Addressing the issue that almost nobody else understands.

The media and Bill Belichick can be like oil and water without added provocation.

I wasn't going to write this piece. Really, I wasn't. I had tossed it around in my head many times since its topic became a cause celebre on Sunday afternoon after the Patriots lost to the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium, and thousands of television viewers tuned in for "The Fifth Quarter" on Channel 38.

But then social media erupted about it, and opinions (some barely knowledgeable, others totally out to lunch) were expressed about it from coast to coast, and as I sat back and read many of them, I was again reminded of why our nation is in the mess it's in. People just aren't informed, and the news media (or maybe more accurately, the social-media wing of the sports media) wouldn't be informing them properly even if the Great Unwashed wanted to be less stupid.

I'm talking about what's been one of the biggest tempests in a teapot to soar through the sports world in recent months -- the audacity of a female "reporter" to ask Patriots' coach Bill Belichick for his New Year's resolutions during a televised press conference after one of the more crushing defeats the Patriots have suffered in a long time.

As I read all the nonsensical statements and demands for the identity of the reporter, I bit my tongue. I could have identified her from the very start, as she was representing the newspaper for which I worked for better than 40 years. I was not going to "out" her because I believed it would be dangerous to reveal her identity to a social-media audience that thrives in false bravado. There's an element out there that might threaten her -- most likely without following through on such nonsense, because those keyboard warriors tend to turn into the contents of a newborn's diaper once confronted with proof of their transgressions and the legal ramifications they could be facing. But why risk it?

But then Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi revealed the reporter's identity to the public on Wednesday, and my former newspaper followed suit with a hurried follow-up appearing in the Thursday paper. And since she was on TV for all to see, someone that actually wanted to do a little investigative work (like a phone call to the Patriots, which Vennochi made) could have found out. So, I won't be telling you anything you don't already know.

Yes, the reporter's name is Juliet Pennington. We worked under the same corporate umbrella for about 30 years, I would guess. She used to be a full-time reporter for The Sun Chronicle and other publications under our wing, left full-time work several years ago during one of our first cost-cutting rounds once the advertising boom that followed the opening of the Emerald Square mall in North Attleboro petered out, and she was kept on as a part-time writer thereafter. She also branched out and has contributed to many other publications, including the Globe, using her keen writing skills to address topics in a number of different disciplines.

She's a nice person. I covered her daughters' basketball games when they played at a local high school several years ago. I think she once claimed she was a distant relation to former Jets' quarterback Chad Pennington, although she may have been pulling my leg. I wouldn't say we are close, but we could sit and chat like old friends at times. And other times, we would be at loggerheads because I frequently objected to how she participated in post-game press conferences at Gillette Stadium. Neither of us are totally right, or totally wrong.

Let me state from the top that this is not a gender issue for me. I absolutely believe that women reporters should have the same right as men to do their jobs in a professional sports locker room. Ask Lisa Olson or any number of other female professionals about my decades-long support for their cause. But I also absolutely believe that it's wrong for any reporter of any gender to be attending a post-game press conference for the purpose of asking non-sequitur questions that are bound to be dismissed (possibly angrily) by Belichick in the supercharged post-game environment -- and in this particular situation, I believe it exceeded the scope of the original assignment given to Juliet. You see, this isn't the first time she's done this. It's just the first time that the perfect storm of TV coverage and social media involvement made such a big deal out of it.

Here's the deal, as our President might say. 

Juliet would almost always be sent to the stadium on gamedays to do the "color" piece -- a light and fluffy story, usually asking fans in the parking lots questions that vaguely tie into the game-day experience. Do you think the Patriots will win another Super Bowl? Is it too cold to be here? Will you be heartbroken if Tom Brady leaves? And so on. 

It's not Pulitzer Prize winning stuff. I tend to look at it as a necessary evil, the stuff that newspapers need to do to claim they are in touch with their readers, and it's something that I absolutely refused to do in 41 years as a beat reporter covering the team -- except, that is, for the last two Super Bowls I covered personally before my retirement, Nos. 49 and 51. I spent one day during each of the "hype weeks" mingling with the crowds at the special events being staged in the downtowns of Phoenix and Houston, seeking out fans from our area for quick interviews.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone from any of the 10 towns covered by the local newspaper amid a crowd of 100,000 or more fans? No, you don't, so don't even try to tell me you do.

