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"Every day is a holiday"

Hey all --

This is not Patriots-related, but it's NFL related, and, more importantly, it's human related.

This article from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune tells the story of former Vikings safety Orlando Thomas, a man with a spirit as big as his body was in his playing prime.

Thomas is just 34 but suffers from ALS -- Lou Gehrig's Disease -- and it has taken away much of his physical faculties in a very short amount of time, and now he even struggles to speak.

It is not only well-written, but a beautiful story. "Every day is a holiday" was Thomas' favorite phrase when he played and somehow it still is today, despite what ALS has done to his body.

I dare you not to be moved by it.

shalise

(Props to bostonsportsmedia.com for posting the link initially, which is where we found it.)

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Tippett headed to Iowa Hall

Patriots Hall of Famer Andre Tippett will be inducted into the University of Iowa's Hall of Fame this fall, the National Iowa Varsity Club and the school's athletic department have announced.

Tippett, who played for the Hawkeyes from 1980-81, is one of five former student-athletes that will be honored on Sept. 8, when Iowa plays Syracuse.

Tippett was named a Consensus First Team All-American his senior season and was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection.He currently holds the Iowa records for most tackles for loss in a season and career. Tippett led the. Big Ten in sacks for a loss with 20 for 153 yards as a junior and was a member of Iowa’s 1981 Rose Bowl Team as a senior. 

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Pats sign two defensive linemen; release Tony Case

The New England Patriots signed free agent defensive linemen Rashad Moore and Kenny Smith today. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed. Additionally, the Patriots released first-year long snapper Tony Case.

Moore, 28, is entering his fourth NFL season and has played in 48 career games with 18 starts for the Seattle Seahawks (2003-04) and New York Jets (2006). The 6-foot-3-inch, 325-pound defensive lineman has recorded 87 career tackles (62 solo), 3.0 sacks, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries. Last season with the Jets, Moore played in 13 games and recorded 11 tackles (8 solo) and a forced fumble. The University of Tennessee product was originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round (183rd overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with six starts for the Seahawks and totaled 30 tackles (20 solo), including one sack and a fumble recovery. He broke into the lineup as a regular starter for Seattle in 2004, starting 12 of 16 games and totaling a career-high 46 tackles (32 solo), including two sacks, two passes defensed and three fumble recoveries. He was released by the Seahawks following their 2005 training camp and did not play during the 2005 season. Moore was signed by the Oakland Raiders on March 28, 2006, but was waived by Oakland following 2006 training camp (9/2/06) and claimed off waivers by the Jets the following day.

Smith, 29, is entering his sixth NFL season after spending five seasons with the New Orleans Saints (2001-04) and Oakland Raiders (2005). The 6-foot-4-inch, 303-pound defensive lineman has played in 30 career games with 10 starts and has recorded 69 career tackles (56 solo), 4.5 sacks, two passes defensed and two fumble recoveries. The University of Alabama product was originally drafted by the Saints in the third round (81st overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He appeared in six games as a rookie for New Orleans and totaled eight tackles (7 solo). In 2002, Smith saw action in nine games with one start and notched 19 tackles (17 solo), including 3.5 sacks, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery. The following season, he set career highs with nine starts in 15 games while compiling 42 tackles (32 solo), including one sack, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery. Smith spent the 2004 season on injured reserve with the Saints, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Oakland Raiders on March 31, 2005. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve by Oakland and missed the entire 2005 season. After spending the 2006 season out of football, Smith was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent on March 7, 2007 and was released by the Buccaneers on April 30, 2007.

Case, 24, was signed by the Patriots on April 25, 2007. He attended Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo., and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2004. The 6-foot-2-inch, 285-pound long snapper was signed by the Bills on April 30, 2004 and was released on June 18, 2004. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb., helping to coach the team’s offensive line and long snappers. Case has also played in the National Indoor Football League. During his college career at Adams State, he was a three-year starter on the offensive line while also handling long snapping chores for the Grizzlies.

Posted by Art Martone  at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Shalise Manza Young's Sports Chat transcript

Here is the transcript from Shalise's chat today. Art Martone will be back at noon Monday for the next projo Sports Chat. You can submit your questions at 9 a.m. Monday in the sports chat room at www.projo.com/chat

Warren: Shalise....What do you think is going to happen with Asante Samuel....Is he going to join what seems like a long line of Patriots that head south to the Meadowlands in Jersey to play for the jets ?

