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July 28, 2006

Toughening up

FOXBORO - After the very first practice of the Patriots 2006 training camp,Tom Brady said a different tone was being set.

"There are no excuses and no breaks," Brady said after the team worked out in semi-oppressive heat for 90 minutes this morning. "We're going to build toughness which is maybe something we lacked last season. I'm not saying we didn't have tough guys, but I think we need to build some mental toughness."

From Vince Wilfork's de-cleating of Corey Dillon on the first 11-on-11 play of camp to Tedy Bruschi's meet-and-greet wallop of Laurence Maroney about 20 minutes later, there were certainly occasions of solid contact.

Several came during a one-on-one drill called Oklahoma where players attack each other in a small square area.

"(It's a drill) you start doing it in high school, college. That was kind of the 'who is the man?, step up, who's tough?, who is going to hit somebody?' [drill]. Put everybody in a close box and you're going to have some contact. So let's see the pads crack."

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Reche Caldwell made the best catch of the morning practice, hauling in about a 35-yard throw from Brady on an out-and-up route past Ellis Hobbs.

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There was no word on why both Troy Brown and Daniel Graham weren't on the field during the morning practice. Belichick merely said that players are at different stages in rehabs and in their careers and that each player is "practice to practice."

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The Pats signed veteran tight end Walter Rasby and released rookie corner Jjarvis Herring.

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Asked about holdout wide receiver Deion Branch, Belichick said, "I'm here to talk about football and coach the team. I'll talk about the players that are here."

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This is Ryan Claridge's reaction to being released by the Pats on the eve of training camp. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jul-28-Fri-2006/sports/8746948.html.

Folks are saying that newly acquired Johnathan Sullivan didn't do a wicked awesome job during the team's conditioning run Thursday http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

-- Journal sportswriter Tom E. Curran

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