Morning sports update: Matthew Slater reflected on his time at UCLA as Patriots continue stay in Los Angeles
"This place means so much to me for so many reasons."
The Patriots continue to prepare for a Thursday night (8:20 p.m.) matchup with the Rams, staying at UCLA this week following the Sunday win over the Chargers.
Elsewhere, the Revolution announced end-of-season roster moves. Diego Fagundez, the club’s inaugural academy graduate to make it into the first team, is out of contract and looks set to leave.
Matthew Slater is back at a foundational home: Patriots special teams leader Matthew Slater — one of the team’s core players for more than a decade — is enjoying his current stay on the UCLA campus, where he attended college prior to his NFL career.
New England is currently getting ready for its second game against a Los Angeles team in five days, practicing at Slater’s alma mater. The area has quite a bit of history for the 35-year-old, as his father (Jackie Slater, an NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman) spent almost his entire career playing for an earlier iteration of the Los Angeles Rams.
Yet for Slater, returning to UCLA evokes memories of a formative time in his life.
“Yeah, those guys have been giving me a hard time all week,” Slater explained in a Tuesday press conference. “It’s been great to be back here. This place means so much to me for so many reasons. I truly believe some of my most important, formative years happened at this university. And when I say that, I mean well beyond what happened on the football field. I came in here a 17-year old-kid and I left with a better idea of who I was as a man, and what I wanted to stand for and represent.”
Slater established himself in 2007 as a rare special teams talent, returning three kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior before being drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Patriots.
Trivia: Matthew Slater has one career catch in the regular season, a 46-yard reception against the Dolphins in 2011. The drive culminated in a four-yard rushing touchdown for New England in a 38-24 win. What Patriots running back scored on that drive?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was an undrafted free agent from Ole Miss in 2008.
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Some soundbites from the Patriots’ win on Sunday
:
“We know who we are now.”
Sights & sounds from Sunday in LA. pic.twitter.com/i9LScndgTm
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 9, 2020
The roller coaster night for Dez Bryant: Former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who signed with the Ravens earlier this season after not playing in an NFL game since 2017, announced shortly before kickoff against his old team that he had tested positive for COVID-19:
Tell me why they pull me from warming up so I can go get tested… my shit come back positive… I tested positive for Covid WTF
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
Bryant’s initial reaction was despair, and he announced in a following tweet that he intended to stop playing for the rest of the season.
Luckily, Bryant took some time to think things over as he watched the game while enjoying some wine.
I’m about to drink some wine and cope….
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
After sharing photos of fans also drinking wine, Bryant reassured his Twitter audience that he was not actually planning to end his season and would be coming back.
Yea I’m coming back… I’m being smart https://t.co/9RjQcahTJs
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 9, 2020
And following the Ravens’ win, Lamar Jackson discussed how Bryant’s difficult night missing the game motivated his teammates, which he appreciated.
“We got to win that game for him because we knew how much it meant to him.”@Lj_era8 on @DezBryant. pic.twitter.com/rMYZG6m2Ba
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 9, 2020
On this day: In 1988, Danny Ainge dropped 45 points on the 76ers in a 121-107 Celtics win.
Ainge, despite “expert” opinions, insisted he was fully conscious during the performance, and that it was “a game I’ll never forget.”
Daily highlight: American midfielder Weston McKennie scored for Juventus against Barcelona in a 3-0 Champions League win on Tuesday.
WESTON MCKENNIE!
The goal, the celebration 😍 pic.twitter.com/ycOTpt8Ym0
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) December 8, 2020
Trivia answer: BenJarvus Green-Ellis
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