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Main page | August 2007 »

July 31, 2007

Photo: Bruschi and his young 'backers

bruschi0731.jpg
Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
Tedy Bruschi and his sons Rex (yellow shirt) and Tedy Jr. push the blocking sled today after the Patriots' practice at Gillette Stadium.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Officials' take

As we told you earlier, a team of NFL officials, headed by referee Larry Nemmers, a motivational speaker in his 23rd year as an official (his 17th as a referee), are here today to go over the new rule changes with the Patriots players and staff.

The media screened the same video the players did earlier, which talked about the new rule changes for the 2007 season as well as the points of emphasis. Several times it was mentioned that the safety of the players is paramount; we also noticed that more than once players were told that their behavior and conduct -- on and off the field -- are what helps make their game great.

One of the new rules is that spiking or throwing the the ball after a down is over -- except after a touchdown -- will draw a 5-yard penalty. According to the video, having the officials retrieve the ball was a delay of game, and it wasn't very sportsmanlike.

It is also now a 15-yard personal foul is a defensive player makes a below-the-waist block or tackle on an eligible receiver when the quarterback is in the pocket and the ball has not left his hand. This was a 5-yard penalty before.

The competition committee voted to keep the maximum time allowed for an officials' review at 60 seconds and to keep down by contact as a reviewable play. These were on a trial basis last year and are now permanent.

Points of emphasis include taunting, illegal contact and defensive holding, roughing the quarterback and an airborne runner at the goal line.

With roughing the quarterback, it will no longer be called if a quarterback "is shoved to the ground as part of one continuous act by the defender while attempting to tackle him." But if it is a late hit or done as punishment, it will still be called.

The airborne runner goes to what is or isn't a touchdown and will become consistent with rules already in place with regards to the sideline.

Per the rulebook:

"Currently an airborne runner has to get any part of his body to pass over or inside the pylon before he touches out of bounds to be awarded a score. This is not consistent with spotting the ball anywhere else along the sideline. The Competition Committee recommends that an airborne player must get any part of the football to pass over or inside the goal line pylon before he touches out of bounds to be awarded a score."

Interestingly, Nemmers said he likes the NFL's defensive pass interference rule, which spots the ball at the point of the foul rather than in college, where it is a 15-yard penalty maximum. Patriots fans remember that a highly questionable pass interference call against Ellis Hobbs in the AFC title game led to a Colts' touchdown.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Morning wrap

Hey all --

Training camp session number 7 is in the books, and as always there are a few things that stood out to us. Besides the ultra-annoying little flies that were flitting all over the place in the morning humidity, that is.

With Kyle Brady again missing practice and David Thomas still on the PUP, Matt Kranchick is getting more reps -- and not doing a lot with them. At least twice this morning he was chewed out by the coaching staff, the second time for being lined up in the wrong place.

There were some chuckles of surprise during the AFC title game when Heath Evans was being thrown to in the flat, but it's become clear since camp started that seeing him come out of the backfield this season won't be much of a joke. The gregarious fullback has gotten a lot of chances both to carry the ball and to make catches.

The Pats did a lot of work in the running game today, particularly in the red zone.

It looked to us like Ryan O'Callaghan got the majority of snaps at right tackle when the first-team offense was on the field. Of course today, the first-team offense was mostly run by Matt Cassel, as it was a pseudo-day off for Tom Brady.

Rookie defensive lineman Kareem Brown (somewhat surprisingly) spoke with the media, one day after joining the team on the field. A team-imposed suspension kept Brown off the field for the first three days of camp. Smartly, he wouldn't get into specifics on what led to the suspension -- reportedly a violation of team rule -- but he said he should have known better.

Aside from missing the opening five practice sessions, what really got to the fourth-round pick was when team captain and perennial Pro Bowler Richard Seymour said he was disappointed in him.

"Coming from a guy of his status, that took a toll on me as a rookie. He said it's a learning lesson and I've got to move on and it would make me stronger," Brown said.

Brown also mentioned that Ty Warren , in addition to Brown's former Miami teammate/big brother Vince Wilfork, has really taken him under his wing and is constantly giving Brown tips.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Morning session

Hey all -

Morning practice has begun, with the players now stretching to the melodic sounds of Lil Jon.

From what we can see, the PUP guys as well as Kyle Brady, Garrett Mills and Rashad Baker are all absent.

But the referees are here today, which is one of favorite days of the media contingent. Personally, this will be our first time looking at video with the zebras and we're looking forward to it.

As for fan attendance, there's a smaller crowd this morning than the previous days.

Players are in shells and shorts.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 30, 2007

Belichick's comments on Bill Walsh

Hey all --

The following are comments released by the Patriots from Bill Belichick on former San Francisco head coach Bill Walsh, who died today at 75 from leukemia. Belichick was the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for the New York Giants when Walsh's 49ers were the dominant team in the NFL.

"One of the greatest challenges of my career was coaching defense against Bill Walsh. He turned San Francisco’s offense into the best in the league. Beyond being a great offensive coach, Bill mastered running an entire pro football organization. He figured out everything from the big picture down to the smallest detail and documented it in his book, Finding The Winning Edge, which was groundbreaking. It remains easily the most comprehensive and best modern day football book and is required reading for every coach. On a personal level, I am very fortunate to have developed a close friendship with Bill and my deepest condolences are with his family on this sad day."

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Scott to IR

Earlier today, Bill Belichick said Chad Scott was day-to-day. But that quickly became no day soon, as the team just announced that the veteran cornerback has been placed on season-ending injured reserve with a left knee injury.

Scott was injured late in Friday's evening practice, trying to break up a pass intended for C.J. Jones.

