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The Patriots are the new NFL. The coaches have created an enviroment that transends the modern era of selfishness of players in todays NFL. If there is any question then all you need to do is, look at the teams sucess, coupled with the veterans who are willing to to take less money, restructure contracs and improve themselves on and off the field for the bennefit of the team. Other teams and individual players had better take notice if they intend to remain competative.

like asante samuel or deion branch or mcginist?

The Patriots seem a lot like the Yankees. Both won championships with a few stars and a lot of guys without ego who just went out there and did their job. And, now, the Patriots are going the Yankees route of acquiring lots of big-name guys. Seems like it'll be another case of too many superstars, not enough guys doing the real work. Also, isn't it always hammered home that you win in the NFL through the draft and that free agency can't build a championship-caliber team? Yet, when the Patriots sign free agents and make trades, everyone talks about how they're making themselves so much stronger. Kind of seems like a disconnect to me.

Well I guess we shall see what kind of quaterback Brady is, no more "I dont have any recievers to throw to" excuses. The Patriots are moving away from what made them successful in the past, everyone says Dillion was a good example, but they only won one title in his tenure. The safety and Moss, they aren't good guys and they aren't players you win with.

Where was Moss when the Raiders needed him?

The safety was part of the worst Miami team in recent history

Didn't Tom Brady already agree less in his contract so that the Patriots would keep around Deion Branch and a couple other of his favorite targets? Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom...How many times are you going to let them sell you that bridge? Anyway, anyone else think this whole scenario sounds oddly like how Terrel Owens ended up in Philadelphia? With McNabb pulling strings and vocally speaking up for a poor character with great receiving skills? Look at how that turned out.

Arcadia, only one thing. . . the yanks got the superstars by spending an unlimited amount of money. Last time I checked, the patriots have loaded up and kept under the salary cap. And they are in really good shape (cap-wise) next year. pats are nothing like the yankees.

sack lodge, your point is right on! The genius behind the Patriots is that they put themselves in a position of power. There was much talk in NE last year of making a deal like this to get Brady his man. But instead of selling the farm (top picks, big $$) they did what they had to do with the talent they had to get to within 4 yards of the Super Bowl. Now they make a deal for the same top flight recievers on their terms. If one of of these recievers decides to act out then they can send them packing and still be favorite to get to the Super Bowl.

Um, Last time I checked there is no salary cap in baseball and a strict one in football, pretty big diff between yankees and pats.

The Patriots seem to be building their team all around hype. There is nothing spectacular they did during the off season or during the draft. They received headlines. That doesn't make a championship team, and it certainly doesn't erase the fact that they lost in the AFC championships last post-season. They're taking too many chances on "borderline" players. It's okay to take a single chance on one of those types of players, but when you start structuring your whole post season around personality issues, problems only persist. Should be interesting to see how they Patriots handle some many clashing divas on the field.

The reason the Patriots are the "class" of the NFL all these years is because of one thing: Tom Brady. Anyone that thinks this staff or ownership is so much smarter than many other teams is delusional. So where were the geniuses in the Patriots brain trust last year when Brady was in the Championship game throwing strikes to bums who couldn't catch? They were in their luxury boxes wishing they had been smarter and got Brady better receivers - like everyone else said in August.

What they are good at is getting people that want to play there. They do not waste money on overpaying overachievers. Is Asante worth 9-10 mil??? no way. Was McGinnist worth 5 mil p/yr at age 36?? No. Branch??? How do you think Seattle feels right now about giving up their first round ???? Not exactly the return ont he investment you envisioned. Just goes to show how much smarter Pioli and Belechick are than the rest of the GM"s out there.

Hey ByStandard, you wouldn't be a Jets fan would you by chance?

Guys like Moss are a time bomb....

Toss in a pampered college kid that decides he needs to carry a gun around and you are setting the stage for trouble.

Bellidick gets all the credit for turning around Dillon, but Dillon was always a player and always a worker, he was actually just a guy that wanted to go to work for another company. That's it! Same as quitting McDonalds to go over to Wendys...

Moss is a troublemaker that laid down on the job, a job btw that he sought to get hired for.

Should be a great season with him and a pistelero running loose!

thats why you have people like Brady, Wilfork, Seymour, Harrison, Brushci and Vrabel to keep people in line. That is what separates the Pats locker room from others.

Yankees Comparison NEEDS TO STOP... Baseball DOES NOT have a salary cap... The NFL does... enough said...

ALL THE TEAMS ARE PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES!!!!

N.F.L. fans everywhere now share one common thought...."****-them!" As someone who grew up with the long time Patsies, I`m lovin it!!

Bringing in a bunch of free agents doesn't gaurantee a thing, just look at the Redskins last year. They spend a ridiculous amount of money, traded away draft picks, and ended up picking sixth overall in this year's draft. I'm not saying the Patriots are going to be like that, under Belichick I doubt they could be, but I'm still curious to see how they all work together. All it takes is one loss, and the fingers start pointing, guys complain about not getting the ball, and things could get ugly. Like I said, I'm not expecting New England to bomb and miss the playoffs or anything, but you shouldn't write them in as Super Bowl champs just yet..

The fact of the matter is simple - even without Moss the Patriots upgraded one of the teams biggest needs - WR. Stallworth and Welker werre key additions and the Moss deal "could be" icing on the cake.

For all intents and purposes, Moss has restructured a massive contract that extended two years for 1/6 the original figure( excluding incentives ) . He is "free of charge" until September - oh that's right the PATS gave up a 4th round choice that they had no intention of using in the first place....This is a tremendous boondoggle for the PATS, and Randy Moss is playing for not only his career, but the opportunity to get a ring...his legacy is currently tainted and what better way to offset that tainted legacy , than with a ring....

Oh and by the way TOM BROCAW you casually mention that the PATS only won one title with Dillion was here..I will take one title anytime...one title in itself is a major accomplishment ...

Oh and HORTAG - T.O and Moss are dissimiliar - remember T.O held the Eagles ransom for more money ...Moss has left tens of millions to come and play with the PATS...sounds like a guy that wants to win to me

I LOVE THIS DEAL....

I like the trade.

I hate the Patriots.........but anybody who is here knocking what they are doing doesn't know **** about football. Being a winner is contagious there and the players they have added will catch it!!! If they don't then they will be gone and the winning attitude will go on, unblemished! Barring injuries, this IS the team to beat in 2007.