Ponderous thoughts I was pondering ...

Even the Dalai Lama enjoyed my "Ponderous Thoughts" columns, it seems.

Well, that was a familiar way to start a column … and that's how I did it for most of my 41-year tenure at The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Mass.

As a multi-award-winning sports columnist, I had the latitude to write about whatever tickled my fancy. But perhaps none of my columns were as popular as the "notes" pieces I'd put together under that opening phrase. I'd weave short snippets on 20 or more unrelated topics into what became known as my "Ponderous Thoughts" columns, and even now, coming up on two full years of my retirement, former readers stop me on the street and tell me that's what they miss the most in their daily newspaper.

And since I was looking for a recurring theme for some of these blog posts, I could think of no better way to start them than to dust off the old standby. It's not as if the "Blue Ribbon Daily," as I used to call it, owns any intellectual property rights to the phrase.

So, welcome back to the Ponderous Thoughts … as in, "Ponderous thoughts I was pondering while limping to the freezer in search of more ice for the bag on my knee …"

Trying my best to mow.

** Today's Knee Update: Sore, but not excruciating. I managed to mow about two-thirds of my back yard yesterday and it was a struggle -- not just because of the reduced mobility, although my brace performed well, but because of the heat. It was still in the high 70s when I ventured out, and I'm not yet in mowing condition. Last year, it really took me until July to be able to walk the full three miles (on two good knees) at a brisk pace in a single afternoon. Right now, that three-hour job is taking three days to complete. That won't do.

** Sometimes I'm not sure which is more disturbing -- the news that U.S. deaths from the coronavirus have exceeded 100,000, or that there's a new class of morons emerging from under rocks that is blaming the news media for "artificially" inflating those numbers in order to create panic and intentionally suppress the economy.

Yeah, sure. That's the ticket. The news media, already one of the most vulnerable industries in this economy because people have become too stupid to read or too charmed by the personality cult of the current dictator wannabe in the White House to accept facts that may be contrary to his lying narrative, is trying to kill the economy. How stupid are these people?

And as an adjunct, there's another conspiracy theory going around that claims that the only people that have died from  COVID-19 are seniors living in nursing homes, and the casualty numbers have been inflated. The clear inference here is that anyone over 60 is worthless to society anyway, so let them die. Everyone else should throw away their masks and raise their AR-15 assault weapons in celebration of 'Merica.

My response is usually to tell the most virulent of these posters to go take a deep breath inside an emergency room, and then get back to me in a couple of weeks.

Jerks. I sometimes wonder if we have a society worth surviving.

Mansfield native Paul Souza.

** Many of you know my friend, Paul Souza, from his days as an outstanding athlete -- 1,000-point basketball scorer and champion high-jumper at Mansfield High who developed his high-jumping skills further at Penn State, later becoming the very successful track coach at Wheaton College for many years. Others will remember Paul for his musical talents, as lead singer for a number of bands (the most familiar among them being the Velveteen Playboys). He now lives in Indianapolis with his family and is still active in both music and sports.

Paul is also suffering from COVID-19. But I'm happy to report that he is recovering at home, following a brief hospitalization, from the pneumonia that accompanied his infection. He is definitely one of the lucky ones and I wish him and his family the best as he continues to battle his way back to good health.

Brownies! The line forms here.

** I'm not much of a cook, which is why I have done a lot of takeout during the pandemic. But cooking can be therapeutic, and I was definitely in need of all sorts of therapy last night, as my legs and feet were throbbing.

So I made brownies. And they are delicious.

Nothing fills a house with a better aroma than that of brownies baking in the oven -- especially when they come out right. I used the three-egg option to make the brownies more cake-like, and they did not disappoint. Now, the challenge is not to pig out totally and elevate my blood sugar beyond acceptable levels by gobbling them up all in one sitting. I will endeavor to show some restraint.

But damn, they're good.

Kristen McDonnell's coffee and snack.

** As I have mentioned in the past, guests on my podcast, "The Owner's Box," receive a 13-ounce coffee mug, embossed with the podcast's official logo, in return. I've posted photos of mine, but now I'm proud to post some of the photos I've received from past guests who've put the mugs to good use.

Norwood High boys' basketball coach Kristen McDonnell, a two-time guest, gave me a look at the first use of her mug, next to a morning fruit plate. Media power-couple Jack and Lisa Edwards, who've accounted for three appearances covering hockey and the NFL, let me know that the two mugs shipped together made it to them unscathed. And this very morning, I got a text message from baseball writer Maureen Mullen telling me that the mug works equally as well with tea as it does with coffee.

Maureen Mullen's tea has a nice home.

Some may suggest, "Why are you giving out mugs for your rinky-dink podcast?" To that, I would respond that what may have started out as rinky-dink has begun to receive a considerable amount of attention. Last month, this blog's tally of total views jumped by nearly 1,500 in just a week's time, which ain't half bad. In fact, it's pretty damned good for a guy whose newspaper was down to about 8,000 daily subscribers (from a high of 26,000) by the time I was laid off five months shy of my planned retirement.

The truth is, I'm enjoying it. It's still fun to interview people, and I had been told all my life that I should do something worthwhile with a voice that was broadcast quality. I'm now trying to do that, not only with the podcast, but also with the play-by-play work I do for basketball and football games for North Attleboro Community Television, Mansfield Cable Access and Foxboro Cable Access.

The Edwards family is well-mugged.

I also want people to know that I appreciate their participation on the podcast. I know that back in the day, when I used to appear on radio shows or do speaking engagements, I appreciated the little keepsakes I'd occasionally receive. And as these photos illustrate, who can't use a new coffee mug?

I did mention earlier this week that I'm going to slow down the production of new podcast episodes a little -- not because I'm getting tired of it, but because I'm not following the original plan for frequency of the podcasts, and in essence, I'm racing ahead of myself as a result. I just need to adjust the pace a little so I don't negatively impact the quality -- and exceed my monthly storage allotment for uploaded episodes, too. Rest assured there are more episodes in the pipeline -- and for you potential guests, I have plenty of mugs to give out!

** That's it for this resumption of the Ponderous Thoughts. See you again soon, and please, stay safe.

Thoughts during the apocalypse, Part 30.

The brace that holds my aching knee together.

