FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced that the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, affectionately known as Sam “Bam” Cunningham, will be the 2010 inductee into the team’s hall of fame. A public ceremony will be held outside The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon on Thursday, Aug. 12, prior to the team’s 2010 preseason debut against the New Orleans Saints. The event is free and Patriots fans are encouraged to attend.

Sam Cunningham

“As a fan, I loved Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “He was an old school fullback who would punish would-be tacklers, yet his signature carry was the one where he would leap over the line of scrimmage at the goal line to score a touchdown. Last year, when we honored him for his selection to the 50^th Anniversary Team, was the first time he had returned to New England in 27 years. I look forward to welcoming him back again this year to honor him as one of the greatest players in franchise history.”

Thirteen players earned Patriots Hall of Fame induction before Jim Nance became the team’s first running back to be selected to the hall of fame last year. Now, the run on running backs continues with the second consecutive selection at the position. Cunningham is the 15^th player to be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

A consensus All-America running back who helped Southern Cal win a national championship in 1972, Cunningham was drafted 11^th overall by the Patriots in 1973, the second of three first round picks joining John Hannah (4^th overall) and Darryl Stingley (19^th). The 6-foot-2, 233-pound fullback led the team and set a rookie rushing record for the Patriots that year with 516 yards and four touchdowns. The following year, he was averaging 4.9 yards per carry and over 80 yards per game before a broken leg abruptly ended his season after just 10 games. Despite missing the final four games of the season, Cunningham was still selected as the team’s MVP. He finished the year with 811 yards on 166 carries with 9 touchdowns, just 14 yards shy of the team lead. It marked the only season in his first seven seasons with the Patriots that he didn’t lead the team in rushing. In 1976, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry to lead the Patriots to one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, as the Patriots rebounded from a 3-11 finish in 1975 to qualify for the playoffs with an 11-3 record the following year.  Cunningham had his best statistical season in 1977 when he became just the second player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards (1,015). He also led the team in receiving that season with 42 receptions for a career-high 370 yards. While 1977 was his best statistical season individually, the following year’s contributions are the ones that remain in the NFL record book 31 years later. That was when Cunningham led a quartet of rushers who powered the Patriots to a combined team rushing record of 3,165 yards, an NFL record that still stands today.

Cunningham surpassed last year’s hall of fame inductee, Jim Nance, as the franchise’s all-time leading rusher in 1981 and completed his 9-year career the next year. Twenty-eight years later, he remains the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 5,543 yards on 1,385 carries and ranks second with 43 career rushing touchdowns. He rushed for over 100 yards 11 times during his career.

Beginning in 2007, the Patriots started a new hall of fame tradition, inducting one player or head coach into The Hall at Patriot Place each year. The process for induction now involves a panel of media, alumni and staff who collectively nominate the candidates they feel are the most deserving of induction. After the nominations are made and discussed, the committee votes and the top three tallies become that year’s finalists. The Patriots then give their fans the opportunity to vote online to select each year’s winner.

Earlier this year, a 22-person nomination committee met at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon to discuss this year’s candidates for induction. Those votes were tallied and the three finalists were Houston Antwine, Sam Cunningham and Jon Morris. Fans had the opportunity to vote from mid April through May 31.

About The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and artifacts never before viewable by the public, The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England, and promotes math and science education for thousands of schoolchildren each year. In 2009, The Hall received a Gold MUSE Award from the American Association of Museums and The Hall’s signature film, “Patriots Way,” won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. The Hall was named to Boston Globe Magazine’s Best of the New, and was a Yankee magazine Editor’s Choice recommendation. For more information, please visit www.thehallatpatriotplace.com.

About the Patriots Hall of Fame

The Patriots Hall of Fame was officially formed in 1991 after John Hannah became the first Patriots player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Prior to 1991, the only honor bestowed a former player was to retire the player’s number. With the hall of fame, the Patriots created a new way of honoring their greatest players. But it wasn’t until 2008, with the opening of The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon, that Patriots players, past and present, truly had a place to call home that they could share with their fans. Now, enshrinement into The Hall is an honor befitting of the franchise’s greatest players, with 30-foot video pylons displaying each enshrinee.

Beginning in 2007, fans became part of the hall of fame tradition and active participants in the selection process. In the first year of the new hall of fame voting process, a nomination committee presented Ron Burton, Ben Coates and Stanley Morgan as finalists. That year, the fans selected Morgan for induction. In 2008, the committee nominated Ben Coates, Jon Morris and Jim Nance and Coates became the 13^th player to be inducted in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Last year, Jim Nance was selected over Jon Morris and Houston Antwine.

