Author Archives: djstevem

Patriots Make Second Trade, Grab Hightower

Dont'a Hightower #30 of the Alabama Crimson Tide calls the defense against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 26, 2011 in Auburn, Alabama.

After having only moved up in the first round twice in the Belichick era, the New England Patriots did it twice in one draft when they traded their 31st overall pick and their 4th rounder #126 to Denver for the 25th overall pick.

With that selection, New England chose Alabama LB Dont’a Hightower.  Hightower was a 2008 Freshman All-American, 2010 and 2011 Preseason All-SEC Coaches First Team and a 2011 Consensus All-American.  He missed his sophomore season due to a knee injury and he redshirted.

With the Tide, he has played in the middle and he should compare favorably to Jerod Mayo in size and football accumen.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: Getty Images

Patriots Select Jones After Trade With Cincy

The New England Patriots traded the 27th overall pick in the first round that they got last year from New Orleans to Cincinnati for the 21st overall pick.  The Bengals also get New England’s third rounder at #93 overall.

Syracuse's Chandler Jones (99) celebrates after sacking West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Syracuse, N.Y.With the 21st selection of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Syracuse University DE Chandler Jones.  Jones who missed the first five games with a knee injury registered 4.5 sacks in just 7 games and surely would have been a Top 10 pick if it weren’t for the injury. He was a 2011 First Team All-Big East selection.

His brother Arthur Jones plays for the Baltimore Ravens and his other brother Jon is a UFC World Lightweight Champion.

It is the third time Bill Belichick has moved up in the first round also doing so in 2002 and 2003 before this year.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: AP Photo

2012 Patriots Draft Selections

On Thursday night, the NFL will hold their annual draft when it conducts the first round at Radio City Music Hall in New York City under the watchful eye of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

2012 NFL DraftRounds Two and Three will be held on Friday night and Rounds Four through Seven will be held on Saturday afternoon and you can watch each and every selection on ESPN and the NFL Network.

Heading into the draft the New England Patriots hold the following draft picks:

Round/Pick     Notes

  • 1/27 – via New Orleans
  • 1/31
  • 2/48 – via Oakland
  • 2/62
  • 3/93
  • 4/126
  • 5/166 – traded to Cincinnati for WR Chad Ochocinco
  • 6/200 – traded to Philadelphia for LB Tracy White
  • 7/223 – via Philadelphia traded to Minnesota with WR Randy Moss
  • 7/238 – traded to Kansas City for S Jarrad Page

In 2013, the Patriots have their picks in Rounds 1-4 and 7.  They have already traded their 5th round pick to Washington for DT Albert Haynesworth and their 6th round pick to Cincinnati for WR Chad Ochocinco.

As in years past, expect Bill Belichick to work some deals to build the draft not only for the remainder of the weekend but for next year as well.  Some of Belichick’s best picks lately have been in the mid (3-4-5) to late (6-7) rounds and right now he only has two picks in that area this year and three next year and I fully expect that to change.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

Kettani Released by Navy, Allowed to Return to Patriots

In this handout image provided by the NFL, Eric Kettani of the New England Patriots poses for his NFL headshot circa 2011 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

RB Eric Kettani, a Naval Academy graduate, who has been with the Patriots the last year in training camp has been granted his release from the U.S. Military and allowed to return to the Patriots on a full-time basis.

He was granted select reserve status last year after having served two years in the active military and was allowed to attend training camp.  As a selective reserve he was to promote the Navy and do charitable work in his free time from the Patriots.

After earning a spot on the practice squad Kettani was summoned back to active duty by the Navy last October.  Kettani appealed the Navy ruling, which was ultimately overturned on Wednesday.

The team released Kettani last season when he was recalled to preserve the roster spot but had hoped the military would reconsider prior to the end of the season.

He is now free to pursue his NFL career on a full-time basis and was a Patriots voluntary workout’s last week.

You know this absolutely thrills Bill Belichick, an Annapolis native whose father Steve coached and scouted for the Naval Academy, who holds the military players in very high regard because of that connection.

Look for Kettani to compete with Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen for carries in camp.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: Getty Images

Patriots sign Koepplin; Re-Sign Koppen; Love signs Tender

The New England Patriots signed free agent place kicker Chris Koepplin.  Koepplin, a UMass product, was with the Patriots in training camp in 2011 and was among the final cuts.  He handled a bulk of the kick off duties in preseason games as Stephen Gostkowski worked his way back from a quad injury.

