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Chicago Bears Q&A: How plausible is it to get 3 first-rounders for the No. 1 pick? Are big moves in free agency expected?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

The NFL combine is in the rearview mirror. The new league year begins in one week — and with it a free-agency period in which the Chicago Bears will have nearly $100 million of salary-cap space.What can we expect from the Bears in free agency? Brad Biggs answers that and other questions in his weekly Bears mailbag.How much of Ryan Poles’ comments to Peter King about getting offers of three first-rounders do you believe vs. Poles sending a message that that’s what he wants? — @tn5280King got a long sit-down with Poles last week in Indianapolis, and the Bears general manager indicated he’d had discussions with three teams to that point and there had been enough talk to know he can get “a ‘24 one and a ‘25 one” in a trade involving the No. 1 pick.For starters, it’s pretty clear nearly all of the smoke about interest in the pick is coming from the Bears, who in a perfect world would have an agreement in place before March 15, w...

Embattled MBTA ‘confident’ it can handle St. Patrick’s Day parade crowds

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

City and state officials are working with the MBTA to ensure the subway system’s beleaguered Red Line can handle the soon-to-be massive crowds flocking to South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.The MBTA is increasing typical Sunday Red Line service on the day of the parade, March 19, to more closely align with a regular weekday schedule, which was requested by lawmakers, Boston Councilor Michael Flaherty said.“The Red Line will be operating at or near weekday service levels, and last year’s data shows ridership on parade day was about 30,000 less than a regular weekday,” T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said. “The MBTA is confident the Red Line will have the capacity to handle the volume of parade-goers.”State Sen. Nick Collins, D-Boston, said out-of-town visitors are also being encouraged to take the commuter rail to relieve pressure on the Red Line, which is far outpacing other subway lines with 37 speed restrictions as of Feb. 28, according to the T’s latest slow zone data.“Generally, o...

T police on lookout for booze on St. Patrick’s Day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

Underage visitors attempting to sneak booze into this month’s St. Patrick’s Day parade via Red Line trains may not make it past MBTA Transit Police, who have been directed to confiscate alcohol as it comes into stations.Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty said Transit Police are in the perfect position to confiscate alcohol before underage and public drinking can become a problem later on, in the day and evening.These officers will be stationed at the four busiest Red Line stations along the parade route — Andrew, Broadway, JFK/UMass and South — where underage kids will be “coming in carrying 30-packs,” Flaherty said.“That’s the moment where we’re asking the MBTA police to stop that individual and to confiscate that alcohol, so that doesn’t turn into problems later on in the day and evening for our Boston police officers,” he said.“We want to make sure that day, as it pertains to public drinking and underage drinking, we want a zero-tolerance policy.”In addition to confiscating b...

‘Those precious seconds’: Orioles’ hitters having more trouble than pitchers adjusting to new pitch clock

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

Over time, Cedric Mullins has donned more and more equipment when he bats. At some point, he started wearing an arm guard. The next year, he added a leg sleeve. This season, he’s introducing a hand guard.But with Major League Baseball’s introduction of a pitch clock, the Orioles’ leadoff man has found he has only so much time to get dressed.“You wouldn’t think you’d have to practice putting that on as fast as you could, but it’s definitely interesting,” Mullins said. “Sometimes, I’ll put the arm guard on, and it gets stuck somewhere, and I’m like, ‘Oh, jeez,’ yanking at it. Leg guard might not clip the first time through and gotta readjust that.“You’re trying to keep those precious seconds.”Mullins will get to enjoy a break from the system while playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, but spring training has been an adjustment throughout the sport, with the league int...

Guregian: Making sense of the Mac Jones’ trade rumors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

Mac Jones has gone from promising rookie quarterback in 2021 to whining disappointment in 2022 to somewhat of a conundrum in 2023.On one hand, given the horrible hand Jones was dealt last year with a couple of coaches who had never run an offense before, he should be afforded a get-right year with Bill O’Brien now running the show. With legitimate coaching, and the hope of better weapons arriving, Jones should be able to produce.On the other hand, there are hints that Jones might be on the trading block. After all, why the persistent trade rumors involving Las Vegas and Jones? Why interview Florida’s Anthony Richardson, one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft?Just to tweak Jones, and give him a not-so-subtle push? Or is there more to it?More to the point: do the Patriots want him, or don’t they?Because they should want him. The best path for the Patriots at the quarterback position in 2023 is obvious. Jones is headed into the third year of his rookie deal. He c...