Cunningham joins 14 other Patriots greats and one contributor as a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame (listed in alphabetical order below with year of induction):

PATRIOTS HALL OF FAME

Players are listed in order of their induction

Player                                     Pos.            Years                        Enshrined

John Hannah*                       G                 1973-1985                       1991

Nick Buoniconti*                  LB                1962-1968                       1992

Gino Cappelletti                   WR/K          1960-1970                       1992

Bob Dee                                 DE               1960-1967                       1993

Jim Lee Hunt                         DT               1960-1971                       1993

Steve Nelson                         LB                1974-1987                       1993

Vito “Babe” Parilli                 QB               1961-1967                       1993

Mike Haynes*                       CB               1976-1982                       1994

Steve Grogan                        QB               1975-1990                       1995

Andre Tippett*                     LB                1982-1993                       1999

Bruce Armstrong                 T                  1987-2000                       2001

Stanley Morgan                    WR              1977-1989                       2007

Ben Coates                            TE                1991-1999                       2008

Jim Nance                              FB                1965-1971                       2009

Sam Cunningham                 FB                1973-79, 81-82               2010

Contributors

William H. “Billy” Sullivan, Jr.                                                            2009

* indicates Pro Football Hall of Famers

–PATRIOTS–

Fans have until May 31 to cast their ballot for the most deserving player for induction

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced that three-time finalist C Jon Morris, two-time finalist DT Houston Antwine and FB Sam Cunningham have been selected by this year’s nomination committee as the three finalists for 2010 induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Starting today, Patriots fans will have an opportunity to vote at www.patriots.com for the player they feel is most deserving for Hall of Fame enshrinement. The New England Patriots are the only team in the NFL to allow their fans the opportunity to select their Hall of Famers. On-line voting will conclude on May 31, 2010. The team will announce the fans’ selection in mid-June and will formally induct the player into the Patriots Hall of Fame prior to the preseason home opener on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010.

For Jon Morris, this is the third consecutive year he has been selected as a Patriots Hall of Fame finalist. He played for the Patriots for 11 seasons, appearing in 130 games from 1964-74. The Holy Cross product was originally drafted by Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers in the second round (27^th overall) of the 1964 NFL Draft, but he elected to sign with the hometown Boston Patriots instead after they selected him in the fourth round (29^th overall) of the 1964 AFL Draft. He earned Patriots’ Rookie of the Year honors in 1964 and was named the team’s “Unsung Hero” the following season. In his first six seasons in the league, he was named an AFL All-Star. In 1970, after the AFL merged with the NFL, he joined the Raiders’ Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Otto as the two centers to represent the AFC at the Pro Bowl. He was the only Patriot to be selected that year and the first Patriot to ever earn the honor of attending the NFL Pro Bowl. Those seven league All-Star selections rank second in Patriots history behind Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah (9). Morris anchored an offensive line that opened holes for last year’s Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Nance, to amass a team-record 45 rushing touchdowns from 1965-71. After his Patriots career, he played three seasons with the Detroit Lions and one with the Chicago Bears before retiring after 15 seasons in the NFL. After his playing career, Morris provided color commentary on the radio broadcasts for the Patriots from 1979 to 1987. In 2009, Morris was selected as the only center on the Patriots’ 50^th Anniversary Team.

For Houston Antwine, this is his second season to earn the honor of being named one of three finalists for the Patriots Hall of Fame. Like Morris, he also played for the Patriots for 11 seasons, appearing in 142 games from 1961-71. He was originally drafted in 1961 by the Detroit Lions of the NFL and the Houston Oilers of the AFL. He was acquired by the Patriots on Oct. 9, 1961 in exchange for a third round selection in the 1962 AFL Draft. A former NAIA wrestling champion, “Twine” was a force in the middle of the Patriots’ defensive line. He led the Patriots in sacks three consecutive seasons; 1967, 1968 and 1969. His 39.0 career sacks still rank 10^th in franchise history. He also recorded four fumbles and an interception during his career. Antwine earned six consecutive American Football League (AFL) All-Star selections from 1963-68. His six all-star appearances are tied for the third highest total in franchise history. He also earned first-team All-Pro honors. Described as athletic and very quick on his feet, Pro Football Hall of Famers Billy Shaw said just last year that “Houston Antwine was the best defensive tackle I ever played against in the AFL.” In 2009, Antwine was selected as one of two defensive tackles on the Patriots’ 50^th Anniversary Team.

For Sam Cunningham, this is his first year to be named a finalist for the Patriots Hall of Fame. He played fullback for nine seasons with the New England Patriots (1973-79, 81-82) and was affectionately known as Sam “Bam” Cunningham throughout his Patriots’ career. He was originally drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft with the 11^th overall selection. He surpassed last year’s Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Nance, to become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher in 1981 and finished his career rushing 1,385 times for 5,453 yards (3.9 avg.) and 43 touchdowns. He added 210 career receptions for another 1,905 yards and six touchdowns. His 49 career touchdowns still rank third in franchise history. He led the team in rushing six times in his nine seasons, peaking in 1977 with 1,015 yards (in 14 games) on 270 carries. That year, he also led the team with 42 receptions for another 370 yards. The following year, Cunningham led a Patriots assault on the NFL record books, as the team set an NFL rushing record by amassing 3,165 yards, a record that has not been broken in 31 years. Cunningham led a bevy of backs that season with 768 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on 199 carries. Following the 1978 season, he was named to the NFL Pro Bowl. In 2009, Cunningham was selected as one of two running backs on the Patriots’ 50^th Anniversary Team.

Beginning in 2007, the Patriots started a new Hall of Fame tradition, inducting one player or head coach into The Hall each year. The process for induction now involves a panel of media, alumni and staff, who collectively nominate the players or head coaches the committee deems most deserving of induction. After the nominations are made, the committee votes and the top three tallies become that year’s finalists. The Patriots then give their fans the opportunity to vote online to select each year’s winner.

On March 15, a 22-person nomination committee met at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon to discuss this year’s candidates for induction and to select the Patriots’ most recent all-decade team.

