Larry Brown Sports

Jeffrey Bauman Jr. was one of the nearly 200 victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. The 27-year-old lost both of his legs in the attack. When he awoke in a hospital in Boston after undergoing surgery, Bauman had some crucial information to share with investigators.

Bauman’s brother, Chris, told the NY Post that Jeffrey asked for a pen and paper after waking up in his hospital bed. On the paper he wrote, “bag, saw the guy, looked right at me.” He then proceeded to give the feds a full description of a man who wore a cap and sunglasses that dropped a bag right at his feet. The description seemed to match that of 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a shootout early Friday morning.

On Thursday, actor Bradley Cooper and New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman paid Bauman a visit at the hospital. Edelman posted the photo you see above with the following caption:

“Visited #survivor #stud #hero Jeffrey Bauman Jr. today. He was looking great and is a true inspiration. #strong”

The fact that Bauman was able to provide such useful information for authorities after losing his legs in the explosion is incredible.

Wes Welker’s role in New England’s offense was questioned after the receiver caught just three passes for 14 yards in a Week 1 win over the Titans. That was the fewest receiving yards Welker had since joining the Patriots in 2007, not counting the 2009 game where he was carted off against the Texans. After Julian Edelman started New England’s game against the Cardinals over Welker, the questions about Wes’ role in the offense seem legitimate.

Welker was not on the field for New England’s first offensive play of the game when Tom Brady was intercepted on a tipped ball. He wasn’t on the field when the Pats opened up their second drive of the game, either. Instead, the Pats ran a wide receiver screen to Edelman. Welker didn’t see his first action until the Pats’ third play of the game, and that was after Aaron Hernandez left the field with an injury.

After the questions came about Welker’s lack of involvement in Week 1 — he only played in 64% of the team’s snaps and was targeted just five times — Tom Brady insisted that Welker is still a big part of the offense.

“He’s a huge part of this offense and what we do on a weekly basis,” said Brady. “I’m sure there won’t be too many games where he doesn’t get a lot of opportunity.

“There are different opportunities on different weeks for different players. I think the thing that’s important to remember is that it’s a 16-game season.”

I absolutely bought into what Brady said, recognizing that so much changes in the NFL depending on a team’s game plan for the week. But once I saw Edelman start the first two series over Welker, I began to seriously question how involved the team wants him to be this year.

New England notably gave contract extensions to tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez over the offseason while only offering Welker, who held out, a one-year deal. Maybe they’re out to prove that he’s not that valuable of a piece in their offense and that Edelman can fill his role.

UPDATE: Welker ended up leading the team with 95 yards on five catches. He was targeted 11 times, second behind Brandon Lloyd. Edelman had 5 catches for 50 yards.

I’ve spoken before of my dream to one day drive a Zamboni (preferably while sloshed). Patriots receiver Julian Edelman took advantage of his celebrity status in the New England-area by riding a Zamboni at intermission of the Bruins game Tuesday. Yup, Edelman got to live out every living person’s dream. Unfortunately he was just chilling like a guest on a parade float while someone else was driving. That’s the whole reason you hop on a Zamboni — so you can steer the freaking rig, but at least Edelman got to joy ride.

More pictures of Julian Edelman’s Zamboni ride below:

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One of the Patriots’ biggest concerns heading into Super Bowl 46 is their secondary. New England’s defensive backfield has been an issue all season long, but they have somehow found a way to overcome it week in and week out.  They are particularly thin at cornerback, which is why Bill Belichick has converted slot receiver Juian Edelman into a corner.  With the depth the Giants have at receiver, Belichick will need a Hall of Fame coaching performance to keep New York’s passing attack at bay.  He knows it, we know it, and Mario Manningham knows it.

“I hope (Edelman is) out there when we play them,” Manningham said according to the Boston Herald. “I don’t want to sound like that, but you know what I mean. To our advantage, I hope he’s out there.

“It’s a different stage. This ain’t regular season. That ain’t your real position, so we’re going to try to expose you. It’s all or nothing now. That ain’t your position, this is the Super Bowl and we want you to play that position.”

Kyle Arrington’s eye injury in the AFC Championship game left the Patriots dangerously thin at corner, which resulted in Edelman having to cover Anquan Boldin.  On the game’s final drive, that match-up almost cost New England a trip to the Super Bowl as Boldin caught four passes for 60 yards.  When Manningham is at his best, the Giants have the best receiving corps in the NFL.  Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Manningham will give the Patriots fits if they have to lean on Edelman.  Manningham didn’t need to point that out for Belichick to be aware of it.

Of every Halloween that ever existed, Patriots receiver Julian Edelman picked the one where he’d be arrested to dress up as a cop. Honestly, sometimes the jokes just write themselves.

Edelman was arrested for indecent assault outside of a club early Tuesday. He allegedly reached under a woman’s Halloween costume and grabbed her in an inappropriate place (what, like the back of a Volkswagen?). He denies trying to touch the woman and has pleaded not guilty to assault and battery charges.

That had to be an uncomfortable moment for Edelman — getting interviewed by the police while dressed like an officer. Could he have picked a worse time to dress like that? And isn’t getting felt up by an officer part of the costume? Guess somebody didn’t think so. Besides, I always knew he had questionable hands.

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