Tedy Bruschi Selected For The Patriots Hall Of Fame

When you think of the Patriots, one of the most influential players during their unforgettable dynasty stretch (3 Super Bowls in 4 years) last decade was linebacker Tedy Bruschi. It's hard to come up with a more likable, productive or clutch guy. He was never the most talented player but he always seemed to make plays in the biggest spots, something that has been lacking in the past eight years since New England's last Super Bowl win (2005 vs. Philadelphia). Today, the team revealed that he was rightfully elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame along with former radio broadcaster Gil Santos.

Bruschi was voted in by fans, beating out offensive tackle Leon Gray and head coach Chuck Fairbanks. He'll become the 19th former Patriot to be inducted into their Hall of Fame. It is to be determined when that ceremony will take place next season but whenever it happens, it will definitely be one of the marquee events of the 2013 season during one of the Patriots' home games.

There is a reason that you still see tons of Bruschi jerseys when you go to Gillette Stadium for Pats games. It is basically impossible to not like Bruschi since as corny as it sounds, he stood for everything that was good in pro sports and we were extremely lucky to have him play his entire career (13 seasons) in New England. Not that we didn't know it already but since he retired, you appreciate the fact even more that there are very few Tedy Bruschis in the NFL and especially on the Patriots.

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For His Next Career, Matt Light Will Attempt The Impossible: Make ESPN's NFL Coverage Watchable

I won't lie and tell you that I enjoy ESPN's NFL coverage or that I even watch it (by choice). If i'm tuning in to shows about the NFL, it's gotta be the excellent NFL Network. Sure, sometimes it'll be on at the gym or I flip over to ESPN during commercials of other things I'm watching. Still, it is basically awful with the legions of former players (Cris Carter) and coaches (Herm Edwards) masquerading as clowns.

Into that mess steps former New England Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light. After retiring this spring, Tom Brady's old left tackle was looking for a new career as I'm sure he's not ready to sit around the house all the time or endlessly play golf and talk about the glory days.

From ESPNBoston.com and ESPN PR
"Three-time Super Bowl champion and former New England Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light is joining ESPN’s NFL analyst team. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Light will appear on NFL Live, NFL32 and SportsCenter. He will also contribute features to Sunday NFL Countdown.

Light, who visited ESPN as a guest NFL analyst in May, will make his debut Monday, July 23.

“Matt is a great addition to our ESPN team because he sees the world and the game of football from a refreshingly different perspective than most,” said Seth Markman, ESPN senior coordinating producer for NFL studio shows. “He has an engaging personality and he’s unafraid to offer honest opinions, which fans will appreciate.”

Light said, “I'm really looking forward to joining the ESPN family and getting a chance to see the game from a different side. I'm obviously depending heavily on my rugged good looks and ability to avoid run-on sentences to succeed in this new role.”

You'll remember that former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is also a fixture of ESPN's non-stop football coverage so it's not all bad. Light has a pretty solid sense of humor and the Purdue graduate seems like a smart guy so let's hope that he can mold both of those strengths into a quality on-air persona. Lord knows there is enough one-note NFL commentators (hi Tom Jackson) littering the airwaves.

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Tedy Bruschi Urges Ochocinco to Stop Tweeting

From WEEI.com writer Christopher Price's "It Is What It Is" Blog

Former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi ripped wide receiver Chad Ochocinco on Tuesday, telling Ochocinco to “drop the awe factor” and get in the playbook if he wants to make a contribution to the team.

One day after Ochocinco caught one pass in the regular-season opener for the Patriots against the Dolphins in Miami –a game where quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots racked up 517 passing yards in a 38-24 win —Ochocinco tweeted: "Just waking up after a late arrival, I’ve never seen a machine operate like that n person, to see video game numbers put up n person was WOW."

That drew a stern rebuke from Bruschi. Speaking on WEEI’s “Big Show,” he hammered Ochocinco, telling him to “get with the program.”

“Drop the awe factor, OK, Ocho? Chad, drop the awe factor,” Bruschi said. “You’re not a fan, all right. You’re not someone who’s on another team or watching TV. You’re not an analyst. You’re a part of it. They want you to be a part of it. So get with the program because obviously you’re not getting it and you’re tweeting because you’re saying, ‘It’s amazing to see’? It’s amazing to see because you don’t understand it. You still don’t understand it and it’s amazing to you because you can’t get it. “Stop tweeting and get in your playbook,” Bruschi added.

“Wake up! If you’re just waking up now —I don’t know when this was, six minutes ago? —get out your bed and get to the stadium and watch some film if you still think it’s amazing. If you’re in it and you know what you’re doing and you execute out there you don’t think it’s amazing. You know why? Because it’s what you’re supposed to do.”

So Tedy Bruschi went on the air yesterday and blasted Chad Ochocinco for tweeting about Brady's career day. Ordinarily, I would side with Bruschi on this matter, however I can't get behind him on this one. I mean trying to connect Ocho tweeting to his lack of production? Just sounds like something that John Dennis would say.

Seriously, I don't understand why Bruschi would feel this way. So because he admired Brady's performance the other night, he doesn't get it? I'm pretty sure guys who "get it" can still be in awe of 517 yards through the air. Like if Wes Welker was "amazed" by Brady, does he not get it? Of course not. We all watched history unfold on Monday night, so what if Ochocinco wants to spend two whole seconds tweeting about it? It's not like he's conducting the Boston Pops or acting like a statue in Harvard Square.