Fans are encouraged to vote any time between now and May 31, 2010. Voters will be limited to one vote per computer IP address. The player receiving the most votes will become the 15th player named to the Patriots Hall of Fame and will be inducted in a ceremony prior to the Patriots’ 2010 home opener when they host the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints on Thursday, Aug. 12.

About the Patriots Hall of Fame

The Patriots Hall of Fame was officially formed in 1991 after John Hannah became the first Patriots player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Prior to 1991, the only honor bestowed a former player was to retire the player’s number. With the Hall of Fame, the Patriots created a new way of honoring their greatest players. But it wasn’t until 2008, with the opening of The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon, that Patriots players, past and present, truly had a place to preserve the legacy of the franchise that could be shared with their fans. Now, enshrinement into The Hall is an honor befitting of the franchise’s greatest players, with 30-foot video pylons displaying each enshrinee.

Patriots fans are now a part of the Hall of Fame tradition and active participants in the selection process. In the first year of the new Hall of Fame voting process, the Hall of Fame nomination committee presented Ron Burton, Ben Coates and Stanley Morgan as finalists. That year, the fans selected Morgan for induction. In 2008, the committee nominated Coates, Jon Morris and Jim Nance. Coates earned the honors to become the 13^th player to be inducted in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Last year, the finalists were Houston Antwine, Morris and Nance and Nance was voted into the Hall by the fans. In addition, in celebration of the team’s 50^th Anniversary, the Kraft Family inducted the franchise’s founder, Billy Sullivan, into the Hall of Fame as a contributor. He became The Hall’s first non-player to be enshrined.

This year’s enshrinee will join 14 other Patriot greats and one contributor as a member of the New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame (listed in alphabetical order below with year of induction):

Bruce Armstrong (2001)

Nick Buoniconti (1992)

Gino Cappelletti (1992)

Ben Coates (2008)

Bob Dee (1993)

Steve Grogan (1995)

John Hannah (1991)

Mike Haynes (1994)

Jim Lee Hunt (1993)

Stanley Morgan (2007)

Jim Nance (2009)

Steve Nelson (1993)

Vito “Babe” Parilli (1993)

Andre Tippett (1999)

Contributors:

William H. “Billy” Sullivan, Jr. (2009)

About The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and artifacts never before viewable by the public, The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England, and promotes math and science education for the thousands of schoolchildren expected to visit each year. For more information, please visit www.thehallatpatriotplace.com.

—PATRIOTS—

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots Hall of Fame Nomination Committee, a 22-person panel made up of reporters, alumni and staff, gathered at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon yesterday to nominate three finalists for this year’s Patriots Hall of Fame. The finalists will be announced next month and fans will have an opportunity to vote on the Patriots website, www.patriots.com, for the player they feel is most deserving of hall of fame induction.

In addition, the committee also had an opportunity to nominate, debate and select the franchise’s all-decade team for the past decade. The team consists of 11 offensive, 11 defensive, four special teams players and one head coach. Four of the 27 members were also members of the 1990s All-Decade Team. Willie McGinest was named to the 1990s All-Decade Team as a defensive end and to the 2000s All-Decade Team as an outside linebacker. He joins cornerback Ty Law, safety Lawyer Milloy and kicker Adam Vinatieri as the four players with the distinction of being on both teams.

The 2000s All-Decade Team is listed below. Players at the same position are listed alphabetically. The list of each of the all-decade teams is attached.

OFFENSE

Pos Name

OT Nick Kaczur

OT Matt Light

G Joe Andruzzi

G Logan Mankins

C Dan Koppen

TE Daniel Graham

WR Troy Brown

WR Randy Moss

WR Wes Welker

QB Tom Brady

RB Corey Dillon

DEFENSE

Pos Name

DE Richard Seymour

DE Ty Warren

NT Vince Wilfork

OLB Willie McGinest

OLB Mike Vrabel

ILB Tedy Bruschi

ILB Roman Phifer

CB Ty Law

CB Asante Samuel

S Rodney Harrison

S Lawyer Milloy

SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos Name

K Adam Vinatieri

P Josh Miller

Ret Kevin Faulk

SpT Larry Izzo

Head Coach Bill Belichick

About the Patriots Hall of Fame Nomination Committee

In 2007, the New England Patriots created a hall of fame nomination committee consisting of a panel of tenured media, alumni and staff to annually discuss candidates for consideration in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Each year, the committee gathers to discuss and debate each nominated former player and head coach.  A vote determines the three finalists. Once the finalists are announced, fans have an opportunity to vote for the person they feel most deserving to be inducted into the team’s hall of fame. The Patriots are the only team that includes their fans in the process of selecting their hall of famers.

Special exhibit at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon will close February 8

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (January 14, 2010) – Less than a month remains for football fans to see the most extensive collection of AFL memorabilia ever available on public display. “The AFL Turns 50” exhibit at The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon will close on February 8, 2010, with most of its artifacts returning to a private collection.

In September 2009, in recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Patriots and the AFL, The Hall at Patriot Place unveiled “The AFL Turns 50.” The exhibit features memorabilia from all 10 AFL teams, including expansion teams Miami and Cincinnati. Artifacts in the exhibit include Joe Namath’s Super Bowl III jersey, game-worn uniforms from AFL greats George Blanda, Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, Don Maynard and Otis Taylor, and a graphic timeline of the 1960s relating events in the AFL to historic events of the time.

