Predictions for the New England Patriots 2019 Season

Game ball on the ground 

Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

With more than 15 years of executive experience in the investment banking industry, James "Jimmy" Ahern serves as a managing partner and the head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company in New York City. In addition to his professional responsibilities, James “Jim” Ahern avidly follows Boston sports, including the Super Bowl 53 Champions, the New England Patriots.

With Tom Brady as quarterback, the New England Patriots have been to the Super Bowl seven times, and have a 5-2 record. This makes the team a top contender in the 2019 season. Here are some predictions for the New England Patriots from top sports news publications.

Patriots Take Rushing Game to New Heights
NBC Sports foresees the Patriots becoming a top-five rushing team, whether due to head coach Bill Belichick's strategizing or as a way to take pressure off of Brady, who is 42 years old. In 2018, the team ranked eighth in the NFL in run-play percentage.

Brady Will Focus on N’Keal Harry
The Patriots took a big loss when receiver Rob Gronkowski left the team at the end of last season. Chowder and Champions predicts N’Keal Harry, the first-round draft pick from Arizona State, will fill the gap.

Top Contenders for Winning AFC
SportingNews.com sees the Patriots easily winning their division. And while it won't go so far as to say the team will definitely win the American Football Conference, it puts them at the front of the pack.

BBBSMB Celebrates Successful Fiscal Year 2018

An accomplished financial executive with more than 15 years of experience, James (Jimmy) Ahern leads as managing partner and head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company. Outside of his work at Laidlaw, James Ahern supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) and serves as a board member of the organization’s charitable foundation. 

BBBSMB recorded another year of significant achievement in fiscal year 2018 (FY2018), serving more than 3,200 youth and matching nearly 1,200 new children with mentors, representing 19 percent growth from the prior fiscal year. Over FY2018, the organization also raised net operating revenue in the amount of $7.8 million, which it used to expand college-mentoring programs and add the New Bedford region to its service areas. BBBSMB additionally continued its joint initiative with Uber, providing “Bigs” free transportation to meet with their ”Littles” in areas that aren’t readily accessible via public transportation. 

The organization’s progress helped it make significant steps toward its goal of serving 5,000 youth annually. In coming years, BBBSMB will look to raise $40 million in funding from diverse and sustainable sources. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, visit www.massbaybigs.org.

Red Sox Affiliate Makes History in the Broadcast Booth

An alumnus of The Northfield Mount Hermon School, James "Jimmy" Ahern has served as managing partner and head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company since 2010. Despite working out of Laidlaw's New York offices, James Ahern is a passionate fan of Boston sports teams, including the Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Women have been receiving more opportunities in sports broadcasting in recent years, yet one Red Sox minor league affiliate is set to make history in that regard. On February 27, the Single-A-Advanced Salem Red Sox announced it had hired Melanie Newman as its play-by-play announcer. Newman will join Suzie Cool who, last season, became the first woman broadcaster in the Carolina League. The two-woman broadcasting team is not only the first of its kind in the Carolina league, but all of professional baseball.

Newman did play-by-play for the Texas Rangers' Double-A affiliate last season and has prior broadcasting experience with GameDay Radio, the ACC Network, and FOX Sports Southwest. She's also a lifetime Red Sox fan. Cool, meanwhile, previously worked as part of the AT&T Sports Network's Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast team.

Despite the historic first, there is still work to be done in providing opportunities for female voices in baseball. There are only four other women broadcasters in MLB and the minor leagues combined.

The Best Players in Boston Red Sox History

Despite residing in New York City, Laidlaw & Company executive James (Jimmy) Ahern enjoys following Boston sports. A fan of the Red Sox, James Ahern cheers on a team whose storied history includes several outstanding athletes. According to experts, the very best players ever to call Fenway Park home are: 

Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martinez spent seven seasons in Boston, during which time he won his second and third Cy Young Awards and compiled a 117-37 record. His 1999 season, in which he finished second in MVP voting, ranks among the most impressive in MLB history. 

David Ortiz

Boston fans could never have predicted that a little-known free agent acquired in January of 2003 would become one of the best players in franchise history. In 14 seasons at Fenway Park, Big Papi made 10 All-Star teams and helped lead the Red Sox to three World Series titles.

Ted Williams

Ted Williams holds distinction the last MLB player to finish a qualifying season with a .400 average. Still considered by some to be the greatest hitter in baseball history, he boasts the best individual statistics of any Red Sox player ever, this despite missing significant time while serving in both World War II and Korea.

Basketball Coach John Carroll Sets Wins Record at NMH

Drawing upon more than 15 years of experience as a financial executive, James Ahern serves as managing partner and head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company, where he primarily raises funds for private and public health care companies. Beyond his work with Laidlaw, James "Jim" Ahern is president of the Northfield Mount Hermon School's (NMH) Basketball Alumni Council for Excellence.

The NMH boys' varsity basketball team scored a victory over St. Thomas More on February 6 and, in the process, the team's head coach, John Carroll, established a new school record for most wins by a coach. He now has 301 career victories as head coach of the basketball team. The previous record of 300 was held by NMH Hall of Famer and Class of 1959 member Bill Batty. Including his time as a player and assistant coach, Carroll, a member of the Class of 1989, has now been part of 428 NMH basketball wins. 

Since taking over as basketball coach in 2001, Carroll has guided the team to its eight most successful seasons in regard to regular season wins, and has led the team to New England Championships in 2012, 2016, and 2018. He was also the coach for the school's only National Championship, which it won in 2013. Moreover, Carroll is a three-time Coach of the Year who earned induction into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

As a player, Carroll was MVP of the team during the 1988-89 season. He went on to become a four-year player at Assumption College, where he holds the school record for most three-point shots made in a career with 342.