PATRIOTSFANINPA

Just thinking of about 3 years from now in the 2009 and future NFL seasons when Tedi Bruschi,Rodney Harrison,Troy Brown,Mike Vrabel,Junior Seau,Corey Dillon,Kevin Faulk and even Coach Belichick are all likely at that time to be retired or getting up in the years and slowing down and being little factor in games at that stage in their careers.

Just a bit frightening to think that maybe those late 80s and early 90s season nightmares can come back - Pretty much we now have a 3 year window before most of the players I mentioned take off the cleats for the final time and we are gonna need 3 hellava great drafts in the 3 upcoming years to continue the Super Bowl runs we now enjoy.

Its been a fun ride and I hope with miracle picks of top athletes thru the draft and maybe even a couple of value players in free agency will help us get by the loss of these legendary Patriots players.

I will miss those guys and suggest you enjoy seasons like these while you can,I know this season has not been the most consistent or errorless season to date or maybe not the greatest Patriots squad ever assembled but just be thankful that we STILL have an awesome assortment of superior veterans that are still able to get the job done in the late stages of their careers.

Remember we will cherish these years when we start to drop a bit from the elite .. Elite status like we are and have been in the past 5 years won't go on forever so when the Patriots play a bad game either this sunday or the next week ect: just be thankful that when the bad game is over we still are alive to win the BIG ONE (except a bad one if the playoffs which would not be good)- Who knows in 3 years if we will even get a chance to make the playoffs?

Heres to hope for the future and stop the chronic complaining (bench brady-fire mcdaniels crap) when the team plays a bad or so-so game,remember you could be a Raiders fan and see lousy play just about every week.

So far at least for 3 more years we will be just fine despite the core of players mentioned above getting older,Most of them by 2009 won't be here and no factor in our playoff hopes - So Smile and be proud you are a Patriots fan and enjoy the remainder of the 2006 season no matter where it leads to- it could be worse,you could be a Raiders/Cardinals fan right now

BelichickFan

How about 5-6 years from now when we have to replace that QB we have - plus the 1,000 pounds we call a stud DL. Enjoy the next 5 years (and the last 5) the best you can - few fans get a run like this twice in a lifetime. This is probably the only one we get.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Didn't want to think about Brady and Seymour in 5 years,Although I think both will still be fairly and young enough to be a factor.

Look at Brett Farve and Brad Johnson at QB and on the D guys like McGinest and Traylor who at near/over 40 both can still play well although the rest of their teams suck..Missing the guys I mentioned is bad enough to ponder - let along adding more on,hopefully in 5-6 years we will have enough talent to build again a solid team..3-4 years from now is my worry,For now lets just sit back and watch a team gearing up for the unpredictable playoffs.

TomBradyWoot

This is the most depressing thread ever. I don't think I'll be able to sleep now.

iguide

Of that list there is a good chance that this is Dillon’s last year with the club. With his slated salary for next year, and his less than stellar production last year and this year, along with the addition of Maroney, the team may not ask him back/cut him loose.

DarrylS

The formula has stood for the past 6 years, no reason to believe it will not continue.. this team will be good for a lot more years, and in the future we will all agree that this is a dynasty.

__________________
"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

Drewwho

Gonna be a very sad day in Patriots history when Brady retires. I hope and believe he retires a Pat...either way, it will be a very sad day indeed.

Appreciate what you have now!!! A bird in the hand...blah blah blah and all that stuff...

smg93

I'd be pretty happy knowing that we would have won 5 or 6 super bowls!