Shalise Manza Young: Hi Warren... If Asante is headed for the Jets, it's not going to be this year. New England apparently is holding fast to the two first-round draft picks they'd get as compensation for a franchise player and there's no way any team is going to give up two number ones, and certainly the Jets won't give that to a division rival.

Warren: Hi Shalise....what's happened that the Patriots "mini-camp" has become such hot news...it's not like the sox are languishing in last and people are looking for another sport to follow ?

Shalise Manza Young: Mini-camp is big news because the Pats are big news. They're big news around here because they've been so good in recent years, but they're big news nationally this year because of the offseason that they have had. Adalius Thomas, Wes Welker, and some guy named... Moss make them a "sexy" team and everyone wants to know how Moss is going to fit in, how he looks on the field and if he can still out-leap everyone on the field.

Warren: Shalise...Wolfork seems to be relishing taken the rookies under his wing and showing them the Patriot way...are we seeing a potential future Pats coachs ?

Shalise Manza Young: I'm not sure if Vince has any interest in being a coach -- most players, when you ask them, tell them it's just too many hours -- but he has taken an active role with Brandon Meriweather and Kareem Brown, mainly because they are Miami guys like him. During rookie mini-camp, Meriweather was talking about finding his way around and I asked if Gillette and Vince's house were the only two places he knew how to get to, and he said he had Vince pick him up and bring him to his house...

Warren: Shalise....Are Drew Bledsoe's playing days over ?

Shalise Manza Young: I wouldn't be surprised if Bledsoe re-appears later this season with a team that needs an emergency starter, but for that matter, Jake Plummer is also "retired," and would be a younger alternative for a team that had an immediate need.

Warren: Shalise...do you think Bledsoe should be in the Pats hall of fame and his number retired ?

Shalise Manza Young: I think Bledsoe will end up in the Pats Hall of Fame. Regardless of how his career ended here, New England fans should remember that he, Bill Parcells and Bob Kraft are the three men that had the greatest role in bringing this franchise to prominence. As for his number, I don't think the team is retiring numbers -- there are too many rules on which players can wear what number.

Pam: Sports Illustrated is saying the Colts are headed for a dynasty. I'm sure a lot of fans around here would disagree. Do you think they'll repeat a Super Bowl victory -- or do have another pick?

Shalise Manza Young: Colts as dynasty... I don't see it. Defense has never been a strength of theirs, and they didn't do a whole lot to improve their defense since winning the Lombardi in February -- they added corner Daymeion Hughes and d-lineman Quinn Pitcock in the draft but they lost Mike Doss, Nick Harper and Cato June, all of whom played a big role for them last year. As for my pick, it's reeeeeeeeeally early for such things, but I have to think that the Patriots are a favorite. Thinking about the offense they have now... the potential is ridiculous, especially since they were so close to getting to the Super Bowl last year and the defense, which was solid last year, is even better.

Warren: Shalise....we all know how successful the Pats have been during the Kraft era...has that also translated into profits too ?

Shalise Manza Young: I don't know the exact numbers on profits, but I have to believe the Krafts don't have any complaints in that area. When I am at Gillette, there are *always* people in the Pro Shop, and on game days, they're charging $40 minimum for parking, $49 for standing-room only tickets, $59 minimum for seats, and yet it's next to impossible to get a ticket to one of their games. The Krafts privately financed Gillette, and with them breaking ground now on a mall, that also leads me to believe they're doing just fine.

Warren: Shalise....has Manning been a bust for the Giants ?

Shalise Manza Young: As I'm sure you can attest, Warren, the Giants fan base is growing impatient with young Mr. Manning. He has been inconsistent and seems to take a step backwards every time he takes two forward. Coming into his third full season as a starter and with Tom Coughlin likely on his way out after this season, I'd think he has to prove some things this year or a new coach might go looking elsewhere.

Warren: has the pedulum swung permanently in the NFL toward the TV audience and profits at the expense of the fans and season ticket holders ....For example...I live in the New York area and have Giants season tickets...I was excited when it was announced the Giants were playing my beloved Patriots in Jersey...Low and behold the game is scheduled for Decemeber 29th at 8:30 at night..This is so typical.

