Anyone Else Miss Bryant College? - New England Patriots Forums

BennyBledsoe · 07-31-2011, 03:20 PM

Some of my best Patriots memories come from the times I spent out there at Bryant watching the guys practice and talking to them. I was out there in '96 and talked to Matt Bahr and he kinda rolled his eyes talking about this young kid they were bringing in....which, of course, would be Vinatieri.

Also, talked to Willie Clay...he started getting nervous and said, "Gotta go, coach is gonna kill me!" And yes, Parcells did bark at him as he ran onto the field

And more as the years went on....Slade, McGinest, Vinatieri, Johnson, Coach Carroll and more...

Then I went to the Gillette experience and it just felt...very impersonal. All the stars were shunted off away from the rest of us, leaving whoever was left to come over only when we had yelled enough. It just felt more corporate. I guess it was a natural result of their increasing success but...I just kinda miss the 'college days'.

Raymond · 07-31-2011, 03:44 PM

I miss it greatly. 25 min from my home. I remember my son getting 8 autographs on a Pats hat in one session, and a few years later the only one left on the team was Troy Brown. It was up close and personal just like you say. You could talk to players on occasion. One day Tim Goad was parked next to me leaving in POS Ford Taurus.

We liked to go to Parente's restaurant just down the road after the second session. There were always players stopping in for a bite to eat and a drink.I never bothered them except to buy a beer for Rohan Davey and two other unknown's who sat beside us at the bar.

***Patjew*** · 07-31-2011, 03:47 PM

Yeah, got my MBA there. Hit Parentes many times. Good times.

Oh, you were talking about T.C.!

Raymond · 07-31-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patjew

Yeah, got my MBA there. Hit Parentes many times. Good times.

Oh, you were talking about T.C.!

MBA? I don't remember that. I liked to get the giant mushroom burger with fries.

***Joker*** · 07-31-2011, 04:01 PM

I actually had a press pass back then....ran a site called Joker's War Zone...the Pats gave me credentials three years running....the memory that sticks out to me the most was watching Bledsoe AND the backups throwing in the passing drills. Bledsoe threw frozen ropes. He really did have an unbelievable arm. 25 yards, 40 yards, 60 yards...bullets...

***Joker*** · 07-31-2011, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raymond

MBA? I don't remember that. I liked to get the giant mushroom burger with fries.

Bryant is a business school.

MBA = Masters In Business Administration

oh wait..that was a funny???

BennyBledsoe · 07-31-2011, 04:04 PM

Yeah, some of my neighbors got their MBA from there, too...but yeah, I was talking about Training Camp

Joker: that's awesome! Was your site archived at all? Might want to check it out.

***dalero*** · 07-31-2011, 04:07 PM

Miss it big time. So easy to slip out of work and go and much more fan friendly.

***PATSNUTme*** · 07-31-2011, 04:08 PM

I use to take my annual designation certification update at Bryant during the same time the Patriots had training camp there.

Had good conversations with Raymond Berry, Grogan, and many others.

One day I went to the gift shop to buy something little for my daughter. I left the shop and then heard someone running behind me. I turned and Ronnie Lippett stopped and handed me my wallet that i left in the shop.

I have a funny story about Fryer that I should not post on the board but told many friends over the years. Fryer had a great personality but that was during his "wild days".

Bella*chick · 07-31-2011, 04:20 PM

Yes, my great experience there was meeting Bledsoe and having him sign a portrait I drew of him. The whole time the guys who let me go meet him were nervous about Parcells finding out. It was the beginning of Drew's second year.