Brady will lead the well oiled machine of an offense.

There is much talk about Tom Brady as Patriots training camp approaches.

Yes, his contract is up at the end of the season.

Yes, there has been  talk of an extension. That’s neither here nor there though.

New contract or not, Brady will have a super year.

Rewind to 2007.

The record setting Patriots offense was led by their dynamic quarterback who posted a video game-like 50/8 TD/INT ratio and threw for over 4800 yards. Entering his 11th NFL season at the age of 33, can Brady ever get close to those gaudy numbers again?

There are reasons to believe he may.

1. Brady’s playing for a contract. Despite Adam Schefter’s reports, as of now TB is without a contract. Typically this brings out the best in players, and we all now how good Brady is under pressure. No one’s expecting him to have a poor season. His track record doesn’t lead anyone to believe that he will be anything less than the solid 2/1 TD/INT ratio he has boasted the majority of his career. This reason may be a moot point, as Brady may resign before the season begins, but the following reasons will provide you with insight on why he’ll still have a big year.
2. Brady’s healthy. Two years ago Brady went down in the season opener. As Bernard Pollard hit his knee, the the New England fan base knew he was done; it was obvious. Brady was back last season but he was reportedly  hindered by broken ribs and a broken finger most of the season. Now two years removed from the knee injury, and an off-season of rest for his tender ribs and banged up finger, Brady is healthy again. Perhaps the most healthy he’s been since ‘07.
3. Another year under Bill O’Brien. After Josh McDaniels left for the head coaching gig in Denver, the keys to the offense were handed over to Bill O’Brien. In his first season running the offense last season, O’Brien’s inexperience showed at times. The offense was not as fluid as it had been, and the play calling was questionable more often than we were used to seeing. This will be Brady’s second year on Bill O’Brien, so hopefully they had an off-season to review and reflect on what worked and what did not work.
4. The same average group of RBs returns. The Patriots ranked 12th in the NFL with 1921 rushing yards last season. The same group of Maroney, Faulk, Morris, Taylor, and Green-Ellis returns. This is a fairly old group and it may be tough for them to collectively reach that number again. Perhaps the offense goes back to even more of a pass first unit this season.
5. A more stable receiving corps. Last season Brady had a less than gifted Sam Aiken, an inexperienced Isiah Stanback, and a crusty Joey Galloway lined up on the outside all too often. The Patriots addressed their depth at the position. Gone are Stanback and Galloway (who was an admitted mistake when released last October), and bumped down the depth chart is Aiken. Randy Moss in a contract year, Julian Edelman with a year at the position under his belt, Torry Holt who is looking to finish his career strong, Taylor Price who is a promising third round prospect, and Brandon Tate who appears to be over his knee injuries and ready to use his speed are all are intriguing weapons at Brady’s disposal. Also, with promising news on the Wes Welker front (preliminary reports have him pinned to be ready for week 1 in the best case scenario and if they choose to ease him along he would be ready to come off of the PUP list when eligible), Brady can get his most reliable offensive weapon back sooner than anyone expted. These improved weapons as targets combined with the unimproved stable of RBs will put the offensive production of  Brady’s right arm.

This team needs a stellar Brady because it is not as well balanced as it used to be.

Let’s rewind again to 2001, 2002, 2004. Brady didn’t have over 28 TDs in any of those seasons, yet the team secured three Lombardi trophies.

One could argue that that the monstrous numbers don’t matter because even in the 50 TD campaign the Pats didn’t accomplish the #1 goal of a championship.

Nevertheless, with a leaky and fairly unexperienced defense, and a suspect run game, the Patriots need to win games. Their best best with a tough schedule is to outscore the opponent.

Tom Brady will be leading the way.

Belichick's shocking resignation.

LeBron James stole the summer headlines with his over publicized and much scrutinized signing with the Miami Heat. This got us thinking about the one of the biggest choices made in Boston sports in recent memory: Bill Belichick’s decision to coach the New England Patriots.

Following the end of the 1999 NFL season, coach Bill Parcells decided to retire from head coaching the team. He handed over the “keys to the car” to Belichick, his long time disciple, in what would be BB’s first gig since his time in Cleveland half a decade earlier.

The Jets’ organization and fanbase were disappointed to see the legend Parcells go, but they assumed it would be a seamless transition, as Parcells thought very highly of his top assistant.

