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Rob Gronkowski takes NFL officials to task over alleged Chiefs favoritism
Surely, referees in the National Football League don’t actually favor the Kansas City Chiefs, do they?
Well, Rob Gronkowski has the mind of the NFL fan and thinks that something is up.
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The Chiefs are in their third consecutive Super Bowl, and it’s fair to say they got some benefit from the officiating in the AFC title game against the Buffalo Bills.
Rob Gronkowski (Jim Rogash/Getty Images/File)
A pivotal 4th-and-1 rush by Bills quarterback Josh Allen was ruled short (it could be argued the Bills crossed the marker on third down). The Chiefs responded by scoring a touchdown on the next drive. And while the Bills did tie it up, the field was clearly tilted afterward.
This version of the Chiefs is being talked about like Gronk’s New England Patriots used to be talked about: favoritism from the refs but still difficult to beat. Gronk joked in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that even his quarterback Tom Brady got the favor of the whistle.
“It was Tom, but he deserved it at the time. He was an 18-year vet, and he took his punishment as a young buck during his first eight years in the league. Oh my lord, he used to get lit up. It was understandable he got calls,” Gronk said.
And perhaps the Chiefs have gotten that same benefit, Gronkowski added, saying the refs are “definitely … more lenient” toward the Chiefs.
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“It’s been shown throughout the regular season and extending into the playoffs,” Gronk quipped.
He later added, “I just feel like there’s something, like, maybe give them an extra call or two. Don’t make it too obvious, but make it a little obvious.”
Referee Carl Cheffers speaks to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during a break in the third quarter against the Houston Texans on Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
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Gronkowski will get to see firsthand how much the refs actually favor the Chiefs, if at all, as he’ll be in New Orleans on behalf of Bounty to clean up the mess that comes with dirty eating during Super Bowl Sunday.
“You can’t have football without wings, there’s no doubt about that. But you can’t have wings without Bounty,” Gronk said ahead of his trip to Bourbon Street, where there will be food aplenty.
His wingman, Saints legend Drew Brees, will try to show him the best wings in town, but he doesn’t think anything will beat his hometown Buffalo wings, similar to the Chiefs.
Gronkowski added that even though the Chiefs may have some help from the zebras, it’s “no excuse” for the Bills or anyone to fall short when they have their chances.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes talks to referee Clete Blakeman prior to the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“You have opportunities to beat them, you got to overcome all situations, and the Buffalo Bills need to make championship plays in championship moments, and they didn’t come through. You got to make plays in order to beat the Chiefs, and you can’t blame it on the refs,” Gronk continued.
“It doesn’t matter, you still got to beat the Chiefs, and you still got to come through with big plays at the end of the game in order to beat them, and no team has done that yet.”
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Gronk won four Super Bowls in his career, but with a Kansas City win on Feb. 9, this era of Chiefs will have matched him.
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Rob Gronkowski, former NFL tight end and current analyst, is not holding back when it comes to his thoughts on the officiating in the NFL. In a recent interview, Gronkowski took aim at the league’s officials, accusing them of showing favoritism towards the Kansas City Chiefs.Gronkowski pointed to several instances during the Chiefs’ recent games where he felt the officiating was biased in their favor. He cited missed calls, questionable penalties, and overall inconsistency in the way the game was being officiated.
“It’s clear to me that the officials have a bias towards the Chiefs,” Gronkowski said. “I’ve seen too many calls go their way, too many missed calls against them. It’s not fair to the other teams in the league who are playing by the rules and not getting the same treatment.”
Gronkowski’s comments have sparked a debate among fans and analysts alike, with some agreeing with his assessment and others dismissing it as sour grapes. Regardless, it’s clear that Gronkowski is not afraid to speak his mind when it comes to the integrity of the game.
As the NFL continues to address concerns about officiating and fairness, Gronkowski’s comments serve as a reminder that even former players are paying close attention to how the game is being officiated. Only time will tell if the league takes any action in response to Gronkowski’s accusations.
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#Rob #Gronkowski #takes #NFL #officials #task #alleged #Chiefs #favoritism
Rob Sheffield on Rock’s Ultimate Bad Woman
Here’s a toast to Marianne Faithfull, a true rock & roll legend. Nobody was ever better at being an old rock star, except maybe Leonard Cohen. Yet the difference is that Cohen didn’t release his debut album until he was 33 — he was never young in public. Faithfull was a Sixties dolly bird who was on Top of the Pops in her teens, singing “As Tears Go By,” just another disposable pop ingenue. She played Ophelia in the 1970 film version of Hamlet, a hauntingly tragic performance, at a time when the real-life Faithfull was speeding to an early grave of her own. But she was the Ophelia who rose up and outlived her gravediggers. The ultimate rock & roll bad girl grew into a magnificently bad woman. “I’m not any era,” she said in 2013. “I just go on and on.”
That’s why the music world is in mourning at the news of her death on Tuesday at 78 — and also in shock, because she seemed so indestructible. She knew her way around the dark places, and she felt at home there. She started as the It girl of the Swinging London scene, Mick Jagger’s muse, a fashion icon. By the 1970s, she was a burnout, a homeless junkie on the streets of London. But her greatest work was ahead of her, starting with her 1979 post-punk hit Broken English. She got more playful and experimental as the decades went by. She knew pop history inside out, especially its taboos, and she took aim right at the most squeamish of pop taboos — the presence of an old woman with shit to talk.