Twelve weeks in, and I'm finally going to call a halt to the proprietary labeling of these posts as apocalyptic, as seen above. Thirty is a nice round number. The nation, whether we're ready or not, is transitioning back to a more normal pace. Not everything will be back to normal immediately; this crazy National Hockey League plan for resumption of the season is a prime example of that. But life must go on for those of us that were not among the nearly 100,000 Americans that succumbed to COVID-19.

I come back at a disadvantage.

My sore left knee, which has been a constant source of aggravation over the past month, has reached a point where medical examination is almost an absolute certainty. I now believe the issue to be with the meniscus or the patellar tendon, given that the kneecap is locking in position with the slightest lateral movement. It has become so difficult to get in and out of my cars -- even the convertible, with its wider doors -- that I am going to have to skip my weekly trip into Boston for Italian takeout from TABLE by Jen Royle.

My first TABLE takeout in March, yummy chicken parm.

However, this comes at a time when she will be preparing to return to more normal operation at her Hanover Street restaurant -- and for a future expansion. Her friends supported her well during this period of takeout-only ordering, and as a result, she has been able to go ahead with plans to convert a now-vacant storefront in the same building into "TABLE Mercato," which will be an Italian café and market with "grab-and-go" takeout, she said on Twitter.

Good for her. I've said it before, it has taken balls the size of small moons for Jen, a Mansfield native and former broadcast sports reporter (and Emmy winner) to transition into an entirely new career, and I've been glad to support her in a small way by making the weekly trek up there during the pandemic.

Back to the knee, however; I'm hopeful that there won't be a sudden surge of new coronavirus cases because of this rush to normalcy, because I've been hesitant to go to a medical facility during this time out of fear of infection. I'm one of those high-risk characters, of course … 66 years old, diabetic, five years since my mild stroke and so on. That I've been as active as I've been and not been infected may be a minor miracle.

Yet the rest of the world is not stopping out of deference of my pain. I am looking out over a backyard that is going to seed just 10 days after its last mowing. I toughed it out and did the front yard yesterday afternoon, but I was slower than cold molasses running uphill and the knee locked twice, causing a considerable amount of residual pain. But I still managed to complete some 6,000 steps -- and at least from the street, it looks as if someone lives here.

Maybe I'll try to do the backyard later today -- perhaps after the coverage of the SpaceX launch. It's 80 degrees outside right now, so I can wait. There's more straight-line walking involved in mowing the backyard, which will help.

Another issue that arose, and I won't overly dwell upon it here, is that I enter the possibly-post-pandemic period with absent friends.

One is the woman who has cut my hair since my college days. I learned yesterday that she has a serious illness (non-COVID) which required surgery just before the lockdown period began, and is unlikely to return to her salon. This is heartbreaking.

The other is a woman that has meant a lot to me for 35 years or more. We stopped communicating on Feb. 28 for reasons that are unclear. It's not the first time that has happened over the years, but this time, it feels permanent. I'll say no more because I don't want my remarks to be misinterpreted in any way. I'll just say that if this is the time to move on, then move on I shall.

And that includes this blog. Future posts will not carry the "Thoughts during the apocalypse" title unless we really do lapse into a full-blown spike of new cases because too many ignorant people can't wear a goddamned mask into a supermarket. By the way, if I can get out of my house, I still will wear masks and rubber gloves until told it's not necessary. I'll deal with my glasses fogging up, although I really wish they'd knock off these one-way aisles in the supermarkets. Nobody pays attention anyway.

Right now, my greatest challenge is to get down the basement steps to the laundry area and to wash my underwear. I have a 32-day supply of shorts when the drawer is full, and for the first time since I instituted that system more than 25 years ago, I have emptied the drawer and am going commando under my adidas running shorts.

TMI? Hey, nobody put a gun to your head to read these posts.

One other tidbit of information … I'm going to slow down the production of my podcast, "The Owner's Box," during the summer, at least a little bit. I've cranked out 24 episodes since Halloween, and lately, I was firing them out at a clip of one every six or seven days instead of the timeframe of 10-14 days that was the original intention. I have been quite pleased with the response to the podcasts, but it's time for me to pause and smell the forsythia, or whatever it was that my mother planted many years ago that's still growing in the yard, no thanks to my incompetence as a groundskeeper.

The official podcast mug.

Don't worry, "The Owner's Box" will still be with us. I have a few guests in mind for June, and maybe I'll crank out a remote episode or two when I head to the Cape for vacation in July. And remember, if you're lucky enough to be one of my guests, you will receive one of these spiffy 13-ounce coffee mugs as pictured at right. All but one of my past guests have received one so far, and there are plenty more in the box. And the packing boxes in which I send the mugs comes with enough bubble wrap to provide hours of mindless bubble-snapping entertainment to the recipient.

OK, then. Let's stop with the apocalyptic theme of these posts and try to find some semblance of hope for the future -- although from some of the scenes I'm seeing on TV, it really looks as if the educational system of the United States has failed the nation by providing a generation of morons that can't understand that they should really listen to smart people and not the stupid asshole they put in the White House by accident.

As you can tell, the theme of these posts probably won't change much.

Stay safe, people.

"Memorial Day" is not a "happy" holiday.

The gravesite placard honoring my father's military service in World War II.

At 9 o'clock this morning, President Donald J. Trump sent out a three-word tweet -- one of many of varying length that has burst forth onto the world from his smartphone over this holiday weekend. This particular one was in all capital letters, which in Internet parlance is the equivalent of shouting. It simply read:

"HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!"

As usual, our accidentally-elected chief executive was totally tone deaf.

Yes, Memorial Day is often seen as the beginning of summer, and there are often celebrations large and small over the long weekend. But its roots are more in remembrance than hedonism, and perhaps it's more appropriate to think of it in the former context than the latter -- especially at the end of an 11-week period in which nearly 98,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus with the promise of many more to come.

Memorial Day has its roots in the years following the Civil War, when Americans sought to solemnize the grievous losses the war-torn nation suffered during the four-year conflict. In 1868, it was established as "Decoration Day," to be marked by the decoration of military graves each May 30 because that date did not coincide with any of the major battles during the war. Most states observed it on their own, although some Southern states established a "Confederate Memorial Day" on their own (and still celebrate that treasonous secession today).

