Born this Date: Andre Bernard Tippett

Andre Bernard Tippett (born December 27, 1959) is a former American football linebacker who played for the New England Patriots of the NFL. Currently he is the Patriots' Executive Director of Community Affairs. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Personal life-Tippett was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Tippett attended Barringer High School in Newark, New Jersey. He first attended college and played football at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls in 1978. In 1979 began to attend the University of Iowa, where he was an All-American.

Tippett is a Godan/5th degree black belt with Shihan (Master Instructor) License. He has received all of his training under Sensei Steve Banchick Kyoshi, a 8th Degree Black Belt. Tippett has studied Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do since 1982 and has also had intensive training in Okinawa. Tippett has also trained privately with Shihan Toshihiro Oshiro in Yamanni Ryu, an Okinawan Kobudo system. Andre has been a member of the Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (RBKD). The sai, tonfa, nunchaku and Kama are studied as secondary weapons. Tippett has also competed in the AAU on a regional and national level in Kata, Kumite, Team Kumite and Kobudo. He has also competed on the west coast at the Annual Ozawa International Traditional Karate Tournament, Okinawan Uechi-Ryu Karate Championship in Antioch, California, winning a Grand Championship in Kumite in 19. He is married to Rhonda Tippett (née Kenney) with three daughters, Jenea, Asia Barnes and Madison, and one son, Coby. Asia mostly notably, has been a Patriots Cheerleader since 2008. Andre Tippett is a former Baptist, and a convert to Judaism.

College football
Tippett was an All-American defensive end and a three-year letterman at the University of Iowa. He was also a two-time All-Big Ten selection (1980 and 1981). In 1981 he helped lead the Hawkeyes to their first winning season, their first Big Ten title, and first Rose Bowl in two decades. He was part of a defense that allowed only 129 points, the lowest total since 1965 and 9th best in school history and allowed only 86.9 rushing yards a game, which still stands as the school record. The 1981 Iowa defense allowed 253 total yards a game, the fewest since 1959, making it the 4th best defense in school history in terms of total yards. Against Northwestern on October 3, 1981, the Hawkeye defense allowed 78 total yards which stands as 6th best in defensive performances in team history. All told, the 1981 Iowa defense is arguably the best over-all defense in school history in terms of yards and points allowed competing with the 1956 and 1957 Hawkeye defenses that featured Alex Karras.

Andre was a two-time first team all-Big Ten, and a team captain in 1981. He holds the Iowa record for tackles for lost yardage in a season (20 tackles for 153 yards in 1980). He played in the Hula Bowl and the Japan Bowl in 1982, after his senior year at Iowa. He was voted a DE on Iowa’s all-time football team in 1989 as is a member of the University of Iowa's Varsity Hall of Fame. Upon induction to the Varsity Hall of Fame, Tippett remarked, "For me, this is a 'Wow' . . . It is really, really special to be voted by your peers and the people who saw you play. I'm going in with some of the greatest people to ever play sports at the University of Iowa. This is one of the greatest honors I have ever had. This is a special feeling because during the three years I was there, I developed a great bond with the players and coaches."

Professional Football
Tippett was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2nd round of the 1982 NFL Draft.

Tippett is a member of the NFL’s 1980s all-decade team and was selected to five Pro Bowls in his career, earning the nod in five straight seasons from 1984–88.

From 1984–85, Tippett recorded the highest two-season sack total by a linebacker in NFL history, totaling 35.0 sacks during the two seasons. His 18.5 sacks in 1984 are the third most by any linebacker in a single season, while his 16.5 sacks in 1985 are tied for the sixth most by any linebacker in NFL history.

Tippett holds the Patriots’ franchise record with 100.0 career sacks. He also owns the top three single-season sack performances in Patriots history (18.5 in 1984, 16.5 in 1985 and 12.5 in 1987). He ranked seventh on the all-time sacks list, and third among linebackers, at the time of his retirement following the 1993 season. Over his career, Tippett recorded 100 sacks in 151 games, an average of 0.662 sacks per game. The mark currently ranks fourth in NFL history among linebackers.

After not recording a sack as a rookie in 1982, Tippett finished either first or second on the team in sacks in each of his final 10 seasons. He led the team in sacks six times and finished second on the team four times. Tippett recorded 30 multiple-sack games in his career and sacked a total of 41 different quarterbacks. Tippett recovered 18 opponents’ fumbles during his career, tying him for first on the Patriots’ all-time list (Steve Nelson). He also forced 17 fumbles in his career.