With Asante Samuel still holding out, Scott was a likely starter opposite Ellis Hobbs.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick: Experience as special teams coach was invaluable

Belichick, who began his 12-year tenure with the New York Giants in 1979 by serving as both a defensive assistant and special teams coach under Ray Perkins, talked yesterday about how invaluable his stint as a special teams coach proved to be in preparing him to one day become a head coach.

``There’s a certain mentality that goes along with the different positions and then all people are different, too, so the good thing about being a special teams coach is you deal with all the players every week,’’ he said ``It was a great experience and really prepared me for dealing with the whole team and not just one specific group. I’m glad I did it.

``It always surprises me when I think about how few head coaches are picked from the special teams coaches,’’ Belichick added, noting that many offensive and defensive coordinators only have an opportunity to work with half of the team.

He pointed to Dick Vermeil, who guided both the Philadelphia Eagles and the St. Louis Rams to Super Bowl Championships, as another example of a head coach who began by working with special teams. (He became the NFL’s first full-time special teams coach when George Allen appointed him to the position for the Los Angeles Rams in 1969.)

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Gay wants spot based on merit, not be default

With Chad Scott still sidelined by the injury he suffered during one of the first training camp practice sessions, Randall Gay was once again playing the corner opposite Ellis Hobbs this afternoon.

Although Scott’s injury may be opening the door for Gay, he insists he is not looking at it that way.

``Right now I’m just looking at it the same way I came to camp. I’m just out here trying to get me a start,’’ said the 25-year-old Louisiana native, who played just five games in 2005 because of an ankle injury and then made only three appearances last season because of a pulled hamstring. ``I’m not looking at (Scott’s injury) as [giving Gay] any more of a chance. My mind set coming in was, `Earn your position,’ not get it by default. Just work hard so the coaches will have faith in me to put me out there to play.’’

``I feel great,'' added Gay, when asked how training camp has gone for him so far. ``Like I said when the offseason started, I was ready to go. I was prepared, healthy and ready for the season to start. Now it’s here and (I’m) feeling good.''

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 5:21 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Afternoon wrap

Hey all --

Thunder and lightning have descended on Gillette Stadium, the threat of which chased us off the field as the media was wrapping up player interviews.

It was an active practice session today, the sixth of training camp. In the early going, Bam Childress muffed a punt and immediately dropped to the turf and did some push-ups, to the delight of the crowd.

Tom Brady also played to the fans, who clapped when he and quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Matt Gutierrez walked toward the north end of the field. Brady put his arms above his head and applauded back.

As an aside, Gutierrez seems to be working extremely hard. Even though he's a longshot at best to make the active roster -- especially considering reports that say Vinny Testaverde will be back once two-a-days are over in a couple of weeks -- we've noticed that he's been the last player off the field every day. We wonder if he's watching tape of himself run the scout team like another former Michigan rookie...

Reche Caldwell
, fighting for his job despite leading the team in receptions last year, made a nice one-handed catch from Cassel along the sideline; Kevin Faulk made a great downfield catch as well, with Ellis Hobbs and Tedy Bruschi in coverage. Faulk may not have landed inbounds had the play gone to review, but it was pretty regardless.

Oscar Lua update: it seems the rookie linebacker is a fan favorite, and today we tried to keep an eye on him. He was in a group of players working on punt blocking (along with Larry Izzo, Kelley Washington, Larry Anam, Corey Mays, Sammy Morris, Pierre Woods and Justin Rogers) and when he was on the field with the sub defense, he lined up at both inside linebacker spots. During 11-on-11 drills, he got stood up and sealed twice on run plays.

Junior Seau, lined up over Matt Light, jumped offsides and immediately raised his hand and took off on a punishment lap. Seau also spent a great deal of time about 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage when the first-team defense was on for 11-on-11, trying to get a good view of what was happening.

Brady completed a long pass to Randy Moss downfield. Gemara Williams seemed to have good position on Moss, but as Moss is at least 8 inches taller, he simply reached over Williams' head and grabbed the ball. On another play, Moss cut inside for a post route and Brady threw to the sideline; the ball fell dead.

Tomorrow is another day with two sessions planned, beginning at 8:45 a.m.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

K. Brown makes his debut

Hey all -

Kareem Brown's suspension has indeed ended, as he is on the field with the rest of the defensive linemen.

The rest of the attendance is basically the same as it has been: Laurence Maroney, Junior Seau and Eric Alexander are all still wearing red non-contact jerseys, the PUP players and Kyle Brady, Garrett Mills and Chad Scott are among the missing.

Members of the UConn coaching staff are today's guests after Oklahoma coaches took in the previous two days.

The players are in full pads.

We'll have more shortly.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Veteran James gaining respect

More on Belichick's early impressions of veteran cornerback Tory James:
PATRIOTS_18_BB.JPG
Journal photo/Bob Breidenbach
Patriots running back #44 Heath Evans pals around with #28 Tory James after a play

``We played against Tory when he was at Cincinnati, Oakland. We’ve gone up against him a number of times. Our system, I think, is a little bit different definitely then what they played in Cincinnati last year - they’re much more of a blitz zone team – but I think he’s done well. He’s a smart guy, he’s very professional, he’s well prepared, he’s on top of it, and I think he’s earning the respect of everybody by the way he goes about things. (He’s) a tall guy, got some cover skills, has some speed. Sort of a hard guy to throw the ball over for the quarterbacks in cover two and things like that when he’s out there in the flat and in the short area. He’s a bigger guy to get the ball over.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Communication with a capital ``C''

Expanding a bit more on some of Belichick's comments regarding the team's ongoing focus on communication during this morning's meeting with the media:

``It’s just making sure that everybody that’s involved in the play sees the play the same way. Whether it’s the offensive line seeing the front the same, or a blocker and a runner seeing the defender the same to know where the ball’s going to go, or a receiver and a quarterback, or two defensive backs, or a defensive back and a linebacker covering a pattern just so we see it

``Sometimes we can communicate it; sometimes we just have to see it the same way and recognize it the same, so it’s a different type of communication. There’s verbal communication, there’s hand signals and then there’s just visual recognition. And there’s an element of communication in that, too.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Chatting with Belichick

Hey all --

Yes, we're a bit tardy with this, but the lure of a lunch of baked macaroni and cheese and pulled pork made us forget all about being blogger-on-the-spot when it came to Bill Belichick's morning press conference.