You can hear that in “Don’t Forget Me,” a totally obscure 1974 Harry Nilsson piano ballad that she single-handedly turned into a cult classic, with her 1997 cabaret-from-hell masterpiece 20th Century Blues. “When we’re older, and full of cancer,” she rasps, “it doesn’t matter now, come on, get happy.” In her raw voice, it’s an unsentimental but unflinching tribute from one old sinner to another, years after Harry died. (“We used to do drugs together,” Faithfull recalled at the time. “When I say drugs, I don’t mean those modern-day, airy-fairy drugs. I’m talking about narcotics.”) Nobody could have given this song so much haggard soul.
When the sad news of her death arrived, the first music I turned to was She Walks in Beauty, from 2021, her final album and one of the most powerful things she ever did. It’s a weird one — just Marianne reciting Romantic poetry, while Nick Cave wingman Warren Ellis plays behind her with pals like Brian Eno and Cave. Yet it’s an album you can play for years without wearing it out, especially her über-goth performance of John Keats’ “To Autumn.” It’s the poet dreaming of the adult life he died too young to see (tuberculosis, 25), though somehow she got there. But her voice never sounded more eerie, with her vampire-queen rasp over Ellis’ eerie electronics. “Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?” she sneers. “Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.”
Keats died young and pretty; Faithfull lived to be old and weathered. It could have been the other way around, and you can hear how much she savors the irony. But nothing could stop her from making this album, not even a near-fatal Covid case that destroyed her lungs. She can’t even pretend to sing anymore. Yet she refuses to go quietly, making her art with the broken instrument she has left. Nobody else could have made such magnificent music — such punk rock — out of this Keats poem. She can’t hit the notes she used to hit, or any notes at all, really, but she has her music too.
People always wanted to duet with Marianne, because she made everyone sound cooler. She did an awesomely bizarre duet with David Bowie in 1973 for his TV special, The 1980 Floor Show. He’s dressed in drag as the Angel of Death, covered in black feathers; she’s wearing a full nun’s habit — or at least the front half. “Because of her convent background,” Bowie wrote in his book Moonage Daydream, “I felt Marianne would carry the moment superbly as a nun, albeit without a back panel to her habit, revealing her splendid arse. Not shown on the tele, natch.” They sang the Sonny and Cher oldie “I Got You Babe.”
She grew up as a nice Catholic schoolgirl, schooled in the convent. She had the archetypal fallen-aristocrat mystique — her great-great uncle was Leopold van Sacher-Masoch, the kink pioneer who wrote Venus in Furs. She made the Swinging London art-boho chic scene, marrying John Dunbar, who ran the Beatles hangout Indica Gallery (where John met Yoko). She also got discovered by the Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who recalled, “I saw an angel with big tits, and I signed her.” Mick and Keith wrote her the winsome ballad that made her famous, “As Tears Go By.”
“My first move was to get a Rolling Stone as a boyfriend,” she famously said. “I slept with three and decided the lead singer was the best bet.” She and Jagger were London’s prettiest couple from 1966 to 1970, turning heads everywhere they went. She also became best friends (for life) with Anita Pallenberg, the other bad girl in the Stones scene; Anita and Marianne taught these boys how the art of badness is really done. Nothing was the same for the Stones after these women arrived. Marianne had an instant impact on Mick, as a posh hedonist who was tough to impress — sophisticated, arty, well-read, not the least bit awed by him. She had her own charisma, her own style. He wrote the best songs of his life under her influence. He sang tributes like “She Smiled Sweetly” and “She’s a Rainbow,” yet you can hear more of Marianne in the sardonic wit of “Yesterday’s Papers,” “Jigsaw Puzzle,” or “No Expectations.”
She had a great run as a 1960s pop star, with hits like “Come and Stay With Me” and “Something Better,” which she sang brilliantly in the Stones’ Rock & Roll Circus show. She gave Mick the Mihail Bulgakov novel The Master and Margarita, which he turned into “Sympathy for the Devil.” She’s right there on the record, singing the hoo-hoo’s — in the Godard film of the session, she and Anita join the Stones as they gather around the microphone to hoo-hoo it up. (Everyone but Charlie, who folds his arms and rolls his eyes. God bless Charlie.) Marianne wears a big floppy hat and shades, which she never removes. She looks like a woman who’s already met too many devils to be impressed by this one.
Marianne became notorious in the 1967 drug bust at Keith’s mansion, where the cops caught her naked, wrapped in a fur rug. Her blasé lack of shame made her legend as a rebel icon — she posed proudly on Keith’s lawn holding the tabloid headline “Naked Girl at Stones Party.” In the Stones’ video mocking the case, “We Love You,” they parodied the Oscar Wilde sodomy trial — Mick played Wilde, while Marianne played his youthful lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. She also starred in the 1967 flick The Girl on a Motorcycle, riding her Harley across Europe in a leather catsuit (with frequent sex breaks). In the U.S., it was retitled Naked Under Leather.
But like so many people in the Stones orbit, she got shattered trying to keep up the pace, burning out fast. She co-wrote “Sister Morphine,” yet also lived it as a junkie. For years, she was living on the Soho streets. Nobody would have guessed her life’s work was just beginning. She moved into a punk squat and started working with guitarist Barry Reynolds. Broken English shocked everyone, with brutal tales like the title track, about the German female terrorist Ulrike Meinhof, or “Why’d Ya Do It,” where she snarls, “Why’d ya spit on my snatch?” The one-time ingenue made gallows humor out of her ruination, glorying in the cracks and croaks of her voice. As she said later, “I thought I was going to die, that this was my last chance to make a record. I’m going to show you bastards who I am.”
She struck a nerve with New Wave and post-punk kids, most of whom had no idea she had a previous life in the Sixties. This was a new adult voice, going somewhere unprecedented. On the 1985 Kurt Weill tribute album Lost in the Stars, she sang “The Ballad of the Soldier’s Wife” and made everybody else sound like kids. She brought sour wisdom to Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and “Visions of Johanna” on her lost gem Rich Kid Blues, cut in 1971 but unreleased until years later.