Tippett was named the AFC’s Linebacker of the Year by the NFL Players Association for three straight seasons from 1985–87. He was voted to the Associated Press All-NFL First-team on two occasions (1985 and 1987) and Second-team on two other occasions (1986 and 1988). He was also named to the NFL Films All-Pro team in 1984.

He was voted the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) co-Defensive Player of the Year (with Raider Howie Long) in 1985. Additionally, he was voted the 1985 UPI AFL-AFC Defensive Player of the Year.

Tippett twice earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week awards. The first in the Patriots 20-13 win over the New York Jets as he stopped the Jets 3 times within the 10 yard line on 10-20-85. Next, he was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in the Patriots 21-7 win over the Houston Oilers on 10-18-87. In this victory over Houston at the Astrodome, Andre had 3 sacks, defended on a pass play and blocked a field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown by Raymond Clayborn.

Tippett spent his entire 12-year career with the Patriots and was a member of three playoff teams, including the 1985 AFC Champions.

Elin Nordegren moved to the top of the money list on the PGA tour today after "beating" the world's #1 golfer.

The win came after the top golfer played the wrong 18 holes.

Turkey Day Score

The Revere Patriots were defeated by the Winthrop Vikings
41-13.

Other Thanksgiving Day scores <-- click here

Revere Powder Puff Game

Found out Revere lost to Peabody 14-8 yesterday in their Annual Powder Puff game. Some great photo's of the game can be seen at the following website:

Revere High Powder Puff Photo's

The Red Sox still lead the Yankees in World Series wins for this millenium!

Globe North Sports

Campus corner

Senior Jessica Penta of Revere did not allow a goal in 135 minutes of play, leading the University of Massachusetts at Boston soccer team to wins over Massachusetts Maritime and Plymouth State. She was named Little East Conference Goalkeeper of the Week. Penta has a 1.14 goals-against average in nine matches covering 630 minutes.

Boston Globe

College Football Quote of the Week

Click on picture to make larger for reading.

Jailed Red Sox fan in Iowa gets Royal treatment

It’s like a little bit of the Bay State in the Corn Belt.

Red Sox Nation citizenship got one Hawkeye out of jail for the day.

Taking a page from furlough-happy Massachusetts jurisprudence, an Iowa judge sprung a jailed man so he could watch his beloved Red Sox play the Kansas City Royals last night.

Randy Barker is half-way through two concurrent 10-day sentences for violation of a protective order, but prior to his conviction last week, his dad scored tickets to the Sox Midwest showdown, according to his court-appointed lawyer, Margaret King. She told the court Barker is a diehard Sox fan.

In a move King called “compassionate,” magistrate Benny Waggoner allowed Barker’s father and brother to pick him up from jail, drive him the four hours to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, then bring him back, she said.

“He’s going to be allowed to go with his daddy and brother. They’ll bring him back tonight,” she said. “It’s a small town. Everybody knows everybody, and everybody trusts everybody . . . Everybody had a lot of compassion for him.”

When reached, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office in Keosauqua, Iowa, said no one was available to comment on the arrest.

County Attorney Craig Miller said he objected to the decision, but not strenously “under the circumstances.”

“I opposed the motion, because he was serving a jail sentence,” Miller said. “I think the judge made the decision, trying to be fair to the defendant and to the family.”

Neither the police, the prosecutor, nor Barker’s lawyer would say what Barker did to violate the order. Waggoner could not be reached for comment.

So Barker watched Red Sox ace Josh Beckett take on Royals’ right-hander Luke Hochevar, as the Sox attempted to avoid a third loss.

King said she did not know why Barker loves the Red Sox, and added that no Boston B’s were in evidence at his trial. Barkers reached in Van Buren County told the Herald by phone they were Barker’s distant cousins, but no direct relatives could be reached.

Boston Herald

Today...

The 134th running of the Preakness Stakes.

Can Mine that Bird win it?

Update: I guess not. As the 8-5 favorite, Rachel Alexandra paid $5.60, $4.60, and $3.60 and became the first filly to win the Preakness since Nellie Morse in 1924. Second was Mine that Bird and third was Musket Man.

Mine That Bird wins Derby @ 50-1 odds

Derby Day

Opening Day @ Fenway?

Fans are wondering, will it be rained out?
Hope not.

Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
2:05 PM
NESN / ESPN2 / MLB.TV

WTF?

The Patriots today traded quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2009 second-round draft choice (34th overall).