Over the years, "Decoration Day" gave way to Memorial Day as the nation added conflict upon conflict to its somber ledger. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and established Memorial Day as an official Federal holiday, to take place on the last Monday of May. It went into effect in 1971.

CPO Anthony C. Farinella, USN

On this day, I particularly remember my father, Tony Farinella, who served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He graduated from Mansfield High School in 1937 and had gone to work for his older brother, Santino, who had founded a new downtown clothing store on North Main Street. Four years later, not long after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, my father enlisted in the Navy and set out to sea.

Drawing upon his experience in retail sales, my father assumed the role of storekeeper's mate and advanced to the rank of Chief Petty Officer in charge of supply and distribution of goods to his shipmates. He served aboard a ship called an LST (or "tank landing ship"), which supported amphibious operations with its unique ability to ground itself and open its bow to unload tanks and other large pieces of equipment.

An LST had a crew of about 150 officers and enlisted men. They were a relatively new concept, designed to beach, unload and retreat quickly and effectively, and were sturdy ships; very few of the more than 1,000 built after 1943 were lost to direct enemy action. And while they were slow, they could defend themselves against aerial attack with a variety of anti-aircraft weaponry.

My father participated in both theaters of operation aboard ships of this sort. His LST participated in the Allied landing at Anzio in Italy in January 1944, but as he told me, his personal participation was limited to being "in the rear with the gear." He eventually returned to the States and was stationed at the Jacksonville (Fla.) Navy Yard, where he met my mother, a young Navy Yard civilian secretary. They married and he shipped out again for the Pacific in the waning days of the war.

A U.S. Navy LST unloads on a beach during World War II.

Tony didn't tell me too many war stories because, as he said, he didn't have many. For the most part, his participation was clerical, filling out requisition forms and making sure the sailors had fresh socks when they needed them. But on an LST, with its small contingent of crew, everyone had a job to do when the general quarters alarm was sounded.

It took years for me to coax my father into telling me the one "war story" he cared to share. His station at general quarters was at one of the two-man anti-aircraft gun turrets near the bridge, which was rarely visited during his time in Europe. But the Pacific war was as much an aerial war as it was a naval one, and Japanese aircraft continued to attack American convoys right up to the last days of the war.

It was during one of these fleeting attacks, my father said, that he watched in horror as the gunner in his turret was shot and killed. The procedure was strictly "next man up" as long as the gun was still operational, and so my father stepped behind the shoulder padding, cocked the gun, aimed it at the sky -- and promptly pissed his pants out of abject terror.

He told me that story late in 1971, on a trip home from college. He had hesitated to tell me the tale because he feared I would think that his human reaction to a moment of compete fear was unheroic. I assured him I would have done the same had I faced a similar situation.

The conversation came during the waning days of the Vietnam War, when young men my age were facing the prospect of losing their college deferments and being drafted, and the story was told as part of a larger discussion of what my intentions would be should the draft board come calling.

No, I did not want to serve in Vietnam. My father didn't want me there, either. He wasn't very political, but he lost faith in the validity of the conflict over its many years and feared the worst should his only child be called to fight for an unworthy cause. But he left it up to me. He said he would support my decision no matter what, and would not shun me if I decided to move to Canada to avoid the draft. I told him that I loved my country and did not want to desert it in that manner, but that I appreciated his support more than he could know.

As it turned out, we were both spared from having to make that decision simply because of my birthdate. I was in the Class of 1975 at Northwestern, and as it turned out, that was the last graduating class from which young men were drafted for service. But I had been bumped ahead a year when I enrolled in Dominican Academy in Plainville back in 1959, thus I was a calendar year younger than most of my classmates at NU, and not yet eligible for the draft. A birthdate lottery was still held in 1974 for those born in 1954, but nobody was drafted -- and I did not know until just as I was writing this blog post what my draft-order number was.

It was 230, by the way. Most likely, I would not have been drafted.

So, no, I did not serve in the US military -- which, I suppose, makes me a "commie pinko libtard snowflake," at least in the eyes of those that have co-opted military service to represent the be-all and end-all of determining an individual's worthiness as an American. I guess they give a pass to Trump, a/k/a Corporal Bone Spurs, whose rich daddy found a fraudulent means of keeping his silver-spoon-fed boy out of the Army.

But my father did serve, and he never thought his son was deficient for not serving, because he understood the difference between defending the world against Nazi tyranny and the questionable moral foundation of Vietnam. That's good enough for me.

By the way, as of today, there have been almost 40,000 more deaths among Americans from the COVID-19 virus in just this year alone than there were combat-related U.S. casualties in the entirety of the Vietnam War.

Remember them as well.

The Owner's Box, Ep. 24.

"The Blueprint" author Chris Price

It's time for a new podcast, and after 11 full weeks of this pandemic lockdown, I thought it was time to break away from the tales of how the COVID-19 crisis has upended life as we know it.

Christopher Price is a good friend from the Patriots beat, which he joined back in 2001 (in time for the first Super Bowl championship) while working for the Boston Metro. He's since gone on to work for WEEI.com and the Boston Sports Journal, and now he's joined the staff of the Boston Globe as a web content editor who helps to produce and direct the Globe's expanded coverage of the Patriots in print and online.

He's also an accomplished author, having completed five books (I thought it was four initially, but he updated me), three specifically about the Patriots. Two of those, "The Blueprint" and "Drive for Five," take in-depth looks at the development of the philosophy in Foxboro that resulted in the longest-running dynasty in NFL history.

His next work is a labor of love. It's going to be called "Bleeding Green" and it will be the story of the Hartford Whalers. Chris describes himself as one of those "snot-nosed kids" that grew up in Connecticut without a pro team to call his own until the Whalers moved there from Boston in the mid-1970s and defied the odds to become a competitive team -- with the NHL's all-time greatest logo -- before the bottom fell out in the '90s and the team became the Carolina Hurricanes. The book will be completed in 2022, in time for the 50th anniversary of the team's founding.

We also talk a little about what may be in store for the current Patriots, and Chris' role in founding the "Ron Hobson Good Guy Award," annually presented by the media corps to the Patriots player most helpful to their efforts.

It's a good one, so carve out an hour and have a listen.

Thoughts during the apocalypse, Part 29.

No, I haven't disappeared. I'm still hanging in there on the keyboard.

