Category: News

Celtics wins and losses

I don’t know about you, but I was perplexed by almost every one of the many deals made during last week’s NBA trading deadline period. Were those teams trying to improve? Blow things up? Or just getting worse without even realizing they were? On most, I couldn’t tell which it was.

That was the case on the big deals GM Brad Stevens made. Neither struck me as “I love that,” or even “I’ll take that.” But I decided to think about them before jumping to conclusions.

After I did, I don’t think they won either trade mentioned below head to head, or even in relation to this season. But oddly they did probably win both for long-term reasons, and that made the risks taken for the remainder of 2021-22 worth it.

Here’s an analysis of the gains and losses of the day.

Celtics trades: In the end they were about exchanging the short-term offensive punch of Dennis Schroder and Josh Richardson for the immediate defensive prowess and long-term roster-building benefits of Derrick White and Daniel Theis.

Dennis Schroder: He gave them needed penetration in the half-court and an ability to score in bunches. I’m not sure if White can do either. But what you couldn’t get around is that he’s one and done in Boston, and by trading him now Stevens opted for the big picture and was right to do so.

Josh Richardson: I hate losing this guy. Especially after he found his groove in mid-January as a high-energy scorer off the bench. He also usually came in for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and they didn’t get anyone back who can do that. So that leaves two holes to fill.

Daniel Theis: Nobody likes Theis better than me. But getting him back for what Schroeder did for the team seemed like an odd choice. But, if you accept the premise White is an upgrade over Schroeder, there are two reasons to like this deal. First, he’s a tough, gritty, versatile defender who fights his guy on every play. And if Philly lies ahead in the playoffs, between Al Horford, Rob Williamsand Theis they now have 18 fouls per game to throw at Joel Embiid and they may need all of them. Second, lament Schroeder’s loss all you want, but they got a player of value signed through 2025 for a guy who is gone in June no matter what. That helps long-term depth.

Derrick White: In giving up Richardson, Romeo Langford and another first-round pick my first thought was that they overpaid for White. But, since I’ve only seen him play a few times I don’t have a lot to go on.

Based on what I do know, he scores 14 a game, shoots 31 percent on threes, not quite a point guard, but can play it and is a solid, versatile defender. He sounds like Marcus Smart 2.0, and is that really what they needed?

On the bright side, he scores about the same as Schroeder, is a much better defender, learned how to play under Gregg Popovich so you know he’s team-oriented and is signed at a reasonable/ tradable $17 million per through 2025, which makes it seem like an upgrade. Stevens said this was a no-brainer. It had better be, because he’s the key new guy.

The bench: By trading seven guys it’s thin in numbers and talent. It also left gaping holes to be filled by proven guys getting expanded roles, unproven guys being asked to do things they haven’t done yet or by getting lucky in the buyout market. The options are these:

Grant Williams: I’m guessing those Tatum replacement minutes go to Grant. He’s not remotely the same kind of player, but he’s got the size to defend the players Tatum does. Plus while limited offensively he’s somehow gone from an abysmal 25 percent three-point shooter as a rookie to their best distance shooter percentage-wise at 41.3 percent. I’m still not confident any time he lines up to take one, but the numbers are the numbers

Bench scoring: What they’ve clearly done is put the onus for this on two guys who’ve given very little indication they can do it consistently. Payton Pritchard has had his moments, so if he can ever give it up instead of dribbling the offense into submission and stop shooting from the parking lot maybe he can develop the distance shooting consistency he seems capable of. As for Aaron Nesmith, I trust him about as much as I would a Tesla if I were sitting in the backseat of one of their self-driving cars. First, he’s a three-point shooter who can’t make threes. At least so far. And while he certainly hustles, he does it without any kind of plan. So it’s like watching the bumper cars ride at Canobie Lake as he crashes into anything that moves. But, while it’s probably wishful thinking, with the same size and range as Richardson it would be more beneficial if he can develop into something than if Pritchard does. Though what matters most is for one of them to do it.

Trading first-round picks: Maybe they’re gun-shy after all the blown picks. But I’m not comfortable giving up two in a row. So fix the talent evaluation part with better scouts, and stop giving up picks, because low-salaried, productive young guys are valuable.