Shalise Manza Young: In a word, yes.

Shalise Manza Young: The networks that pay for the right to broadcast NFL games paid a lot of money for that right, and the NFL would be foolish not to do whatever it needs to do to keep them happy and keep their money flowing in. Unfortunately, the few hundred dollars you'll spend to go to a game is a pittance compared to what the league and teams make from ESPN, Fox, NBC and CBS.

Pam: I'm a Steelers fan, and I know they have a new coach, but I'm hoping they'll be a bigger threat this year than last. The Ravens and Chargers also seem like top AFC picks. Who do you see as the tough NFC teams?

Shalise Manza Young: Pam... So far it seems like Mike Tomlin is making a good impression with the Steelers players, and he'll need to for them to rebound from a very disappointing season last year.

Shalise Manza Young: The Chargers, Colts and Patriots are the three best teams in the NFL; the best NFC teams are the Bears and Saints, still, and I think I'd give a slight edge to the Saints as the better team. The Cardinals and 49ers could make some noise as well.

uricigar: Have you heard anything about Merriweather? How is he fitting in with the team?

Shalise Manza Young: uricigar...thanks for joining us! Brandon, right now, is a bit of a mystery. He was not on the field for mini-camp this week, and when I contacted his agent, he refered me to the Pats' PR department. If he was not at a mandatory event, you could consider it a holdout, but we were told that he *was* in the building this week and is nursing an injury. If he's not on the field come July 27, the first day of training camp, I'd say there's a problem.

Warren: Shalise, I am curious ...is it difficult for a women to cover a professional football team,...particularly when you must do in the clubhouse interviews ?

Shalise Manza Young: Alright, Warren, I was holding off on answering this, but I will now. For me it's not that bad, though there are certain issues that are unique to being a woman. There are (still) some players who don't like having us in the locker room, and some readers who think women aren't suited to cover football. But on the flip side, I feel that being a woman -- especially a minority woman -- works to my advantage with getting players to trust me and talk to me. I don't go near a player unless he has something covering his lower body (preferably shorts) so issues like that don't develop.

uricigar: In recent years there has been a lot of talk about a huge gap between the AFC and the NFC. With the Bears and Saints looking so good last year, is that gap shrinking?

Shalise Manza Young: I don't know if its shrinking -- I'd still say that the three best teams in the NFL are the Pats, Colts and Chargers, with the Saints and Bears behind them. So if the three best teams in the league are all from the AFC, that doesn't speak too well for the NFC. But I do think the Saints are a top-tier team, and the 49ers are up-and-coming.

warren: is there a more perfect job in the world for Belichick ? What's his contract status ?

Shalise Manza Young: Warren... I think BB's contract status is a more guarded secret than the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden. Apparently, there are only 3 men on Earth who know that answer -- BB, Bob Kraft and Scott Pioli. But BB is definitely in a great situation, both on-field and off -- he has several homes on Nantucket, and he loves it there; the Krafts couldn't be happier with the results he's given, and he's close to his youngest, Brian, who is in eighth or ninth grade.

Shalise Manza Young: However, I agree with the idea that he'd go to the Giants someday. He still has a good relationship with the owners, his middle child, Stephen, will start at Rutgers in the fall (he's on a lacrosse scholarship), and I think he has good memories of his time there.

uricigar: Thanks for the answer. Speaking of injuries, should we be worried about Maroney?

Shalise Manza Young: uricigar (can I assume you write for the Good 5 cent?) - I think the team was being *ultra* cautious with Maroney by not having him participate fully in mini-camp this week. He needs that right arm/shoulder to carry the ball and dole out those stiff-arms he learned from Corey Dillon and there was no real reason to rush him onto the field for mini-camp

Pam: How many women cover the Pats? I went to a Steeler game as a reporter 10 years ago and there were only 2 of us (females) in the locker room.
[2007.06.08 12:58:31] Shalise Manza Young: On a day to day basis, there are still only a few of us. I am the only full-time woman that covers the team and one of a very few number of women who's a full-time NFL beat writer nationally. Karen Guergian of the Herald is there quite often. There are a few female TV reporters, like Kathryn Tappen of NESN or Alice Cook from Boston's Ch. 4.

warren: speaking of Pioli....how's his situation with regard to a contract..didn't someone try to steal him from us last year and Pioli thought about it and turned em down ?

Shalise Manza Young: He is under contract right now, though I'm not sure how long it is. The Giants actually inquired about him but he turned down even the chance to talk to them, saying he's happy right where he is. He's another one that's in a good position; he and BB seem to have a great understanding of what they're looking for. Plus, since most people assume that BB is the one making the decisions anyway SP doesn't get much of the heat when they do make mistakes.

warren: I am curious...what's a typical game day like for you ?

Shalise Manza Young: For a 1 p.m. home game, I'm at the stadium at 10 a.m. to avoid the traffic that clogs Route 1. Once I get to Gillette, I blog about things I see during the game in warm-ups, get a bite to eat and chat with other reporters. When the game starts, it's more blogging, taking notes (I write down each play myself even though they give us a play-by-play), and some writing. After the game it's a mad rush to the locker room to hear BB and wrestle for position to hear players. I try to avoid massive groups at all costs, getting players at the tail end of interviews or finding players no one else is talking to. then more writing...Night games are a whole different -- and much more stressful -- creature given deadlines.

warren: Shalise..during the season do you get pestered from so called friends and relatives in the hopes that you might get them tickets..if so and it works...can I be your friend too ? :)

Shalise Manza Young: I wish it did work. I've had people ask me to get autographs and tickets, and we can't get either...

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick transcript

We’ve had a good . . . it’s really been three weeks, this is the last week, a different number of days in those weeks, but anyway, putting all of those together, I think that we have a lot of our system installed. We’re working a lot of players, a lot of different combinations and I think that it's been good for them to experience it and work against the other side of the ball and get familiar with it. Obviously we have a long way to go and this is still an important time coming up between now and training camp for the players to train and be in top condition and work on some of the things that we've gone over in the last three weeks. That being said, I think we've done, not all we can do, but we've done a lot and we’re a lot further ahead than we were three weeks ago when we started coming off of the offseason program. We've introduced the rookies to a lot of our system and so we’re ready to get in shape and get ready to go and come back to training camp in July. That's where we are.

Generally, do you think that the new players have picked up the system pretty well?
I think everybody is working at it. I think we have a long way to go and there's a difference between coming out here running it in mini-camp and running it in pads on a competitive level in training camp. So we'll see what happens when we come to that point.

How do you assess mini-camp? When the coaches sit down, how do you break it down after the three days?
Well, we put in new stuff every day and we come out and run it and then we correct it the next day and run it the following day and see if we can improve on it and get it right and get closer to having it look the way we want it to look. Based on that, I'd say we've made progress. It's not perfect, but it's better than it was.

Have you been impressed by any player in particular?
I think that they're all working hard and they're trying to get it down. Like I said, we’re working on a lot of different combinations, so it's not so much an evaluation camp as it is a teaching camp and trying to get everybody to understand, not only what they're doing, but the overall concept of the play.

[On the importance of players’ conditioning]
Well, it's that time of year. Players are running, they’re conditioning now and getting ready for training camp. We don't do as much in the offseason program because we're out here practicing on these days, but the conditioning part of it is important and it's an important part of the player’s preparation for camp. There's no reason to let that go.

When you look at what you wanted to get accomplished in these couple of days, do you think you've reached that goal?
We set a schedule for the things that we wanted to install and work on and we basically have been able to stay on that schedule, right. That's not a complete schedule, but it takes into account the time we've had, so I think we've made some progress on that, yes.

The players have six weeks off now. Did you remind them that they still need to come back in shape or are they pretty well aware of that?
We talk to the players about what the expectations are for them. We still have a program that some of them will be here following for the next few weeks, because the offseason program is going to continue to go. That doesn’t end, it’s just the mini-camp ends. It will be outlined for them.

Posted by Art Martone  at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Mini-camp Day 3 (with photo)

Journal photo / Mary Murphy
Tom Brady hands the ball to Sammy Morris during the final day of Patriots minicamp.

Hey all --

Mini-camp is over for this year, and there will be no more official workouts for the Patriots players until training camp gets underway on July 27.

Safety James Sanders made his return to the practice field after not being out there for the first two days of the camp.

There was one new player on the field, former Iowa wideout C.J. Jones. Jones has been in the league since 2003 and has never played in a game.

