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http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal.../reiss_pieces/

December 21, 2005
Pats wrap
Posted By: mreiss | Time: 01:53:13 PM |

PRACTICE WRAP: Offensive tackle Matt Light was the only player on the team’s most recent injury report not present at the media access portion of today’s practice … Earlier in the day, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Light’s return this season was a “longshot” … The media was present for one special teams drill and stretching … Quarterback Tom Brady didn’t appear to be wearing a knee brace; he took a few snaps in a quarterback-center drill and then had Doug Flutie checking out his left shin during stretching … The team practiced inside the Dana Farber Fieldhouse.

LOCKER ROOM WRAP: Pretty light atmosphere in the locker room, with linebacker Mike Vrabel joking that -- due to Tom Ashworth’s touchdown catch on Saturday -- he’s now become a decoy as a tight end near the goal-line … Punter Josh Miller also had some fun with one of the shorter reporters who was trying to break through a major crowd around Tom Brady’s locker, saying: “Don’t even bother. It’s like you’re at the deli, you have number 950, and they’re serving number one.” … Because Brady holds his press conference at his locker, the overflowing media crowd spills into other lockers next to Brady, affecting Miller on the left and practice squad receiver Bam Childress on the right. … Defensive lineman Ty Warren, kicker Adam Vinatieri, linebacker Mike Vrabel, cornerback Ellis Hobbs and cornerback/safety Artrell Hawkins were a few players drawing larger media crowds.

PRO BOWL: Patriots players were expected to learn of their Pro Bowl status today after practice. We’ll plan on passing on those results, as well as some player reaction. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about the Pro Bowl in his press conference: “I take pride in our players’ performance, individually and collectively. I certainly do, but I can’t control what everybody else thinks, what they perceive it as. Again, in all honesty, I haven’t seen all the players play. There are a lot of teams in the AFC that I haven’t studied, haven’t really watched them very carefully. I don’t even know what kind of year some of those guys are having. I know what I think of the players we played, but there were a lot of teams that weren’t on our schedule that are obviously very good teams. Teams like Cincinnati, teams like Jacksonville, teams like that that we really haven’t seen. I’m sure they have some real good players, I’m sure they have guys who are having real great years. I’m just not that familiar with it.”

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update around 4 p.m. ET with the injury report. Whenever the Pro Bowl results become available, we’ll pass that along, and hopefully have some reaction from Patriots players as well.

--Mike