EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

Sports

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus
November 2, 2012

Sports in a minute

Hector Longo The Eagle-Tribune

So much for character

Bill Belichick’s answer to the New England Patriots’ first-half secondary woes?

How about Tampa trouble-maker Aqib Talib, a cornerback and former first-round pick, whom the Patriots reportedly picked up via trade with the Bucs, just before yesterday’s deadline.

To me, it’s amazing that Belichick would take the “Corey Dillon” route to patch the problems in his defensive backfield.

Doesn’t character mean anything, especially on defense?

Can this football team count on a guy like Talib?

Well, they won’t be able to in eight days when the Pats return to the field and host Buffalo, because Talib’s latest episode — being caught abusing the drug Adderall — cost him a four-game suspension. One of those games has yet to be served.

Belichick clearly gambled, dumping a fourth-round pick on the 6-foot-1, 205-pound cover man.

He risked a friendship. If Talib is as bad an apple as his record might indicate — swinging helmets at practice, punching out a fellow Bucs’ rookie, assault on a cab driver, shooting at and pistol-whipping a brother-in-law, etc. — Belichick will never speak to Tampa coach Greg Schiano again.

And he risked his locker room. This guy enters a place devoid of solid, trustworthy leadership on the defensive side. There really hasn’t been any since Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison and Willie McGinest left. You wonder if he spreads some of the bad habits among a very young, impressionable room.

Talib had better be good, on the field and off.

Haverhill rink hosts

Try Hockey for Free clinic

Greater Haverhill-Pentucket Youth Hockey (HP Thunder) invites boys and girls ages four to nine years old to Veteran’s Memorial Skating Rink (behind Haverhill High School) on Sat., November 3, from 10 a.m.-noon for a Try Hockey for Free clinic to experience ice hockey for the first time and learn the basics of the sport in a fun, safe environment.

Try Hockey For Free Day is part of Come Play Hockey Month. This program, designed to provide youth hockey associations a national platform to introduce new kids to the sport, is a joint‐effort between USA Hockey, the National Hockey League, and NHL member clubs. With Total Hockey and Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports, the official sponsors of Try Hockey For Free Day, USA Hockey has 500 locations offering kids between the ages of 4 and 9 years old this unique opportunity.

“We look forward to introducing new families to our sport,” said HP Thunder President John O’Neil. “As an added bonus, we are thrilled that our friends at Merrimack College will generously provide free tickets to an upcoming game, to the first 50 kids who register then participate on the ice during our Haverhill session on Nov. 3.”

Families may register their children at www.TryHockeyForFree.com or contact HP Thunder’s Try Hockey for Free coordinator, Frank Barrett, at 978-510-1563.

UNHAPPY PAPI

Can you imagine the fireworks this weekend, if as reported, the Red Sox allow David Ortiz to hit the open market?

One of the great clutch hitters and most beloved Sox in history, Ortiz is looking for $30 million over two years, and the Sox aren’t even close.

How dedicated to financial “discipline” is Red Sox GM Ben Cherington? We see if Ortiz is still a member of this organization at this time next week.

TIME CHANGE FOR

CAC COLLISION

Saturday’s Shawsheen Tech at Whittier Tech football game has been moved from 3 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Sports

Local Sports Videos
Sports Videos
NFL Player Posts Photo of Himself Appearing to Pee on IRS Building Are Sixers targeting Kelvin Sampson? Recipe for Success: Phillies draft picks Recipe for Success: Phillies at the trade deadline Recipe for success: Ryan Howard Phillies talks about struggling to win games Utley on Halladay going on the DL Is the bullpen in trouble without Mike Adams? Mike Adams talks about his back pain Matt Barkley on meeting his Fiancee in preschool Matt Barkley on playing in Philadelphia Evaluating Chip Kelly's practice methods Larry Bowa on the Phillies' road trip How does the hiring of Hinkie change the 76ers' coaching search? Recipe for Success: Can the Eagles make the playoffs? McCoy: Vick cheated to beat me What did we learn from Chip Kelly's first practice? Vick: 'I compete with myself more than anyone around me' Bottalico says Cliff Lee's offense was 'beautiful' McCarthy and Wheeler recap Phillies' win over Diamondbacks
Boston Sports
Globe 10.0: Is Lundqvist the key to the series? Blakely: Rivers to return to Celtics next season Globe 10.0: Do the Sox rely too much on Lester and Buchholz? Bruins Talk About Rangers Blocking Shots Bruins' Patrice Bergeron On Selke Award, Matchup With Rangers Julien: 'I'm a tired coach' Seguin: Thornton said he expected something from me in OT Rask: 'It's really disappointing' Julien: 'We've been a Jekyll and Hyde hockey club' Farrell: Dealing with some frustration right now Julien: Bergeron line needs to step up Thornton: 'We should've been able to close' Julien: We were in it because of Rask Bruins know they need desperation in Game 6 Lester: 'I just wanted to be aggressive' Morris, Buchholz talk at Fenway Bruins Hoping To Close Out Leafs In Game 5 JA Happ: 'I feel very fortunate' Globe 10.0: What will it take to get Jagr going? Globe 10.0: How will the Red Sox handle adversity?