What Are They Doing Off the Field
Football is one of America’s favorite sports. What guy doesn’t remember using mailboxes as end zones, or playing so late in to the night that the only catchable, visible ball was the coveted Hail-Mary silhouetted high up in the dusk sky? When we get the chance, flag football is still an awesome way to burn calories and get together with friends on the weekend. So, what do NFL professionals do for hobbies?
New England Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green can be found puttering with pots and pans. Green bought a building 14 months ago, which will serve as the future home of his own restaurant. And unlike many wealthy athletes who hope the sheer volume of their money will magically create a wise investment from thin air, Green has been making himself a true student of the culinary industry. He has been spending time interning at several eateries, learning from the head chefs. It’s very refreshing to see mega athletes willing to engross themselves in something other than endorsements, showing that they still have a solid connection with reality and hold value in real work. Green plans to open The Capital in August. Of his new establishment, he comments “I want people to hear it’s a nice place, not that it’s Jarvis Green’s place. The only thing I am to the bar is a lagniappe.” Get your New England Patriots tickets today.
Taken Under Wing
Vince Wilfork has quickly commandeered the role of veteran mentor for the Miami Hurricane alumni Brandon Meriweather and Kareem Brown. Actually, all three share the Hurricane brotherhood. This should serve to make a smooth, natural environment for the two rookies to learn and observe the ways of the professionals. Certain rookies, fresh out of the draft, have been known to bring a degree of arrogance on to the field. This is not the case here.
Vince Wilfork, a little less than eloquently, but necessarily and factually let the boys know, “I just told them, do what you do best…play football. Everything else will come to you. Just be willing to learn. You don’t know everything; you’re a rookie…just be able to learn.” Wilfork, a former first-round draft pick, can relate with the expectations put on the rookies. And so he’s taken the two under his wing. He also respects that coming on to a Super Bowl team can be fairly intimidating. But just as much as Wilfork is understanding of the rookies’ position, he’s not about to babysit. And Brown recognizes exactly that. “You have to treat this game like a business…they’re not going to baby you,” says Brown. Good luck boys. Get your New England Patriots tickets today.
Time to Mix it Up
The New England Patriots are taking on some top talent, now it’s time to mix them in with the rest of the team. For the most part, as fans, as outsiders, we see the team as a well-oiled machine, assuming it just neatly fell together, right? No way! For the rookies, it’s like going back to school. Coach Bill Belichick comments on what he hopes to accomplish, “That each player will be able to take the information that he’s been given in the meeting room, the walkthroughs, and film sessions, and go out and apply it in the segment or in the framework that we’re able to work in at this point.” And that’s where minicamp comes in to play.
And what’s the first order of business for integrated these eager rookies? Strength training of course. Assistant strength and conditioning coach Harold Nash and strength coach Mike Woicik take the players back to basics and start off with fundamental stretching and exercising. After they’ve succeeded in getting the adrenaline pumping, the players break off according to positions with the different coaches. This is perhaps one of the most important points in the season, where coaches pay close attention to detail and pinpoint the exact mechanics of these new players. This is when each player is mapped out, so their skills and weaknesses can be doctored. Stay tough rookies! Don’t miss out on the action, get information and New England Patriots tickets today.
Team Chemistry: a Tried and True Formula.
New England Patriots’ Head coach Bill Belichick was obviously the first person to welcome Randy Moss to the team. Moss came on during Day 2 of the NFL draft in exchange for a Patriots’ fourth-round draft pick. After several other Patriots welcomed Moss, Kevin Faulk followed up with a genuine greeting. “I called him the (day) after the trade,” Faulk said. I just wanted to greet him, and let him know how much the team appreciated having him - his great pair of hands - and that we we’re going to have fun together.”
From this, I’m reminded of how important team synergy is. It’s easy to get lost in the individual statistics of the stars on the field, forgetting to look at the grand scheme of how each and every team member is working together. “I’m just excited to see the team come together, and pull together through minicamp, go through training camp together, and see the chemistry come together,” Faulk said. The chemistry that Faulk speaks of is exactly what enables players to predict the movements of their teammates and play off them accordingly. A team that consistently works together weeds out variables, such as being uncertain of how a teammate will act on the field. With less variables in play, there are more opportunities to concentrate on the end line. View New England Patriots tickets at StubHub.com.
Bring the Noise.