The question was a valid one.

"Where the f*** have you been???"

I guess I'm glad to have been missed. I had not posted since Thursday, and I am usually a very active poster. So, an explanation is due.

No, I'm not sick. At least not coronavirus-sick.

I've been mostly around here, following my usual pattern for the pandemic. There were a few trips involved.

On Friday, I took my weekly trip up to Boston for my take-out food from Jen Royle's restaurant in the North End. There's a lot more traffic heading north and south these days, but Jen's food is worth it. I revisited the short rib Bolognese this week, and it provided me with two dinner-sized portions for Friday night and Saturday night -- including the tasty fresh-baked bread and a little surprise that Jen often adds to the bag. And I ordered two huge meatballs as well and added them to my Sunday-night pasta meal.

For her financial sake, I hope Jen can return soon to her business as usual. But her takeout menu has been a big hit during difficult times, and I, for one, will miss it.

I have the tools and the talent.

Then on Saturday, I went to the Cape to help my friend, Alex, work on his vacation home that had been rented out to winter tenants. Although my left knee has been bothering me a lot in recent weeks, my job was to trim very high hedges near his deck -- normally not easy when you're using a set of hand-held clippers. But I have a new attachment for my Ryobi power tool, a jumbo-sized hedge clipper (to go along with the weed-whacker and the leaf blower).

When all in one piece, the tool is heavier than normal clippers. But the long blade extension and the length of the power unit itself make for easy clipping of tall shrubs. Despite the uneven terrain beneath my feet that sent occasional waves of pain through my left knee, I think I did a pretty good job of trimming the hedge.

Trust me, it will look better when the hedge grows back in.

Weather forecasts at the time were not promising for the start of the week, so I decided to move up my home mowing to Sunday. As it turned out, the forecasts didn't pan out and the weather has been good here, but the grass really needed it.

The increase in knee soreness made the front yard a harder task than usual, as did the need to empty the clippings bag twice (usually needed only once for the front). But my backyard has its own pitfalls -- and one got me.

The backyard is about an eighth of an acre and it's basically flat, with a few rolling knolls here and there that aren't a surprise. But there are a few spots where the terrain has become unpredictable because of frost heaves that have not subsided, or old stumps or bushes that have died and left remnants that can cause stumbles. One of those caught me by surprise near the fence that borders the former shoreline of Fulton Pond, I tripped on it, started to fall, and I didn't immediately let go of either the throttle bar that propels the mower, or the control for the self-propelled wheels. So it raced ahead and collided with the fence as I fell to the ground -- but I was very fortunate, in that as soon as I released the bar, the engine cut out. The mower bounced up and landed wheels down close to my head, which was a scare in itself.

Wrapping in ice just isn't cutting it anymore.

There was no real damage to anything except my knee, which did not appreciate being driven down into the ground in an uncontrolled fashion. It took me a while to roll over on my stomach and force myself up in a reverse-pushup manner with both legs fully extended and rigid. Otherwise, any motion of the knee would have dropped me to the ground again. And the worst thing? I still had a third of the lawn to finish. So after a while to get my wits about me, I hobbled my way through the remaining mowing and went right for the ice packs when I made it inside around 7 p.m.

After a night of fitful sleep, I spent most of Monday packing up commemorative coffee mugs for the guests that have appeared on my podcast, "The Owner's Box." I've shown them before; they're pretty cool. And while it was a chore to get in and out of the car, I did get the boxes in the mail, and as I write this, all four have already been delivered. More to come, of course.

Today, I didn't do much but sit all day. I recorded a podcast at noon (more on that to come later this week), and then appeared on a video-conferencing version of a recurring show on North Attleboro Community Television (you know, North TV, the people that employ me to do football and basketball telecasts) called "Up for Discussion," It's our quarterly "sports" edition and I thought it went pretty well, but my knee was killing me from three straight hours of sitting in place at the mixing board. And right now, six hours later, I have to get up from this desk and walk away every paragraph or so just to calm the throbbing.

I know. Complain, complain, complain. So why aren't I doing something about it? Well, because I'm still afraid to go anywhere near a medical facility even as it seems (inaccurately, I bet) as if the pandemic is winding down. If it's still bad about the time I have to mow again, I will send a message to my primary care provider and ask for some alternatives in regard to examination. I surely would not be looking forward to any lengthy idling in the weeks to come -- my lawn would be a jungle within three weeks -- but this is the worst my knee has been since I hurt it in college 46 years ago.

I know this too. A lot of people have it a lot worse. So I promise, I'll stop complaining -- at least publicly. Let it also be known that I appreciate the kind words and advice I've received in recent days. Now it's time to press on.

I had more to say tonight, including some thoughts on the plan to gradually re-open our state, but I'm going to hit the rack a little early instead. Cheers, everyone, and stay safe.

Thoughts during the apocalypse, Part 28.

Former Patriot Rob Gronkowski has made my knee feel better in a roundabout way.

This post should be subtitled, "How Gronk is helping me get through the pandemic." How's that, you ask? Read on.

Those of you that have followed these apocalyptic posts are aware that I've been struggling a little bit lately with a very sore left knee. I'm no orthopedic specialist, so I can't tell you what's wrong with it other than to suggest that I may be having an issue with my patellar tendon (the kneecap), and not a ligament as I first believed, because that is where the pain seems to be centered.

In any event, I believe the issue first arose several weeks ago, upon my first mowing of my lawn, when I stepped awkwardly off a frost heave that had not yet flattened out and felt a twinge in a knee that has bothered me to varying extents since high school.

It comes and goes. But last week, after a full mowing of my lawn (which entails about three miles of start-and-stop walking according to the step monitor in the iPhone), the soreness became almost unbearable. It was almost to the point where I might go to see an orthopedist to determine what the heck was going on, but who really wants to go anywhere near a medical facility right now if you don't have the COVID-19 virus?

Yeah, that's probably an overreaction. But if limping around helps prevent a coronavirus infection, I'll limp. I made it around three different supermarkets yesterday (total distance: 1.4 miles) thanks to a very useful neoprene knee brace and the carts I pushed.

The knee brace is very helpful. Also helpful is cooling the inflamed joint when I get home with the help of cold compresses. But as anyone that does not own a commercial-grade ice maker knows, it's a pain in the ass to produce enough ice to do the job.

