Favorite Pats player pre-Parcells?

[sambam94]

Sam Bam

 

[Pats Fanatic]

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.

 

[Chevy]

Hog Hannah

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Not sure he was pre-Parcells, but I always liked Kevin Turner, God rest his soul.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Deleted

 

[InRodWeRust]

I started getting really into the Patriots starting in the 1991 season, completely on board with the energetic coaching style of **** MacPherson and phasing out my avatar Rod Rust. I always liked the Patriots before and wanted them to do well but 1991 was the year I considered myself as a true fan. My favorite player back then that I latched on to was tough running Leonard Russell. I was also a weirdo and preferred Tom Hodson over Hugh Millen during their famous quarterback controversy.

Before that when I was much younger my favorite player was Mosi Tatupu because the end of his last name sounds like pooh and well that was just comedy gold to my young mind

 

[Nikolai]

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.

Love the guy, but he was before my time.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Grogan. One of the last dinosaurs who called his own plays. Gave the 85 team a shot in the arm while floundering at 2-3. Rescued the team in the 86 finale down in Miami. Played with a freaking neck roll at the end of his career.

Regards,
Chris

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Dr. Bill (mainly because I used to frequent his bar in the Hanover Mall).

 

[FortressX]

The Undertaker and Craig James as mentioned earlier were 2 binkies debinkied by injuries.

Clayton Weishuhn was another.
I believe Nelly thought he would have been real good if he stayed healthy.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

Grogan for sure...

 

[Uncle Rico]

Sam Cunningham
Mack Herron
Tim Fox — always seemed to be flying into the play.

 

[Patriot Missile]

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.

Still considered one of the best Guards to ever to put on pads by many. Watched him at the tail end of his career but didn’t get to enjoy those 70’s, early 80’s dominant years. I imagine he was better than Steve Hutchinson which says a lot.

 

[Patriotic]

Carl Garrett - hard running, fast RB during some not so great years.

 

[Sfpat]

Stanley Morgan for sure, but I remember I was excited when the Pats got Joe Kapp (Parents from CA, Kapp from Cal, played in SB with Vikings). Oh well, he didn't work out

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Stanley Morgan for sure

Steamer

I remember I was excited when the Pats got Joe Kapp (Parents from CA, Kapp from Cal, played in SB with Vikings). Oh well, he didn't work out

Kapp was truly a great player, with titles to show for it.

A combination of upheaval in contract negotiations and timing brought him here, and then a combination of age, wear and tear and just being on a bad team made for an ugly year, his last.

Kapp is probably second only to Grogan in toughness as a Pats quarterback.

Worst part of the whole thing is that Rozelle stepped in and forced the Patriots to give up two number-one draft picks as compensation to the Vikings. Just in case anyone thought Tagliabue and Goodell were the only commishes to stick it to us.

 

[StanleyGrogan]

Stanley Morgan and Steve Grogan, hence my name. Specifically named because of the winning touchdown here:-

 

[bresna]

I grew up in Western Mass and the only professional football on TV in my area was the Giants, so I started out as a Giants fan and Fran Tarkenton was my favorite player.

Even after the Patriots joined the NFL, I still wasn't able to watch them because the local CBS affiliate was out of Hartford, CT and they stuck with the Giants. It wasn't until they started getting on the TV screen and my father started taking me and my 2 brothers to games in Foxboro that I started to follow them. By then, Steve Grogan was the QB. I was a fan his entire career. I even had a jersey.

I see Randy Vataha mentioned earlier. I was also a Vataha fan. He was one tough dude. He'd get creamed and jump right back up.

 

[Spiral]

Here's my list:
Hannah
Gino
Haynes
Francis
Morgan
Nelson
Fox
Stingley
Nance
Tippett

 

[Vatahala]

Having reading many of your choices I came to realize my choice Grogan didn't have a nickname I could remember.

I searched bing and the first listing was scramblehead. Reading why it turned out this was an older Steve Grogan who lived on the Manson Family ranch.

It would be interesting to see a favorite nicknames thread although I'm guessing the Undertaker wins.