DaBruinz

I posted this on the Globe message board after reading that almost 39% of past fans no long believe in BB and Pioli.

I have to say that I am truly perplexed. Almost 39%% of the "FANS" of this team have lost faith in BB and Pioli? Did I miss us winning 3 SBs in the last 5 years?

Oh, wait, I get it. People are upset because of Willie, Adam ,and David going. Those 3 took the money and ran. Can't blame them. In each case, they got over-paid. Willie, You were great as a Patriots, but at 34, you aren't worth 4 mill a year. Adam, you were one of the most clutch in history, but stop having your father lie about the fact that you wanted to stay. You didn't. You wanted to kick in warm weather or a dome so you could increase the length of your career. Especially when it was becoming obvious that the Patriots were trying to go for it more on the opponents 30-35 yard line. Its also been 3 years since you made a 50 yarder and your kicks aren't getting into the endzone enough. Its too bad you just kissed a lifetime of endorsements goodbye. I hope it was worth sitting at home every February.

As for David, 5 mill a year for a guy who hasn't ever had more than 60 catches, even when he was the primary receiver for 6 straight weeks at one point Sorry, but you aren't a #1 receiver. You're a #2 and you should have been happy with that. But reality is that it was about the money. And the Titans treated you right. Can't fault you for that.

The off-season is about transition. Players come and players go. We have to deal with it. But, I will tell you right now, that I would rather let those 3 walk than keep them and face the almost certain losses of Seymour, Branch, and Koppen (provided he returns to form), to free agency in 2007.

I am sure that some surats are going to beat the WRONG BOGUS drum, but what WRONG hasn't mention is that his AGENT is the one who was feeding him all the info on David Givens. Why? Because David and Wrong Bogus (Ron Borges for those of you who haven't figured it out) share the same Agent. That should put a different perspective on things. Especially in light of Wrong's constant attack on BB about the fact that BB's agent and Adam's former agent both worked for Neil Cornich.

I am also sure that some surats are going to try and point to last off-season and last year and how the Pats played as signs that the bandwagon is breaking down. The most common rants are that BB messed up in the off-season getting Beisel, Brown, and Starks. I think that the only mistake that BB made was not knowing the phsyical health of Ted Johnson. Ted Johnson retiring right before training camp was probably the single biggest blow to BB's plan last year. That forced 2 players to the ILB position who had never played there before in Brown and Beisel. Beisel was signed as a project. To try and develop another Bruschi like player who could take over for Tedy when he finally decides to retire. Brown was signed as back-up or, at worst, to play opposite Ted Johnson.

Then, a lot of things started happening. Ryan Claridge, who looked very promising in camp, went down to injury. Mike Vrabel was injured in camp and basically missed his trianing for the ILB position. Stephen Neal looks like his shoulder wasn't healthy coming out of camp. Guss Scott and James Sanders weren't healthy coming out of camp. Jarvis Green's shoulder was banged up coming out of camp as well.

After coming out of camp with 10 DBs, the Pats lost 6 of those 10 to the IR.( Harrison, G. Scott, C. Scott, R. Gay, Duane Starks, and Ty Poole) by week 8. Wilfork wasn't playing well. Seymour missed some big games due to injury. Beisel and Brown showed that they hadn't picked up enough of the defense to be effective. Duane Starks played poorly because of a bum shoulder. Eugene Wilson was trying too hard to cover the deficiencies in the secondary as the "VET" back there.

I mean, seriously people, at one point, the Patriots had 4 defensive starters out (Ty Poole, Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, and Rodney Harrison). And that doesn't include not having Ted Johnson in there. That is a LOT for a defense and a team to over-come.

It wasn't until players started getting "healthy," that things started changing. Bruschi returned. Seymour returned. Vrabel was healthy enough to move inside. Ellis Hobbs stepped up. Wilfork changed his technique and was playing significantly better. Wilson stopped pressing and then the late addition of Hawkins helped solidify the defense for the last 5 games.

You can't fault BB for not knowing the future. There is no way he could have known that Light, Koppen, and Harrison would be lost for the year to catastrophic injuries. There is no way he could have know that they'd lose C. Scott, Starks, Poole, G. Scott and Randall Gay to injuries by week 9. Having that many injuries that take away that many players from one position would make it hard for ANY coach. And please, no one knows that if they had kept Ty Law that he would have been healthy all year.