Enter Rob Gronkowski -- in a roundabout sort of way.

Some years back, at the end of a press conference in the media workroom, just about every serious question had been asked (if any question to Gronk can be called "serious"). So I seized the moment to ask something that had been gnawing at me since he first became a Patriot.

"So, Rob," I asked, "Duff's or the Anchor Bar?"

OK, it wasn't hard-hitting journalism. It was fluff. But from the way Gronk's eyes lit up, I could tell that fluff worked in this case. You see, he is a native of Amherst, N.Y., a Buffalo suburb, and the two aforementioned dining establishments are regarded as Mecca for those that love spicy Buffalo wings. More people know of the Anchor Bar, which has become a tourist trap because it claims to be the birthplace of the highly-spicy sauce that turns chicken wings into incendiary devices, but Duff's (which looks more like a neighborhood bar on a busy street corner) is often regarded as having the better wings.

I was a little surprised by Gronk's response.

"Oh, the Anchor Bar … I haven't been to Duff's, but I'm gonna go," he said. He then mentioned another establishment in the Amherst area that I had not visited, but he added a very important caveat.

Gronk's favorite wing dip.

"Wherever you go," he said, "you've gotta get Rootie's. Man, wings just aren't wings without Rootie's."

I asked the follow-up question -- what the heck is Rootie's? -- and he explained that it's a bleu cheese dressing native to the Buffalo area, with a richer and thicker consistency and more bleu cheese chunks per wing-dip than any other he had ever had.

So, dutifully, I had to follow up on this revelation. I searched the Internet and ordered some Rootie's Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip for way too much money than it was worth, and I admit, it was delicious. It worked especially well with super-hot Buffalo sauces at putting out the fire but not masking the flavor. And I really did appreciate the larger chunks of cheese. But I've also found that Ken's Steak House brand is a better accompaniment for wings than those little cups of generic bleu cheese dressing that they hand out at the local Buffalo Wild Wings.

These gel packs are a gem.

As I said, the price was ridiculous to have Rootie's shipped to Mansfield -- mostly because of the shipping costs. Because the dressing is perishable, it has to be packed and shipped in a refrigerated carton. And the refrigeration is provided by several frozen gel packs. Normally, people just unpack the boxes and throw out the packing materials. But when I saw these gel packs, I figured I'd have some sort of use for them eventually, so I threw them in the back of the freezer.

And I was right. They are almost perfect as injury-related cold packs. I do wrap them up in plastic bags to prevent any leaching of chemicals onto my skin, and then I put one over the affected area and hold it in place with an Ace bandage. A gel pack quickly softens to match the contour of the joint, and that helps maintain mobility while I'm cooling my heels … er, knees.

Once things seem to calm down, COVID-19 wise, I may have my knee looked at if it's still bothering me. That does not portend well for my lawn, because I made the decision two years ago to mow myself as a means of saving money and getting exercise. I have at least 22-24 mowings left this year, and a surgical procedure in the midst of that time would not be welcome.

I know. First-world problems …

One more quick thought for this post ...

The world is coming back to life. Get outside and enjoy, safely.

I don't know where you are today, but here on the shores of Fulton Pond, it's a beautiful day. It's sunny and in the 70s, and I'm going to go outside and sit in the sun for a while. Maybe even make a couple of burgers on the grill. As it is, I've been watching the animals hop around in the backyard, searching for the tiny morsels of bread that I've left for them. They are not wearing masks.

My advice? You should go outside too, but observe social distancing. Enjoy the warmth. Take your smartphone with you and listen to my latest podcast, The Owner's Box, Episode 23, featuring Foxboro High girls' basketball coach Lisa Downs. And just look around at the blooming trees and the growing grass and marvel at the rebirth of our world that takes place every year at this time. It's a hopeful sight. It really is.

See you soon. Stay safe.

The Owner's Box, Ep. 23.

Pandemic technology: Lisa Downs guests on The Owner's Box from her kitchen.

New podcast, but familiar guest.

Foxboro High School girls' basketball coach Lisa Downs, whose two previous appearances on "The Owner's Box" have been wildly popular with listeners, returns for a third visit. At this rate, she will be the first to qualify for the official Five-Timers smoking jacket in the tradition of Saturday Night Live.

It's the first time we've gotten a chance to chat with Lisa since her team was named the 2020 state Division 2 "co-champions" along with Taconic High of Pittsfield. You may recall that Foxboro earned its berth in the state title game on March 11 with a win over North Andover at the TD Garden, but it wasn't long before the MIAA followed the lead of pro and college leagues across the nation by canceling the title games that would have been played just a few days later.

Lisa talks about how her team handled that crushing news, and then put it aside quickly to celebrate a season filled with accomplishments at a breakup banquet that just beat Gov. Charlie Baker's order to limit public gatherings.

She also talks about how the pandemic is radically altering her course of action for preparing for a new season. And finally, we chat about her work with the town's charitable Discretionary Fund, and specifically the food pantry that has been far busier than normal as the COVID-19 crisis is starting to cut deeply into families' wallets.

Lisa is always an interesting and enthusiastic guest, even if it's from her kitchen thanks to the magic of Skype -- and this time, I actually cut down the amount I talked and let her do the talking. I mean, you've come to these podcasts to hear what the guests have to say, right?

Enjoy.

Seymour becomes next Patriots Hall of Fame member.

Defensive end Richard Seymour is the latest member of the Patriots Hall of Fame.

It's not a surprise. Defensive end Richard Seymour has won the popular vote for the next berth in the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Now, the matter goes to the Electoral College, and … surprise! Bill Parcells wins!

No, just kidding.

Truth be told, Seymour is very deserving of the honor and was my preference if Parcells, the Patriots' coach from 1993-96, had not been elected. He was a dominating figure on the Patriots' defensive line, and to be honest, I thought he could have been for longer than he was if not for the fact that he somehow got on Bill Belichick's ca-ca list after eight seasons and got himself traded to Football Hell (i.e., Oakland) for the next four.

And people seem to have such issues with how people leave the team. Ah, well.