The coach, who seems pretty upbeat here in the early going of camp, quipped that it's "another day in paradise" as he opened things up.

He was asked about communication, which is one of the themes of this camp given the high number of new, impact faces in the meeting rooms, but Belichick said communication and fundamentals are of equal importance.

"They're neck and neck. They're both really important," he said. "We talk about those every day. More than every day."

Veteran cornerback Tory James, who picked off Tom Brady in yesterday's morning session, has earned the respect of his teammates with his work ethic and approach to learning a new system, Belichick said.

He was asked about wide receivers coach Nick Caserio, who has returned to the team's coaching staff after four years in the personnel department as a scout and director of pro personnel. Though he has technically been in the front office, Belichick said Caserio, who started with the Patriots seven years ago as a personnel assistant and then an offensive coaching assistant, has always had a hand in the coaching.

"He's had a number of different responsibilities; he's stayed pretty close to the whole operation. He filled in when Ivan (Fears, running backs coach) was out last year during training camp."

Fears missed a few weeks last season due to medical issues.

Belichick spoke at length about his time as a special teams coach, which is how he spent seven of his first eight years in the league, with Detroit, Denver and the Giants. "It was one of the most valuable experiences I had in preparing me for becoming a head coach" because he got to work with just about every player on the team and all the positions and personalities that came with it.

As for corner Chad Scott, who hurt his left knee on Friday, Belichick said he's "day-to-day." Asked if that means Scott hasn't yet been diagnosed with a serious injury, he said, "he's being evaluated on a daily basis. Some players who are day-to-day come back the next day; some don't. When we have something definitive to tell you, we will."

Practice starts at 2:30 p.m. One of the things we'll be looking for is to see if rookie Kareem Brown makes his training camp debut. Reportedly, the fourth-round draft pick was suspended for the first three days of camp for violation of a team rule.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bum hammy = buh-bye

Hey all --

Apparently, Justise Hairston's release was precipitated by a bad hamstring. According to the Hartford Courant, Hairston's agent, Joe Linta, said the sixth-round draft pick out of Central Connecticut State has a severely pulled hamstring that will likely end his season before it began in earnest.

Hairston can be claimed off waivers by another team, but if he is not, he will likely be placed on New England's injured reserve for the season.

The 6-foot-1 running back, who began his career at Rutgers before transferring to CCSU -- alma mater of Scott Pioli -- led the nation in rushing last year.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 29, 2007

Inside the bubble

Hey all -

Inside a Dana-Farber Fieldhouse where the air is moving as slow as frozen molasses uphill, there's a glorified walk-through happening.

And since it's such a low-impact kind of activity, several members of the PUP list - Troy Brown, Donte Stallworth, Chad Jackson, Richard Seymour, Mel Mitchell and Eddie Jackson are on hand to watch and learn. And teach: Randy Moss was asking Troy questions when the receivers were going through their formations on the side.

The players are in shorts and no pads.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Evening practice moved indoors; closed to public

Hey all --

Due to the thunderstorm and heavy rains that have been hanging around here in Foxboro for the last hour-plus, the Patriots have decided to move their evening training camp session indoors, to the Dana-Farber Fieldhouse.

With the space constraints inside the fieldhouse, the practice is now closed to the public.

We'll update you on the happenings inside later tonight.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Morning wrap-up

Hey all --

Training camp session number 4 is in the books, and as always there was a lot to look at on the fields. We know there are times when we're mistress of the obvious, but it was hot as Hades out there. And we were under a tent sipping cold Gatorade.

Here's some of the things we saw this morning:

* Ryan O'Callaghan may be winning the battle for right tackle. The second-year player was lined up with the first team on every occasion we took note, with Nick Kaczur rotating in when backup QB Matt Cassel was under center.

* The fans love Randy Moss. Early on in drills, Moss made an open-field catch from Tom Brady with no defense and the sizable crowd went crazy.

* Don't wear enemy colors. A fan wearing a Zach Thomas Dolphins' jersey and Dolphins hat was roundly booed as he made his way past the bleachers. Of course, he was egging them on a bit.

* Brandon Meriweather is working the nickel. The rookie did the vast majority of his work lined up opposite Wes Welker in the slot. He broke up one pass headed for Welker from Brady, but Welker made the catch on the next play.

* Ellis Hobbs and Randall Gay were often the corners out wide, and Hobbs is also getting a lot of reps on kickoff return, with Willie Andrews as his lead blocker. It was that pairing that led to Hobbs getting the first touchdown of his career last December against Houston, on a 96-yard kickoff return. The third-year corner averaged 36 yards on his 10 regular-season kick returns last year, and 30.6 yards on 10 postseason efforts.

* Jabar Gaffney, who had 21 catches in the playoffs, is seeing a lot of time with the first-team offense, which may be due to Donte Stallworth being on the PUP. "I want to pick up from there and carry on," he said.

* Tedy Bruschi spoke with the media for the first time this camp, and said he's feeling good and believes this team can do something special. He said there was no thought of him retiring, and that as soon as the season ended with the AFC title game loss in Indianapolis, he began thinking about this season.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 28, 2007

Stoops and Co. on hand

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and several members of his staff are on the sidelines today, getting an up-close view of the Patriots.

