Morning sports update: Tedy Bruschi shared a personal story about Dante Scarnecchia’s coaching style
"Football can be a simple game sometimes. The best coaches know how to teach it that way."
The Celtics defeated the Heat on Tuesday night in Miami, 109-101. Gordon Hayward led the team with 29 points.
Boston will face the Warriors at TD Garden on Thursday night at 8 p.m.
Tedy Bruschi’s story about Dante Scarnecchia: After the announcement that longtime Patriots assistant coach Dante Scnarnecchia was retiring, players began to weigh in on the impact that the 71-year-old had in his many years with New England.
Among those to share personal anecdotes was former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who posted his story on Instagram. It took readers back to Bruschi’s rookie season when he was simply trying to contribute on special teams.
“I was a rookie. Scar was the assistant [linebackers] coach,” Bruschi began. “I didn’t play much LB that year. Mainly special teams. One day in practice Larry Whigham ran my ass over! I was the wing on the punt team and Whig was a rusher. He crushed me. I couldn’t figure out how to protect. Scar pulled me aside in the training room and used two rolls of athletic tape to show me how to protect from the inside out then deliver a blow.
“‘This is the rusher, this is you,'” Bruschi recalled Scarnecchia explaining. “It was so simple, yet I didn’t truly get it until Scar showed me on that training table with those two rolls of tape. From that point on things started to click. Football can be a simple game sometimes. The best coaches know how to teach it that way. Thanks, Scar!”
Scarnecchia was with the Patriots in three separate periods over several decades. First, he was the special teams and tight ends coach from 1982-1988, then in several roles from 1991-2013, and finally as the offensive line coach from 2016-2020.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7411tDl6JF/?igshid=1wpqgj1e6pp7e
Trivia: What Celtic had the highest career true shooting percentage in team history?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was traded to the Clippers as part of the deal for Bill Walton.
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Tom Brady left a comment on the Patriots’ announcement of Dante Scarnecchia’s retirement
: “Couldn’t have been a greater man or coach!” wrote Brady. “What a privilege to play and work with Dante for two decades. The definition of the Patriot Way – consistent and dependable EVERY DAY!!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B74YuUAFSko/
Bill Belichick and Nick Saban talking about Kobe Bryant:
Kobe’s wisdom not only transcended basketball, he also enlightened two of the greatest minds in sports. @Patriots | @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/EaJtSaH7xP
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 28, 2020
The debate over Tom Brady’s legacy if he leaves the Patriots:
On this day: In 1985, Larry Bird scored his second buzzer-beater in three days for the Celtics in a 131-130 win over the Pistons. Hitting a runner from the left baseline, Bird completed the rare feat of back-t0-back game-winners. Two days prior, the 28-year-old had scored 48 in a 128-127 win over the Trail Blazers that also ended with a buzzer-beater.
“It was difficult to suppress an eerie feeling of deja vu as another crushed coach crumpled to the floor while Bird was again mobbed by his teammates,” wrote Boston Globe reporter Dan Shaughnessy.
Daily highlight: A buzzer-beater in Arizona, scored by a No. 24.
#24 buzzer beater 🙏🏼🏀 🐐 @ChandlerUnified @SportsCenter @Bashabasketball @BashaAthletics @bashabearnation pic.twitter.com/OXvDUcRKXg
— Basha AMS (@Basha_AMS) January 29, 2020
From a student’s perspective:
In a No. 24 jersey with the whole crowd chanting Kobe, he hit a game-winner for his idol.
(via @Brayden28__) pic.twitter.com/gnGFMNkvfS
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 29, 2020
Trivia answer: Cedric Maxwell
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