Brad Stevens: I hated using a first-round pick to trade Kemba Walker. They should have just bought him out and got Horford another way. But getting Richardson for a guy who could barely make a layup (Tristan Thompson, who’s already been twice more since leaving Boston) was solid. Now these next two moves have strategic long-term value. So I feel better about young Brad than just two weeks ago.

OK, now comes the stretch run for the suddenly red hot C’s, as we get to see in real time the effect of the new additions.

Mindful advocate

NAMI NH names new executive director

The National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire chapter welcomed Susan Stearns as its new executive director last month. Stearns discussed the position and how she plans to lead NAMI NH in addressing the state’s mental health care needs. You can reach the NAMI resource line at 1-800-242-6264.

What is your background in this type of work?

I’ve worked in the nonprofit field all of my adult life in New Hampshire, and I’ve been working in mental health for the last 20-plus years. Truthfully, I have stayed in this line of work, being an advocate for people with mental illness, because I have loved ones in my family with mental illness. Having had the [personal] experience of trying to navigate [mental health] systems and challenges, it’s work that ultimately chose me. I’ve been here at NAMI New Hampshire as an employee for almost nine years — I was the deputy director — but I’ve been a longtime member and supporter of NAMI New Hampshire for about 20 years because of my experience as a family member [of people with mental illness].

What does your job as executive director entail?

It’s leading our organization, but also working with our partners across the mental health system to ensure that individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide can have access to the support and services they need to get treatment, recover and live full lives in their communities. … NAMI New Hampshire is part of a nationally recognized suicide prevention program, so we offer suicide prevention and intervention training; we offer postvention training for communities after a suicide loss; and we do a lot of work with survivors of suicide loss and survivors of suicide attempts.

What are some of New Hampshire’s greatest needs when it comes to mental health care?

The biggest need that we’re seeing is access to care. New Hampshire has, for probably close to nine years now, had a real problem with people experiencing mental health crises being able to access crisis care in a timely fashion. … We’ve seen some significant strides in recent years toward [addressing] that; on Jan. 1 of this year, New Hampshire launched its rapid response access points and statewide rapid response mobile team. … People [experiencing a mental health crisis] will now have access to a proper response [from mental health professionals] as opposed to having to call 911 and get a response from law enforcement. That’s going to be transformational for our system.

How has the pandemic impacted mental health care in the state?

The need for mental health care has gone up, and we’re seeing and hearing from a lot of folks who are struggling to get initial appointments with providers. That, of course, is very concerning, because what is the long-term impact for folks who are reaching out, needing help, and not able to access that care in a timely way? How does that play out? Do they wind up in a mental health crisis further down the road if they aren’t able to get that earlier intervention? … I also want to point out that our mental health workforce providers are, at the same time, experiencing the same challenges that all of us are going through at this time. They’re helping people through these challenges when they, too, are living through them. The pandemic has really impacted everyone’s mental health.

What do you hope to accomplish as director?

Advocating for individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide, and advocating for … long-term investments to ensure that we have a robust system … of mental health services. … Ideally, we would have a system [in which] people would be able to access the level of care they need when they need it so they don’t have to board in an emergency department.

What do you find rewarding about this work?

I had the opportunity a week or so ago to … sit in on a meeting with a group of high school students … who have experienced suicide loss in their school communities and have really stepped into a leadership role around creating a safe space for students to be open with their mental health needs, support each other, dispel stigma and bring mental health out into the open. That was one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve gotten to listen to in a while. … We also have speakers … who are folks living with mental illness who are trained to tell their story and offer up hope in that process. It’s always really moving to hear those stories and realize how folks can go through some very dark days, but, with help and by seeking treatment, they can come out on the other side, so to speak, and be able to then share that story of hope with others and help to promote hope and healing. It’s those moments — seeing that transference of hope or people holding onto hope for each other — that is one of the most rewarding things I experience.

Featured photo: Susan Stearns. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/02/17

Covid-19 update As of Feb 7 As of Feb 11
Total cases statewide 284,180 288,191
Total current infections statewide 6,277 5,343
Total deaths statewide 2,260 2,294
New cases 7,324 (Feb. 1 to Feb. 7) 4,011 (Feb. 8 to Feb. 11)
Current infections: Hillsborough County 1,596 1,314
Current infections: Merrimack County 632 547
Current infections: Rockingham County 978 769
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

Covid-19 news

On Feb. 11, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced in a press release that its virtual advisory committee meeting discussing possible emergency use authorization approval of the Pfizer vaccine in children ages 6 months to 4 years old has been postponed. The meeting had been scheduled for Feb. 15 but was postponed following new data findings from Pfizer’s ongoing clinical trials, according to the release. A new date has yet to be scheduled as of Feb. 14.