The 2009 season marked the 50th anniversary for the American Football League (AFL), of which the Boston Patriots were an original member. The Patriots were featured in the NFL’s first “AFL Legacy Game” on the opening weekend of the 2009 season, a 25-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. It was the first of four AFL Legacy games in which the team donned uniforms replicating those the Boston Patriots wore in the 1963 AFL Championship Game.

ABOUT THE HALL AT PATRIOT PLACE PRESENTED BY RAYTHEON

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and artifacts never before viewable by the public, The Hall showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England, and promotes math and science education for thousands of schoolchildren each year. In 2009, The Hall received a Gold MUSE Award from the American Association of Museums and The Hall’s signature film, “Patriots Way,” won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. The Hall was named to Boston Globe Magazine’s Best of the New, and was a Yankee magazine Editor’s Choice recommendation.

Tickets to The Hall are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and military and $5 for children 5-12. Children 4 and under are admitted for free. The winter hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehallatpatriotplace.com.

–TheHallatPatriotPlace.com–

It’s a year that in all honesty will never get the recognition it truly deserves. Since the NFL expanded to a 16 game schedule, only one team has managed to run the table in the regular season. Only one team in the NFL has won 18 straight games in one season. Yet, the 2007 New England Patriots will forever be remembered for the one game they did not win, the final, and most important game of the year, the Super Bowl. Frequently lost in the catastrophic loss were all the other notable events of the year. We all remember the records set by Tom Brady and Randy Moss, but let’s revisit some of the other happenings of the year.

The year started off on a tragic note when defensive end Marquise Hill drowned in his home state of Louisiana. Throughout the year the Patriots honored Hill with a 91 decal on their helmets.

Feeling that Brady needed better targets to throw to, the Patriots completed an offseason for the ages when the acquired three top flight receivers for minimal price. Moss was netted for a fourth round pick, Wes Welker was had for a second and seventh round pick, and Donte Stallworth was signed as a free agent. Kelly Washington was also added through free agency and would be a dynamite special teams player for the Pats. On defense they signed former Ravens standout Adalius Thomas to form a veteran line backing crew that became known as the brotherhood. The team also had a long contract battle with Asante Samuel, whom they eventually where able to franchise.

The season opened with a resounding 38-14 win over the Jets. Ellis Hobbs returned the second half kick an NFL record 108 yards and we got a glimpse of how good Moss would be when he caught 9 passes for 183 yards and a TD. All good feelings where lost when the Spygate incident came to the front page of the papers. That is all I am saying about that subject.

The Pats then smoked a vengeful San Diego team by the same score serving notice that New England was the team to beat. Thomas earned his Pat Patriot logo when he scored on a 65-yard pick six. The Patriots then rolled. In Week Six they hung 48 on the road in Dallas and followed that with a 49 point outing against the Dolphins and a 52-7 win over the Redskins.

The teams first test came in Indy. The Pats trailed 13-7 at the half and 20-10 with under 10 minutes to play in the fourth. However, a Moss 55-yar grab set up a Welker TD. After the defense nearly forced a turnover, Brady led a game winning drive with Kevin Faulk catching the winner. Jarvis Green stripped Peyton Manning on the Colts last drive and Rosevelt Colvin recovered the clinch the win.

The Pats had two other big time scores, as they allowed A.J. Feeley to throw for 345 yards in a Sunday night win. Feeley made two critical mistakes, both to Samuel, that allowed the Pats to move to 11-0. The next week on Monday night the Patriots snuck by the Ravens 27-24 when the Pats took advantage of several Ravens miscues late in the game. Frequently forgotten was Mark Clayton’s Hail Mary reception on the game’s final play that feel inches shy of the goaline.

The Pats concluded the regular season with a 38-35 win over the Giants.

What do you remember about that year? Set the disappointment aside and relive one of the most enjoyable NFL seasons in years.

Leaders

• Tom Brady – 440-652 (1st NFL), 4,806 yards (1st), 50 TD (NFL Record), 8 INT, 300.4 yards per game (1st), 8.3 yards per attempt (1st), 117.2 rating (1st), NFL MVP
• Laurence Maroney – 835 yards, 6 TD
• Wes Welker 112 receptions (T-1st), 1,175 yards, 8TD
• Randy Moss 98 receptions (T-8th), 1,493 yards (2nd), 23 TD (NFL Record), 138 points scored (2nd)
• Ellis Hobbs 26.0 kick return average, 1 KR TD
• Stephen Gostkowski 74-74 PAT (1st), 21-24 FG, 137 points (3rd)
• Tedy Bruschi 93 tackles
• Mike Vrabel 12.5 sacks (T-6th)
• Asante Samuel 6 INT (T-5th)

ALL PRO (1st Team)
Tom Brady (QB), Randy Moss (WR), Matt Light (LT), Mike Vrabel (LOLB), Asante Samuel (LCB)

Pro Bowl
Brady, Moss, Light, Logan Mankins (LG), Dan Koppen (C), Vince Wilfork (NT), Vrabel, Samuel

In light of recent media conversation, it’s appropriate that this week’s look back is at the 2006 New England Patriots. There was much discussion on the airwaves about Dan Dierdorf’s comment on Sunday that this season may be Bill Belichick’s best coaching job. While the merits of that statement will not be fully known for another month, one thing that is a fact, is that in 2006, Belichick did a superb job of guiding an underwhelming team to a fourth straight division title and a third AFC title game in four years. In 2006, New England went 12-4 won its fourth straight division title and allowed a franchise record 14.8 points per game.

