In depth preview of Pats 2009 season

[jmt57]

Just came across this article by Mike Carlson for nfluk.com; he goes a lot further in depth about the Pats chances in 2009 than I have seen from any of the domestic football sites.

NFLUK.com - Feature List - Coast to Coast - New England Patriots

Always prescient, Belichick appears now to be trying to do two contradictory things at once: put this team back in immediate position for the Super Bowl, and prepare an aging team for the longer term future.

Which is the story of the Pats. No one plays the system better, considers the ramifications of the cap (or uncap) better, gets better value, than Belichick and the Pats. They are in transition: Bill's got ten assistant coaches; the average is around 19, the Vikings have 24. There's no offensive coordinator, just like it was in 2007. Hands-on Bill is bad news for the rest of the league. Although the AFC East remains a tough division, and the Pats have the NFC South on offer, and as usual an away game with Indy on national TV, odds favour a repeat in the Division. Getting through the AFC playoffs may be tougher, but although there are places where the Pats are stretched thin, don't count them out.

 

[BritPat]

Mike Carlson is a legend over this side of the pond, a very knowledgeable and clever guy, who's also as dry as a bone and hugely funny.

Ignore him getting the names wrong though (Bob O'Brien, Jason Hanson etc), he does it every year

 

[jmt57]

Mike Carlson is a legend over this side of the pond, a very knowledgeable and clever guy, who's also as dry as a bone and hugely funny.

Ignore him getting the names wrong though (Bob O'Brien, Jason Hanson etc), he does it every year

I recall watching one of the Pats games either in 2007 or 2008 on a feed from the UK. I thought the analyst covering that game was great, probably better than any of the announcers and analysts for the American networks. Would that by chance have been Carlson also, or somebody else?

 

[BritPat]

I recall watching one of the Pats games either in 2007 or 2008 on a feed from the UK. I thought the analyst covering that game was great, probably better than any of the announcers and analysts for the American networks. Would that by chance have been Carlson also, or somebody else?

It could well have been, was he American or British? And did he mention he went to the same Uni as BB (which he does every time the Pats are on)?

 

[jmt57]

It could well have been, was he American or British? And did he mention he went to the same Uni as BB (which he does every time the Pats are on)?

He did have a British accent, but I don't recall him talking about his days in school with Belichick. I just remember the guy having far superior breakdowns of what happened on plays, why they worked (or didn't work), etc., than American announcers do during a game.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Thanks. That's as good a clear and relatively short summary of the State of the Patriot Union as I have seen. Particularly good in looking at recent drafts.

 

[Lampshade]

Mike Carlson is a legend over this side of the pond, a very knowledgeable and clever guy, who's also as dry as a bone and hugely funny.

Ignore him getting the names wrong though (Bob O'Brien, Jason Hanson etc), he does it every year

And he's a Patriots fan, even though he tries to hide it on-air for some reason.

 

[DaBruinz]

Just came across this article by Mike Carlson for nfluk.com; he goes a lot further in depth about the Pats chances in 2009 than I have seen from any of the domestic football sites.

NFLUK.com - Feature List - Coast to Coast - New England Patriots

The only issue I see from your quote of Carlson is that he's got his year wrong. McDaniels was the OC in 2007. It was 2005 that the Pats didn't have an official OC...
Gonna go read the read of it now.

 

[BritPat]

He did have a British accent, but I don't recall him talking about his days in school with Belichick. I just remember the guy having far superior breakdowns of what happened on plays, why they worked (or didn't work), etc., than American announcers do during a game.

If he was British it's not Carlson, most likely Nick Halling. Carlson is American.

Halling's a top guy too, been watching the sport since it first appeared on our screens over here, is mad passionate and knows the game inside out. Sadly he's a Steeler's fan.

 

[BritPat]

And he's a Patriots fan, even though he tries to hide it on-air for some reason.

He has to be seen as impartial. I'm not sure he is a Pats fan either, he gets far too many of our players names wrong, unless he's doing it on purpose.....

 

[BritPat]

Carlson:

Halling:

Sorry for the lack of quality pictures.

 

[reflexblue]

And he's a Patriots fan, even though he tries to hide it on-air for some reason.

Of course he is after all they are the new ENGLAND Patriots.

 

[jmt57]

If he was British it's not Carlson, most likely Nick Halling. Carlson is American.

Halling's a top guy too, been watching the sport since it first appeared on our screens over here, is mad passionate and knows the game inside out. Sadly he's a Steeler's fan.

After looking at those pictures I'm fairly certain it was Halling. I didn't think Carlson would have a British accent, but you never know depending on how long he's been over there.

I was very impressed with Halling's commentary of whatever game it was that I caught. He gave incredible insight to what was going on after a play that 99% of the audience would not have caught - and he did this without ever getting too geeky and wordy, which would have lost a large portion of the 'casual fan' audience - while at the same time providing great explanations and information to hardcore football fans.

 

[WhoaDirty]

Seems like he is just full of mistakes? It's going to be pretty tough for the Pats to repeat as division champ this year ...

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Seems like he is just full of mistakes? It's going to be pretty tough for the Pats to repeat as division champ this year ...

Wonder if he reads this site or just like getting in a dig at Borges...

<<<<When Belichick and Scott Pioli held the top cards (a pick in the first 15), which wasn't often, they never missed, three for three (Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, and Mayo, and they were criticised in some circles for all three picks, particularly for taking Seymour ahead of WR David Terrell).>>>>