And those who used to be part of the defunct baseball franchise’s evaluation process certainly are L.J. Collier Jersey , even all these years later.Gone from the game for nearly 15 years, the former club has ties to both quarterbacks in Sunday’s NFL championship game.The Expos traded for Jared Goff’s father, Jerry, nearly three decades ago. Goff made his major league debut for Montreal in 1990 and played 55 games for the team as a backup catcher that year and in 1992.Just a few years later, Montreal drafted another catcher from Northern California, making Tom Brady an 18th-round choice before he decided to stick with football.“I could have ruined the history of the NFL,” former Expos scout John Hughes said with a chuckle, considering what might have been had Brady chosen baseball. “I love it when he goes to the Super Bowl.”Both John Hughes and another former Expos scout, Gary Hughes (no relation) are downright giddy about the game in Atlanta, if not just a little bit torn because they’re thrilled for both quarterbacks.Gary Hughes helped acquire Jerry Goff in 1990 from Seattle and is a fellow graduate, along with Brady, of Serra High School in San Mateo, California. Hughes had yet to fully ponder the pairing when he received a timely text message from a Red Sox scouting colleague.“It’s the Gary Hughes Super Bowl,” Paul Toboni wrote his pal.Hard to argue that one.“I got a kick out of it. He was right on top of that,” Gary Hughes said.Yes, indeed.Gary Hughes, with 52 years in baseball http://www.seahawkscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-marquise-blair-jersey , was working as Marlins scouting director when he evaluated Brady playing baseball for Serra. Before that, Hughes worked as a Bay Area-based Western cross checker for the Yankees when New York drafted Jerry Goff in the 12th round in 1984 out of College of Marin. Later, after Goff was drafted again by the Mariners in the 1986 third round out of the University of California in Berkeley, Hughes was scouting director of the Expos. He watched Goff play Double-A ball in Seattle’s farm system before acquiring the left-handed hitting backstop.John Hughes was the Expos’ Northern California area scout when he pushed for Brady.“As long as Gary doesn’t take credit for drafting him,” John Hughes said of his scouting colleague and friend.John Hughes also worked 12 years on the Cal staff as a pitching coach and had Jerry Goff on the team in Berkeley.The connections run even deeper for Gary Hughes. He taught P.E. and English and served as athletic director during nine years working at Marin Catholic High, where Jared Goff starred.Jerry Goff worked as a firefighter in suburban Millbrae, where one of Hughes’ best friends had been chief, the late scout Dickie Hanlon.“There’s a family feel to it. Jerry went to the College of Marin Hall of Fame. At the same time so did a friend of mine, the first traveling secretary for the Florida Marlins, John ‘The Greek’ Panagakis, who was the College of Marin basketball coach,” Gary Hughes recalled.Just after the Expos selected Brady, he came out to Candlestick Park with Montreal in town to play the Giants. He seemed comfortable in the clubhouse, with John Hughes noting, “He looked like he belonged in the locker room.”That didn’t end up meaning much. Brady took a football scholarship to play at Michigan.The rest is history.“Based upon the way we kind of went about our business and followed him throughout the course of the summer, we obviously felt that he had a career and had a future in baseball. He was an 18th-round draft choice, but he only went in the 18th round because we knew that he had football hanging over his head and that was probably what he was going to do D.K. Metcalf Jersey ,” John Hughes said. “So the quote/unquote sign-ability was going to be very difficult if at all. I don’t know that we ever really truly officially got to the point where we made a pure offer to him just because we never got close to what it would take to sign him. But we viewed him as a guy that had a chance to be an everyday major league catcher. He had a strong arm, he was a left-handed hitter, and he had some power. He was a solid receiver. In a lot of ways it’s kind of what you see now: He was a good athlete, not a great athlete, but he had incredible field presence and was highly competitive, and he commanded his teammates’ attention as a leader behind the plate.”Back when he was watching Brady the catcher, Gary Hughes had no idea what the young man would become in football.“I thought he might sign for baseball. I didn’t know he was going to become Tom Brady,” Gary Hughes said. “He had great size and athletic ability. I saw him play one game, but I cross-checked him and I could see why he certainly was draftable. I didn’t know he had so much going for him in football.”Despite his relationship with Jerry Goff and having watched Jared play a handful of times in high school, Gary Hughes insists he has no choice but to cheer for Brady on Super Bowl Sunday.