The same day, the FDA greenlit emergency use authorization for a new monoclonal antibody against the omicron variant. According to a press release, the authorization for bebtelovimab is for treatment of mild to moderate Covid in people ages 12 and up. The drug is not authorized for patients who are hospitalized or require oxygen therapy due to Covid.

In New Hampshire, health officials reported 531 new Covid cases on Feb. 11. The state averaged 635 new cases per day over the most recent seven-day period, a decrease of 36 percent compared to the week before. Hospitalizations stood at 174 statewide as of Feb. 11.

Revenues up

Last week Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Charlie Arlinghaus announced New Hampshire’s updated revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, with estimates indicating that revenue will be $283.8 million over plan. “Republicans in Concord cut taxes and our economy is seeing record-setting results,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement after the announcement. “By cutting taxes in New Hampshire, businesses have flooded in, revenues are through the roof, and our economy is soaring. This model has proven successful and New Hampshire families are seeing results.”

Superintendent resigns

Dr. John Goldhardt has stepped down as superintendent of the Manchester School District. The Manchester Board of School Committee announced his resignation Feb. 11 and said it was effective that day at 5 p.m. According to a press release, Goldhardt will still be an employee of the district until June 30, though he will not be acting in a superintendent capacity during that time. The decision was “an amicable transitional employment agreement with all parties involved, the release said. “I want to thank Dr. Goldhardt for his service to the City of Manchester,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release. “The past few years have been challenging. I understand Dr. Goldhardt’s desire to move closer to his family and wish him the best moving forward.” An interim superintendent was expected to be nominated and voted upon at the regularly scheduled Board of School Committee meeting on Feb. 14, and a special committee will be named to begin the search process for a new superintendent, the release said.

New commission

An order establishing the Governor’s Commission on Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets was signed by Gov. Chris Sununu last week. According to a press release, the new commission will be responsible for reviewing and investigating the cryptocurrency and digital asset industry, as well as federal and state laws and regulatory rules and laws of international jurisdictions; holding public hearings; making findings and determinations regarding possible modifications and improvements to laws and regulations; and supporting any proposed legislation or regulations. Membership will include the Attorney General, or designee; the Commissioner of the Bank Department, or designee; one state senator recommended by the Senate President; one state representative recommended by the Speaker of the House; one representative of the New Hampshire Bankers Association who is a resident of the state; one representative of the Cooperative Credit Union Association who is a resident of the state; three public members with experience with cryptocurrencies, digital assets and the provision of services to institutions or consumers with respect to digital assets; and three additional members. A report with the commission’s findings, determinations and recommendations will be presented within 180 days, the release said. “New Hampshire is a hub of financial innovation, and this Executive Order will further our commitment to attracting high-quality banking and financial businesses in a safe and responsible manner,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in the release.

2021 drug deaths

Chief Forensic Investigator Kim Fallon of the state’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner released a report last week with the number of drug deaths in 2021. According to the report, there were 416 total deaths, with “fentanyl with or without other drugs” accounting for the greatest number of that total at 197 deaths. One hundred seven deaths are still pending toxicology. “If all the pending toxicology deaths are confirmed and no unsuspected drug deaths are identified, then the number of drug deaths in 2021 will be essentially the same as in 2020,” Fallon said in the release.

Summer enrichment

A free summer enrichment program for all New Hampshire students in kindergarten through 8th grade will be available to help students who have experienced learning loss due to the pandemic. According to a press release, the Prenda Discovery Summer Camp will provide assistance to students in a personalized, small-group setting. There are four two-week segments from July 5 through Aug. 26 that will be led by Prenda Guides in various locations, including homes, libraries, community centers and more. “While the pandemic has resulted in missed learning opportunities for many children, summer learning programs can empower youth and narrow achievement gaps,” said Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education. “This free educational platform will offer project-based and collaborative summer learning that targets creativity in the arts, technology, science and engineering.” For more information, contact [email protected].

