New England Patriots News

Harsh dose of reality
Comment
February 9
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"The window is closing on Peyton Manning and Sunday night, for perhaps the first time in his career, he sensed it. Manning will be 34 before he and the Indianapolis Colts get another chance to reach the Super Bowl, and there is no guarantee they will make it. Only six quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl at 34 or older and only two have done so in the past 27 seasons, Jim Plunkett (1983) and John Elway (1997, '98). Players who get to the Super Bowl often speak about the importance of winning it because there is little reason to assume you will be back. The Patriots, Cowboys, 49ers and Steelers made a habit of it, but they are not the norm. They are rare exceptions. The Colts, on the other ..."
Bonus could affect Tom Brady talks
Comment
February 9
ESPN.com
 
"With quarterback Tom Brady entering the final year of his contract with the New England Patriots, the sides are expected to negotiate an extension that will likely make him one of the highest paid players in the NFL. The question is when those talks will truly heat up. The presence of a $3 million roster bonus could potentially take negotiations to a higher level. Brady is due the roster bonus on March 5, which is the first official day of the 2010 league year."
Colts now residents of Patriots Way
Comment
February 7
Boston Herald
 columnist Karen Guregian
"One of the qualities often cited in the success of certain Bill Belichick-coached Patriots teams of the championship era was the savvy to win the big games. Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, Willie McGinest, Tom Brady, et al., knew how to play with a lead, as well as how to come from behind. They were masters of the fourth quarter throughout their dynastic run. Those Patriots teams had playmakers, and always seemed to make the right plays at key times to win games. The Colts have displayed a similar knack, especially this season. They have a defense that makes plays even though statistically it may not rank among the best. The Colts have defenders who rise to the occasion. And ..."
A defensive standstill from Belichick
Comment
February 6
Boston Globe
 
"Rather than name a defensive coordinator to replace Dean Pees for the 2010 season, the Patriots will not give the title to an assistant coach. Coach Bill Belichick will be more involved in the defensive planning and play-calling, according to a release on Patriots.com. With the reshuffling of the coaching staff apparently complete, which included keeping all but one offensive assistant, the Patriots will enter next season without offensive or defensive coordinators. "Titles are fine, nothing wrong with them,'' Belichick said in the release. "But the most important thing is each person's role, that we do everything we can to help the players succeed - everyone collectively getting the job ..."
Redemption in mind
Comment
February 6
Boston Globe
 
"Running back Fred Taylor signed with the Patriots last offseason counting on making the same impact he had with the Jaguars for 11 seasons. Instead, he endured a season mostly watching from the sideline. "I feel like I let some people down, including myself,'' Taylor said yesterday at the Super Bowl media center. "But I've got another chance, another opportunity to prove myself.'' Taylor, who turned 34 Jan. 27, assumes he will return to the Patriots to finish his two-year contract. Any running back with 12 years of experience and 11,540 yards on his tires is seemingly a candidate for retirement."
Robert Kraft won't talk about a new Tom Brady deal
Comment
February 6
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots owner Robert Kraft attended yesterday's State of the NFL meeting led by commissioner Roger Goodell, spending time reminiscing that eight years ago the Patriots were celebrating a Super Bowl. Asked if the Pats are poised to return to that elite level, Kraft said, "I hope so. That's the plan." When told that Colts owner Jim Irsay said Manning would be the NFL's highest paid player, Kraft wouldn't discuss a potential deal for quarterback Tom Brady. "I'm not going there," Kraft said. "There's a time and place for that." . . . Patriots running back Fred Taylor admitted his surgically repaired ankle is still not 100 percent. After stopping by radio row yesterday to promote Sprint ..."
Patriots lack coordination
Comment
February 6
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"Bill Belichick had an announcement to make yesterday. He wants his defense to be as uncoordinated next season as his offense was this one. Remember how many times Tom Brady [stats] stormed to the sidelines after calling a timeout because he had no idea what play his coaches wanted him to run or what personnel he needed to get on the field to run it? Remember how the offense began to sputter as the season wore on and it took longer and longer to get in the play call from the sidelines? With yesterday's announcement that Belichick has decided to forego naming both an offensive and defensive coordinator for next season, now you can imagine inside linebacker Jerod Mayo frantically waving his ..."
After losing Pees, Pats decide Belichick will play bigger role on defense
Comment
February 6
Boston Herald
 