Top 10 Superbowl Scandals

10. Super Bowl XIII - Hollywood challenges Bradshaw
The gang at FOX NFL Sunday's pregame show are always poking fun at Terry Bradshaw's lack of intellect, with Terry often leading the way himself. But the reputation of Bradshaw as a dumb jock was put out in the open during Super Bowl week before the Steelers and Cowboys hooked up following the 1978 season. While being interviewed, quotable Dallas Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson told reporters that Bradshaw "Couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'T.'" Bradshaw had the last laugh by throwing four touchdown passes in a Super Bowl MVP performance during Pittsburgh's 35-31 win.

9. Super Bowl XLI - Prince pushes the envelope
Another notorious halftime show was spiced up, though not to Spice Channel levels, by the one and only Prince. Only the purple one would dare test the NFL's morally and politically correct stance during his halftime show with his interesting guitar placement while playing Purple Rain. Behind a giant sheet, Prince's silhouette generated plenty of media debate over whether he had gone too far.

8. Super Bowl XXXVII - Robbins goes AWOL
Media began scrambling when another Saturday night Super Bowl casualty became known before Super Bowl XXXVII between Tampa Bay and Oakland, as word leaked that Raiders head coach Bill Callahan had sent Pro Bowl center Barrett Robbins home from the San Diego Super Bowl site. The immediate reports alleged that Robbins had ventured south of the border to Tijuana, Mexico, for a binge-drinking episode. Later the depth of Robbins' issues came to light — he was suffering from depression and bi-polar disorder. The Raiders went on to lose, 48-21, without their star center.

7. Super Bowl XXXI - Was Favre partying or not?
Brett Favre was in the midst of winning one of his three NFL Most Valuable Player awards in 1996. But his off-the-field story had gained almost as much attention as his on-field play — his admission that he had been battling addiction to alcohol and painkilling medication. So more than a few eyebrows were raised during Super Bowl week when the Packers quarterback was allegedly seen partying with beer in hand on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Favre and the Packers downplayed the alleged sightings, but even more mumbles were heard when Favre reportedly got the dry heaves before kickoff on game day (the Packers said he was suffering from the flu). Favre still went out and led Green Bay to a 35-21 Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

6. (tie) Super Bowl XX - Irving Fryar; Super Bowl XLI - Tank Johnson
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With the NFL becoming America's most prominent sports institution, an added burden of moral high ground has been focused on the league and its players — including two who became controversial figures during Super Bowl week for off-field, police-related incidents. Before Super Bowl XX, New England star Irving Fryar was the subject of many questions after mysterious cuts on his fingers became public. Word quickly got out that Fryar's cuts resulted from a scuffle with his wife two weeks before the Super Bowl

Before Super Bowl XLI between the Colts and Bears, the focus of the negative media glare was Chicago DT Tank Johnson — who had been arrested for the third time in 18 months just six weeks prior to the game after a police raid turned up several unregistered guns and two assault rifles. The Bears suspended Johnson for one game, but a judge allowed Johnson to leave the state of Illinois to play. Lucky for Johnson, it was more lenient NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's final season before Roger Goodell took over the league office, as Goodell then suspended Johnson for the first half of the 2008 season.


5. Super Bowl XXLII - Bill Belichick stained by 'Spygate'
Early during the unbeaten regular season by the 2008 New England Patriots, head coach Bill Belichick had become embroiled in the sideshow known as "Spygate" — accused of illegally using members of his staff to videotape the signals used by members of opposing coaching staffs. Belichick had been forced to apologize after Commissioner Roger Goodell handed down a substantial fine against the organization --— including the loss of a first-round draft pick. The topic died down by the time the playoffs and Super Bowl rolled around, but exploded again when the day before the game a Boston Herald report cited former Patriots employee Matt Walsh hinting that Belichick had authorized him to tape a Rams practice walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI. Walsh eventually became exposed as a shaky source, and the author of the story was disciplined, demoted and embarrassed. But this was a definite distraction as the Patriots played for their legacy against the Giants, and lost, 17-14.

4. Super Bowl XXIII - Stanley Wilson's demons
In the all-too-familiar Super Bowl eve story gone wrong, Bengals fullback Stanley Wilson (pictured) failed to show up for a Saturday night team meeting after telling some of his teammates that he forgot his playbook in his room. The Bengals players and coaches became concerned, then were shocked to find Wilson on the floor of his hotel-room bathroom in the midst of a serious cocaine overdose — shaken, sweaty and confused. Wilson never got his chance to play in the Super Bowl, and the Bengals lost to the 49ers without him, 20-16.