I'm sure many of you will wonder if this means the end of Parcells' candidacy after four unsuccessful tries. I assure you, it will not. I'm sure than unless someone else beats me to it, he will be nominated again next year for a place on the ballot. The same will probably be the case for linebacker Mike Vrabel, who is now in an 0-for-5 slump over the past five votes. Just remember, it's not a kiss of death to be unsuccessful several times; Raymond Clayborn got into the Hall on his fourth time on the ballot.

The only thing I regret is that the team does not announce the final vote tally -- either during the nominating committee's balloting or the fan vote. I think it should. Especially on the nominations -- I'm not looking for the identity of voters, just the way the points totaled when the votes were cast. I think I'll bring it up with the powers-that-be at some point.

Here is the press release from the Patriots announcing Seymour's election:

The New England Patriots announced today that former defensive lineman Richard Seymour has been voted by the fans as the 30th inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Seymour joins Troy Brown (2012), Tedy Bruschi (2013), Kevin Faulk (2016), Ty Law (2014), Matt Light (2018) and Willie McGinest (2015), as the seventh player to enter the Patriots Hall of Fame as a three-time Super Bowl champion with the team.

“Richard Seymour laid the foundation for a defense that helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in his first four seasons in the NFL,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “Richard was the consummate professional and leader, always accepting the roles he was assigned, putting team goals ahead of personal ones, and in turn, raising the game of everyone around him. Yet as great as he was as a player, he is a Hall of Fame-caliber person, as well. I couldn’t be happier for Richard and the Seymour family, and I am looking forward to celebrating with them as Richard takes his rightful place in the Patriots Hall of Fame and very soon the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.”

The date and time for the 2020 Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Seymour spent the first eight seasons of his 12-year NFL career with the Patriots and played an important role in delivering six division titles, four conference crowns and three Super Bowl championships to New England. He was named to five straight Pro Bowls with the Patriots (2002-06) and earned three straight first-team All-Pro honors (2003-05). His five Pro Bowl berths are the most by any Patriots defensive lineman since the 1970 NFL merger. He was also a four-time team co-captain. In 2009, he was voted to the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team. Seymour has been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the last two years.

Seymour was drafted by the Patriots sixth overall in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Georgia. He immediately established himself as one of the team’s premier players and helped the Patriots win their first Super Bowl during his rookie season. During his time with the Patriots, he anchored a defense that allowed an average of 17.8 points per game and fewer than 20 points per game in six of his eight seasons with New England. Seymour also blocked a franchise record six regular season field goals in his career, plus one in postseason play.

Overall, Seymour started in 105-of-111 games, totaling 460 tackles and 39 sacks. He also recorded two interceptions and six fumble recoveries. Seymour played in 15 postseason games with 13 starts and added 66 total tackles, 4½ sacks and two fumble recoveries. On Oct. 3, 2004, he scored his first career touchdown on a fumble recovery that he returned 68 yards in a 31-17 win at Buffalo. Seymour was traded to Oakland in the summer of 2009, where he played the final four years of his career, producing two additional Pro Bowl seasons.

Beginning in 2007, the Patriots started a new tradition, inducting one player or head coach into the team’s hall of fame each year. The process for induction involves a panel of media, alumni and staff who collectively nominate the players or head coaches most deserving of induction. After the nominations are made, the committee votes and the top three tallies become that year’s finalists. The Patriots then give fans the opportunity to vote online to select each year’s hall of fame inductee. The Patriots are the only team in the NFL that allows their fans to make the final selection for enshrinement into the franchise’s highest honor.

The New England Patriots held their annual nomination committee meeting on Monday, April 13, to vote for this year’s candidates for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. The finalists (listed in alphabetical order) were head coach Bill Parcells, defensive lineman Richard Seymour and linebacker Mike Vrabel.

About the Patriots Hall of Fame Presented by Raytheon

The Patriots Hall of Fame was officially formed in 1991 after John Hannah became the first Patriots player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With the construction of the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon, which opened in 2008, the Patriots created a new way of honoring their greatest players and preserving their legacies for generations to come. Enshrinement into the Patriots Hall of Fame is the franchise’s highest honor befitting of the franchise’s greatest players and features 30-foot tall video pylons that display each hall of famer. Beginning in 2007, fans became part of the hall of fame tradition as active participants in the selection process.

The members:

Houston Antwine (2015)
Bruce Armstrong (2001)
Drew Bledsoe (2011)
Troy Brown (2012)
Tedy Bruschi (2013)
Nick Buoniconti (1992)
Gino Cappelletti (1992)
Raymond Clayborn (2017)
Ben Coates (2008)
Sam Cunningham (2010)
Bob Dee (1993)
Kevin Faulk (2016)
Leon Gray (2019)
Steve Grogan (1995)
John Hannah (1991)
Rodney Harrison (2019)
Mike Haynes (1994)
Jim Lee Hunt (1993)
Ty Law (2014)
Matt Light (2018)
Willie McGinest (2015)
Stanley Morgan (2007)
Jon Morris (2011)
Jim Nance (2009)
Steve Nelson (1993)
Vito “Babe” Parilli (1993)
Richard Seymour (2020)
Andre Tippett (1999)

Contributors:

William H. “Billy” Sullivan, Jr. (2009)
Gil Santos (2013)

Thoughts during the apocalypse, Part 27.

A work in progress: Turning a recording into a podcast takes patience.

It's been a while since the last compilation of these thoughts, I know. It's probably because we've fallen into a rut as the pandemic runs its course. There may be moves afoot to restore some semblance of normalcy elsewhere in the nation, but we remain on high alert here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and, aside from the sudden ascension of golf to an "essential" activity that just had to be re-opened (sarcasm intended), not much new is happening.

Things have fallen into a monotonous pattern here. If not for the occasional deviation to produce a podcast (see photo above), I might go stir-crazy.

I know, I probably have no business complaining. After all, I have always lived a solitary lifestyle. If anything, I am probably more well-equipped to handle this sort of isolation than a lot of people I know. There are some individuals with whom I'm close and I've heard from most of them on a fairly regular basis during these eight-plus weeks -- with one notable exception, which is heartbreaking -- but all of them have their own worries and responsibilities, and I don't feel the overwhelming need to add to their burdens.

The podcasts are fun. Most of the ones I've done since February have been timely and informative, touching upon how the pandemic has affected my guests' lives and their jobs. If you haven't listened to them, I recommend that you go to the left-hand side of this web page (web browser version, not mobile) and click on where it says, "Podcast Central!" It will take you directly to my main podcasting page and there are links to all of them there.

