Morning sports update: Tedy Bruschi thinks Stephon Gilmore ‘deserves a little bit more respect from the officials’
Bruschi added that Ty Law "used to get a bunch of calls like that."
The Lakers defeated the Heat 116-98 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. Anthony Davis led the way for Los Angeles with 34 points.
Elsewhere, the NFL postponed the Steelers-Titans matchup — already delayed due to positive COVID-19 tests from Tennessee players and staff — beyond Week 4 due to additional positive tests.
Tedy Bruschi on Stephon Gilmore: Former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi had some thoughts on Stephon Gilmore during a Wednesday interview with WEEI’s “Ordway, Merloni & Fauria.”
Speaking about the trio of defensive pass interference calls that Gilmore has already received, Bruschi thinks the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year should be given a little more leeway from officials.
“I think you have to look at it and realize what teams are thinking,” Bruschi explained. “I think what they see is they are not afraid to challenge him. What D.K. Metcalf did, what the penalties are showing. You can feel within the course of a game, or even watching it, that there’s a certain defensive player that gets benefits of the doubt — a tug here, a pass interference there — you get a call here and there.
“I think Stephon deserves a little bit more respect from the officials, in terms of being the reigning Defensive Player of the Year,” Bruschi added. “Sometimes you have a right to play aggressively, but [the refs] don’t see him in that light, I think.”
Bruschi, a former member of a championship Patriots defense, recalled that the team’s top cornerback in his era, Ty Law, “used to get a bunch of calls like that.”
Gilmore will have another test in the early part of the 2020 season, as the Patriots travel to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
Trivia: Tedy Bruschi is tied for the unofficial record for sacks (since colleges didn’t start officially tracking sacks until later) in an NCAA Division I career with what NFL Hall of Fame linebacker? Both players recorded 52 sacks in their college years.
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He set an NFL single game record for sacks by recording seven in a game in 1990.
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An MLS analyst believes Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner could be the national team starter
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How many Celtics can you spot?
How many former Celtics can you pick out from this star-studded group of spectators? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/PXNTsIjOQe
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 1, 2020
On this day: In 2000, the Patriots won their first game under Bill Belichick. It came in a 28-19 victory over the Broncos, with Drew Bledsoe throwing four touchdown passes. Of course, it came only after four consecutive losses to open the Belichick era, but things have improved over the years.
Daily highlight: In the 90th minute, Hartford Athletic forward Daniel Berrera just stuck his leg out, and ended up winning the game.
What a finish, what a win! With a goal like this, @Dannyfb90 is without a doubt the @Cigna Man of the Match!#CignaMOTM pic.twitter.com/TlnxBx218w
— Hartford Athletic (@hfdathletic) October 1, 2020
Trivia answer: Derrick Thomas
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