To the surprise of just about everyone, at Belichick’s press conference where he was supposed to be named the future coach of the Jets, he read his letter of resignation. Days later, Coach Belichick would sign with the New England Patriots.

The Jets claimed that Belichick was under contract with the team, and that they deserved compensation for the tampering that took place. As a result, the Patriots indeed gave New York their first round pick in the 2000 draft.

In hindsight, this was one of the most lopsided exchanges in sports.

So why did Belichick choose New England over the New York?

While he was reportedly going to have final say in all football decisions, BB felt that the promise was going to

be short-lived as the franchise was about to be sold and promises from one regime may not be kept. Patriots owner Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick developed a strong bond during the year that BB spent as an assistant under Parcells in New England during the 1996 season.  Belichick’s and Kraft’s mutual respect for each other also played a pivotal role.

In Belichick’s ten seasons as coach of the Pats, he has won three Super Bowl titles and has only endured one losing season (his first season in 2000). The Jets on the other hand have been a topsy turvy franchise that has seen many early playoff exits.

What great foresight from the man we have come to trust.

What a great decision!

My Patriots season tickets arrived with an added bonus.

This is third installment of the Season Ticket Trilogy entitled, Applause for the Patriots.

You may have read the other chapters of this saga, Patriots Not In Focus With Season Ticket Holders and Silence Broken: Patriots Finally Respond, Sort Of .  To say these articles have stirred up a hornets’ nest is an understatement.

For the haters, who think I am arrogant Patriots fan and I am entitled to royal treatment, enjoy reading this (Unless you think my writing sucks as many of you have said. If so, please leave this site and return to the BSMW message board gang-lands).

I would like to tell the imposter who posed as the Stacey James from the Patriots; my season ticket package arrived in the mail today as promised. No Revolution tickets or Phantom Gourmet tickets, just tickets to the team I love.

Beside the tickets, information packet, and pins, there was something very cool and unexpected  included in the envelope.

Hey, I give credit where credit is due. As I have stated in the previous trilogy entries, I am not asking for the world, just a little something.

Just a small gesture.

The Patriots answered with eight drink coasters that were made from the recycled turf of Gillette Stadium.

The coasters were made from the stadium turf.

I applaud the Patriots for this memorabilia that fans can appreciate every time they have a cold one. The back of each coaster highlights the team’s accomplishments on this turf spanning from the historic 2007 season until the home playoff loss to the Ravens.

A small thank you goes a long way with the team’s primary consumers aka season ticket holders.

Hats off to the Pats.

In the information brochure from the team, they also outlined the other benefits granted to season ticket holders for the 2010 campaign.

These benefits include:
·Free Practice for STH at Gillette Stadium on Monday, August 2nd
·Pre-sale access to Gillette stadium events such as concerts
·STH pins
· 15% off at the Pro Shop on NON game days

A special STH only practice on a Monday night in Foxboro is a great gesture but very hard to get to on a work night. Only fans that live in a 25 mile radius of the stadium can take advantage of this unless they take time off of work.

Why not a weekend session before the pre-season starts?

I have taken advantage of the pre-sale access for tickets to Jimmy Buffet and AC/DC in the past.

Thumbs up here!

I am not a big fan of the STH pin or the promotion around it. I just don’t know how any Patriots employee can see a pin that is the size of a nickel.

Do they check your hats or jackets when they take your tickets?

How about special hats or sweatshirts for the season ticket holders?

This would be something that fans would wear with pride outside the stadium and make them easily identifiable inside for the promotion.

The 15% off the Pro Shop is great, but why not on GAME days?

I know a majority of the fans drive from all corners of New England. Why not reward them with this discount before and after the game?

As most of you know, I am not a big fan of purchasing pre-season tickets as part of my STH package. But just at Bill Belchick says, “It is, what it is.”

I have a solution that would benefit all parties involved; the STH, the team, and the public.

I would propose an exchange program for preseason tickets. I usually donate one pair of tickets each year to a friend’s charity golf tournament. Perhaps the Patriots can reward season ticket holders for donating their preseason tickets to a good cause.

Perhaps in exchange for their donation, the Patriots can give each STH a parking voucher ($40-$50 value) for a regular season game.

Everyone wins.

The STH is able to save some money for parking and receive a charity tax write-off.

There is nothing better than being at the Razor! (Photo by Jim Mahoney / New England Patriots)

The unused tickets would go to someone who can’t afford going to a game.