"Bill Belichick found the person to run his defense. His name is Bill Belichick. While the Saints and Colts are preparing for Super Bowl XLIV to end the 2009 season, the Patriots have nearly set their coaching staff for 2010. The Patriots will be coordinator-less. Belichick will not hire a defensive coordinator, announcing on patriots.com that his defensive staff is set. Bill O'Brien, the offensive play-caller, has not been named a coordinator, and it does not appear he will be. "Titles are fine, nothing wrong with them," Belichick told the Web site, "but the most important thing is each person's role, that we do everything we can to help the players succeed, everyone collectively getting ..."
NFL players preparing for 2011 lockout
Comment
February 5
Boston Globe
 
"As collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the NFL Players Association and the NFL owners continue to drag, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said he expects the owners to lock out the players before the 2011 season. Chad Ochocinco, representing OCNN, asked the first question of a press conference this afternoon in which the NFLPA laid out their message. He asked Smith how worried he is about a lockout next season. "On a scale of 1 to 10," Smith said, "it's a 14." Smith said he and NFLPA president Kevin Mawae have informed players to save 25 percent of their paychecks in order to prepare for a lockout. Mawae said negotiations for a CBA have been "frustrating" and moved ..."
Thomas: 'It was definitely a frustrating year'
Comment
February 5
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots LB Adalius Thomas appeared this afternoon on "Felger and Massarotti" on 98.5 the Sports Hub, making his first public comments since the season ended. And while he was somewhat vague on the details, he explained where the disconnect between he and the team began. Specifically, Thomas pointed to a meeting he had with Bill Belichick after the season opener against Buffalo. "I had a meeting and I really didn't understand some of the stuff I was told," Thomas said. "So I knew at that point, it was bigger than what was on the surface. It was bigger than that. You guys watch the games. I was used totally different this year than I was last year before I broke my arm. And even last year, ..."
Patriots' Thomas says where it went wrong
Comment
February 5
Boston Globe
 
"The Patriots and linebacker Adalius Thomas have not been in contact since the end of the season, and after yesterday, that seems certain not to change. In an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub, Thomas reiterated that he does not believe he will remain with the Patriots and disclosed the source of tension that disintegrated his relationship with coach Bill Belichick. Thomas, who has two years remaining on a five-year, $35 million contract, said the tumult began in the first week of the regular season. Against the Bills, Thomas played his first game at outside linebacker, a new position, after a broken arm ended his 2008 season early. Thomas and Belichick met the day after the game, and that ..."
Adalius Thomas speaks out again
Comment
February 5
Boston Herald
 
"Adalius Thomas arrived at Super Bowl XLIV's Radio Row yesterday, intent on hawking his marinade, A.D. Licious. The linebacker may also have hastened his already likely exit from the Patriots. Speaking on the "Felger and Massarotti Show" on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Thomas revealed that his rift with coach Bill Belichick began following the narrow-escape win against the Bills in Week 1. Belichick was apparently upset with Thomas' effort that saw him record five tackles and a sack. "It was the play of the Buffalo game, whether or not it was sufficient," Thomas told the show. "I really didn't understand it. It was the first game back, the way some stuff went down. I knew at that point, it was ..."
Welker surgery goes 'perfectly OK'
Comment
February 3
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker is "perfectly OK'' after undergoing surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital yesterday to repair torn ligaments in his knee, said a person with knowledge of the surgery. Welker tore both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the regular-season finale against Houston Jan. 3. In the month since the injury, Welker has waited to have the surgery to allow his MCL to heal to protect against an infection."
Something to be said for QB-coordinator synergy
Comment
February 3
Boston Herald
 
"People who hang out around Peyton Manning and Tom Moore claim they finish each other's sentences, they've become that close. Quarterbacks and offensive coordinators should be so lucky. On the field, Colts offensive guru Moore has enough trust in Manning that he allows his QB to change plays and do pretty much what he wants within the framework of his system. That's what having the same offensive coordinator your entire NFL career will do for you. That's what continuity gives the quarterback and the offense. "Our relationship is quite strong," Manning yesterday said of Moore during Super Bowl Media Day. "We have been through a lot together. I have great trust in him. I feel like I have ..."
CFLer on radar
Comment
February 3
Boston Herald
 (scroll down)
"The Pats will meet tomorrow with Ricky Foley, the Canadian Football League's sack leader this season, in an effort to bolster their pass rush. Foley, whose agent Paul Sheehy announced the meeting, is a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder with 20 sacks the past three seasons. He had 12 sacks in 2009."
Wes Welker's surgery a success
Comment
February 3
Boston Herald
 