All in all this is just a ridiculous conclusion to jump to by Bruschi. He is normally a legit commentator who brings experience and context to his analysis on ESPN which is full of jokers and clowns. However, his take on Ochocinco's tweeting is just a lazy opinion to have and it reeks of someone trying to stir up controversy. Could Ocho look more comfortable in the Patriots' offense? Sure, but given the shortened offseason, let's give him a chance to learn before we write him off as Joey Galloway 2.0.

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Be honest homers: How many times did you have to pinch yourself last night?

In a million years, I never would have dreamed that the biggest game of the regular season last night would turn out the way it did.

With likely an AFC East title on the line and a No. 1 spot in the AFC playoffs hanging in the balance, the New England Patriots absolutely destroyed the New York Jets, 45-3 at cold Gillette Stadium on Tedy Bruschi night.

Just like last year where the Jets (9-3) won the first game of the series and then the Patriots (10-2) won the one later in the season that really counted (which help them win the AFC East), Bill Belichick's squad showed up when it mattered.

Nothing changes more than the NFL from week to week so I'm not going to make too big a deal of this result (taking a cue from my beloved Patriots) since after all, it was only Week 13.

That being said, hot damn. This was the first complete game the Pats have played all season and possibly the best performance (in the regular season) that I've ever seen from them given the stakes.

Tom Brady continued to play at an MVP level, coming through with his second straight game of four touchdowns and no interceptions. He was 21 of 29 for 326 yards.

Mark Sanchez looked like the second-year quarterback that he is, throwing three interceptions and going 17 of 33 for 164 yards.

More shocking than that was how easily the Patriots' picked apart the Jets' excellent defense and conversely, how New England's bad defense completely flummoxed Sanchez and his head coach Rex Ryan.

Not to pile on here (but if not now, when?) but Rex looked way over his last night from the start. He challenged a spot on fourth and 1 (lost it), got the first down but eventually had erratic kicker Nick Folk try a 53-yard field goal in swirling winds. How do you think that went? Not so well friends.

Other than Brady, would you guess who was the biggest star for New England? Danny Woodhead, the pint-sized ex-Jet. He had four catches for 104 yards and two carries for 11 yards. Wes Welker (7 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD) and Deion Branch (3 catches, 64 yards, TD) also shredded the Jets' secondary despite Brady never throwing in the direction of Darrelle Revis.

The Patriots received the opening kickoff and moved down the field until stalling outside the Jets' red zone. Shayne Graham's 41-yard kick gave the Pats a 3-0 lead.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis (18 carries, 72 yards) increased it to 10-0 with a 1-yard run later in the first quarter.

When Branch had a 25-yard catch and run for a score, making it 17-0 New England late in the first quarter, it was clear the Jets were rattled (and they never recovered from there).

Folk hit a 39-yard field goal early in the second quarter but that turned out to be New York's only points in the miserable night for Gang Green.

Brandon Tate hauled in a 4-yard touchdown from Brady in the second quarter and strangely enough, Ryan didn't challenge it even though Tate looked to only get one foot and one arm down. 24-3 Patriots.

After halftime, the Jets moved the ball down field and looked like they might make it competitive but Sanchez threw a bad pick on the goal-line to rookie linebacker (and amateur porn star) Brandon Spikes.

Welker's 18-yard touchdown in the third quarter (where he hauled a Jets defender the last five yards or so) was proof that this might be the same old big talking but no substance Jets.

The blowout was complete in the fourth quarter with Aaron Hernandez (3 catches, 51 yards) adding a 1-yard touchdown catch and Green-Ellis notched another touchdown, this time from five yards out.

Rookie cornerback Devin McCourty had his sixth interception as this one started to get ugly and James Sanders wrapped it up (sound familiar Peyton) with one last pick.

Part of the reason you have to move on fast from this one is that the Patriots have two very good NFC teams up next: at Chicago on Sunday and hosting the Packers a week from Sunday night.

Not to get all footie pajamas on you but that's why you have to feel good with Belichick and Brady on our side. They're still the best in the business and there's no debate.

Full Tilt, Full Time: Saluting one of the greatest Patriots of all-time

Like so many things in life, the pivotal moments happen when you least expect them.

Last night, I got a text from a buddy that Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi was retiring. It wasn't unexpected by any means since Bruschi was not getting many reps in training camp and in the preseason games so far this summer.

Still, to see a guy that played his whole career with New England (13 seasons) call it quits is big. Bruschi was never the best player, although he did make a Pro Bowl in 2005. Rather, he was the consummate professional: he always showed up in the most important games and when he was at his peak, he made countless game-changing plays.

Think the Miami game in the snow where he had the pick for a touchdown. The strip and fumble recovery vs. the Colts in another snowy playoff game. Or the sack in the Super Bowl against the Eagles.

Things were never the same after Bruschi suffered a minor stroke in February 2005, 10 days after the Pats had won their third Super Bowl in four seasons.

He returned that fall and played four more years but it was clear since he had lost a step (or two) that his career wasn't going to top what he had already done.

At this point, it's weird enough to root for guys on the Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots that are now years younger than me, but nothing will make you feel your age like seeing one of your favorite athletes retire.

Whether Bruschi felt like he would be released before this season started is irrelevant. He wanted to go out on top, before he's crippled for the rest of his life (like so many other NFL players). He has a wife and young kids that mean the world to him. The Patriots will hook him up with a nice job (if he wants it) or he'll move on to coach/commentate, whatever.

Today is all about Tedy Bruschi, one of the greatest Patriots players I'll ever see in my lifetime.