8/3/07
Friday morning notes
By Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
Bill Belichick eased up a bit Friday morning as his Patriots held a walk through in shorts and helmets at Gillette Stadium.
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Play of the practice: Since it was a walk through the nod here goes to Rodney Harrison who was on target a couple of times in a game he and Junior Seau created prior to practice. The game seemed to be a combination of bocce and horseshoes. The two players stood by the cones that marked the front and back corners of the end zone with the cones serving as targets for the white ball they were lobbing back and forth.
Who’s hot: The fans – Fans have been coming out in record numbers throughout training camp and deserve credit for the efforts. They’ve battled rain and endless heat to cheer on their team at every turn. The cheers for guys doing punishment laps might be a little misguided, but they show the endless passion fans have for their favorite team and its players.
Who’s not: David Thomas – While all the other PUP guys have been on the field during the team’s two walk through practices at camp, Thomas has yet to make an appearance.
The second-year player was expected to help fill the void left by Daniel Graham’s departure in free agency. Missing this many practices early and camp won’t help in his development.
Practice notes
Tight end Matt Kranchick also returned to action after missing Thursday night’s practice. Mills, Kranchick and Benjamin Watson gave the tight end spot three active bodies for the first time since the first day of camp. … Those not on the field for the morning included Asante Samuel, Rashad Baker, Adalius Thomas and Kyle Brady. … Friday marked Tom Brady’s 30th birthday. On a couple different occasions fans in the bleachers sang lackluster versions of “Happy Birthday” for their star quarterback … Laurence Maroney, Junior Seau and Eric Alexander remain in red non-contact jerseys. … Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels held a press conference with the local media following practice. … The players will have a day off on Saturday and won’t return to the practice field until Sunday evening at 5:00 pm. That session is open to the public, but as always be sure to check the practice schedule here on Patriots.com for the latest training camp schedule and any last minute changes.