3. Super Bowl XXXV - The Ray Lewis debate
Ray Lewis (pictured) has never hidden from the spotlight, but one incident that stains his past remains his arrest on the night after Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta in a case that involved the fatal stabbing of two men. Although murder charges were eventually dropped, Lewis was convicted of obstruction of justice. When the Ravens made the Super Bowl the next year, the morality story of the week centered around the Pro Bowl linebacker and the incident — with critics loudly complaining that Lewis deserved to be watching the game from a jail cell rather than playing. Lewis played, and dominated the Giants in an MVP performance.

2. Super Bowl XXXIII - How to trash your reputation
Falcons defensive back Eugene Robinson was known publicly as one of the league's true good guys, a real family man, in his playing days. In fact, on the day before Super Bowl XXXIII, Robinson had been presented with the NFL's Bart Starr Award — celebrating his high moral character. Hours later, the highly respected Robinson was arrested in Miami for soliciting a prostitute. Robinson was bailed out by gameday, but it didn't help his cause when he was burned badly for possibly the play of the game — Rod Smith beating Robinson for an 80-yard TD pass in the second quarter as the Broncos rolled to a 34-19 win.

1. Super Bowl XXXVIII - Janet Jackson gets exposedThis is the mother of all Super Bowl controversies, bar none — which is somewhat strange considering it never affected the game, and nobody's life was in peril. This was all about Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime act Janet Jackson's notorious "wardrobe malfunction" in her duet performance with former Mouseketeer Justin Timberlake. The highly controversial MTV-produced show culminated with Timberlake ripping off Jackson's two-piece top, revealing the singer's breast covered by a very visible nipple shield. Jackson later apologized, Timberlake seemed mortified and even though the breast was exposed for a mere 9/16th's of a second on the live CBS telecast, the NFL immediately announced they would never let MTV produce another halftime show and CBS was levied a hefty $550,000 fine — which was subsequently overturned in 2008.

Rice finally gets Hall call

Red Sox legend Jim Rice was elected to the Hall of Fame on his 15th and final time on the ballot today. Former Sox player Ricky Henderson was voted in as well.

Power-hitting Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice, in his 15th and final time on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday along with Rickey Henderson, baseball's all-time stolen bases and runs scored leader. They will be inducted into the Hall July 26 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Rice, 55, spent his entire 16-year big league career with Boston. The 1978 American League Most Valuable Player finished in the top five of the AL MVP voting five other times, finishing second to teammate Fred Lynn in the 1975 AL Rookie of the Year voting. He led the American League in homers three times, hit .300-or-better seven times and was selected to eight All-Star Games. He is the only player in history to post three straight seasons of 35-plus home runs and 200-plus hits. He finished his career with a .298 batting average, 382 home runs and 1,451 RBIs.

Players must be named on 75 percent of ballots submitted to be elected. This year, 405 votes were required. Rice was listed on 412 ballots (76.4%) and becomes the third player elected by the BBWAA in his final year of eligibility, following Red Ruffing (1967) and Ralph Kiner (1975). Rice received seven votes more than the minimum needed for election.

Nancy Kerrigan attacked January 6th 1994

Kerrigan gained considerable fame beyond the skating world when, on January 6, 1994, she was clubbed in the knee by Shane Stant at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. Stant had been hired to assault her by Tonya Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and friend Shawn Eckardt. Following the attack, her screaming of the words "Why? Why?" has become well-known and is even included in ESPN's Sports Century video, which chronicles the most important sports moments of the 20th century. Though Kerrigan was not able to take part in the Olympic trials due to injury, the USOC gave her a spot on the team with encouragement from Michelle Kwan, to whom the spot would have gone.

Indianapolis vs. San Diego

OK, who isn't rooting for San Diego?

I only hope Manning goes home for the season.

Have I told you how much I dislike him? Keep your fingers crossed.

Boston Herald - Full Story

WWE Raw Live in Manchester

My grandson must be going out of his mind with this year's Christmas present. I don't think one of his favorites isn't at the Verizon Wireless Center. John Cena, Rey Mysterio and Kofi...among others. I wonder who will win the 10 man tag team?


Well, John Cena's tag team won...and JBL won the elimination bout to fight Cena for the WWE Title.

Update: Grandkids loved it, but heard it's much noiser because of all the fireworks they shoot off when they introduce a wrestler...my grandson hates loud noises. Seems all he did on the way home was talk about the Boogeyman...I don't even remember who he is. Late night, but everyone enjoyed themselves.

Pats win, but not enough to stay in the Playoffs

Despite the 13-0 win over the Bills, the Patriots needed the Jets or Jaguars to win in order to make the playoffs.

Miami beat the Jets 24-17;
Baltimore beat Jacksonville 27-7.

Daniel Powter - You Had a Bad Day