Easterseals Camp Sno-Mo located in Gilmanton Iron Works was the recipient of a $161,384 donation after hundreds of snowmobilers gathered in Shelburne for the 50th Annual Ride-In to benefit the camp. According to a press release, local snowmobile clubs raised the money throughout the year through fundraising efforts like spaghetti suppers and bake sales. Camp Sno-Mo is for campers ages 11 to 21 with disabilities and special needs who participate alongside Boy Scouts in activities like water sports, team sports, hiking, archery, a ropes course and crafts, the release said.

On Feb. 11, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen visited the Commercial Driving School in Concord to talk with trucking industry leaders about the importance of training qualified commercial truck drivers to address supply chain challenges. According to a press release, the state has received a 90-day waiver to adjust state laws to comply with new requirements of the Entry Level Driver Training program. “A robust trucker workforce is key to avoiding any bottlenecks in the supply and delivery of goods, and it’s clear the Commercial Driving School is hard at work training the next generation of truckers,” Shaheen said in the release.

NH Audubon’s Twitcher Reunion Tour Team in Rye took home the “Townie Award” during the Semi-Superbowl of Birding on Feb. 5, according to a press release. The competition involves looking for as many bird species as possible in 12 hours, and the team spent the entire day in Rye, tallying 62 species, including a thick-billed murre, a razorbill and a black guillemot, all relatives of the puffin, as well as a gray catbird and a yellow-rumped warbler, which usually don’t stick around in the winter, the release said.

This Week 22/02/10

Big Events Feb 10, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Feb. 10

Robert Irvine, celebrity chef and host of Restaurant:Impossible on the Food Network, will sign bottles of his Irvine Dry Gin and Irvine Vodka at the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet in Bedford (9 Leavy Drive) today from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 10

Catch Stephen Decuire at Stones Social (449 Amherst St. in Nashua; 943-7445, stonessocial.com) tonight at 6 p.m. Find more live music at area bars and restaurants in our Music This Week listing on page 35.

Friday, Feb. 11

The Full Monty, the musical based on the 1997 film, continues its run at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) this weekend with shows tonight at 7:30 p.m.; tomorrow, Feb. 12, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 13, at noon. Tickets cost $39 and $46 (plus fees).

Also from the Palace today, Feb. 11, a vaccine clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Palace’s Spotlight Room (96 Hanover St. in Manchester). This walk-in clinic is offering Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines for first, second or booster doses to anyone 5 and older, according to the website.

Friday, Feb. 11

“What even is this?” followed by “this is awesome!” might be your reaction to the trailer for New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization, a concert film (sort of) featuring the final performance of the European tour of cellist Jan Vogler, violinist Mira Wang, pianist Vanessa Perez and Bill Murray on vocals. Yes, that Bill Murray — who sings, recites poetry and more. The performance was from 2018; the broadcast will be tonight at 7 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com, where you can find a trailer for the film). Tickets cost $18 for reserved seating (plus fees). Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 11

Get some laughs with Drew Dunn and Jim Lauletta at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) during tonight’s Tupelo Comedy Night at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $22.

Sunday, Feb. 13

It’s (stakes-free for New England fans) Super Bowl Sunday! The Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams will meet in Los Angeles for Super Bowl LVI with game time at 6:30 p.m. on NBC.

Want to participate in some competition yourself? The Primary Bank Super Sunday 4-Miler, a 4-mile race in Bedford, starts at 9:30 a.m. on Nashua Road. Registration costs $35 through Saturday, $40 on race day (based on availability); registration for youth (under 21) costs $30 through Saturday and $35 on race day, according to millenniumrunning.com.

Monday, Feb. 14

It’s Valentine’s Day! Though advance RSVPs are strongly encouraged, you may still be able to find a spot for you and your sweetie to grab a bite. Find our listing of Valentine’s Day meals (some of which are available earlier in the weekend) in the Feb. 3 issue of the paper on page 22. The e-edition is available at hippopress.com.

Save the date! Thursday, Feb. 24

Alton Brown, Food Network host beloved by “but why and how?” food nerds, comes to the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Thursday, Feb. 24. The show starts at 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. This “Beyond the Eats” tour is billed as a “culinary variety show” on the Cap Center website. Tickets start at $54.50. For Alton Brown merch and more on what he’s been up to, see altonbrown.com.

