Bucs will have to wait to see Gronk’s impact T
he hyperbolic media response to Rob Gronkowski joining Tom Brady in Tampa sort of overlooks Gronk’s injury troubles with the Patriots. After a year of retirement, he thinks he’s good to go, but he and the Bucs won’t know until he’s thrown into the fray.
Two sides: The exits of veterans Brady and Gronkowski from New England reinforce the impression that Bill Belichick isn’t a lot of fun to play for. But the results he produces aren’t exactly depressing, either.
Re-runs: Eager to hear the crack of the bat? The Norfolk Tides are doing what they can by offering con
densed versions of “classic” games from recent years each Monday night on ESPN Radio 94.1FM from 7-8. The club also is re-airing video of select Tides games once a week on its Facebook page. Resourcefulness at work.
GOAT: “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s multi-part documentary on the final championship run of the Michael Jordan Bulls, has reignited the Jordan vs. LeBron James greatest-player debate. If he were alive, how would Kobe Bryant feel about being left out?
TV timeout: Chicago, RaleighDurham, NORFOLK, Charlotte and Greensboro were the nation’s top five viewing markets for the first two installments of the “Dance.” Once again, the Greater Hampton Roads market (designated as Norfolk) punches above its weight as a television-watching hotbed.
Hoop du jour: Because it’s too late for the NBA season to resemble an actual season, even with hurriedly thrown-together playoffs, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if the league conceded to COVID-19 and closed down until next fall. We’d get by.
Desperate times: Tens of millions of shut-ins had a dramatic impact on the audience for the WNBA draft, which saw a 123% jump in TV viewership from last year’s coverage. Imagine, then, what the numbers will be for the NFL draft.
Rip-off: Drafts are one thing. But as long as the global shutdown is preventing cable sports networks from delivering the live games, matches and tournaments we pay for, why should we be paying them? This interruption in service has gone on long enough that customers should be entitled to rebates. That said, I won’t be holding my breath.
Neither rain nor: Especially now, the U.S. Postal Service deserves a virtual, remotely transmitted high five from all of us. It’s the Cal Ripken Jr. of government agencies.
Net results: Officials for the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York are sticking with their original dates of Aug. 31-Sept. 13. Who’s gonna tell them that there’s no chance of that happening?
In the news: I would think that MLB has enough problems at the moment without Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez taking ownership of the Mets. But for now, it’s just more publicity for the celebrity couple.
Rivals: If you believe MLB’s version of the Red Sox investigation, the alleged sign-stealing case turned out to be a big, fat nothing.
Not that anybody in New York is buying it.
Breakthrough: For all of Nick Saban’s success, Tua Tagovailoa is his first NFL first-round quarterback at Alabama.
Smile line: From Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Not that college athletics are totally sticklers for the 6-foot rule or anything, but even William & Mary are social distancing.”
Bob Molinaro is a former Virginian-Pilot sports columnist. His Weekly Briefing runs Fridays in The Pilot and Daily Press. He can be reached at bob5molinaro@gmail.com and via Twitter @BobMolinaro.