillo, Raul Diaz Arce, Eduardo Hurtado, Brian Kamler, Carlos Llamosa, Oscar Pareja, and Taylor Twellman.

The 2021 induction ceremony is slated for May 22nd.
The post Revolution Legend Shalrie Joseph Up For Hall of Fame appeared first on Trifecta Sports.

Anyone reading the tea leaves right now will come up with the assumption that Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) is nowhere close to a new agreement on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). On Tuesday MLS Commissioner Donald Garber held a call with the media stressing urgency of the negotiations and then on Wednesday the Head of the MLSPA, Bob Foose, held a media call of his own.

This back and forth started 11 days ago when MLS informed the players that they would invoke the force majeure clause in the CBA that they agreed to last June. When MLS informed the players about their intention, it started a 30-day clock in which the league can terminate the current CBA at its conclusion if it chooses to do so. If that window concludes and the league does not take any additional steps (terminate the CBA) the league will continue to operate under the existing CBA terms. In essence, there isn’t a lockout at the end of the 30-day window unless the league terminates the CBA.

On the call. Foose called the 30-day deadline “news to us” and saying that renegotiations are not required to be done in 30-days. The 30-day window as previously mentioned is the notice the league has to give about the possible use of the force majeure clause which would terminate the current CBA that the league agreed to last June.

As expected, MLSPA pushed back on the idea of extending the current CBA. While the league isn’t calling for any salary cuts in 2021 the extension of the CBA would impact players long-term. Foose noted that the CBA negotiations are about possible financial losses in 2021 and only the 2021 season. Beyond that, there are a lot of unknowns and neither side knows what will happen. This is why the players are pushing back on financial concessions for years down the road.

In terms of a response from the MLSPA, they are in the process of coming up with one in consultation with their player leadership. The MLSPA call with the media would not have happened on Wednesday if it hadn’t been for Garber’s call on Tuesday which caught the MLSPA by surprise. Foose stated that the media had the proposal prior to the MLSPA getting it.

2021 MLS Season Start Date Up In the air as mlspa claims lack of communication with mls

One of the major frustrations that Foose echoed was the lack of communication from MLS to the players in terms of when training camps will open.

“That has been an incredible source of frustration in an otherwise frustrating time,” said Foose on not having dates from the league on training camps opening. “We’ve been asking for that date since well before MLS Cup and have also asked just for a statement that [says], ‘We are not going to report prior to X,’ so we can at least give the players something to rely on to plan their offseason. … We’ve gotten nothing from the league.”

While the league has publicly talked about a mid-March start date for the 2021 MLS season the players association believes that will be incredibly difficult to accomplish. The reason for that is not only the current labor disagreement but the fact that no training camp schedule has been relayed to the players. According to a report by Jeffery Carlisle of ESPN, the league has been making contingency plans for a league start “as late as May”.

All of this comes after a 2020 year in which bad blood was already created after MLS took the MLSPA back to the negotiations table after agreeing to the framework of a CBA back in February.

Not the right foot to start 2021 on for Major League Soccer as a lock-out would be detrimental to the league and the divide between the league and it’s players continues to widen.
The post Revolution Notebook: MLS and MLSPA heading Towards Cliff appeared first on Trifecta Sports.

Every year since 1992, MLB and the MLBPA have held the Rookie Development Program geared towards the growth of younger players. This program’s objective is to help up-and-coming prospects avoid certain pitfalls that could derail their careers. One participant, a rookie by definition but at least five or six years the superior of some attendees, is New York Yankees prospect Brooks Kriske.
The right-handed pitcher is taking the opportunity to pick the brain of the established MLB players on hand, including Andrew Miller and Francisco Lindor. So far, he has taken in a lot from those conversations and has learned certain mental skills. Additionally, he enjoys getting a chance sharing some of his own experiences with other participants.
While the 26-year old has only pitched 3 2/3 MLB innings, he has plenty to discuss with his fellow rookies.
A Slow Start
Brooks Kriske signed as a senior out of the University of Southern California in 2016, getting a late start to his professional career. Soon after, he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery, costing him most of 2016 and all of 2017. He recovered and pitched well enough to make his MLB debut in 2020 despite never pitching above Double-A.
“I try to remind guys that it can happen fast and never take the game for granted,” Kriske said Tuesday on MLB Network’s Hot Stove. “I came back with a new love for the game after having it taken away from me for two years.”
Every player has their own time table with regards to their development. Kriske understands that, and he reiterates that lesson to some of those in attendance.
He feels that playing in a deep organization has been beneficial for his development. The competition created from playing in a loaded MiLB system has pushed him and kept him motivated to get better.
This perspective allows him focus more on his growth instead of harping on getting to MLB quickly.
“If you spin it the right way, then it can be something that helps you out,” Kriske said. “[Instead] you can just be sitting there saying, ‘Oh I should be in the big leagues.’”
Looking Forward
After overcoming what he has, Kriske knows there is more to his MLB career than a handful of innings. His numbers were not great in four appearances, posting a 14.37 ERA and 2.727 WHIP, but with eight strikeouts. That experience taught him to trust himself, rather than question his stuff. It is apparent that the Yankees trust him, too.
Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported Monday that the organization feels strongly about his riding fastball, which averaged 95 mph in 2020 and hit 98 mph at the Alternate Site. The pitch drew comparisons to Chad Green‘s with good spin and a rising effect to it.
“There was a reason why they have me there and it’s because they believe in me,” Kriske said. “I have the ability to get people out and I just gotta keep rolling with it.”
That ability has played out in MiLB for Kriske. He has a 1.97 ERA and 1.082 WHIP with 135 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings pitched. The next step is translating his stuff into results at the MLB level, and the Yankees will need him to do that in 2021 as they look for young pitchers to step up in the bullpen.
Brooks Kriske has overcome a lot in his short career. As the Yankees prospect gets the opportunity to share his story with other rookies and take notes from some of the best, he looks to make a difference for the Yankees in 2021.
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The post Yankees Prospect Brooks Kriske Discusses His Journey appeared first on Last Word on Sports.

If Santos and Boca Juniors sustain the current level of drama in the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, soccer fans will be in for a treat.

The former teams of Pele and Diego Maradona, respectively, will meet Wednesday at Estadio Urbano Caldeira in Santos, Brazil, in the second leg of their Copa Libertadores semifinal series. The teams played to a goalless draw last week in the first leg, and the second matchup is expected to be ultra-competitive.

Palmeiras beat Rive Plate on Tuesday night in the other Copa Libertadores second leg in a controversey- and entertainment-riddled game.

The Santos versus Boca Juniors winner will face Palmeiras on Jan. 30 in the Copa Libertadores final.

Here’s when and how to watch Santos-Boca Juniors.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 5:15 p.m. ETTV: beIN SPORTS USA | beIN SPORTS en EspañolLive Stream: FuboTV — free trial

More:
Soccer Excitement In Store For 2021; Tajon Buchanan’s Bright Future | NESN Soccer Podcast Ep. 104

The post Santos Vs. Boca Juniors Live Stream: Watch Copa Libertadores Semifinal Online appeared first on NESN.com.