Anyway, over the years, Juliet expanded the scope of her original assignment to include staying in the press box for the entire game, then going down to the post-game interviews and into the locker room. As these were supposed to be fluffy pieces about local fans, I didn't understand why she needed to be there. Other reporters (male or female) that were assigned to the same task either left upon the conclusion of their work or joined me in a tour around the locker room to gain understanding of the post-game dynamic, even occasionally mining a few quotes for me out of a cluster I couldn't reach. 

Contrary to the beliefs of some of the past week's sudden experts on journalistic protocols, I'm not sure if Juliet has ever been given specific orders by any Sun Chronicle editor to ask questions of Bill Belichick or the players about topics that didn't have anything to do with the game that had just been played -- although, not having sat in on any such phone calls or other contact, I can't say that for a fact. All I knew was that I was there because it was my job to ask questions and seek out interviews that were specific to the game, and, having done that since Chuck Fairbanks was head coach of the Patriots, I saw no need for anyone else representing our newspaper to be operating differently.

Players hate us when they play football,
then become us when they can't any more.

There were times, however, when I should have understood that it was basically harmless stuff. Yes, Juliet has always had an issue with "reading the room," maybe in accurately judging the locker-room mood or the dynamic of the post-game presser. But I'll admit to occasionally overreacting. Chatting it up with a player at his locker about non-football topics may have been actually welcomed by some, despite fears that it might somehow run afoul of Belichick's omnipresent distrust of the media. And while my newspaper nickname was "Fearless," Juliet was the one who was truly fearless in her ability to just let it fly and disregard the potential fallout. Contained within the hustle and bustle of a post-game locker room, it was just part of the overall experience. But in the formal press conference with the coach, it could be cringeworthy.

Some of my objections may have also stemmed from the fact that for 41 years or so, I worked for the smallest newspaper covering the team on a regular basis and that tended to minimize the respect we got in some corners of the sports world. As relationships with media relations staffs became more adversarial, I felt pressure to obsessively play by the rules so I wouldn't get passed over in favor of papers with larger circulation figures. It didn't help, I thought, for someone else from my newspaper to come into a press conference and turn it in to a clown show. And yet when I would complain to my bosses about that, I'd be the one threatened with my job. "It's just sports," I would be told dismissively, while at the same time being admonished against creating a hostile working environment for a female co-worker.

Many times, I would return to my desk and think back to the days when I covered the Norton Board of Selectmen as a news reporter. Now, THAT was a bunch that rivaled Belichick for having disdain for the media (unless we served their purposes, of course). I could just imagine what reaction I might have gotten if I stood up during the midst of a heated discussion and asked the selectmen what they were going to wear for Halloween. I'd probably have been thrown out of the town hall on the spot, and then fired the next day. 

I thought about that a lot this week, too, after I was scolded by some hack at ESPN for thinking that my sportswriting career was anything more than a meaningless existence in the playpen of journalism. To be honest, other than the superlative Mike Reiss, who is far too good for that corporation, I don't think anyone at ESPN should be lecturing anyone on proper journalistic ethics and protocols given the many stories that have come to light over the years since The Total Sports Network was just a tax write-off for Getty Oil.

That's what really pissed me off the most this week. It's the premise that "sports" (and sports journalism) has less validity than what's perceived as the real world. That's what justifies a bitter and angry individual such as Fox News' Laura Ingraham to react to commentary by LeBron James, one of the most socially aware athletes in the pros, with a dismissive "Shut up and dribble!" comment. It also justifies how assignment editors can lean back in their chairs and send their attack dogs (as Channel 7 would always do with Dan Hausle or Byron Barnett) to football press conferences looking to trap coaches or players into damning revelations about some hot-button issue, while the regulars on the beat were just trying to get them to say something about the next week's opponent in the brief time available.

