Wednesday, April 15, 2015, Patriot’s Nation lets out a long-awaited exhale. Why have they been holding their breath? Maybe some of them believed he was going to get off, it’s been a pattern in his life. But most already knew what the jury confirmed to be true, Aaron Hernandez is guilty of first degree murder for the death of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez is being sentenced to life in prison without parole. And has also been found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Hernandez has been sliding under the punishment radar for years now. Coaches have let his run in with drugs and even the law take a back seat when it comes to playing the game. For some reason or another, he would always be given a break. Why? It’s the talent. Hernandez made bad decisions off the field, but on the field he knew exactly what he was doing. His signing year, he was the youngest player in the NFL. He was a gifted football player, and coaches probably hoped he would grow out of it and let the game pull him through.
Unfortunately, his breaks are up. Football failed to help him turn his life around. Consequentially, Hernandez will have to face the decisions he has made.
This is where I take off my reporter cap and remove myself from the Patriot’s Nation. This is where I speak to the community I have come from because Aaron and I come from the same place. I grew up thinking, wow, this kid made it out of Bristol and is doing big things. It inspired me! As crazy as that sounds now, especially today. My local newspaper even had a page of the sports section dedicated to Aaron called the Hernandez Line. That’s where you could stay up to date on what he was doing. I wonder what the title under the Hernandez Line would read today. He was never a bad kid, he just grew into a man who made poor choices. Today, instead of referring to him as a professional NFL tight end for the New England Patriots, from now on he will be known as a murderer.
The Pitch 