The Patriots aren't the only football team around here

Chris Faraone recounts a season with the Boston Bandits, a "semipro" team (players actually pay to play), whose most famous player got that way only by being shot to death, allegedly by Aaron Hernandez.

After driving north in slush and grayness for close to three hours, the Bandits expect some relief once they arrive and unload. Despite being the same field where they lost to a different Maine team in last year’s playoffs, the Deering High School home of the Raging Bulls is more inviting than other NEFL facilities due to an equipment shed for visitors to use as a locker room. A few of the players mentioned this to me ahead of time, seemingly excited about the prospect of at least being able to change out of the rain. When they arrive, though, there’s a golf cart taking up most of the shack, and the Bandits can’t all fit inside at once, so Alvin and a bunch of others huddle around a kerosene heater they brought.