Mike Reiss notes Rob Gronkowski was a guest on Sirius XM NFL Radio, joining co-hosts Alex Marvez and Jim Miller on "the End Zone" program.
Rookie season was unexpected. Gronkowski acknowledged that his rookie season, in which he totaled 10 touchdown receptions, was a surprise to him. "It’s definitely crazy thinking about it. From the first day I was drafted, I didn’t think anything like that was going to happen," he said.
Approaching his Year 1 to Year 2 jump. Gronkowski was asked about how challenging it will be to build off his rookie season because of the lockout. "You have to be training at all times, wherever you are. I just got a great week in of workouts with a couple players up here," he said.
What he learned from Alge Crumpler. Paying respect to veteran Alge Crumpler, Gronkowski called him his mentor during his rookie season. "He’s the man – he helped us out with everything from Day 1. I don’t think we would have had a year as rookie tight ends – that Aaron [Hernandez] and I had – without him," he said, adding that he looked up to Crumpler as a kid.
Team workouts in Massachusetts. Gronkowski touched on how players are getting together for workouts. "It’s not like it would be if there was no lockout, but we’re definitely still doing things just so we’re still in football shape and we feel the game of football," he said. "So right when we go back into it, we won’t be like ‘Whoa!’ We’re definitely doing things – throwing, running routes, drills that combine with your position."
Chris Collinsworth voices his frustration with the labor situation, and how if the players take this all the way in the courts, and win, the game would be changed forever.
"God, I just wish I could get through to somebody,'' he said. "You know how when you're talking to your kids, and you know positively what the right thing to do is, and you also know they're going to do something else, and there's nothing you can do about it? That's how I feel now. And, God, is it painful to watch."
"The game's so good. The players are making money. The owners are making money. The commissioner's got some good safety initiatives going. The networks are thrilled. The fans are thrilled. The game's never been better. It's time to quit sugarcoating this thing and really start thinking about what the NFL really might look like at the end of the process.''
TEAM TALK
- Paul Perillo and Erik Scalavino debate whether the Patriots should target an impact rusher in free agency.
- Andy Hart wonders whether Ryan Mallett could not only be the heir apparent to Tom Brady, but also the reason Bill Belichick decides to stay in New England.
- Patriots Today - Dowling talks about being drafted. (2.06 min. video)
- Patriots Roster Report - 5/13/11: The PFW crew takes a look at the depth of the DBs with the addition of 2011 Draft picks Ras-I Dowling and Malcolm Williams. (13.16 min. program)
LOCAL LINKS
- Nate Dow offers a positional breakdown of Bill Belichick's 12 drafts with the Patriots.
- Shalise Manza Young reports Sunday marked day 65 of the longest work stoppage in league history. Court-mandated mediation begins a new round in Minnesota today.
- Karen Guregian notes Robert Kraft spoke to reporters about the labor dispute after a charity event, and thinks the NFL has hit a point where they could lose the fans.
- Mike Reiss notes Pat Chung and Robert Kraft teamed up for Raytheon's "Science of Sports" Science Fair Sunday, as judges of the event.
- Christopher Price notes Robert Kraft's statements should give NFL fans a real cause for concern.
- Jeff Howe says Robert Kraft is tired of the litigation process and worried about the fans' reaction to the lockout.
- Tom E. Curran points out that the owners had their lockout strategy in place long before the players decertified their union.
- Karen Guregian hears from Willie McGinest about the Patriots draft.
- Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.
- Mike Reiss reports Vince Wilfork hosted members of the Pats D-Line at his home Saturday and Warren, Brace, Deaderick and Love were there.
- Ian Raopoprt notes Rob Gronkowski hasn't been slacking off during the lockout.
- Mike Reiss notes Rob Gronkowski joined members of the New England Patriots Alumni Club (NEPAC) at a Football for YOU clinic Saturday.
- Ian Rapoport posts a video of Rob Gronkowski speaking to a group of children at a football clinic. (4.56 min. video)
- Tom E. Curran says that in retrospect, the Patriots blew the call on Richard Seymour.
- Jeff Howe answers his weekly Patriots mailbag: Kevin Faulk expected back; Free agent options.
- Christopher Price profiles potential free agent fits for the Patriots: DE/OLB Mathias Kiwanuka.
- Tom E. Curran looks at the running back position and which available free agents might be a good fit for the Patriots.
- Jeff Howe reports Robert Kraft will not be one of the four owners attending the new round of mandated mediation sessions beginning today.
- Tedy Bruschi writes about starting his trip to Kilimanjaro in New York.
- Tedy Bruschi fills us in on the second day of the Kilimanjaro climb for the Wounded Warrior Project. The terrain gets tougher.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Can Patriots win Richard Seymour trade?
- Mike Sando (ESPN) A much closer look at 2011 NFL draft.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: Labor endgame could result in NFL looking like totally different league.
- Dan Pompei (Nat'l Football Post) NFP Sunday Blitz.
- Don Banks (SI) Players, GMs skeptical how much lockout workouts help in long run.
- Armando Salguero (Miami Herald) Wildcat outlives usefulness for Miami Dolphins.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Why playing Cover 2 is crucial in today's NFL: With offenses expanding, this coverage still sells.
- John Clayton (ESPN) A return to 2010 free-agent rules would restrict teams that reached the divisional playoff round.
- Albert Breer (NFL.com) Weighty issue: Players forced to shape up on their own.
- Judy Battista (NY Times) Undrafted are trapped in lockout netherworld.
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Offseason reset: Breaking down the offensive line and the defensive line free-agent markets.
- James Walker (ESPN) Should players refrain from using Twitter?
- Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Another test for draft prospects to pass: Twitter.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Keith McCants wishes he'd never had NFL money.
LABOR LUNACY
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Eighth Circuit needs to rule on the motion for a stay.
- Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Mediation returns, but still not winning formula.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFLPA needs to exercise some restraint in its rhetoric.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) The NFL's self-serving anti-litigation PSA.
- Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) NFL's foundation cracking under weight of record stoppage.
- Clark Judge (CBS Sports) Players' case is stronger, but NFL could win appeal.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) DeMaurice Smith: We went to the mattresses because they made us.
- Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Assessing fan anger in lockout.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League claims to be investigating reports of lockout contact.