Why Faulk made the Chicago trip

[SVN]

Why Faulk made the Chicago trip - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

 

[shmessy]

Thanks, SVN for that. That's great stuff!

As the years go by, Kevin is gaining Troy Brown/Tedy Bruschi status with me.

 

[TX_Patriot]

With all the new guys, I'll take having his leadership around the team. If he turns into a Rah, Rah mascot for the season, I'll take that too.

 

[alamo]

Looks to me like he's feeling this could be it for his career.

And maybe even setting himself up for a future coaching position? No idea if that's something he wants though.

 

[Its_The_Patriots]

I had no idea he made the trip! I sure miss seeing him out there playing with the team, as I am sure he misses it even more.

 

[Brettlax3434]

Thanks, SVN for that. That's great stuff!

As the years go by, Kevin is gaining Troy Brown/Tedy Bruschi status with me.

He has had that status with me for a long time. He is a true Patriot. Hard worker, and leader who never complains and always does his job very well. I hope we bring him back.

 

[Gwedd]

He has had that status with me for a long time. He is a true Patriot. Hard worker, and leader who never complains and always does his job very well. I hope we bring him back.

Same here. He's always ready to go, never complains. The consummate professional.

 

[blackglass3]

I've said it before: If we had 53 players with the heart of Kevin Faulk, we'd win the Super Bowl. And we just might!

Also, who would have thought this "too small to be an every down back" drafted by Pete Carroll and Bobby Grier would be such a huge part of this team 10+ years later.

And, I agree on the Brown/Bruschi comment. Kevin Faulk is one of the Ultimate New England Patriots.

 

[jbb9s]

i've never been clear on the roles of IR players on the Patriots.

Traditionally, we almost never see them on the sidelines. When Brady went down, I don't even know if he was at the home games in the owner's box. He definitely wasn't up with the coordinators in their box either.

Even defensive captains like Harrison disappeared after his injuries. The most notable example was that he wasn't with the team in Indy in early 2007.

I remember when Law got hurt in 04, he wasn't around except he showed up on the sidelines of the SB against the Eagles. At the time, off the top of my head, I assume he was a defensive captain as well.

I've heard that generally speaking, once you go on IR, BB wants you out of sight. Is this true? How does his policy vary from other teams? For example, Romo is wearing a headset each game and I regularly see Ed Reed coaching up his less experienced teammates.

In regards to Faulk, is it possible that with Woodheads success and his new contract, Kevin felt a bit excluded and worried about his role next year? He wanted to get back involved with the team to remind everyone who he is. Just asking, I'm not sure at all. I am also disappointed in CBS for not pointing this out during the game. They miss all kinds of things.

 

[Nikolai]

Thanks, SVN for that. That's great stuff!

As the years go by, Kevin is gaining Troy Brown/Tedy Bruschi status with me.

Absolutely, though for me, he already achieved that status long ago. The BB-era Patriots pantheon for me includes Bruschi, Brown, and Harrison from the retired players and Brady and Faulk from among the actives. Welker, Chung, maybe eventually Woodhead and a couple others have potential to move up there one day.

 

[alamo]

For example, Romo is wearing a headset each game and I regularly see Ed Reed coaching up his less experienced teammates.

Neither is on injured reserve, though Reed started the season on PUP.

 

[Kontradiction]

I've heard that generally speaking, once you go on IR, BB wants you out of sight. Is this true? How does his policy vary from other teams? For example, Romo is wearing a headset each game and I regularly see Ed Reed coaching up his less experienced teammates.

When Brady was on his comeback trail going into 2009, he did a sit down interview with Peter King from SportsIllustrated and said as much. Basically, when he went down, the plan was to keep him away from the team and at home. He said that the last thing that Cassel and the team needed was for the camera to pan over to Brady every time Cassel threw a pick.

As for Faulk, pay the man (a one year vet minimum contract with incentives)!

 

[jbb9s]

Neither is on injured reserve, though Reed started the season on PUP.

good point. But when a player in inactive for a game or on PUP for the first third of the season, he is generally not on the sideline for home games. They definitely don't travel with the team.

 

[Synovia]

As for Faulk, pay the man (a one year vet minimum contract with incentives)!

As much as I love Kevin, at this point, I want him here just to teach Woodhead how to pass block like he does.

 

[WhiZa]

Sounds like a man who wants a new contract or is lonely

 

[mosi]

He has had that status with me for a long time. He is a true Patriot. Hard worker, and leader who never complains and always does his job very well. I hope we bring him back.

+1. Faulk is a true Patriot and just like Bruschi.

 

[Uncle Rico]

When Brady was on his comeback trail going into 2009, he did a sit down interview with Peter King from SportsIllustrated and said as much. Basically, when he went down, the plan was to keep him away from the team and at home. He said that the last thing that Cassel and the team needed was for the camera to pan over to Brady every time Cassel threw a pick....

I was thinking about this today, in the context of Kraft's comments on the chemistry in the locker room this year. One thing we haven't heard much if anything about is how much Brady's absence from the locker room throughout '08 affected chemistry carrying into '09. He comes back, a lot of the old guard (Bruschi, Seymour, Vrabel, Rodney...) are gone and some of the less desirable in the locker room establish too strong a presence. It's pretty clear that Brady and BB recognized this and, ultimately, made the necessary changes. (Faulk fits in to this because he clearly understands The Patriot Way. The heart that guy showed in the awful loss to Baltimore last year was something to see.)

 

[Rusty Coupe]

Some nice snow photos from Chicago
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/c...86ea523d171b-getty-98533142dv050_newengland:1