"Away from South Florida, Patriots receiver Wes Welker underwent successful surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee, two sources told the Herald. The surgery was performed by team doctor Thomas Gill at Mass. General Hospital. This comes 30 days after Welker tore his ACL and MCL in Houston. The All-Pro waited to allow the MCL to heal. Now, Welker faces a rehabilitation process of at least six months, meaning it might be difficult for him to be ready by the start of the 2010 season."
Moss played through injury
Comment
February 2
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss this season endured more than the criticism that hovered over him after his effort in a game against the Panthers was questioned. Moss separated his shoulder in Week 5 against the Broncos, according to a league source. The injury didn't sideline Moss for any games, although he pulled out of the Pro Bowl after making the team as an alternate. The source was not certain whether the separated shoulder would require surgery; the typical course of treatment is rest."
Randy Moss played through seperated shoulder in '09
Comment
February 2
Boston Herald
 
"Randy Moss acknowledged playing through a severe back problem during the Patriots [team stats]' Week 3 win against the Atlanta Falcons. According to a league source, the wide receiver also played through many games with a separated shoulder, an injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. The shoulder injury, not the bad back or weary knees, was the reason Moss backed out of Sunday's Pro Bowl. "Randy did not play in the Pro Bowl because of a shoulder injury," Patriots spokesman Stacey James confirmed, adding that only Moss or the coaching staff were at liberty to discuss the nature or severity of that injury. Moss turned up on the injury report the Wednesday following the Oct. ..."
Source: Moss separated shoulder
Comment
February 1
ESPN.com
 
"Wide receiver Randy Moss was diagnosed with a separated shoulder following the Patriots' season and that was the reason he did not play in the Pro Bowl, a league source said on Monday. The severity of the injury is not known, although rest alone can often heal a separated shoulder. Moss had surfaced on the injury report with a shoulder ailment three days after the Patriots' 20-17 overtime loss to the Broncos on Oct. 11. He remained on the injury report because of the shoulder through Nov. 6, although he played through the injury. Moss had taken himself out of the Broncos' game for two plays after a 36-yard reception in the third quarter. On the play, in which he caught a pass over the ..."
Super opponents told story
Comment
February 1
Boston Globe
 
"Vince Wilfork said Friday the two teams in Super Bowl XLIV are the best the Patriots played in 2009. But really, to New England, the Saints and Colts games offered more symbolism than simply being the most significant speed bumps on the way to a 10-6 season. Those games, in fact, tell the difference between the Patriots of this year and those that won Super Bowls."
Lineman Wilfork wants to go long
Comment
January 31
Boston Globe
 
"Vince Wilfork is firm in his stance. He wants a long-term deal, and he doesn't want to wait for it. But that doesn't mean he isn't aware that this is a business situation, and nothing personal. Asked if he was angry with the Patriots, Wilfork responded swiftly and decisively. "No,'' he said. "Not at all.'' Wilfork, here yesterday practicing with the AFC for tonight's Pro Bowl, spoke out earlier in the week on the possibility that the Patriots will designate the nose tackle their franchise player in February, in essence taking him off the free agent market while giving him no guarantee of long-term security."
Re-U-nion for Brandon Meriweather
Comment
January 31
Boston Herald
 
"Brandon Meriweather promises a celebration. If he makes an interception, if he "takes it to the crib," the Patriots safety swears he will finally let it all hang out. He may dance, he may shimmy, he may strut. If excessive celebration doesn't enhance Meriweather's first Pro Bowl experience, it will at least allow him to return to his roots. That's what the week has been about for the former University of Miami star, anyway. Surrounded by friends, family members and 10 other ex-Hurricanes, Meriweather is right at home in the game's first appearance in South Florida since 1975. "It's been everything I hoped for and more," Meriweather said as he scribbled his name on a child's Miami jersey ..."
Patriots doing some pregame grilling
Comment
January 31
Boston Herald
 
