Why the Longo column on Sunday, you ask?

Well. I had some time to kill after dousing the flames on my recent white-hot take that the folks at the NHIAA were spot-on allowing the remaining winter playoff games to be played before family only, despite the coronavirus scare.

You see, before the ink was dry on Thursday’s Telegraph and that take, the NHIAA decided to reverse that claim and break hearts all over the state by cancelling the end of the winter season.

All the praise I heaped on the NHIAA for being courageous and realizing what matters most – the students – has to be

recanted.

They all caved. So much for Gov. Sununu’s calls for sensibility.

Now, the spring season is hanging in the balance.

Very simple. If the kids are in school, all extra-curriculars should be part of the deal.

If a high school student can eat in the cafe daily with 100s of close friends, he or she can go to track practice in the open air with them, too.

Now, look, if school is not deemed safe statewide, we’re all sunk this spring. But if the kids are in English Lit together, they can hit together.

Team Titans, go!

Hmm, so within a 36-hour span Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans quietly axed tight end Delanie Walker, kicker Ryan Succop, outside linebacker Cameron Wake and running back Dion Lewis.

Together that saves the Titans about $18 million on their 2020 salary cap.

Now, this is a team that is looking for a quarterback and has been linked to, depending on who you believe, one Thomas Edward Patrick Brady.

Suddenly, Monday afternoon, when the NFL’s legal tampering period opens, has taken on yet another layer.

Oh yeah, TB12’s first team? The Patriots re-signed special teams ace Matt Slater for a tidy $2.6 million a year, per ESPN’s Field Yates. Did anyone have bigger week in sports than Yates, by the way?

Earlier, he broke the news that Jason McCourty’s option was picked up for $5.5 million on the cap.

Yates approved on Twitter, noting “McCourty had another rock solid year in 2019, starting 10 of 12 games.”

Now, I know Yates once worked for the team, and he is one of the nicer guys you will meet in the Foxborough press box.

But someone should inform him that the NFL season was 16 games in 2019, and McCourty, who turns 33 in August, couldn’t go when his football team needed him down the stretch due to injury. But I digress.

Apparently, Bill Belichick is good with his cap space, even if there is a $13 million “dead money” hit if/when Tommy Six Rings skips town.

Hector Longo can be reached at 594-1253 or hlongo@nashuatelegraph.com

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