Laurence Maroney was once again on the field in a uniform, but participated only in stretching and agility drills, watching from the sidelines until doing the wind sprints the rest of the starters toward the end of the session.

Maroney was throwing the ball around with Kevin Faulk, but he was using his left arm to throw and not testing his surgically-repaired right shoulder. The throws were not pretty. But we have to believe the team is being ultra-careful with Maroney, so he'll be fully able to stiff-arm linebackers once the season starts.

For one of the sprints, the offensive linemen held hands, drawing laughs.

Wes Welker continues to impress, today converting a field goal that was around 25 yards that drew cheers from his new teammates. The left-footed "kicker" did miss the first attempt.

Ellis Hobbs picked off Tom Brady in 7-on-7 drills in a pass that was intended for Jabar Gaffney; in red-zone work, Junior Seau tipped a ball out of bounds that Brady had thrown.

Tight end/fullback Garrett Mills had a nice catch in the end zone during the same red zone drills, catching a bullet from Matt Cassel with Tedy Bruschi in coverage.

We said it before, and we'll say it again: Kyle Brady is an extremely large man. And we're not the only ones that feel that way -- asked for his impressions of his new fellow tight end, Benjamin Watson's eyes got big as he said, "he's huge."

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Randy Moss transcript

What is it like to be a New England Patriot?
This is my first actual interview. It feels good. [It was] a long anticipation of getting here and getting to camp, getting around the guys and just seeing how this organization is run. I like everything that I've seen and hopefully I can just fit in.

Was the biggest difference you’ve sensed being here as opposed to Oakland or Minnesota?
Football is football. When you're winning everything is good. When you're losing everything is bad. The only thing I can really say is we have a great group of guys, along with coaches, and I enjoy it. I love coming to work every single day and just being around these guys.

So, it's like a new beginning for you?
I've had two of those. I don’t really want to call it a new beginning. Like I said, it's something that you dream of knowing that the New England Patriots sit high on a lot of people’s charts and as a wide receiver to come in and play with the core guys, with Tom Brady and Kevin Faulk and the offensive line. It's a great group of guys that we have here on the field and off the field. That's something that I can really enjoy.

Can you talk about connecting with Brady?
I’ve always been a big fan of his and now that I'm here playing alongside him, I don't want anything to change. I'm not going to even try to get in his way in anything that he does and hopefully it doesn't get in the way of anything that I do. I'm just basically talking on the field, because that's one thing that I came here for was to be with this group of guys, the organization as a whole and just try to do come out here and help what I can do to win some games.

Do you have any butterflies? Do you feel nervous at all?
At first I did. Like I said, they have a long list of guys that they have on their team. They have Pro Bowlers, future Hall of Famer's. My biggest thing was coming in with a locker right beside Tom’s and right next to the right of me is Vinny Testaverde. I think that's where the butterflies came in just really getting in the locker room and meeting the guys. Once we get out on the field, that's really where you get your freedom.

Expectations are high. Are yours as high? Do you expect to have one of the best years of your career here?
My expectations are to go out and help this team succeed and that's by winning games. The expectations that you guys and everyone else puts on us is all on outside. I think that the expectations that we have here on this team are also set high. We look forward to good things and once we go out to practice, Coach Belichick puts us through hard work, even in the classroom. We can’t expect anything less. Our expectations are high just from coming inside the locker room.

What are people going to know about you or find out about you that's different than the perception that’s out there?
To be honest with you, I don't plan on changing. I just want to go out there and play football. Really anything that you've heard about me, good or bad, some are lies. Some are true. Hopefully the true stuff will come out and then hopefully the bad will stay back there. Like I said, I don't plan on changing. I think that the guys are getting to know me and understand that I love to win and carry myself as a professional athlete. Hopefully they'll take it a long way.

Do you feel like you get a bad rap at times?
I think I get a bad rap just for the fact that I'm not that open. Hopefully, you all don't take it in a negative way. I don't really like to do interviews because that's not my job. My job is to catch touchdowns and help the team win. I don't really plan on being too much in front of this mic all year. Take it how you want to take it.

