The Owner's Box After Dark, Ep. 53.

We've got football highlights galore in the 53rd episode of The Owner's Box After Dark, as we take a look back at the King Philip football team's season-opening, 35-22 win over Boston College High. Thanks to North TV for not threatening to send me to MCI-Cedar Junction for the theft of intellectual property. After all, I do frequently give them credit and mention links, and all that good stuff.

Then after the break, I just go off on a ramble through a number of topics, including the California recall election, my choice in dishwashers and, of course, the ongoing pandemic that has divided our nation.

It's all in the best video podcast to emanate from this corner of Bristol County.

The Owner's Box, Ep. 42.

Glen Farley

The audio podcast returns with my old friend, Glen Farley, who today serves as my announcing partner in the King Philip press box for football, field hockey, ice hockey, baseball and softball. 

We talk about the return of high school football for the fall 2021 season, and how it appears the Warriors will fare. Yes, I know we're two games into the season ... this was recorded before the first game, and I've just been lazy in putting the finishing touches on it. And because this part was recorded on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Glen and I offer our recollections of that fateful day.

Oh, and please ignore the reference to the "2011 season." It was 3 in the morning and I just plain missed that goof in editing. It's true what they say ... in either print or audio, the toughest errors to catch are the ones you make yourself. We will do better.

Ponderous thoughts I was pondering ...

Glen Farley (left) and me,  on the job in the Macktaz Field press box. 

Ponderous thoughts I was pondering while noting the disappearance of the sun on weekends now that Labor Day has come and gone ...

** It's definitely fun to be back behind the microphone for King Philip sports on behalf of North Attleborough Community Television (North TV). I've done one football game (KP 35, BC High 22) and one boys' soccer game (KP 3, Stoughton 0), and I have a pair of soccer games to do next week (see the schedule in the column to the left of this entry on my desktop view). In al, I'll be doing at least 12 events at KP and Tri-County through this fall season, not counting the possibility of football playoff games.

I will admit to being a little rusty on the calls, as I did only three football games and a smattering of volleyball in the "fall 2" season in March and April, then only one game apiece for softball and baseball -- both of which I'd love to do more. I do believe I've improved at football, although I still get a little absent-minded and insert the wrong player's name in a call, or miscalculate the line of scrimmage. I imagine the latter makes me sound like a real idiot, although I would admonish viewers to remember that you're seeing a much better picture on your TV than my view in the press box. I don't have a monitor, either -- the KP crew consists of me, my analyst Glen Farley, and our cameraman, Scott Tooker, who's on the roof of the Macktaz Field press box.

But to be honest, I think the lack of a monitor has made me work harder to improve. I don't have the luxury of seeing a replay and possibly being able to correct myself, so I have to try to pay better attention. And as I watch pro games very closely these days to pick up announcing tips, I've noticed that even the best of the play-by-play guys (even with their monitors and spotters talking into their earpieces) make occasional flubs on-air. So I'm not going to beat myself up too much for my occasional goofs.

This is my third season doing play-by-play and my fourth overall with North TV, and yes, I wish I could do more work. We're not doing the road games this year except for Thanksgiving Day at Franklin. And I won't be doing this Friday's game at KP against North Attleboro because when the Rocketeers are involved, North TV sends the North Attleboro-based crew (Jared Ware, Del Malloy, and the control truck and multiple cameras). Glen and I won't be back in the booth until Oct. 8 against Attleboro, but we'll have a stretch of three games in four weeks including the surprising Milford Scarlet Hawks on Oct. 15 and the Mansfield Hornets on Oct. 29. 

But I will go to the games I'm not announcing because I compile notes for my use during the games I am calling. That's why I'm glad I was able to take in last night's 30-6 win over Needham. It was misty and I was sitting in my camping chair about three-quarters of the way up a steep hill (no press box and very few stands at Needham Memorial Park), but I'm glad I didn't miss the promised debut of the Charlie Grant-Tom McLeish platoon at quarterback.

Grant is the starter and a solid game-manager. But as a change of pace, KP coach Brian Lee inserts McLeish, the 6-3 sophomore, behind center on passing downs. And sometimes, Grant shifts to wide receiver to take advantage of his athleticism and keep an experienced veteran on the field.

Friday night, it worked like a charm. McLeish threw TD passes of 37 and 55 yards to Grant to totally demoralize the Rockets. And later in the game, Grant threw a 4-yard TD pass to Jonathan Joseph to put the finishing touches on the win. You can bet other Hockomock League coaches will be spending more time in film viewing trying to counter that.