No, I'm not calling Juliet an attack dog. Not even close. But it does bother me that some believe covering a multi-billion-dollar industry is somehow exempt from the normal protocols of our industry because it involves moving a leather-covered air bladder up and down 100 yards of grass.

Besides, it's not as if there aren't other avenues for writers not assigned to the team to get light and fluffy information.

You see, chances to do the lighter stuff are built into the weekly schedule during football season -- or at least there were before the pandemic gave the NFL the license it has desired for many years to be far more restrictive when it comes to media coverage. Under more normal circumstances, there are usually press conferences with the coach on Mondays and Wednesdays through Fridays, with locker-room availability periods afterward. Wednesdays and Fridays were always the best opportunities for off-the-football-track questions because the former was the main day of availability, and the latter was the day with the lowest attendance of beat reporters and TV crews (which always seemed to put Belichick more at ease).

What's more, as a reporter like Juliet is not regularly assigned to cover the team, it makes more sense for her to work with members of the media relations staff to arrange personal interviews or to forward such questions to players or coaches. This used to be a very easy task under less repressive regimes in Foxboro, but Belichick's belief that all media is potentially disruptive has caused the door to such interview sessions to be locked well in advance. Even Bill Parcells, who famously set down the first edicts that chipped away at the chummy relationships between the team and the media, understood the difference between "gotcha" journalism and fluff pieces.

Case in point: A fellow beat writer once approached the VP of Communications, Stacey James (I covered his sports-playing kids, too), to set up an interview with a new assistant trainer on Belichick's staff because the gentleman had grown up in his newspaper's circulation area. The reporter, one of the most trustworthy souls on the beat, assured James that this was simply going to be a happy "local man makes good" story and not a "gotcha" piece looking for inside dirt. The request was summarily denied.

It was reported in recent days that Juliet decided to ask her question of Belichick (and also of one player that followed him to the podium) because in-person opportunities for interviews have been practically eliminated by pandemic protocols. That's probably correct. But I still don't believe that justifies the "gotcha" moment she chose at the Sunday post-game presser for a question that had no relation to the loss to Buffalo -- one that everyone in the house at that moment knew for a fact that Belichick would not answer.

Perhaps we should be thankful that Belichick (probably sick as a dog at that moment, given the weakness of his voice) chose to be polite. I'm sure he knew what was coming the second that Juliet raised the microphone to her mouth. They've danced down this road before. What's more, I'm also sure that Belichick knew what the ramifications would be if he tore Juliet a new orifice with his response. He did not want that shitshow to descend upon Foxboro for the next several weeks while he was fighting to get his staggering team into the playoffs. He would be decried from Sitka to Sarasota and from San Diego to Sanford, Maine, as a misogynist that bullied the poor woman reporter -- even though this particular reporter spends probably less than eight days total within the confines of Gillette Stadium every year.

And that would have been a shame, because Belichick is an equal-opportunity grump. He hates distractions from anyone and everyone. But I know he has great respect for reporters and columnists such as the Herald's Karen Guregian, former Globe and ESPN scribe Jackie MacMullan, the NFL Network's Kim Jones and many others he has met over his long tenure in the league. 

No, he wanted nothing to do with it. Nor did anyone else. For the most part, it's been people all over the country that have absolutely no clue about what's going on that have flown off the rails with their speculative comments. To paraphrase a famous putdown of the media by former Colts' coach Jim Mora, they don't know what they don't know, and they never will.

Personally, I'm sorry this all came up because, among other things, it has exposed how I still haven't made the total break from my former career. I worked hard during that time, and while I made my share of mistakes and came close a few times to pissing it away for stupid and immature reasons, I managed to fly the straight and narrow for most of that time, winning lots of awards and apparently fostering some good will along the way. I was actually embarrassed by what I heard on Sunday, even though I have not worked at the Blue Ribbon Daily since Aug. 27, 2018, less than one month after the official sale of the paper to a bunch of Canadian carpetbaggers and seven months shy of my planned retirement.