Every couple of minutes, you can see a couple of the Sooner coaches lean into each other, talking about a play they just saw.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Meriweather on the field

Hey all -

After weeding through another day of traffic - this time because of the masses headed here for the country music festival - we have settled in here.

Brandon Meriweather is on the field, sporting the number 31 and dreadlocks that are a lot longer than we remember them.

We'll be back with more shortly.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Meriweather signing official

The Patriots have just announced that first-round draft pick Brandon Meriweather has signed a contract with the team.

The terms of the deal are not yet known, but it is believed to be a five-year deal, the maximum allowed for later first round picks.

Meriweather should make his debut in this afternoon's practice session. A hamstring injury kept him off the field for June mini-camp.

Practice today is closed to the public due to a country music festival going on at Gillette.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments 1

July 27, 2007

Meriweather in the fold?

Hey all --

One of our sources has confirmed that New England first-round draft pick Brandon Meriweather has reached an agreement in principal with the team, but there are still some details to be ironed out before his signing is official.

Earlier this afternoon there were reports that a five-year deal was done, but apparently not every T is crossed and every I dotted just yet.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 8:17 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Late session look

Hey all --

The evening session for day one of training camp has just wrapped up, and the big news of the evening is Chad Scott. The cornerback hurt his left knee defending a pass intended for receiver C.J. Jones (Jones made the catch). Though there's no word on the severity of Scott's injury, he was tended to for several minutes on the field before being carted off.

Benjamin Watson made a nifty catch -- one-handed and from the seat of his pants -- after slipping on the grass, but the play was called dead. Nice effort though.

Tory James picked off Matt Cassel on a throw intended for tight end Kyle Brady. The ball went off Brady's hands as he was turning his hips upfield and James plucked the ball out of the air.

Boston College product Larry Anam picked off fellow rookie Matt Gutierrez on another play.

Attendance for the evening session was 3,410; for the morning opener it was 6,160.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Scott injured

Chad Scott may be the first training camp injury casualty - the veteran corner leapt to try to bat down a Matt Gutierrez pass for C.J. Jones and quickly fell to the grass clutching his left leg.

The medical staff is working on his knee; Scott Pioli is watching as well.

Scott is being helped off the field.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Meriweather not spotted

Hey all -

Session number two of training camp is now a few minutes old and we don't see number 38 - aka Brandon Meriweather - on the field.

Over the last couple of hours, reports have come out that the first round pick's deal was done.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Hairston cut; PUP list officially announced

It didn't take long for the first cut to come down at training camp -- the Patriots have just announced that running back Justise Hairston has been cut. Clearly, Hairston being a Central Connecticut State guy like Scott Pioli, did nothing to help his cause, as the sixth-round pick has been sent packing before the first full day of camp was completed.

But the move could mean that the reports that Brandon Meriweather has been signed are true -- teams can only have 85 players on the roster for camp, and that's exactly how many were on the roster this morning.

The team also confirmed earlier reports of who is on its physically unable to perform list, - WR Troy Brown, WR Chad Jackson, CB Eddie Jackson, S Mel Mitchell, DL Richard Seymour, WR Donte Stallworth and TE David Thomas. Stallworth was added to the list last night.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Remembering Marquise

When the Patriots took the field this morning, it was with small decals on the back of their helmets bearing the number 91 -- the uniform number worn by defensive lineman Marquise Hill, who died in May after a jet-skiing accident on Lake Ponchartrain in his native New Orleans.

On the inside cover of the media guide, there is a tribute to Hill and Francis "Bucko" Kilroy, the former Patriots' general manager and longtime consulting scout who passed away earlier this month.

The 91 jersey will not be worn by another player this season.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Moss transcript

Here's what Randy Moss had to say today on the field...

Q: How was the first day out there in pads?

RM: It felt weird, but it felt good just getting back into the swing of things and really putting the armor on and just getting used to the field. It is summertime and it’s a little hot, but that’s something that we have to get used to.

Q: How much have you and Tom Brady accomplished already in terms of building chemistry?

RM: I think that in order for us to have the chemistry on the field, we first have to build a relationship off the field. That’s one thing that we’re trying to do. I’m not trying to step on his toes and he’s not trying to step on mine. It’s just a mutual friendship and we have an understanding and we have high respect for one another. Like I said, we have to start a relationship off the field in order for it to work on the field. We’re starting that.

Q: How are you learning the system so far?

RM: I’m really liking it. When I went to Oakland and then came here to New England, it was just more of trying to learn the plays and getting back to classroom work, meaning studying at night, opening up books, taking notes and things like that. I’ve been taking notes and studying since minicamp and I don’t intend to stop now. It’s just putting me into bed a little earlier and putting me into my book a little earlier too.

Q: You went deep a few times today. That must have felt pretty good.

RM: That’s just part of football. As coach says, everybody has a position and I’m here to get open and to catch the ball. I’m just trying to do what I can to contribute to the team.

Q: Tom Brady’s favorite receiver is the one who’s open. How does that help the entire receiving corps go through their routes and be prepared?

RM: I just think that makes everybody work a little harder because Tom distributes the ball to everyone. Who doesn’t want the ball? I think that just makes us as a whole unit – all of the skill positions – work a little harder. As you can see we have a lot of skill positions out here that are very loaded. Coach is going to put 11 [players] on the field and we’re just going to try to execute.

Q: Are you happy if your impact is getting somebody else open because the defense is paying attention to you?

RM: I’ve done that my whole career. If you’re asking me whether I mind being a decoy, [the answer is] no.

Q: Does it take you off your feet all of this here at camp with the electricity and the expectations?

RM: No. I just see the excitement and that’s what makes me happy. Just seeing the excitement of the fans, players and coaches … You can see how family-oriented this organization is, including the fans. Like I said in minicamp, I’m glad to be here and I’m happy to get it started. It’s something that I hope will pay off at the end of the year.