And the Patriots would have a stadium that is full during the pre-season and would receive positive PR for this program.

These are just some of the points, I would have brought up if I was selected for a focus group.

Unfortunately, even if I was chosen this past week, I would not have been able to attend due to a family emergency. I needed to clear this up for the attackers who thought I wanted to stir the pot with no intention in attending this fan forum.

My participation was NEVER intended to be a venue to tell everyone how awesome Joe Gill is. It would be a forum that I would propose suggestions that would benefit EVERY season ticket holder.

Just like the Patriots, I believe in team first.

Granted, I ranted when I wasn’t chosen. It was because I was disappointed not because I felt they owed me.

I am writing this blog with some caution because I know this may open up the floodgates of negativity and name calling again. However, I hold out hope that there will be some people like Bruce Allen that will give their well thought out feedback about my suggestions.

Criticism or support, I welcome it all.

However, if you are going to call me names, question my support for the Patriots, blast me on message boards behind my back, say my writing sucks when you have no work of your own and post pictures of me with childish captions, don’t waste my time or yours.

If you treat me with respect, I will treat with you respect even if we don’t agree. We can agree to disagree in a mature manner.

However, if you launch immature and thuggish attacks against me again, I will no longer allow myself to sink to your level.

I will block your IP and GAME OVER.

Oh yeah, thanks for the free promotion for my site.

And last but not least, GO PATRIOTS!!!

Joe Gill from Section 336

This is the place I call my Patriots home since 2002.

As you all know, I got snubbed from the Patriots focus group this past week and to say the least, I was not happy.

There is nothing like feeling important to a sports organization that you have supported for 16 years not just as a fan but as a  paying customer aka season ticket holder.

However, there is nothing worse than feeling the polar opposite, when the team/company/business/organization that you love snubs your chance to voice your opinion.

The feeling of being a valued customer.

In my last article, Patriots Not In Focus With Season Ticket Holders,  I went on a rant of how I have been treated as a New England Patriots Season Ticket holder during “Focus Group Gate.”

I feel like I have been snubbed.

Left in the cold.

Being the last kid chosen in gym class for kick ball(insert cheesy saying of abandonment here).

Perhaps, the Patriots organization got what they wanted out of the season ticket holders.

Most companies cherish their customers especially ones that have been with them through thick(the championship years of the 2000’s) and the thin(the 90’s). They give back and give their consumers that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Well the Patriots don’t know the Rule of Warm and Fuzzy. Their canned response to my email is an EPIC FAIL.

They don’t even address one of my issues/complaints at all.

Mr. Pat Tully(if that’s his real name or that he even exists), just signed his name to a complete generic(to shut me up) form letter.

The kicker….his signature was in a different font than the rest of the letter.

That means just one thing.

CUT AND PASTE!

And it took them three days to send me a generic email.

There is more passion and sincerity in the spam emails I get from Nigerian Princes who need my money and ask for my bank account number.

Below is my exchange with the “Focus Group” at the Patriots, you can judge for yourself the amount of value and thanks they have for their season ticket holders.

My email to the Patriots after “Focus Group Gate”:

Entitled: “Extremely Disappointed”

To whom it may concern,

To find out I was not chosen for the focus group, is extremely disappointing. Being a season ticket holder of over 16 years, I was excited to share my feedback with the organization. To share my experiences and ideas was more of an incentive than the $100 gift card to the Pro Shop.

I feel being a loyal supporter for so many years has come with very few benefits. I felt this focus group was a step in the right direction. And yet again, I am left out in the cold.

Basically taking a $360 loss every season because I cant sell my preseason games to anyone and there is no ticket exchange program in place either. I am certaintly going to embrace the league’s schedule change from 4 preseason games to 2 with open arms. I will only incur a $180 loss now. Small victory I guess.

No season ticket holder discounts to be had. Parking is still $40. Concessions are absurd.

People may ask why do you still go? Well I feel having season tickets is like having a family heirloom that you pass down from generation to generation. I saw this team that was on the verge of leaving Massachusetts forever; become a elite franchise right in front of my eyes.

It has been a fantastic ride, but I don’t see any thanks from the ownership or team. A pin or letter isnt enough. I need help in the wallet or at least allow me a venue to have my voice heard.

Being snubbed from this focus group takes away that opportunity as well.

