For Long Time Fans: What stud player from the past did you most fear losing?

Brady-To-Branch · Mar 25, 2009

Leon Gray.

Fanfrom1960 · Mar 25, 2009

Tucker said:
this was way before my time, but what was the deal with Plunkett leaving town?

He was with the Pats before the Raiders, right?

Plunkett started off well with the Patriots, in fact was voted rookie of the year in 1971 by one of the newspaper polls of the time. He then had a really bad year in 1972, was just mediocre after that, and also had a shoulder injury that held him back. The coach back then, Chuck Fairbanks, didn't help matters by having him run QB option plays. I remember one play when Jim kept the ball and got really crunched on his bad shoulder. They brought up Grogan in 1975 and he took over, leading to Plunkett's trade to SF. I can tell you that the only times I have ever rooted for the Raiders were when Plunkett led them to the two super bowl wins. He's one of my all time favorites.

I saw him kicking the tires on Porsches at a Porsche dealer in San Jose back then. Don't know if he bought one, but I was thinking, 'go for it Jim'.

Easywolf32 · Mar 25, 2009

Patjew said:
Not from so long ago, but my answer is Ty Law.

You Sir, are correct! The Law man it is!

Krugman · Mar 25, 2009

Curtis Martin,Ty Law,Willie Mac,Coates,Mike Vrabel.No particular order....

PATRIOTSFANINPA · Mar 25, 2009

Losing Willie Mac left us with NO pass rush for the past 4 years

Willie Mac is another good choice

bunzoburns · Mar 25, 2009

I loved Vincent "the Undertaker" Brown in my younger days but he was released by the Tuna. That's when I learned to route for the laundry instead of the player...

NEGoldenAge · Mar 25, 2009

jeffbiologist said:
For all those Vince fans with short memories.....Ted Washington.....He left and we havent won a super bowl since.

Ted Washington was the first that came to my mind too.

Ryan · Mar 25, 2009

Drew Bledsoe. He was my favorite player growing up and I always hated the thought of him ever leaving the Patriots. When he actually did leave, I wasn't as upset as I always thought I'd be since Brady was so good and the Pats had just won it all, but it was still sad to see him go.

fgssand · Mar 25, 2009

Brady-To-Branch said:
Leon Gray.

Yup...Gray was good, but the trade tore the heart out of Hannah and the soul out of the team.

I lived through it then and happened to ask John about it last year - he is still pissed over it, his eyes got big and he just shook his head - WOW.

MassPats38 · Mar 25, 2009

Fanfrom1960 said:
Plunkett started off well with the Patriots, in fact was voted rookie of the year in 1971 by one of the newspaper polls of the time. He then had a really bad year in 1972, was just mediocre after that, and also had a shoulder injury that held him back. The coach back then, Chuck Fairbanks, didn't help matters by having him run QB option plays. I remember one play when Jim kept the ball and got really crunched on his bad shoulder. They brought up Grogan in 1975 and he took over, leading to Plunkett's trade to SF. I can tell you that the only times I have ever rooted for the Raiders were when Plunkett led them to the two super bowl wins. He's one of my all time favorites.

I saw him kicking the tires on Porsches at a Porsche dealer in San Jose back then. Don't know if he bought one, but I was thinking, 'go for it Jim'.

Plunkett was still around when I was watching football, just not with the Patriots. My father told me the blocking for him was so bad he was frequently hearing calls of "look out" from his linemen before getting squashed. It just doesn't sound like he had much of a chance for success with the Patriots.

jimmyjames · Mar 25, 2009

Not quite a stud, but I thought letting Shawn Jefferson go was a bad move at the time.

In the BB era, I really regret letting Daniel Graham go. I know he got the big contract to go to Denver but he was the master of the Wham block. And despite an early bout with stone hands he developed into a pretty clutch receiver. At the time I also would have taken David Givens over Deion Branch in a heartbeat.

italian pat patriot · Mar 25, 2009

PATRIOT64 said:
For me its not even close - Ted Johnson's shocking sudden retirement absolutely killed me

He might have been the best sure tackling ILB I have ever witnessed as a Pats fan.

i agree; i was too a # 52 Ted Johnson fan

i felt more or less the same for # 55 Willie Mc Ginest too

Patriots Nation NY · Mar 25, 2009

Flashbacks for all ... Eugene Chung .. Dancing Chris Canty .. Pat Harlow .. Marv Cook was the man before Ben "Winter" Coates .. Chris Slade anyone ..

Jimke · Mar 25, 2009

MassPats38 said:
Plunkett was still around when I was watching football, just not with the Patriots. My father told me the blocking for him was so bad he was frequently hearing calls of "look out" from his linemen before getting squashed. It just doesn't sound like he had much of a chance for success with the Patriots.

Part of the reason Plunkett wanted to leave was to watch over

his blind parents on the West Coast.

Joker · Mar 25, 2009

Plunkett dyam near got killed playing QB for the Pats....didn't miss him til I saw what an O line and good players could do for him

Mike Haynes was the worst loss in my entire life as a Pats fan

Stokes · Mar 25, 2009

Along with many of the guys already mentioned, I was worried about Brady losing Branch and Givens. I'd also put Adam Vinatieri pretty high on the list.

PATRIOTSFANINPA · Mar 25, 2009

Personally I think losing beloved Patriots players to OTHER teams is far worse than that player actually retiring from the sport,even if its by choice and not because of age or a reoccuring injury.

Ring 6 · Mar 25, 2009

mgteich said:
I never knew how we would replace Coates, Armstrong or Law. We never did.

Coates and Armstrong, we got better almost exactly when they left, coincidentally.
Law. So far the rings stopped when he left, although he was on the sidelines for the last one.

Ring 6 · Mar 25, 2009

Kind of off-topic, BUT.

When Randy Moss came into the league, I wanted to draft him.
We had Bledsoe, Martin, Coates, Glenn, Jefferson.
I wanted us to become an unstoppable offense. What else would you need? Our OL seemed OK (turned into silly putty quickly though) and adding Moss to that group????
As it turned out we didnt draft Moss (could have but didnt) lost Curtis Martin, the OL fell apart, and we ended up with BB as a result!!!!!

The_Chuck_Rule · Mar 25, 2009

Right off the top of my head, I said it was Mike Haynes.
But then I thought about it and the one that really peeves me off the most is when the Sullivan's brought him in (for gate cash during the strike) and then Raymond Berry and Co. cutting him loose a couple years later.

The Man, the Myth... Doug Flutie.

To this DAY!
I'm still rippin' mad about that Playoff game against Denver with Elway.
Go thru not one but "2" QB's with Eason and Grogan (doing Nothing all day!)
and then send Flutie into the game with about 52 seconds left with no shot at all for any kind of comeback. :enranged:

I was DONE with this franchise after the day they released him.
Thank GOD for Bob Kraft!

For Long Time Fans: What stud player from the past did you most fear losing?

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

In the Starting Line-Up

On the Game Day Roster

Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job

Pro Bowl Player

Practice Squad Player

Banned

Ryan

Guest

PatsFans.com Supporter

PatsFans.com Supporter

On the Game Day Roster

Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal

Banned

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

PatsFans.com Supporter

In the Starting Line-Up

Pro Bowl Player

PatsFans.com Supporter

PatsFans.com Supporter

On the Roster

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