On her 1987 Strange Weather, she remade “As Tears Go By,” sounding like a world-weary roué who’s surprised to find any tears left in her heart. As she said at the time, “40 is the age to sing it, not 17.” She told Rolling Stone’s Kory Grow, “I suddenly really understood it myself when I was about 40, when I realized it was another version of [poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ballad] ‘The Lady of Shalott.’”
She had her biggest U.S. hit with Metallica on “The Memory Remains,” their 1997 smash from Reload. She has an superbly evil star turn in the video — an organ grinder in a carnival barker’s suit, with a face and heart of stone. “Say yes,” she whispers at the end, staring into the camera. “Or at least say hello.” It was the most airplay she ever got in America, an MTV mind freak establishing her uniquely formidable charisma — the only voice who could throw a scare into Metallica.
But she brought that presence wherever she traveled. She had a great moment on the U.K. cult-classic sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, in a 2001 episode where Edina saw visions of God and the Devil. Marianne played God, Anita Pallenberg the Devil. Sofia Coppola put her in Marie Antoinette, as Empress Maria Theresa. When Roger Waters staged The Wall in Berlin in 1990, he cast her as Mother. She also paid respects to Stevie Nicks on the Fleetwood Mac tribute album Just Tell Me That You Want Me, doing the Tusk deep cut “Angel.”
She had a major resurgence in the 2000s, teaming up with PJ Harvey and Nick Cave for her 2005 Before the Poison. On Kissing Time, she sang with Blur, Beck, Billy Corgan, and most smashingly, Pulp, for “Sliding Through Life on Charm.” “A beautiful jewel,” she called that song. “I thought, ‘When I see that Jarvis Cocker’ — so I grabbed him in this television studio one day and said, ‘Now, look, I want you to take this title and go and write a song from it.’ And off he went.” On 2008’s Easy Come Easy Go, she duets with Anohni on one of Smokey Robinson’s most delicate ballads, “Oooh Baby Baby,” for eight minutes of pained beauty. She also reunites with Keith Richards to sing Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” (“before I die”) and it’s not for the faint of heart — though nothing she did is.
For this fan, there’s nothing like her final album, She Walks in Beauty, the one she made as her lungs finally gave out. Like Leonard Cohen on You Want It Darker, or David Bowie in Blackstar, she faces the end as brash and unrepentant as ever. She recites the work of Keats, Shelley, Wordsworth, poems that she fell in love with as a schoolgirl. “It’s fairly obvious, isn’t it?” she said at the time. “I was a clever girl, a pretty girl, and I thought they were all about me.”
But her voice is all bleak gravitas as she delivers Lord Byron’s song of farewell, “So We’ll Go No More A-Roving.” It’s an unsentimental goodbye to a past she enjoyed, but doesn’t miss — she’s the sword that outwears her sheath. She’s way past weeping for lost autumns, much less lost springs. There’s not a regret in her voice when she declares, “Though the night was made for loving, and the day returns too soon, we will go no more a-roving by the light of the moon.” It’s a perfect song to remember her by. A fearsome presence to the end, and a unique artist who always remained defiantly herself. Rove on forever, Marianne Faithfull.
Rob Sheffield, a renowned music journalist and author, has often written about the iconic women of rock and roll. From Janis Joplin to Patti Smith, he has celebrated their rebellious spirit and raw talent. But in his latest piece, Sheffield delves into the archetype of the ultimate bad woman in rock music.Drawing on decades of experience in the music industry, Sheffield examines the women who have defied expectations and pushed boundaries in the male-dominated world of rock. From Joan Jett’s fierce independence to Courtney Love’s unapologetic attitude, these women have challenged societal norms and paved the way for future generations of female rockers.
Sheffield explores how these women have used their music as a form of rebellion, expressing their anger, pain, and desires through powerful lyrics and electrifying performances. He discusses how their music has resonated with fans around the world, inspiring a new wave of female artists to pick up guitars and make their voices heard.
In his insightful and thought-provoking piece, Sheffield celebrates the bad women of rock as trailblazers and icons, whose influence continues to be felt in the music industry today. He pays tribute to their courage, creativity, and unapologetic attitude, reminding us of the power of rock music to challenge stereotypes and change the world.
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Rob Sheffield, Rock’s Ultimate Bad Woman, music journalist, rock music, female icons, bad girl image, music criticism, pop culture commentary, feminist perspectives, music journalism, rock legends, iconic women in music, music analysis, music history, feminist rock stars.
#Rob #Sheffield #Rocks #Ultimate #Bad #WomanRob Ray set to be inducted into Sabres Hall of Fame
Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) – In an honor long overdue, Rob Ray will be inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame on Friday night.
Ray was a beloved member of the team when he spent 889 games as the enforcer for the Sabres. Having Ray on the team made the skill players feel comfortable knowing they were protected, but it goes much further than that.
In the years since his playing days, Ray grew into a very good broadcaster for the Sabres, and some fans may only know him as that.
For me, it’s the work he does in the community, totally behind the scenes, because he doesn’t want recognition. He just wants to help others.
Ray was taken in the fifth-round of the 1988 NHL Draft, and joined Keith Carney and Alex Mogilny as three players from that draft class that played 900 NHL games.
While Ray never played on the Sabres with Lindy Ruff, the current Sabres head coach was still in Buffalo during Ray’s first training camp.