And I don't need to be. One of my former fellow beat writers certainly reminds me of that fact every time something like this comes up. But as he was also let loose from his job before his choosing, I try to remind him similarly when he mentions how far his former paper has fallen. For both of us, it falls upon near-deaf ears. We put too much of ourselves into our work for too long to be able to let it drop to the ground like a hot potato.

I could say a lot more, but there's really no need. I imagine I'm already regarded on 34 South Main Street as a disgruntled former employee that has overvalued his importance. Yes, the paper is still publishing without me. But I still frequently hear comments about how my work is missed. Even just a few hours ago, as I prepared to chart a basketball game to assist me in later duties as a play-by-play announcer for local cable TV, a gentleman pulled me aside and told me how much he missed my contributions to the paper and the effort that used to be put into the product. I thanked him.

To be honest, there's more effort being put into it now. Peter Gobis, now in his 70s, is trying to do the work that it once took five full-time reporters and a slew of part-timers to do. Ditto for the few reporters left in the building. I've come to believe that St. Jude, as the patron saint of lost causes, should become the enduring symbol of the newspaper industry -- and that he should cast his good favor among my former co-workers as they try to navigate the uncertain waters of their careers.

I just hope that acknowledging the affiliation of the reporter that asked for New Year's resolutions isn't being seen as some kind of stunt to curry favor with a dwindling audience. It could be seen as kind of a "hey, we're famous!" moment. And that would just be another error in reading the room.

Keep the Super Bowls at Gillette, and just shut up.

Gillette Stadium should remain the home of the MIAA championships.

I love living in Massachusetts. I must, because otherwise, why would I tolerate the seven-month winters, traffic on I-95 southbound that starts at 2 in the afternoon, the irritating accent that I somehow never acquired, and the utter dominance of Dunkin’?

And perhaps most of all, the ridiculous provincialism of a lot of people that think they should have a say in how high school sports are conducted?

Yeah, I tolerate it all — probably because (at least in the latter case) there are still a lot of intelligent people working toward the shared goal of keeping the high school athletic experience something that puts the athletes’ happiness first and foremost.

One example of that is the commitment to keep the MIAA football Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium, the home of the six-time NFL champion New England Patriots, instead of farming them out to small colleges or high school sites as was past practice many years ago.

This year, the eight state championship games — and how ridiculous is it that a small state like this one has eight divisions for its 250 or so football teams? — will be played at Gillette over three days. There will be three games on Dec. 1, three more on Dec. 2, and two on Dec. 6, although those two contests could be changed depending on the fate of the New England Revolution soccer team in the MLS playoffs.

You see, the Kraft family owns the stadium. They also own the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, and those two teams understandably have first dibs on the use of the 66,000-seat stadium that has been Foxboro’s most famous fixture since it opened in 2002.

For several years, however, Robert Kraft and his eldest son, Jonathan, have opened the doors of the stadium to Massachusetts high school football’s championship games. Several states that play host to NFL teams stage their title games at those stadiums, while other states are allowed the use of major college venues, so it was only fitting that the Krafts would follow suit — even though their stadium is privately owned and financed and under no obligation to do so.

And they do it essentially for free. 

Over my 41 years as a beat writer covering the Patriots, I’ve had my occasion to criticize the Krafts for a few things, some football-related and others stadium-related. But for the most part, I’ve given an unqualified thumbs-up to their generosity for allowing the MIAA to play its title games at Gillette. 

Sure, there were a few quibbles over squeezing six games into one day and having to change the rules of the game to get the teams in and out of the facility within a few hours of the scheduled game times. There was also the silly decision a few years back to bump some of the most important games from eastern Massachusetts out of the stadium in order to allow a few teams from the Central and West sections to experience playing on the same turf that Tom Brady and other Patriot greats called home.

I admit, I thought the entire deal was sunk when the MIAA upped the number of divisions to eight. I was astounded as well as pleased when the Krafts agreed to allow two games to be played on the Friday prior to the day-long Superfest — although there were issues about that, too. Those two games lost the free TV exposure that came with playing on Super Saturday, when Kraft Sports Productions would put all of the games live on regional television. I had my concerns about that as well; putting the games on free TV was an invitation to people to sit at home and watch rather than go to Gillette to watch the games in person. And they wondered why attendance figures were low?