The most recent one, with Mansfield High School football coach Mike Redding, brought more than 500 views to the web page and 140 first-time hits on the podcast in just 24 hours, an all-time record. And today, I'm putting the finishing touches on my third podcast featuring Foxboro High School girls' basketball coach Lisa Downs. It's been my first opportunity to speak to her since her team was named "co-champions" of the state Division 2 tournament because the coronavirus crisis forced cancellation of the championship game.

Lisa's third appearance will be posted probably on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. And again, it's timely because one of the topics is her work with the Foxboro Discretionary Fund's food pantry, which has become an essential resource to Foxboro residents in need as the pandemic lockdown continues.

Who can't use a good mug?

Among the 23 episodes of "The Owner's Box" thus far, there have been 13 guests, either in-studio or recorded from remote locations. Obviously, since March, the second seat inside Fulton Pond Studios (a/k/a my dining room) has been empty. And as of Saturday, that means I have been entrusted with another task -- the effort to make sure all of my guests get one of my spiffy new "The Owner's Box" coffee mugs. Yes, I've had some 13-ounce mugs (for that extra gulp of joe in each cup) printed with the podcast's logo and they look terrific. And seriously, who can't use another coffee mug?

Once Amazon delivers the order for packing boxes, I'll be in business. Some may think all this effort is pointless, but at least it's giving me something to do instead of staring out the window wondering when normalcy will return.

Now, some other thoughts as the days fall off the calendar...

This is what 15 yards of fresh mulch looks like. It's a lot.

** As I looked around the yard earlier today, I realized that something I had planned will not be taking place this spring.

It was exactly two years ago today when I ordered 15 yards of mulch from our town's most reliable provider, Flint Farm, and set about the task of restoring several areas of my yard that my mother and father (mostly Mom) designed to be mulched instead of grassed. I originally envisioned it to be a two-day task until the truck dropped a veritable mountain of mulch in my driveway, and as it turned out, it took me nine days to complete the task -- not bad for a pudgy 64-year-old.

I was thinking I should do it again this year, as I need to restore the color of the mulch and to knock down some of the weed growth in the cutout areas. But as you're aware if you've been reading this, I've been struggling with my left knee for much of this pandemic period after stepping the wrong way off a frost heave the first time I mowed.

I'd probably see an orthopedic specialist if not for the fact that I don't want to go anywhere near a hospital right now -- a combination of fear of infection and the presumption that they probably need the space for individuals that are really sick. And I know the first thing the doctor would say: "Lose weight." It's a vicious circle, knowing that I need to exercise to lose weight but I can't exercise because my knee has become so painful.

I can still mow, however -- and probably should today, as bad weather is forecast for tomorrow. So I'll strap on the knee brace and get it done a little later. But the heavier lifting of mulching? That will be put off until next year.

Hard to believe I will be 67 when that happens. I really should take off some pounds before then.

** The other home-improvement projects will continue as expected. First, I'll be finishing two sets of wooden steps in the back of the house with a marine-grade varnish. Have to sand them down a little, but I'm not sure I have a sander. I should; my parents had two or three of everything and I didn't throw everything out when I moved in five years ago.

The second task will be to re-seal my driveway again. A few of the cracks I sealed last summer have re-opened, and weeds are starting to pop up. It's not as tough a task as it sounds, and I'll probably hold off until a weekend in August. The good thing is that I probably won't need to use as much sealant this year as I did last year, when the driveway was particularly thirsty.

** This week's binge-watching guilty pleasure has been "Harley Quinn," the animated episodic saga of the Joker's girlfriend from the Batman comics -- or, more accurately, his ex-girlfriend, as portrayed by Kaley Cuoco. The first season is being shown on the SyFy network after its initial release on the DC Universe pay-channel, and it's unedited, incredibly profane (the F-word is frequently used by all of the characters except the Caped Crusader), and riotously funny. Not at all for the little kiddos, though.

All for today. Time to start wrapping up the knee and getting the mower warmed up. See you soon. Stay safe.

Patriots' 2020 schedule announced.

OK, at this point we really don't know if there's going to be an NFL season this year. But that hasn't stopped the NFL from proceeding as if there's going to be one. Part of the league's rush to normalcy happened Thursday, as the full 2020 schedule was announced.

The following is the contents of the Patriots' press release about the schedule release. The season begins with the Miami Dolphins at home on Sunday, Sept. 13 (1 p.m.), and it features eight Sunday-at-1 games as well as five in prime-time. So it would appear as if the luster of the Patriots' dynasty hasn't dimmed all that much, even with the departure of Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The release:

The New England Patriots announced their full 2020 season schedule tonight, highlighted by a division rivalry home opener, five nationally-televised games and matchups against six 2019 playoff teams, including both Super Bowl participants from last season. In addition to playing each AFC East opponent twice, the Patriots will play one game against each AFC West and NFC West club. As 2019 AFC East champions, the Patriots will also play the first-place team of the AFC North (Baltimore) and AFC South (Houston).

The Patriots are scheduled to play in a total of five nationally-televised games and be featured in the marquee matchup of three games that will air as the second game of a double-header, with kickoffs scheduled at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Patriots will play two Sunday Night Football games, two Monday Night games and one Thursday Night game. Two of the five nationally-televised games will be played at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots will begin their quest to defend their AFC East title in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1:00 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. It will mark the fourth straight season that the Patriots open at home. It is also the first time New England will open the regular season against a division opponent since 2014 when the Patriots lost to the Dolphins in Miami.

The Patriots will play in a Sunday Night game at Seattle on Sept. 20 in Week 2. The next two nationally-televised games will be played in back-to-back weeks, with a Monday Night game at the New York Jets on Nov. 9, followed by a Sunday Night game at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 15. It is the second consecutive season that the Patriots will play the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Monday Night and the second straight season the Patriots will face Baltimore on Sunday Night.

The Patriots will have a two-week stretch with games scheduled at the new SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. On Dec. 6, the Patriots will play the Los Angeles Chargers followed by the Los Angeles Rams in a primetime game four nights later on Thursday, Dec. 10. The Patriots regularly had back-to-back games in California in the American Football League days in the 1960s, facing the Oakland Raiders and the Chargers in back-to-back games in seven of the 10 years of that decade. The Patriots most recently had back-to-back games in California in 2008 when New England played at San Francisco followed by a game at San Diego. That same season the Patriots also played back-to-back games at Seattle and at Oakland.

