Freddie Popken, Author at Guy Boston Sports

Don’t Hold Your Breath for a Luka Doncic-Celtics Trade

By Freddie Popken / June 14, 2021 June 14, 2021 / Leave a Comment

It almost feels like clockwork in the NBA these days. A player gets drafted, breaks out in his first few seasons, the team underperforms, then we hear chatters that the player is unhappy. Or, if you live in Boston, the team underperforms and the media tries to drive the player out of town. Either way, we have entered an age of NBA player empowerment like we have never seen before. The latest player who is reportedly unhappy: Luka Doncic. While the reports got some Celtics fans excited for a potential Luka Doncic-Celtics trade, reality tells us that there is no chance of this happening.

Red Sox-Twins Series Opener Postponed After Shooting Outside Minneapolis

By Freddie Popken / April 12, 2021 April 12, 2021 / Leave a Comment

The first of four games between the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins has been postponed in the aftermath of a police-involved shooting that took the life of a 20 year-old Black man outside of Minneapolis last night. The Twins statement says that they have “decided in the best interest of [our] fans, staff, players and community not to play today’s game.” The full statement can be seen below. The remainder of the Red Sox-Twins series is in question and more information should become available as the situation evolves.

This N’Keal Harry Comparison Might Shock Some Patriots Fans

By Freddie Popken / March 22, 2021 March 22, 2021 / Leave a Comment

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were expected to be aggressive in their rebuilding process this offseason, but many didn’t expect them to be this aggressive. They’ve acquired the two top tight ends on the market in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith and on the defensive side, they’ve added several pieces that will complement what was already a very good unit. However, they failed to add a true #1 WR to what was arguably the worst receiving corps in the league. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are good additions, but the Patriots need more. While the receivers not named Jakobi Meyers underperformed last year, this N’Keal Harry comparison will hopefully have Patriots fans reconsidering their desire to see him shipped out of town.

How the Matthew Stafford Rumors Impact the Patriots

By Freddie Popken / January 23, 2021 January 23, 2021 / 1 Comment

For the second straight year, the Patriots find themselves with a hole at the quarterback position heading into the offseason. While they filled that hole with Cam Newton, but that many would agree that Newton isn’t the long-term answer. That failed experiment has led us to where we are now, with Belichick and the Patriots …

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Let’s Pump the Brakes on the Patriots Fire Sale

By Freddie Popken / October 30, 2020 October 30, 2020 / 1 Comment

The sky is falling in New England. The Patriots have lost three straight games for the first time since 2002. There are reports of a Patriots fire sale, including trade rumors for Stephon Gilmore, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Clearly the team must be in shambles and the season washed away, right? If these rumors are true, then that must mean that they are going to be competing with the New York Jets for the #1 pick in the 2021 draft. I, for one, would love to see Trevor Lawrence under Bill Belichick.

Good Thing the Celtics Didn’t Make the Jimmy Butler Trade

By Freddie Popken / October 17, 2020 October 18, 2020 / Leave a Comment

If you had any doubts about the player that Jimmy Butler was going into the bubble, those doubts should surely be erased. He took a battered Heat team to the sixth game of the NBA Finals against a buzzsaw of a Lakers team. He became the second player in NBA history, after Lebron James in 2016, to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in the Finals. His performance was commended by many and he certainly left his heart on the court. After failed stints in Minnesota and Philadelphia following his tenure in Chicago, he seems to have found a perfect fit down in South Beach. Recency bias may have some revisionist historians thinking that the Celtics should have made the Jimmy Butler trade back in 2017 but trust me when I say that would not be the answer.

The Future is Bright for the Red Sox Under Chaim Bloom

By Freddie Popken / October 12, 2020 October 12, 2020 / 1 Comment

If you could pick two teams in the MLB that had polar opposite seasons, the Rays and the Red Sox would be an easy answer. The Rays finished first in the AL East and are three wins away from the World Series. The Red Sox finished dead last in the AL East and were three losses away from a top-2 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Aside from being in the same division, there is another thing that links these two teams: Chaim Bloom.

Patriots 2020 Record Prediction

By Freddie Popken / September 2, 2020 September 2, 2020 / 2 Comments

With the NFL season kicking off in just under two weeks, there is still a ton of uncertainty throughout the entire league. From teams without names and a pandemic ready to halt the season at any moment, this season is set to be unlike any other. One thing that makes this season unlike any in recent memory is the change of quarterback in New England. For the first time in 19 years, a quarterback not named Tom Brady will be under center for the Patriots, with 2015 MVP Cam Newton likely taking over the reins. With this changing of the guard and the numerous players opting out of this season, there is no guarantee that the Patriots even make the playoffs, let alone win the AFC East. Looking ahead at the Patriots 2020 schedule, it will surely be a battle for the top spot.

This Is the Most Important Season in MLB History

By Freddie Popken / July 21, 2020 July 21, 2020 / Leave a Comment

In just a few short days, Major League Baseball will be beginning their season, becoming the first of the four major American sports to resume play amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While many sports fans rejoice that there will finally be sports to watch, the experience will be very different for both the players and the fans. Starting with the obvious, it is going to be a shortened season with just 60 games being played. In addition to the shorter season, there will likely be no fans for the entirety of the season. Changes in schedule and viewership are just the tip of the iceberg in what will be the most bizarre season of baseball thus far. But while it may be the most bizarre season, it is also the most important season the MLB has ever played.

Mahomes Deal Shows Just How Unique the “Patriot Way” Is

By Freddie Popken / July 7, 2020 July 7, 2020 / Leave a Comment

On Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs locked up Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes with a lucrative contract extension, tying Mahomes to the Chiefs through 2031. The deal is reported to be a 10-year, $450 million extension with additional incentives that could take it over half a billion dollars. With his current 2-year, $27.6 million contract, Mahomes current deal comes in at a total of 12 years and $476.6, as reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. This deal would make Mahomes the highest paid athlete ever, topping Mike Trout’s 12-year, $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. While it was important for the Chiefs to secure their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, the size of the deal has to potentially handicap the Chiefs in their attempt to follow in the footsteps of the Patriots dynasty.