New England Patriots center Dan Koppen waits to set on the line of scrimmage during NFL football training camp in Foxborough, Mass. , Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011He did not play in the NFL in 2011.

The team also will be bringing back long time center Dan Koppen who missed most of 2011 with a season ending ankle injury suffered in Week 1 against Miami.  The Boston College product was the Patriots 5th round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.  He is a former All-Pro, Pro Bowl selection and has played on two Super Bowl championship teams.

Defensive Kyle Love, an exclusive rights free agent, has reportedly signed his tender with the team.  Love was a second year free agent and as an ERFA he had to take the Patriots offer at the 3-year veteran minimum salary of $540,000 or leave the NFL.

Last season Love had 33 tackles and 3 sacks and played in more than 50% of the teams defensive snaps.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: AP Photo

2012 Patriots Schedule Released

New England Patriots

The NFL released its 2012 regular season schedule tonight for all 32 teams.  Below is the schedule for the New England Patriots and the TV network the game will be played on.

Week Date Opponent Time TV Network
1. Sept 9 @ Tennessee 1 p.m. CBS
2. Sept 16 Arizona 1 p.m. FOX
3. Sept 23 @ Baltimore 8:20 p.m. NBC
4. Sept 30 @ Buffalo   CBS
5. Oct 7 Denver 4:15 p.m. CBS
6. Oct 14 @ Seattle 4 p.m. CBS
7. Oct 21 NY Jets 4:15 p.m. CBS
8. Oct 28 @ St. Louis (London) 1 p.m. CBS
9. Nov 4 BYE    
10. Nov 11 Buffalo 1 p.m. CBS
11. Nov 18 Indianapolis 1 p.m. CBS
12. Nov 22 @ NY Jets 8:20 p.m. NBC
13. Dec 2 @ Miami 1 p.m. CBS
14. Dec 10 Houston 8:30 p.m. ESPN
15. Dec 16 San Francisco 8:20 p.m. NBC
16. Dec 23 @ Jacksonville 1 p.m. CBS
17. Dec 30 Miami 1 p.m. CBS

Here is the Patriots pre season schedule.  At this time it looks like the August 20th game is an ESPN game against the Eagles with the others on local television.

PS 1 Aug 9   New Orleans    7:30 p.m.  Patriots TV Network
PS 2  Aug 20   Philadelphia 8 p.m. ESPN
PS 3  Aug 24   @ Tampa Bay  7:30 p.m.  Patriots TV Network
PS 4  Aug 29   @ NY Giants  7:30 p.m.  Patriots TV Network

New England Patriots 2012 schedule

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

Patriots Sign Carpenter

Bobby Carpenter #59 of the Detroit Lions dives to tackle Alex Smith #11 of the San Francisco 49ers during a NFL game against the at Ford Field on October 16, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan.

The New England Patriots added another linebacker to their roster on Thursday when they signed former Ohio State standout Bobby Carpenter.

Carpenter, who played along side A.J. Hawk at Ohio State, was a first round draft pick (18th overall) of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2006 NFL Draft.  He never lived up to the hype in Dallas and in four seasons failed to secure a starting job.

Prior to the 2010 season, he was traded by Dallas to St. Louis and was cut at the conclusion of training camp.

He signed with Miami but was released about a month later.  Detroit picked him up as a free agent in late October 2010 and played there the last two seasons.

Terms of the contract were not revealed but like many of this year’s free agents signed by the Patriots expect it to be extremely team friendly.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: Getty Images

2012 Red Sox Radio Network

2012 Red Sox Radio Network

The Shaw’s WEEI Red Sox Radio Network looks much the same as it has for the last few seasons as Dave O’Brien and Joe Castiglione return for their 6th season together in the booth as the primary announcers for Boston Red Sox baseball.  In the absence of either O’Brien or Castiglione you will hear from fill-in’s Dale Arnold and Jon Rish.  All the games will be broadcast from the team’s flagship station WEEI FM 93.7/AM 850 in Boston to it’s network affiliates through out New England, New York, Florida, Colorado and Wyoming.  As well as having all the home games carried along the XM Satellite Radio network.