And how about the 40-yard field goal by junior Matthew Kelley? That had legs to be good from 47-50 yards. This kid could have a bright future ahead if he continues to develop his kicking skills.

Anyway, it's been great to be back to football. And if you should be interested in watching any of these King Philip games (they're all live-streamed), go to NorthTV.net, scroll down to the live-streaming box and choose the Plainville Channel option.

** Soccer, however, is another thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm learning to appreciate the sport as played by the local high schools. And it was very satisfying to call the KP boys' first win of the year after two losses -- even if I did get the first goal wrong. Two out of three ain't bad, I guess, but I could really use that monitor when the goals are scored in close quarters.

However, I was at a disadvantage. I was working the game alone, which isn't normal procedure.

We have a local soccer official who lends his expertise to most of North TV's soccer telecasts as an analyst, but an unfortunate scheduling mix-up left me on my own on Wednesday. Now it's true, I do love the sound of my own voice -- but even I feel badly for the folks that had to listen to nothing but me during that hour and a half.

I listened to my efforts before writing this column, and I know the effort would have been improved greatly by some actual soccer knowledge. As I admitted during the telecast, I don't watch much of the sport except during the men's and women's World Cups because I appreciate those tournaments as the best that the sport has to offer. But for the most part, even with a measure of cramming, I'm still a little perplexed by the nuances -- and that's where a very good analyst comes in. 

I can guide the telecast through most of the action, but to fully explain what you're seeing, I rely heavily upon all my analysts. And without one? Well, let's just say that even my formidable bullshitting skills were severely tested. Hopefully, my games on Monday and Wednesday will go much more smoothly.

Are they selling Del's Lemonade? 

** I'm watching the Red Sox as I type this, and those ugly yellow uniforms they claim to be a tribute to the Boston Marathon are no less ugly today.

Remember when "uniform" meant everyone wore the same thing? I blame Nike. They've screwed up every sport at every level where they have the contract by cranking out all these alternative uniforms,

** I wasn't there, but that Mansfield vs. North Attleboro football game at Community Field must have been a gem to watch. The Hornets, playing North for the first time in six years because of the league's divisional split, defeated the Rocketeers 31-29 after two overtime possessions. I can't wait to see the replay on North TV -- and I hope both schools can find a way to keep the rivalry going in the years to come.

** Just a reminder that I did predict on camera that Mac Jones would be the starting quarterback of the Patriots from Day One. It was on an episode of "Up for Discussion," North TV's panel talk show, recorded back in May. Just don't ask me if I fully believed what I was saying -- after all, I had a 50-50 chance to be correct.

It just seemed logical that drafting a quarterback at No. 15 overall would make a change inevitable. Plus, Cam Newton's reluctance to be vaccinated for COVID did not sit well with the powers-that-be ... that, and his penchant for walking to the beat of a different drummer. He was a bridge and the Patriots stayed on the road ahead after passing over it, simple as that.

I thought Jones played well in the opener against Miami. He could have been better, yes. But he's the right man for the job right now. And it would help if his running backs could hold onto the goddam football!

** Time to mow the lawn. I hate the end of summer, but at least my knees will get a much-deserved break once the grass goes dormant. See you at the ballparks ... 

Sam 'Bam' Cunningham, 71.

Sam "Bam" Cunningham is the Patriots' all-time leading rusher.

This has simply been an awful month for fans of former members of the Patriots.

Wide receiver David Patten, a mainstay from the early dynastic teams of the Bill Belichick Era, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sept. 2 at the far-too-young age of 47. And earlier today, we learned of the death of the team's all-time leading rusher, running back Sam Cunningham, 71.

Cunningham was one of the first big stars of the Patriots following their move to Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro, and he was as legitimate as they came. He came to Foxboro from Southern Cal at a time when the fullback was still a major ball-carrier in the NFL, and he was a force in the Patriots' efforts to shed their losing ways of the past under the coaching tenures of Chuck Fairbanks, Ron Erhardt and Ron Meyer.

A consensus All-America running back who helped Southern Cal win a national championship in 1972, Cunningham was drafted 11th overall by the Patriots in 1973, the second of three first-round picks, joining offensive guard John Hannah (fourth overall) and wide receiver Darryl Stingley (19th). 

Cunningham played for the Patriots for nine seasons, appearing in 107 games from 1973-79 and 1981-82, missing one season due to a contract dispute.