This past weekend proved to be a productive one for the New England Patriots. Enter wide receiver Randy Moss. As the second-leading receiver for the Raiders last season and one of only seven players in NFL history exceeding 100 receiving touchdowns, the Pat’s trade for a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft is definitely justifiable. Consderiing Moss’ 101 receiving touchdowns rank him fifth on the all-time list, it’s a bit of a mystery as to why the Raiders were so ready to make the exchange. It’s most likely due to the Raiders recently getting their hands on wide receiver Mike Williams and quarterback JaMarcus Russell. The acquisition of Moss will surely help solidify the Patriots as one of the top contenders this season.
Bringing a little bit less noise to the Patriot table, but still a solid pick up, is draftee Brandon Meriweather (Free Safety) of the Miami Hurricanes. According to NFL.com, “Despite his [Meriweather] compact frame, he is a physical hitter with good range and steady wrap-up tackle technique.” The Pats aslo picked up Kareem Brown; Miami’s Defensive Player of the Year. Brown achieved 11 1/2 sacks as a senior, making him a reasonable purchase. It’s speculated that New England’s seven remaining picks will be devoted to special teams. For New England Patriots tickets visit StubHub.com today.
Increasing the Roster
The New England Patriots took on seven additional undrafted rookies as free agents yesterday. The team also took on running back Kyle Bissinger from Rice and linebacker Quinton Smith from UAB. The Patriots will be holding another three day mini-camp this coming weekend in Foxborough and all newbies are required to attend.
Among the undrafted rookie free agents are defensive back Larry Anam from Boston College, quarterback Matt Gutierrez from Idaho State, tight end Jake Nordin from Northern Illinois, Texes A&M’s linebacker Justin Warren, and defensive lineman Zach West of UTEP.
The team seems to be not only expanding its roster, but expanding its capabilities as well. This next NFL season is going to be exciting and you can catch it all live when you get tickets from StubHub.com.
Offseason = Horseracing
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and linebacker Tedy Bruschi along with teammates Matt Cassell, Dan Koppen, Larry Izzo, Lonie Paxton and Mike Vrabel were sited at this weekend’s Kentucky Derby events. They joined the likes of the Queen Elizabeth II, Jenny McCarthy, and a dozen of the Indianapolis Colts lead by quarterback Peyton Manning.
All were in attendance at the fund raiser for diabetes research that kicked off the festivities of the famous race. Held annually at the estate of Patricia Barnstable Brown the night before the derby this year’s event raised over $1 million dollars, “It’s the fifth year we’ve been lucky enough to have Tom and the amazing Patriots join us.”
Join the Patriots in another winning season at all of their games by getting your tickets at StubHub.com.
Brady on Baseball
New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady was recently spotted sporting a New York Yankees baseball cap. Although he was in New York city at the time the media is making a big stink of the Boston native supporting another city’s team. It is said he has been spotted wearing the same hat in a donut shop in Massachusetts as well.
Another recent appearance made by a football player wearing a labeled hat was the Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher’s Vitamin Water advertisement at a Super Bowl media day that won him a lot of publicity and a $100,000 fine from the NFL. Believe it or not a Chicago radio station acquired the hat and gave it to a listener who is now selling it on eBay.
Media is always going to raise eyebrows by spotting celebrities sporting labels, especially an athlete supporting another team. Support your team this NFL season and get your tickets from StubHub.com.
More on Moss
The New England Patriot players are talking about the Randy Moss trade. The trade received a high mark from CBSSportsline.com and many other critics post draft. The best trade of the draft they say; an effort to stock up on receivers with the loss of Deion Branch to the Seattle Seahawks and David Givens to the Tennessee Titans.
Coach Bill Belichick was quoted, “I see Moss as a similar player [to Branch], a different type guy physically, but with the same skill sets.” He told ESPN.com, “He’s been a dynamic guy, and he’ll make us better and make the wide receivers around him better. As to how, well, we’re still figuring that out.”
Former Patriot linebacker Willie McGinest who plays for the Cleveland Browns is quoted, “I’ve seen guys come in from other places and fall right into line, and the guys who didn’t, they got rid of immediately.” The Patriots aren’t going to put up with off field issues, but aside from that everyone is giving a thumbs up to the addition and eager to see how the team uses their new weapon. See it live this season when you get your tickets at StubHub.com.
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