Wednesday Patriots Notebook 6/19: News and Notes
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Some Patriots news and notes on this Wednesday:
This is a time when New England Patriots players have an opportunity to enjoy some time off before things kick into gear next month, and it appears Bryce Baringer’s love of competition is keeping him busy.
The second-year punter is apparently a pretty good golfer, and he’s currently taking part in the Mass Golf circuit and put up a pretty good performance recently. Baringer reportedly shot a 69 at Stockbridge Golf Club yesterday, allowing him to make the cut for the Mass Amateur Championship.
Baringer sat down with MassGolf.org in a conversation and said that he’s tried in the past to qualify back in Michigan, but he never quite made the cut. Obviously on Tuesday, he finally broke through.
“Golf is a big part of my life,” said Baringer. “I’ve tried to qualify for the Michigan Amateur back home but have never made it through. Stockbridge was a good track. I’m not upset with my performance today. I was 3-under through 12 and made a sloppy double bogey. Being even-par going into 17, I just wanted to play those holes even.”
“On 18, I got the putt to fall from 25 feet. It landed paces behind the hole, and 25 feet left, I put a good roll on it. Making a putt like that feels like you’re pinning the opponent deep. I thought I had a complete round. Lot of practice.”
Baringer also said that golf is a sport that allows him to clear his head, adding that he typically hits some balls once a weekend and tries to play a round during the week.
He also said that last year, when he was drafted, he didn’t play as often as he would have liked, adding that he was focused on the task at hand – making the team. He also prioritizes football during the season, which means that from training camp until whenever the season ends, his clubs remain in his closet.
“When I was drafted in April until July, I probably played just a handful of times (10-15 times) because I was so focused on football. I was trying to make the team,” said Baringer. “Maybe I didn’t play as much as I would have liked, but it all worked out. During the season, the clubs go in the closet. From the middle to the end of July until early to late January, I didn’t touch the clubs, and that will be common for me.”
“When it’s time to work, it’s time to work. I think I do a good job of balancing that. I didn’t touch my clubs again until February, when my wife and I went to a simulator and played a bit. I like watching golf, and it’s hard not to be outside when we’ve had as nice of days as we’ve had.”
For now, it’s a balance that helps him take his mind off football while also allowing him another avenue to be competitive. Like football, there are times when he hits a bad shot but has to quickly put it behind him. That also allows him to “stay in the moment,” which he said helps him on Sundays.
“I almost use it as a tool,” said Baringer. “Right now, we’re on our break before training camp. For me, being able to do these types of events helps me keep my juices flowing. Being able to compete with myself and try to put my foot forward, no matter what I’m trying to do, is always good for self-improvement. It helps me stay competitive, and it helps me learn a lot about who I am as a player.”
“I always say you’re only as good as what you show on the field and on film. There’s not a lot of film on the golf course. You’re only as good as your scorecard. Golf is very much like life. You’re rewarded for good things and penalized for bad things. It’s a game I appreciate because, during this time, I can compete with myself and compete against others. It’s a good time spent because it helps me stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of myself.”
“Just like in football, if I have a good punt, I can have a good shot in golf, but then it’s on to the next one.
He’ll take part in the Mass Amateur Championship, which is currently scheduled for July 8th-12th at the Framingham Country Club. The championship round is then scheduled ahead of when players need to report to camp, which should be fun to watch should Baringer make it that far.
The dates for training camp were released yesterday, which has rookies reporting on 7/19, while veterans – which is the category Baringer falls under – will need to report on 7/23.
For those who are unaware, former Patriots receiver Chris Hogan does a weekly podcast with the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price, which the two have been doing for quite some time.
In addition to all the analysis he’s done in recent months, Hogan has been busy off the gridiron. Price talked with the former Patriots receiver about what the retired wideout has been up to, and Hogan’s passion for sports has seen him partner with Evolution Physical Therapy, providing him with a similar outlet he enjoyed during his time in the NFL.
“I opened up a gym in Long Island. This was my little passion project because my wife was tired of me playing golf four days a week,” said Hogan. “We’ve got a full physical therapy in here recovery center, we do adult fitness, I’ve got all the speed and strength training for all the athletes. I built this for athletes. My vision for this place was I’m going to have athletes come in here, and they don’t have to go to another place for physical therapy, they don’t have to go another place for recovery. It’s all going to be underneath one roof.”
“So it’s been a lot of fun for me to grow this, and I have some great partners on the physical therapy side of things. We have a great physical therapist in here and continuing to hopefully grow into a few more. We have all walks of life in here.”
Hogan said he’s been actively involved, with the former undrafted receiver showing up early during the week and teaching a class. He said it provides him with a similar dynamic he experienced with his teammates, which he enjoys.
“What Chris Hogan is doing is teaching a 7am adult class every single morning on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday,” said Hogan. “And this is now my locker room. Because that’s something that I missed so much after I was done playing. You miss playing, you miss the lights, you miss Sundays, but that locker room vibe was something that I missed a lot, more than I thought I was going to. So I come in here every single morning, and I teach an adult class. And I have fun with it.”
As for what he’s doing when he’s not doing that, Hogan is filling his time coaching sports with his kids, which is something he said he really enjoys doing.
“Obviously, four kids at home, just coaching lacrosse, coaching football, coaching basketball, haven’t gotten into coaching soccer yet. So I might leave that one for other people to do,” said Hogan. “But I dove head-on into the coaching. I’ve enjoyed it. My kids are getting to an age where they’re enjoying sports, they’re getting into it.”
Based on the photos online, it’s certainly an impressive facility. For now, best wishes to Hogan, who certainly has a lot going on, both in his new venture and with his family.
Former Patriots receiver Phillip Dorsett is apparently still in the league, with the former wideout currently on the roster of the Denver Broncos. First-round pick Bo Nix is still working on picking up the offense, and it’s been tough at time for Nix, who reportedly had a miscommunication on one play during minicamp with Dorsett recently, highlighting the fact the rookie still has some work ahead of him. What’s interesting is that fellow quarterback Jared Stidham appears to be gunning for the starting job, as the quarterbacks and receivers are set to put in some work in early July, with those sessions reportedly organized by Stidham. Whether or not the former Patriots QB can rise to the occasion is another story, and one that will be fun to keep an eye on this summer. … The Patriots made a roster move on Tuesday, with former James Madison All-American Liam Fornadel reportedly signing with the team. Fornadel recently played for the DC Defenders in the UFL, and was among the better pass-blocking linemen in the league. He started every game at guard the last two seasons and adds depth to a group that definitely has some question marks heading into training camp. … The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, who covers the Baltimore Ravens, recently noted that former Patriot Malik Cunningham appears to be making progress as a receiver. “With how noncommittal Ravens officials were for much of the offseason about the former quarterback’s role, it was unclear whether he’d even get the opportunity to compete for a roster spot. Cunningham still faces an uphill battle,” writes Zrebiec. “But he hasn’t looked out of place as he’s transitioned to wide receiver. He made a few plays in just about every practice, and he’s shown good awareness and quickness. The amount of one-on-one attention he’s gotten from Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Todd Monken indicates that they see potential in Cunningham at his new position.” … The Patriots clearly have a new player in Cunningham’s role in late-round pick Joe Milton, who isn’t making a position change and has question marks of his own heading into training camp. His reps dropped off dramatically this spring, making his future in New England a little more hazy heading into training camp.
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