The 6-foot-2, 233-pound fullback with the no-nonsense rushing style and the daring over-the-line plunges for scores led the team and set a then-rookie rushing record for the Patriots that year with 516 yards and four touchdowns. The following year, he was averaging 4.9 yards per carry and over 80 yards per game before a broken leg abruptly ended his season after just 10 games. Despite missing the final four games of the season, Cunningham was still selected as the team’s MVP. He finished the year with 811 yards rushing on 166 carries with nine touchdowns, just 14 yards shy of the team lead. It marked the only season in his first seven seasons with the Patriots that he did not lead the team in rushing.

In 1976, Cunningham averaged 4.8 yards per carry to lead the Patriots to one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, as they rebounded from a 3-11 finish in 1975 to qualify for the playoffs in 1976, finishing 11-3 -- only to be eliminated from a potential run for a Super Bowl by a bad roughing-the-passing call against Oakland.

Cunningham joined the Patriots' Hall of Fame in 2010.

Cunningham had his best statistical season in 1977 when he became just the second player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards (1,015). He also led the team in receiving that season with 42 receptions for a career-high 370 yards. While 1977 was his best statistical season individually, the following year’s contributions remained in the NFL record book for 41 years until Baltimore set the new record in 2019. That season, Cunningham led a quartet of rushers who powered the Patriots to a combined team rushing record of 3,165 yards.

Cunningham was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2010 by the fans' vote, and was a member of the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team that was selected by a panel of veteran media members, team alumni and front-office personnel.

Lesser known about Cunningham was that he was a quiet force for racial equality in the locker rooms of college football before he became a Patriot. In 1970, Cunningham was the lead back in a Southern Cal backfield comprised entirely of African-Americans, and his 135 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 win over an all-white Alabama team coached by the legendary Bear Bryant helped to convince Bryant to integrate his team.

Patriots' owner Robert Kraft, who famously reminisces about his days as a Schaefer Stadium season-ticket holder on those "cold, hard aluminum bleachers," offered his memories of Sam Bam in a press release issued earlier Tuesday.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of yet another loss to the Patriots family this week and our hearts ache for Sam Cunningham’s family and all who are mourning his passing today,” Kraft said. “Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham was one of my favorite players throughout the ‘70s and my sons all loved him. After I bought the team in 1994, it was my honor to welcome him back to the team on multiple occasions, recognizing him as a 50th anniversary team member and again for his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. 

"As much as I admired him as a player, my affection for him only grew after spending time with him and learning more about him as a person," Kraft added. "He made a tremendous impact, both on and off the field, and was beloved by his teammates. As a Patriots Hall of Famer, Sam’s legacy and contributions will be preserved and celebrated forever, but today his loss is felt with heavy hearts.”

Cunningham's younger brother, Randall, was also a trend-setter, quarterbacking in the NFL for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The cause of Cunningham's death was not immediately known, according to a press release issued by USC.

David Patten, 47.

David Patten speaks to the media upon his retirement from the NFL in 2010.

This was one of those breaking news items that I just didn't want to hear.

Former Patriots' wide receiver David Patten died Thursday night in a motorcycle accident just outside of Columbia, S.C. He was just 47, still a very young man, and the outpouring of sentiment that hit the Internet early this morning underscored how warmly regarded he was by fellow teammates and others in the football world.

I was there for the entirety of his career with the Patriots, in which he provided a young team that would shock the world in February of 2002 with the veteran presence it needed both on the field and in the locker room. Patten, who had gone from loading 75-pound bags of coffee beans onto trucks from the loading docks to the Arena League to the biggest stage the NFL had to offer, was a gentleman and a quietly devout soul that radiated an inner strength to everyone around him. He was the ultimate "team player," and absolutely clutch when a big play was needed -- and he certainly turned in many of those during his time with the team.

One specific example came in Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans against the Rams. He caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the back right corner of the end zone with 31 seconds left in the first half -- Tom Brady's first touchdown pass in the playoffs -- to give the Patriots a 14-3 lead at intermission. That shocking turn of events was enough to lead several veteran observers to believe the unheralded Patriots might actually have a chance to throw off their losing ways of the past and actually defeat "The Greatest Show on Turf." 

In fact, at the end of this post you will find a link to a clip from an audio blog I used to do for The Sun Chronicle from the Patriots' training camp. I did an interview with the late Gil Santos, the play-by-play announcer and Patriots Hall of Fame inductee, in which we talked about his famous call of Adam Vinatieri's winning field goal and also a brief moment of eye contact between us as we passed each other in the Superdome press box hallway at halftime, and realization that Patten's TD catch might have a huge impact upon the outcome.

Patten also caught Drew Bledsoe's last touchdown pass as a Patriot, an 11-yarder near the end of the first half of the 2001 AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, after Brady exited with an ankle sprain earlier in the second quarter.

