Troubled tenure

Patriots

Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday – touching on quite a few topics, including Drake Mayes' preseason, the Patriots' recent free agency woes, and more.

Here are some highlights from Belichick's recent ESPN appearance.

Belichick doesn't care about Drake Mayes' preseason play

Count Belichick as the newest in an extended line of NFL coaches and former players to supply their opinions on the continued quarterback competition between Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett in New England.

And while others like Devin McCourty and Dan Orlovsky tended to give attention to Maye's talent (or lack thereof) because the principal reason why New England shouldn't let its rookie start in Week 1, Belichick as a substitute emphasized that preseason performance shouldn't really play that big a task within the Patriots' decision on who starts on Sept. 8 against the Bengals.

“First of all, I don't think you really know how anyone is going to play in the preseason, especially at the quarterback position,” Belichick said. “Looking at it from the other side of the ball, the strategies are generally so simple. Most of the time, it's very simple strategies. You try to evaluate your players. You try to get them to play the good fundamentals that they know how to do. You don't hide anything. You just want the defensive players to be ready to react quickly and make plays. …

“I feel if you happen to come out of the preseason and say, 'This guy is playing very well, that guy is playing very well,' I wouldn't put loads of emphasis on that. I might put more emphasis on what they do in practice after which let's see what happens in the primary three or 4 games of the regular season when opponents goal certain players based on what they think they’ll and might't do to them after which let's see how they play.”

Jerod Mayo himself noted on Monday that Maye has “outperformed” Brissett in the Patriots' three preseason games. But even if the stats are in Maye's favor, New England may rely more on Brissett's experience – and the need to keep Maye away from a porous O-line – as major factors in going with the veteran QB in Week 1.

“I don’t think you actually understand how someone will play within the preseason, especially on the quarterback position…

Most of those games are quite simple and I put more emphasis on what the players do in training” ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/U6z8eZN8Wu

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) 26 August 2024

“This is ‘Taxachusetts’”

The Patriots have struggled to lure top free agents to Foxborough in recent times as New England did not land offseason targets like DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley.

Admittedly, it's so much harder to persuade players to sign with New England when Gillette Stadium doesn't have already got personnel like Tom Brady or Belichick.

However, Belichick also said Monday that Massachusetts' state income tax also poses a barrier to New England's inability to outbid other NFL teams – especially in states without an income tax like Florida.

“This is Taxachusetts,” Belichick said. “Virtually every player, even the practice squad, even the minimum-qualified players, are pretty close to $1 million. Once you hit the $1 million mark, you start paying more taxes in Massachusetts.”

“It's just another thing you have to deal with when negotiating up there. It's not like Tennessee or Florida or Nevada. Some of those teams don't collect state income tax. That hits you pretty hard with the agents.”

While Massachusetts tax rates might make it harder to sell the Patriots in comparison with other NFL franchises, the lackluster performance on the sector over the past few years can also be making itself felt in Foxborough because it heads into several quiet offseasons – especially with Brandon Aiyuk reportedly turning down an enormous contract offer from the Patriots.

Belichick confused by Falcons' approach to Judon

It was no big surprise that Matthew Judon was ultimately traded from the Patriots to Atlanta despite the continued contract crisis.

But after the Falcons gave up a third-round pick to lure the star pass rusher from New England, they surprised many by not terminating Judon's current contract but as a substitute granting him a brand new contract for the long run.

“They (Falcons) don’t know anything about me as a football player or as a person,” Judon said Marc Raimond of ESPNi to play in the ultimate yr of his current contract in 2024. “You know my resume so far. I can't really demand or ask for something that I haven't worked for. I'm going to work for it.”

Atlanta's interesting approach to Judon also confused Belichick, who signed Judon to a four-year deal in New England within the 2021 offseason.

“I'm pretty surprised Atlanta didn't extend Judon's contract,” Belichick said. “I think he's pretty undervalued for his contract given how it was designed there.”

“It was a pretty complicated situation. But generally in situations like that, I've tried not to extend the player's contract – which of course you can do and sometimes you do – but I think Judon is 31, 32 or something. Extending that is a little different, so you put an incentive and give him a chance – maybe he has a good year and earns some money through incentives. There are a lot of different ways to handle that.”

“I’m pretty surprised that Atlanta didn’t renew Matthew Judon’s contract.

Generally, in situations like this, I attempt to create incentives if you happen to don't want an extension.” ~ Bill Belichick#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/VzW7zpi3Vm

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) 26 August 2024

Belichick's pointed comments about Atlanta may not come as a surprise, considering the 72-year-old coach was considered a finalist for the Falcons' head coaching job last season before the team ultimately hired Raheem Morris.

