Roger Goodell made a boo-boo. SAD! In an exact 180 from how the league handled the original Deflategate involving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the league came out right away and tried to put the Deflategate 2 scandal between the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers to bed. The NFL commissioner even told reporters Wednesday that the league was “comfortable” with how it handled the latest deflated-football controversy. But he also made a pretty important error during the press conference when he said the Giants raised their concerns about the PSI during the teams’ Week 13 matchup, which the NFL since has said wasn’t the case. ... NESN.com
Sports
Steve Francis Jailed On Burglary Charge, As Ex-NBA Star Compounds Legal Woes
Steve Francis appears to be in a rough patch in his post-basketball life. The former Houston Rockets star was jailed on a burglary charge after he turned himself in to police Monday in Florida, according to TMZ. Francis is accused of breaking into a woman’s car in June and stealing items worth over $ 7,000. He could serve up to five years in prison if convicted on the felony charge. The alleged victim described the burglary last month in an interview with KTRK Houston. The unidentified woman left her car door unlocked while she was eating at a restaurant in Bradenton, Fla. Francis asked the bartender for help finding his keys. “The bartend... NESN.com
Troy Brown Jokes About Coming Back To Fix Patriots’ Punt Return Issues
Don’t worry, New England Patriots fans. Troy Brown heard you loud and clear. Several Patriots fans began tweeting at the former New England wide receiver Monday night, suggesting he come out of retirement to solve the team’s punt return problems. Brown, obviously recognizing the crowd’s clamoring, responded with approval, though he did have some minor demands. In fact, it appears Brown, who’s now an analyst for CSNNE, already is working on his game. In all seriousness, the Patriots do need to figure out their punt return situation with Danny Amendola sidelined. Cyrus Jones’ nightmare rookie season only got worse Monday night in the Pa... NESN.com
Bruins Wrap: Ryan Spooner’s Overtime Goal Lifts Bruins Past Canadiens
The Boston Bruins earned a hard-fought victory with an exciting 2-1 overtime win in Montreal against the Canadiens. Ryan Spooner’s slick overtime goal sealed the victory for Boston, who ended a three-game losing skid with the victory. Tuukka Rask shined in net, turning away 22 of 23 Monreal shot attempts. Here’s how it all went down. FIRST PERIOD STALEMATEThe game remained scoreless after the first period. The teams shared an equal amount of scoring opportunities, as the Canadiens narrowly outshot the Bruins, 8-7. The B’s were fortunate to keep the game scoreless, as they were able to successfully kill two penalties. A... NESN.com
Bruins Struggling To Score Goals Ahead Of Matchup Vs. Canadiens
The Boston Bruins have a struggling offense, and it’s the main reason for their 3-game skid. Boston has scored just six goals combined in the last three games, and it ranks 26th in the NHL in goals scored per game and 27th in power-play percentage. The B’s must find a way to score goals soon, especially with a matchup against the rival Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Monday night. Check out the video above for a report from Sunday’s Bruins practice, as seen on “NESN Sports Today,” presented by People’s United Bank. ... NESN.com
Griff Whalen Excited For Opportunity With Patriots, Hasn’t Gotten Grief For Fake Punt
by Zack Cox on Sat, Dec 10, 2016 at 3:56PM 1,119 FOXBORO, Mass. — Griff Whalen had the misfortune of being a part of one of the most ill-conceived plays in recent NFL history: the fiasco of a fake punt the Indianapolis Colts attempted during a lost to the New England Patriots last season. The play remains fresh in the minds of Patriots fans, but Whalen said he hasn’t heard any trash talk from his new teammates since signing with New England on Friday. “I haven’t,” the wide rece... NESN.com
Celtics Wrap: Kyle Lowry’s 34-Point Night Powers Raptors To 101-94 Win
The Boston Celtics made a season-high 17 three-pointers in Friday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, but the team’s poor second-half offensive performance proved to be costly. After a hot start, the Celtics shot only 28 percent in the second half en route to a 101-94 loss. Kyle Lowry provided the game-high with 34 points, while DeMar DeRozan scored 24 of his own. Isaiah Thomas’ absence proved to be costly for Boston, as no Celtic player eclipsed the 20-point threshold. With the loss, the Celtics dropped to 13-10 on the season, while Toronto improved to 16-7 and are currently just one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot ... NESN.com