Q: Were there this many fans in Oakland or in Minnesota for the first day of training camp?

RM: Well, football is America’s sport and there are fans all around the whole world, not just in our country. I know the Patriots are going to bring them out. I’m happy to see them.

Q: Can you hear the fans cheering for you?

RM: You can. You all even heard it. That’s just something that you try to block out because you have a job to do. It does feel good to hear the cheers and the kids screaming. That’s really who drives our sport, it’s the children. It is exciting and it’s good to feel the love, but at the same time we have a job to do and we need to concentrate and focus on what we have to do on the field.

Q: Do you think it’s really important to bust out at this time, right now? Is this time of the year very important?

RM: I think that training camp is really where you get the feel of football. Sunday, really, is easy because you work so hard during the week and prepare yourself and study film and things like that. That’s the hard thing about playing football in the National Football League – [working hard] throughout the week. Sunday it becomes easy. Training camp is when it starts, with the heat, putting the pads on, getting out of meetings at 9:00, being at curfew at 11:00. That’s the hard thing about football, is getting all of the little things done early in football season.

Q: When do you anticipate things really clicking with Brady? September maybe?

RM: We don’t really have to click as individuals. I think we have to click as a whole unit. You have 11 players on the field and if one of those 11 lets down, then anything can happen. It’s not just me and Tom who need to be on the same page. We need 11 guys on offense, 11 on defense and 11 on special teams and everybody needs to contribute. Everybody has a job to do. Hopefully we can all do that.

Q: Randy, everybody knows that you put some things aside to come to the offseason program. Do you see that work paying off now when you put the pads on?

RM: Of course. I’ve always done offseason workouts with every organization [I’ve played for]. I really don’t know why it was a big issue here. I planned to come in here and work and get myself in shape and in condition to go through training camp and the regular season. I’m not doing anything that I normally don’t do any other year.

Q: What about besides getting in shape?

RM: I haven’t done anything that I normally don’t do. Everything is the same. I’m just glad to be here and going out there and catching balls.

Q: How is this camp different from others you’ve been through?

RM: I think that just coming in and working right away. We had minicamp and we had time to prepare for what we’re going to go through in training camp. We had to report yesterday. We had our test and then come right back the next day and get into pads. I’m not used to that with the teams that I was with before. Just being in pads and knowing that we can run around and hit a little bit and feel the physicalness of football, it feels good to be right into the pads and not wait three or four days to get in them.

Q: How was that test?

RM: The test was okay. It wasn’t bad. It kind of hurt, don’t get me wrong, but…

Q: [Interrupts] Was it something you haven’t done before?

RM: Every team has a test, but here it’s everything. If you touch the grass wrong you’ve got to go back. It’s just something, every organization hopefully has some kind of conditioning test so players don’t drop or fall off early in training camp. It’s up to us to get ourselves to get ready to come into training camp and the coaches and the organization want to see if we’re ready.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Photo: Randy Moss on the receiving end

randy.jpg
Star free agent Randy Moss catches a pass at training camp this morning.

-- Journal photo/Bob Breidenbach

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 2

Photo: Shake hands with the boss

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Center Dan Koppen, #67, and guard Logan Mankins with team owner Robert Kraft. Practice resumes this afternoon.

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Photo: Brady and Moss at training camp

bradymoss.jpg
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had some face time today at training camp today with Randy Moss, the team's new receiver.

-- Journal photo/Bob Breidendbach

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Photo: Belichick opens camp at Gillette

PATRIOTS.jpg
Patriots training camp opened this morning at Gillette stadium. And Coach Bill Belichick got to work. Practice resumes this afternoon.
-- Journal photo/Bob Breidenbach

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Training camp first look

Alright y'all, those of you who look here for information are probably wondering what has happened. Well our brain wasn't baked by the morning sun -- we were stuck in that colossal mess on Route 128 and it took three hours (three hours!!) to travel to the stadium this morning from home (which is just outside Boston).

Anyway, thanks to the backups on the way in, we missed the morning practice session, though we were on the field for the player interviews and in the room for Bill Belichick's first press conference of the summer.

First of all, Tedy Bruschi is alive and well. We saw him with our own two eyes, along with his wife, Heidi, and his sons. Bruschi was playing with his sons on the field after the session before greeting a few friends and heading back into the stadium.

Now that he's in his fifth training camp, Ty Warren has learned that while it's a generally unpleasant time, it's necessary:

"It's got to be done," he said. "People look at it in a negative light, but you need those reps before the first game."

Randy Moss said training camp makes the rest of the season seem easy.

"Training camp is where you get the feel of football. Sundays are easy. The hard part of playing the the NFL is what you do during the week and during the summer," he said. "We're up early, don't get out of meetings 'til 9 o'clock (at night), I'm in bed at 11."

Moss said he has been taking notes and studying the offense since mini-camp in June, and in his assessment, the Patriots are "loaded at the skill positions," something few observers would argue with.

Rodney Harrison, who was incredulous when we talked in March about pundits already penciling New England in as Super Bowl champs, isn't buying it now either: "We have the ability to be competitive. That's our mindset. It comes down to health, it comes down to being prepared, we need to get some breaks" in order for the season to end with a Lombardi Trophy being handed to Robert Kraft.

Belichick brought up the contract situations with rookie Brandon Meriweather and corner Asante Samuel, but also said he wouldn't comment on them. When he was asked if the situation with Cleveland and Brady Quinn -- Quinn, the 22nd pick, wants to get paid like the top-10 pick he thinks he should have been. Dope. -- would impact talks with the 24th pick, Meriweather, and Belichick simply said Quinn doesn't play for his team.

