Favorite Pats player pre-Parcells?

[Steve102]

I started in 1976, but for real, never missing a game in 1978 at 13 years old. Steve Grogan was my guy then.

 

[jlu52]

I've been around since the very beginning, and I like most of the guys who played here for any length of time. Personal favorites include Babe Parilli, Gino Cappelletti, Houston Antwine. Grogan and John Hannah top my list, though. Hard nosed, very tough players.

 

[scott99]

Randy Vataha....He was Edelmanesque in the 70's.......

My first Patriot's jersey was a Vataha jersey I got on Christmas 1976.

 

[scott99]

I grew up in NYC and was a Jet's fan due to my Dad. But I saw a clip of Mack Herron on NFL films back in 1974 I believe (I was 11 or 12). I used to play Pop Warner ball, and was never the biggest guy on the team, so I identified with Herron. Started liking the Pats, became a fan in 1975. My favorites from 1975-1985 were Steve Nelson, Steve Grogan & Russ Francis. Loved Stanley Morgan and Daryl Stingley (broke my heart when he was paralyzed) as well. Nelson & Grogan truly were my favorites of that era. After 1985, there were a lot of favorites, Loved Andre Tippett, Tony Collins, Bruce Armstrong, Craig James, Ben Coates.

Great thread, love threads like this.

 

[Bobby T]

Tippet, Collins, Haynes

 

[everlong]

So many of the ones already named but Don Blackmon who was McHale to Bird in Patriots terms with Tippett. Bird and Tippett deserve all the accolades they got but I always thought people under appreciated McHale and Blackmon. I was devastated when he hurt his neck and had to retire. Of course it came against the flipping Raiders to make it that much more bitter given the history.

 

[IllegalContact]

Mike Haynes, John Hannah, Ben Coates, Andre Tippett, Steven Nelson, Vincent Brown

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Morgan, Tippett, Nance, Nellie, Grogs, Gino, Antwine, Eisenhauer, Mike Haynes, Flutie...
Too many to list. Can't pick A fav.
EDIT: How could I have forgotten Hog Hannah? No snarky aged remarks, please.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

My first Patriot's jersey was a Vataha jersey I got on Christmas 1976.

Should have seen him win his ring two weeks later in Pasadena with the rest of the guys

As was posted already, he was like Edelman

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I've been around since the very beginning, and I like most of the guys who played here for any length of time. Personal favorites include Babe Parilli, Gino Cappelletti, Houston Antwine. Grogan and John Hannah top my list, though. Hard nosed, very tough players.

Hog's a nice man but you did not want to strike up a conversation with him the day of a game.

Best to keep a safe distance.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Favorite pre Tuner coach Chuck Fairbanks. Little competition.
Mike Holovak was a hoot. Interviewed he'd be all aw shucks an passive, "Golly gee Bob, I don't know how those Jets totally pantsed us. Heh, heh"

 

[Hyped]

Growing up, I was a "Patriots fan by default"...did not really follow the game. I'd be out riding my bike...and come in for the 2nd half, grab a beer for the old man, and plunk down and watch the remainder of the game.I was more into the Celts during the Bird era for obvious reasons....the Sox too...before the strike in '94.

Grogan was my guy...but I liked Stanley Morgan, Andre Tippet, Mosi Tatupu, Russ Francis, etc...to name a few. The loss in SB XX really hurt me...I actually believed we would win after we went up 3-0......LOL.

I also loved Flutie and thought the Pats never gave him much of a chance....was so happy he resigned with us years later and got the drop kick into the record books (side note: I am from Framingham....so we know Natick...even saw Flutie at the Natick Mall one time and nodded at him). I even felt bad for him when we robbed a game vs. the Bills (the week after Bledsoe split his finger in '98) and again when Brady pulled off a comeback in week 5 of the '01 season.

 

[DarrylS]

In no particular order:

Grogan
Russ Francis (All World as Howard Cosell would say)
Darryl Stingley
Stanley Morgan
Andre Tippett
Moisi
Julius Adams

 

[italian pat patriot]

Sorry...so many...

 

[Nikolai]

As a kid, it was probably Grogan, Fryar, or Tippett. Probably Tippett is still my favorite pre-Parcells Pat.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Andre Tippet

Andre Tippett

Tip played for Bill in his final year, 1993, so he's not completely 'pre-Parcells'.

Tuna actually coached our linebackers here in 1980 when he got his nickname, so most of these guys except Babe & Gino aren't totally 'pre-Parcells' either.

Bill was pissed not only about Pat Patriot being replaced (would not say so publicly) but also because Irving Fryar was gone. Irving did play great for us.

Doug Flutie.

'post-Parcells' too, technically.

I quit following the team for a summer because I felt like he had been run out of town by a coach in Berry who cared more about how the game was played than about winning.

Raymond had a permanent hard on for Tony Eason.

Kiam could have insured competitiveness and filled stands had he simply kept Flutie.

Instead we tanked, fueling "The Patriots are a laughingstock" media rhetoric.

 

[Calhoun44]

In no particular order:

Grogan
Russ Francis (All World as Howard Cosell would say)
Darryl Stingley
Stanley Morgan
Andre Tippett
Moisi
Julius Adams

I was thinking of all these names and of course...Don Calhoun.

My favorite has always been Mr. Stingley, crushed the hell out of me. Jack Tatum sucks...as a matter of a fact, there should be a emoji that says Jack Tatum Sucks (JTS)

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I was thinking of all these names and of course...Don Calhoun.

My favorite has always been Mr. Stingley, crushed the hell out of me. Jack Tatum sucks...as a matter of a fact, there should be a emoji that says Jack Tatum Sucks (JTS)

CBD = Curse Ben Dreith

 

[Patsgofor4]

So many of the ones already named but Don Blackmon who was McHale to Bird in Patriots terms with Tippett. Bird and Tippett deserve all the accolades they got but I always thought people under appreciated McHale and Blackmon. I was devastated when he hurt his neck and had to retire. Of course it came against the flipping Raiders to make it that much more bitter given the history.

What a great linebacker crew in the mid-1980s: Tippett, Blackmon, Nelson, McGrew, and Rembert. '85 Pats might be in my top 5 for Boston sports team, all time.

 

[bormio]

Took until page 2 for someone to mention Hannah. Either the 2nd or 3rd greatest Patriot - depending on where you put Gronk. Guards get no love.