“I just think of Rob as the ultimate Buffalo Sabre that has been involved in this organization for a long time,” said Ruff of Ray on Thursday. “I think he optimizes blue collar hockey, and the day where there were a lot of tough guys on every team. He created a lot of comfort for your team.
“He’s a great teammate, and I think post-career, probably an even better representation of what it’s like to be a Buffalo Sabre, being involved as a do-all guy to help the team out. From his broadcasting, you’ve seen him take the odd puck there between the glass, doesn’t miss any time and then tells you how tough he is. He even claimed one puck to the face knocked me out, but one to the face to him, he kept broadcasting.
“But I don’t think there’s enough you can say about what he’s done since he got here and his post career for the team and in the community.”
For years, Ray joined “Schopp and the Bulldog” on WGR Sports Radio 550, and it was always informative and entertaining.
He came on Wednesday with Chris “Bulldog” Parker and Nate Geary, and he’s not comfortable being the center of attention.
“The last thing I like doing is talking about myself, so that’s why I try to make fun of myself as much as possible,” Ray joked during his appearance.
Ray will get a chance to address the fans on Friday, and admits he’s already jittery about it.
“I only have five minutes to speak, and I’m crapping my pants about that,” he said. “I’ll stand in front of a camera and talk to a million people, but if I have to talk in front of 10 people, I get a little nervous.
“I’ll screw it up, I know I will,” Ray added, tongue in cheek.
Many friends and former teammates will be on hand Friday night to honor Ray, and the 56-year-old is humbled.
“The biggest thing is people you hear from, not only guys you played with but guys you played against and met along the way, they take the time to reach out, and that’s pretty cool,” Ray said. “It’s been nice, and brings back a lot of the memories. And then hearing the different guys that will be around, it’s nice that maybe you left a good enough impression that guys would be willing to take time out of their lives to come and spend a few hours with you on a special day.”
Ray is from a small town in Ontario called Stirling, and had only seen one NHL game before playing in one.
Ray’s career ended in 2004 with the Ottawa Senators, so there are many fans that are in the arena now that have never seen Ray play. But many certainly know of the burly winger.
“It’s the time, the years you were a player and then the years you were doing this, you touched a lot of generations. I help coach the kids here at Junior Sabres and the kids, 15-to-16 years-old, they never saw me play. So they know me as the guy on TV, not Rob the player,” Ray said.
“It wasn’t something I looked to do or wanted to do, or had aspirations to do it. Larry Quinn gave me the opportunity and I said, ‘I’ll try it.’ I was only going to do it for a few years to have something to do, and now it’s ‘Wow, I’m starting to think when’s the time to get out of it?’”
Ray wasn’t an enforcer before he came to professional hockey. It was his coach in Rochester that told him what he needed to do if he wanted to be an NHL player. Ray said, though, the decision was easy.
“It wasn’t hard at all, because I didn’t know John Van Boxmeer that well when I got there. But just the way he approached it and the respect he had, willing to make that offer to me and make me aware of it. And he said at the time, ‘This is what they’re looking for, and they think you might be able to do it. So are you willing to try it?’ And I’m like, ‘Heck yeah! Show me, teach me, tell me,’” Ray recalled. “That was the greatest advice I ever got. Had he not taken the time to give me that advice or open up to me in that way, I might not ever had made it.”
Rob was always professional to me as a player. He knew I had a job to do, and we had a mutual respect for each other.
After he retired, we became very good friends. He definitely has a way to let you know he cares. I’ll never forgot when I started my weight loss journey, he grabbed me by the shirt collar and said, “If you don’t do this, you aren’t going to be around too much longer.”
But it wasn’t just talk. He was worried that my body couldn’t take the abuse I was giving it. He also said to me that as soon as we got to a city during the season, we were immediately changing and heading to the gym. And he said if I wasn’t there, he’d come to my room and drag me there.
When I needed surgery, he asked me what time I needed him to pick me up to go. I told him that wasn’t necessary, and he told me it wasn’t a discussion. He wanted to know what time to be there, and he took me to the hospital and picked me up the next day.
Now, of course, I needed to hear about how I didn’t invite him in, but that’s the Rob Ray experience.
I mentioned to him once that I was looking for someone to power wash my house. Some guy who was recommended to me tried to rip me off by charging me double what he charged a friend of mine, so I told Rob and asked if he knew someone. Four months later at 9 a.m., he was banging on the roof of my car with his power washer to do my house.
He will do anything for you.
The biggest thing I admire about Rob is how much he does for the community, and he doesn’t want people to know because he just does it. Whether it’s collecting turkeys and food for Thanksgiving, or collecting toys and distributing them with the Buffalo Police Department on Christmas Eve, he just does it and doesn’t want thanks.
For me, it’s Rob Ray, the man. That’s why he’s joining the Sabres Hall of Fame.
The Sabres are telling everyone to be in their seats by 6 p.m. on Friday for the ceremony. Brian Koziol will be bringing you the full ceremony on WGR.
The Buffalo Sabres have announced that former enforcer Rob Ray will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. Ray, who spent 13 seasons with the Sabres, was known for his toughness and willingness to stand up for his teammates on the ice.During his time with the Sabres, Ray recorded over 3,200 penalty minutes, the most in franchise history. He was also a fan favorite for his gritty style of play and his dedication to the team.
Ray will join a prestigious list of former Sabres players in the team’s Hall of Fame, including legends like Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin, and Dominik Hasek.
The induction ceremony is set to take place later this season, and fans are sure to come out in full force to honor one of the toughest players to ever wear a Sabres jersey. Congratulations to Rob Ray on this well-deserved honor!
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- Sabres Hall of Fame 2021
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With Patrick Graham Out of the Picture, Should the Jaguars Consider Rob Leonard?