In a familiar refrain, he said the team is just trying to get better from practice to practice and week to week.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Pats camp opens

A couple thousand fans did make it to Gillette Stadium today for the morning session of the first day of Patriots camp. Tom Brady was there; Asante Samuel reportedly was not. The players who were there were signing autographs on the field. We'll have more on camp, including photos, as the morning continues.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Major tie-ups on Route 95 southwest of Boston

WESTWOOD, Mass. – A single-car crash on Route 95 north, south of exit 13, that closed both the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway for an hour so a helicopter could land, continues to tie up traffic.

If you were trying to get to work in the Boston area or to the New England Patriots summer camp in Foxboro this morning and instead spent the whole time sitting in traffic, this is most likely the cause.

At 5:29 a.m. today, an adult male driving a 2003 Toyota Corolla in the middle northbound lane of Route 95 struck a storm drain that had dislodged from the roadway, according to Massachusetts State Police Trooper Thomas Murphy.

The grate bounced up and broke through the Toyota’s windshield, striking the driver. The car then veered across the left travel lane and collided with the median, Murphy said. The man, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston by helicopter. His condition, name and town of residence are not yet available from the police, Murphy said.

By about 6:30 a.m., the southbound lanes were all opened again, but only the right and breakdown lanes on the northbound side have reopened since the crash, Murphy said.

The left and center lanes will be closed “for an extended period of time,” Murphy said, as an accident reconstruction team continues to investigate.

The accident occurred in a construction zone.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 26, 2007

Samuel's agents trying to work something out

Hey all --

We just got off the phone with Jay Bianco, one of the agents for Asante Samuel (thankfully he's not sick of us yet), and he indicated that Samuel could be in training camp sooner rather than later. Bianco, partner Alonzo Shavers and the Patriots are actively trying to work something out to get the corner back with the team.

“We’re trying to come up with something that is beneficial to everyone and get him in there as early as possible,” Bianco said yesterday. “We all feel it’s in the team’s interest and (Samuel’s) best interest to get him in there as close to on time as possible. The lines of communication are open.”

Bianco mentioned the deal that Lance Briggs and the Bears came to. Also unhappy with being slapped as his team's franchise player, Briggs was threatening to hold out. But Chicago gave him $1million of his $7.2 million up front and agreed not to franchise him again next year -- thus making him a free agent -- IF he plays in 75 percent of the Bears' defensive snaps this season.

“We’re trying to work to get things done like we always have,” Bianco said. “It has to be something that’s beneficial to everyone. Like (Chicago) did with Lance, we’re trying to come to something that’s good for everybody. Our goal is to get him there."

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Training camp fact sheet

Here it is, the schedule for New England Patriots summer camp, which kicks off this weekend at Gillette Stadium and runs through Aug. 3.

Parking and admission are free.

Practices are open to the public Friday from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The pro-shop is open all day.

Nothing is open to the public Saturday. An afternoon practice will be off-limits and the pro-shop will be closed.

But Sunday practice, from 8:45 to 10 a.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will be open. The pro shop will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

On Monday, there will be no scheduled morning practice, only an open 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. practice. There is also the first Patriots Experience. The pro shop will open at 10 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m.

The Patriots Experience is a theme park "designed to provide football fans with a first hand NFL experience," according to the Patriots Web site. "The interactive games allow fans to test their kicking, passing, and tackling skills on a variety of obstacle courses, football tosses, and other similar challenges.''

It's also free.

Patriots Experience is next to the West Suite/Clubhouse lot on the way to the practice fields.

There will be open practices Tuesday from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The pro shop will return to a 7:30 a.m. opening.

Wednesday
-- Aug. 1 -- will offer no morning practice, but there will be open 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. practice. There is also a 1 to 5 p.m. Patriots Experience, while the pro shop will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

On Thursday, there will be the open 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. practices. The pro shop will open at 7:30 a.m. but close earlier, at 5:45 p.m.

And Friday, Aug. 3, there will be one open practice, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. There will be a 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Patriots Experience," and the pro shop will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There's also a long list of concessions, from the First Down Franks to the Pats Brats to the popcorn.

For more information, go to www.patriots.com or call the training camp hotline, (508) 549-0001.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Peter Phipps  at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

July 25, 2007

Brown, Seymour among those on physically unable to perform list

With their training camp set to officially get under way on Friday, the Patriots have placed eight players on the physically unable to perform list, according to The Boston Globe. Wide receivers Troy Brown, Kelley Washington and Chad Jackson; defensive lineman Richard Seymour; rookie running back Justise Hairston; cornerback Eddie Jackson; and safety Mel Mitchell were placed on the list. The contingent counts toward the 80-man roster for training camp and cannot take part in practice until they come off the list.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi "death" rumor unfounded

New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is alive and well, the team reports, despite a wildfire rumor spreading across the region that Bruschi has died.

The Journal last night received approximately 10 calls from readers who had heard the rumor. Patriots beat writer Shalise Manza Young contacted Stacey James, the Patriots team spokesman, who said Bruschi was healthy and that the rumors were absolutely untrue.

Former Journal writer Tom Curran, now with NBC Sports, also heard the rumor from several fans, and he writes about the hysteria today on his blog.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments 1

July 24, 2007

Curtis Martin set to retire

Curtis Martin, the NFL's fourth all-time leading rusher and a former Patriots star, will announce his retirement this week, according to The New York Post. The newspaper said that an announcement will probably happen in Manhattan within the next two days.

The Patriots made Martin their third-round draft choice in 1995 from the University of Pittsburgh. He exceeded 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons with the team, before leaving for the Jets after the 1997-98 season. His most memorable performance with New England came during the 1997 Super Bowl run, when Martin scored three touchdowns while rushing for 166 yards in a 28-3 playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Martin finishes his career third all-time in rushing attempts (3,518), fourth in rushing yards (14,101), seventh in total yards from scrimmage (17,430), and tied for 12th in rushing touchdowns (90).