Joe Gill

Sect 336

Season Ticket Holder since 1994

The canned response from Mr. Pat Tully of the Patriots:

Dear Mr. Gill,

Thank you for your email and your continued support of the New England Patriots.  We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

We received an overwhelming response to participate in the focus groups and unfortunately did not have room for everyone to take part. But, we are always looking for ways to improve your experience as a Season Ticket Holder. There will be many other opportunities, both formal and informal, to share your feedback with us throughout the year.

Importantly, we realize we have Season Ticket Holders of all ages and from areas of New England.  We are hosting Focus Groups with 3 distinct age ranges and we received an overwhelmingly positive response to participate from every group.  We randomly selected participants ranging from 32 to 74 years old.

Given the great response, unfortunately not everyone who responded was able to participate, but we are happy to hear any thoughts you have.

If you have any other thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to email us at Focusgroup@patriots.com

Sincerely,
Peter Tully(original font was different than the body of the email)

Kraft saved the Patriots, but who will save the season ticket holders from his greed.

Folks, judge for yourself if I have the right to be disappointed and disgruntled. I know it is a privilege not a right to have season tickets for one of the most successful sports franchises on the planet Earth.

However, it’s their privilege not a right to have such a loyal fan base supporting their team.

Because god knows, that fan base was not there in the early 90’s when the team almost left for St. Louis.

The Invitation.

Just when you thought the Patriots would turn the corner, they let their season ticket holders down yet again. This time in the guise of a Season Ticket Holder Focus Group.

I was estatic! I have been a season ticket holder since 1994 and I have been cheering on the Flying Elvis for 16 years. Finally, the Patriots wanted to hear my opinions and experiences sitting in Section 336.

The $100 Pats Pro Shop sweetner was a nice hook for people to fill out the questionnaire to be “considered” for the focus group too. However, I was more excited to have the organization finally lend me their ears.

Not so fast.

After filling out the focus group information and getting time off of work, I get an email today saying that I wouldn’t be needed(after two of my inquires about additional information went unanswered). To lessen the blow they offered me $10 off of a $50 purchase at the Patriots Pro Shop.

They were nice enough to even include a convenient link as well!

You have to be friggin’ kidding me!

Nice parting gift, I guess you ran out of Turtle Wax!

You basically tell me that my opinion is not valuable enough for your precious little focus group and now you want me to buy some merchandise!?

I am a marketer and I know nothing is more important than the voice of the consumer. However, when you continue to take those buyers for granted, it’s going to bite you in the backside sooner or later.

The Rejection.

A lot of companies have loyalty programs such as Borders and Bob’s Stores, you spend money and they give you benefits like coupons and special offers. What do the Patriots give their loyal customers?

A commemorative pin? No thanks, I have had my fill of pins. The four I have received over the last 16 years has been so “thoughtful” and I am more than content with my “valuable” collection.

Who wears pins anymore?

I try to put them on my hat but they drill into your scalp and god forbid someone hits this death dagger on your head. They act like the cattle gun that kills cows on contact.

Thanks Kraft family, I am all set.

Mr. Kraft being an ex-season ticket holder, who sat in that sorry excuse for a stadium, wouldn’t you think you would be the one who would feel for the season ticket holders?

I would think you would be the one to throw us a bone or two.

Nope.

Sorry Charlie.

He rather take his riches and build Patriots Place. An entertainment complex built by and fueled by Season Ticket Holder money. Thousands of dollars generated by preseason tickets that go unused, but bet your bottom dollar they are paid for.

Every season, I go in knowing I am going to lose $360. No one goes to preseason games anymore. No one wants to buy them for $89 each when you are perched in the third ring of Saturn (aka Section 336).

No one wants to see third stringers play on a Thursday night.

However, as season ticket holders, we are forced to walk the preseason plank and buy these games. The Patriots don’t even have a ticket exchange program for the preseason. Basically, you are stuck making a donation to the Patriot Place fund.

I am not asking for the world here. I just want a little something for being loyal customer for 16 years.

I would be content with discounts on parking for certain games. A gift card based on how many years you have been a season ticket holder or even a free friggin’ beer!

Anything at all.

Just don’t take me for granted because fans come and go.

Just look around the sports world and even in the most popular league in the world.

The NFL.

Just look at the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers who almost had home games blacked out this past season.

Mr. Kraft, we have given you our hard earned money even in a tough economy, just find it in your heart to give a little back.