It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will not be paired together in 2025.
With Graham working toward a deal to remain with the Raiders, the Jaguars will now look elsewhere at defensive coordinator. One top candidate appears to be Green Bay Packers linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, while the Jaguars have also interviewed Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant, Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones, and Carolina Panthers secondary coach Jonathan Cooley.
Graham had two interviews with the Jaguars about their head coach role and also interviewed once for defensive coordinator.
With Graham now officially out of the picture, though, should the Jaguars do the next best thing and find a role for Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard? Leonard is viewed as a protégé of Graham and has helped the Raiders’ defense seriously overachieve in recent seasons.
One NFL source told Jacksonville Jaguars On SI, “If the Jaguars were serious about Patrick Graham, then Rob Leonard is the Ben Johnson of rising young defensive coaches set to be the next coordinators. He could be a great mix with Liam Coen.”
Coen spoke to reporters on Monday about what he is looking for in the role, which is set to be arguably the most important hire the first-year head coach makes in 2025.
“I’m gonna be involved, but it’s more the shared vision of the identity, the style of play. How do we continue to drive home the message of the style of play that we want to work with and play with that’s within the meetings, like being in the meeting sometimes,” Coen said.
“I’m going to be very involved, obviously, as we know, with the offense and Trevor and all that, but being just the presence felt, and doing more team meetings and doing them together so that, like we talked about this, where it’s not Offense, Defense, Teams, it’s here. So I’ll be involved, but I’m not going to be overbearing. I want that guy to have autonomy. I want that guy to have confidence, to be able to go and do it, and feel like his personality and his moral compass is showing on the product.”
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With Patrick Graham recently hired as the new head coach of the New York Giants, the Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in need of a new defensive coordinator. One potential candidate that has been generating buzz is Rob Leonard, current linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Rams.Leonard has a strong track record of success in the NFL, having previously served as the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins. He is known for his ability to develop young talent and his aggressive defensive schemes.
With the Jaguars looking to rebuild their defense and return to playoff contention, Leonard could be the perfect fit to help lead the charge. His experience and expertise could be just what the team needs to turn things around on the defensive side of the ball.
While there are likely to be other candidates in the mix for the defensive coordinator position, Leonard’s credentials make him a compelling option for the Jaguars to consider. It will be interesting to see if the team decides to pursue him as they look to fill the void left by Graham’s departure.
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- Rob Leonard potential hire
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- Rob Leonard coaching experience
#Patrick #Graham #Picture #Jaguars #Rob #Leonard
Wolves’ Naz Reid ruled out, Rob Dillingham available against Suns
Naz Reid has been ruled for Wednesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center in Phoenix due to illness, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters pregame. Rob Dillingham, who was also questionable due to illness, is available. Kevin Durant (thumb), who was a gametime decision, is available for the Suns.
Ryan Dunn (ankle), who was listed as questionable, is available for Wednesday night’s game.
This will be the first game Reid has missed this season. And it’ll be a blow losing the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, who’s averaging 13.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Reid is one of three bigs in the rotation along with starters Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. It’s possible his absence could lead to some minutes for Luka Garza Wednesday night.
The good news is that Dillingham is available. Without Donte DiVincenzo (toe) in recent weeks, Dillingham has been a key piece of the rotation, playing over 10 minutes in five of his last six games. Dillingham is averaging 5.0 points, 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game this season, and he’s scored in double digits in three of his last six games.
Durant is the Suns’ leading scorer, averaging 27.1 points per game, which ranks fifth in the NBA. He’s also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
The Wolves and Suns tip off at 8 p.m. Wednesday night in Phoenix.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced that forward Naz Reid will be ruled out for their upcoming game against the Phoenix Suns. However, guard Rob Dillingham will be available to play.Reid, who has been dealing with a foot injury, will sit out the game as a precaution to ensure his full recovery. The Timberwolves are hopeful that he will be back in action soon.
On the other hand, Dillingham, who has been sidelined with a minor ankle sprain, has been cleared to play and will be a valuable asset for the team in their matchup against the Suns.
Fans can tune in to see how the Timberwolves adjust to Reid’s absence and how Dillingham contributes to the team’s performance against a tough opponent like the Suns. Let’s wish both players a speedy recovery and a successful return to the court.
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- Minnesota Timberwolves Naz Reid status
- Naz Reid injury news
- Timberwolves Naz Reid out vs Suns
- Rob Dillingham availability against Phoenix Suns
- Minnesota Timberwolves injury report
- Naz Reid update vs Phoenix Suns
- Wolves vs Suns injury updates
- Naz Reid sidelined, Rob Dillingham ready to play
- Timberwolves injury news for game against Suns
#Wolves #Naz #Reid #ruled #Rob #Dillingham #Suns
Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski react to Patriots hiring Mike Vrabel as head coach
Count Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski among those excited to see Mike Vrabel join the New England Patriots as their next head coach.
Speaking on their Dudes on Dudes podcast, the two former Patriots standouts and future franchise Hall of Famers reacted to the news of Vrabel — himself a Patriots Hall of Famer — returning to New England. The 8-minute segment, which sees them talk about their own personal opinion and experiences with Vrabel, offers one key phrase on the 49-year-old.
“He’s just a smart guy,” said Edelman about Vrabel. “He’s a smart guy that can beat you up.”
In addition to speaking about the new HC, Edelman and Gronkowski also talked about the team’s next offensive coordinator. While no choice had been made at the time of recording, the favorite at the time — Josh McDaniels — ended up getting the job.
Both played under McDaniels during their careers, and feel strongly about his return to the Patriots’ OC position as well.
Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, two former New England Patriots stars, shared their thoughts on the team’s recent hiring of Mike Vrabel as head coach.Edelman took to social media to express his excitement about Vrabel taking over the reins of the Patriots. He praised Vrabel’s leadership abilities and his experience as a former player, saying that he believes Vrabel will bring a fresh perspective to the team.
Gronkowski also weighed in on the hiring, saying that he is looking forward to seeing what Vrabel can do as head coach. He noted Vrabel’s success as a defensive coordinator and his strong relationships with players, saying that he believes Vrabel is the right person to lead the Patriots to success.
Both Edelman and Gronkowski expressed their confidence in Vrabel’s ability to lead the team to victory and bring another championship to New England. Patriots fans will surely be eager to see what Vrabel can do as head coach and how he will continue the team’s winning tradition.
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#Julian #Edelman #Rob #Gronkowski #react #Patriots #hiring #Mike #Vrabel #coach
Penn State! Jahan Dotson Rookie Card Chris Godwin Gold Cracked Ice A. Rob
Penn State! Jahan Dotson Rookie Card Chris Godwin Gold Cracked Ice A. Rob
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Are you a Penn State football fan? Then you’ll love this rare find! We have a Jahan Dotson rookie card featuring Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson, all in one amazing gold cracked ice design. These three star receivers are sure to light up the field and your collection. Don’t miss out on this unique piece of memorabilia! #PennState #JahanDotson #ChrisGodwin #AllenRobinson #FootballCollectibles #RookieCard
#Penn #State #Jahan #Dotson #Rookie #Card #Chris #Godwin #Gold #Cracked #Ice #Rob,zach wilson titansOne telling stat proves Rob Dillingham should be closing games
The story of Rob Dillingham’s rookie season has been an interesting one, and it has probably not gone at all how Minnesota Timberwolves fans envisioned when he was first drafted by the team last June. After the Wolves’ blockbuster preseason trade, moving pieces changed the coaching staff’s strategy.
Once expected to be part of Chris Finch’s main rotation since day one, Minnesota’s trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo switched up the equation a bit, leading to Dillingham getting less minutes than expected at the start of the season. He played more for a few games in November while Mike Conley was out with an injury, but then mostly took a backseat once again after that.
Now, his role is finally increasing once again. Since DiVincenzo’s unfortunate injury, Dillingham’s minutes have spiked up to an average of 14.3 per night, and he is averaging 9.0 points on 55.6% shooting over his last four games.
It is becoming more and more obvious the kind of impact Rob can bring this team, and he makes a strong case to be in at least the closing lineup, if not the starting lineup. But the aforementioned numbers are far from the biggest evidence for his case. The regression of Mike Conley unfortunately also plays a big part in the need for Dillingham’s role to continue growing.
Mike Conley has 0 points (0-9) and 0 assists in 31 clutch time minutes this season. Everybody loves Mike but he can’t close games and especially not when his backup (and the only other shot-creator on the roster) is cooking. https://t.co/pCBJ3lnVPL
— Jake Paynting (@HowlsAndGrowls_) January 20, 2025
Mike Conley has struggled massively in clutch time
Timberwolves content creator Jake Paynting made an observation concerning Conley that is shocking to say the least. We have all seen with our eyes that Mike has struggled in the clutch this year (not unlike many others on the roster in clutch time). But heading into Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, Conley had logged 31 clutch time minutes while logging a total of 0 points (0-for-9 shooting) and 0 assists in that time.
That is simply a staggering statistic, and it puts into perspective just how unplayable Conley is at the end of games right now. Naturally, what this points us to is that it is time to give Rob Dillingham more of an opportunity in clutch time going forward. The only way for the young prospect to grow is to put him in these situations, let his talent shine and be okay with him making a few mistakes.
We have already seen how much confidence Dillingham has, as evidenced by not only his fearless play but also from Anthony Edwards’ words. He is ready to embrace these challenges and give this team a lift. And at the end of the day, it is not like Minnesota has many better options either.
Rob Dillingham has been a standout player for our team this season, but one telling stat proves why he should be closing games. With a 90% free throw percentage in clutch situations, Dillingham has proven time and time again that he has the composure and skill to seal the deal in crucial moments. This stat speaks volumes about his ability to perform under pressure and make game-winning plays when it matters most. It’s clear that Dillingham has what it takes to be our go-to closer, and this stat only solidifies that fact. #RobDillingham #Closer #ClutchPlayer
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#telling #stat #proves #Rob #Dillingham #closing #games
Rob Dillingham believes he’s ready for NBA spotlight, but do Timberwolves agree?
The earnestness of Rob Dillingham’s question was enough to put even one of the NBA’s most outgoing personalities at a loss for words.
Anthony Edwards, 23, is a grizzled veteran in comparison to his rookie point guard. So when he saw Dillingham grinding his teeth over his lack of playing time early in this Minnesota Timberwolves season, Edwards pulled him aside and tried to meet him on his level.
Edwards told Dillingham of his rookie season in 2020-21 and the patience that was required of him when he spent the first 17 games as a reserve for one of the worst teams in the league.
“I was the No. 1 draft pick and I came off the bench,” Edwards said. “I’ve been trying to get him to understand this.”
To Dillingham, that is ancient history. He turned 20 earlier this month and, like most his age, wants the world and he wants it right now. He was a highlight machine in college and a player the Timberwolves mortgaged a part of their future for so they could acquire the No. 8 overall pick to get him.
Dillingham knew he was coming to an experienced team that had just made the Western Conference finals, and that he would have to earn his playing time. But he did not expect to be averaging fewer than 10 minutes per game and only playing in 19 of the first 44 of the season.