These days, the eight Super Bowls are actual state championship games. They deserve an appropriate venue. And the Krafts are still willing to offer use of the stadium for free, even though their gesture is now taken for granted — and some even seem greedy about that offer, as if somehow it isn't enough.

This year, a problem arose. The Krafts were faced with the likelihood that the schedule of the MLS playoffs would force them to preempt Super Saturday and accommodate one of the most successful Revolution teams in that franchise’s existence. But negotiations were undertaken and a solution was found, spreading the eight high school games over three days. Although not the ideal situation for some teams’ fan bases because of mid-afternoon starting times, at least it was better than forcing the MIAA to scramble and relegate some or all of the games to willing small colleges or high schools.

But is everyone happy? Of course not. This is Massachusetts, where one of the most popular pastimes is complaining just for the sake of complaining.

In recent weeks, the social media warriors whose individual courage exists only in the distance between hands and keyboard have been crying foul — blasting the MIAA, the Krafts even the writers (including me) that have followed this story since Schaefer Stadium opened in 1971. They say the MIAA should have had alternatives. Boston College! Harvard! BU’s Nickerson Field! Fenway Park! Or maybe the games would be better at Brockton High, or the Manning Bowl, or Polar Park. Or maybe just at the small colleges, or a high school field out in the sticks!

I try to keep these missives clean, holding to the standards of good taste that I maintained over a half-century of sportswriting. But I can’t word this any other way. These people are fucking nuts.

From the top, the major college venues are not available. Not at all. Boston College, Harvard and BU have expressed NO interest, NONE AT ALL, in hosting high school tournament games. They have their reasons and they aren’t budging off them regardless of how many times they are asked. And because those schools have been so resolute in their objections, the topic should no longer be raised.

There have been some small colleges, such as Colby or Bentley, that have played host to Super Bowls in the past. The accommodations have been at least borderline adequate for the teams, while not so for fans or the media covering games. And the parking situations at those schools have been abysmal for all.

The next level down is the high schools that are willing to open their gates to a large influx of people from points unknown. Most aren’t willing to assume the responsibility. And while I must laud those that are willing, often times their facilities just aren’t equipped at the level expected for a championship circumstance.

The Twitter nitwits seem to think that you could play these games in the woods somewhere and the participants would be just as proud and excited to be there. I think the answer is found in an old song — “How’re you gonna keep 'em down on the farm, once they have seen Paree?”

Yes, those horses have left the barn. Gillette Stadium has been home to the title games for a generation of young athletes, and their successors expect to have a chance to play there. Maybe 10,000 fans get lost inside a venue designed for six times that total, but whose fault is that? Not the kids.

It’s a thrill to play on that field. And the players aren’t alone in feeling that thrill. I’m a little jaded about being in the Gillette press box, having been there for weeks upon weeks on end from when it opened in 2002 to when I retired in 2018. But I could see a gee-whiz quality in the glances of some small-town reporters who’d be making their first visits there. And I will gleefully admit to a special thrill when I worked for the first time as a cable TV announcer out of the broadcast booth where Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti toiled (and more recently, Bob Socci and Scott Zolak) for so many years.

I didn’t cover the annual Super Bowl breakfast banquet at Gillette for anyone this year, but I’ve been there in the past, and the coverage I read of today’s event mirrored the past experience. The selected players and coaches of all the participating team get the chance to stroll around the field after the breakfast has ended, and all of them admit to being filled with a sense of awe to be standing on that hallowed turf and looking up at the towering grandstands on all four sides around them. This is their Mecca.

Nobody should be even remotely thinking about taking this away from them. Not in the slightest.

Is this level of technology really necessary?

The GoFan app, which is the only way
for fans to get tournament tickets.

