I just want to thank everyone who covered for me this weekend. Thanks for the brief vacation from the #content mines.

NFL News:

• Disgusted at what his owner had become, Rob Gronkowski retired from the New England Patriots on Sunday.
  • Gronk, seen right imitating his team owner’s last trip to Florida, has been weighing retirement since the end of the 2017 season.
    • Acquiring a shocker of rings, however, may have tipped the balance in favour of walking away while he can still remember whose round it is.
  • The Patriots are now tapped with finding a suitable replacement, since their only other viable alternative left them hanging about three years ago.
    • But there is a caveat:

Drew Rosenhaus on @GetUpESPN on Rob Gronkowski’s future: “If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 25, 2019

• Given how the new kickoff rules have essentially eliminated the onside kick, the Broncos proposed an alternative to the Competition Committee.
  • It would allow, in the 4th quarter only & after a score, for the kicking team to attempt a 4th & 15 from their own 35. If they succeed, they would keep the ball and proceed from there.
  • The only opponent in the Committee was apparently John Mara of the Giants, who proclaimed, “What are we, the Arena Football League?”

• The Competition Committee also is proposing to increase the number of ejectable offences.
  • As stated in their proposal, the Committee wants to “amend Rule 15, Section 1, Article 5 to allow League personnel to disqualify for both flagrant football and non-football acts.”
    • The theory is that it moves the League closer to shadowing the NCAA’s “targeting” rule.

Finally, to kick off the league’s 100th season, they have decided that the Bears & Packers will start the 2019 season on Thursday, September 5th.

It’ll be in Chicago, and the 199th game in the historic rivalry. The Packers hold a 97-95-6 edge in the series, which includes two playoff games (1-1).

PFT drunkenly surmises that one reason for the change – The Pats will open on Sunday night – is because of all the Robert Kraft nonsense. The NFL is trying to keep the focus on the game, and hiding Robert Kraft behind a weekend of opening day games will minimize the spotlight.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Bruins at Bolts – 7:30PM | Sportsnet1
  • Predators at Wild – 8:00PM | NBCSN
  • Red Wings at Sharks – 10:30PM | Sportsnet1
• NBA:
  • 76ers at Magic – 7:00PM | NBATV
  • Thunder at Grizzlies – 8:00PM | TSN
  • Brooklyn at Portland – 10:00PM | NBATV
• NCAA:
  • Men’s:
    • NIT Basketball Tournament:
      • Norfolk State at Colorado – 9:00PM | ESPN2
  • Women’s:
    • Women’s Tournament: Second Round
      • 7:00PM | ESPN
      • 9:00PM | ESPN
• WWE:
  • Monday Night Raw – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360

Also, if you are looking for a career change, Big Daddy Drew tweeted out Deadspin’s advertisement for a new staff writer. It seems anyone can apply, given the broad nature of their recruitment:

This is a full-time staff position (open to remote candidates).

BACK IN THE SADDLE!