BSJ Daily Briefing 12.05.17: C's bust out, Dobby busts, Gronk, & bad night for football

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I contemplate whether or not the NFL will ever get it:

• The Celtics had 62 points in the first half against the Bucks last night. Breaking: That's pretty good.


• I still can't believe Jayson Tatum is 19. Can you imagine how good he'll be when he fills out?


• So, yeah, Anton Khudobin came crashing back down to Earth last night in Nashville.


• It wasn't all his fault. The Bruins weren't exactly spectacular.


• When you play two games in one week, like the Bruins will have done before Thursday's game, there's little excuse for the team to fall behind 4-0 to anyone. This team's lack of consistency is troubling.


• And I don't want to hear any excuses about youth or anything else (there have been enough excuses printed for this Bruins team). It's up to Bruce Cassidy and the veterans to make sure this team is ready to play. They weren't last night.


• Going to be interesting to see what happens with the Rob Gronkowski appeal. Normally if the NFL wanted him sat for a game, they would have suspended him for two games (like Danny Trevathan) in anticipation of the appeal, which almost always cuts the penalty in half if the player accepts responsibility and demonstrates remorse. But Tre'Davious White's injury complicates this one. It'd be bad optics if White is still in concussion protocol and his status is in doubt for this week while Gronkowski's penalty is reduced to a fine.


• Every time I think of Sunday, I keep coming back to this: What, exactly, where the Patriots doing on that drive? Gronkowski never should have been in the game. It was pointless.


• Watching last night's Steelers-Bengals game makes me wonder why anyone would play football, especially before high school (don't send me any Tweets or e-mails, I've heard all the arguments over the years).


• That was one of the ugliest displays of football I've ever seen.


• When players "perform" that way on the field, it feels pointless for any of us to fight the league 0n the players' behalf for player-safety issues.


• The referees are completely failing the game. I hope Gene Steratore and Walt Anderson lose possible Super Bowl assignments because they did not eject anyone from their respective games. DO YOUR JOB.


• After last night, and a Sunday night game against the rival Ravens, the Patriots will be getting the Steelers at the perfect time, not that it matters. And that's not excuse-making for the Steelers when they lose, those are facts.

• Every Friday, Dr. Jessica Flynn will answer your injury questions about all four teams, or any other injury questions you have. You can submit those questions at any time via email (docflynn@bostonsportsjournal.com), or you can Tweet them to her here.


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