Here are today’s top\u00a0stories.<\/p>\n
Plenty of Questions Remain About Hernandez –\u00a0<\/strong>The surprise news surrounding the death of Aaron Hernandez kicked things off on Wednesday, and as news began to come out with the details surrounding his death, it had a similar feel to when he was first arrested and charged with the murder of Odin Lloyd back in 2013.<\/p>\n That June afternoon back in 2013 was unbelievable. \u00a0It was followed by most here in New England on Twitter as\u00a0one by one, the news began to emerge fast and furious with all the reports from all the reporters who were following the story. \u00a0Most had spent the week camped outside his house, with many wondering if what police had suspected about the star tight end was true while waiting for something to happen.<\/p>\n Eventually, they got what they had been waiting for and when the news broke that he was being charged with murder, it came as a shock to every person in New England who had likely been hoping the rumors didn’t hold merit.<\/p>\n Within minutes from the moment he was officially charged with murder, his time in New England ended almost immediately when the Patriots wasted no time in cutting him.<\/p>\n His release came on the heels of a $40 million extension he had signed just over a year earlier, which should have ensured a bright future in the NFL and a new start for Hernandez. \u00a0Unfortunately, money wasn’t enough to keep him out of trouble and it all ended in an arrest at the home where he should have been focusing on enjoying his family and his football career.<\/p>\n But, just like that,\u00a0it all ended in an instant. \u00a0It took little time for police to close in on the veteran tight end, having pieced together the timeline of events leading up to the death of Lloyd so perfectly that as we learned the details of all the evidence, it was overwhelming. \u00a0The more we learned, the more everyone was shocked to find out that the same exciting player they all rooted for was not who any of us thought.<\/p>\n The news was certainly hard to believe, but the facts were chilling. \u00a0Hernandez had gunned a man down in cold blood, the same man who looked like an exciting piece to New Engalnd’s future, with one of the only players to be caught on camera getting some love from Bill Belichick during a funny moment<\/strong><\/a>. \u00a0Who would have ever expected this from him?<\/p>\n Eventually, his conviction solidified everyone’s suspicions, which even to this day are a little tough to fathom. \u00a0Up until his victory in court last Friday, he had more or less faded out of the picture since he was still in prison serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. \u00a0 Hernandez’ life was effectively over, and after taking his own life,\u00a0the young family that should have been his focus are now left with questions of what could have been. \u00a0But more importantly, so are the loved ones of the victims he took down with him and the lives he destroyed prior to his death.<\/p>\n They’ll have a tiny bit of closure knowing he’s gone. \u00a0As for Hernandez, his family and those close to him will be forced to\u00a0wonder how he ever got to the point to make him select the life he chose and if they could have done anything to prevent it.<\/p>\n It’s a tragic end to a story where no one involved had a chance for a happy ending. \u00a0Now he’ll be nothing more than a cautionary tale, but hopefully, if nothing else, his death will prevent at least one person or player from going down the wrong road while ensuring history never again repeats itself.<\/p>\n Visit to the White House Leads to A Bit of Trolling By the New York Times<\/strong> – Despite Tom Brady being a last-minute cancellation<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>due to what he called a “personal family matter”, the Patriots still had a strong turnout for their visit to the nation’s capital but that didn’t stop the New York Times from stirring the pot a bit.<\/p>\n They posted a comparative photo of New England’s visit from 2015 vs the one that occurred Wednesday afternoon, which on the surface looked like a smaller turnout.<\/p>\n Patriots' turnout for President Obama in 2015 vs. Patriots' turnout for President Trump today: https:\/\/t.co\/OxMEOqZonI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pLmJWhOw1j<\/a><\/p>\n — NYT Sports (@NYTSports) April 19, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n