Can you tell us about the jersey number six and what the plans are?
Sometimes you are able to go back and get your number and sometimes you can’t. They told me that six was the available number that they have back in the equipment room. I said just give me a number, I'll make it. I guess there’s a little buzz around me and number six. I really don't really care about a number. All I care about is suiting up and going out there and winning on Sundays.

On draft day weekend you mentioned we were going to see the old Randy Moss. What does that mean and does that still hold true?
I just think as far as me getting back to making plays and showing my versatility and that's what I meant about the old Randy Moss. Earlier in my career, I was showing a lot of that and late in my career it sort of got away. Now that I'm sort of enthused and energetic to be in a position that I'm in, I want to bring the old Randy Moss and that's going and getting it deep and making plays and one-handed catches, all of the above.

Why did it get away?
I think the football side of not winning. Like Coach Herm Edwards said, ‘You play to win the game,’ with wins comes a lot of joy and with losses comes a lot of sorrow. Like I said, by me coming here and helping this organization in any way I can, hopefully it can result in some wins.

How badly do you want a ring?
First of all, a ring is really long term. First of all, we had to make it through camp and then make it through preseason and then get regular season and then hopefully make the playoffs. We have to start from the bottom and climb our way up to the top. At the same time, I'm a 10-year veteran, I’m not going to sit here and lie and say I don't want a ring. This organization has three and the players know how hard they have the work to get back to that point. All I'm here to do is just to work hard everyday and just come out and hopefully I can just give something.

What do you think about this offense? Are there things that you maybe haven't seen for a while?
Really mostly all offenses are the same. I think that the way they call their plays and the terminology and things like that, that is what's different. I'm sort of catching on, still sort of like a rookie in a way of making mistakes and jumping offsides and things like that. I’m still getting the hang of how they run things out here on the field. Basically I'm saying in a certain sense I’m blessed to be an offense like this.

As far as Coach Belichick and [Tom] Brady, what is different about these guys? What makes these guys winners?
Taking their job seriously. Coach Belichick is, as you know, he’s straight faced and doesn’t really joke around a lot. I think that when he comes out with his coaching style, you can see that he really means business and Brady is the same way. That's something that you can appreciate, knowing that you have a bunch of guys, and Coach Belichick has to lead all of us. That’s just something that's unique about him, that everybody is on the same page, even in mini-camp and that's something that you can hang your hat on.

Coach Belichick told us that that you showed up in the offseason program even though you didn't have to. Why was that?
I'm a 10-year veteran and I know how hard you have to workout to come into a season. Injuries do occur as the seasons goes on. I didn’t really tell him anything like that. He just asked me what I normally do in the offseason and I said work out. And he told me that most of the guys were up here working out, so that's why I came. I want to fit in. Nothing that I've done over my nine-year career has ever stopped me from fitting in with my teammates. I still love to play the game and hopefully the results of this season will hopefully be good.

What are your plans after mini-camp?
I'll probably take a slight vacation and get back to training. I put a lot of emphasis in the offseason on getting my speed back and getting my body back 100 percent and trying to just come into camp and just impress the team.

What do you think of the receiving corps as a whole?
We’re going to be okay. I've listened to a couple of things that were said about the receiving corps as a whole, but we're going to be all right. We have speed. We have quickness. We have strength. We have height. Basically we’re going to put whoever out on the field and see what works.

Posted by Art Martone  at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Moss: "I just want to fit in" (with photo)

Journal photo/Bob Breidenbach
Randy Moss and head coach Bill Belichick confer today at Gillette Stadium.

Hey all -

We've just wrapped up our day at mini-camp, where the big story was Randy Moss.

Moss had his first face-to-face with the Pats' media contingent, stepping into a cauldron of cameras, microphones and notebooks, saying, "what up, what up?" As he made his way into the impossibly small center of the circle that had been cleared for him.

Speaking in his thick West Virginia drawl, Moss said all the right things: that he'll do whatever is asked of him, he just wants to win, he's happy to be in such a good organization and situation.

Asked why he decided to come to Foxboro for the offseason program - Bill Belichick said Moss was excused from participation on the day New England acquired him - Moss implied that he wanted to get to know his teammates.

"(Belichick) told me that most of the guys were here working out and that's why I came. I want to fit in."

Moss said most of the nerves he felt was in the locker room, when he saw that his stall was between Tom Brady and Vinny Testaverde.

