By Bruce Allen
bruce@patriotsdaily.com
That’s about the only emotion I can muster after reading Chris Mortensen and Len Pasquarelli’s report on ESPN.com that Rodney Harrison is going to be suspended for four games “because he admitted to federal investigators that he obtained Human Growth Hormone.”
Very disappointing.
Harrison has been lauded as a stand-up guy and team leader [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
You know, I might tend to agree with folks who say the NFL pre-season is too long.
I’m good with the first week, when the starters take a bow early and we see the rookies and free agents that are trying to make the team. The starters stretch it out a bit in week [...]

by Greg Doyle
greg@patriotsdaily.com
The opening weekend of college football traditionally features many mismatches, as powerhouses get their groove on by scheduling weak sisters. But there are always some good games sprinkled in, and that is the case again this year.
In this weekly column, I hope to spotlight some of the most interesting televised college games of [...]

By Dan Snapp
dan@patriotsdaily.com
With the Asante Samuel impasse resolved, seemingly the final obstacle to a Patriots return trip to the Super Bowl has been removed. Now’s the time to plot the path.
So after an offseason rife with thrilling acquisition after thrilling acquisition at wide receiver, the plan must be clear: Air McDaniels ready for takeoff? We’d [...]

By Christopher Price
chris@patriotsdaily.com
During the preseason, the Patriots locker room has two types of lockers. There are the permanent ones made of rich, expensive-looking wood which belong to the returning players. They line the outer edges of the room in numerical order. And then, there are the cheap blue metal ones that stretch from one end [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
Don’t worry – no extra charge for the Replacements references.
Today’s the day most observers expect Asante Samuel to end his no-contract-out and return to the Patriots secondary, as the team begins to whittle its way down to a final roster by Saturday. In fact, the Providence Journal has reported that Samuel is already [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
The glow is still on the Pats complete-game win over the Panthers on Friday night, so let’s open up the Sunday papers to see if the local scribes share our optimism.
And right on cue comes Shalise Manza Young of the ProJo, who is just busting over the Friday play of Tom Brady and [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
At one point early in last night’s glorious first half, with the Ghost of Woody Hayes fully inhabiting the body and soul of Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, my wife turns to me and says, “if they did this (hand off every play) every week all season long, you’d be the happiest person [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
I don’t know about you, but I’m struggling with these Friday night games.
I think it’s the ‘go to work for 8-10 hours first, THEN come home and watch the game’ thing that’s getting me. I like my job fine, but come on – I’ve got my priorities.
I guess if anything, this is our [...]

by Scott Benson
scott@patriotsdaily.com
I haven’t been this excited about a pregnancy since Murphy Brown went off the air. Can Dan Quayle be far behind? This one’s right up his alley.
The big day finally arrived for Tom Brady yesterday, as actress and former galpal Bridget Moynahan ended her strangehold on the AFC East divisional race by delivering [...]

By Bruce Allen
bruce@patriotsdaily.com
This is another peek inside Bill Walsh’s Finding the Winning Edge.

There is a chapter entitled “Handling The Pro Athlete” which deals with ways in which to promote sound player relations. It also addresses challenges that can arise, including substance abuse, diversity in the locker room, domestic violence and player assistance programs.
The chapter [...]

By Dan Snapp
dan@patriotsdaily.com
Here’s a nice surprise: the Patriots suddenly have a wealth of options at safety.
The return to health of Super Bowl tandem Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson has been the feel-good story of camp, but Bill Belichick said yesterday he’s just as comfortable with third-year pro James Sanders in there:
“Really, I think [...]