So even someone of Edwards’ stature, the face of the franchise and one of the brightest young stars in the league, isn’t enough to quell the ambition of youth. That is what got him this far. That is what caused him to look Edwards in the eye and hit him with the question.
“Do you think I’m gonna hurt y’all if I get out there on the court,” Dillingham asked Edwards, repeating himself for effect. “You think I’m gonna hurt y’all?”
The tone in Dillingham’s voice hit home for Edwards. If there is anything he respects, it is confidence. Edwards has it going through every vein in his body. He put himself in Dillingham’s shoes because he has been there. Edwards remembers what it felt like to have a smaller role when he believed he was ready for more. For most of his life, Dillingham has been a go-to player on his teams, a bucket-getting ingenue with a sizzle reel full of style points.
It has never occurred to Dillingham that he could be viewed as a liability on the court.
“You can’t say nothing back to that because the confidence is there and he showed it,” Edwards said.
There have been plenty of DNPs for Dillingham so far this season, some because coach Chris Finch is devoting more time to veterans to get the team going and some because Dillingham has had to deal with two ankle sprains already this season. But Donte DiVincenzo’s toe injury, which will keep him out for a while, has opened the door for Dillingham to be added to the rotation, and he is trying to make the most of it.
“I’ve always played. I never had to go through where I’m not playing, especially because of injury,” Dillingham said. “It was new to me. But I just had to sit back and realize why it was happening, then take my time off and get ready for when I do get in the game, just like now.”
That may sound more magnanimous than Dillingham has been this season, and his coaches and teammates love that about him. His baby face hides a rugged competitiveness that has him yearning to join the fight. When he is healthy and not playing, they see him stewing on the sideline. They know he doesn’t like it.
“I tell him that it’s a good sign that he’s frustrated by not playing,” Rudy Gobert said. “If you don’t care, that means you’re not ambitious enough. I love that.”
Gobert lived that life early in his career as well. He was not the highly touted prospect as a rookie that Dillingham is now, but in his mind, Gobert belonged on the floor and it ate at him when the Utah Jazz sent him to the NBA’s developmental league to get some experience.
“My ego was hurt, but it felt good to go out there, play, dominate and realize you’re still a good basketball player,” Gobert said. “But also put that frustration, that hunger to be on the floor and to help the team, put that into working harder than everybody else.”
Dillingham scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting with zero turnovers in 17 minutes on Monday in Memphis. The Timberwolves outscored the Grizzlies by 16 points in his 17 minutes on the floor in a game they lost by two. He had nine points and three assists in a win in New York on Friday and did not play as well when he scored 12 points in a loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday. There will be ups and downs for a player so young in such a demanding position. But the juice he is bringing is undeniable.
15 POINTS FOR ROB DILLINGHAM. pic.twitter.com/ClYJgw6lFE
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 20, 2025
“I feel like before, I was playing more nervous, I’m scared to mess up,” Dillingham said. “Now it’s just like I’m just playing basketball. If I mess up, I mess up.”
There are real limitations in Dillingham’s game, especially defensively, that need to be managed. In an era of big point guards like Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and James Harden, the smaller, shiftier players like Dillingham are becoming more unique. But there is a blueprint out there.
“I’m going to try to get in the gym with him a little bit this summer because I can see the potential,” said Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Darius Garland. “I’ve been watching him since high school. I see the potential.”
On draft night in 2019, the Timberwolves front office was burning up the phone lines to trade up from their No. 11 pick to get a skinny, small, but super-quick shooter from Vanderbilt named Darius Garland.
When the Atlanta Hawks traded up to No. 4 and took De’Andre Hunter, the Wolves thought they were in luck. Cleveland was sitting at No. 5 and already had young guards Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson on the roster. When they couldn’t swing a deal with the Cavaliers, the Wolves still moved up to No. 6 with the hopes that Garland would be there.
The Cavaliers grabbed Garland anyway, leaving the Wolves to settle for Jarrett Culver. Garland was a little undersized at 6 foot 1 and 170 pounds, but the Cavs front office decided he could not be overlooked.
Over the last six seasons, general manager Koby Altman has built a roster around him that accentuates his skills and covers up his weaknesses. He has two big, defensive-minded frontcourt studs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley there to have his back. He has a talented, three-level scorer by his side in the backcourt in Donovan Mitchell and a mix of wings with size and shooting at small forward.
Kenny Atkinson, the first-year coach who has galvanized this Cleveland roster and put the Cavs in the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference, compares Garland to Steph Curry, whom Atkinson coached at Golden State.
“It’s not just his shooting, but when they come up on him, he can break someone down, anybody in the league. And that’s unique,” Atkinson said. “That’s part of the reason at the end of the game that we use him a lot. We know he’s going to create separation. We know he’s going to make something good for himself and his teammates. Unique to have that combination at that size and that’s what makes him, to me, a great player.”
That Wolves front office that coveted Garland is long gone now, but president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has a similar affinity for quick, bucket-getting guards. He swapped the Wolves’ 2031 first-round pick with San Antonio to go get Dillingham, believing that the Wolves had an acute need for his scoring creativity. Connelly also sees a strikingly similar system for him in Minnesota — Gobert at the rim, Edwards as the alpha scorer, Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo as wing defenders with size around him.
Dillingham and Garland are both represented by Klutch Sports and have been in contact over the years. Dillingham has seen the success that Garland is having and believes that he can follow a similar path to him, Trae Young and Mike Conley as smaller guards who still make oversized impacts on the game.
“He definitely has a lot of things I can take and learn how to draw crowds, getting all his players involved and also scoring the ball,” Dillingham said of Garland. “Definitely can learn a bunch from him.”
