Tom King

Here are a few tids and bits for you to munch on while deciding whether to stay home and watch the NFC Conference Championship Game between the Eagles and Niners or head over to the Belanger Gym for the 3 p.m. North-South boys hoop game at the Belanger Gym (same time as the football game):

– Speaking of local hoop, hats off to Nashua athletic director Lisa Gingras and those who help her put together the annual Nashua Middle School Basketball Tournament. 

The four-team boys and girls affair always draws plenty of parents, fans, and generally is a great community event.

Absolutely superb for the kids and the basketball has gotten better each year we see it.

But here’s a great component: The Fifth Quarter. No, not the one in which we watch Bill Belichick snort into the microphone, but an eight minute period in which the kids who normally don’t see much playing time get to see the floor. They did that prior to the start of both the boys and girls finals – the score doesn’t count toward the actual final. But a great opportunity for the players.

– Condolences to the Brockton Rox and the family of Evan Franz. Franz, despite suffering from a rare form of brain cancer, saw time on the field for the Rox last summer, but passed away recently.

“Even though he struggled each and every day battling a rare form of brain cancer, nothing could deter Evan from living life to its fullest,” the Rox wrote on their website. “He was filled with so much passion, love and determination. … Every day Evan would wake up with a smile, even though he suffered through so much. Evan Franz was, is, and always will be a true inspiration to everyone involved with the Brockton Rox and its community. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.”

– We’re still scratching our heads over the Lance Bisson exit from Rivier University men’s hoop before the season ended, a choice that certainly wasn’t his. But as we’ve delved into it further this week, there’s a thought that the Riv administration made the right decision based on an alleged disconnect between Bisson/coaches and the players.

That would explain athletic director Jonathan Harper stressing the school’s most important concern was making sure student athletes have a positive experience when graciously answering questions about Bisson’s departure. Still, for yours truly, this was tough because we watched Bisson grow up as a student athlete to his career as a coach. Hope he stays with it, and his alma mater succeeds as well.

– So you want to go to one of Sunday’s NFL Conference Championship games? Well, you had better have a flush bank account. The cheapest ticket to get in to the NFC Game in Philadelphia is over $700, and that’s standing room. Standing room, the get-in-the-stadium price. The cheapest seat is well over $2,000.

How can a sport that’s really better to watch on TV be so expensive to see in person?

– We all think we’re irreplaceable in our jobs, but the recently retired Merrimack High School field hockey coach Ann MacLean might be just that. 

Merrimack AD Mike Soucy has had the position posted for the last few months and has had no nibbles. Those interested can email Soucy at Michael.Soucy@sau26.org.

Maclean has coach the game forever, dating back to her Londonderry days in the 1980s,and did a fabulous job over the years. TheTomahawks will miss her, and right now Soucy really does.

– Yes, we’re all glad Bill O’Brien is back as the Patriots offensive coordinator. And sure, maybe whatever system he would come up with would help the Patriots win two more games to unseat Miami for that last Wild Card spot.

But the Patriots need better players to really be elite again. They need difference makers on both sides of the ball, not just good role players.

– Still on the NFL, FOX has perhaps a bit of a dilemma on its hands.

If you’ve been watching lately, Greg Olsen is one of the better analysts around, and if Mr. Drama Tom Brady retires, then he’ll by the 10-year contract he signed with the network in the last year displace Olsen. 

Who knows if Brady can even do the job – did he do any game tests for FOX or did they just go ga-ga because Brady can schmooze advertisers, etc.? Because Olsen, the former Carolina Panthers tight end, simply explains what happened, why it happened, etc. 

Without any drama.

Tom King can be reached at

tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph_TomK.