Castiglione, a Hamden CT native, joined to Red Sox broadcasts in 1983 and has worked with such luminaries as Bob Starr, Ken Coleman and Jerry Trupiano in his this his 30th season.  Castiglione, who grew up a Yankees fan, has become well known in Red Sox lore for his call of the final out of the 2004 World Series which ended the team’s 86 year drought without a championship.  When he is not in the radio booth you can usually find Castiglione teaching sports broadcasting at Northeastern University.  Joe has also called games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers in his career.

O’Brien, a New Hampshire native who enters his 6th season in Shaw’s WEEI booth, is probably the most familiar amongst the Red Sox radio crew for the non-Red Sox or non-baseball fan in the crowd due to his heavy schedule with ESPN.  In addition to his Red Sox duties, Obie does the Wednesday night games for ESPN with former Red Sox shortstop and AL Batting Champion Nomar Garciaparra.  O’Brien prior to joining the Red Sox was the play-by-play announcer for the Florida Marlins radio network from 1993 to 2001 when he left to go to ESPN where in addition to baseball he has called World Cup Soccer, college basketball, NBA, MLS and the women’s college basketball Final Four.  He has also called games for the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons and the University of Georgia.

Arnold, who for many years was the mid day voice of WEEI is now the main fill-in for Red Sox baseball.  In the absence of either O’Brien or Castiglione, Arnold will come in to pinch hit.  In the past Arnold has done play-by-play for the Boston Bruins, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, New England Revolution and Boston Red Sox.  He is the only person to have called games for all five pro Boston area franchises.  Arnold, a Maine native, got his start in sports calling Maine Mariners AHL Hockey games and then moved to the NHL calling games for two years for the New Jersey Devils before coming back to New England to do the Patriots games on the radio.

Rish is entering his 7th season hosting the Red Sox pre-game and post-game shows on the Red Sox Radio Network, he also handles “”Sox Talk”  the call in show that airs during rain delays in the game.  In addition, Rish is one of the fill ins for Sox games in the absence of O’Brien or Castiglione.  In addition to WEEI, Rish has worked at ESPN Radio in Bristol CT as a radio Sports Center anchor, and hosted studio programming for major league baseball and the bowl championship series.  He was also the play-by-play announcer for Boston College Eagle’s men’s hockey and women’s basketball.

Over the air the Red Sox Radio Network has nearly 80 stations in 10 states.

To see the full list of affiliates, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Here is a list of all the affiliates for the Shaw’s WEEI Red Sox Radio Network in 2012:

Connecticut

  • WQUN 1220AM  New Haven
  • WTIC 1080AM  Hartford
  • WILI 1400AM  Willimantic
  • WINY 1350AM  Putnam
  • WGCH 1490AM  Greenwich

Massachusetts

  • WEEI 850AM Boston
  • WEEI 93.7FM Boston
  • WCRN 830AM  Worcester
  • WVEI 1440AM  Worcester
  • WSAR 1480 AM  Fall River
  • WBEC 1420 AM  Pittsfield
  • WHMP 1400AM  Northampton
  • WHMQ 1240AM  Greenfield
  • WNAW 1230AM  North Adams
  • WVEI 105.5FM  Springfield
  • WBSM 1420AM  New Bedford
  • WPKZ 1280AM  Fitchburg
  • WMRC 1490AM  Milford
  • WXTK 95.1FM  West Yarmouth
  • WBOQ 104.9FM  Beverly

Rhode Island

  • WEEI 103.7FM  Providence

New Hampshire

  • WEMJ 1490AM  Laconia
  • WFTN 1240AM  Franklin
  • WPNH 1300AM  Plymouth
  • WQSO 96.7FM  Rochester
  • WTSL 1400AM  Hanover
  • WKBK 1290AM  Keene
  • WASR 1420AM  Wolfeboro
  • WTPL 107.7FM  Hillsboro
  • WLTN 1400AM  Littleton
  • WKNE 103.7FM  Keene
  • WMOU 1230AM  Berlin
  • WGAM 1250AM  Manchester
  • WGHM 900AM  Nashua
  • WCNL 1010AM  Newport
  • WNTK 99.7FM  New London
  • WCFR 1480AM  New London

