New England Patriots: Two Point Conversion
By Hal Bent
June 20 2013; Boston, MA, USA; (Editors note: caption correction) Michael Fee (center) attorney for New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (not pictured) walks out of his office in the Prudential Building in downtown Boston. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Point One:
New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s Lawyer, Michael Fee, released a statement on Monday night, decrying the “repeated publication of a supposedly confirmed report that an arrest warrant had been issued”. In addition, he noted that his client “has been the subject of a relentless flood of rumors, misinformation, and false reports in the media”. He thanked the Bristol County D.A. and confirmed that they were not the “official search”.
This is an interesting development. By stating the D.A. is not the official source spreading the misinformation, it could be the first positive sign for Hernandez in that if no arrest warrant is forthcoming, he could be cooperating with authorities rather than at odds with them, as speculation has been. In addition, if these “confirmed” reports are actually false, then what else is true or not true?
The whole situation stinks, and all the legal statements in the world won’t change that, and Hernandez still has a lot to answer about what actually happened that night because no one need lose sight that there was a homicide, and that man’s family deserves justice be served.
Also, thanks to the Boston Globe’s fantastic political reporter Wesley Lowery, who was the first one to have the statement reported and posted (at least on my twitter feed).
Point Two:
Jun 12, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gestures to a receiver during minicamp at the practice fields of Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots offense has been under fire from the national pundits hoping and praying for them to crash and burn predicting a downturn in their record-level production. MusketFire’s Cyrus Geller addressed the issue (if you missed it, you can read it here) of the media already declaring the Patriots offense dead. What the issue is with the Patriots is that the offense, which the media has repeatedly called for changes (big receivers for the red zone, youth and athleticism, options beyond the short pass to Welker, a deep threat, threats outside the numbers, etc) and with changes finally coming, the same fans, media members, analysts start crying about the offense being “different”.
Different is not always bad, it can be good. The issue is that the contributors are unknown. Guard Marcus Cannon, unknown.
Rookie receiver Josh Boyce, unknown.
Rookie receiver Aaron Dobson, unknown.
Free Agent receiver Danny Amendola, unknown.
Free Agent receiver Donald Jones, unknown.
Free Agent receiver Michael Jenkins, unknown.
Free Agent receiver Lavelle Hawkins, unknown.
Returning from injury slot receiver Julian Edelman, unknown.
Undrafted rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld, unknown.
Just because the player is an unknown does not mean that he is someone who won’t contribute. The players were in a mini-camp without pads. When the pads go on, the hits start, the offense will begin to take shape.