Related(?):
Vladimir Putin denies taking Super Bowl ring
"Russian media is having some fun with the story, treating it as a somewhat less serious matter than, say, US military aid to Syrian rebels."
"It’s tactful of Kraft to reiterate the official story."
Official stories are always lies!
Looks like he has moved along (in more ways than one after the death of his wife), too. That's why I'm believing in curses.
"We ran into Patriots owner Robert Kraft heading to his seats. “This is a catalyst for what we hope our season will be like,” he said, barely audible above the crowd. Perhaps trying to establish his Bruins bona fides, Kraft said he used to go to the old Garden and admire Phil Esposito’s work in front of the net. “I hate to tell you how long I’ve been going to games,” he said."
Related: Bruins beaten up by Blackhawks
An omen?
"Police search home of Patriots’ Aaron Hernandez; Follows discovery of body in town" by Travis Andersen and Jaclyn Reiss | Globe Staff | Globe Correspondent, June 19, 2013
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH — State and local police descended on the upscale home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday night, one day after a body was found in an industrial yard in town.
North Attleborough police stood guard on either side of Hernandez’s home as troopers passed in and out of the residence and a crowd of onlookers and media milled outside.
Sports Illustrated’s website, citing unnamed sources, reported Tuesday that Hernandez was not believed to be a suspect in the person’s death. But State Police had spoken with him in connection with an investigation into the discovery of the body on Monday night, according to the report.
The Sports Illustrated report also said troopers wanted to search Hernandez’s home and that a rental car linked to the football player is tied to the death.
A State Police spokesman could not confirm Tuesday that troopers had questioned Hernandez.
Shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, two men got into a white, four-door sedan parked in Hernandez’s driveway and tried to drive out, but they were prevented from leaving by state troopers. The men exited the white sedan and spoke briefly with authorities before getting into separate cruisers that drove off. Troopers later searched the sedan in the driveway.
Also at the scene, troopers escorted a young woman into Hernandez’s sprawling home on Ronald C. Meyer Drive at about 7:35 p.m., and additional State Police personnel were visible inside the three-story, gray house adorned with columns at the front entrance.
State Police could also be seen taking pictures inside, and a man who resembled Hernandez peered out the glass panes of the front door just before 9 p.m. One trooper who left the house just after 9:30 was carrying a box.
Bristol District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter’s office released no new details on Tuesday of the death investigation, and a spokeswoman would not say whether officials suspected foul play or confirm media reports that the deceased was a 27-year-old Boston man.
Sutter’s office said previously that the body was found in an industrial park at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
The district attorney did not identify the precise location of the park, but Erik Dahl, a neighbor, said that he saw police at an industrial yard about a quarter-mile from Ronald C. Meyer Drive when he was driving home at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
“There were cops with metal detectors on both sides of the road — it’s a main road, everybody uses it,” Dahl said.
He described the area as quiet and family friendly. During Halloween, he said, many children flock to the neighborhood and try to figure out which houses belong to the Patriots players that live in the area.
Hernandez, 23, was the Patriots’ fourth-round pick in 2010 and is currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery. He has become one of the team’s top offensive stars, catching 18 touchdown passes in three seasons.
The Patriots, Hernandez’s agent, the Bristol district attorney’s office, and local police all declined to comment Tuesday on Hernandez and the investigation.
“I am aware of the reports, but I do not anticipate that we will be commenting publicly during an ongoing police investigation,” said team spokesman Stacey James in a statement.
Hernandez has had prior off-field issues during his playing career.
NFL team sources told the Globe in 2010 that Hernandez, who played at Florida, slipped to the fourth round in the draft because of multiple failed drug tests for marijuana as a collegian.
He told teams at the NFL Scouting Combine that his drug use stemmed from the 2006 death of his father, Dennis, who died of complications following hernia surgery while Hernandez was a junior at Bristol (Conn.) Central High.
“Depending on who you talk to, some people thought he was a late first- or early second-round prospect. Eventually, the risk was overcome by the value,” one pro scout told the Globe at the time.
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"Hernandez embroiled in murder probe" by Mark Arsenault, Wesley Lowery and Brian Ballou | Globe Staff, June 20, 2013
The Dorchester family of Odin Lloyd, an acquaintance of New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez, pleaded for justice Wednesday for the 27-year-old found slain Monday in an industrial park near Hernandez’s home in North Attleborough.
Lloyd’s violent death, ruled a homicide Wednesday after an autopsy, has brought police to Hernandez’s door, inside his house, and embroiled the Patriots tight end in an unfolding murder investigation....
Uh-oh.
