Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 3/03/09

TEAM SHOTS

• Free Agent Preview: Specialists.
• Patriots sign TE Chris Baker; re-sign OL Russ Hochstein.
  

LOCAL SHOTS

** Check out Mike Reiss's blog for continual updates during the day, found right here in the left-hand side-bar of PatsPulpit.

• Mike Reiss reports Matt Cassel knew he'd be traded and is excited to know he'll be a starter going into the season with Kansas City.
• Karen Guregian notes Cassel's enthusiasm to start in KC but points out Chiefs coach Todd Haley said the QB position is not secure and Thigpen will have a chance to compete for it.  Uh-oh.
• Chris Price recalls five of the biggest trades in Patriots history.
• Chad Finn looks at the trade and gives Belichick's track record the benefit of the doubt.  Good point about the writers who consitantly call him bloodless, are now calling him sentimental.
• Tony Massarotti wonders if trading Cassel was less about acquiring assets than it was about mitigating losses.
• Eric Ortiz tells us to forget about conspiracy theories or talk of collusion. The Patriots did not become fools or sentimental overnight.
• Jim Donaldson has a nagging concern that the competitive fire that made Brady a future Hall of Famer may no longer burn as brightly as it did before he got hurt, and before he got married. (gag!)
  

LONG SHOTS

• ESPN Page 2:  The Tom Brady - Gisele Bundchen wedding program.  Pretty funny.
• Peter King (SI) The Patriots never get snookered.  So why does it look like everyone in Foxboro is wearing fleece?
• Vic Carucci (NFL.com) Lots of dollars, not much sense in some early deals.
• John Czarnecki (Fox Sports) Reviewing the first weekend of free agency.
• Michael Blunda (ProFootball Weekly) Pioli hits the jackpot bringing ex-Pats Cassel, Vrabel to KC.
• Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) Cassel trade means Patriots will be big players in the draft.
• Kansas City Chiefs site (kcchiefs.com) Q & A with Matt Cassel.
• Jay Mariotti (NFL Fanhouse) Kansas City's Sweetheart Deal for Cassel warrants NFL probe.
• Matthew J. Darnell (Yahoo! Sports) Astounding allegations:  Bill Belichick did something friendly.
• Dan Pompei (Chicago Tribune) Will Matt Cassel be bargain or bust?
• Sean Leahy (USA Today) Were the Patriots robbed by Chiefs?  Reaction is split.
• Adam Teicher (Kansas City Star) Cassel ready to compete for starting job with Chiefs.
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Patriots good fit for Jason Taylor?
• Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Talent still available after active opening weekend of free agency.
• Gene Wojciechowski (ESPN) Quit crying, Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler.
• Adam Schefter (NFL.com) Peppers will be harder to trade than Cassel.