“I’ve got to go with blue and gold, Serra High,” Gary Hughes said. “It’s got everything to do with the blue and gold.”Then he added: “And that’s not the blue and gold of the Rams.” BOSTON (AP) — The party’s over for Rob Gronkowski. Then again, it might just be getting started.The New England Patriots‘ fun-loving, touchdown-spiking tight end announced Sunday that he is retiring from the NFL after nine mostly dominant, Super Bowl-filled seasons.The four-time All-Pro posted his decision on Instagram , saying that a few months shy of his 30th birthday “it’s time to move forward and move forward with a big smile.”“It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far http://www.seahawkscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-cody-barton-jersey ,” Gronkowski wrote in his post. “I will be retiring from the game of football today.”Drew Rosenhaus, Gronkowski’s agent, confirmed his client’s decision to retire.The playmaking tight end, who turns 30 in May, leaves as a three-time Super Bowl champion who established himself as one of the most dominant players at his position and one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets. His personality — on and off the field — was as big as his biceps, and he always seemed to be the life of the party.“In the nine years that I have known Rob Gronkowski, I have never known him to have a bad day,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “He always has a youthful exuberance about him and is a joy to be around.But Gronkowski has been dogged in recent seasons by back, knee, ankle and arm injuries that have limited his ability to stay on the field.It led him to hint at retirement following New England’s Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to end the 2017 season and again last month after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams.In his Instagram post, Gronkowski thanked the Patriots organization, coach Bill Belichick and New England’s fans for their support during his nine NFL seasons.“Thank you for everyone accepting who I am and the dedication I have put into my work to be the best player I could be,” Gronkowski wrote.Belichick said Gronkowski was a major reason the Patriots won championships.“His production spoke for itself, but his daily attitude, unmistakably positive energy wherever he went and toward whoever he touched will never be forgotten,” Belichick said in a statement.Gronkowski’s teammates also almost immediately began to flood social media with well-wishes.“Love you man!!” Brady wrote on Instagram, along with an emoji of a goat to refer to Gronkowski as the greatest of all-time. “Couldn’t be a better person or teammate!!!!”It was a sentiment shared by receiver Julian Edelman.“The other goat Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey ,” Edelman posted on his Instagram page, also referring to Brady.Though he won’t have the longevity of some of his contemporaries at tight end, Gronkowski is expected to get strong consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when eligible.Gronkowski, a second-round pick in the 2010 draft, had his fourth career 1,000-yard receiving season in 2017 and was an All-Pro for the fourth time that season.But at times he looked like a shell of himself during the Patriots’ Super Bowl run this past season. Gronkowski finished the 2018 regular season with just 47 catches for 682 yards and three touchdowns.He had one of his best games of the season in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Rams, hauling in six catches for 87 yards, including two receptions on New England’s only touchdown drive during their 13-3 victory.A fan favorite in New England for his gregarious and playful persona that included awkward dance moves and touchdown celebrations, Gronkowski was one of the most dominant tight ends of his era.His 12 career postseason touchdown receptions are the most by a tight end in NFL playoff history. His 81 career postseason catches are also best among tight ends.He’ll also retire with 79 career TD catches — regular season and playoffs — which is third all-time by a tight end behind only Antonio Gates (116) and Tony Gonzalez (111).Brady and Gronkowski connected on 78 TD passes. It is the second-most scoring connections between a quarterback and a tight end in NFL history behind only Philip Rivers and Gates (89) and is fifth overall between quarterbacks and all pass-catchers.“Rob will leave an indelible mark on the Patriots organization and the game,” Brady said, “as among the best, most complete players at his position to ever play.”