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Charlie Weis loses malpractice lawsuit

BOSTON (AP) - A jury found against Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis on Tuesday in his malpractice lawsuit against two doctors he claimed botched his care after he had gastric bypass surgery five years ago.

The jury deliberated for less than half a day before finding Massachusetts General Hospital surgeons Charles Ferguson and Richard Hodin were not negligent.
Weis, 51, who won Super Bowls as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, accused the surgeons of negligence, saying they allowed him to bleed internally for 30 hours before performing a second surgery to correct the complication.

Weis nearly died after the surgery. He testified that he still has numbness and pain in his feet and sometimes has to use a motorized cart.

The doctors declined comment as they left the courtroom, referring questions to their attorney, William Dailey Jr.

"They and all of the staff down at the Mass. General wished Coach Weis well," Dailey said.

Ferguson, director of Massachusetts General's surgical residency program, and Hodin, a surgeon and professor at Harvard Medical School, said internal bleeding was a well-known complication of the stomach stapling surgery. They said they believed the bleeding would stop on its own and were concerned about performing a second surgery because of the risk of a pulmonary embolism.

Ferguson testified that Weis ignored his advice and pushed to have the operation done quickly rather than going through a recommended six-week preoperative program.

Lawyers for the doctors told the jury that Weis, who weighed about 350 pounds before the surgery, lost about 100 pounds over the next year and landed one of the premier coaching jobs in the country at Notre Dame, his alma mater.

The first trial ended in a mistrial in February after Ferguson and Hodin rushed to the aid of a juror who collapsed in the courtroom.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 23, 2007

Pats sign K. Brown, Elgin

The Patriots have just announced the signings of defensive lineman Kareem Brown and offensive lineman Mike Elgin.

With five days left until the start of training camp, that means the only draftee not signed is first-round pick Brandon Meriweather.

Brown, the team's fourth-round selection (127th overall), joins a deep and talented group on the defensive line. The University of Miami product had 11 sacks in 10 games for the Hurricanes last season.

Elgin, the team's last pick -- 247th overall -- played guard and center at Iowa.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Former Patriot arrested in domestic-violence case

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) - Former NFL defensive tackle Chad Eaton was arrested for investigation of domestic violence.

Eaton was arrested in Monroe, booked into jail in this city north of Seattle on Saturday and released Sunday on $2,500 bail, according to Snohomish County Jail records.

Additional details about the incident were not immediately available.

Rebecca Hover, a spokeswoman with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, refused to provide a copy of the police report, saying she did not know if the investigation had been completed.

The 35-year-old Eaton spent five seasons with the New England Patriots, three with the Seattle Seahawks and one with the Dallas Cowboys before retiring after the 2004 season. He played in college at Washington State University.

Last year, Eaton's wife, Tina, was arrested at the couple's home in Redmond, an east Seattle suburb, after a fight that left her husband with a bloody nose. The 5-foot-4, 130-pound woman told sheriff's deputies she punched her 6-foot-5, 300-pound husband because she suspected he had cheated on her, court documents said.

Charges were not filed against Tina Eaton because her husband didn't want the case pursued.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 20, 2007

Pats announce early training camp schedule

Hey all --

The day you've all been waiting for is nearly here -- one week from today, Training Camp 2007 gets underway. In fact, exactly seven days from now, we'll be on the field watching session number 2 of the first day...

The Pats today announced the first several days of camp today, and there is already a change to the schedule we were initially given a few weeks ago (at first there was nothing scheduled on July 28 -- and after a closer look, that session is not open to the public). To that end, make sure you call the team's training camp hotline -- 508-549-0001 -- or visit patriots.com or here at the Pats Blog before you head out to Gillette to see if there are any schedule changes.

FRIDAY, JULY 27

8:45 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Practice
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Practice

SATURDAY, JULY 28
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Practice
Closed to the public (concert inside stadium that day)

SUNDAY, JULY 29

8:45 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Practice
5:30 -- 7:30 p.m. Evening Practice

MONDAY, JULY 30

2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Practice

TUESDAY, JULY 31

8:45 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Practice
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Practice

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Practice

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2

8:45 – 10:45 a.m. Morning Practice
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Evening Practice

The first preseason game is Friday, Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Tampa Bay.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 19, 2007

Patriots sign Chad Brown; cut three others

Hey all --

Confirming a move first reported by friend Dan Pires of the New Bedford Standard-Times weeks ago, the Patriots today announced the signing of 36-year old linebacker Chad Brown for a second stint with the team. The team also released three players: veteran cornerback Antwain Spann, veteran wide receiver Jonathan Smith and rookie tight end Jake Nordin.

Brown was with New England for the 2005 season, recording 54 tackles. He was cut by the team after training camp last year and returned to Pittsburgh, where he began his career in 1993. The three-time Pro Bowler will give depth to a linebacking corps in which every starter will be age 30 by the start of the regular season.

With the depth at their respective positions, Smith and Nordin were very long shots to make the roster; Spann was signed off the practice squad for eight regular season games and was on the team for the three postseason contests.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

The real Tom Brady doesn't have to stand up in court

"Tom Brady" is a bespectacled, 39-year-old attorney who dreams of being the two-time Super Bowl MVP.

To the disappointment of court watchers in Boston, the real Tom Brady, who dates super model Giselle Bundchen, will not testify during the retrial of former Patriots' offensive coordinator Charlie Weis's medical malpractice case.

tombrady2.jpg
AP photo
The real Tom Brady
Weis Surgery Lawsuit.JPG
AP photo
Attorney Mike Mone Jr.

