Latest news with #MassLive.com
NBC Sports
12-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Robert Kraft says his best move as owner was trading for Bill Belichick
The ice apparently is thawing, at least a bit, between Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Appearing live with Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman for their Dudes on Dudes podcast at last month's Fanatics Fest in New York, Kraft was asked to describe his best move during his 30 years as owner of the team. 'The one that got questioned the most was in 1999,' Kraft said, via Peyton Doyle of in an item posted on Friday. 'I gave up a No. 1 draft pick for a coach that had only won a little over 40 percent of his games to get him out, I don't know if there are any Jets fans here. . . . 'I think getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk and I got hammered in the Boston media, but he was with us for 24 years and we did OK.' The candor is surprising, given ample evidence and rumor of rancor between Kraft and Belichick during the final years of his time in New England and thereafter. Remember the reporting that Kraft supposedly said some things to Falcons owner Arthur Blank that kept Belichick from landing on his feet in Atlanta? And what about the notion that quarterback Tom Brady said to Kraft during training camp in 2000, when Brady was a sixth-round rookie, that picking him was the best decision the organization had ever made? Brady has since told Howard Stern that Brady didn't say that. Both moves turned out very well. The fact that Kraft opted to mention Belichick and not Brady suggests that perhaps the animosity lingering between Kraft and Belichick has begun to subside. At least a little.
Japan Forward
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Masataka Yoshida Set to Start Triple-A Rehab Assignment with Worcester
Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida has been sidelined while recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder. Boston Red Sox slugger Masataka Yoshida in an August 2024 file photo. (©Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY SPORTS/via REUTERS) Masataka Yoshida is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on Tuesday, July 1. Since the 2025 MLB season began in March, Yoshida has been on the injured list. He underwent surgery to repair a right shoulder labral tear in October 2024. Boston manager Alex Cora said the time is right for Yoshida, a left fielder/designated hitter, to take the next step toward returning to the major leagues. "The swing feels great," Cora was quoted as saying by multiple Boston media outlets on June 28. "The throwing has been a lot better, being able to bounce back. We just have to map it out — how many games in the [outfield vs designated hitter]. "In the end, when the hitting feels comfortable, he'll be with us." The Worcester RedSox, aka WooSox, face the Syracuse Mets on Tuesday. Yoshida, 31, coped with shoulder pain during the 2024 MLB season. He only played one game in the outfield. Team management wants him to be available as a designated hitter and a left fielder. After serving as DH in 11 games during spring training (he hit .286) in March, Yoshida hasn't played in a regular-season game yet in 2025. While recovering from shoulder surgery, Yoshida was unable to make throws from the outfield during spring training, according to published reports. As a result, Yoshida began the season on the injured list. Masataka Yoshida (GETTY IMAGES/via KYODO) Time away from competition has helped Yoshida's physical condition improve over the past few months. "It's been a little bit longer than I expected," Yoshida said through an interpreter recently, according to "My goal was to be ready by Opening Day when I got the surgery, but it's been a long process. But overall, I think I'm in good shape and ready to go." Before starting his injury rehab assignment, Yoshida told reporters that he hopes to return to Boston before the All-Star break starts on July 14. Although he hasn't had at-bats in a game since spring training in March, the left-handed batter, did face live pitching at Boston's training complex in Fort Myers, Florida, in April and May, reported. And in recent weeks, he's been hitting against a pitching robot. "After spring training, it's been a while since I faced live pitchers, but I've been using Trajekt, hitting off of it, and trying to get my timing down," Yoshida said, according to "I think it just comes down to getting myself adjusted to major league pitching at the end of the day." A four-time All-Star and a two-time Pacific League batting champion with NPB's Orix Buffaloes, Yoshida signed a five-year contract with the Red Sox in December 2022. Yoshida appeared in 140 games in his first season with the Red Sox. He hit .289 with 15 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2023. In 2024, he batted .280 with 10 homers and 56 RBIs in 108 games. Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘She was just so sweet' — Franklin mourns 5-year-old, mom after fatal head-on crash
Family, friends and community members gathered at a crash site Thursday to mourn the loss of a 5-year-old Franklin girl and her mother who were killed in a head-on crash for which a Franklin man faces charges. Minaben Atulkumar Patel, 38, of Franklin, a passenger in the family car, had been hospitalized since the May 24 crash but died nine days later from her injuries, the Norfolk District Attorney's office said. Services were held Saturday, May 31 for Patel's daughter, Krisha Atulkumar Patel, 5, who was pronounced dead at a hospital the day of the crash. Patel's son, Kunj Atulkumar Patel, 14, who, like his mother, was hospitalized with serious injuries at UMass Memorial Medical Center, attended the June 5 vigil in Franklin. Standing from his wheelchair, he was the first to set a rose and candle down to honor his mother and sister. The father of the family, Atulkumar Patel — who was driving the car that was hit by a driver facing an operating under the influence charge — was treated and released at a hospital after the crash. He was not seen at the vigil. Flowers, teddy bears, photos and candles were placed around two white crosses that have been placed at the vigil site on Grove Street. There were also two large photos honoring the mother and daughter. Many close family members and friends paid their respects to the family, saying silent prayers as they held candlesticks. Some took off their shoes before standing in front of the memorial. The more than 40 people in attendance gathered in a circle around the memorial, saying and singing prayers. Susan D'Amelio of Franklin, an acquaintance of the family, recalled a time she ran into Minaben and Krisha Patel, and remembered thinking that Krisha looked like a princess. 'She (Krisha) was just so sweet,' D'Amelio said. As D'Amelio went to pay her respects at the memorial, a butterfly could be seen floating past her. She said that ever since the crash, she has been seeing butterflies on and off. The driver, James Blanchard, 21, also a Franklin resident, faces several charges, including motor vehicle homicide and operating under the influence. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment May 27 in Wrentham District Court and was being held on $250,000 bail. Blanchard was operating a pickup truck that crossed the center line and hit the family's car head-on, officials said. They said Blanchard had multiple containers of alcohol in his vehicle and his alcohol level was more than two times the legal driving limit. The Sun Chronicle is a news partner of To subscribe to The Sun Chronicle, click here. Mass. State Lottery winner: $1M ticket sold at Springfield gas station Country singer fulfills young fan's unusual request: 'Well this was a first' Boston Red Sox prospect, once a Top 100 who's still only 21, homers twice Legendary band's signature hit gets music video starring famous actress Juan Latorre III again seeks council seat in Springfield Read the original article on MassLive.
