Current and former Patriots who are ambassadors of the "Patriot Way"

[KoolAid]

I just finished reading a quote from Kevin Faulk in the Globe, and it got me thinking about current and former Patriots who get "it" and truely epitomize what it should mean to be a "Patriot" Player. Maybe it is a bit indulgent, but I feel like the organization has built something really special in the last decade & a half and a lot of it rests on the shoulder's of a short list of players like Faulk, Bruschi, T. Brown and Brady. Here is the quote,

“I think Coach said it perfect when we talked: ‘I know if I could, I can put you out there right now and you would give me 120 percent.’ And you know, he’s probably right. But he’s like, ‘I want you to be better than 120 percent.’ It’s whatever I can do to help the team win is what I will do.’’

Who are your ambassadors? and why

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

I just finished reading a quote from Kevin Faulk in the Globe, and it got me thinking about current and former Patriots who get "it" and truely epitomize what it should mean to be a "Patriot" Player. Maybe it is a bit indulgent, but I feel like the organization has built something really special in the last decade & a half and a lot of it rests on the shoulder's of a short list of players like Faulk, Bruschi, T. Brown and Brady. Here is the quote,

“I think Coach said it perfect when we talked: ‘I know if I could, I can put you out there right now and you would give me 120 percent.’ And you know, he’s probably right. But he’s like, ‘I want you to be better than 120 percent.’ It’s whatever I can do to help the team win is what I will do.’’

Who are your ambassadors? and why

Bruschi, Patriot for life!:youtheman:

 

[nnmnmmnn]

If you search the YouTube for Tarpinian, there's a great interview. "Do your job", "The other 10 guys did their job", etc.

Just for S+G, I'll mention Bledsoe, and the way he handled losing his starting job. Things could have been ugly had he turned it into a ****fest. But by all indications, even after he was healthy, he was still helping out TB on sidelines during games and doing whatever he could to help the team... I'm not sure Bledsoe is "Patriot way" in the prototypical sense, but IMO, Bledsoe was the beginning of that team first attitude.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

If you search the YouTube for Tarpinian, there's a great interview. "Do your job", "The other 10 guys did their job", etc.

Just for S+G, I'll mention Bledsoe, and the way he handled losing his starting job. Things could have been ugly had he turned it into a ****fest. But by all indications, even after he was healthy, he was still helping out TB on sidelines during games and doing whatever he could to help the team... I'm not sure Bledsoe is "Patriot way" in the prototypical sense, but IMO, Bledsoe was the beginning of that team first attitude.

You can't be serious? Didn't he call Belichick a liar and go running to Kraft?

 

[nnmnmmnn]

You can't be serious? Didn't he call Belichick a liar and go running to Kraft?

Heh, I'm serious about how it is in my head. It's quite possible that there's a significant deviation from reality. 10 years was a long time ago... I don't recall anything like that at all.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Heh, I'm serious about how it is in my head. It's quite possible that there's a significant deviation from reality. 10 years was a long time ago... I don't recall anything like that at all.

Good answer, you have your version and I'll believe that it's a "significant deviation from reality" Internet battle averted.

 

[nnmnmmnn]

If you'd care to set the story straight, I'm all ears. I honestly just don't remember anything like that.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Rodney Harrison

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

If you'd care to set the story straight, I'm all ears. I honestly just don't remember anything like that.

"But behind closed doors, Bledsoe was angry and he did not hide it. He started needling Brady as the ''fair-haired boy'' and as the ''West Coast cheesehead,'' according to a Patriots team official. He was livid with the coach, Bill Belichick. He understood from Belichick that he would get his starting job back when he returned from injury last season, or at least have a chance to compete for the job this season.

In both cases, Belichick stuck with Brady. Bledsoe has privately called Belichick a liar and worse, according to a Patriots team official. Bledsoe has not spoken to Belichick since the Super Bowl."

