PATRIOT64

Have you done things differently since 2001 when the Patriots became and still are an elite or at least very good team?

When the Patriots sucked with seasons like 2-14 and so back in the 90s were you constantly keeping tabs on what was going on in the NE Pats world from March thru July? or were you just going about your summer business and waiting till the first game to get growing in excitement for the new season ahead?

Its hard to not keep updating things and reading press and draft predictions during the offseason when your team came off a very good season but does it change during the summer when they were a bad team and had little to no signs of a much better season ahead?

You really don't qualify to be called a bandwaggoner if you spend less time in the offseason checking on the happenings of the team,but if you keep it going during the actual regular season and don't care,especially when the team starts losing and then turn the interest back on again when they start winning again,then I guess that is what a bandwagonner is IMO.

So to sum it all up,Have your summers changed since the Pats are a good team or have they remained the same,even when they were Pathetic years ago?

WhiZa

2001: Watched the playoffs
2002: Watched every game
2003: Watched the draft
2004: Started playing FF
2005: Started paying attention to free agency
2006: Began checking forums and blogs for daily Patriot news updates
2007: ???

Boston Jay

For some reason I paid attention more to things like the salary cap, free agency, the DRAFT and combines (since 2002). I do appreciate all cogs of a team now. Never really thought about the PK's ability to kick off or the punter's ability to kick with the coverage in terms of field position.

I'm young, I'm learning. I just appreciate football a lot more now.

Jimke

After the Pats success during the past 6 years, I follow them

even more closely. When you are on top, there is only one other way

to go. Over the past couple of years, they have lost a lot of players

from their championship teams. I keep looking for them to have an off

year. So far, the brilliance of Bill Belichick and the skill of Tom Brady have

kept them in contention. Eventually, they have to rebuild the linebacking

group to remain in the hunt for the Super Bowl.

BradyManny

This message board has affected my offseason investment more than anything. In general, patsfans.com has radically changed my ability to follow the Pats, particularly in the offseason.

TeamPats

I think our success in the draft in the past 6 years has most effected my willingness to pay attention to it. I mean when Parcells left, we had what? like 10 1st rounds picks in 5 years? It was something ridiculous, and we really didn't end up having anything to show for it, excluding the likes of Faulk and McGinnest and I'm sure some others I'm forgetting. Now it seems like whomever we pick instantly becomes a vital cog of this team and it brings so much excitement for me this time of the year. I can't wait to see which kid out of the 4th round will grow into a premiere player next and watch him make mistakes get jawed at by the coach and then go back in there to make a game-changing play. Plus with seemingly an endless supply of injuries, our 40-53 roster spots seem to have more influence on our success then 20-40 if that makes sense.

Thank you Belioli for making the offseason almost as interesting as the season itself.

__________________
In front of his team after a 28-10 loss to the Packers in 2002, Belichick said: "We have a lot of smart guys in this room, but on the football field we play like a bunch of f------- morons. If you are one of the players flinching at the harshness of these words, you might as well begin packing. There is no way you are going to last as a New England Patriot."

MrBigglesWorth

I became a serious Pats fan back when Dick McPherson became coach and suffered through those seasons, especially when they had the number one pick and all the talk about The Rocket Ismail, to have them trade the pick for multiple picks to Dallas. Then came hope with Parcells and instant credibility and the arrival of Bledsoe, but my favorite was McGinest.

But anyways.... my offseason has included watching free agency with hope of the Pats being big players, but soon I came to find out that the draft was where it was at. You can't rely on free agency solely(i.e. Skins). That's why it's been so pelasing watching BB and SP draft as they hit on their first rounders and have had success in later rounds.

Several times they have held multiple draft picks and I have hoped the team they had the pick of would tank, but never really came to fruition.

Bills(Bledsoe)- Bledsoe had a good season his first time there.
Baltimore(Boeller pick)- I believe they traded the Buffalo pick to Baltimore. Baltimore wasn't really bad.
and Seattle(Branch)- They pulled out many close games.

But in conclusion I've watched the offseason and has become almost most as fun as the games.

__________________
"There are two categories of superbowl participants that nobody remembers:

The team that lost the game and the team that only won one." Dwight White- Steelers

Miguel

I stopped following the draft after the 2002 draft. It was after that draft that I realized that I have no idea what the Patriots front office would do on Draft Day.

__________________
My youngest sister's best friend is on the board of directors of a food pantry in Malden, Massachusetts that distributed 285,000 meals and meal equivalents in 2005. I am asking that if you have found my salary cap pages useful that if you are able to do so, please make a donation to it. Please contact me for more information.

iguide

I have been a serious Pats fan ever since the drafted Jim Plunkett. Followed all of their in season activities and looked for off season news. However where I live and the development of higher technology over the years has allowed me to keep more informed as time went on than in the past. With the current almost immediate news updates and Internet it does make it easier to find information. So it has changed in substance, but not in form.

chunkypony

I have watched the draft probably every draft weekend since I was born. I think it is the most exciting part of football outside of the actually games, and I love hunkering down for an entire weekend and just watching draft coverage. nothing better in my mind.