Prince Harry delivered a humble, heartfelt speech as he accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service on the 2024 ESPY Awards on Thursday, attempting to downplay his role because the honoree but in addition paying tribute to Tillman's mother, Mary, who was not glad that the “controversial and polarizing” British royal would receive a trophy in her son's name.

But as with every thing involving Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the general public was deeply divided over Harry's decision to just accept the award, which is known as after the San Jose-raised NFL player and war hero who died in Afghanistan in 2004. Among those that questioned Harry's decision to just accept the dignity was a retired British military leader, Admiral Lord Alan West, who said earlier this week that the renegade son of King Charles III risked the wrath of war veterans by allowing organizations like ESPN to shower him with accolades due to his fame.

ESPN had stated that Harry, who served within the British Army for 10 years and was deployed to Afghanistan twice, deserved the award due to his contribution to the veterans community through the Invictus Games. In 2014, Harry founded the games, which support wounded, injured and sick soldiers through international sporting events.

In his speech, Harry said: “The truth is that I stand here not as Prince Harry receiving the Pat Tillman Award, but as a voice on behalf of the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and military personnel from over 20 nations who have made the Invictus Games possible. This award belongs to them, not me.”

While Meghan beamed with pride within the audience, Harry also thanked the Pat Tillman Foundation and Marie Tillman Shenton, Pat Tillman's widow. The foundation helped ESPN determine to honor the Duke of Sussex, and Marie Tillman Shenton smiled when Harry mentioned the muse and her name. Harry then prolonged a peace offering to Mary Tillman, saying, “Her commitment to Pat's legacy is deeply personal and I respect it.”

“The bond between mother and son is eternal and endures even the greatest losses,” he continued, remembering his own mother, Princess Diana, who died in a automotive accident when he was 12 years old.

Mary Tillman told the Daily Mail last month she was “shocked” that ESPN gave Harry the award, which previously has gone to individuals who should not household names. She said there are better-suited honorees who “don't have the money, the means, the connections or the privilege that Prince Harry has.”

After Harry's speech, social media was in a frenzy. ESPN's X-Post of Harry's speech received greater than 1.9 million views and a couple of,300 replies overnight. Some people praised the Montecito native Duke for his “inspiring” work on the Invictus Games and said he gave the look of “a good, honest man.”

But many others questioned his decision to just accept the award, accusing him and Meghan of “buying” this and other awards within the US for publicity. Others said Harry was using veterans and a “real hero” like Pat Tillman “as a shield” to avoid backlash. Someone else also said it was “dishonest” of Harry to say Mary Tillman: “If her bond with her son and the award are so important to him, he should have turned it down.”

ESPN's decision to present Harry the Pat Tillman Award was met with opposition from greater than 75,000 individuals who signed a web-based petition demanding that the award go to someone who embodies “duty, honor and sacrifice.” Tillman gave up a lucrative NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals after 9/11 to hitch the U.S. Army Rangers. The 27-year-old died in a friendly fire incident while deployed in Afghanistan.

Popular ESPN analyst Pat McAfree said his network gave Harry the award “to piss people off” – that’s, to capitalize on the controversy. McAfee's co-host Boston Connor also said it was “probably the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen in my entire life,” while guest Ty Schmitt called the awarding of the prize to Harry a “stunt.”

As previously, Thursday night's ESPYs were a glamorous, star-studded event, with quite a few sports stars in attendance, including Patrick Mahomes and Caitlin Clark. The ceremony was hosted by tennis legend Serena Williams, an in depth friend of Meghan's.

Opening the awards ceremony, Williams praised Harry and Meghan within the audience, calling them “real royalty.” She also jokingly warned them to not “outshine” her.

“This is my night,” Williams joked to the couple. “I don't want to be overshadowed by you two breathing too much oxygen.”

Pat Tillman's mother is amongst a growing number of individuals questioning whether “controversial” Prince Harry deserves an award named in honor of the San Jose-raised NFL star and war hero who was killed in Afghanistan.

Mary Tillman said in an announcement that she was not consulted by ESPN in the choice to present the estranged son of King Charles III with the 2024 Pat Tillman Award for Merit at this 12 months's ESPY Awards. Harry is scheduled to simply accept the award at a televised ceremony on July 11 hosted by former tennis player Serena Williams – who happens to be good friends with Harry's equally controversial wife, Meghan Markle.

“I am shocked why they chose such a controversial and polarizing person as the winner,” Mary Tillman said of Harry in an announcement to the Daily Mail.

Mary Tillman said organizers must have chosen a less famous honoree, as they’ve done for the reason that award was created in 2004 as a tribute to her son, the 27-year-old Leland High School graduate who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in April 2004. The Fremont native was a star football player at Arizona State University and, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, walked away from a $3.6 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals to affix the Army Rangers.

Mary Tillman said there are people who find themselves “far more suited” to the award, individuals who “don't have the money, the means, the connections or the privilege that Prince Harry has.” She said: “I think those kinds of people deserve recognition.”

