Spent several pleasant hours this rain-soaked Monday in Foxboro, attending a meeting of the nominating committee to determine this year's three candidates for election to the Patriots Hall of Fame.

But that wasn't the only item of business on our agenda.

Before getting to that, we discussed, then voted on, who should be on the Patriots' all-decade team of 2000-2009.

There were four players from the all-decade team of the 1990s who also were on my ballot this time, as well -- kicker Adam Vinatieri, defensive backs Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy, and Willie McGinest, who was listed as an end on the all-90s team, but got my vote this time around as an outside linebacker.

As is always the case -- as I well know because, having covered the team since 1979, I've been voting on such matters for a number of decades myself -- some positions are absolute "no-brainers," others require difficult decisions, and some, sad to say, are decided by default.

An example of the latter was right tackle, where there wasn't much enthusiasm for Nick Kaczur. But there really was no other option to pair with the obvious left tackle choice, Matt Light.

Like Light, left guard Logan Mankins is a member of the Patriots' 50th Anniversary Team, which the Hall of Fame Committee selected last year. So, obviously, he was an all-decade selection, as well.

Right guard was a tough one. Stephen Neal certainly was worthy, but I opted for Joe Andruzzi, because he started every game on all three of the Pats' Super Bowl championship teams.

I voted for Dan Koppen at center, after giving Damien Woody due consideration. The fact Woody didn't handle the shotgun snap very well was a factor.

Tom Brady -- a future Pro Football Hall of Famer -- was of course the choice at QB.

As for his receivers, well, that created a spirited debate, as the ballot given to the committee members left only two spots for wideouts, while also allotting two for running backs.

The committee voted to change that to three wide receivers and just one running back, because that was the most prevalent offensive formation used throughout the decade.

It also allowed us to include Troy Brown alongside Randy Moss and Wes Welker, as was most appropriate.

But that made the decision of what to do at running back even harder.

There was sentiment for Kevin Faulk, even though he never was the Pats' primary ball carrier, because he had been on the team the entire decade and had contributed in so many ways -- primarily as a pass catcher out of the backfield, but also as a runner and as a return man.

That's when we remembered that Faulk, who returned both punts and kickoffs, had been the return man on the 50th Anniversary Team. So I pencilled him in for that spot on the all-decade team and then voted for Corey Dillon as the running back, giving him a narrow nod over Antowain Smith.

There was no outstanding candidate at tight end. It came down to either Daniel Graham or Ben Watson, and I voted for Graham because of his blocking ability.

Picking the defense was easy, with one exception.

Up front, you've got Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, and Ty Warren.

In the secondary, you have Law and Asante Samuel on the corners, Milloy and Rodney Harrison as the safeties.

McGinest and Mike Vrable are the outside linebackers, with Tedy Bruschi inside, alongside -- and this was the tough one -- Roman Phifer. Ted Johnson's name came up, but he was better in the '90s, and was a member of that all-decade team.

Vinatieri hit the game-winning kicks in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, but neither of those was as dramatic as the one he booted in the swirling snow to tie Oakland in the 2001 conference semifinal game, which also happened to be the last game played in the old stadium beside Route 1. He also won that game with a field goal in overtime.

While he was a truly great, clutch kicker, Patriots punters the last decade have been mediocre, at best. And that's being charitable. A committee member who works for the team called the Pats' punting the past 10 years "a disaster" -- a line that broke up the room.

My vote went to Josh Miller.

Larry Izzo was the easy choice as special teamer.

Obviously, Bill Belichick was the coach.

Almost forgot -- my nominees for the Hall of Fame are center Jon Morris, fullback Sam Cunningham, and defensive lineman Houston Antwine. The results of that balloting won't be announced by the team for several weeks.