Morning sports update: Rob Gronkowski explained how he originally wanted to be drafted by the Cardinals
"I could tell they had no interest in me."
The Bruins defeated the Panthers 2-1 in overtime on Thursday night. Defenseman Torey Krug got the game-winner with less than a minute to go in OT.
.@ToreyKrug sending us home happy.
His winning blast in OT is tonight’s @JagermeisterUSA Shot of the Game!#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/CRyn8EDQQC
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 6, 2020
Tonight, the Celtics face the Jazz at TD Garden at 8 p.m.
Also tonight, the Boston Pride will learn who their playoff opponent will be for Sunday’s clash at Warrior Arena (2:30 p.m.) following a meeting between the Buffalo Beauts (playing at home) and the Connecticut Whale.
Tomorrow, the Revolution host the Chicago Fire at 1:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in the team’s 2020 home opener.
And later tomorrow, the Bruins host the Lightning at 7:30 p.m.
Rob Gronkowski on his initial dream destination on draft day in 2010: For nine seasons, Rob Gronkowski delighted Patriots fans with his dominance on the field and inimitable energy off of it. How different things might have gone had the Arizona Cardinals simply decided to fulfill Gronkowski’s draft day wish.
In a recent radio interview with Arizona Sports 98.7’s “Doug & Wolf,” Gronkowski recalled how the Cardinals missed a chance to take him at the end of the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Gronkowski, who played for the University of Arizona, was excited at the prospect of staying in the state for his NFL career.
“Here’s a story. I remember [the Cardinals] had I’m pretty sure it was the 26th pick in the NFL draft that year,” Gronkowski explained. “Arizona was on my list of top five teams I wanted to go to. I loved being in the state of Arizona. They were literally what, Tucson to Phoenix is an hour and 45 minutes to play for the Cardinals. And they had the 26th pick — I’m pretty sure it was the 26th pick — and I was praying that they would take me because I wanted to go there.”
“I felt like they needed a tight end, and they brought me in for a little visit,” Gronkowski continued. “I was praying they would take me with the 26th pick and they never took me.”
Despite bringing in the talented tight end for a visit, Gronkowski thinks that the local team had no actual intention of selecting him.
“I could tell they had no interest in me,” said Gronkowski. “Even when I took the visit, though, I was just hoping with that 26th pick that they would take me but I could tell the people that brought me in they were just bringing me in to bring me in. They gave no cares about me.”
Arizona instead opted for defensive tackle Dan Williams from Tennessee, who played with the Cardinals for five seasons. The Patriots took defensive back Devin McCourty, who has been with the team ever since, with the 27th pick.
They then picked Gronkowski with the 42nd overall selection during the second round of the draft. He would go on to have a memorable career in New England, scoring 80 touchdowns and catching 521 passes. Gronkowski retired following the Super Bowl LII victory a year ago.
As for the future of his former teammate Tom Brady, Gronkowski had a wildcard response.
“Oh man, I think the XFL,” Gronkowski joked. “He’s going to surprise us all.”
Trivia: Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak helped Slovakia reach its best ever Olympic finish at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal in the third place game to Finland.
Slovakia even defeated Russia during group play in a shootout after the game finished 1-1. Which Slovakian scored in that game during regulation time?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He reached three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals playing for three different teams between 2008-2010.
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- 5 things to know about Collin McHugh, who just signed with the Red Sox
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- MLB reminding teams about sticky substance rules
- Tokyo organizers downsize arrival ceremony for Olympic torch
- Why the Bruins’ ‘B game’ was good enough to defeat the Panthers in OT
- What David Ortiz, Ty Law, and Drew Brees said about Tom Brady’s free agency
- NESN’s ratings for Bruins games up 49 percent from last season
- Julian Edelman is reportedly studying for his bar mitzvah in Los Angeles this offseason
Bruce Arena is being patient with Carles Gil returning from injury
:
https://twitter.com/NBCSRevs/status/1235650110111002624
Another fine for Marcus Smart:
UFC President Dana White provided his account of Robert Kraft’s take on Tom Brady and free agency:
UFC President @danawhite says he spoke with Robert Kraft today. Kraft told Dana he wants Tom Brady back with the #Patriots “so bad”@GlennDOrdway @LouMerloni @christianfauria pic.twitter.com/4KTPC3s6si
— Jones & Mego with Arcand (@JonesandMego) March 5, 2020
On this day: In 2000, the Bruins traded longtime defenseman Ray Bourque to the Colorado Avalanche in an effort to try and give the veteran a chance at winning the Stanley Cup.
Having made his Bruins debut 21 years before in 1979 at the age of 19, Bourque played 1,518 games for the Bruins. He was a 19-time All-Star, winning the Norris Trophy five times.
Yet despite numerous playoff runs (and two Stanley Cup Finals appearances), Bourque had never tasted victory from the cup itself.
Along with fellow future Hall of Famer Dave Andreychuk, Bourque went to Colorado in exchange for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson, and the Devils’ first-round pick in the 2000 draft (with which the Bruins selected Martin Samuelsson).
Bourque’s dream would not come true that season, as the Avalanche fell to the Stars in a desperately close Conference Finals that Colorado lost in Game 7.
But the following year, with a 40-year-old Bourque persevering for one last chance, Colorado reached the mountaintop. Rallying from a 3-2 series deficit against the Devils, the Avalanche won 3-1 in Game 7. Bourque, at long last, got to lift the cup:
Daily highlight: U.S. forward Christen Press bent her shot around England goalkeeper Carly Telford to give the World Cup champions the lead in the opening game of the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. went on to win 2-0.
CHRISTEN PRESS WITH AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTY 😤#SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/Dut3txudo3
— espnW (@espnW) March 6, 2020
Trivia answer: Marián Hossa
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