But he did so much else in just four seasons here, and I hope the following story I wrote in 2010 (when he tried to coax one more season in the league from himself after leaving the New Orleans Saints) will illustrate how Patten was regarded as he prepared to leave the NFL after a career that blossomed magnificently from its very humble beginnings to become exactly the sort of veteran leader the Patriots needed at the beginning of their dynasty.

FOXBORO - David Patten left football knowing he was regarded by his teammates as a pro's pro.

 "I've only had about 2 1/2 months with this team, and a majority of these guys I never played with," the veteran wide receiver said Saturday morning. "They didn't know me, I didn't know them … but they kind of embraced me as the old veteran guy, from all the stories they heard and the highlights they've seen of me.

David Patten made clutch catches.

"But until you get a chance to spend time with a person, you really don't know who they are," he continued. "And I do believe over the last 21/2 months, which was expressed today, that I left an impression on them and I taught them what it means to be a professional, what it means to be selfless, and what it means to go out there day in and day out and work hard."

Patten, who will turn 36 on Aug. 19, announced his retirement from the Patriots and pro football Saturday morning in a hastily-arranged press conference in the Gillette Stadium press box - hastily, because until late Friday, he said, he was fully intending to continue his comeback for a 13th season after a year spent out of football.

 
"Trust me, this is in no way, shape or form what I anticipated coming back here this year," he said. "I honestly felt like I could still play this game and play at a high level, and I felt like the competitive spirit and nature was still there.
 
"But over the course of the last two days, there was a lot of reflection and a lot of contemplation," he said. "I just felt like it was time … it just hit me yesterday. Camp was going really well, I was still able to go out there and be competitive and operate at a high level, but … once you begin to start thinking about it mentally and you're not 100 percent in it mentally, it's tough to play this game.
 
"I always felt when I got to this point, it would be in my best interests to just walk away," he said.
 
Patten spent only four of his 12 NFL seasons with the Patriots, but they were incredibly productive for him and the team. He caught 165 passes for 2,513 yards as a Patriot (24th on the team's all-time list) from 2001 through 2004, coinciding with the team's three Super Bowl victories in the decade.
 
"He has been an outstanding player for this organization," Patriots' coach Bill Belichick said. "I think David sets the pace in terms of a work ethic. In the offseason program, he's always the one out in front, he's the one who the other players are trying to keep up with. He's got a great attitude and work ethic … and those are the things that kept him in the league and made him the outstanding player that he was."
 
Over his four Patriot seasons, Patten - who at one time lugged 75-pound bags of coffee beans around a factory to make a living before joining the Albany Firebirds of the Arena League - provided fans with plenty of exciting moments.
 
The most memorable was on Oct. 21, 2001, at the RCA Dome, when he had a game for the ages.
 
In a 38-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Patten ran a 29-yard end-around for a score the first time the Patriots touched the football, then he caught a 91-yard scoring pass from Tom Brady on the first play of a second-quarter possession. After a three-and-out by the Colts, Patten took a first-play lateral from Brady and fired a 60-yard TD pass to Troy Brown for a 21-3 lead, and for good measure, Patten added a 6-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter.
 
He became the sixth player in NFL history to account for touchdowns in a game by receiving (two), running and passing, and the first since Chicago's Walter Payton did it in 1979.
 
Other memorable Patten moments included his knocked-unconscious catch on the sidelines in Buffalo to preserve an overtime scoring march late in the 2001 season, a leaping touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone (thrown by Drew Bledsoe, who replaced an injured Brady) near the end of the first half of the 2001 AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, and the game-winning catch in a 2002 victory over the Chicago Bears at the University of Illinois in which the Patriots fought back from a 24-point deficit.
 
"Those are the memories that will drive me into the twilight years," a teary-eyed Patten said. "As long as you play the game, you try not to reflect on the past too often because it's all about the here and now and the present. Now you can reflect back on them and say, 'hey, the career wasn't that bad!'
 
"For a kid that was undersized out of Columbia, S.C., a small I-AA school (Western Carolina), undrafted, working in the coffee bean factory, electrician's work, landscaper … who'd have thought that 15 years later, I'd have 12 years in the National Football League, three championships and so many memories," he said. "Now I can sit back and reflect on it. Now I can pass this on to my kids … amazing."
 
Patten had yet to tell his family of his decision Saturday morning before meeting the media. He informed teammates just before his press conference, and said he deliberately waited before telling Brady.
 
