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How's my math?

FOXBORO - I learned my times tables up to 12. As a result, I bludgeoned the numbers when computing 14,000 x 4 and came up with $90K. Maybe I should use a pencil and show my work when computing.

Either way, if the Pats are fining Deion Branch $14K per day during his holdout (as his agent Jason Chayut says he expects them to) he's up to $56,000 in fines.

Tom

Posted by   at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Don't Try His Patience

FOXBORO - Bill Belichick spoke with fondness the other day of the down-and-dirty "Oklahoma Drill." So now, it appears, every time two guys square up in a drill we newspaper writin' types are going to call everything the Oklahoma Drill.

Observe from Belichick's press conference today:

Q: What was the name of the drill you were doing when they bounce up? It looked like a poor man's Oklahoma drill.

BB: The tackling drill? It's a tackling drill.

Posted by   at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Brady still on ice; Pats make a move

FOXBORO - Tom Brady is sitting out his third straight practice this afternoon. The Pro Bowl quarterback hasn't been on the field since Saturday evening. Sources say there is nothing amiss. Brady is just getting a break while backup Matt Cassel gets a chance to take some extra reps and gain experience.

The team goes again tomorrow morning (8:45 to 10:45) and then there's a season ticket holder event tomorrow night in the stadium which is closed to the general public.

For anyone still skeptical about Brady's condition, put it this way: if he sits out the stadium practice tomorrow night, there's definitely cause for concern.

Also, the Patriots signed veteran free agent defensive lineman Eddie Freeman and first-year free agent wide receiver Kelvin Kight today. Long snapper Lonie Paxton has been activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and wide receiver Michael McGrew has been placed on the reserve/left camp list.

Freeman, 28, appeared in 20 games for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2002-03 and played in the NFL Europe League during its 2005 and 2006 seasons. The 6-foot-5-inch, 310-pound defensive lineman has recorded 39 tackles (17 solo) and 4.0 sacks for 27.0 yards in his NFL career.
Kight, 24, played in one game for the Green Bay Packers in 2004 and was originally signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2004. The 6-foot, 213-pound wide receiver has played in one career NFL contest and did not record any statistics. Kight was waived by the Rams on Aug. 10, 2004 and was signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on Sept. 6, 2004. He was signed to the Packers' active roster from the practice squad and played in one game and was listed as a day-of-game inactive for three games before being placed on injured reserve on Dec. 14, 2004. He was waived by the Packers on June 14, 2005 and claimed off waivers by the
Jacksonville Jaguars. He was with the Jaguars for their 2005 training camp and was released in the final preseason roster cutdown on Sept. 4, 2005. Kight spent most of this past offseason with Minnesota after signing with the Vikings on Jan. 26, 2006. He was released by Minnesota on July 26, 2006.

Posted by   at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Dr. Z's Culinary Musings

FOXBORO - Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z (aka, Paul Zimmerman, a man who was on the Jets beat when Joe Namath was a kid out of Alabama) has been in Foxboro the past two days. He dined Saturday night at Al Forno in Providence and he said the antipasto was as good as the meal (not that the meal wasn't good), the mint juleps were the best he's ever had and the dessert was a "knock 'em dead" berry cobbler.

Posted by   at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Chayut expects full fines

FOXBORO - Jason Chayut, the agent for Deion Branch, said yesterday he believes the Patriots will fine the wide receiver the maximum amount allowed by the league for players who fail to report. That's $14,000 per day.

Chayut said he hasn't received a bill yet (that's not the way it works apparently). Nor has their been any movement on a deal getting done.

If the Pats are charging full freight, Branch is up to $90,000 in fines already.

Posted by   at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Brady takes it easy again

FOXBORO - Tom Brady got the morning off from practice today as the Patriots manage his reps early in camp. This was the second straight practice Brady missed (he sat Sunday afternoon) but sources tell us there's nothing amiss with the quarterback. The team is merely resting his arm (which they did last season as well) and allowing backup quarterback Matt Cassel to run the show.

Tight end Benjamin Watson and wide receiver Troy Brown also took the morning off. Long snapper Lonie Paxton returned.

Head coach Bill Belichick spoke briefly to reporters on the practice field after the morning session but had to skip his daily press conference because of a conference call. He looked heartbroken about that.

The team goes again this afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

Posted by   at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments 0