Brown/Welker play only one way....all out.

As went Troy Brown and Wes Welker, as went the Patriots offense.

If the Patriots needed a tough catch, Tom Brady would seek out #80 then and #83 now.

Just as Drew Bledsoe had Ben Coates, Brady has been blessed with two players in his career that seemed to read his mind.

Brady threw it and they caught it.

Simple as that.

Brown and Welker were cut from the same cloth and Brady was their tailor.

They all helped sew up many victories for the New England Patriots franchise over the last 10 years.

Brown and Brady.

Welker and Brady.

They were interchangeable.

Troy Brown and Wes Welker were carbon copies of each other and travelled down very similar paths to the NFL.

Troy Browns just made big plays all of the time.

Brown was drafted by the Patriots in 1993 during the eighth round and was cut during the season.

Welker went undrafted in 2004 and was signed by the San Diego Chargers. He made the team then he too was cut during the season.

Both players didn’t crack the starting lineup right away and earned playing time on special teams.

They contributed by returning punts with spot duty as wide receiver.

Brown and Welker both clawed and scratched for everything in the early stages of their careers.

There were no handouts and these men are too proud to accept them.

They knew that hard work and the will to compete would pay dividends soon enough.

And they did.

Brown finally cracked the starting lineup as a wide receiver in 2000. Welker’s road was not as long, as he became the third wide out for Miami in 2005.

The difference between great football players and good football players is that great ones exceed expectations and good ones just meet them.

Troy Brown and Wes Welker have proven that good is not good enough.

Troy Brown flourished in the new millennium. As a first time starter in 2000, Brown caught 83 balls for 944 yards and 4 touchdowns from then Patriots quarterback, Drew Bledsoe.

The 2001 season was a magical year for the Patriots and Troy Brown.

However, the beginning of the season was far from memorable.

The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

The loss of franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe to serious injury.

The team was able to salvage their season on the shoulder of second year player, Tom Brady and the hands of Troy Brown.

Troy Brown had a team record and career high 101 catches. He also helped the team in their run to an improbable Super Bowl victory.

In the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, Brown ran back a punt for a TD and recovered a blocked field goal which resulted in another score.

He also made an impact in the Super Bowl catching a key 23 yard catch on the final drive of Super Bowl XXXVI. It was a key play in setting up Adam Vinatieri’s game winning 48 yard kick.

Brown came back with 97 catches, 890 yards and 3 touchdowns in the 2002 season. With the emergence of Deion Branch and David Givens, Brown became the #3 receiver in 2003 where he posted 40 grabs for 472 yards.

However, Brown had a knack to come up with huge plays in the most crucial and high pressure situations. He was the leading receiver in the 2003 AFC Championship with 88 yards on 7 catches.

Brown had another impactful performance against Carolina in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Yet again, he was the target of Tom Brady during the game’s final drive. Brown caught 3 passes for 46 yards which helped set up Vinatieri for his second Super Bowl winning kick in three years.

Troy Brown always performed under pressure and was never fazed by the magnitude of the situation. He just did his job and sometimes the jobs of others.

In 2004, Brown only caught 17 passes but he played defensive back for the injury riddled secondary. He ended up finishing second on the team that year with 3 interceptions. Only true heady football players like Troy Brown could make such a positional transition with such ease.

His contributions on both sides of the ball and leadership on the sidelines helped the Patriots win another Super Bowl title and become the millennium’s first NFL dynasty.

As his physical skills started to diminish, Brown’s mental skills seemed to sharpen. The prime example of this took place during the 2006 AFC divisional playoff game versus the Chargers in San Diego.

The Patriots were down 21-13 with 5 minutes left. Tom Brady uncharacteristically threw an ill advised pass that was intercepted by the Chargers’ Marlon McCree.

Game over right?

Nope.

The game is never over if you are Troy Brown.

He stripped McCree and the Patriots recovered. They would go on to tie the game and later win to advance to the AFC Championship against the Colts.

Troy Brown signed with the Patriots over the summer of 2007 to become the second longest tenured Patriot behind QB Steve Grogan. He was put on the PUP list due to injury and wouldn’t play his first game until November 27^th.

Step in Wes Welker.

After two productive seasons at Miami usually at the expense of the Patriots, Welker was traded to New England for their 2007 second- and seventh-round draft picks.

Belichick saw the true potential in Welker and knew he would flourish with Tom Brady as his quarterback.