How the Patriots can fix their offense in free agency

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

Ready to move on from the 2022 season?Good. So are the Patriots.Starting next week, the Pats will begin to build their 2023 team by signing external free agents to fill the roster holes that doomed their latest campaign. Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft have already reshuffled the coaching staff, the other culprit behind the team’s second losing season in three years. The earliest the Patriots can reach a deal with an outside free agent is Monday at noon, the start of the NFL’s “legal tampering” period.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Long football careers linked to impulsive behavior, less white matter in the brain: Boston University CTE study New England Patriots | The risk and reward of the Patriots re-signing Jakobi Meyers New England Patriots | NFL Draft: Patriots bolster offense with top 3 picks in 7-round mock draft New England Patriots | Predicting the Patriots’ draft, Bill Belichic...

Editorial: Housing bubble could burst, again

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

“Oops! … I did it again” is a Britney Spears song, but it could also double as the federal government’s motto for housing policy.Starting in late March, the Federal Housing Administration will reduce mortgage insurance payments on loans that it backs. The agency insures mortgages for borrowers with suboptimal — not good — credit.Some mortgages require as little as 3.5% down. Borrowers have to pay an extra 1.75% fee, which can be rolled into the mortgage. Borrowers also have to pay for mortgage insurance, which is an annual premium of 0.85% in many cases. The Biden administration will now drop that to 0.55%. On a $400,000 home, the average annual savings is $1,200.The appeal of this move is obvious. A rapid increase in mortgage rates has dramatically reduced the pool of available buyers — at least at these prices. The White House is looking to juice the market.On the surface, this looks as if the government is lowering costs in response to a market that has gone haywire. But if you t...

MIAA statewide tournament scoreboard and highlights from Tuesday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

TUESDAYS HIGHLIGHTSBOYS BASKETBALLNick Lemmond grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in off the glass to beat the buzzer and send No. 10 Marblehead (13-4) to the Div. 2 quarterfinals with a thrilling 59-57 win over No. 7 Pope Francis. … Victor Soto scored 23 points as No. 5 Charlestown (20-4) rolled to a 87-45 win over No. 12 Dartmouth. … Matt Baur tallied 28 points as No. 3 Sharon (19-3) defeated No. 19 Burlington, 75-59. … Eddie McCoy scored 31 points and added seven steals as No. 2 Mansfield (22-2) defeated No. 15 Salem, 64-43. … Matt Gaffney scored 22 points and teammate Nick Martinez added 20 as No. 1 Malden Catholic (20-2) pulled away from No. 16 Scituate in the second half, 76-58.Josh Campbell paced things offensively with 27 points, while Lorenzo Jackson added an 18-point spark as top-seeded Archbishop Williams (21-1) coasted to the Div. 3 Round of 8 with an 82-72 victory over No. 16 Seekonk. … Sage Baptiste had 26 points, nine rebounds and three blocks as No. 21 Bish...

Lowry: America’s border policy is Dickensian

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

“I became, at ten years old, a little labouring hind in the service of Murdstone and Grinby.”Thus relates David Copperfield in the Charles Dickens novel of the same name.Of course, Dickens was a crusader against the exploitation of children. The edge is taken off the depictions of the heartless treatment of children in his fiction, though, by the funny and memorable portrayals of the malefactors, the upward trajectory of the lives of the likes of David Copperfield and Oliver Twist, and the knowledge that the practices that Dickens inveighed against are a thing of the past in the advanced world.This is all relevant today, because, as a big New York Times report highlighted, we have a Dickensian border policy.The Times details how so-called unaccompanied minors end up “in some of the most punishing jobs in the country.” The Times found: “Twelve-year-old roofers in Florida and Tennessee. Underage slaughterhouse workers in Delaware, Mississippi and North Ca...

Plan ahead for next season

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:36 GMT

It’s early March and you’re barely thinking about summer yet. But smart ski and ride enthusiasts are focusing in on next season and beginning the process of choosing their passes for the coming year.In the old days, you just waited until Autumn and made your purchase. But today’s ski and ride pass market, with its wide variety of options, starts early. And in most cases, the earlier you act, the more you save.Resorts and pass programs have begun rolling out sales for the 23/24 season. In some cases, you can even – and with the snow this past week this should be even more enticing – ski the rest of this season on the pass you purchase now for next season.Gunstock Mountain Resort (www.gunstock.com) launched their season pass sales this past week, with deep discount prices if you purchase before May 1. Right now, their adult full pass (all week, all holidays, no blackouts) comes in at $589 for adults and $389 for kids and seniors.Gunstock has a generous view on those ages, too. Kids pa...