"The scouting departments of all 32 NFL teams descended on Mobile, Ala., last week to evaluate some of the finest college talent in the country in advance of yesterday's Senior Bowl. The Patriots had their eyes on quite a few prospects and brought in many for interviews. If you're the type that would love to be a fly on the wall during one of these sessions, Herald colleague Ian R. Rapoport has some news for you. In Mobile early in the week, Rapoport asked several players for their impressions of interviews with Patriots staffers. "They come at you hard," Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon said. "They want to hear, you know what I'm saying, they want to see you draw plays, they ..."
Brown returns ready to assist with Patriots defense
Comment
January 30
Boston Globe
 
"Still undecided on who will coordinate their defense, the Patriots added former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Corwin Brown to their defensive coaching staff yesterday. Brown reportedly will take over as defensive backs coach, but a team spokesman said his official title has not been decided. Brown, a former safety who spent the first four seasons of his eight-year NFL career with the Patriots, has been coaching since 2001, including three years with the Jets. Brown has deep ties to Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Brown was playing safety for the Patriots in 1996 when Belichick joined Bill Parcells's staff as defensive backs coach. Brown told Belichick he wanted to coach after he was done ..."
Tight ends coach leaves Patriots
Comment
January 30
Boston Globe
 
"The overhaul of the Patriots coaching staff is ongoing, and now another domino has fallen ... Tight ends coach Shane Waldron has left the team for what I'm told are "other opportunities". Waldron replaced Pete Mangurian, who left last year to become offensive line coach with the Bucs, in 2009. He was a quality control assistant in 2008, having come from ex-Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis' Notre Dame staff, where Waldron was a grad assistant. The production of the tight ends was scrutinized in 2009, with the position combining for 43 catches, though both Benjamin Watson (a pending free agent) and Chris Baker were valuable as blockers in the running game."
Wilfork joining Samuel tag team?
Comment
January 30
Boston Globe
 
"Shortly after Vince Wilfork boarded the AFC Pro Bowl team bus after yesterday's practice and it rolled away, the NFC pulled up at St. Thomas Aquinas High School's practice field. One of the last players to climb off was Asante Samuel. The Eagles cornerback joked with a pair of friends, shouted to the crowd, and fidgeted with a cellphone clipped to his shorts. Wilfork and Samuel will share the field during the NFL's annual exhibition tomorrow. In time, they may share another distinction - being a homegrown player the Patriots have angered and alienated by designating them with the franchise tag. Samuel, appearing in his third straight Pro Bowl, has occupied the same career crossroads ..."
Corwin Brown joins Patriots defense, Shane Waldron leaves team
Comment
January 30
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots have beefed up their defensive coaching staff, but now have a hole to fill on the offensive side. Corwin Brown, a former Patriots draft pick who played four seasons with the team, was announced yesterday as an assistant on defense. Meanwhile, tight ends coach Shane Waldron, who was in his first year in the role, has left the team. The move, which has not yet been announced, apparently was mutual. The vacant defensive coordinator position has not been filled. It was not specified what position Brown would coach, though his expertise and experience is in the defensive backfield. Brown played safety during his eight NFL seasons and coached defensive backs for the Jets from ..."
Wilfork: 'Just want to have security'
Comment
January 29
ESPN.com
 
"A day after saying he would be insulted if the New England Patriots put the franchise tag on him, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said it would be a "dream come true" to play for either the Miami Dolphins or Tampa Bay Buccaneers if things didn't work out in New England. Speaking with a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter Thursday while in Miami preparing for Sunday's Pro Bowl, Wilfork also repeated his desire for a long-term deal that he feels is commensurate with his market value. "I love great weather. I love football. It doesn't matter where I play," Wilfork told the Sun-Sentinel. "I just want to have security for my family. I would love to stay in New England if I had the chance. I ..."
Patriots paying the price for losing valuable assets
Comment
January 29
Boston Globe
 
