UPDATE: Aaron Hernandez All discussion about past and present merge)

[Carlos Danger]

The pats are screwed man they will really need Brady on top of his game now more than ever. they now have a slight chance to go 8-8.

I hate the Pats as much as anybody, but I'll eat my hat if they go 8-8 or worse.

 

I've never seen them have such an awful offseason, though. From losing Welker and the bad draft, to Gronk being hurt, signing Tebow and losing Hernandez, I'd be relishing in it if the AH thing wasn't so heavy and sad, but they still have Brady and Brady is the only reason we know any of the other guys names.

 

Pats will win that division.. the only thing that their awful offseason puts in jeopardy is a 1st round bye, IMO.

[deedub75]

I guess we just disagree on this one. They replaced Welker with an injury prone down grade ... Imo anyway.What Gronk has proved so far is that he can't stay on the filed , great when he's in there but has been injury prone since college. I don't have a real reason to believe he can be counted on. The Wr position is crazy bad. Heck the only one I can think of is the second round rookie from Marshall. To just look at this receiving pile of poop and say "they'll be fine " is where we agree to disagree. But they are the pats and they do have TB...

 

As far as Gronk, I don't see how anyone plays any sport with a disc problem.  I have a bad disc in my lower back and it has all but stopped me from running and doing squats.  I haven't had any kind of back surgery but from what my doctors have told me, the success rate of those back surgeries is really low.  He may be ready for the beginning of the regular season but he will be out of football shape and probably more prone to injury.  That wrist will also never be 100% again.  He has to play with a metal plate holding his bones together and another fall could break it again. 

 

People say that Brady is so good that he can play with a bunch of no names and still be great.  I remember in Manning's last season with the Colts, virtually all of his receivers, except Reggie, went down.  The team struggled and barely made it to the playoffs and was bounced in the first round. 

[deedub75]

I hate the Pats as much as anybody, but I'll eat my hat if they go 8-8 or worse.

 

I've never seen them have such an awful offseason, though. From losing Welker and the bad draft, to Gronk being hurt, signing Tebow and losing Hernandez, I'd be relishing in it if the AH thing wasn't so heavy and sad, but they still have Brady and Brady is the only reason we know any of the other guys names.

 

Pats will win that division.. the only thing that their awful offseason puts in jeopardy is a 1st round bye, IMO.

 

Well they didn't have to let Welker walk, they didn't have to sign Tebow, and the draft was their own doing.  They're offense won't be as high-powered this season as it has been in the past and unless their defense suddenly becomes a top 10 defense, they are in trouble. 

[jvan1973]

This is not a northeast thing. Powerful people who have built a sports dynasty have connections. It has always been this way and always will. I can't begin to tell you the mecca that is now Foxborough. Not sure if that town was even on the map in MA until Kraft came and set up Patriot Place and built one of the best stadiums in the NFL. He is a very, very powerful man.

so its ok for him and his associates to break the law is what you're saying.

[schwamm]

Good post Go Pats I was hoping someone would post such a post.

I think it's great when posters take time to post a post appreciating posts that other posters post...

[Superman]

so its ok for him and his associates to break the law is what you're saying.

 

How did they break the law?

[AntonMcG]

This is not a northeast thing. Powerful people who have built a sports dynasty have connections. It has always been this way and always will. I can't begin to tell you the mecca that is now Foxborough. Not sure if that town was even on the map in MA until Kraft came and set up Patriot Place and built one of the best stadiums in the NFL. He is a very, very powerful man.

 

Not as powerful as Vladimir Putin.

[schwamm]

How did they break the law?

I was just typing the same Q...

[jvan1973]

How did they break the law?

if inside information, including evidence and the like have been leaked before the man being charged with the crime has even been notified, a crime was committed.

[schwamm]

if inside information, including evidence and the like have been leaked before the man being charged with the crime has even been notified, a crime was committed.

They didn't have to leak anything. All they had to do was suggest that the evidence is sufficient, and that charges were going to be filed.

[John Dee]

So apparently the law knows who AH was with that night.    And the two witnessed what went down.    We have heard nothing about them yet, they are likely singing like a bird to save their rear ends.

 

Hernandez is cooked....

[jvan1973]

They didn't have to leak anything. All they had to do was suggest that the evidence is sufficient, and that charges were going to be filed.

discussing the case with anyone except the defendant or his attorney is illegal. Whether it is law enforcement or the DA's office, (except those two parties discussing it amongst themselves)

[Yehoodi]

Ray Lewis was never charged with murder. Big difference there.

 

They gathered enough evidence to charge Hernandez in only eight days. That's pretty quick as far as homicide investigations go. There is obviously very strong evidence against him. Of course that all has to play out in court.