The lack of receive talent and depth was a glaring problem in the 2006 season after the departures of Branch and Givens.

Troy Brown was not the wide receiver he once was.

These offensive deficiencies may have cost the Patriots a shot at another title.

Wes Welker has picked up where Troy Brown left off.

Welker and former Raider and Viking, Randy Moss were both acquired prior to the start of the 2007 season.

Welker was a nice little player but could he be a contributor on week by week basis?

Would Moss “dog it” like he did Oakland?

It only took one game for these questions to be answered.

In the notorious Spygate game, Moss made 9 catches for 183 yards and a score. Wes Welker chipped in with 6 grabs for 61 yards and a TD of his own.

The greatest offensive attack in NFL history was born.

New England steamrolled through most of the season and Wes Welker became a force to be reckoned with.  With Randy Moss able to stretch the field and demand double coverage, Welker was able to eat teams alive in the middle of the field.

He may not have had the physical size and skills as a Randy Moss, but his grit, tenacity, and the will to compete could match anyone in the league.

Welker’s playing style is something Troy Brown could truly appreciate because he played the game the same way. Ironically, Welker broke Brown’s team record for catches with 112 catches for 1175 yards and 8 scores.

Just like Brown in previous Super Bowls, Welker also shined on the league’s biggest stage. In the 2007 Super Bowl, Welker made 11 catches for 103 yards.

However, both Brown (inactive) and Welker’s hopes for a Super Bowl title and undefeated season were derailed by the likes of Eli Manning, David Tyree, and Plaxico Burress.

The 2007 season would be Troy Browns last as a NFL player, playing his whole career for the Patriots. He retired as one of the most beloved Patriots players and the team’s all time reception leader with 557 catches.

Welker in many ways has carried on Troy Brown’s blue collared style of play. He gets dirty and he always puts team first before himself.

He plays only one way, all out just like gritty predecessor

When Tom Brady needed a big catch he would target Troy Brown, now his security blanket wears #83.

If Brown could pick one player to break his franchise record for catches, there is no doubt he would choose Wes Welker.

Welker, in three seasons (123 catches in 2009 which is the second most in a season all time), has 346 catches.

On his current pace, Welker should break Browns record by the 2011 or 2012 season. He would do accomplish this feat in just 5 years where it took Brown 15 years. Of course, this all depends on how Welker heals from his knee injury and if OTA’s are any indication, he will be just fine.

Brown and Welker are cut from the same blue collar cloth.

They do not take no as an answer and they do not quit.

They play to the last whistle and they put team first.

It’s no coincidence that fans in New England love and adore them.

Brown and Welker may have hailed from South Carolina and Oklahoma respectively but their values are New England values.

Work hard and you will be rewarded.

All New England Patriots fans have been truly rewarded to see Troy Brown and Wes Welker leave it all out on the field.

Connecticut governor John Rowland and Patriots owner Bob Kraft agreed on a deal.

Bob Kraft and crew were on the lookout for a new stadium deal in the late 90s.

Foxboro Stadium, the 60,292 person facility that opened in 1971 was on the outs. With new stadiums popping up all over the nation, Kraft was ready to roll with the times.

Looking for ways to expand the franchise and its potential revenues, a new stadium was key for the growth of the team. New amenities, along with a need for corporate luxury boxes (something Foxboro Stadium never had), were a must.

After peddling around Massachusetts unsuccessfully, Kraft was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. His mind was made up; he wanted a new stadium and he would move if he had to.

He explored opportunities in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and reportedly had preliminary discussions with cities on the west coast.

In November of 1998, Hartford, Connecticut came in with an offer Kraft could not refuse. The chance to keep the team in New England, coupled with the favorable finances lured Kraft in.

A 100% public financed waterfront stadium.

The $375 million, 68,000 person structure was part of a $1 billion redevelopment plan for the city.

The city was trying to build up the area and wanted to do so around a stadium that would host the NFL’s Patriots, as well as the UConn Huskies who were making the leap from division I-AA to I-A.

Kraft would have to sign on for 30 years, and despite not having to put down a penny, he would collect 90% of the stadium’s revenues from tickets, parking, and concessions during Patriots games.

Also, Kraft would be able to build a $50 million hotel on the land, rent and property tax free.

Kraft accepted the offer to move the team 100 miles southwest of the area they had called home for over a quarter of a century.

