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STEVE GROGAN: Russ Francis' hands 'might have been a little bit better' than Gronkowski's
By: Ian Logue

Today's Patriots fans probably don't remember former tight end Russ Francis, but Steve Grogan had an interesting comment comparing Francis to Rob Gronkowski in this week's 'Grogan's Grade'....

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GaryfromTO

Gronk is good, in fact Gronk is better than good, he's great.

BUT

Russ Francis was the god of tight ends. Francis was always referred to as "New Englands All World Tight End Russ Francis"

NG Pats Fan

Let's be realistic. Gronk's statistics blow Francis out of the water.

robertweathers

All Grogs said was that he thought Francis might have better hands than Gronk. He didn't say he was a better TE.

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“I'm not really concerned about the other 31 teams,” - Bill Belichick

"If a player has talent and doesn't succeed, that means that they either don't want to be successful or I have failed as a coach." - Bill Belichick

PatsWickedPissah

Francis may have had better hands. I saw him play and didn't think so but Grogs should have a better idea.
If so, something for The GronkMonster to work on. This has been his worst year with drops and he's still Stellar.

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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

Amnorix

Francis was a great TE.

But Gronk is on track to be a HOFer, which Francis isn't. Francis had 40 TDs in 13 years and Gronk has 34 in 2.5. Francis may have had (very slightly) better hands, but the overall package isn't even close.

signbabybrady

Gronks nasty All World was Nasty the fact that Gronk in his third year is already well established in the same category says wonders about how good he is.

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VJCPatriot

I think that it is a compliment for Grogan to compare Gronk to Francis. That means he really respects how good of a player Gronk is. Francis was the Pats best TE of all time, till Gronk came along. Gronk is going to shatter a lot of record books. We are just so lucky to have him. And to think, we moved UP to snag him just ahead of the Ravens! That makes the pick all the sweeter!

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PATRIOTSFANINPA

Francis had better hands but Gronk makes acrobatic catches that Russ never did

robertweathers

From 93-98, Coates was close to that level. I will submit that if you put Francis in his prime in a pass-happy offense such as the one Coates played in his numbers may be similar but they were different players in terms of style, etc.

__________________
“I'm not really concerned about the other 31 teams,” - Bill Belichick

"If a player has talent and doesn't succeed, that means that they either don't want to be successful or I have failed as a coach." - Bill Belichick