PatsFans.com Article

Ben Coates was one of those Patriots whom you can’t praise enough.

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pats1

Well, he's actually the 13th.

But yeah, it's a good idea. Not the same storied history as the Bears or Packers or Chiefs, but when Brady and the gang get enshrined, there could be quite a ring up there.

But honestly, I think the only current Patriot to see his number retired will be Brady. Hell, some of the numbers that are retired now are a bit questionable. Some have said only Brady, Tippett, and Hannah should have their numbers retired.

DarrylS

With the HOF next door, will this be necessary???

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"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.

ScottieC

I could not agree more.

Really it's Tippett and Hannah - That's all we got right now.

No. 12 will be there someday for sure, but I hope it's a long time and a lot of rings later.

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Let them all talk - Haters Hate, that's what they do - We have three Lombardi's, how about you?

dryheat44

Nope. Besides, the Ring of Honor is, I believe, historically a Bronco thing, and while other teams have copied their idea, I wouldn't want to be one of them. I also hope that after a couple of years we cease inducting a player into the Patriots HOF automatically every year and keep it for the truly deserving.

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When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee

MoLewisrocks

That was my first thought. The tone of the article suggests Kraft needs a kick in the pants to start doing things designed to honor his organizations enviable accomplishments over the last several seasons. The implication clearly being that he's oblivious to that while focused on expanding in his development of anscillary branded real estate holdings... Then he tries to soften the critique by acknowledging that Kraft belongs in his own HOF. Newsflash for Bob, he and Bill and possibly Scott will likely all end up in Canton one eventually. Bill of course being the guy he bestows the backhanded slap at for denying Coates a ripe plum...

I bit my tongue the other day rather than pile on after others made the comment I was tempted to. But twice in one week we get spoon fed more uninspired crap from an increasingly unsurprising source. Ian should just hold monthly contests for featured columnist - he'd get a better product for his home page in the process.

Going forward the Patriots will likely only retire numbers of players who make the FOOTBALL HOF. In that case where they finish their career will be a moot point. That makes Adam a lock and Ty Law and Rodney outside possibilities. And if he wins a couple of rings here, Randy since he is a veritable HOF lock. Seymour has a shot if his A game returns, and a couple of others on the present roster may emerge although for the moment they are only in Hall of the Very Good (and crucial to their own franchise) territory.

A Ring of Fame may be a means to un-retire a couple of numbers when it becomes clear that there are now so many deserving of this teams HOF that it precludes retiring their numbers absent their entering the one in Canton. Because when the decision to retire those numbers was made no one in their wildest dreams conceived of a dynasty being born here. But that can be accomplished by simply modifying the HOF criteria and re-acknowledging and further honoring those whose numbers will no longer be retired when the new facility opens. Guys who wear that number going forward can have it carry a commemorative patch indicating it formerly belonged to a player since inducted into the teams HOF.

And knowing this organization I'm sure they are already pondering all those angles. I say that with relative certainty because I GET HOW SMART THEY ARE. It continually amazes me that some hereabouts still don't appear to get that.

FirstAndGoal

No need. The hall is enough. Why would anyone feel the need to do more?

RayClay

Oh yeah, let's induct Lonie Paxton into the Hall.

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hambone1818

I'd like to see something similar to what the Red Sox do: 1) needs to be in the leagues HoF; 2) needs to have retired with the organization (and that's just a minor loophole, if the player really wants to be in the Hall he just signs a 1-day contract with the team); 3) a minimum playing time (the Sox have it set to 10 seasons, though with football it'd have to be a bit shorter to accomidate the shorter average playing career...I'm thinking 6 with the team).

jmt57

As a couple of others have mentioned, my first reaction before even reading the article was 'why do we need a Ring of Fame' with the construction of the Patriots Hall of Fame next door? I like MoLewisrocks' idea that the only numbers to be retired going forward would be players in the NFL Hall of Fame. I also agree with pats1 that the number enshrined is starting to grow fairly large. At this rate a Ring with all those numbers is going to soon be so large that it could almost become meaningless. I'm not sure what the current criteria is for the Pats HoF, perhaps limit it to one player every four or five years? For all those players that were very good but not quite HoF worthy, perhaps there will be room at the new HoF for exhibits on past teams where those players can be highlighted as a tribute to them.

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