The sketch of the Patriots' stadium in Hartford.

A press conference was held, a handshake deal completed. So what went wrong?

Did the NFL really want to lose the Boston area market? At the time, the Boston area was the sixth largest television market in the country. Compare that to Hartford’s 27th largest market rating. Without a team in Los Angeles already, the NFL could ill afford to lose the huge market share.

Environmental concerns were also brought into the fold. It was brought to the attention of Kraft, the NFL, and Connecticut state officials that the riverfront area where the stadium would be located was contaminated with a plethora of chemicals.

Bob Kraft exercised an out clause in the Hartford contract two days before he would have been tied in and he escaped the agreement without financial penalty.

Eventually Kraft was able to get $72 million from the state of Massachusetts while he financed the rest.

The Krafts have 25 years to pay back that money to the state. This agreement kept the Pats in Foxboro at their current location off of Route 1.

Kraft was able to stay on the land he owned, he did not have to relocate the team’s front office, and in the back of his mind he had plans for Patriots Place. The $350 million “lifestyle and entertainment center” has become a destination spot.

Gillette Stadium (originally named CMGI Field) opened up in 2002 right after the team’s first Super Bowl victory. The stadium has been home to two more Super Bowl runs and two monumental streaks: the team’s 21 straight wins between 2003-04 and the team’s 16-0 season in 2007.

Hartford is still without a professional sports franchise, although they will be home to the upstart UFL Colonials this year.

Gillette opened its doors in 2002 and was financed personally for the most part by Bob Kraft.

The Boston area kept the greatest NFL franchise of the decade.

How things could have been different. Would the team have had the success they’ve endured over the past several year? We will never know.

What we do know is that Bob Kraft left an offer on the table that would have been tough for anyone to pass up.

Give the man credit for pulling out at the eleventh hour and sticking to the team’s roots.

Welker's return should not shock you.

Wes Welker is back doing what he loves to do.

He is playing football for the New England Patriots.

It may just be non contact OTA’s, but look how far he has come since that dreadful January day in Houston.

Welker was making a routine cut against the Texans but his knee didn’t react in the routine way.

He tore his ACL(initially it was thought he tore his MCL as well). He knew his season was over as he sobbed on the bench into a towel.

Little did we know the Patriots’ season was technically over that day as well. Without Welker the Patriots struggled mightily on offense as they got pasted by Baltimore in the Wild Card round at home.

What would life be without Welker?

Odds were that he may have suffered a Brady like injury and may miss at least half of the 2011 season. Which raised the question, who would replace Wes Welker?

Would Julien Edelman become the heir apparent?

People were talking like he may never play again, but haven’t we learned anything about Welker’s determination and pure will to compete?

He went undrafted out of TCU.

Most "experts" thought Welker may miss half of the 2010 season.

He was cut by the Chargers before signing with Miami.

Welker excelled at special teams and wide receiver to earn a starting spot with the Dolphins.

He became such a thorn in the Patriots’ side that they traded for him in 2007.

All he did in 2007 was shatter Troy Brown’s franchise record of 101 catches with 112.

Then in 2008 WITHOUT Tom Brady, he caught 111 balls to post his second straight 1,000 yard season.

There is no way he could keep this pace up right?

By being the slot receiver he was always in the defenders cross hairs and sometimes they caught him.

And made him pay.

But he got back up and threw up his arms to energize the crowd.

By saying “Bring It On!”

With Tom Brady back at the helm, he caught an eye popping 123 balls in just 14 games before his season ending knee injury.

All of New England gasped when he went down in a meaningless game in Texas.

Fans were angry.

Fans were upset and felt bad that Welker was injured in a game that meant nothing.

But Wes never felt bad for himself. It probably had the polar opposite effect, he took nothing for granted.

Welker has taken nothing for granted in his career.

Football.

His career.

His success.

Nothing.

Sometimes pure will and determination to achieve a goal outweighs what doctors and medical professionals believe is the norm.

Because for a guy like Wes Welker nothing is the norm.

Who would have thought he would be the ONLY player in NFL history to have three straight seasons with at least 110 receptions.

Shocking?

Nope, that’s just Wes Welker.

Have no fear, Brady will be here.

It was reported by Yahoo.com’s Michael Silver earlier this week that there is a “growing sense of disconnect” between the Patriots and Tom Brady in their contract negotiations.

Should we be worried?

No way.

Don’t buy it for one second. This is the Patriots we’re talking about. They’re one of the most secretive organizations in professional sports and despite Silver’s credibility this it not an issue. It is business as usual and the Patriots are doing their due diligence as they figure out how to keep key potential 2011 free agents Brady, Moss, and Mankins in the fold.

NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora reported last night that Tom Terrific won’t sign until Peyton Manning signs.

Why would he?

Each side has this figured out. The Patriots would rather the Colts set the market, so when Brady signs a hometown discount the team can sign other key players. The Colts then will then be stuck with a monstrosity of a contract with key players Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis already bickering about their contract statuses.

There’s little doubt that Manning will get the largest contract in NFL history. Frankly, he deserves it at this point. The Patriots are too smart though to let the Colts use a Brady deal as a blueprint.

In 2005, when the team was coming off of their third Super Bowl, Tom left some money on the table when he re-upped for 6 years and $60 million.

Gisele made $25 million last year.

You’d have to think Brady would do it again right?

Unless his ego has gone through the roof, Brady doesn’t necessarily need the money. His wife Gisele Bundchen was the highest paid model in the world last year making an estimated $25 million. The man’s not short on cash these days.

Don’t buy into the media fabricating everything Brady. It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t in Foxborough all off season and it doesn’t matter that he hasn’t resigned yet. Tom Brady will be a Patriot for life. In Belichick we trust.

The Mastermind enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Forbes Magazine recently released a list of the top 10 paid coaches in sports. New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was second on this list with a salary of $7.5 million. This is the first concrete number we have heard about Belichick’s contract, as the Patriots as an organization are secretive when it comes to these types of things.

So that got us thinking. What are the Kraft’s and the Patriots organization getting for their money?

In his ten year tenure with the Patriots, BB has a regular season record of 112-48 and he is 14-3 in the playoffs which includes a 3-1 Super Bowl record. Amazing numbers.

He is a renowned Xs and Os wizard amongst the NFL community and his innovative style makes him stand apart. In a copycat league, Belichick continues to lead by example. His intelligence of the game is not just reflective in his win-loss record, but in his coaching tree that has seen ten assistant coaches to go on to be NFL or NCAA head football coaches.

Belichick isn’t just getting paid to coach. He has final say on all personnel decisions within the organization. A man with a vision, BB has very unique criteria when building a team. For example, he craves versatility. It is important for him to have multidimensional players that can help in numerous facets of the game. He also doesn’t mind taking on a player who was a problem in other organizations (ie Randy Moss, Corey Dillon). The atmosphere he has instilled within the organization does not allow for players to become bigger than the team.

Belichick apologizing and taking full responsibility for the embarrasement that was "Spygate"

The two low points in Belichick’s prestigious career are occurrences that could have killed other coach’s careers.

First, Belichick was linked to “Spygate” in 2007.

Against the New York Jets on September 9, 2007, the Patriots were caught videotaping the signals of Jets coaches during the game.

Belichick was fined $500,000 for the incident, and the Patriots organization was fined $250,000 in addition to forfeiting a 2008 first round draft pick. This kink in the armor to the team’s legacy sparked rumors of the Patriots taping the Rams before Super Bowl XXXVI; rumors that were unproven. He offered a very sincere apology immediately after the NFL levied their punishments and he went on to win the NFL’s Coach of the Year award.

The other low point of his tenure in New England was the team’s 17-14 loss in Super Bowl XLII. The juggernaut Pats came in 18-0 and they beat their regular season opponents by an average of 19.7 points per game.

However, they were totally caught off guard by the pass rush of the Giants and their record setting offense was disrupted. On the doorstep of a perfect 19-0 season, not to mention four Super Bowls in six seasons, everyone involved was collectively stunned.

Belichick is about to face his toughest task since his first year in New England. On the heels of a Wild Card round exit at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in January, the team has not had legitimate postseason success in three years. The roster  has really been turned over the past two seasons. Gone are many veteran stalwarts and in are a number of rookies and recent free agent acquisitions.

Brady, Faulk, and a handful of others remain from the last Super Bowl team.

However, the future is clear. As Tom Brady pointed out in an interview with SI’s Peter King, Brady answered that the team needs to listen to coach Belichick when he was asked about how the team can improve. The man has three Super Bowl rings for a reason. Hopefully the team can rally and listen to their hooded leader.