Maine

  • WRED 1440AM  Westbrook
  • WLOB 1310AM  Portland
  • WZON 620AM  Bangor
  • WCME 96.7FM  Camden
  • WRKD 1450AM  Rockland  
  • WJJB 96.3FM  Gray
  • WPEI 95.9FM  Saco
  • WGEI 95.5FM  Topsham
  • WDEA 1370AM  Ellsworth
  • WHOU 100.1FM  Houlton
  • WKTJ 99.3FM  Farmington
  • WIGY 97.5FM  Madison
  • WTBM 100.7FM  Norway
  • WOXO 92.7FM  Norway
  • WDME 103.1FM  Dover/Foxcroft
  • WQDY 92.7FM  Calais
  • WFAU 1280AM  Augusta
  • WSYY 1240AM  Millinocket
  • WALZ 95.3FM  Machias
  • WEGP 1390AM  Presque Isle

Vermont

  • WMXR 93.9FM  Woodstock
  • WDEV 550AM  Waterbury
  • WDEV 96.1FM  Waterbury
  • WJOY 1230AM  Burlington
  • WKVT 1490AM  Brattleboro
  • WRSA 1420AM  St. Albans
  • WFAD 1490AM  Middlebury
  • WSTJ 1340AM  St. Johnsbury
  • WSYB 1380AM  Rutland
  • WIKE 1490AM  Newport
  • WBTN 1370AM  Bennington
  • WLVB 93.9FM  Morrisville
  • WTSJ 1320AM Randolph

New York

  • WTLA 1200AM/97.7FM Syracuse
  • WSGO 1440AM/100.1FM Oswego
  • WIZR 930AM Johnstown

Colorado

  • KVRH 1340AM Salida

Florida

  • WWCN 770AM Ft. Myers
  • Seaview 960 AM Palm Beach Garden

Wyoming

  • KJAX 93.3FM Jackson

2012 Red Sox Baseball on NESN

NESN

The Boston Red Sox return to NESN as their lone local television outlet for the seventh consecutive season and as a broadcaster of televised Red Sox baseball in New England for the 29th year in a row in 2012.  And like they have since 2001, Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy will bring you all the Red Sox action.  New field reporter, Jenny Dell, joins them this season.

Red Sox baseball on NESN actually starts with a two half hour pregame shows Red Sox 1st Pitch airs 60 minutes prior to the game and Red Sox Game Day Live air 30 minutes prior to the game hosted by Tom Caron with a crew of rotating analysts that include Hall of Fame writer Peter Gammons, Hall of Fame players Jim Rice and Dennis Eckersley and newcomer Matt Stairs.  It also includes segments with Boston Globe writers and Red Sox game analyst Jerry Remy.  The broadcasts conclude with a pair of post game shows “Extra Innings Live” and “Red Sox Final” also hosted by the same cast of characters.

Don Orsillo, a New England native, is entering his 11th season as the play by play voice of the Boston Red Sox on NESN.  Announcer Boy is a graduate of Northeastern University where he studied under Red Sox radio announcer Joe Castiglione.  Before he came to NESN, Orsillo was the play by play voice of the Springfield Falcons hockey team, the Pittsfield Mets and Pawtucket Red Sox.  The two-time New England EMMY winner called a no-hitter for Hideo Nomo in his first game covering the Red Sox.  In addition to his Red Sox duties he has called men’s college basketball and the Beanpot Hockey tournament for NESN.  He has also called Big East basketball games for the Big East Network and works for TBS during the MLB postseason calling one of the division series since 2007.  This off-season he signed a new multi-year contract to stay with NESN calling Red Sox baseball.

Jerry Remy, the Rem Dawg, is entering his 24th season as the color analyst on Red Sox baseball.  Remy played with the California Angels and Boston Red Sox during a major league of 10 years that ended due to bad knees.  A Fall River native, he is also the first President of Red Sox Nation and owns two restaurants RemDawgs, a hot dog stand outside Fenway and Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill behind Fenway Park on Boylston Street.  In addition he also has a successful website, the Remy Report, and is the author of “Watching Baseball” and five children’s books based on Wally the Green Monster.  He is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame having been inducted in 2006.  In addition to his NESN work, which has won him 4 EMMY Awards, you will see Remy on occasion as a color analyst for regional MLB on FOX games usually involving the Red Sox.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Joining the NESN game broadcasts for the 2012 season as the Red Sox field reporter is newcomer Jenny Dell.  Dell comes to NESN from ESPN where she did on-air reporting and delivered AccuScore reports scores for espn.com.  She has also helped cover MLB games, Monday Night Football, the NBA and NASCAR behind the scenes for ESPN.  The Connecticut native, a graduate of UMass, replaces former field reporter Heidi Watney who didn’t have her contract renewed after four seasons covering the team.