Harry didn’t reply to a request for comment from People Magazine about Mary Tillman's testimony.

ESPN said the Tillman Award is given to “an individual with a strong connection to the sport who has served others in a way that reflects the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger.”

Yet, as Mary Tillman said, Harry has turn out to be a polarizing figure in popular culture. Many people all over the world love him for his decision to step away from royal life and take a look at to construct a life in California as a media mogul, philanthropist and mental health advocate. ESPN said Harry is receiving the Pat Tillman Award due to his service within the British armed forces, which included two tours in Afghanistan, and his work in founding the Invictus Games, a world sporting event for wounded, injured and sick lively duty soldiers and veterans.

Harry's decision to simply accept the Pat Tillman Award was also met with disdain by Pat McAfee, ESPN's star sports analyst, and Organizers of a petition, which have up to now collected greater than 28,000 signatures calling on ESPN to reconsider awarding the prize to Harry.

In his show on Friday, McAfee asked: “Why are the ESPYs doing this (curse word)?” He criticized the ESPYs for appearing to pander to Harry, “who I don't even think is a prince anymore.”

“Did (Prince Harry's) people know that you simply publicly nominated me for this award? You ask principally anybody who considers themselves an American and say, 'That's nonsense…' Especially at a sports awards ceremony. I assume Harry knew that, right?” McAfee continued.

Bruins

Pat Maroon's impact on the Bruins' bench is straightforward to see.

There's the sight of the veteran winger – his name is engraved thrice on the Stanley Cup – keeping his courtmates grounded with pats on the back and words of encouragement amid the chaos of playoff hockey.

And after all there may be the look of the 1.80 meter tall, 110 kilogram powerhouse throwing Toronto defender Timothy Liljegren onto the Boston bench on Saturday evening – and thus rousing the already offended TD Garden crowd.

Postseason grit and on-ice fighting spirit are two prized assets because the calendar turns to April.

And in his first playoff appearance in a black and gold sweater, Maroon showed why Boston wanted him on board for his or her latest Cup run.

“It's a lot of emotions that come our way, especially because the crowd is excited,” Jim Montgomery said of the tone Maroon sets on the ice. “The play he makes is what he does well – subtle plays that strengthen team play.

“And what he does really well is on the bench, and what we've noticed is that, similar to Nick Foligno, he has a lot of positive conversations and reinforces the game plan a lot.”

Based on Maroon's approach against the Maple Leafs in Game 1, the Bruins' strategy on Saturday was to land as many stripes as possible against their Original Six opponent. On an evening when Boston totaled 51 goals against Toronto, Maroon led the best way with six goals in his 11:28 of ice time.

Maroon's knack for taking out opposing fielders with a bone-crushing check or right hook is well documented. But the Bruins didn't add Maroon to their roster just as a physical deterrent.

“When he's on the ice, his ability to hold on to pucks, his ability to make plays, I think is incredibly underrated,” Montgomery said of Maroon's play before the beginning of this first-round series. “A lot of people talk about Maroon and his fisticuffs for lack of a better word. For me he is a hockey player. He won three cups because he is a hockey player.”

Maroon made a direct impact in his first shift during Saturday's game. While deflecting a puck near the boards, Maroon found himself within the crosshairs of Leafs squapper Ryan Reaves and 6-foot-5 blueliner Joel Edmundson.

Most NHL players probably would have thrown the puck into no man's land to avoid the warmth – or coughed up the cookie after being slammed into the glass. Of course, Maroon isn't built like most NHL players.

With two skaters drawn toward him, Maroon as an alternative turned the puck to his linemate Jesper Boqvist, who was skating away at the opposite end of the ice. With Reaves and Edmundson each attempting to bring down Maroon, the Leafs only had one skater back as Boqvist and Johnny Beecher pushed the puck toward Ilya Samsonov.

Seconds later, Beecher fired off Boqvist's feed, giving Boston a lead just 2:26 into the sport with the team's first shot of the night.

“The guy didn’t win three Cups for nothing,” Beecher said of Maroon. “He knows how to play the right way. He knows how to manage a game. He was great for me and Boqs, just slowing the game down and giving us a little advice here and there. He played an incredible game. Without him you can’t score.”

Maroon is probably not a top-six player at this stage of his profession. But it's no coincidence that the 35-year-old won three consecutive cups from 2019-21.

The Bruins are hoping he adds a fourth ring at his final stop in his NHL profession.

“He made a great play tonight on that first goal,” Marchand said of Maroon. “So he understands how vital the little plays in the sport are that may affect the consequence and he brings attention to that and holds the boys accountable.

“It's demanding for a person to come back at a certain time, behave like that and convey that confidence right into a room, but due to his experience he manages to do it. It makes a giant difference.”