MPF, Gil Santos, MPF Sr., Gino Cappelletti

View full size photo »

I promise not to get all sappy, but this was cool.  Patriot Place is running a series of talks and today's special guests were the voice of the Patriots, Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti.  My father, a lifelong Boston native and devout Boston sports fan, was in his element.  He's much more of a Red Sox fan, but anything Boston-based is fine with him.

I took him for one of those father/son outing type things and because he LIVED the history Gil and Gino lived.  He's about their age and actually remembers the first Boston Patriots broadcast Gil Santos did in 1966 while Gino was still a player.  Gino has the distinction of scoring the first points in Patriots and AFL history (a field goal).  He also "christined" Schaeffer Stadium by scoring a field goal in an exhibition game.  It's an absolute crime he's not in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Gino and Gil had some funny stories about their broadcasting career, particularly making it to Sunday Patriots games after broadcasting BC games on Saturday.  Gil has finally retired from his daily WBZ sports broadcast and is doing the Pats exclusively.  They both seem genuine when they say they're blessed to have this job.

There were a few questions, but mine was: Out of all of the moments you've witnessed, which one ranks among the best, at the top of the heap?

Gil: Adam Vinatieri field goal in Superbowl XXXVI to win against the Rams.  Gil felt this set in motion the dominance of the Patriots.

Gino: Adam Vinatieri 45 yard field goal in the Snow Bowl against the Raiders, January 2, 2002.  Gino's feeling, as a field goal kicker himself, that this was an incredibly hard kick to make given the conditions.  He said Adam had to kick it "high", on the meat of the ball, to give it enough velocity to make it through the uprights.  It was risky as it was a line drive and could've been blocked.  History has proven Adam made the right choice.

Later on, I walked around Patriot Place with my dad, checking out the exhibits and talking about moments in Patriots history.  It was cool, reliving sports history with him.  After giving Kraft a few more bucks at the Pro Shop, we grabbed a bite to eat at the Bass Pro Shop and headed home, chatting about games Gil and Gino called and the many great moments we'd witnessed.

It was a good day.