"One way or another the Patriots are going to pay for Vince Wilfork. They're either going to give in to the Pro Bowl nose tackle's desire for a long-term contract or they're going to pay dearly down the road for his absence in the middle of their 3-4 defense. Franchising Wilfork is like handing him a one-way ticket out of Foxborough. He made that clear yesterday with his comments on WEEI-AM, equating the franchise tag to a slap in the face. (The Patriots have between Feb. 11 and Feb. 25 to designate Wilfork as their franchise player.) Barring an unforeseen change in the financial philosophy in Foxborough, Wilfork will be slapped with the tag and then feel disenfranchised by and disenchanted ..."
Wilfork would play for Bucs, Dolphins
Comment
January 29
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork is in Miami for the Pro Bowl. As he has in the past, Wilfork, a Boyton Beach, Fla., native, let it be known to a Dolphins writer that he's open to the idea of playing all of his games in Florida. This time he expanded the field to include not only the Dolphins, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, saying playing in Florida would be "a dream come true." However, he also said "he would love to stay in New England." Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel caught up with Wilfork today and the big nose tackle continued his case for a new contract after being a good solider last year. Wilfork said he has been trying to get a new contract with the Patriots for ..."
Patriots: Finding an edge
Comment
January 29
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots may use their first-round pick in the April draft to enhance their ability to rush the passer. The team ranked just 23rd in sacks this season, while also suffering when teams ran off-tackle. With Adalius Thomas and Tully Banta-Cain [stats] potentially leaving, the Pats may overhaul the edges of their defense. With the Pats sitting at No. 22 and in possession of three second-round picks, here are five players who could fill the void at end or outside linebacker: Player-Team-Pos.-Size-Key stat-Skinny Sergio Kindle-Texas-LB-6-4, 255-10 sacks in 2008-A freakish athlete who can rush and cover, as Thomas should have done Everson Griffen-USC-DE-6-3, 280-7 sacks in 2009-Crazy speed ..."
Patriots in a rush for help
Comment
January 29
Boston Herald
 
"Brandon Graham isn't in the dark about the Patriots [team stats]' past interest in Michigan linebackers. He rattles off the names with ease, beginning with Shawn Crable and Pierre Woods, even remembering the short stint of Prescott Burgess. If Graham needed more help understanding what coach Bill Belichick targets, Woods offered some advice to the college defensive end, who would be an outside linebacker if he lands on a 3-4 team. "(Woods) just gave me some insight and said they love a high-motor guy," said Graham, after a recent practice with the Senior Bowl's North team. "Keep running to the ball and don't stop. The Patriots, that'd be a great fit." It's never clear who the Pats will ..."
Patriots make social calls on players
Comment
January 28
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots scouting department is doing more than interviewing prospects this week. According to several players, the Pats contingent is also counseling them about the evils of various forms of social media. The Patriots voices, led by that of director of college scouting Jon Robinson, have cautioned that the image the players present on Facebook, Twitter and other forms of communication can have a lasting impact. "They talk about social media and everything about that - it was a good meeting," said Missouri linebacker Sean Witherspoon, who plays an inside role similar to the one currently filled on the Pats defense by Gary Guyton. "They were saying that you got a lot of guys who do a ..."
Wes Welker surgery set for Tuesday
Comment
January 28
Boston Herald
 
"Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has set Tuesday as the date for surgery to repair the left knee he blew out in the final regular-season game against Houston, according to a league source. The surgery is scheduled at Massachusetts General Hospital. Welker tore both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments during the Jan. 3 loss. So the reported Feb. 2 surgery takes place roughly one month after the injury. During an appearance on a radio show recently, Welker indicated the intention was to allow the MCL to heal before heading into surgery to fix the ACL. That was the same protocol for quarterback Tom Brady, who suffered a similar injury, only the surgery took place before the ..."
Vince Wilfork, time to hold out
Comment
January 28
Boston Herald
 
"I'm Vince Wilfork. I saddled myself with a ridiculous six-year rookie deal, but I took my medicine. I did the right thing: I played it out, I played for my team, I played for my teammates, I played through injury. I honored the contract like I said I would, and now I'm in Miami preparing for my second Pro Bowl. And I didn't just slide in the backdoor because a bunch of people dropped out. I earned this, just like the last time. I've said and done all of the right things. There were no holdouts. I may have missed some optional team activities, but that was just so they knew I wasn't a robot and wouldn't be down the road. I don't know if it's bad business to sign me to a long-term deal with ..."
Welker sets date for his surgery
Comment
January 28
Boston Globe
 
"Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has scheduled surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee and will undergo the operation Tuesday at Massachusetts General Hospital, according to an NFL source. Welker tore both the anterior cruciate and the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the final game of the regular season against the Houston Texans. The surgery will come roughly one full month after the injury."
Wilfork: Pats haven't called about deal
Comment
January 27
ESPN.com
 
"Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said Wednesday he would consider it a "slap in the face" if the New England Patriots placed the franchise tag on him, an action the team is expected to take if a long-term extension is not reached. "I want a long-term deal or I want to be free. Point blank," Wilfork said during an interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. Wilfork, who has been vocal since before the season about his desire for an extension, just completed the last season of a six-year rookie contract and is in line for a hefty raise and a long-term deal if he hits the open market. The Patriots, however, could prevent him from doing so if they place the franchise tag on him, which they ..."
Brady must apply pocket pressure to Patriots
Comment
January 27
Boston Globe
 
"Before Patriots quarterback Tom Brady started playing flag football yesterday with 20 Boston-area kids as part of a charitable promotion sponsored by smartwater, he gathered the children in a huddle at center court of the Tobin Community Center gym and attempted to offer some incentive, beyond catching a pass from an iconic NFL QB, for the first touchdown. "Whoever scores a touchdown gets...we'll have to come up with something," said Brady. Right then one of the children blurted out, "Money.""
Tackle sheds light on injuries
Comment
January 27
Boston Globe
 
"During a radio interview yesterday, Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light revealed why he missed the middle portion of the season. Against the Broncos in Week 5, Light dislocated his left kneecap and damaged his medial collateral ligament, he said on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning.'' "It does sound a little awful,'' Light said. "But you take a little time after you fire everything back up. You have little wizards that work on you. You're in the training room every day. And you got back out there.'' Light, who missed five games over six weeks, said the dislocation was less severe than it could have been. After the kneecap dislocated, it popped back into place."
No surgery yet for Wes Welker
Comment
January 27
Boston Herald
 
"Twenty-three days after Wes Welker's left knee exploded on the turf at Houston's Reliant Stadium, the Patriots receiver still has not had surgery. A source with knowledge of his situation told the Herald that Welker purposely is waiting for the procedure to be performed, allowing time for his MCL to heal. Welker also tore his ACL on Jan. 3 in the loss to the Texans. Welker released a statement 20 days ago, saying, "I plan on coming back the player I was and much more." Fourteen days ago, he told WWLS Radio in Oklahoma City, "We're just taking our time right now to wait on (the MCL) to heal and make sure that we exhaust all the options.""
Light shed on season
Comment
January 27
Boston Herald
 
"Matt Light went on a full tour of ESPN shows yesterday, and during the first of many stops, divulged that the knee injury he suffered in Week 5 at Denver, forcing him to miss the next five games, was a dislocated left kneecap. The Patriots left tackle also indicated he suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament on the play during his first appearance of the day on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" show. "I dislocated my knee cap and got a little bit of the MCL," Light said. "It does sound a little awful. But you take a little time after you fire everything back up. You have little wizards that work on you. You're in the training room every day, and you got back out there." ..."
Brady's injuries are healing well
Comment
January 26
Boston Globe
 
"At first, most of the 20 kids playing flag football yesterday at the Tobin Community Center didn't notice when the tall man walked into the gym and ambled to the middle of the court. A few stopped, stared, and staggered toward him, as if compelled by a magnetic force. Slowly, they all realized what was happening: Tom Brady had come to visit them. Brady would rather have postponed the visit to Roxbury by a couple of weeks and been in Foxborough, preparing for a Super Bowl return instead of making a charitable appearance. But the Patriots' first-round playoff loss placed him in the unfamiliar position of spectator and forced him to confront the offseason's issues sooner than he hoped."
Grateful city kids on receiving end
Comment
January 26
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots are looking for some receiving help. Too bad Brandon Guerrero wasn't a bit older. The 9-year-old from Dorchester easily pulled in a long Tom Brady bomb yesterday during a flag football session the Patriots quarterback held with a gymful of adoring youth at the Tobin Community Center. Brady made a surprise visit to the Roxbury facility to make a $30,000 donation that benefitted Boston Centers for Youth & Families. He had teamed with smartwater to create the "smartwater zero sack give back" initiative. Smartwater had pledged $5,000 for each game Brady finished without being sacked. So yesterday he dropped in for a visit, talked with the kids, autographed their No. 12 smartwater ..."
Tom Brady tosses around Pats, future key topics
Comment
January 26
Boston Herald
 
