NFL Nuggets: Lots of little things before minicamps start

• The NFL straight-up admitted it put the Bucs-Patriots game in Week 4 to give it the most eyes:
  • “The story can be about Brady’s return,” Vice president of NFL broadcast planning Mike North told Peter King for his Football Morning in America column.
    • “It would be different if Tom’s standing on the 50-yard line watching a tribute video in November in six inches of snow. Or, the later in the season we go, the more likely somebody’s injured. Getting in early, having that story told, made some sense.”
  • And, in a shocking coincidence, KIng’s broadcast overlord NBC won the bidding rights for the game.
    • North noted that every broadcast partner lobbied for the rights to broadcast the game, because it was a Conference crossover.

• The Denver Broncos hired Kelly Kleine as their executive director of football operations and special advisor to the general manager.
  • So she likes horses.
  • She was previously the manager of player personnel and a Midwest college scout for the Vikings.
    • She was also liaison between the off-site scouts & the personnel department.
  • She is/was the highest ranked female scout in the NFL.
    • Having started as a PR intern almost ten years ago.
• On the hockey front, the Leafs made a similarly historic move by naming newly minted Medical Doctor Hayley Wickenheiser as their senior director of player development.
  • They also hired Danielle Goyette as director of player development.
  • With six Olympic hockey gold medals between them, the Leafs hope to be taught what it means to win under pressure.

• On the minicamp front, the Colts, Raiders and Broncos all are holding their minicamps this week.
  • This apparently plays into a union strategy to have players agree to early camp with fewer mini workouts & OTAs later in the offseason.
    • Due to the new 17-game schedule but only one bye-week.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Bruins vs Capitals – 7:30pm | NBCSN / CBC / Sportsnet
  • Predators vs Hurricanes – 8:00pm | CNBC / Sportsnet East (only)
  • Blues vs Avalanche – 10:00pm | NBCSN / Sportsnet1
• NBA:
  • no games scheduled; play-in tournament begins Tuesday
• MLB:
  • Mets vs. Braves – 7:00pm | ESPN / TSN3
• WWE:
  • Monday Night Raw – 8:00pm | USA / Sportsnet360

So it looks like hockey’s night to shine!