Meanwhile, in a federal lawsuit filed last week in Florida, Hernandez is accused of shooting a man in February after an argument at a Miami strip club....
Modern day gladiators.
The lawsuit in Florida, first reported Wednesday by the website TMZ, was filed last week....
--more--"
UPDATE:
"New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s house here was staked out by the media today and a car that left the house was shadowed by news helicopters to the Patriots’ home stadium, Gillette Stadium, and then to Boston. Hernandez has become embroiled in an unfolding murder investigation."
And with Gronk sidelined because of nagging injuries (that career is over. We are talking football here), and all of the receivers from last year's squad gone it looks like Tom Terrific may have trouble throwing the ball this year.
I know how to get rid of curses. You bring in a holy man:
"Patriots capitalizing on Tebow marketability" by Callum Borchers | Globe Staff, June 11, 2013
Before Tim Tebow even had a number on the New England Patriots roster, his jersey was selling online at the team’s pro shop for $99.95.
One day after signing the former Heisman Trophy winner as a third-string quarterback, the Pats wasted no time capitalizing on one of the NFL’s most marketable players. They offered fans a chance to preorder Tebow’s replica jersey, which the team said would be shipped whenever he was assigned a number.
No recession at the ballpark, 'eh? Enjoy the $8 beer.
Tebow got number 5 late Tuesday morning. The Patriots declined to say how many jerseys they sold on the first day.
Lest there be any doubt that a benchwarmer can jam checkout lines, consider this: Tebow ranked fifth in the league in jersey sales as a Denver Broncos rookie in 2010 and second in 2011 — ahead of Tom Brady both seasons — despite starting less than half of his team’s games during that span. Last year with the New York Jets, Tebow never started and threw only eight passes all season, but still had the 13th best-selling jersey in the NFL....
Tebow’s rise began at the University of Florida, where he played on two national championship teams and became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, given to the nation’s best collegiate player. Born in the Philippines to missionary parents, he captured fans’ interest with his uncommon biography and record-breaking exploits on the field.
A better role model than Hernandez, but what about jersey $ales?
But Tebow has engendered some resentment since he was drafted in the first round in 2010. He became an increasingly polarizing figure during his second season in Denver, when he took over a 1-4 team and led the Broncos to a surprising division title and a first-round playoff win — while frequently kneeling in prayer on the field in a move that became known as “Tebowing.”
Tebow’s statistics were often unimpressive, even in victories, and the Broncos traded him before last season to New York, where he saw little action.
Despite Tebow’s limited professional accomplishments, his reputation as a strong leader, hard worker, and outspoken Christian has made him one of the country’s best-known athletes....
Popular as he is, Tebow has often been targeted for ridicule by those who root for the Patriots. Tebow’s Broncos played the Pats twice in 2011, including a playoff matchup at Gillette Stadium that New England won in a blowout, 45-10.
Last season, Tebow’s inability to carve out a meaningful role with the Jets offered one more reason for Patriots fans to mock their team’s most hated rival.
Signing with the hometown team isn’t enough for Tebow to win over some Pats fans.
“I wouldn’t buy a [Tebow] jersey,” said Kevin Cohee Jr., 17, of Chestnut Hill, who was shopping at Niketown in Boston on Tuesday. “I hope he’s not too big a distraction because he draws lots of media attention. Instead of being focused on the team and the players getting better, they’ll be focused on all the attention that surrounds him.”
Others appear ready to embrace Tebow — and wear his name on their backs.
“I’ll definitely get a jersey,” said John Bardford, 58, of Worcester. “I know he’s a good player, and he thanks God for every successful touchdown he makes, so I think he sets a good example for people. Wearing his shirt would support him and what he stands for.”
--more--"
Related: Tim Tebow, Bill Belichick dined in North End
"Strategy is crucial for selling NFL gear; Marketers work to keep fans happy — and spending" by Callum Borchers | Globe Staff, June 18, 2013
With sports enthusiasts spending $12 billion each year to wear their team pride on their sleeves (and on their hats, jackets, and pants), the imperative to satisfy their tastes demands a level of research and planning once confined to the fashion industry....
Josh Feinstein, the NFL’s director of consumer products....
Jessica Gelman, the Patriot’s vice president of customer marketing and strategy....
Marty Brochstein, senior vice president for industry relations and information at the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association....
Dan Cohen, a spokesman for ’47 Brand....
That was fourth down and I punted.
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That's one heck of a cur$e, 'eh?
Also see: This Post Was a Challenge
Not only is our nation's capital captive to Israeli interests, so is the state.
I must admit, my friends and many others are very well-informed about sports.
Forgery or not, it sure is hewing close to what has happened the last 100 years.
