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Archives for June 12, 2024

New England Patriots: Bronze Brady

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots, while inducting the legendary Tom Brady into their Hall of Fame on Wednesday, delivered a few surprises for the retired quarterback.

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Team owner Robert Kraft revealed that the Patriots are retiring Brady’s uniform No. 12 and are commissioning a 12-foot-tall bronze Brady statue that will be installed during the 2024 season.

“(The statue) will stand alone in the plaza outside of the Hall of Fame to symbolize his position, not as the greatest in franchise history, but as the greatest in all of NFL history,” Kraft said.

The ceremony drew a crowd of 60,000 to the Patriots’ home stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on the night of an NBA Finals game featuring the Boston Celtics. The three-hour festivities included appearances by scores of Brady’s former teammates and ex-Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. It was the first time Belichick returned to Foxborough since he resigned at the end of last season.

Brady gave thanks to all, saying, “I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot.”

He added of Belichick, “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t you. It was us. … Let me make this crystal clear: There is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick.”

Brady, playing under Belichick, spent 20 years with the Patriots, leading the team to six Super Bowl championships. He later added another title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Belichick, greeted with huge cheers from Patriots fans, said to Brady, “Thank you for all that you’ve done for us. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. And thank you for the example and model you’ve been for all of us on a daily basis for 20 years. Congratulations.”

Porzingis Out, Day-to-Day

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis missed Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night due to a lower left leg injury. The team ruled Porzingis out about 90 minutes prior to tipoff.

“The medical team and the staff just decided that it wasn’t what was best for him (to play) today,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame availability.

Porzingis had missed Boston’s 10 games leading up to the Finals due to a calf strain, but he returned for Games 1 and 2 against Dallas, helping the Celtics build a 2-0 series lead. However, at the 3:27 mark of the third quarter of Game 2 on Sunday, Porzingis sustained a dislocation of his left posterior tibialis tendon.

The new injury has no relation to the calf strain.

In the first two games of the Finals, Porzingis averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He played 21 minutes in Game 1 and 23 in Game 2, coming off the bench both times.

Porzingis, 28, had averages of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.9 blocks across 57 games (all starts) during the regular season. Boston acquired the big man in a trade with the Washington Wizards this past offseason.

Porzingis also played for the Mavericks from 2019-22.

–Field Level Media

NBA Legend Jerry West, 86

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jerry West, a Hall of Fame basketball player, legendary team executive and the inspiration/image for the silhouette NBA logo, died on Wednesday morning. He was 86.

West won nine NBA championships as a player, scout, coach, executive and consultant during a storied career that spanned eight decades. Nicknamed “Mr. Clutch,” West was an All-Star during each season of his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the club win the title in 1971-72.

The initial announcement of West’s death came from the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team.

“This is a hard day,” stated Clippers team owner and governor Steve Ballmer. “I am honored to call Jerry a confidant, an advisor and a friend. Connie, my wife, called him my ‘basketball dad.’ He was absolutely my basketball sage: wise, loyal and so much fun. If you were in his presence, you felt his competitiveness and his drive. He cared about everything and everyone.

“From the first day I met Jerry seven years ago, he inspired me with his intellect, honesty and enthusiasm. He never stopped. I spent a lot of time with him, some of the best times of my life. He always lent an ear, and he always had a quip. He always left me laughing. I will miss him.”

West was named the MVP for the 1969 NBA Finals despite playing on a losing team. He scored 42 points in Game 7, however the Lakers fell to the rival Boston Celtics.

A 12-time All-NBA selection, West found much more success after retiring from a career on the court.

He helped the “Showtime” Lakers win five titles in the 1980s and oversaw the formation of the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant tandem. In a rebirth of the franchise’s glory days, the All-NBA duo led the Lakers to three straight titles (2000-02).

West became an adviser for the Clippers in 2017, and the club reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history in 2021. He was a two-time executive of the year.

He went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again 30 years later as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team. He also was name to the Hall as a contributor.

–Field Level Media

Note: Jerry West is pictured in the NBA at 75 celebration, front row, third from left.

Twelve Invited to ’24 NBA Draft

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NBA invited 12 players to attend the first round of the June 26 draft in Brooklyn, ESPN reported Wednesday. Another 11 or 12 invitations for draftees to attend the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and have special seating behind the scenes in the green room will be sent out starting next week, according to the report.

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The first wave of invitees includes Matas Buzelis, Devin Carter, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Ron Holland, Dalton Knecht, Zaccharie Risacher, Tidjane Salaun, Alex Sarr, Reed Sheppard, Ja’Kobe Walter and Cody Williams.

All 12 of those players are projected lottery picks, according to ESPN’s most recent mock draft.

The 2024 NBA Draft is being held over two days, with the first round taking place at Barclays Center and the second round on June 27 at ESPN’s Manhattan studio.

–Field Level Media

Kelce’s Invest in Small Batch Brew

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COLUMBUS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – For the first time, Jason and Travis Kelce are teaming up as significant owners and operators of a business – and of course, it is with one of the fastest growing beer brands in the country, Garage Beer! The small batch brewed, classic light beer was founded in their home state of Ohio and has been growing rapidly across the country.

Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce team up as significant owners and operators of Garage Beer (Garage Beer via PR Newswire).

The Kelce brothers are passionate about their beer and their business and have talked for years about partnering together in the beverage category. With this passion, they wanted to be thoughtful and find the right opportunity with the highest quality brewery and brand that aligned with their values of how a business should be run. And most importantly, a company built to serve the customer. Jason and Travis believe that beer should be fun, and they want to partner with a brand that embodies the spirit of a neighborhood feel, a light beer all will enjoy. Serendipitously, through a prior relationship, the Kelces’ learned about Garage Beer and for the past two years have been laying the groundwork to join forces with the company.

The brothers join Garage as significant investors, partners, owners, and operators. Jason and Travis will be involved in every aspect of the business, including brewing, distribution, sales, marketing, and national expansion efforts. Retail displays will be in stores shortly along with social content, billboards, and other promotional activities.

The Garage Beer recipe was originally created in Cincinnati, Ohio (where Jason and Travis both played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats) and the business headquarters is now just north in Columbus, Ohio. The beer is currently sold in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, West Virginia, Idaho, Montana, and New Jersey… with planned expansion into dozens of new states this year.

“People crave quality and simplicity, and Garage Beer nails both for me. We are light beer drinkers and Garage is the best light beer,” said Jason Kelce. “For me, the brand fits my lifestyle, and having a few beers is a great excuse to get the neighbors together.”

“It comes down to quality for me. I think everyone knows I like to have a couple beers now and then, so being an owner of Garage Beer and heavily involved in making the best light beer is exciting, man! There is nothing better to bring people together than an ice-cold beer, and for Jason and me that is what beer is all about – friends, family and fun. I have worked with Andy for years and I really trust the team and their approach to running the business. We look forward to taking Garage Beer to the next level,” added Travis Kelce.

“We want a beer that tastes like beer and one that keeps the stories alive in the neighborhood. Garage prides ourselves on small batch brewing and a commitment to quality. Ever since our first conversation with Travis and Jason, it was clear we had similar opinions about beer, but they also had brilliant, and very funny, business sensibility. Our team better be on their toes now,” quipped Garage Beer co-owner Andy Sauer. “The garage is a symbol for building stronger communities one beer at a time, and I think we can all use more time with friends, family, and neighbors to talk, smile, laugh, and enjoy that time together.”