Matt Calvert Gets 36 Stitches, Later Scores Game-Winner For Blue Jackets

Share this: Hockey players often are labeled as the toughest athletes in sports, and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert did his best to prove that to be true in Friday’s game against the New York Rangers. It started with a blocked shot in the second period that swept him off his feet. The puck hit Calvert in the face, opening his face like a faucet and leaving a pool of blood on the ice. The wound required 36 stitches. [embedded content] He returned to the game (because he’s a hockey player) and remarkably scored scored the eventual game-winning goal for the Blue Jackets in the third period. [embedded content] Calvert’s toughness is one of the hallmarks of this Columbus squad. Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, that’s

Matthew Slater Leaves Patriots-49ers Game With Foot Injury, Seen In Walking Boot

by Zack Cox on Sun, Nov 20, 2016 at 8:35PM 1,579 Share this: The New England Patriots already were down one captain entering Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. They lost another during the third quarter. Patriots special teams ace Matthew Slater left the game — which New England won 30-17 — and did not return after suffering a foot injury while covering a punt. He was spotted after the game wearing a walking boot and using crutches, according to reporters on the scene at Levi’s Stadium. Patriots coach Bill Belichick declined to give an update on Slater’s condition during his postgame news conference, saying the team will release its injury report on Wednesday, as usual. Slater is one of the NFL’s best special teams

Kevin Durant Reveals Close Friendship With Avery Bradley: ‘That’s My Guy’

Share this: BOSTON — The Celtics really wanted Kevin Durant to sign with Boston this summer, and they weren’t shy in admitting it. But while Isaiah Thomas and Co. led the charge in selling Durant on the C’s, there was one Celtic who stayed out of his recruiting process entirely: Avery Bradley. “Not to put anything on him, but he didn’t care (where I signed),” Durant told reporters Friday morning during the Golden State Warriors’ shootaround at TD Garden. “… He didn’t talk to me about it, he didn’t ask me anything, he didn’t try to pitch me on anything.” Why would one of Boston’s most important players completely remove himself from wooing the best free agent in basketball? As it turns out, Durant and Bradley

Fantasy Football Rankings: 5 Must-Start Defenses For Week 11 Lineups

Share this: Fantasy football playoffs are starting soon in many leagues across the nation, and it would be a shame if a poor performance by your defense cost you a chance at the league title. Here are five must-start defenses for Week 11 of the NFL season. Seattle SeahawksThe Seahawks give up the second-fewest points per game and allow less than 100 rushing yards per matchup. They’re also coming off a great performance against the New England Patriots, one that included Tom Brady’s first interception of the season and a fourth-quarter fumble recovery that resulted in the game-winning touchdown. Their matchup against Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz on Sunday is a pretty good one, too. Arizona CardinalsThe Cardinals play a Minnesota Vikings offense that ranks

When Bill Belichick First Discovered Julian Edelman’s Exceptional Toughness

by Zack Cox on Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 8:00AM 2,100 Share this: Julian Edelman probably doesn’t have fond memories of his lone visit to Ohio Stadium. The year was 2007. Edelman, now a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, was a junior quarterback at Kent State at the time, leading the Golden Flashes into the Horseshoe to take on an Ohio State team that was ranked third in the nation. The result was … not pretty. Edelman posted a miserable 6.8 passer rating (4 of 10, 49 yards, one interception) and rushed eight times for negative-7 yards in a 48-3 loss. Pretty brutal performance, right? Not in Bill Belichick’s eyes. The Patriots coach, who used a seventh-round pick on Edelman in 2009, on Wednesday singled out that

Patriots Film Review: Examining Failed Goal-Line Series In Loss To Seahawks

Share this: The New England Patriots didn’t lose Sunday night solely because of a final offensive goal-line series in which they gained just 1 yard on four plays, but they trailed the Seattle Seahawks by seven points late in the fourth quarter, and the game fittingly came down to a pass from the 1-yard line. Let’s go through that final offensive series, when the Patriots failed to convert. The Patriots got to the 2-yard line on deep passes from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman (30 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (26 yards). On first and goal with 43 seconds remaining, the Patriots ran a quarterback keeper with Brady in which they admittedly intended not to score. Brady previously had converted on two short-yardage situations earlier

Doug Baldwin: Patriots-Seahawks Finish ‘Ironic’ After Super Bowl XLIX

Share this: FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots’ 31-24 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night came down to a play at the goal line. Hmm. When has that happened before? Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin called attention to the coincidence his team’s Week 10 matchup with the Patriots finished similarly — though with opposite results — to Seattle’s Super Bowl XLIX loss to New England. “You know it’s kind of ironic (to have) the ball on the one-yard line and an opportunity to win it,” Baldwin said after the game. “Fortunately enough, the ball rolled our way this time.” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw an incomplete pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski on fourth down from the 1-yard line Sunday night. Seahawks