ON PRO FOOTBALL - ON PRO FOOTBALL - Bledsoe Starts Over After a Bitter Divorce - NYTimes.com

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

If you'd care to set the story straight, I'm all ears. I honestly just don't remember anything like that.

According to David Halberstam™s book, The Education of a Coach, Bledsoe responded by running to Robert Kraft and telling the owner that his coach was a liar. Then, near the end of the season, Bledsoe went back to Belichick and lobbied for his job again. Wrote Halberstam: (Bledsoe) told him that he thought the team needed an experienced quarterback for the playoffs, that they could not win in the playoffs with a rookie quarterback.

Can't Stop The Bleeding » Felger On Bledsoe’s Revisionist History

 

[nnmnmmnn]

Thanks for the reading material. I somehow missed that drama when it occurred, or of have since forgotten about it.

Since I've already been going around with my opinion for the last 10 years, it's pretty difficult to change it at this point. I readily admit that this probably influences my interpretation of things.

But, I find it hard to put much stock in anonymous sources and unnamed "team officials"... That said, it's certainly not a stretch to think that Bledsoe wanted his job back, and it's probably that at one time or another, he lobbied the coach for his job back. I think that's expected. As far as which actual words were used, at what times, and in what context, I really don't think we can gauge from the two articles (other than how it's presented).

Despite this, and no matter what he may or may not have said about BB being a liar behind closed doors, he was still publicly supportive of Brady, and from what could be seen on television, he was actively working with Brady and helping him.

So yeah, to summarize, I'm a Bledsoe fanboy.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

"But behind closed doors, Bledsoe was angry and he did not hide it. He started needling Brady as the ''fair-haired boy'' and as the ''West Coast cheesehead,'' according to a Patriots team official. He was livid with the coach, Bill Belichick. He understood from Belichick that he would get his starting job back when he returned from injury last season, or at least have a chance to compete for the job this season.

In both cases, Belichick stuck with Brady. Bledsoe has privately called Belichick a liar and worse, according to a Patriots team official. Bledsoe has not spoken to Belichick since the Super Bowl."

ON PRO FOOTBALL - ON PRO FOOTBALL - Bledsoe Starts Over After a Bitter Divorce - NYTimes.com

LOL. No wonder BB sent Drew to the Bills.

 

[TB146]

My screen name and signature are inspired by my favorite "ambassador" Patriots. They are all lifetime Patriots, all were/are leaders, proponents of "The Patriot Way", and they all have the the same initials: TB.

Teddy "Full Tilt Full Time; Yeah, I had a hole in my heart but I came back and played some more football" Bruschi

Troy "Wide Receiver, Kick Returner, Defensive Back and whatever else Coach wants me to do" Brown.

Tom "I'm the best decision you ever made (and he's proved it)" Brady

 

[Tom + Bill]

Danny woodhead is #1

 

[Ron Sellers]

I won't say that Bledsoe was the last person that came to mind, but he wasn't the first - or even among the top ten or twenty. I know he's a fan favorite here, especially among those who first became fans of the Pats when became QB of the team, but let's be honest; for all that I am thankful for from Drew, he is not the poster child of the "Patriot Way".

A few players to consider:

- Troy Brown
- Tedy Bruschi
- Mosi Tatupu
- Steve Grogan
- Bob Windsor
- Steve Nelson
- Rodney Harrison


And since you are talking about 'ambassadors', I would suggest you check out this list, and what they have done off the field:

Jerod Mayo wins 2011 Ron Burton Community Service Award :All Things Pats

2003 — Joe Andruzzi
2004 — Troy Brown
2005 — Matt Light
2006 — Jarvis Green
2007 — Ty Warren
2008 — Larry Izzo
2009 — Kevin Faulk
2010 — Vince Wilfork
2011 — Jerod Mayo

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

Tom Brady
Tedy Bruschi
Troy Brown
Kevin Faulk
Richard Seymour ... all huge on the Patriot way, and exemplified it and still do