Main page | August 14, 2007 »

Post-practice notes

Tonight's practice had lots to offer, as there was a lot of 11-on-11 situational work. The session was held inside Gillette Stadium in front of a few hundred people, who we're told were families of team support staff.

In the early going, Bill Belichick spent a lot of time with the defense, as he almost always does, and was approached at one point by rookie Brandon Meriweather. Belichick spent several seconds explaining something to Meriweather, gesturing with both hands.

Tom Brady had a small problem with his right arm, stopping early on and getting the arm massaged by one of the trainers. It looked to be mostly his forearm, but he did return to practice and didn't look to have a problem slinging it downfield.

Nick Kaczur is lining up at right tackle with the first-team offense almost exclusively now, so he clearly has the advantage over second-year man Ryan O’Callaghan at the position.

The defense had its way with Matt Cassel in 11-on-11 work – on one play, rookie Kareem Brown batted down a Cassel pass, and on a strike intended for Chris Dunlap, former Boston College (yes, Notre Dame, not BC, apologies...) standout Mike Richardson picked off the backup quarterback. Mike Vrabel got in on the action, tipping a Cassel pass near the sideline after he rolled to his right; and Mike Wright got his hands on a ball near the line of scrimmage with the offense at their own 26-yard line. The ball popped up in the air, and Adalius Thomas grabbed it, running to the end zone.

In third-down goal line work, Tom Brady was looking for Jabar Gaffney in the end zone, but Ellis Hobbs jumped in front of the ball and took off down the sideline.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Practice attendance

As we said in our last post, this is a full pads practice, being held inside Gillette Stadium. This part of practice was preceded by a 30-40 minute walkthrough.

The members of the media were just reminded that we can't report on "offensive or defensive strategy, including formations, personnel groups or non-conventional plays" (as the wording goes) and were led to believe that some non-conventional plays might be happening out there tonight. So we can't tell you what they are, but there will be some...

(Was it wrong to throw that out there when we can't provide details??? ;)

There are several players not on the field:

OL Billy Yates
WR Randy Moss
TE Benjamin Watson
TE Kyle Brady
DL Ty Warren

As well as the usual suspects: the PUPers -- Chad Jackson, Eddie Jackson, Troy Brown, David Thomas and Richard Seymour -- and Asante Samuel.

Laurence Maroney and Eric Alexander are still in red no-contact jerseys, though as previously reported, Junior Seau is not.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Seau red no more?

Hey all --

The Pats players are starting to filter onto the field for tonight's practice session, which will be held in full pads.

Junior Seau was the first on the field (he actually beat Matt Gutierrez, quite the feat) and is not wearing the red non-contact jersey he had been sporting to this point in camp.

We'll have more shortly.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi relates to Bucs' Allstott

At the end of last Friday’s preseason game at Tampa Bay, Tedy Bruschi sought out Mike Allstott. A day earlier, the Bucs’ six-time Pro Bowl fullback had been placed on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending – possibly career-ending – neck injury.

Having seen his own NFL career almost come to a premature end because of the stroke he suffered in 2005, Bruschi said he felt compelled to reach out to Allstott.

``I was watching TV before the game and I had seen news reports on his situation and how he had reinjured his neck and how he had been put on i.r. for the rest of the year, and I just wanted to seek him out and tell him that whatever he decided – because his future, he said he didn’t know what he wanted to do; it was uncertain – I said, whatever he decided, I wished him well, (would) say a little prayer for him and hoped everything worked out for him.

``I think I can relate more to situations like that from what happened to me back in 2005, understand some of the feelings you go through, some of the thought processes you go through. So I could definitely sort of understand where he was coming from.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi: Thomas is quick study

Tedy Bruschi realized what a quick study fellow linebacker Adalius Thomas is within the first couple of training camp practices.

Shown some run-stopping techniques in one session, the newly-acquired Patriot would already be showing marked improvement by the next workout.

``That’s the sign of a good football player,’’ Bruschi said.
``He’s such a good student. He’s picked things up very quickly. The best way I’ve been trying to help him with that process is just every single time he breaks the huddles, going over reminders, saying the defense again, reminding the personnel, the situations, the possible motions, things like that. And he does the same thing with me. That’s the way it has to be. That’s the way it’s always been, whether it’s been (Mike) Vrabel in there or (Roman) Phifer in there or (Ted) Johnson in there. Once you break the huddle, that’s when the communication starts.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Bruschi talks about new book, new season

Shortly after a season ends, Tedy Bruschi has a heart-to-heart conversation with himself.

In a press conference with the media at Gillette Stadium this afternoon, the Patriots'
veteran linebacker asks himself some serious questions, before deciding whether he will put in another year on the gridiron:

``What I do is just see where I am physically and mentally, first of all. I think physically first because you have these aches and pains after the season . . . . You get older and it takes a little longer for things to heal. So is this injury, is this ache and pain, is it a little more serious than I think it is? Is it getting better two weeks, three weeks down the line? Am I starting to think about the off-season program to get ready to play next year? Watching the Super Bowl, does it irritate me to the point where I want to get working again and get ready to go again?"

Bruschi said he answered, ``yes,'' to all of those questions.

``I started to think about the off-season program. I started to get better quickly. So it was just a point of when does the offseason program begin and continue the process.''

Bruschi says that the strength has returned to his right hand, in which he had suffered a broken bone during last year’s training camp: ``The wrist is feeling a lot better. I’m feeling great out there, and I think I’ve seen improvement with myself from the start of camp, which is what all of us want to see and which coach (Bill Belichick) really preaches, about just getting better every day.’’

In addition to preparing to play this fall, Bruschi spent the past off-season working with Michael Holley to complete his new book, Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery, and My Return to the NFL.

Bruschi says his primary reason for writing the book about the stroke that he suffered in February 2005 is to create more awareness about the cardiovascular disease.

``The big thing with me when I had my stroke is that I didn't realize I was having a stroke when I was going through it at the moment. So I would hope this would open some eyes particularly to people of my age group that it can happen.''

Bruschi says that the process of writing the book, which he adds is also his way of responding to the thousands who sent him letters and e-mails of support during the ordeal, was an emotional one.

``Through writing it, I sort of relived it and (thought) to myself, `Man, that was a lot. Wow. How did I get through all of this,’ ‘’ he said. ``Every time I sat down to write the book or discuss the book with Michael . . . . it’s a very emotional book. I talk about my marriage, how the stroke affected my marriage, my emotions coming back. And reliving every single page was sort of emotionally trying at times. That made it difficult in itself.

``What I learned through the whole process of coming back like that,’’ he continued, ``(is that) as professional athletes we think that we’re such big, strong individuals and confident and mentally tough that we can handle everything ourselves. Sometimes you can’t, and you need the help of people, and there are a lot of people that helped me come back.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments 0