Featured photo. Alton Brown. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/02/10

Olympians represent

New Hampshire ranks 12th for the number of athletes who have participated in a Winter Olympics game on behalf of Team USA, according to a recent report from BeenVerified, a public information website. Four New Hampshire-born athletes are in Beijing right now, which did not change the ranking; prior to this year, 47 state-born athletes have participated in the Winter Olympics. Those athletes have earned 19 medals, making them 9th in the country for total medals, and 8th for gold with six medals, the report said. Top cities by birthplace are Easton (six medals); Hanover, Derry and Salem (three medals); and Concord (two medals).

Score: +1

Comment: The top Olympic sport in New Hampshire, according to the report? Alpine skiing.

Students speaking up, sparking change

Central High School has a new dress code, thanks to senior and Manchester School Board student rep Kellan Barbee, who rewrote the outdated code that had been in effect since the ’80s. According to a report from NHPR, the new code — the first policy in the district authored by a student — allows items that were formally prohibited, like spaghetti straps, tube tops, ripped jeans, do-rags, bonnets and hats, while wearing the hood of a hoodie, see-through clothing and attire displaying messages with profanity and hate speech are still prohibited. The update has been a long time coming, with students asking for it for years; Barbee wrote the new code with other students’ input. For example, he told NHPR, the district wanted to keep the hat ban, but after hearing about homeless peers who didn’t have access to hair products and showers, Barbee made it a priority to get rid of it.

Score: +1

Comment: “My goal is not to impose my own views on dress — on students, on staff, on the district. It is to bring student voices to the table,” Barbee told NHPR.

Because you can’t do this in Florida

Special Olympics New Hampshire is gearing up for its two biggest fundraisers, the Penguin Plunge and the Winni Dip, and for the second year, participants are being asked to take a DIY approach in light of Covid. According to a press release, the theme of this year’s events is “Survivor,” and participants will have “Survivor Packs” delivered to their home, school or office, with items packed into a pail that can be used for do-it-yourself plunging. Penguin Plunge Weekend is Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 and includes the Penguin Plunge, the High School Plunge, Prep School Plunge and the new Middle School Plunge. Winni Dip Weekend is March 12 and March 13 and includes the Law Enforcement Dip, The Winni Dip, High School Dip, Middle School Dip and the MEGA Dip. Participants can register online at sonh.org; all fundraising can be done online, and most participants can meet the fundraising minimums in less than 72 hours, according to the release.

Score: +1

Comment: SONH President and CEO Mary Conroy said that they were pleasantly surprised last year by the turnout and participants’ creativity. “We had everything last year from schools utilizing their local fire departments to help students plunge, to individuals plunging on their own in lots of fun and creative ways,” she said in the release.

Late for love

A Google Trends analysis that looked at searches for “last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas” shows that New Hampshire ranks 10th in the U.S. for gift-buying procrastination. According to a report from wholesale trade printer 4over, waiting until the last minute seems to be a trend on the East Coast, with New Jersey coming in first and Maryland, Rhode Island, New York and Virginia round out the Top 5, while Connecticut and Massachusetts joined New Hampshire in the Top 10.

Score: -1

Comment: Valentine’s Day is Monday, Feb. 14 — just sayin’.

QOL score: 57

Net change: +2

QOL this week: 59

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

All-time Super Bowl team

I’ll be adding to my world record on Sunday of having seen every Super Bowl game ever played. While I can’t say I’m looking at this one with a high degree of anticipation, I do like that I’m part of the crowd that has seen them all. Especially as it’s now a dwindling group. Not quite on par with the shrinking number of D-Day survivors, but it does qualify me to start cataloging my historical record. Which today takes the form of naming my All-time Super Bowl team.

We’ll start with the coach.

Coach – Joe Gibbs: A lot of worthy candidates here, including Vince Lombardi for winning the first two, Chuck Noll for going 4-0, 3-0 Bill Walsh and Tom Coughlin for engineering two, ah, Giant upsets. Coach B did win six times, but he also lost three and got outcoached by Coughlin twice. And there’s also the Malcolm Butler mystery. But it’s supposed to be a QB’s league and Gibbs was 3-0 with three different QB’s, who were all mediocre at best, so I’ll go with him.

Special Teams

Kicker – Adam V: Do I need to explain?

