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Gronkowski parties like rock star in offseason of frivolity

NEW YORK -- Rob Gronkowski has perfected how to party like a rock star.

He tried to jam like one this month at a video game event -- his latest pit stop in an offseason stuffed with bashes, dancing, and even acting -- and strummed a few chords on guitar in New York.

With a virtual crowd in "Guitar Hero Live" ready to jeer or cheer him depending on whether he hit the right notes, Gronkowski at first fumbled with the buttons.

Unlike his off field frivolity, Gronkowski had to take it down a notch to rock out with his inner Gronk out at a relaunch party for the popular video game series.

"The fans were going wild for me," Gronkowski said after earning virtual kudos. "I loved it on stage."

Gronkowski is center stage wherever he shows up these days. He's out most nights enjoying life full Gronk ahead.

Dancing at an NBA game in Los Angeles. Late night TV appearances. In paparazzi shots wearing shredded pants or corralled by gorgeous women. Even throwing a first pitch at a baseball game.

A Super Bowl ring is nice.

Being Gronk is so much better.

But asked which experience since the Super Bowl have been his favorite, Gronkowski knows exactly what brought him to the dance.

It's football first.

"What stood out was the parade," Gronkowski said. "Everyone was going ham at the same time."

Even as the spotlight grows, he won't change his Gronking style.

"It's been the same since I was a kid," the 25-year-old Gronkowski said. "I'm just being kind and courteous to everyone. I've been dancing and going crazy ever since middle school. It's a lot of fun going out to places, turning it up, having a blast at events and meeting a lot of cool people.

"After the Super Bowl, we just amped it up a lot."

Gronkowski is tearing up the dance floor this offseason at the same rate he chewed up yards on the field, and was even caught twerking on the Clippers' dance cam. Gronk loved to shake it so much he said he would consider a spot on "Dancing With The Stars" down the road.

He played dodgeball on the ice at a minor league hockey game and his late nights out made him a fixture on TMZ's highlight reels. He kept his Gronk spike on the bench when he threw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Angels game.

"Decent fastball, right down the middle," he said. "I was thinking about throwing a knuckleball. Stuck with the fastball and threw a little heat."

He has a cameo in the upcoming "Entourage" movie. In the trailer, Patriots teammate Julian Edelman holds a beer bong for a chugging Gronkowski on a boat, with plenty of swimsuit-clad revelers cheering him on.

"Just had a blast, man," he said. "It was such a surreal moment because I'm such a huge `Entourage' fan."

There could be more acting on deck.

"Football doesn't obviously last forever," he said. "I feel like I could be an action star or something."

Gronk may one day even rival Tom Brady in popularity.

"Tom is the man," he said, smiling. "No doubt about that."

Even Gronk needs a rest. Gronkowski said the "Guitar Hero" event was his final one before offseason workouts started this week.

"You have to get a couple of hours of night when you just want to chill," he said.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL