I am a huge Rob Gronkowski fan. I have been since his NFL debut in 2010. I remember meeting him at a few events when I was interning for a Boston radio station. I remember meeting him for the first time at the Children’s Hospital Boston on March 3, 2012. I remember this day because it was also my birthday. Plus, who could forget meeting Gronk? He stood right next to me at 6’7”. I am only 5’3”, so I was very intimidated, but he seemed so happy as he spoke with all the sick children. I was excited when he acknowledged me, considering I was just a volunteer. Gronk instantly became my favorite player. Not that I didn’t like him before, but after that moment he would become my favorite Patriot player.
I would later learn about Gronk as a football player. I am a Patriots fan, and I knew as soon as we drafted him that he would make an impact on the team. When I was working retail, I would try to talk football with the girls, but they only knew Wes Welker and Tom Brady, if that. They would give me a hard time when I said things like, “You have no idea what you guys are talking about! Rob Gronkowski is going to be the next big thing! Just wait!” Trying to talk to “pink hat” fans about stats was a useless cause though. So I gave up. Well, I didn’t really give up. I’d point out his stats to them throughout the season. The 2010 season ended and Gronk had scored 10 touchdowns. I knew that he’d get better in the off-season and break that record the next year.
During the off-season, I attended another event for my internship. This event was with Best Buddies and Tom Brady was there playing flag football. The event would raise money for the Kennedy Foundation and for the Special Olympics. I can remember running into Gronk, who did not hesitate to sign autographs for all his fans. I heard a group of people say, “Who the heck is that?” I figured they’d know after one season, but they didn’t! So, I informed them that he was the next big thing and would break records. I don’t think they understood, because they were just there to say they met a football player!
The next football season finally came along, and I decided to invest in a Gronkowski jersey. I went to many different stores. All of which told me the same thing, “He’s not a big enough player for us to print his jersey.” I did not understand how they could carry an Ochocinco jersey, but not a Gronkowski one. I had to call around to a bunch of different stores and then, one snowy night, I finally found one. You can only imagine my excitement! That season, Rob Gronkowski broke the record for the most receiving touchdowns scored by a tight end. This spring, he signed a contract making him the highest paid tight end in NFL history!
Why would I choose to write about Gronk this week? Why would I tell you this very long story? Well, I wasn’t going to write about my favorite player, but I figured it was time. I also need to get something off my chest. I am tired of “PINK HAT” FANS! I have been a true Gronkowski fan since he was a rookie. Now that people see what I see, I can finally say, “I TOLD YOU SO!” So when you’re getting your Dunks in the morning and see Gronk’s cutouts and posters, remember it’s okay for you to join GronkNation. However, please study your facts so you don’t sound stupid. There are people who have been fans of his much longer than you. Don’t be a “pink hat” fan and like Gronk cause he’s “hot”, like him because he’s an amazing football player and a nice guy!