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Respect Others As You Would Have Them Respect You
'Treat the team and the staff with respect.' That's the number one rule that Mike Vrabel, newly installed head coach of the New England Patriots, has established. Vrabel, a former Patriot and head coach of the Tennessee Titans, understands that respect is essential to creating a culture of belonging. 'The training staff, the equipment staff, the kitchen staff. ... They are here to help you do your job,' Vrabel said. 'They aren't here to be your valet, to be your housekeeper, to be your maid, to be your butler. We're going to treat these people with the utmost respect.' Vrabel, according to reporting by Nick O'Malley of will tolerate a degree of push-back from players –even angry words – directed at himself. As a former player, Vrabel understands that aspect of coaching goes with the job. Criticizing a superior is one thing; mistreating a 'subordinate' – when you, as a player, hold a position of privilege -- is unacceptable. Vrabel's approach to staff echoes what I have heard senior leaders talk about when discussing hiring job candidates. They may ask their administrative staff their opinions of how a candidate treated them. They also watch how a candidate interacts with wait staff at dinner. Condescension or rudeness toward those perceived to be 'below' the status of the candidate are signs that the individual is self-aggrandizing and may not be a suitable team player. The other aspect that Vrabel emphasizes is respect for the team. Creating buy-in for organizational goals is one way to create unity. Team cohesion is fundamental to success. When individuals feel they belong, they will do their best, sometimes going beyond the job description to help fellow employee do their jobs better. This effort can be a form of on-the-job teaching or longer-term peer-to-peer mentoring. The same human emotions shape respect in the working world. It becomes the leader's job to make everyone feel welcome, with the understanding that if you contribute, you will be recognized and rewarded. The dignity of work is an essential component of respect. Respect means treating colleagues as contributors. Listen to them as you would like to be listened to. Understand their fears, and you would like them to understand yours. Find joy in working together. Respect is rooted in truth. Speak with candor. Provide constructive feedback. Respect the intelligence of others. Address divisive issues head-on. Sugarcoating problems are a sign of disrespect. It means you think others lack the intelligence or the resilience to deal with challenging problems. Disrespect is corrosive. It gives rise to suspicion, a place where we second-guess others, thinking they are playing one-upmanship on us. Once a team sinks into that kind of paranoia, it cannot cohere. It pulls apart, giving rise to backbiting and even contempt. When members of a team respect each other, they build a sense of community. Respect is fundamental to community. People believe in the same cause and are willing to play their role to help everyone succeed.
NBC Sports
01-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Drake Maye on Stefon Diggs: It'll be cool to throw to a receiver who's made plays like him
The Patriots signed Stefon Diggs to give give Drake Maye a strong veteran target, despite the receiver coming an ACL tear suffered last October. In his Thursday press conference, Maye told reporters that he's been watching Diggs for years and is excited to play wit him. 'Shoot, Stefon, he was one of those guys growing up when I was in high school, he was young in the league. I had him on my fantasy team and things like that — playing with him in Madden,' Maye said, via Mark Daniels of 'It's pretty cool to hopefully now in-season throw to him. He's coming back obviously from injury. He's doing great. He's been around. It's going to be cool to throw to a receiver who's made plays like he has. 'He's made big plays in playoff games and played in a lot of different schemes, played with high-level quarterbacks. Just to see his point of view. It's my job to give him a chance and go get it.' Diggs, 31, caught 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns with the Texans last season before suffering his knee injury. In 2023, he recorded 107 receptions for 1,183 yards with eight TDs in 17 games for Buffalo.
