Recent Tom King Columns

Daniel Webster College baseball program turns corner

Tom King | Monday, May 21, 2012

J.P. Pyne had already started reflecting on just how monumental a spring it’s been Daniel Webster College baseball, a program he built from scratch. “It’s …

McDaniels showing maturity

Tom King | Saturday, May 12, 2012

The memory is probably fresh in New England Patriots fans’ minds, seeing Josh McDaniels about 4 feet off the ground, pumping his fist. It was …

Light’s out for Patriots

Tom King | Tuesday, May 8, 2012

You didn’t think he was going to cry, did you? That’s not Matt Light’s style. There’s no crying in pro football, he would probably tell …

Without football Seau never had a chance

Tom King | Friday, May 4, 2012

He stood on the Gillette Stadium turf, big smile, big heavy coat and fancy hat and embraced the cheering crowd. “We got a chance,” Junior …

Johnson’s departure from Bishop Guertin no surprise

Tom King | Tuesday, May 1, 2012

As we close the book on April, it’s time to take stock in some recent news: First, how predictable was it that Tony Johnson would …

Patriots must use picks now for Brady

Tom King | Friday, April 27, 2012

Let’s be honest, fans, this National Football League Draft has snuck up on us. Maybe not for the draftees, especially those like Nashua’s Kendall Reyes, …

Playoff surprises? It’s called parity

Tom King | Thursday, April 26, 2012

What the heck is going on in the National Hockey League? It’s been a wild and whacky Stanley Cup playoff season, with emphasis on “whack”. …

Bruins still displaying that never-say-die attitude

Tom King | Monday, April 23, 2012

Just when you thought they were out, they pulled themselves – and all of us – back in. It could have been a very dreary …

Do or die for defending Stanley Cup champions

Tom King | Sunday, April 22, 2012

Calling on the friendly Stanley Cup ghosts of 2011, the Boston Bruins need you desperately. When the B’s finished the regular season in defense of …

No foolin’: April games hold importance

Tom King | Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The temperatures lately have been comfortable and the calendar says April, not June. That’s a good thing for some high school baseball teams, who are …

Hunter doing what Boudreau never could

Tom King | Sunday, April 15, 2012

One thing is for certain in this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series: These are not Bruce Boudreau’s Washington Capitals. Boudreau, the former Manchester Monarchs coach, did …

B’s focused on moment

Tom King | Friday, April 13, 2012

The Bruins buzz is back in Boston. The memories of last spring’s incredible run to a Stanley Cup championship are still fresh, and the Boston …

Dod, Lee enjoy rich local baseball histories

Tom King | Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Spring has sprung, and while we look for a happy medium between the heat wave of two weeks ago and the recent chill, here are …

Bruins ready for playoffs to start

Tom King | Sunday, April 8, 2012

Finally, it’s over. Finally, the long, drawn-out regular season that starts a month or two too early is done. How’d the Boston Bruins do? Hey, …

Pittsburgh will reach Cup final

Tom King | Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Next week the Boston Bruins’ Stanley Cup defense begins. But for some reason, call it puckhead intuition, the feeling here is the Bruins won’t make …

Let’s get toreal season

Tom King | Friday, March 30, 2012

These are the final strides, the final saves, the final hits. The long, grueling rind of the National Hockey League regular season is just about …

Tebow-to-Jets good for Patriots

Tom King | Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Oh the New England Patriots’ brain trust must be enjoying this. They must love watching the New York Jets fumble and bumble their way around …

NFL’s wacky Wednesday impacts Pats

Tom King | Friday, March 23, 2012

Mark the date of March 21 down on your calendar and remember the day in the year 2012. As far as the National Football League …

Manning Broncos’ best option

Tom King | Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Really, when you look at it, the New England Patriots have no one to blame but themselves. When they clocked the Denver Broncos at Gillette …

Desperation looks good on Bruins

Tom King | Sunday, March 18, 2012

The good times were back at the TD Garden on Saturday for the Boston Bruins. There was Tim Thomas, snatching pucks out of the air …

If Pats hit free-agent market, don’t expect a blockbuster

Tom King | Tuesday, March 13, 2012

They call them free agents, but they really should think of another name, because while these guys are free, they certainly don’t come cheap. The …

Broncos, Eagles leave fans wanting more after memorable DIII title game

Tom King | Sunday, March 11, 2012

Before handing out the runner-up medals to his players on the ice Saturday at Manchester’s Verizon Wireless Arena, Alvirne High School boys hockey coach Brian …

Patriots fans: Don’t chuckle too much at Colts’ loss

Tom King | Thursday, March 8, 2012

Did you cry? C’mon, you can admit it if you did. No matter how much you hate Peyton Manning, it definitely was sad in a …

It’s time for local teams to think out of the box

Tom King | Tuesday, March 6, 2012

The penalty box can be a lonely place. Just ask any hockey player. “You sit there for 10 minutes with a game misconduct, that’ll straighten …

Bruins’ Thomas unfazed as trade deadline looms

Tom King | Monday, February 27, 2012

It promises to be a Manic Monday in the National Hockey League. It’s the day probably most NHL players – and maybe even some in …