The following memo was circulated to schools all over the state last week by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association:

“Beginning with the Round of 16 Tournament Playoff Games, all tickets must be purchased online via GoFan. Online tickets will be the only mode of entry for these events. Please download the GoFan app in your app store to be ready.”

GoFan is owned and operated by a company called Huddle Tickets LLC, and claims to have sold more than 20 million tickets to high school events since its founding in 2001. Right now, it claims to have operating agreements with 37 state high school athletic associations, of which the MIAA is apparently the most recent. 

To attend high school events in this year's tournament, you must either have an Apple smartphone on which you can load the GoFan app, or access the GoFan website on the Internet. If you have an Android smartphone, you're out of luck when it comes to apps. One way or the other, you have to follow the ticketing procedure and show the ticket-takers at the event that you have a big green checkmark next to the event's listing in order to be allowed access.

And you thought the lines were long before this.

I'll admit, it's not much of a concern for me. I haven't paid to attend a high school sporting event in probably a half-century. Even now in my quasi-retirement, I am still waved through the gates (even with wallet in hand) if I'm not actually working because of my long service to the Fourth Estate over that time. And by the way, I really appreciate the generosity of the schools, including those I didn't cover on a regular basis during my 40-plus years as a print reporter.

But I'm fortunate. Others aren't. They just want to go to a high school game for fun and relaxation or to support a family member or relative, and they don't think twice about reaching into their wallets for a Five (or maybe more in the tournaments, as the MIAA needs to wet its beak) to go to the game.

But now it all has be be done through technology, just like at the Patriots' games -- although, for the life of me, I can't understand why.

The Patriots went to a fully cash-less ticketing procedure as a means of exerting tighter control over ticketing. Computerized control over access cuts down significantly on ticket fraud, which becomes an even greater threat as the playoffs begin. Indeed, you can't even get a beer at Gillette Stadium with cold, hard cash these days. You have to take your greenbacks and stick them into a reverse ATM machine, which spits out a hunk of plastic that you can use at the concession stands. 

See how much technology has changed our lives? By forcing you to take two steps to accomplish one, high tech has managed to convince everybody that it's made our lives easier.

But why must a computerized process be necessary at high school games?

At most events, there isn't assigned seating. Many people don't sit at all. They go to the game and stand on the sidelines or mill about as they see fit, and all for the same $10 the ticket-takers would have gotten in cash. Indeed, I'm told that the GoFan app adds a "convenience fee" to the cost of a ticket, which just adds to the argument that the school games already cost too much to attend.

I'm also seriously concerned about those that don't fall into the tech-savvy category.

You see them at practically every sporting event ... the elders who want to support a grandchild, or just want to see an entertaining game because they enjoy the environment outside the home. Many of them are in their 70s or beyond, and they might not be down with the latest iPhone. Indeed, if they even have cellular phones, they are probably the simple and easy-to-see Jitterbugs that don't have full access to web pages.

GoFan washed its hands of that possible dilemma by noting on its web site that individual schools would have control over how to resolve situations not covered by the use of the app. Clearly, I'm certain there isn't an athletic director in the area that would want to refuse access to a senior citizen because he or she might not have access to a cell phone. Many schools admit seniors for free or for a lesser price than full admission, so I'm sure accommodations will be made.

Still, there will be those that will be infuriated by this decision. The schools are putting the MIAA memo on their Twitter feeds, but my guess is that might cover about 30-40 percent of the audience that might want to attend high school tournament games without being a week-to-week fan of them. People will be surprised at the gates to learn of the restriction, so they will fumble around with their phones and try to add and learn the app in a short amount of time. The lines will grow and people will be generally pissed off as a result.

And me? I'll flash whatever media ID might be necessary for the event and I'll stroll right by. But I will have sympathy for those that are inconvenienced -- especially for those who, a few years older than I, might be less inclined to learn new technology.

It all seems like overkill to me. I can think of a lot of things the MIAA could do to make it more attractive for people to attend high school games, not more difficult. But they don't listen to me any more.

Douchebag of the Week Award.

Freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution. And this guy is an ass.