"Two teams are going to the Super Bowl, and Tom Brady doesn't play quarterback for either of them. That fact clearly doesn't sit well with the Patriots quarterback. With a little time to sit back and reflect, and also to watch the games the past few weeks, Brady is well aware how the Pats compare with Super Bowl finalists Indianapolis and New Orleans. He knows the Pats don't measure up. He hopes his teammates also have taken stock of that. "You never want to rationalize a season. But in reality, we didn't deserve (to go to the Super Bowl). We didn't earn it, which (looking at) the teams that are in, they earned it," Brady said yesterday during a charity appearance at the Tobin Community ..."
Patriots' Gary Guyton truly a gem
Comment
January 24
Boston Herald
 
"With the season over, Gary Guyton has gotten away. He returned to his home in a suburb of Savannah, Ga., to his life without Patriots football. The inside linebacker said he hasn't been following the search to replace Dean Pees as defensive coordinator, nor has he been dwelling on the playoff drubbing at the hands of the Ravens. "This whole offseason is just about relaxing a little bit, taking time to see family and friends - that's what's important to me," said Guyton, the Georgia Tech product. "Besides that, gradually get back to working out, doing what I can to get my body back in top performance shape." Yet Guyton took a break from taking a break, flying up yesterday for a charity ..."
Champs of an era
Comment
January 24
Boston Herald
 
"OK, so the decade ended more than three weeks ago, and this argument was probably exhausted before it began, but as Patriots fans watch the dreaded Colts playing the even more dreaded Jets in the AFC Championship Game today, it's worth revisiting the "NFL Team of the Decade" debate even if only for the sake of some midwinter solace. The Colts like to fancy themselves as the standard-bearer of the "aughts" or "00s" or whatever you want to call it. And they will point to their 115 regular-season victories in the decade -- a total that eclipsed the previous NFL record of 113 set by the San Francisco 49ers of the 1990s. The folly in that accounting, however, is that it excludes wins from the ..."
Patriots don't raise prices
Comment
January 23
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots will not increase ticket prices for the 2010 season, according to spokesman Stacey James. Following a 2009 that ended with a one-and-done playoff run, fans will not have to pay more to attend games at Gillette Stadium next year. That's no surprise. For the third consecutive season, the premier, 50-yard-line seats will cost $169. Owner Robert Kraft's policy is to never raise prices two years in a row. Instead, dollar figures stay the same for several consecutive years, then will increase, say, 30 percent in one year. This time of year, franchises regularly announce annual increases for season ticket-holders. The Green Bay Packers raised their prices by an average $9 per ticket ..."
Bill Belichick puts Patriots free agents on hold
Comment
January 22
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots are in a holding pattern with many, if not all, of their free agents. Coach Bill Belichick told at least two of his players without contracts for 2010 that he will address their status in early February, sources said. Barring an unexpected turn of events, the belief is the rest of them also received that message. The team has nine unrestricted free agents, including nose tackle Vince Wilfork, cornerback Leigh Bodden, tight end Benjamin Watson, defensive end Jarvis Green and running back Kevin Faulk. Guard Logan Mankins and kicker Stephen Gostkowski, both Pro Bowlers, will be restricted free agents if, as expected, there is an uncapped year. Players such as Bodden, Green and ..."
Darrelle Revis fires final salvo at Randy Moss
Comment
January 21
Boston Herald
 
"Did New York Jets shutdown corner Darrelle Revis really mean it when he called Randy Moss a "slouch" on Sunday? Or, was he just having a little fun at the Patriot receiver's expense? On Sunday, Revis and the NFL Network's Deion Sanders played a little word association. Sanders threw out the names of several of the league's finest receivers. While Cincinnati's Chad Ochocinco was deemed a "competitor" by Revis, and Houston's Andre Johnson a "beast," both the names of Terrell Owens and Moss elicited the "slouch" response. When asked to define "slouch," Revis answered, "You know what a slouch means." Someone who dogs it? Doesn't give his all every play? "I don't need to speak on it anymore. I ..."
Identity with an attitude
Comment
January 21
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots had the quarterback, the coach and the rings. Yet it was the New York Jets who were better equipped to reach the AFC Championship Game. How could that be? A few members of Gang Green think they have a pretty good idea of what separated them from the Pats, as well as everyone else in the AFC East. They broke it down, providing a decent explanation of why they're about to tackle Peyton Manning & Co. for the right to go to the Super Bowl, while Bill Belichick's boys are nothing more than couch potatoes. Offensive lineman Damien Woody talked about the Jets being strong in areas the Pats are not. He raved about his club's top-ranked running game with Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. ..."