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Ty Warren, Mr. Steady

Tom Curran, the Journal's Patriots Beat writer, will have a feature on veteran defensive lineman Ty Warren on Tuesday's paper. He'll also flesh out Matt Cassel's performance last Friday night in Atlanta.
Bill Belichick rarely chooses to speak with much enthusiasm on his players but will do so with certain veterans. He clearly admires Warren, who's set to begin his fourth season with the Pats.
``Ty's one of the guys who's steadily improved with us,'' Belichick said. ``He works and gets better. He's better this year than he was last year. You tell him he needs to do better and then he goes out and he does it.''
More on Warren from Mister Curran tomorrow.....

Posted by Kevin  at 12:52 PM | Permalink

The Big Boys

There are few professional athletes bigger - and wider- than football offensive linemen. The biggest of the big on this Patriot team is rookie Ryan O'Callaghan who stands 6-foot-7 and tips the scales at 330 pounds. The 23-year old rookie from the University of California was a fifth round draft pick last spring. He's getting a chance to show his game this summer due in part to an injury to Nick Kaczur.
Bill Belichick said several of his linemen came to pro football physically ready to play and he now includes O'Callaghan in that grouping.
``We have a few guys here like Mankins and Kaczur and Stephen Neal who when they came into the league had the strength to be competitive,'' he said. ``We've had some other guys, like Tom Ashworth, for example, who needed some time to get up to the strength level needed.''
After listening to one too many questions about O'Callaghan, in that classic Belichick style the coach slowed the talk on the big rookie by saying, ``it's a little early for his enshrinement here.''

Posted by Kevin  at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

No Deion Branch

Today's Bill Belichick press briefing went off without much fanfare.
He opened with a comment about celebrity practice visititor Jon Bon Jovi, a friend of the coach's since his days with the New York Giants. Asked what his favorite Bon Jovi song was, Belichick answered, ``you're putting me on the spot there. I'd have to say Living On A Prayer.''
``We talk football. He likes football, I like music so we have a couple things in common,'' the coach said.
Once the questions became serious, the coach reverted to his usual self. Asked later if there was any news on the Deion Branch contract situation, Belichick answered, ``Any questions about the players in camp? That's what we're here to talk about. We have quite a few of them.''

Posted by Kevin  at 12:32 PM | Permalink

Player Snippets

Here are a few notes and quotes from the post-practice bump with several players..

TEBUCKY JONES began his career in 1998 as a 1st round draftee by New England out of Syracuse. He went on to play 5 seasons with the Pats and played a key role on the 2001 Super Bowl team. Jones was traded by the Pats after the 2002 season to New Orleans for three draft picks, one of which was turned around and sent to the Bengals in exchange for Corey Dillon.
Jones moved from the Sainst to Miami where he played in 6 games for the Dolphins last season. The Pats signed him as a free agent last April and he has a chance to catch on with the team, even though several other safeties are in the roster mix.
Asked if he missed the Patriots, Jones said ``when they were in the playoffs, you get that `damn' feeling. No doubt.''
Jones played for both Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick during his New England tenure. Asked about the difference between the two, he said ``Pete Carroll was easy. I loved those practices.''

MATT CASSEL played the majority of the game in Atlanta and certainly will see plenty of time again this Saturday when the Patriots host Arizona. Cassel was 13-for-26 with a TD and no interceptions against the Falcons but was shaky with several mis-fires and overthrows.
``It was the first pre-season game and you want to get the kinks out,'' he said. ``It's all about playing better right now. It's really been a year since I've played (a lot). There were 3 or 4 throws I could've made.''

It's hard not to watch the Patriots and wonder who Tom Brady will throw the ball to. While his running backs (Dillon, Maroney, Kevin Faulk) and tight ends (Ben Watson, Daniel Graham, David Thomas) are all good targets, the wide receiver corps is certainly slim. After ageless Troy Brown, there are only question marks. The starters against Atlanta included free agent signee Reche Caldwell and Kelvin Kight.
Kight has tried to catch on with several teams in the last year but found no takers. He's a wide out from the University of Florida who played with second round pick Chad Jackson for two years. Jackson has been a no-show (PUP) since th estart of camp.
``He's a competitor. I know this is getting to him,'' said Kight. ``Being hurt right now is killing him.''

KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Kevin  at 11:52 AM | Permalink

Slice & Dice

With training camp well into the dog days, the players try many things to keep things light and interesting. The many rookies on the team wore a well-shaven look today after the veterans decided to slap some generous hair cuts on the youngsters.
David Thomas, the impressive tight end from Texas, was reduced to the cue ball look last Friday. ``They got me right before the road trip (to Atlanta). It's not bad,'' he said.
The rookie with the most notable hair is clearly running back Laurence Maroney. He wears the flowing, dread-lock look that is so long he needs to keep it tied up under his helmet. Perhaps because of his 1st round pedigree, Maroney was spared by the veteran's scissors. Almost.
``They got his eyebrows,'' Thomas said. ``It's kind of freaky. He's been growing his hair so long that they gave him a break.''

Posted by Kevin  at 11:46 AM | Permalink

Practice Sked Update

This is your last week to get a glimpse of a Patriots practice. Fans can see the Pats work out Tuesday from 4:30-6:30; Wednesday from 9-10:30 and 2:30-4:30 and Thursday from 8:45-10:45.
Today's weather was absolutely perfect for sitting back, getting some sun and charting the progress of your favorite Patriots. There actually is nothing more boring than a football practice but if you like pigskin, there are three days left and counting

KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Kevin  at 11:18 AM | Permalink

Pats Workout Updates

The Patriots just completed a brisk, if not sloppy, hour and a half practice. It is the team's only public workout of the day. They'll hold a closed practice later in the day.
Running back Kevin Faulk wore a red jersey, indicating no one was allowed to hit him. Faulk said he's just a bit sore after Saturday night's game against Atlanta.

Some of the key players not present included receiver Chad Jackson; safety Rodney Harrison, DT Richard Seymour, running back Patrick Pass; center Dan Koppen; OT Nick Kaczur; outside linebacker Chad Brown.

The highlight of the practice actually came with the arrival of rocker Jon Bon Jovi at around 10 o'clock. Bon Jovi is a big football fan and a longtime friend of Bill Belichick. The head coach instantly left a drill to welcome Bon Jovi and stayed with him for about 5 minutes while the practice continued. Owner Bob Kraft also came by to chat Bon Jovi up.
Kraft and Bon Jovi had one thing in common. They were the only men on the field in long pants. Kraft wore white slacks while JBJ sweated in blue jeans.

KEVIN McNAMARA

Posted by Kevin  at 11:04 AM | Permalink

Pats Back to Work

After a well-deserved day off, the Patriots are set to return to the training camp grind this morning outside Gillette Stadium. The team will practice for two hours this morning and then work through two practices tomorrow. We'll have a few practice snippets, some interviews and the always revealing (Ha!) info from Bill Belichick's press briefing.
I am in the main stadium press box looking at two workers standing on a movable platform that's a good 75 feet in the air. The (brave) men are adjusting giant TV sets that hang outside the press box windows. One just spotted me eying his precarious position and even he laughed, shook his head and shot me a `What Am I Doing' look.
Hope he's safe.
Later.

Kevin McNamara

Posted by Kevin  at 8:32 AM | Permalink