"Naturally, he tried to talk me out of it," Patten said. "He's a major reason why I decided to come back and give it a shot here because he felt I could still play and he still had the confidence in me.
 
"You know he can be pretty persuasive when he wants to," he added. "But although this is a sad moment and a sad day, at the same time it's extremely joyful because of those types of reactions … the expression that I received from him today, it really lets me know that I made an impression on my teammates. And that makes me feel good."
 
Patten finishes his NFL career (with the Giants, Patriots, Browns, Redskins and Saints) with 324 catches for 4,715 yards (14.6 average), 24 receiving touchdowns including the career-best 91-yarder against the Colts, 13 rushes for 106 yards and 111 kick returns for 2,273 yards. In the postseason, he added 20 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns, all with the Patriots.

Many Patriots expressed sincere regrets and condolences to Patten's family on Friday. Perhaps some of the most poignant comments came from Patriots' coach Bill Belichick.

“It breaks my heart to hear of David’s tragic passing at such a young age,” Belichick said. “I am grateful to have coached David. He is an essential person and player in Patriots history, without whom we would not have been Super Bowl champions. I especially appreciate David for his professional journey. As much as anyone, David epitomized the unheralded, self-made player who defied enormous odds to not only earn a job in the NFL but to become a key player on multiple championship teams. I can speak for anyone who had the pleasure to be around David that his work ethic, positive energy and character were elite. My deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.”

Rest in peace, David Patten.

The Owner's Box, Ep. 41.

King Philip coach Brian Lee gets a ride off the field from his players after a Super Bowl win. 

Football season is just a little more than a week away for the Hockomock League and surrounding areas, so let's start our coverage of it with a visit to the Original Gangsta of podcasts, The Owner's Box, by King Philip coach Brian Lee.

Lee, entering his 17th season, coaxed a 4-3 record out of a young team in the "Fall 2" season that ended in April. That experience, plus the cessation of most COVID-19 restrictions, should return the Warriors to divisional contention in the Hockomock's Kelley-Rex. That could lead to some postseason excitement in the new statewide tournament, in which 16 teams per division, from all corners of the commonwealth, will do battle for the eight divisional championships.

I also discuss the departure of Cam Newton from the Patriots and the ascension of Mac Jones, which I called -- in May. Yes, I have the audio tape to prove it.

It's all in the best audio podcast to soar through the raindrops in Mansfield to your smartphones (if you subscribe).

Enjoy your retirement, Jackie Mac!

Jackie MacMullan, a top-notch journalist and the pride of Westwood, Mass.

As Jackie MacMullan retires from ESPN today, the tributes are pouring in. So I’ll add mine.

Best known for her expertise and deep love of basketball, Jackie was also a very versatile journalist that could track down stories from any sport and present them with her own trademark depth and empathy. So she’d get the high-profile assignments wherever good journalism was needed.

Thus it was that at one of the Patriots’ Super Bowls (I’m struggling to remember which one, but I believe it was the one in Indianapolis), I happened to be talking to Mike Reiss, early in his career as ESPN’s Boston writer, about how bad the wi-fi service was in the media center where we were all writing our stories.

I always tried to utilize cutting technology when I went to major events because I was generally alone from my newspaper when I was on the road, and could not afford snafus in sending my copy to Attleboro. At the time, I had invested in a personal wi-fi hotspot, and I mentioned to Mike that I’d be willing to share it. Immediately, he invited me to share ESPN Boston’s private cubicle within the media center — which was a blessing to me, because it ensured me better working conditions than being surrounded by chatty journalists from all over the world in the area of the media center that was reserved for the non-preferred outlets.

So for the entire week, I worked alongside Mike and the ever-gracious Jackie MacMullan — all of us using my wi-fi signal to meet our deadlines (and occasionally running afoul of NFL orders to not use personal wi-fi, even though the league could not provide a consistent signal). And even though I had been covering the Patriots for probably 30 years by that time, I learned a lot about preparation, dedication and professionalism by working next to them.

I also discovered that I could still have fun even while operating at a higher level, because after all, I didn’t want to embarrass myself by being a disorganized goofball while working in such close proximity to two real pros whom I respected and admired.

The thing you learn about Jackie Mac right away was that regardless of the well-deserved fame she earned throughout her career, she was still just a down-home person — dedicated and focused, yes, but still a devoted mom wanting to check in with her husband and kids during a long stretch away from them, or eager to ask me questions about the state of Massachusetts girls’ basketball in the high schools, which she knew I covered and loved.

It was one of the best working weeks of my career, and I’m glad I could be of assistance.

Enjoy retirement, Jackie. It’s fun.