Back to the future for Rivier women’s hoop

Tom King | Tuesday, February 21, 2012

It’s funny how things work. Perhaps the Rivier College athletic program has come full circle. Two decades ago, women’s college basketball was mainly (along with …

No more debate over Eli Manning’s stature

Tom King | Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The day after a Super Bowl, some think, is a day to decompress. Actually, it’s a somewhat busy day for NFL and volunteer crews who …

Giants spoil Patriots’ party again

Tom King | Monday, February 6, 2012

The drama was spectacular. For New Englanders, the result was anything but. The New York Giants and New England Patriots as currently constituted, could play …

5 reasons Patriots win 4th Lombardi Trophy easily

Tom King | Sunday, February 5, 2012

The big day has arrived, and a season of mediocrity can be erased with one win. No, we aren’t talking about the New York Giants’ …

Football is king in Peyton’s town

Tom King | Thursday, February 2, 2012

They have rolled out the red carpet for Super Bowl XLVI here at Indianapolis. As you walk off the plane through the jet bridge from …

Boot off, Pats’ Gronkowski to help for few plays, more

Tom King | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The most famous walking boot in America pulled a no-show at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday in Indianapolis. If you’re a New England Patriots …

NY is where NE success began

Tom King | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The New England Patriots and the New York Giants: Two organizations that will be forever linked. In fact, you might say that the success the …

A little traveling music for Pats’ business trip

Tom King | Monday, January 30, 2012

It was a Super Sendoff. But in the grand scheme of things, it will matter little. The New England Patriots said farewell to Foxborough and …

Different mindset for Pats rematch

Tom King | Sunday, January 29, 2012

Vince Wilfork stood at the podium in the media room at Gillette Stadium the other day and issued this surprising thought: The New York Giants …

Pats call, Faulk answers

Tom King | Saturday, January 28, 2012

As soon as he arrived at his locker, a writer wanted to do a quick one-on-one interview. But with so many media members around in …

Warm-up for hype starting

Tom King | Thursday, January 26, 2012

You think this is hype? Wait until next week, when the New England Patriots and New York Giants head to Indianapolis. Consider this a warm-up …

Coach-QB combo means much on the biggest stage

Tom King | Wednesday, January 25, 2012

This shouldn’t be happening. There shouldn’t be a full locker room Wednesday at Gillette Stadium. There shouldn’t be a hoard of media invading the gigantic …

A 2nd chance 4 years later

Tom King | Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The clock has been turned back. It’s 2008 again; the New England Patriots and the New York Giants are tangling in the Super Bowl. Time …

2 late game-saving plays, missed field goal send NE to Super Bowl

Tom King | Monday, January 23, 2012

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was clutching the Lamar Hunt Trophy, signifying the AFC Championship, surrounded by media late Sunday in his team’s locker …

Super Bowl XLVI will be Pats-49ers

Tom King | Sunday, January 22, 2012

At least the AFC is predictable, right? It’s the two teams we thought for a while, the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens, duking …

Ravens won’t be able to keep up with Pats

Tom King | Tuesday, January 17, 2012

John Harbaugh gathered the troops in the locker room on Sunday after his Baltimore Ravens ground out a 20-13 AFC Divisional playoff win over the …

Patriots-Broncos clash perfect example of new NFL

Tom King | Sunday, January 15, 2012

What have they done with our game? Oh, National Football League, what has become of you? This league used to be rock ’em, sock ’em. …

Tebowmania is done; bring on the Ravens

Tom King | Saturday, January 14, 2012

It’s Divisional Round Weekend. Time to divide and conquer. That’s what’s expected of the New England Patriots. Tom Brady will divide up his passes among …

Not really a wild slate

Tom King | Saturday, January 7, 2012

Wild Cards, wild weekend? Hardly. There’s probably only one playoff game in the National Football League that will draw fans to fully watch – Detroit …

For now, at least, it’s all good

Tom King | Monday, January 2, 2012

Let’s face it, it’s a love-hate relationship you’re having with these New England Patriots. You absolutely adore their offense, which this year scored 30 or …

Baseball’s return to Holman tops local stories of 2011

Tom King | Saturday, December 31, 2011

There’s never a dull moment in the local sporting world, is there? That’s clearly evident by one man’s list of 2011’s Top 10 local sports …

Patriots will finish regular season strong

Tom King | Friday, December 30, 2011

Last chance at perfection. It avoided Green Bay this year, caught up to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago. So …

Patriots want team wins, not individual records

Tom King | Thursday, December 29, 2011

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The only numbers Tom Brady and the New England Patriots care about are on the scoreboard. “It’s not about passing yards, it’s …

Patchwork offensive line delivers first-round bye for Pats

Tom King | Sunday, December 25, 2011

Imagine if Santa and some key reindeer went down with an injury on Christmas Eve. Would tons of presents have to go undelivered or would …

AFC’s No. 1 seed was gift-wrapped for 2011 Patriots

Tom King | Sunday, December 25, 2011

SCHEDULE Thursday Indianapolis 19, Houston 16 Saturday Cleveland at Baltimore, 1 p.m. Minnesota at Washington, 1 p.m. Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m. St. Louis at …