Boston Sports Then and Now

The Patriots announced today that former linebacker Ted Bruschi will be the next member inducted into the team’s Hall Of Fame.  Bruschi edged out former head coach Chuck Fairbanks and offensive tackle Leon Gray. It was just a matter of time before Bruschi, who embodied “The Patriots Way, would receive this honor.

“Mr. Kraft called me on the phone last night and let me know, gave me the news,” Bruschi said. “He told me he was very proud of me to be inducted in the Patriots Hall of Fame, and I told him how much it meant to me.”

Bruschi was drafted in 1996 in the third round out of Arizona University. He appeared in five Super Bowls with the Patriots winning three. However, championships did not define the man or the player. He was measured by his dedication, leadership and courage. The latter being tested after he suffered a stroke in 2005.

Most players would have called it quits after such a health scare, but not Mr. Full Tilt, Full Time.  The word quit is not part of Bruschi’s vocabulary. He fought and clawed his way back and returned to play three more seasons for the only NFL team he knew.

And gave Patriots fans a lifetime of memories…..Congratulations Tedy.

Looks like former Patriots teammates Tom Brady & Tedy Bruschi are quite the fans of Kentucky Derby winner Orb. TB12 was rocking his bow tie and giddy as a school girl before he was gang tackled by Bruschi and others.

Patriots fans everywhere remember last time Tom & Tedy went this BONKERS!

Hopefully, Orb can return the favor when Tom leads the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory in nine years.

Pot of Baked Beans Goes To Patriots Life.

(PHOTO: DEADSPIN)

Tim Tebow was cut by the New York Jets which could have been the BEST thing for him. As the internet is making fun of Timmy calling the above photo the new “Tebowing”, he should hold his head high.

The seas are parting for the prodigal son to return to his rightful place. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will be waiting for Tim Tebow with open arms.

Do you remember that “The Hoodie” was courting Tim Tebow in the North End prior to the 2010 NFL Draft?

Bill loves Tim Tebow and knows his value:

“We saw him play last year. He quarterbacked that team to the playoffs, (the) Denver (Broncos),” Belichick said Tuesday (via ESPNBoston.com). “In addition to some of the quarterbacking things, he’s done a lot of other things with the Jets, so, yeah, of course he’s a valuable guy.”

“He doesn’t always line up at quarterback when he’s in there on offense, so you have to be ready to deal with him at other positions as well,” Belichick said. “He’s a good runner, he’s a strong runner, very strong. He’s mobile in the pocket, (a) smart player, he can do a lot of different things. Different option plays and things like that, so you certainly have to be aware of him when he’s in there.”

And what does BB LOVE?

High value at low or NO cost.

So don’t be surprised when Tim Tebow is invited to training camp. The kid is a winner and what he may lack in arm strength he makes up for leadership, passion and determination.

Sounds like the Patriot Way to me!

86 years of the Curse.
39 years without The Cup.
41 years before a Superbowl victory
22 years without hanging a banner.

It occurred to me the other day that we are raising a generation of Boston sports fans that have no idea what these struggles are all about. My son (who happens to be 14) does not know the anguish of losing seasons, the pain of seeing Ray Borque traded away so that he could drink from the Stanley Cup. He does not understand the empty feeling in the heart of the late Ted Williams or The late Johnny Pesky. At least Johnny got to see and be part of the end of the curse. John Hannah, Andre Tippet and Steve Grogan, great Patriots who came so close in 1985. Cam Neely did not sip champagne as a player.

I know from which I speak, you see I was part of the last spoiled generation of Boston sports fans. I grew up just north of Boston in the 1980′s. In 1981, at the age of 12, I watched with my father as the Boston Celtics, lead by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish beat the Houston Rockets in six games. We hugged, drank soda, and a fanatic was born. 1984 was magical and the 1986 Celtics were unbeatable! To top it all off, in the calendar year 1986 all four of my pro sports teams made the playoffs.

As a Boston sports fan I lived and died with the teams, sure the Celtics were great in the 1980′s The Pats, Bruins, and Red Sox came close. (I just saw the Buckner play when I blinked my eyes). I just knew that Boston teams would contend every year right? The Patriots would get to another Superbowl and avenge their 46 – 10 loss to the Bears. The Bruins would beat those darn Oilers and bring a cup to Boston, And a World Series victory was close at hand.

The late 80′s saw an end to the big three, the tragic deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis signaled tough times ahead. I watched Cam Neely’s knees go bad and Bourque raise a cup in Denver. The Red Sox would go the next eighteen years before getting to the World Series in 2004. The Patriots went eight years between playoff appearances, until they got bad enough to draft Drew Bledsoe with the number one pick in the 1993 draft. Don’t even get me started on Rod Rust, Victor Kiam or Zeke Mowatt. Then came the long wait for my teams to be good again, for a sixth round draft pick to become Tom Brady, for Pedro and Schilling to excise the ghosts of the past. KG and Paul Pierce have restored Celtic Pride, and Tim Thomas, Mark Recchi and Zdeno Chara brought us the cup.

SEVEN Championships in ten years….. Domination for the Boston Sports market.

A word to the wise of the next generation, It won’t always be this good. There will be years when you team won’t be a contender.

When you baseball season is all but over before Labor day.

When you are watching ping pong balls for your teams spot in the lottery.

When your not wondering how your football team will do in the playoffs before the season even starts.

Your favorite quarterback, small forward, centerfielder, and goaltender will not play forever, your teams will fall to the bottom of the standings for a few long, painful years.

Pro sports are built to be cyclical.

You will watch your teams rebuild, and at times it will seem like they will be bad forever, but when they rebuild and win.

It will taste even sweeter.

In this social media age, NEWS and ODDITIES are all around you and at your fingertips. With a tap of your smartphone, you can find out what your favorite athlete or celeb is doing and thinking. Some things make you SCRATCH your head or say HMM.

The members of the New England Patriots are no different, they are quite in tune with the Twitter Machine.

In This Edition: Meet The New Kids On The Block of the NFL Draft

Proud to be a patriot!! Time to work!!!

— Aaron Dobson 3 (@AyE_DeE_3) April 27, 2013

Thanks for all the support everyone! #patriotsnation — Aaron Dobson 3 (@AyE_DeE_3) April 27, 2013

Ballin ballin like I play for New England haha — Josh Boyce (@Josh_Boyce) April 27, 2013

Blessed to be a New England Patriot. Hard work pays off. instagram.com/p/YlxdVKmdIA/ #DreamsComeTrue

— Logan Ryan (@RealLoganRyan) April 27, 2013

Proud to be a PATRIOT!!!!!

— Duron Harmon (@dharm32) April 27, 2013

Proud to be a Patriot! #PatsNation

— Michael Buchanan (@MikeBuke99) April 28, 2013

Is it August yet?

It’s time for Bill Belichick and the Patriots to get to work.

It’s official.

The 2013 NFL Draft has come to an end and we now know the names of all 7 players selected by the New England Patriots in this years draft. Yesterday, New England drafted to fill their areas of need and brought in a pass rushing/coverage linebacker, a big wide receiver to stretch the field and two defensive backs to help tighten up the secondary.

Going into day 3, the only real area of need that remained was getting an interior offensive lineman and it was never addressed. But, with 3 picks on the final day (a fourth pick was traded) there was plenty of depth that could be added to the squad and in his press conference last night Bill Belichick made it clear that there was value still available.

So, who joins Jamie Collins, Aaron Dobson, Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon in this years draft class?

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