Patriots News of the Week of June 9, 2003

[The_Philster]

Please post Patriots news here

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - The Patriots' offseason officially began this weekend with the conclusion of their three-day minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Save for a few team functions and some final workouts by individual players, the roster will be on its own for the next six weeks while the football staff enjoys some needed down time.

Conclusions are hard to come by after five noncontact practices, but there were certainly some impressions to be had the past three days. Here are a few:...

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pats06092003.htm)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin led the parade of defensive free agents that signed on with the Patriots in the offseason.

After Colvin shed his ties with the Chicago Bears, veteran performers such as ex-Denver Broncos cornerback Tyrone Poole and former San Diego Chargers safety Rodney Harrison arrived to bolster the secondary. The Patriots followed those transactions by drafting defensive tackle/end Ty Warren out of Texas A&M in the first round of the draft...
more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/psid06092003.htm)

[The_Philster]

It was a relaxed and friendly group of Patriots that showed up for the team's annual charity golf event yesterday at Belmont Country Club.

Between anniversary bashes, bachelor parties and the usual blowing off of steam at the conclusion of the offseason workout program, it hasn't taken the Pats long to downshift into neutral.

The grind begins again in six weeks for the start of training camp. Until then, it's chill-time....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/pats06102003.htm)

[The_Philster]

FOXBORO - Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour didn't parlay his invitation to the Pro Bowl in Honolulu into an excuse to go surfing or take an excursion to the summit of Diamond Head.

Seymour was one of six Patriots who confronted the NFC in February. Larry Izzo, Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Damien Woody and Adam Vinatieri were aligned with the AFC's elite players for the annual clash of all-stars....
more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/psid06102003.htm)

[The_Philster]

It's the best good old-fashioned sports story of the year. It might even be the only good old-fashioned sports story of the year.

By that I mean, the story contains no trace of drugs, no woman scorned, no contract hassles, no hurricanes, earthquakes or lawyers.

The story involves only Steve Grogan, who might be the last of the good old-fashioned athletes....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/horg06102003.htm)

[The_Philster]

Team gets fill at golf outing
BELMONT -- It's been a whirlwind couple of days for the Kraft family. On Sunday, more than 600 friends were invited for Robert and Myra's 40th wedding anniversary celebration at Gillette Stadium, with a special performance by Elton John. Yesterday, after Patriots vice chairman Jonathan Kraft spoke at the commencement of his alma mater, Belmont Hill, about ''patience and perseverance,'' players, coaches, and executives convened at Belmont Country Club for the annual Patriots Charitable Foundation golf tournament.



The players, enjoying the offseason after a three-day minicamp in Foxborough last week, came to play in foursomes with corporate sponsors and have some fun at each other's expense....
more (http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/161/sports/Patriots_look_set_to_tee_it_up+.shtml)

[Gunzlingr]

By Paul Harber, Globe Staff, 6/13/2003

he tall, lefthanded-hitting Californian had one last swing, his final Fenway Park at-bat. People in the sparsely filled grandstand stopped and watched closely. The pitch was a fastball, inside and low.

The hitter, a true New England hero, gritted his teeth and clenched his bat. With one mighty swing, the ball sailed high into the cool, gray sky and landed in the right-field seats.

No, this isn't a re-creation of Ted Williams's finale on Sept. 28, 1960. Jack Fisher wasn't pitching; Sox bullpen coach Euclides Rojas was on the hill.

The player with an eerily Williams-esque swing was Tom Brady, quarterback of the Patriots. Brady, who hadn't played a baseball game since high school, and Lawyer Milloy, who last played as a junior at the University of Washington eight years ago, were guests of the Red Sox before last night's game against the Cardinals.

It made sense. The Patriots know something about beating St. Louis.

''It's something I've always wanted to do,'' said Milloy, who hits righthanded and in three batting cage appearances improved with every swing.

more (http://www.globe.com/dailyglobe2/164/sports/Splendid_outing_for_cagey_Brady+.shtml)

[The_Philster]

Tebucky Jones is gone, taking his great speed and long arms to New Orleans, leaving the Patriots defense without a true free safety to protect the middle of the field from long pass completions.

During his time in New England, Jones missed far too many tackles and knocked off his own teammates far too often to be considered an elite free safety (his current contract with the Saints notwithstanding). But the former first-round draft pick did play the middle of the field well on passing plays. Cornerbacks knew that if Jones was supposed to be providing them with deep help, assistance would be in place by the time the ball arrived. That's a significant contribution....

more (http://www2.bostonherald.com/sport/patriots/nflnt06152003.htm)