Returner – Desmond Howard: Devin Hester opened SB-41 with a TD return, and Jacoby Jones’ 108-yarder is the longest play in SB history, but Howard destroyed the Parcells Pats in SB-31 with 90 punt return yards and 154 on kickoffs, including a back-breaking 99-yard TD that basically ended the game.

Punter – Ryan Allen: My MVP in SB-53 over Julian Edelman when the Rams scored just 3 points vs. NE mainly because he pinned L.A. inside their 10-yard line five times.

Defense

DE – L. C. Greenwood: The all-time sack leader as Pittsburgh put up two dominant defensive efforts in SB-9 and 10.

DE – Charles Haley: Was a D key for five wins with SF and Dallas.

DT – Mean Joe Greene: Pittsburgh’s D was impenetrable in those just-mentioned wins and he was the leader.

DT – Justin Tuck: With two sacks and two QB hits, he murdered the Pats when the G-Men ended hope of an undefeated season in SB -42.

MLB – Ray Lewis: The Baltimore D was steel against NY in 2000 and vs. SF in 2012 so he gets the nod over Jack Lambert and Mike Singletary.

OLB – Chuck Howley: Even though it came for Dallas in the horrid SB-5 between two inept offenses, the only player from a losing team to be MVP has to get this, right?

OLB – Mike Vrabel: He, Tedy Bruschi and Willie McGinest are tied for most sacks (3) by an LB, but Vrabel drilled Kurt Warner’s arm to force the game-changing duck Ty Law pick-sixed for NE’s early 7-0 lead in SB-36.

CB – Ty Law: There’s part A above and part B was being the lynch pin that shutdown the most prolific passing attack in league history that day.

CB – Larry Brown: Was a starter for three Dallas wins in the ’90s when he had a record three picks, including two vs. Pittsburgh when he was MVP in SB-30.

S – Jake Scott: Was another MVP defender for two picks in the mind-numbingly boring SB-7 match-up with Washington that closed out Miami’s undefeated season.

S – Rodney Harrison: All-time leader in tackles with 34 and had a two-pick day vs. Eagles in SB-39.

Offense

T – Joe Jacoby: Was dominant in three SB wins, especially as John Riggins rumbled for 166 and Timmy Smith 204 when the Redskins piled up 276 and 280 rushing yards in wins over Miami and Denver in SB’s 17 and 22

T – Forrest Gregg: The best player Vince Lombardi said he ever coached started when Green Bay won the first two SB’s and as Dallas won SB-6.

G – Russ Grimm: See Jacoby’s entry. He also started in all three games.

G – Larry Allen: The key to the Cowboys’ run of three wins in four years was the running game and he was their best O-lineman.

C – Jeff Bostic: Hard to grade centers but he was part of the Hogs in the three Washington wins.

WR – Jerry Rice: No competition here for the all-time leader in everything.

WR – Deion Branch: Nips Lynn Swann for having 21 catches in SB-38 and 39 when he could have been MVP of the first and was in the second.

TE – Rob Gronkowski: Second behind Rice in total receptions (29), receiving yards (364 tied with Swann) and TD catches (5). No other TE is in the top 10 in any of those categories.

TB – Terrell Davis: He ran for a fourth best 259 yards in two Denver wins with a high of 157 vs. GB in 32.

FB – Franco Harris: All due respect to the plowhorse Riggins, Long Island’s own Matt Snell,the real MVP of the Jets’ earth-shattering upset of Baltimore in SB-3 (not Joe Willie), bruising Larry Csonka and rushing TD leader (5) Emmitt Smith. But it goes to the all-time leading rusher with 354 yards in Pittsburgh’s first four wins.

QB – Joe Montana: Sorry, TB-12 fans. But Joe Cool has the highest QB rating ever at 127.3 to TB’s 97.7, never threw an interception in 122 passes, led the last-minute drive to beat Cincy 20-16 on a pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds left, was a three-time MVP and 4-0 in the big game. He won seven times, has all the records, including the two highest passing yard games (467 and 505), and engineered major comebacks vs. Seattle and vs. Atlanta. But he also lost three times and while he was a five-time MVP, he shouldn’t have been in SB-36, when he threw for only 145 yards while the O scored just one TD, or last year, because when a team blanks Patrick Mahomes the MVP is someone from the D.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!