New England’s final scheduled nationally-televised game will be on Dec. 28, when they host the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. It will be the first time since 2011 and the ninth time under Bill Belichick that the Patriots play two Monday Night contests.

After hosting Miami in the season opener, New England will travel to Seattle for a Sunday Night Football game in Week 2. The Patriots then play three straight AFC West opponents, with a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 27, a road game at the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 4, and back home to face the Denver Broncos on Oct. 11. After their Bye Week, the Patriots host the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 25.

The Patriots return to division play to start the month of November with a pair of road games at Buffalo on Nov. 1, followed by the Monday Night game at the Jets on Nov. 9. The Patriots will be back on primetime the following week to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night, Nov. 15, at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots then travel to Houston to play the Texans on Nov. 22, marking the fifth straight season the Patriots face the Texans in the regular season, including the second straight year on the road. Following a home contest against the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 29, the Patriots will have three straight road games with back-to-back games in Los Angeles followed by a visit to Miami on Dec. 20. It will be the first time since 2017 and the fourth time overall under Belichick (2001, ‘02 and ‘17) that the Patriots will play three consecutive games on the road.

For the fourth straight year, New England closes out the season with two home games, vs. Buffalo on Monday Night on Dec. 28, and against the Jets on Jan. 3. It is the third time in four years that the Patriots will finish the year with home games against the Bills followed by the Jets.

The Patriots finish their regular-season slate with three consecutive divisional contests for the first time since 2014. New England owns the NFL’s best divisional record in regular-season play since 2001 with a 91-25 record and have gone 19 straight seasons without being swept by a division opponent, the longest such streak in the NFL since 1970.

The Patriots also announced its 2020 preseason pairings tonight. New England will be begin the preseason at home with games vs. Detroit (Preseason Week 1) and Carolina (Preseason Week 2), before road games at Philadelphia (Preseason Week 3) and at the New York Giants (Preseason Week 4). The dates and times of those games will be mutually decided upon between the teams and announced at a later date.

New England will begin the 2020 preseason for the second straight season against Detroit after opening at the Lions in 2019. The Patriots then host Carolina for the second straight season and face the Panthers in the preseason for the third straight year.

The Patriots' final two preseason games will be against their two most frequent preseason opponents, with 23 meetings against the Eagles and 29 against the Giants. New England visits Philadelphia in the preseason for the first time since 2013 and Patriots and Giants square off in the preseason finale for the 16th straight season.

2020 PATRIOTS PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Date                                           Opponent
Wk 1, Aug. 13-17*                  Detroit Lions
Wk 2, Aug. 20-24*                  Carolina Panthers
Wk 3, Aug. 27-30*         at Philadelphia Eagles
Wk 4, Sept. 3-4*             at New York Giants

* -- Specific dates and times TBD. All games will air on Patriots Preseason TV Network.

2020 PATRIOTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

Date                                           Opponent – Time (ET) – Network
Sunday, Sept. 13                      Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m. –  CBS
Sunday, Sept. 20       at Seattle Seahawks – 8:20 p.m. – NBC
Sunday, Sept. 27                      Las Vegas Raiders – 1 p.m. – CBS
Sunday, Oct. 4            at Kansas City Chiefs – 4:25 p.m. – CBS
Sunday, Oct. 11                       Denver Broncos – 1 p.m. – CBS*
Sunday, Oct. 18                       BYE WEEK
Sunday, Oct. 25                       San Francisco 49ers – 4:25 p.m. – CBS*
Sunday, Nov., 1          at Buffalo Bills – 1 p.m. – CBS*
Monday, Nov. 9        at New York Jets – 8:15 p.m. – WCVB/ESPN
Sunday, Nov. 15                     Baltimore Ravens – 8:20 p.m. – NBC*
Sunday, Nov. 22         at Houston Texans –  1 p.m. – CBS*
Sunday, Nov. 29                      Arizona Cardinals – 1 p.m. – FOX*
Sunday, Dec. 6            at Los Angeles Chargers – 4:25 p.m.  – CBS*
Thursday, Dec. 10     at Los Angeles Rams – 8:20 p.m. – WBZ/FOX/NFLN/Amazon
Sunday, Dec. 20         at Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m. –  CBS*
Monday, Dec. 28                    Buffalo Bills – 8:15 p.m. – WCVB/ESPN
Sunday, Jan. 3                          New York Jets – 1 p.m. – CBS*

* -- Game time and network subject to possible flexible scheduling adjustment.

The Owner's Box, Ep. 22.

Mansfield High football coach Mike Redding steps into The Owner's Box.

My guest for the 22nd episode of my ongoing experiment in audio discourse is someone I've wanted to be part of the podcasts since they began in October -- Mike Redding, the highly successful head football coach at Mansfield High School, who's preparing for his 33rd season at the helm of the Green Hornets if the coronavirus lets us return to the fields in the fall.

Redding, whose Hornets won a state Division 2 title to cap off an 11-1 season last fall, was also the long-time girls' basketball coach at MHS, giving that job up after 22 seasons in which his teams averaged 14 wins a year. The reason why he's saying goodbye to the hardcourt? He's trading that job and his teaching job to become Mansfield's new athletic director following Joe Russo's retirement.

Don't worry, football fans. He'll still be coaching that team. The Hockomock's Kelley-Rex Division isn't getting off that easily.

We chat about some of the happier memories of his two coaching posts and his excitement over taking on the new challenge of running the entire show. But also remember, it's under very unusual circumstances that he'll be taking over as the AD. Mansfield High sports are in a state of lockdown, as are the programs at every other Massachusetts school, and Redding will have to find a way to reboot the entire sports program while preparing for another football season as defending state champions -- and that's assuming that the COVID-19 crisis will have subsided sufficiently by that time.

In addition to our 54 minutes of chat, I also offer a remembrance of Ed "E.B." Cunningham, who coached the Hornet football team when I was in high school a half-century ago. He passed late last month at the age of 88, and I wanted to make note of the role he played in helping me hit the ground running with a career as a sports journalist.

Please listen, and enjoy.