Traina Thoughts: Patriots Vs. TB12 Is The Best Feud In Sports Right Now

The New England Patriots reportedly didn't want a reporter to run a feature on how Rob Gronkowski has benefited from the TB12 Method.

Author:
Jimmy Traina
Publish date:
Feb 28, 2018

1. Maybe it's just me, but I can't get enough of these stories that keep popping up about the Patriots reportedly having issues with the TB12 Method.

The latest tale goes something like this: Providence Journal beat writer, Mark Daniels claims that New England did not want him to write a story this past season about how Rob Gronkowski has benefited from using the TB12 Method. The TB12 Method is the diet and workout program designed by Tom Brady's friend/guru/sensei/whatever, Alex Guerrero. According to the TB12 website, the TB12 Method is Brady's "holistic approach to achieving sustained peak performance."

Gronk decided to become a TB12 convert before last season and last month, Daniels wrote this feature about the tight end having great success with the program. Apparently, the Patriots were not thrilled.

While the Patriots being paranoid and controlling is juicy enough, there's obviously a deeper storyline here. What is going on with the Pats and Tom Brady? And why are the Patriots going out of their way to anger Gronk?

The Patriots clearly don't want any part of the TB12 Method. Bill Belichick reduced Guerreo's access to the team last season, banning him from the sidelines and team flights. Belichick also stated at a press conference last year that Guerrero is not part of the organization and he "works at TB12." Seth Wickersham suggested that the TB12 method was one of the causes for the friction between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in his January ESPN story.

Now it's revealed that the Patriots tried to kill a positive story about the TB12 Method. How does Brady feel about this? Should the Patriots be careful about pissing off the greatest quarterback of all time? Why are the Patriots even wasting time trying to kill stories about Rob Gronkowski's workout routine?

There are rumblings that Gronk has considered retirement. Whether that's true or not, at the least, Gronk was reportedly unhappy last season, in part because the Patriots didn't want him to train a certain way.

The battle between TB12 and the Patriots seems far from over and I, for one, will enjoy watching the battle play out.

2. Johnny Manziel has revealed what exactly happened when he made the absurd decision to fly to Vegas the day before a game during his time with the Browns. The story is both surreal and sad.

3. Leonard Fournette would like Blake Bortles to use some of the $54 million he was just given to buy some Altoids.

4. Poor J.J. Watt. The guy helps raise more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and now he has to deal with a person who makes penis cakes unfairly calling him out on Twitter about his efforts.

5. The NFL is getting a lot of publicity because it's trying to fix the catch rule. However, there are two other possible rule changes that could have significant impact.

Making all pass interference penalties 15 yards is a good move. Heaving a pass 60 yards just to get a cheap PI should only be allowed in Madden. However, more illegal contact penalties will be a disaster. There is hand contact on every pass attempt. If they start calling it all the time, games will be four hours long.

6. FYI, he's not your double-play partner and you are not on the team.

7. RANDOM WRESTLING VIDEO OF THE DAY: If you were a WWE fan during the "Attitude Era" you must watch this deleted scene from 1999's Beyond the Mat on the debut of Mick Foley's "Dude Love" character. Lots of great backstage footage here.

Traina Thoughts is the best of the Internet, plus musings by SI.com writer, Jimmy Traina. Get the link to a new Traina's Thoughts each day by following on Twitter and liking on Facebook. Catch up on previous editions of Traina Thoughts right here. And check out Jimmy Traina's weekly podcast, "Off The Board."

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