Another post from the NEInsider guy on ESPN Message Board

[fgssand]

I followed the money and I wound up in the pockets of Asante Samuel, guess he is responsible for spygate.

Pocket change when you look at what Comcast Vs NFL Network brings.....

 

[DaBruinz]

Well, at this point, there is nothing to protect. The NFL hasn't really been hurt by any of this at this point. Besides, they have to be careful to not look like they are protecting their assets anyway.

I don't think the NFL Network is in jepordy in any way. If anything, Specter winning means that more people have access to the NFL Network since Specter wants both the NFL Network and Sunday Ticket on Comcast at affordable pricing. That directly goes against the best interest of NBC, CBS, and FOX.

If that is what Specter "wants" then he is tampering with the free market system. The one that the NFL used, fairly, to put NFL Direct Ticket out there and had the companies bid on them. DirecTV blew Comcast's bid out of the water by nearly 300 million a year. Comcast choked at that because they didn't figure they could get the people to sign up for it.

Its no different that Electronic Arts getting the exclusive rights to produce Football games using the players real names and real NFL Logos. Personally, I think the NFL was stupid doing that. Just like I think they are stupid in limiting themselves to DirecTV (though its still significantly better than Comcast).

 

[JoeSixPat]

The inference on Walsh and his attorney is that if we follow the money trail we might well find a connection with Senator Specter and/or Comcast.

Wouldn't THAT be interesting! What's clear is that someone with an ax to grind is paying his legal bills.

On the Patriot's brain trust's view of their secondary and the benefits of Capers as a defensive coach, I'm glad to hear it but can't say I'm surprised.

We've all seen that on past Patriots teams, coaches have implemented a system that got pro-bowl play out of middle class guys. I don't think we really saw that the last few seasons, and in a way, the Patriots are back to their 2001-2003 "rebuilding" phase, working to win now but with an eye to the future, bringing in quantity in an effort to find quality.

Seems like a proven success in the past - let's hope so in the future as well.

 

[ALP]

this guy does talk as if he is from the inside...

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Hah! Good catch...I completely failed to register that the first time through. Still implies nothing as to the probability of the remarks, but it adds an interesting wrinkle.

I would infer something from the way that he refers to BB as "Bill", but refers to Polian as Polian. If were putting guesses out there, that makes him closer to the coaching side then the business side.....

 

[sebman2112]

I've always thought Meriweather had the ability to play CB, as I brought up his holding Calvin Johnson in check, and the four games where he didn't give up a single reception on passes thrown his direction. That being said, I like him better at Safety, and I think his ceiling is higher at Safety. Brandon also didn't seem quite as comfortable at CB when NE tried him out there.

If they were to move Brandon over to CB on a more permanent basis, then Kenny Phillips could became a good option at Safety, with a trade down. Selecting Quintin Demps (S/DB) or Josh Barrett (SS) would seem like even more of a possibility, as well.

NE's taking a CB at 7th overall hasn't been among my favorite options to begin with, and this would only strengthen that opinion. I like a number of CB's in this draft class, but I don't see any of them as being good value at 7th overall.

I still hope they can land Antoine Cason somewhere in the first (trade down) or second (with a trade up), as I think he would develop into a better overall CB than Asante Samuel. Chevis Jackson would still be a good option with that late second or early third, too.

 

[wesleyan]

Specter may not be an ethical person, but he is smart. Despite his cries to the contrary, Specter probably does not want Walsh to speak about the Patriots. Once Walsh speaks, no matter what he says, the NFL will start to turn the corner on the Spygate controversy. They'll suspend Belichick, or they'll show Walsh to be a liar--regardless of what is said, the NFL will take some form of action. However, if Walsh does not speak, the conspiracy theorists will never go away and the NFL brand will continue to be tarnished. It's amusing if you're not a Patriots fan: Specter yells about the NFL blocking a deal for Walsh to speak, Levy then blocks all the deals for Walsh to speak, and Specter cries about an NFL conspiracy. Specter, for Comcast reasons, or Eagles reasons, or personal reasons, has a gripe with the NFL. It's become personal. So Specter is using the Patriots to punish Goodell and the NFL and there is little Goodell can do about it.

 

[signbabybrady]

I would infer something from the way that he refers to BB as "Bill", but refers to Polian as Polian. If were putting guesses out there, that makes him closer to the coaching side then the business side.....

If he is on the coaching side I can't picture he is very high up or close to "Bill" because I doubt anyone that important to "Bill" would be speaking as an insider to the orginization on an ESPN blog.

