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August 22, 2006

A busy morning

Where to begin.... while between-games media sessions can often be tedious, today has been anything but, with several items coming out of Bill Belichick's press conference and the locker room access period.

* With last night's trade of offensive lineman Brandon Gorin to Arizona for an undisclosed draft pick, Belichick was asked if that meant second-year tackle Nick Kaczur, who has been on the PUP list since training camp began, is ready to get back on the field, and if that, coupled with rookie Ryan O'Callaghan 's development made Gorin expendable.

"I would expect Nick to be on the field today," Belichick said, later adding that the Ontario native had been put through some tests yesterday and responded well enough for him to begin practicing today.

Kaczur somewhat reluctantly spoke with the media about his return from a shoulder injury and said he's happy with his progress "so far." This was the first injury of the 6-foot-4, 315 pounder's career.

As for O'Callaghan, though Belichick did not say so, it appeared that the fifth-round pick out of California had supplanted Gorin on the depth chart and started Saturday's game against Arizona. Gorin played with the second unit and was whistled for a false start in the fourth quarter on a second-and-goal play from the Cardinals' one-yard line.

* Junior Seau met face-to-face with the media for the first time since signing with New England last week. The 37-year old had spent the first few months of his "graduation" -- he refused to call it a retirement at his press conference just eight days ago -- learning how to surf and said that sport is more difficult than football.

"Without a doubt. It's a different wave every time; you can't watch film," he said.

Seau is wearing number 55, Willie McGinest's number with the Pats, and is in McGinest's old locker. McGinest has been quoted as saying he "reluctantly" agreed to let Seau wear the number when Seau and the Patriots called him.

But McGinest came to wear number 55 because Seau was the player to wear the number before him at USC... so it's all part of the circle.

* Patrick Pass was also seen in the locker room, generally a sign in these parts that a player is going to practice, though Belichick said the fullback is "day-to-day." With Kaczur coming off the PUP, Pass is the only player still on the list.

* Belichick is making his acting debut tonight on the FX series "Rescue Me." He makes a cameo with former Bruins great Phil Esposito. Belichick is a mourner at a funeral who tries to strike up a conversation with Esposito, who is playing a fire chief. Belichick said the opportunity came about because he is friends with show co-star Lenny Clarke and a fan of the show; Clarke told Belichick to visit the set, and when he did, he ended up in a scene.

Was it the first time Belichick has worn makeup? "Unfortunately, no," he said with a smile. "They glopped it on at the Super Bowl this year [where Belichick was a TV analyst]. That's the hardest job in football -- making me look good."

Clarke and show star Dennis Leary are both Massachusetts natives.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 12:39 PM | Permalink