The Patriots quarterback testified during the first attempt to try the case, but that case ended in a mistrial in February. The retrial is now under way in Suffolk Superior Court, and rather than hauling Brady back to the courthouse, lawyers decided to have his testimony from the first trial read to the jurors.

Playing the role of Brady was Mike Mone Jr., whose father is the lead attorney on Weis's team.

"Like many men, I dream of being Tom Brady," he said after the court recessed for the day. "But I don't know if this would be the 15 minutes I'd choose."

Weis is suing Charles Ferguson, director of Massachusetts General Hospital's surgical residency program, and Richard Hodin, a surgeon and professor at Harvard Medical School, accusing them of botching the surgery commonly known as stomach stapling.

The trial is continuing.

Read more from The Associated Press.

-- From Associated Press reports

Posted by Jack Perry  at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 16, 2007

Samuel agent: Time to regroup

We just wrapped up a chat with Jay Bianco, one of the agents for Asante Samuel, and in addition to telling us what we already knew -- that he and partner Alonzo Shavers were not able to strike a long-term deal with the Patriots on behalf of their client -- and what we didn't know -- that Samuel and his agents will now take time to regroup and let Samuel do what's best for him.

"We'll guide him and ultimately the decision is up to him," said Bianco.

Though there was a 4 p.m. deadline, Bianco said the two sides were not negotiating right up until the final allowable minute. The numbers were too far apart.

"There's no way to quantify (how far apart they were), but it's not a situation where if we had had a few more hours it would have gotten done," Bianco said.

With no deal struck, Samuel and Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs were the two franchise-designated players not to come to a long-term agreement with their respective teams this year. The other four players who received the franchise tag -- Cincinnati's Justin Smith, Detroit's Cory Redding, New Orleans' Charles Grant and Seattle's Josh Brown -- all signed multi-year extensions with their clubs.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:42 PM | Permalink | Comments 10

July 14, 2007

Patriots sign three draftees

New England has announced the signing of three of its late-round draft picks: sixth-rounders Mike Richardson and Corey Hilliard as well as seventh-rounder Oscar Lua.

Richardson is a 5-foot-11, 188 pound defensive back from Notre Dame selected 202nd overall who played his last two seasons under former Pats offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

Hilliard, the 209th pick, is a 6-foot-6, 305 pound offensive lineman from Oklahoma State who caught everyone's attention for all the wrong reasons during rookie mini-camp when he got sick and removed himself from the drills.

Lua is a linebacker out of Southern California who grew up idolizing his new teammate, Junior Seau. He is a 6-foot-1, 240 pound California native selected 211th overall.

Training camp begins in 13 days...

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

July 8, 2007

Never Give Up

Hey all --

An advance copy of Never Give Up, Tedy Bruschi's book with Michael Holley, showed up in our mailbox a couple of weeks ago, and seeing as we've been taking so much vacation time lately (don't know if you've heard, but training camp starts soon), we got a chance to read it.

The book begins with a foreword by Tom Brady, who says that he quickly began to emulate Bruschi when Brady arrived at his first training camp, in 2000. Bruschi says that of his teammates, Brady is one of the ones that he is closest to, along with Mike Vrabel.

Here is the opening paragraph of Bruschi's prologue, setting the stage for what is to come for the standout linebacker:

"I should have known that the first Sunday in February 2005 was going to be one of the best of my career, because it began perfectly. It was two hours before the kickoff of Super Bowl XXXIX, and I was on the field, happily scanning the Alltel Stadium seats. I found the family section of the half-empty stadium and ran toward my wife, Heidi, who was with two of our three sons. I've been to four Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, so I know that the final game of the year is not only the longest and has the longest halftime show of the year, it's also the longest pre-game wait of the year. After a while, anxious players and devoted fans just want the action to start. Imagine my boys, both under five years old at the time, sitting patiently with Heidi for two hours. I ran to their section and did something that I'll never take for granted again: I picked up my sons and brought them to the field so I could run and play with them."

The images of Bruschi with T.J. and Rex on the field were beamed all over the world, the father doting on his sons just hours before the biggest game of the season.

As we all know, Bruschi's life changed less than two weeks later. But few know that he told team owner Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick that he was going to retire, believing his career was over. Kraft actually came up with a job for Bruschi -- "organizational trainee" -- that would pay him a generous salary and keep him with the Patriots. But Belichick suggested Bruschi might just take one year off, as Carolina linebacker Mark Fields did when he learned he had Hodgkin's disease.

The idea stuck with Bruschi.

Bruschi is quite honest in the book, discussing his lower-class upbringing in California, his fears and confusion after the stroke, the sadness at not being able to hold and play with his boys in the weeks after the stroke, how it stung when one younger teammate said he thought Bruschi was coming back for the paycheck, and the extended fight he and Heidi had over his returning to the football field. Heidi needed quite a bit of convincing from as many doctors as possible.

He shares letters from fans, and how other stroke survivors became one of his major inspirations for his return.

One of the things that we thought was funny was in Bruschi's re-telling of January's AFC divisional playoff game against the Chargers in San Diego. According to the co-captain, quarterback Philip Rivers -- the one that screamed that Ellis Hobbs was "sorry" after the game -- was one of the players talking the most during it.

Bruschi is already revered around these parts, and this book will likely make him more of a hero than he already is. The book is released on Aug. 17.

shalise

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

July 5, 2007

Harrison re-structures contract

The Boston Globe reported today that Rodney Harrison's contract for the coming season has been adjusted.

The veteran safety was due to earn a base salary of $2.7 million in 2007, but his base salary is now $2 million, with another $200,000 possible with incentives.

His salary cap hit is now $2.7 million, down from $3.4 million, though his salary for 2008 -- $3 million base -- is the same.

It is entirely possible that Harrison simply received the money upfront, which is what happened when Tom Brady adjusted his deal for the team to sign Randy Moss.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

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