2006 will be remembered for two things, Troy Brown’s forced fumble against San Diego and the Pats blowing a 21-3 lead to Indy in the title game. Surely, the Patriots would’ve exacted revenge on Chicago in the Super Bowl for a fourth ring, but it was not to be. Here is what you need to be reminded of in 2006: Reche Caldwell was the teams top receiver. Aside from Troy Brown the receiving corps featured the immortal Doug Gabriel, Bam Childress, Chad Jackson and Kelvin Kight. Jabar Gaffney was signed off the street and become the teams top receiver in the playoffs. Before the season started the Patriots lost championship contributors Adam Vinatieri, Willie McGinest, David Givens and Deion Branch. That’s a total of 10 Super Bowl rings, two Super Bowl game winning kicks and one Super Bowl MVP. What were the chances New England would be a Super Bowl contender?

However, the Patriots would find ways to win all season long. They blew out a talented Cincinnati team in Week Four, lit up Minnesota on a Monday night, smoked the Packers in Green Bay and ended the season with wins at Jacksonville and Tennessee. The final game, though, would be a costly win as Rodney Harrison was injured and lost for the remainder of the season.

In the playoffs New England opened against Eric Mangini and spanked the Jets 37-16 to avenge a home loss – the last game played on grass in Foxboro, and send Man-Genius to the golf course.

The next week New England went into San Diego to take on the 14-2 Chargers. A team led by the league’s MVP, nine Pro Bowlers, five All Pros and a cast of obnoxious characters. New England trailed 14-3 with two minutes to play in the second before Tom Brady engineered a perfect two-minute drill that resulted in a Gaffney 6-yard TD catch. In the fourth the Chargers went up 21-13 and when Brady was picked by Marlon McCree all hope seemed lost. Brown made an excellent football play, stripped McCree and Caldwell recovered. Caldwell then caught a touchdown pass and Kevin Faulk’s 2-point conversion tied the game. The N.E. defense forced a punt and Gostkowski was true on a 31-yard field goal with 2:16 to play. S.D. then missed a 50+ yard field to tie the game which resulted in the Pats celebrating on the Chargers lightning bolt at midfield.

What were your memories from 2006? Was this Belichick’s best coaching job? Remember the draft day buzz about getting Chad Jackson?

Merry Christmas to all.

LEADERS

• Tom Brady 3,529 yards (7th in NFL), 24 TD (T-4th), 87.9 rating (9th)
• Corey Dillon 812 yards, 13 TD (4th)
• Laurence Maroney 745 yards, 6 TD
• Reche Caldwell 61 catches, 760 yards 4 TD
• Tedy Bruschi 113 tackles
• Asante Samuel 10 INT (T 1st)
• Rosevelt Colvin 8.5 sacks
• Ty Warren 7.5 sacks

All Pro
Richard Seymour (RDE),
Pro Bowl
Matt Light (LT), Seymour,

-30-

In my mind, the best Patriots team of all-time was the 2004 Patriots. They may not have been the most talented team, that distinction has yet to be made, but they are the best collection of players New England has every offered.

Tom Brady had developed into one of the best passing quarterback’s in the league, but more importantly he had become the best big game chucker since Joe Montana. Corey Dillon got a reprieve from Cincinnati and thanked the Patriots with a franchise record 1635 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dillon complied nine 100-yard games in the regular season and added a 144 yard effort in the playoffs. The teams true calling card, though, was a defense that was absolutely loaded. Richard Seymour led a stout defensive front, and the line backing core consisted of Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest and Ted Johnson. Ty Law and Asante Samuel manned the corners with Rodney Harrison and Eugene Wilson cracking anyone who came across the field. Of course they also had the best kicker in the game in Adam Vinatieri.

The season started with a opening night win over the Colts that saw the teams win streak extend to 15 games. The Pats would win 21 straight before a loss on Halloween to Pittsburgh. But, New England would get its revenge. After a second straight 14-2 season New England headed to the playoffs, but were considered by many to be an underdog. The first opponent was the league’s highest scoring offense, the Peyton Manning-led Colts. Manning had thrown a record 49 touchdowns and was the league’s MVP. On a snowy and cold Sunday, the Patriots held Manning to 0 TD’s and 1 INT in a 20-3 win. A sign of the teams depth was the fact that both Seymour and Law missed the game.

The next week the Pats went into Pittsburgh and faced the leagues top-ranked defense. It was like the Pats were toying with their competition. The Pats scored 24 first half points, started by a 60-yard bomb from Brady to Deion Brach and punctuated with Harrison’s 87-yard pick six, en route to a 41-27 win over the 15-1 Steelers.

New England went on to win its third Super Bowl in four years by forcing three turnovers and sacking Donovan McNabb four times. When Harrison locked up the game with his second INT of the night, the Patriots had vaulted themselves in rarified air.