Tom Caron, a Maine native, is the Red Sox studio host for the pregame and post game festivities through the year with many of the pregame shows coming from outside Fenway Park amongst the sea of Sox fans.  Caron who has been at NESN since 1995, has also hosted the Boston Bruins studio show, been the Red Sox field reporter and has done play by play for the Pawtucket Red Sox games on NESN as well as college basketball and college hockey. TC is a three-time New England EMMY winner and is also a frequent guest on sports talker, WEEI the Red Sox flagship station.

Peter Gammons is a Boston Sports Icon having started his career at the Boston Globe in 1969 covering Boston sports. He has also written columns for the Sporting News, been lead baseball columnist for Sports Illustrated and has been a baseball analyst for ESPN, the MLB Network and NESN.  Peter has also written several books, is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year and in 2004 was selected as the 56th recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA, and was honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame during induction ceremonies on July 31, 2005.

Dennis Eckersley is a NESN studio analyst since 2002.  The Hall of Fame closer is only one of two players to have a 20-win and 50-save season in MLB history.  Eck played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals in a 24 year career. Eckersley also won the 1992 AL Cy Young Award and 1992 AL MVP Award becoming only the 8th player to win both awards in the same season.  In addition to his NESN work, Eck works as a studio/game analyst with TBS during the regular and post seasons.  He also was given his own dictionary by the Bleacher Report blog because of his own very colorful baseball vernacular, called The Eck-tionary.

Jim Rice is a NESN studio analyst since 2003 and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame after playing his entire career in Boston with the Red Sox from 1974 to 1989.  The 1978 AL MVP in his career hit for a .298 average with 382 HR, 1451 RBI and 2452 hits. His #14 is retired by the Red Sox and sits on the right field facade at Fenway Park. Jim Ed is also heavily involved in community service with the Jimmy Fund and MLB’s RBI program.

Matt Stairs joins the NESN studio crew for 2012.  Stairs, who played in the majors for the Red Sox, Phillies, Athletics, Blue Jays, Expos, Nationals, Cubs, Brewers, Pirates, Royals, Rangers, Tigers and Padres was a first baseman, outfielder and designated hitter in a 19 year playing career.  He has a World Series ring as a member of the 2008 Phillies and he holds the MLB record for Most Pinch Hit Home Runs (23).  He played for 12 different teams, another MLB record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone.  In the off season, the Canadian now lives in Bangor ME with his wife and three daughters and coaches high school hockey.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

Patriots Hire Chris Simms as Coaching Assistant

Chris Simms

The New England Patriots have hired former NFL quarterback Chris Simms as a coaching assistant.  Simms is the son of CBS NFL analyst and Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms.

There has been no word from Foxboro yet about what Simms role may be but he did play for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels while he was the head coach in Denver.

Simms, who played quarterback at Texas, was a third round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft (97th overall).   He played with Tampa Bay from 2004-07 after not playing a snap in his rookie season of 2003.

In 2006, Simms suffered a life threatening injury on the football field against Carolina.  After taking several hard hits he was taken off the field but later returned to play.  After leading a scoring drive Simms returned to the bench in distress.  He was taken to a local hospital where it was determined he had a ruptured spleen and had internal bleeding.  Simms later said he lost 5 pints of blood and in another 45 minutes without treatment he conceded he’d have been dead.

In 2008, he signed with the Tennessee Titans after there were rumors he would come to New England to replace the injured Tom Brady.  The Patriots decided not to sign Simms and stayed with Matt Cassel as the quarterback and finished 11-5.

In 2009 he played for McDaniels in Denver and in 2010 he re-signed with Tennessee.  He was cut just before Week 1 but returned later in 2010 when Vince Young suffered a season ending injury.

In 8 NFL seasons, Simms played in 22 games and threw 12 TD’s and 18 INT’s.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: Dallas Observer