I would say that maybe the poster used the first name because it is more personal making him seem closer.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Specter may not be an ethical person, but he is smart. Despite his cries to the contrary, Specter probably does not want Walsh to speak about the Patriots. Once Walsh speaks, no matter what he says, the NFL will start to turn the corner on the Spygate controversy. They'll suspend Belichick, or they'll show Walsh to be a liar--regardless of what is said, the NFL will take some form of action. However, if Walsh does not speak, the conspiracy theorists will never go away and the NFL brand will continue to be tarnished. It's amusing if you're not a Patriots fan: Specter yells about the NFL blocking a deal for Walsh to speak, Levy then blocks all the deals for Walsh to speak, and Specter cries about an NFL conspiracy. Specter, for Comcast reasons, or Eagles reasons, or personal reasons, has a gripe with the NFL. It's become personal. So Specter is using the Patriots to punish Goodell and the NFL and there is little Goodell can do about it.

wesleyan, you must have gone there because that is an excellent point. they don't want walsh out there. the threat of walsh is more powerful than walsh himself. once walsh comes out, specter can't hang him over the pats head anymore. these guys are so transparent it's amazing. how do these douches ever get elected ?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

wesleyan, you must have gone there because that is an excellent point. they don't want walsh out there. the threat of walsh is more powerful than walsh himself. once walsh comes out, specter can't hang him over the pats head anymore. these guys are so transparent it's amazing. how do these douches ever get elected ?

One important point--for all practical purposes, the Patriots don't seem to care about what Walsh might have to say.

 

[BradyManny]

I've always thought Meriweather had the ability to play CB, as I brought up his holding Calvin Johnson in check, and the four games where he didn't give up a single reception on passes thrown his direction. That being said, I like him better at Safety, and I think his ceiling is higher at Safety. Brandon also didn't seem quite as comfortable at CB when NE tried him out there.

I don't see any reason to put Meriweather at CB...I agree his ceiling is way higher at FS. He could be the perfect FS for their system, and he was playing really well down the stretch. He could make a huge difference for the defense simply by being included in the starting lineup at FS next season.

There's too many other options at CB (Law, any draftee at any pick other than #7), to weaken themselves at safety and move Meriweather over. Sanders, Harrison and Tank Williams are all strong safeties, so they'd have to rely on the draft again to get a FS if they are moving Meriweather to corner.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Thanks for posting this. Though he is an NE insider, I felt happy on reading his well articulated comments on Moss.

 

[unoriginal]

Sanders, Harrison and Tank Williams are all strong safeties, so they'd have to rely on the draft again to get a FS if they are moving Meriweather to corner.

Athletically, Harrison and Williams are much closer to each other than is James Sanders. They may move Meriweather to CB if they feel Sanders is a better FS right now, which is what he played last year.

 

[SavioKid]

Athletically, Harrison and Williams are much closer to each other than is James Sanders. They may move Meriweather to CB if they feel Sanders is a better FS right now, which is what he played last year.

Could the PATS be planting the draft 'seed': fooling teams that they won't take a CB to force them to trade with them for their #7 ?!?

 

[unoriginal]

Could the PATS be planting the draft 'seed': fooling teams that they won't take a CB to force them to trade with them for their #7 ?!?

If they are, I hope they have more clandestine ways of doing it than anonymous posts to the ESPN message board.

 

[DaBruinz]

Athletically, Harrison and Williams are much closer to each other than is James Sanders. They may move Meriweather to CB if they feel Sanders is a better FS right now, which is what he played last year.

Sanders played both Free Safety and Strong Safety. However, it was Meriweather who was getting most of the snaps in the SB at Free Safety.

 

[unoriginal]

Sanders played both Free Safety and Strong Safety. However, it was Meriweather who was getting most of the snaps in the SB at Free Safety.

Was he? I thought Meriweather was on the field mostly in the nickel package, with the stud (Harrison) playing robber.

 

[DaBruinz]

Was he? I thought Meriweather was on the field mostly in the nickel package, with the stud (Harrison) playing robber.

Nope. Meriweather spent a lot of time opposite Harrison with Sanders on the Bench. And then, when BB pulled Harrison for the dumb penalties, Meriweather was back out there opposite Sanders.

They rotated the 3 of them, honestly.

 

[kas]

Nope. Meriweather spent a lot of time opposite Harrison with Sanders on the Bench. And then, when BB pulled Harrison for the dumb penalties, Meriweather was back out there opposite Sanders.

They rotated the 3 of them, honestly.

From what I saw, Sanders and Meriweather were playing deep (from what I could see, usually Brandon over Asante with Sanders and Hobbs in 3 deep coverage), with Harrison closer to the LOS more in a LB type of role. This was especially true in passing situations.

With the way the game is evolving, I think having a slightly undersized but athletic and physical secondary is the way to go.

 

[blackglass3]

I was in love with Meriweather since I had started reading up on him before the draft, and actually cheered when they announced his name at the podium. Watching him blossom last year was truly awesome, and I think a move to CB would stunt his growth, so to speak.

Speaking of him, does anyone have a video clip of his open field CLOBBERING of Ted Ginn Jr? I can't find it anywhere.