Dillingham knew that he was being drafted into an uncommon situation. Most top-10 picks come to teams that are struggling and have playing time to burn. The Wolves were coming off of a Western Conference finals appearance and DiVincenzo’s arrival in the trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York right before training camp only deepened their guard rotation.
“It’s hard for rookies to play meaningful minutes for teams that are trying to win at the top of the table. It just is,” Finch said. “You just have to wait, be patient. Rob is going to be an extremely good player in this league for a long time to come. We’re all confident in that, and he just has to keep staying ready.”
Of course, the Timberwolves are nowhere near the top of the table right now. They have languished right around .500 for much of the season, becoming one of the bigger disappointments in the league. Finch has been trying to give his veterans as much playing time as possible to work through the disjointedness that came in part by making such a major trade so close to the start of the season.
Conley and Gobert have regressed significantly this season, McDaniels and Naz Reid are only just starting to round into form after a tough first two months and Julius Randle has been an awkward fit in the starting group. The Wolves have struggled to inject flow and playmaking into their offense.
Dillingham sees it. He believes he can solve a lot of the team’s offensive issues, and though he may say the right things publicly, his teammates see his teeth grinding away in games like on Monday when he spent the last 4 minutes, 30 seconds on the bench against the Grizzlies and watched his team give up a five-point lead.
“His confidence is at an all-time high, so he never can get that. He sounds just like me and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t starting,” Edwards said. “So I can’t give him too many answers.”
As much as he may not have enjoyed the first half of the season on the bench, Dillingham understands it. He sees veterans in front of him with more equity. He sees a team trying to find itself in the middle of an underwhelming start. He knows that his time is coming and that it could be here now.
“I look at it like this is a journey for me, so even though I don’t want to be patient, that’s just my confidence coming through because I feel like I can do it,” Dillingham said. “But overall I do have to be patient. So if it doesn’t come, it’s all right.”
There are going to be rough nights for him. The Cavaliers hunted him on defense in the second half on Saturday, with Mitchell hitting him with a “too small” taunt after taking him to the basket. Dillingham was 3 of 4 from 3-point range against Memphis but then went 0 of 3 from the field in nine quiet minutes of a 115-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
The Wolves were outscored by eight points in those nine minutes. Such is life for a young player in this league. Fortunately, Conley came to the rescue with his best game of the season — 18 points, eight assists and a plus-19 in 32 minutes.
Finch wants Dillingham’s focus to be on consistency of effort. It doesn’t mean he is going to play great every game, but the coach wants to see his young point guard pay attention to the game plan, take care of the ball and be in the right place on defense.
“I think it’s important to realize that these guys, sometimes it’s the first time in their life that they have never played,” Finch said. “It’s mentally challenging for those guys. They have to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Dillingham doesn’t have to squint to see the flicker down that long corridor. The minutes are starting to come. Finch did not close with him in the loss to Memphis on Monday. The veterans ahead of him have won here and earned their opportunities, just like Dillingham is doing now.
His teammates believe in him and see what he can bring to the table. Edwards recalled how a few Cavaliers players were chirping at Dillingham, which prompted the guard to go right back at them with buckets in the fourth quarter.
“His confidence reminds me of myself,” Edwards said with a grin.
Storm clouds have been hanging over this Wolves team all season long, dampening the spirits of a group that expected to contend for a title. The team needs a jolt. All the while, a little lightning bolt charges in the sky, just waiting to strike.
(Photo of Rob Dillingham and Anthony Edwards: David Sherman / NBAE via Getty Images)
Rob Dillingham believes he’s ready for NBA spotlight, but do Timberwolves agree?Rob Dillingham, the highly-touted prospect from North Carolina, has been making waves in the basketball world with his impressive skills and potential. Dillingham, who recently declared for the NBA draft, is confident that he is ready to take on the challenges of the professional league. However, there are questions surrounding whether the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the first overall pick in the upcoming draft, agree with his assessment.
Dillingham’s talent is undeniable, as he has shown the ability to score from anywhere on the court and play solid defense. His speed, agility, and basketball IQ have impressed scouts and analysts, leading many to believe that he has the potential to be a star in the NBA. However, some critics have raised concerns about his size and strength, suggesting that he may need more time to develop before making an impact at the highest level.
The Timberwolves, who are in need of a dynamic guard to complement their young core, could see Dillingham as a potential fit for their team. With his scoring ability and playmaking skills, he could provide a much-needed boost to their offense. However, the team may also be considering other options with the top pick, such as a big man or a more experienced player.
As the draft approaches, all eyes will be on Rob Dillingham and the Timberwolves to see if they can come to an agreement on his future in the NBA. Will Dillingham get his chance to shine in the spotlight, or will the Timberwolves decide to go in a different direction? Only time will tell.
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#Rob #Dillingham #believes #hes #ready #NBA #spotlight #Timberwolves #agreeWhat Comes Next – Paperback By Buyea, Rob – GOOD
What Comes Next – Paperback By Buyea, Rob – GOOD
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Have you read “What Comes Next” by Rob Buyea yet? If not, you’re missing out on a heartwarming and uplifting story that will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful. This paperback is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good middle-grade novel with relatable characters and a touching storyline.In “What Comes Next,” readers follow the journey of a group of students who find themselves in a new school with a new teacher who challenges them to think outside the box and embrace their differences. Through their experiences and interactions, they learn valuable lessons about friendship, acceptance, and the power of kindness.
Rob Buyea has once again crafted a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a perfect choice for readers of all ages. So why wait? Pick up a copy of “What Comes Next” today and discover the magic of this unforgettable tale. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
#Paperback #Buyea #Rob #GOOD,ages 3+
