Your “I Need This Validation Of My Prognostication Skills” Tuesday Evening Open Thread

NFL News:

• The Patriots have traded Brandin Cooks & a 4th-rounder to the Rams in exchange for the Rams 2018 first-round pick & a sixth-round pick.
  • At least Dreamboat still has Gronk. For now.
  • For statistical purposes, the Rams now have only one third-round pick, three fourth-round picks, and two sixth-round picks in the 2018 draft. They also have given up a second-round pick in 2019.
    • The Rams now look like the George Allen [Redacteds] of the early 70s that had no rookies.
    • The emphasis seems to be on ensuring that their new stadium is full to capacity when it opens, with hopefully a defending Super Bowl champion inside it.
      • The Rams’ Vegas odds have responded to all the changes, dropping from 18-1 to 10-1.

• The NFL offseason workout program dates have been announced.
  • to quote: As per Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each club’s official, voluntary nine-week offseason program is conducted in three phases:
    • Phase 1: Strength & conditioning, plus rehab assignments
    • Phase 2: Individual player instruction & drills; no live contact or offence vs. defence
    • Phase 3: 10 days of OTAs
      • No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
        • Expect Gruden to be grinding about that.
      • Mandatory veterans minicamp
  • In addition, each club may hold a rookie football development program for a period of seven weeks, which in 2018 may begin on May 14
    • Which means the Draft is just over three weeks away.
  • Most teams are starting either April 9 or 16.
    • The exceptions are the Falcons & Bears, who got started today.

• The Cowboys have ROCKED the ticketing world by dumping Ticketnazi Ticketmaster for SeatGeek.
  • They have also bought a stake in the company.
  • SeatGeek is looking to expand beyond its resell market.

• If it’s Tuesday, it must be “Stealing from Crimbeat!”
  • Prosecutors in Florida will not pursue felony charges against New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson.
    • Anderson was arrested on suspicion of multiple charges after he allegedly failed to yield during a traffic stop.
    • He was formally charged with reckless driving on Friday.
      • “The felony charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor charge due to a possible discrepancy regarding the initial estimated speed, but there is no doubt that the defendant was driving recklessly,” the State Attorney’s Office said.
    • Of course, he also faces…THE GINGERHAMMER!
  • Drew Brees has sued Vahid Moradi of CJ Charles Jewelry in San Diego over alleged fraud.
    • Brees claims that he purchased roughly $15 million worth of jewelry, and that it was independently appraised at being worth $9 million less than the price Brees paid at the time for the items.
    • The defence lawyer sounds like a real dick advocate for his client:
      • “Drew Brees aggressively purchased multi-million dollar pieces of jewelry,” Eric M. George told TMZ. “Years later, claiming to suffer ‘cash flow problems,’ he tried to bully my client into undoing the transactions. . . . Mr. Brees’s behavior and his belief that he was wronged because the jewelry did not appreciate in value as quickly as he hoped both demonstrate a lack of integrity and contradict basic principles of both economics and the law.”

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Bruins at Lightning – 7:30PM | NBCSN / Sportsnet1
  • Stars at Sharks – 10:30PM | Sportsnet1

• NBA:
  • Raptors at Cavaliers – 7:00PM | TSN4
  • Warriors at Thunder – 8:00PM | TNT
  • Spurs at Clippers – 10:30PM | TNT / TSN5

• MLB:
  • White Sox at Blue Jays – 7:00PM | Sportsnet
  • Indians at Angels – 10:00PM | ESPN / TSN2
  • Rangers at A’s – 10:00PM | Sportsnet360

• Futbol:
  • 2018 CONCACAF Champions League:
    • Semifinal Leg #1: Toronto FC vs. Club America – 8:00PM | TSN

•  WWE:
  • Smackdown – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360
    • the “go home” show before Wrestlemania.
      • expect lots of talk but no risk of injury.

Many, many thanks to Hippo for the hoopsball coverage and the associated nights off. Did I waste them? YOU BET!