LEADERS

• Tom Brady 3692 yards (10th NFL), 28 TD (6th), 92.6 rating (9th)
• Corey Dillon 1635 yards (3rd NFL, franchise record?), 12 TD (8th); 13 total TD(10th
• David Patten 44-800 (18.2), 7 TD
• David Givens 56-874, 3 TD
• Daniel Graham 30-364, 7 TD
• Adam Vinatieri 31-33, 92.92 % (1st) 48-48; 41 points
• Rodney Harrison 96 solo tackles
• Eugene Wilson 4 INT
• Troy Brown 3 INT
• Willie McGinest 9.5 sacks

All Pro
Adam Vinatieri, Richard Seymour

Pro Bowl
Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Larry Izzo, Tedy Bruschi, Seymour

While a Super Bowl XXXVI victory proved to loyal fans that the Pats were now a legitimate team, the feeling on a national level was that the Pats were the beneficiaries of circumstance. A team of destiny that had everything go right.

Well, 2003 changed all of that. In 2003 the Patriots began a historic two-year run that saw them go 34-4, win two more Super Bowls and establish themselves as one of football’s dynasties. Just like 2001, the 2003 season is loaded with memories and memorable games.

Who can forget the shockwaves days before the season started when Pro Bowler Lawyer Milloy was cut by the Patriots? Then he signed with Buffalo and the Bledsoe-led Bills throttled the Pats 31-0 in the opening week. That of course led to the infamous “They hate their coach,” line from ESPN’s Tom Jackson.

N.E. started the year 2-2 before Bethel Johnson and Mike Cloud led the Pats to a 38-30 win over Tennessee to start a 21-game win streak. The game was clinched when Ty Law returned an interception for a touchdown.

There was the safety game against Denver, a shutout of Dallas and a memorable win over Miami where Tedy Bruschi and the fans celebrated his pick-six by throwing snow. All of those, though, fail in comparison to the Week 13 battle with Indy. Both teams entered the game 9-2 and N.E. jumped out to a 31-10 lead after Cloud’s second TD of the game. However, Tom Brady threw a pair of INT’s and the Colts scored three straight touchdowns to tie the game. Deion Branch scored the go-ahead score and New England staged a memorable goal line stand that was punctuated by Willie McGinest’s game-saving tackle of Edgerrin James on fourth down.

In the playoffs, the Pats defeated the Co-MVP’s (Steve McNair and Peyton Manning) to advance to the Super Bowl. They beat the Titans in one of the coldest playoff games in NFL history, and then in the AFC title game Ty Law owned Manning, who threw four picks. The Super Bowl was a classic with Adam Vinatieri hitting another championship field goal, this time with four seconds left, to grab the second Super Bowl ring in three years.

What are your favorite moments? What do you remember most from that year? How about Mike Vrabel’s Super Bowl touchdown? Or the blocked field goal against the Texans to go to overtime?

LEADERS
Tom Brady 60.2%, 3620 yards (6^th NFL), 23 TD (10^th), 85.9 rating (10^th)
Antowain Smith 642 yards rushing, 3 TD
Kevin Faulk 1078 yards from scrimmage
Mike Cloud 5 rushing TD
Deion Branch 57 catches, 803 yards, 3TD
David Givens 34 catches, 510 yards, 6 TD
Rodney Harrison 94 solo tackles
Mike Vrabel 9.5 sacks
Ty Law 6 INT (T-7^th), 23 PD
Tyrone Poole 6 INT (T-7^th)
Tedy Bruschi 2 INT for TD (T-1^st)
ALL PRO
Richard Seymour (RDT), Tedy Bruschi (MLB), Ty Law (LCB), Rodney Harrison (SS)
PRO BOWL
Seymour, Willie McGinest (RDE), Law,

It was really a different world. On December 11, 1988, at what was then called Sullivan Stadium, the Patriots played the then (as now) hapless Tampa Bay Bucs. A victory would put the team one win away from clinching their third playoff spot in four years. Did the stadium sell out? Not even close. Okay, there was a -10 degree wind chill. But in today’s Patriot world, the thought of a crowd of less than 40,000 paying fans is ludicrous under any circumstances. But it must be noted that in those days, there were less than 10,000 season ticketholders.

That day, the Pats would beat the Bucs in overtime, 10-7, on a Jason Staurovsky field goal. But what was interesting and a bit strange about that season-and the one to follow- was the Patriots’ multi-quarterback system. In 1988 alone, Doug Flutie, Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, and Tom Ramsey shared QB duties. Flutie was the most productive, passing for 1150 yards, followed by Grogan with 834. But for reasons that are a bit unclear, coach Raymond Berry started Eason against Tampa, though he had missed most of the season with injuries and had not played in many weeks.

The win nearly assured a playoff spot for the team. With a 9-6 overall record, the Pats needed only to beat the 8-8 Broncos at Denver the following week to make the postseason. Most writers predicted a NE win, despite the fact that the team had lost 8 straight games in Mile High Stadium. The Globe went for a 33-7 victory, feeling that the Broncos, who had been eliminated from the playoffs the previous week, would have little to play for.

The game started off well for the Pats, as the late John Stephens, who would be named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1200 yards but then see his career decline, scored in the first quarter on a 23-yard TD run. But though John Elway had a bit of an off year in 88, Tony Dorsett, another Hall of Famer, was in Denver playing in his final NFL season. In the last game of his pro career, he scored in the second quarter to give the Broncos a 14-10 lead at the break.