The terminology and fast pace of the Pats' offense has been an adjustment, and Moss said he's still getting caught offsides as he continues to learn.

We'll have more from day two of mini-camp in a bit.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:20 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Maroney update

Hey all -

Laurence Maroney has technically been on the field for this session, but he has not donned his helmet or participated in any drills.

UPDATE: Maroney did do wind sprints at the close of practice with about half of the team.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Maroney on the field

Hey all -

We've just arrived at the field behind Gillette and already there is one player we've noticed that was not here yesterday: running back Laurence Maroney.

The second-year back had offseason shoulder surgery and was not on the field yesterday or last week for passing camp.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Mini-camp overview

Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady directs teammates during today's minicamp at Gillette Stadium.

Hey all --

Day one of mini-camp has wrapped up -- at least the part that we in the media can witness -- and it was a fun-filled day, as you can imagine.

First (and this is not surprising), Bill Belichick has nothing to say about the Asante Samuel situation. Asked several times about the cornerback, who said yesterday that he will not join the team until week 10 of the regular season because of his displeasure with the way contract negotiations are progressing, Belichick said:

* "I'm just coaching the guys that are here. That's all I'm focused on."

* "My philosophy is to coach the team that's here."

* "Are there any more questions about the guys that are here?"

On the field, there were of course things to see as well. It's interesting to get an up-close look at the markedly re-tooled wide receiver group -- at times, Donte Stallworth was lined up wide left with Wes Welker inside of him, and it is easy to see how that pairing would cause nightmares for opposing defenses.

(Stallworth was not present during the voluntary passing camp held last week.)

Vinny Testaverde remains with the Pats, and when asked of the quarterback's status, Belichick said, "He's an unrestricted free agent taking part in our offseason program."

Team owner Robert Kraft took in much of the session, standing between the two fields where the practice was held, initially chatting with Scott Pioli.

But there were absences as well. Troy Brown, who was at the team's golf event yesterday but remains unsigned, was not on the field. Neither was Chad Jackson, Eddie Jackson, Mel Mitchell, Antwain Spann, James Sanders, Laurence Maroney, Eric Alexander, David Thomas and Richard Seymour.

First-round draft pick Brandon Meriweather was not with the team either.

Asked about Meriweather, Belichick said: "There are different things going on with different players. Some will be out there tomorrow and some will not be."

During rookie mini-camp last month, Belichick called that a time to teach nuts and bolts, and with the veterans in the mix now, this three-day mini-camp isn't much different: "It's more thinking and processing now. There's new stuff going in every day. There's not just new plays on offense, but they're seeing new things on defense as well. There's a lot of moving parts."

Belichick emphasized that this is a time for each player to understand his role and what is expected of him, not so much to be teaching new players, whether they be rookies or free agents signees, what to do when or where.

Tom Brady also addressed the team's media contingent for the first time since New England's loss to Indianapolis in the AFC title game. We must admit the beginning, since we were coming off the field after doing interviews with other players, but what we found most interesting was when Brady was asked about seeing his personal life in the tabloid pages.

"It's all about money," he said, his voicing dropping significantly compared to how he answered the previous question, that about the changes with the receivers he'll be throwing to. "That's what it comes down to -- there are full-time media outlets, and everyone is looking for the latest and greatest. The tough part is when they bring my family into it."

We (the media herd) have been told that we'll have our first face-to-face with Randy Moss tomorrow, and are looking forward to that with great interest.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Fun and games

Hey all -

Have to say, getting chilled on a basically nasty day is not how we envisioned our 30th birthday, but as Bill Belichick says, it is what it is.

So we are wrapping up our time here at The International in Bolton, Mass. where the Patriots are holding their annual charitable foundation golf event and Tom Brady made the long-drive contest interesting.

Brady won the competition - with a borrowed driver, no less - after Matt Cassel and Eugene Wilson tanked in the finals after both recording drives of 281 yards in the first round.

Before Cassel's second attempt in the final, Brady grabbed the mic from Will McDonough and yelled "boo!" during Cassel's backswing.
With not much to beat, Brady threw his first ball, then bombed a 307-yard drive down the fairway behind the clubhouse. He got into the finals with a 291-yard drive.

Rodney Harrison, the defending champion, did not take part this year, joking that he was paid off not to participate.

Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Tedy Bruschi, Rosevelt Colvin, Matt Light and Harrison all took time to chat with the media, in what has become the last low-key event for the players before preparation gets underway in earnest tomorrow, when three-day mini-camp starts.

None of the players wanted to give credence to the many (early) opinions that are placing the Pats as the favorites to win the Super Bowl.

"You have to ignore it," Colvin said. "Everyone is at the same level; everyone's 0-0. We're in the home stretch of the offseason program, then we'll rest a bit and get out there for training camp."

Bruschi said he's been paying attention to the situation with Asante Samuel.

"You pay attention because he's a teammate, and you pay attention because he helps us win football games and you want him back."

The players got into their golf carts with the tourney sponsors and headed off onto the course just as the skies really opened up.

We got in our dry car.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments 1

Burton, Coates and Morgan named Pats Hall finalists

The New England Patriots just announced the three players who have been selected as finalists to be inducted to the team's Hall of Fame this year.

They are: running back Ron Burton, tight end Ben Coates and wide receiver Stanley Morgan.

Fans will select the inductee - a class of one - via online voting at www.patriots.com. Voting begins Monday and goes through Aug. 1. Fans are limited to one vote per registered e-mail address.

This year's Hall of Famer will be inducted at the team's Kickoff Gala on Aug. 27.

Information on each player, per the team's release:

Ron Burton became the first player drafted by the Patriots when the running back was selected out of Northwestern on Nov. 22, 1959. The 5-foot-10-inch, 190-pound running back played from 1960 through 1965 for the Patriots, collecting 1,536 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He also recorded 111 receptions for 1,205 yards and eight touchdowns. In 1962, Burton combined for a career-high 1,009 yards from scrimmage and a total of 1,449 all-purpose yards. After his Patriots career, Burton went on to have a distinguished community service career, establishing the Ron Burton Training Village in Hubbardston, Mass., which teaches life skills to young men from all walks of life. The Patriots annual community service award is named after Burton, and is awarded to the current Patriots player who best exemplifies the qualities he displayed.

Ben Coates played nine seasons with the New England Patriots from 1991-1999. The 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound tight end appeared in 142 career games with the franchise, collecting 490 receptions for 5,471 yards and 50 touchdowns. In 1994, he grabbed a then-franchise best 96 receptions, a mark that also eclipsed the NFL receptions record for tight ends. Coates led the team in touchdown receptions for six consecutive seasons and led the team in receptions in five of those six seasons. He currently ranks second in franchise history in touchdown catches and third in receptions. A member of the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team, Coates was named to the Pro Bowl in five consecutive seasons from 1994-1998. The Livingstone College product was originally drafted by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL Draft.

Stanley Morgan played wide receiver for the Patriots from 1977 to 1989 and caught 534 career passes, a franchise record that stood for 17 years. The 5-foot 11-inch, 181-pound receiver remains the franchise record holder with 10,352 yards receiving (19.4-yard avg.) and 67 touchdowns. He also holds the Patriots record for receiving touchdowns in a season, with 12 in 1979 and yards with 1,491 in 1986. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1979, 1980, 1986 and 1987, and was a key member of the Patriots’ 1985 AFC Championship team. He also ranks fifth in franchise history in punt returns (92) and return yards (960). He was drafted by the Patriots in the first round (25th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft, and played in 180 games for the Patriots over 13 seasons.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Spann re-signed

The Patriots just announced that they have re-signed exclusive-rights free agent Antwain Spann.

The 24-year old cornerback from Louisiana-Lafayette spent half of the regular-season last year on the practice squad and the other half on the active roster, primarily as a special-teams contributor.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Andruzzi diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Former Patriots offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma according to a release issued by his agent, Joe Litna.

"While this condition is very serious, both Joe and his doctors feel he will quickly be on his way to a full recovery," the release said.

The 31-year old Andruzzi will immediately begin treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

"He is being treated by some of the best specialists in the country for his affliction," the release said. "Joe is confident that he could not be in better hands. He would like to thank all of his fans and friends for the tremendous outpouring of support and prayers."

Andruzzi was a member of the Patriots for all three of their Super Bowl-winning seasons before signing with Cleveland before the 2005 season. He began his career with Green Bay.

Andruzzi was released by the Browns last month.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments 0