When people stop and take a step back and look at REALITY, they will see that, in the era of the salary cap, we can't keep our favorite players their entire career unless they want to stay for a reasonable price. Its why I don't expect we'll ever see Tedy Bruschi go through this. Its why I don't see Tom Brady ever going through this. For all the other players, they will have to make a choice. Will it be to stick it out and earn the hearts of some of the greatest fans on the earth while making a modest football income and be part of Patriot Lore, or will it be to get as much money as they can and kiss the lifetime of endorsements and love from the fans goodbye.

BB and Pioli have done everything they can to earn our faith. A bump in the road because of catastrophic injuries and the loss of some free agents shouldn't cause us to lose that faith. If it does, the we weren't ever truly fans. We were bandwagoners. And we don't deserve the gift of 3 SB CHAMPIONSHIPS that the Pats, with BB and Pioli at the helm, have given us.

p8ryts

Come and go with the tide!

Joker

I sat through rain and lightning storms in the foulest weather imaginable for 8 games a season in the late 70's and 80's. If that Schaefer stadium *****hole didn't stop me, then how does this offseason plan to? I'm a Patriot fan...thick or thin, up or down....I could care less about craving success...and there is a core group of long time fans that are exactly the same....you play in red white and blue and we'll show up, I don't care how many Tony Easons or Joe Kapps you trot out there, we're dug in til death do us part

Krugman

Still a firm believer....see what they say next December when we are on our way to another superbowl....

__________________
In Belichick we trust....
"Crush your enemies,see them driven before you,hear the lamentation of the women." Arnold Schwartzenegger doing his BB impression.

Remix 6

I believe in them still

Givens - 2nd WR for us, asking for #1 money. he wasnt supposed to be as good as he got being a 7th rounder. Maybe replace him for less?

Vinatieri - I dont know if anyone else noticed but last year he seemed on decline a bit..why pay him a lot of guranteed money.

McGinest - Hes very old, we didnt want to pay him that much money of bonus i think that we owed. We released and were going to resign him..he probably got an offer from us but I think Browns overspent on him having 3 years MAX left. Hes still productive but Bill wants youth and speed and youth doesnt fit Mr. McGinest

I admit, Im sad about these guys moving on but we let other people in past go and we replaced them well.

fgssand

Good, let the little fair weather fans crawl back under the rock they come from and stay away for a while. There will then be plenty of room at training camp and maybe even the EBAY ticket prices will fall as the whine and cheese crowd finds something else to do.

Of course, as soon as the Patriots demonstrate the utter superiority over the rest of the NFL - the bastids will be back. You can set your watch by it as that will be just about the time the Colts trolls become harder and harder to find. Do the Colts really think they will achieve success without their star running back or significant losses on the defense that was just starting to look good? Oh right, I forgot, an overpaid kicker will solve all their woes.

Is it really that hard to look at how a team was built and realize NOTHING has changed in Foxboro. Why mess with success? Last time I checked, we came within a very rare poor team performance of yet another Superbowl win - in yet another season spent playing awesome football down the stretch overcoming adversity the likes of which no team has ever had to deal with.

If this team ever happens to have an injury free year - watch out NFL, 19-0 just may happen.

Honestly, having followed this team for over 45 years now, I could not be any more confident with ownership & the leadership it has chosen.

Pats726

I agree..that is what the 40% is..fair weather and NOT understanding what this FO does. It wins Super Bowls and it is time for transition as the team gets older....the team will do fine. Be patient.

Mainefan

Atta boy, DaBruinz. I'm sure at the end of this season, every last one of those 39% will claim they were among the 61% who knew better than to mistrust BB and SP.

Those 39% all believe they're smarter and they know more about football than the Patriots' front office. Oh really? They also have the patience of a housefly. Some fans.

Joker

I had season's tickets in 206 until they built the new stadium...they sent me a letter and said if I wanted to remain a season ticket holder all they could give me were tickets in the 300's. I went to look at them and got a freaking nosebleed...when I asked why I couldn't get MY seats I had for over 20 years they said...corporate now....now I look down at 206 when I'm at games and it's half freaking empty by halftime....pinheads in pinstriped suits do it every time

IndyKen

Wow, so many with ye of little faith.....we'll be fine.