Things looked good early in the third when Stephens broke one for 52 yards to the Denver 11. “But then,” says Mark Blaudschun’s story in the Globe, “the Goblins of Mile High Stadium started to appear.” The Pats failed to score, and Eason got hurt. Berry then went, not to Flutie, who had been the starter most of the year, but to Grogan, who had not played in a game in two months. The Broncos would score to make it 21-10, and the coach opted to still stay with Grogan in a no-huddle offense, but an interception ended their chances. The next day, wins by the Browns and Colts ended the Pats’ playoff hopes. During the winter, Billy Sullivan, facing enormous debts owing to the failure of the late Michael Jackson’s “victory tour” (we all remember that, don’t we?), sold the franchise to razor mogul Victor Kiam. A terrible slide had begun.

Many factors contributed to this slide. The team was going with a system that seemed at times to be a “quarterbacking by committee”. For example, when Grogan replaced Eason in the Denver game, some writers wondered: why not Flutie? Berry’s answer was: “We were in a no huddle situation. I wanted to see if Steve could move the team.” Though Grogan tried hard as always, he was unable to.

The loss hurt, but in the summer of 89, many writers and fans were still optimistic. The cash-strapped Sullivan had been finally thrown in the towel. Kiam, whose ads showed him saying “I bought the company” was not well known in football circles. He was, however, from Connecticut, sort of a New England state, and had written two books-”Going for It” and “Keep Going for It”. It wouldn’t work in Foxboro, however.

One of the teams problems lay in drafting. The late Dick Steinberg, who had been in charge of the draft since becoming Director of Player Personnel in the early 80′s, had made some good choices, including Tippett, Brian Holloway, Tony Collins, and Fred Marion, all of whom helped the Pats to the 1986 Super Bowl. But in later years, his choices were less successful. They included Reggie Dupard, a disappointing back from LSU, and Mike Ruth, a nose tackle from BC. Though he had won the Outland Trophy in 1985 as the country’s top college defensive lineman, he would play little for the Pats because of injuries and lack of quickness. Teddy Garcia, a placekicker drafted in the fourth round in 88, lasted only a few games before being cut. His record in New England included 6 for 13 on field goals and 11 for 16 on extra points. Other underachievers included Kenneth (Game Day) Sims and Trevor Matich. Eason, who was eventually driven out of New England because of comments by players and fans about his lack of toughness, was picked by Steinberg in 83, with Dan Marino still available. Imagine Marino quarterbacking the Patriots in the 1980′s? There would have been at least one Super Bowl win.

Steinberg, who would soon leave for the Jets, said: “This is the most depth we’ve had since 1985….our defense is solid. It played well last year, and we think it will again this season….Tony Eason has looked good. It could be a big year for us.” The Globe’s Mike Madden picked the Pats to win the AFC East.

Things would change in a hurry. In the fourth preseason game, that depth disappeared. Tippett, cornerback Ronnie Lippett, and defensive end Garin Veris all suffered season-ending injuries in a 16-0 loss against Green Bay that Madden called “an embarassing effort”. Though in past years, the Sullivans reportedly had their coaches play the starters more in preseason to increase ticket sales (attendance at these games averaged 25, 000), Tippett does not believe that was the reason that night. “We were trying to re-establish ourselves because we had stumbled the previous two years,” author Michael Felger quotes him as saying. “Berry, I think, was trying to show the public he was going to be a little tougher on us…I think if he had that crystal ball, none of us would have played that night. It was a fluke.”

The fluke cost the Patriots dearly. In the opening game in New York against a Jets squad that would finish 4-12, the team had a great first half behind starter Eason. At the break, it was 21-0, as the Pats scored on their first three possessions, causing Jets fans to chant: “Joe must go.” (Coach Joe Walton would be fired after the season). It wouldn’t last. Early in the third, the block of a Jeff Feagles punt woke up the NY offense, and suddenly it was Ken O’Brien who could do no wrong. A touchdown, a Pat Leahy field goal, and a scoring run off a fake FG later, it was 21-17, and the Patriots were reeling. When O’Brien connected with Jo Jo Townsell for a 49-yard scoring pass, it was 24-21 and a terrible loss was a possibility. Only a late drive resulting in a Dupard score saved the Pats-for one week.

A week later, Madden’s story of the team’s home opener against the Dolphins started like this: “The punter thought he was a quarterback. The quarterback thought he was a tackling dummy and the coach thought he was a coach.” Rather strong words, especially about Berry. They referred to Eason’s seven sacks and Feagles’ two incomplete passes- one on a fake punt (called by Berry) and one after a high snap from center. The turnovers resulted in 10 Miami points in an easy 24-10 win. Headlines called the game “a comedy of errors.” Things would get worse.

The following week, things with Eason reached the breaking point. In the midst of a sad 24-3 loss to the winless Seahawks, not only was Eason booed unmercifully, but, after one sack, two fans raced on the field with a “Play Flutie” sign and were roundly cheered. During the week, Berry gave in. Doug started the next game at Buffalo, but fared no better in a 31-10 drubbing to Jim Kelly and the Bills. One thing Flutie was, however, was resilient. In the next contest, he was able to move the team a little bit and, with an improved running game (144 yards) the Pats beat Houston at home to make their record 2-3.