The photo above is of what greeted me when I drove to Plainville this morning for a doctor’s appointment.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I had to blow up the photo quite a bit and then “flop” it, or show it reversed so the print would be readable. Yes, that big black flag being waved by the douchebag standing at the intersection of state routes 152 and 106 reads “Fuck Biden.”

The location of the flag waver is about 400 feet from an elementary school, by the way. Stay classy, Plainville.

Lest I paint the town with a broad brush, I will note that the town of Plainville voted for President Biden in the 2020 election. Yes, we’re a little more conservative in this corner of the commonwealth, but not so much that any of the communities covered by my former newspaper saw fit to vote for the other guy, the straw-haired glutton that made coarse language part of the lexicon of government during the four years of his failed presidential administration. 

I first happened upon this flag-wielding jackass at about 10:30 a.m. My appointment took about an hour, and when I returned to the intersection on my way to the nearest Starbucks, he was still there. So I looped around in the parking lot of a strip mall and sat at the stoplight for an extra turn so I could snap this photo. As I turned, I noticed that the flag-wielder was being approached by an angry middle-aged man who disagreed with his political opinion, but my need for coffee outweighed my desire for free entertainment, so I headed for the Starbucks.

I returned to the intersection one more time after getting my coffee, but by this time, our conservative town crier had disappeared. Not sure if he was encouraged to do so by the gentleman that was about to confront him at my previous turn, but at least the profane flag was gone.

And before you call me a hypocrite, yes, I have to support the flag-wielder’s right to express himself as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States — that same Constitution that Donald Trump has never read nor felt compelled to respect or follow during his presidency. I, at the same time, am exercising my constitutionally-protected right to call the flag-wielder a complete asshole.

By the way, my eyes are fine. But I wish they hadn’t seen this goofball and his flag. I don’t like elevating my blood pressure in this fashion.

To oldly go where no man has gone before.

William Shatner (as Capt. Kirk of the USS Enterprise) heads to space today.

At 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, two worlds will collide.

That’s when a sub-orbital spaceship will launch from the west Texas launch center of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin  commercial space flight program with four passengers aboard — including one that may be the most famous of all spacefaring humans (or at least those that have portrayed spacefaring humans). 

William Shatner, the Canadian-born actor that turned the character of James Tiberius Kirk into American science-fiction royalty, will be aboard that spacecraft when it launches for a flight that will include about 15 minutes on the edge of outer space. At 90, he will be the oldest human being to fly into space — some 65 years after the debut of the groundbreaking series “Star Trek” on NBC, and 27 years after he last portrayed the captain of the starship Enterprise on the silver screen.

Amazing? Indeed. As I said, Shatner is 90. The oldest man NASA dared to send into space was former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, who flew America’s first orbital flight in 1962 and returned to space aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1998 at the age of 77. Bezos’ privately-run program began by setting a record for “experience” by sending up 82-year-old former NASA engineer Wally Funk, who had been passed over for a flight in the Mercury program simply because she was a woman.

Shatner is still quite strapping for a man his age, but he won’t need to tell anyone to go to warp speed during his brief flight. No one aboard will need to lift a finger, in fact; Bezos’ spacecraft are completely controlled from the ground — which, as older readers will remember, was the cause of a near-revolt among the original Mercury astronauts. They were all test pilots from the military, and they rebelled at the notion of being simply passengers aboard a craft over which they had no control. As a result, NASA scientists re-designed the Mercury capsule to include controls over steering thrusters and the  re-entry rocket.

Be that as it may, while this may seem like a publicity stunt of the highest order, it’s still intriguing that the opportunity has been presented to the earth’s most famous starship captain to actually see a tiny portion of what he was bringing to our small screens for three seasons and then several movies many years later. 

