FanNation - The Republic of Sport

First off, don't get me wrong.... I love Tedi Bruschi.... he is right up there as my all-time favorite Patriot, Boston or New England.  Loved it when we got Roosevelt Colvin and when Junior Seau signed on two years ago who in New England didn't just think... wow, how far we've come as a franchise...  Now legendary icons are coming to us! Unbelievable...

Tedi coming back and thriving still has to be one of the most amazing stories in sports.  And when I wear my Bruschi jersey to Boston sporting events around southern California, it gets the most positive reaction you can imagine... even from home team fans.  But we keep watching and we keep reading, and as much as we want to see things with are parochial heart, we know Tedi isn't 27 anymore.  Vrabes is still getting it done, and Adalius Thomas could very well pan out as the Pats greatest free agent signing ever.  But we've all seen the finish of games  towards the end of the last few seasons and playoffs and knew, no question, we needed to start reloading with younger players.... Meriweather ...... maybe not coming out of the Kraft-Patriot mold, but young, fast, strong, big hitter, impact player, tough, tough player.... OK, the veteran defense will baptize him in the new Patriot culture.... Mayo.   MAYO! Holy Hamburgers.... Where would our defense be this year if it wasn't for Mayo?  He's in on every tackle!  Nose for the ball, 20 yards in any direction in no time flat.  That is Butkus like.  We could definitely get used to this.

Asante goes, Rodney (please don't let it end that way), AT.....  and yes, I turned the first game on 10 minutes too late and missed the entire season.  But now what do we do? Rosie? how's the hip? good? how's the UPS runs coming? Fluid? Good hip turns? Come on down!  Junior.... shoulder all healed up? waves get a little lower, water a little colder even in Sandy Eggo after Thanksgiving... How 'bout 4 games for a million and think of it as preseason for when TFB gets back next year.. Deal!

I know Mr. Belichick likes designing exotic defenses, but I've never seen one where they play the backerhood deeper then the secondary to give them a head start.  I mean, it's not like we have a shut down secondary (cough) that would allow the LBs to play run all day, and not worry about blitzing.  Can someone go up to the rafters and bring down #80. 

Anyway, let's get controversial.  What Patriots from the Brady era are going to the Hall of Fame? Opinions? Percentages?  Let's see...

Bledsoe? isn't if ironic that if Brady never came along, Drew would be a lock.... I hope they are still close enough buds to text each other... Even non-Patriot fans I talk with out west think Bledsoe is in... I'm not so sure.

Bledsoe 70% probability

Belichick 100%

Brady 100%

Vinatieri 94% (One game-tying kick that took us from Football Follies to Dynasty)

McGinest  65% (If he hadn't gone to the Browns, he'd be 85%+)

Law 25% (Same thing... if he'd stayed, 60%+)

Samuel 22% (Seems to be the most important number to him (without $ signs))

Seymour 60% (Still got a lot of playing to do, and it needs to be Pro Bowl level)

Vrabel 30% (With a bullet...He's is still young enough to enhance is cache.)

Rodney 90% (needs both SD and NE to make the case)

Dillon 70% (another case of both NFL stops totaling HOF)

Moss 95% (Vikings +90% Raiders -95% Pats +100%)

Welker 35% (with a bullet... he's the current player I tell my son "That's how you play".)

Mo' Lewis (Contributors wing.) ((Sorry Drew.))

Bruschi 110% (We've come to expect nothing less!)