But, to the point of the Patriots cutting him... is there any question - at all, at this point - that he was involved somehow? I'm not sure even the most homery homer would defend him at this stage. 

 

I, personally, would rather root for a bunch of scrap-heap free agents than a Pro Bowl player who is involved in this type of thing, or who consorts with people who would be involved. They killed a guy, for crying out loud. Football is meaningless by comparison.

 

 

Correction, Ray Lewis was charged with murder . . . and the suit that he had on that evening somehow disappeared . . . the murder charges were later dropped in exchange for him turning on his two co-defendents and giving testimony to help convict them . . . later he settled civil suits with the families of the victims . . .  

 

So at this stage of the process, Lewis was charged with murder (just like Hernandez) and ditched his suit (just like Hernandez damaging his property). . . not a big a difference as you may think . . . just saying . . .

[schwamm]

discussing the case with anyone except the defendant or his attorney is illegal. Whether it is law enforcement or the DA's office, (except those two parties discussing it amongst themselves)

So how does the media have as much info about the case as they've reported?

[jvan1973]

So how does the media have as much info about the case as they've reported?

the exact same way. It happens everyday in every city in the country. Its nearly impossible to prove, but illegal none the less

[Thewholefnshow28]

[dw49]

I'm not saying they have a great receiving corps. I'm just saying I think they'll make due with whatever they have, and they'll still win a bunch of games.

 

 

 

 

I didn't mean to imply that you did. I just feel they will have more of a problem doing the above (what you say) when the two best receivers are both injury prone and one is already doubtful for the opener.

[dw49]

Well maybe TB will now be playing TE position.

 

 

Ya mean Tebow ? 

[ColtsBlueFL]

All of Hernandez jerseys removed from Patriots Pro Shops.

 

No bail as he is considered a flight risk.  Murder in 1st alone in MA could get life without parole.  Nevermind the 5 firearms charges piggybacked onto the murder 1 charge.

[dw49]

As far as Gronk, I don't see how anyone plays any sport with a disc problem.  I have a bad disc in my lower back and it has all but stopped me from running and doing squats.  I haven't had any kind of back surgery but from what my doctors have told me, the success rate of those back surgeries is really low.  He may be ready for the beginning of the regular season but he will be out of football shape and probably more prone to injury.  That wrist will also never be 100% again.  He has to play with a metal plate holding his bones together and another fall could break it again. 

 

People say that Brady is so good that he can play with a bunch of no names and still be great.  I remember in Manning's last season with the Colts, virtually all of his receivers, except Reggie, went down.  The team struggled and barely made it to the playoffs and was bounced in the first round. 

 

 

Gronk has always been injury prone and you are right about back problems... they're brutal. Hey... but I'm not trying to play doctor .. I have no idea how serious his issues are. I just happen to agree with you that without good receivers , an offense is in real trouble.... any offense. Plus D.A. has had trouble staying on the field. Now you are getting down to a 2nd round rookie out of Marshall and some Jones guy. 

 

But heck.. It's Tom Brady and BB .

[southwest1]

???

 

Who said anything about an income bracket? Haslem and Hernandez could make the exact same amount of money. The difference lies in their roles and respective contracts/partnership agreements with the league. Hernandez is an employee. Haslem is a partner. They are not beholden to the same rules, they aren't even playing the same game. Haslem can test positive for Adderall and won't be suspended for violating the substance abuse policy because he's not beholden to the substance abuse policy. He can't have his contract terminated under the terms of the CBA because he's not employed under the terms of the CBA.

 

It's a completely different thing. It's like you saying that a military official can be discharged for DUI, but a member of congress can't be removed from his seat. They both work for the government, but one is beholden to certain terms of employment that the other isn't. 

 

If Haslem is guilty of breaking the law, then the NFL and it's respective ownership partners will have legal recourse to get rid of him. They need that legal right to do so. Teams don't need legal recourse to get rid of players, whether they are guilty of breaking the law or not. Teams can get rid of players for whatever reason they choose, so long as it's not discriminatory. 

You seem to be arguing contract semantics, which is fine Superman. I am arguing that law breaking is law breaking whether it is perpetrated by a player or an owner. Blue collar crime or what collar crime. Apply the law equally. I don't care about contract loopholes. That means nothing to me. Justice isn't economically equal I will admit based on a person's ability to pay for the best reputation a person's money can buy, but justice is supposed to be applied fairly across the board. 

 

Why bring up military DUI vs a Congressional DUI charge? And you claim I'm all over the map...Yes, different legal interpretations exist among civil & military courts so what? Did I ever claim that the owner vs player thresh hold was ever the same? No, I did not. 