Shatner was already an accomplished actor before Star Trek. He portrayed a military aide to one of the chief prosecutors (played by Spencer Tracy) at the postwar Nuremberg trials in “Judgment at Nuremberg” — the prime irony being that Shatner’s character carried the rank of captain. Shatner also had several roles on episodic TV shows in the ‘60s, including “Route 66” and “Twilight Zone,” in which he was able to develop the overacting technique that would be his trademark going forward. Perhaps that’s what Gene Roddenberry saw when he needed to recast his Star Trek pilot and replace a less emotive Jeffrey Hunter (as Capt. Christopher Pike, whose command of the Enterprise prior to James Kirk is gaining new life in newer iterations of the Star Trek franchise) with a more swashbuckling actor that would bring an emotional edge to the captain’s chair.

Even if you’re not a fan of Star Trek, you know who Capt. Kirk is. He’s bold, daring, and far too emotional for the taste of his logic-driven Vulcan first officer, Mr. Spock. He rushes into conflict while touting the peace-loving virtues of the United Federation of Planets. He frequently cites the Federation’s one unbreakable “Prime Directive,” the order not to interfere with the development of lesser-developed civilizations, then promptly violates it as the situation demands. And of course, Kirk is a randy soul whose libido explored what the galaxy had to offer in regards to the opposite sex almost more extensively than the Enterprise explored new solar systems.

The character of Kirk was developed early in the original series and rarely strayed off that course over the three seasons on NBC, the brief animated series that followed (although cleaned up a little for the younger audiences), and then seven theatrical films featuring the original cast. And that’s what made him an endearing and enduring character.

How much of the character of Kirk really was the real Shatner? Or how much has Shatner become Kirk? We may never know. But he clearly is reveling in the moment of an opportunity that is uniquely his. Given the place that Star Trek and its successor series hold in American lore, it’s just a shame that Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan and the surviving members of the original cast couldn’t join him on this symbolic mission.

Here’s hoping that Shatner’s trip goes as planned, and it provides him with the thrill of a well-lived lifetime. But I can’t help but think back to one of the movies, “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” for a fitting description.

It’s just moments before Kirk, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov and McCoy board the dry-docked Enterprise against orders, preparing to reactivate the ship in order to return to the Genesis planet and search for Spock’s mortal remains. The crew escapes Starfleet headquarters in San Francisco via a little-used transporter facility where Lt. Uhura has accepted a posting as part of the plot to steal the Enterprise. As the bridge crew arrives, a junior officer on duty with Uhura is suspicious of their arrival, so Uhura draws a phaser and orders the ensign into a closet. Shocked, he says, “Have you lost all sense of reality?” 

“This isn’t reality,” Uhura responds. “This is fantasy!”

Indeed it is. Godspeed, Jim Kirk.

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. 

My North TV cablecasting schedule for King Philip sports!

The schedule for telecasts of King Philip Regional High School sports this fall is out, thanks to my boss at North Attleborough Community Television (North TV), Peter Gay, so I thought I'd share it. Here are the games that will be televised on the Plainville Channel, and can be seen via delayed broadcast on the live-streaming link on NorthTV.net. Some scheduled games could be subject to change.

FOOTBALL

Sept. 10: BC High at King Philip, 7 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

Sept. 24: North Attleboro at King Philip, 7 p.m. Announcers: Jared Ware and Del Malloy.

Oct. 8: Attleboro at King Philip, 7 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

Oct. 15: Milford at King Philip, 7 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

Oct. 29: Mansfield at King Philip, 7 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

Nov. 25: King Philip at Franklin, 10 a.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

MIAA Playoffs, Nov. 5, 12 and 19, telecasts TBA.

BOYS' SOCCER

Sept. 15: Stoughton at King Philip, 3:45 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Martin Grealish.

Sept. 20: Mansfield at King Philip, 3:45 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Martin Grealish.

GIRLS' SOCCER

Sept. 22: Sharon at King Philip, 3:45 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Martin Grealish.

Oct. 4: Oliver Ames at King Philip, 3:45 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Martin Grealish.

FIELD HOCKEY

Oct. 8: Franklin at King Philip, 3:45 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

Oct. 19: Mansfield at King Philip, 5:30 p.m. Announcers: Mark Farinella and Glen Farley.

GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL

Oct. 12: King Philip at North Attleboro, 5:15 p.m. Announcers: Jared Ware and Del Malloy.