Now came one of the cruelest losses of the season. Though Flutie (12-30-172-3 interceptions) was subpar once again, three Greg Davis field goals helped the Pats to a 15-13 lead with 3:21 left. But Doug, who had only 16 passing yards in the second half, failed to get a first down on the next series. In the final two minutes, the Falcons’ Chris Miller drove his team the length of the field, and Paul McFadden’s last minute field goal sent New England to a crushing 16-15 defeat.

The next few weeks would see Eason unceremoniously waived and Grogan take over. There was a loss at San Francisco, a win at Indianapolis on a Davis FG in overtime, but one more depressing loss to the hapless Jets at home. In this game, a concussion, one of many Steve would suffer in his career, put Grogan on the bench in favor of Marc Wilson, the year’s fourth qb. To his credit, Wilson, who hadn’t played in a regular season contest in almost two years, brought his squad back from a 24-12 deficit. His 11-yard TD pass to Hart Lee Dykes- one of only 5 the first-round draft choice would have all season- with 1:03 left seemed to clinch a 26-24 victory. But the erratic Davis had missed an extra point, and it would cost the Pats again. O’Brien methodically moved his team downfield and, with two seconds left, a Leahy field goal effectively ended the Pats season.The final was 27-26. “It can’t get any lower,” Madden wrote.

The Pats went 2-5 for the rest of the year as the crowds dwindled away. Wilson and Grogan did their best at QB, but the squad finished 5-11, their worst record in eight years. The front office seemed in chaos.

Berry was definitely on the hot seat at the end of the season. Kiam appeared to waffle about his future, sometimes hinting he would give Raymond a two-year contract extension, sometimes being very critical and implying he might not be back as coach. Most of the season, Kiam had been pretty much an absentee owner, sometimes even sitting in the stands during games. But after Steinberg bolted for the Jets immediately after the season, Victor changed his tune. He told reporters he “didn’t know enough about everything to make decisions like that.” He decided to hold meetings with GM Pat Sullivan, VP Bucko Kilroy, and Berry, apparently to decide on the team’s future. “A consensus of what we do has to emerge from these meetings”, he continued…”there seem to be some divergent feelings in the organization.”

In the end, Berry was told to reorganize his coaching staff and give up most of his power. A proud man, Raymond refused and was fired. The dismissal did not occur until February 26, however, and the only suitable replacement was former defensive coordinator Rod Rust. Rust’s experiences with the Pats the following year are well known.

Though the fans and media were hard on Berry, most players rank him high on their coaching list. “I would rank Raymond Berry at the top”, says Roland James, a defensive back on those teams and now Youth Coordinator for the city of Somerville. “Not only did he know the game but he knew the mental makeup a player needed to improve and get better. He was a fundamental teacher who emphasized doing the little things correctly.”

Grogan, now co-owner of a sporting goods store in Mansfield, agrees. “Raymond was the equal of Chuck Fairbanks as far as the best head coaches I played for. I think it would have been good to retain him. However, there were a lot of extenuating circumstances taking place with the team at the time. I think a move was probably made to appease the new owner.”

Yes, it was a different world in Foxboro 20 years ago. The slide into the darkest days of the franchise had begun.

I’ve sat down to write about the 2001 Patriots close to hundred times. No matter how I compose the words, nothing seems to do justice to what exactly this team means to the franchise and to the fan base. This is the ultimate Patriots team. This is the team we never thought we would see. They may not have been the most talented, but they were damn sure the most exciting. Aside from a week one loss, every game seemed to deliver some type of drama or new storyline. I vividly remember watching nearly every game with my father as we simply couldn’t believe that the games the Pats usually lose, they were finding ways to win. All with a second year quarterback we had never heard of while the franchise signal caller waited on the bench.

Instead of going on and on and listing the countless memorable moments, what I have decided to do is open up this special season to the readers. I will get the ball rolling with some of my favorite memories of the year and I invite you all to do the same.

1. Bryan Cox lays a thundering blow on Indy’s Jerome Pathon in Brady’s first start.
2. David Patten throws a TD, runs a TD and catches a TD pass in another blowout of the Colts.
3. Patten again. This time he makes a catch that he likely doesn’t remember in a overtime win at Buffalo.
4. Drew Bledsoe comes off the bench a throws a TD pass in the playoff against Pittsburgh. A team that had already booked its hotel in New Orleans.
5. The Patriots come out as a team before the start of the Super Bowl.

I left off some fairly obvious ones. You guys can grab those and please share your favorite memories. Myself and all our loyal readers here at PD are anxiously anticipating your responses.

Leaders

• Tom Brady (14 GS) 63.9, 2843, 18-12, 86.5 rating (6th NFL) 11-3 record
• Antowain Smith 1157, 12 TD (T-2nd)
• Troy Brown 101 catches (5th), 1199 (10th), 5TD; 2 PR TD (1st), 14.2 average (1st)
• David Patten 51, 749, 4 TD
• Adam Vinatieri 113 points (T-9th)
• Lawyer Milloy 112 tackles, 2 INT for TD (T-1st)
• Bobby Hamilton 7 sacks
• Willie McGinest 6 sacks
• Anthony Pleasant 6sacks
• Otis Smith 5 INT, 2 INT TD (T-1st)

All Pro
Troy Brown, Lawyer Milloy

Pro Bowl
Tom Brady, Brown, Ty Law, Milloy