[Superman]

You seem to be arguing contract semantics, which is fine Superman. I am arguing that law breaking is law breaking whether it is perpetrated by a player or an owner. Blue collar crime or what collar crime. Apply the law equally. I don't care about contract loopholes. That means nothing to me. Justice isn't economically equal I will admit based on a person's ability to pay for the best reputation a person's money can buy, but justice is supposed to be applied fairly across the board. 

 

I don't see what justice has to do with the Patriots releasing Aaron Hernandez. The justice system is responsible for seeing to justice, not the Patriots.

 

Same thing for the NFL and Jimmy Haslem. Let the courts work out the justice.

[oldunclemark]

Does anybody think the other two hoodlums that Aaron H. called to help him do the deed...turned state's evidence on him.

 

I say that because I wonder how the lead prosecutor knew step by step how the murder was committed...

 

...exactly which shots were fired where....he cpuldnt have made that up...

 

That suggests to me that the two 'other guys' didnt want to take the rap when they didnt pull the trigger..

 

..and they laid out every detail for the fuzz... 

 

If that's true, the state has 2 eye witnesses...and Hernandez needs to claim he was high and cut a deal...or he'll get life without parole...

[oldunclemark]

So apparently the law knows who AH was with that night.    And the two witnessed what went down.    We have heard nothing about them yet, they are likely singing like a bird to save their rear ends.

 

Hernandez is cooked....

Exactly John..I wrote the above post before I saw what you wrote.

 

You took the words right out of my mouth...

[amfootball]

A guy here on sports radio was saying that all we heard the past two weeks was how Hernandez needed to get rid of the bad influences in his life and stop hanging around with shady characters. Perhaps we need to evalulate and come to the conclusion that Hernandez is the bad influence and the shady guy that his two friends should have stayed away from.

[amfootball]

You seem to be arguing contract semantics, which is fine Superman. I am arguing that law breaking is law breaking whether it is perpetrated by a player or an owner. Blue collar crime or what collar crime. Apply the law equally. I don't care about contract loopholes. That means nothing to me. Justice isn't economically equal I will admit based on a person's ability to pay for the best reputation a person's money can buy, but justice is supposed to be applied fairly across the board. 

 

Why bring up military DUI vs a Congressional DUI charge? And you claim I'm all over the map...Yes, different legal interpretations exist among civil & military courts so what? Did I ever claim that the owner vs player thresh hold was ever the same? No, I did not. 

Love your passion SW1 but I lost you on this one. Are you saying that Goodell should punish the Pats for releasing AH?

[Susie Q]

Ya mean Tebow ? 

Sure did.

[Susie Q]

I think it's great when posters take time to post a post appreciating posts that other posters post...

I like to give credit when I feel it's deserved. 

[Gramz]

A guy here on sports radio was saying that all we heard the past two weeks was how Hernandez needed to get rid of the bad influences in his life and stop hanging around with shady characters. Perhaps we need to evalulate and come to the conclusion that Hernandez is the bad influence and the shady guy that his two friends should have stayed away from.

This is what I have been wondering all along.    

[Gramz]

  

 

[Qwiz]

Not as flashy, but I'd rather get the gray than the black and white personally

[Gramz]

Not as flashy, but I'd rather get the gray than the black and white personally

 I had to "google"   Derrick Rose  to see who you were talking about  

[Qwiz]

 I had to "google"   Derrick Rose  to see who you were talking about   !

Yeah, I don't think he played at all this season, but come on G! He's still one of the most popular players in the nation!

[John Dee]

Exactly, NE is not tied to any "code" that demands they employ someone who is "knee" deep in trouble.     However the NFL does have code of conduct policy that states...   "don't screw up, you need us more than we need YOU"....

 

 

 

I don't see what justice has to do with the Patriots releasing Aaron Hernandez. The justice system is responsible for seeing to justice, not the Patriots.

 

Same thing for the NFL and Jimmy Haslem. Let the courts work out the justice.

[John Dee]

Ya mean Tebow ? 

This is a prime opportunity for Tebow to become the darling of NE...       play TE/HB and do well and it will be All Tim T all day and night on ESPN again.   

 

I must say this time I would love to see it...   kinda.

 

Well maybe not ... 

[ConBro]

I stopped soon as I heard Chris Berman

Didn't make it too far then

[krunk]

Hernandez makes Pac Man Jones look like a saint! What in the world was this dude thinking? Talk about the ultimate tale of severe stupidity.

[krunk]

The more I hear about this thing, the more i feel like he absolutely killed that young man. I mean what a waste of an opportunity.

[Gramz]

The more I hear about this thing, the more i feel like he absolutely killed that young man. I mean what a waste of an opportunity.

It is Mind Boggling     isn't it...??

[Warhorse]

The more I hear about this thing, the more i feel like he absolutely killed that young man. I mean what a waste of another mans life.

*edited it*