New England Patriots Links 1/26/10 - Tom Brady Plans To Play His Butt Off

Mike Reiss covered Tom Brady's charity appearance at the Tobin Community Center in Roxbury yesterday, where he played flag football with the kids and answered questions afterwards.  Here is a portion of the Q&A transcript:

Who do you like in the Super Bowl?
"Oh man, I don’t like either team. One has to win obviously. I don’t know, I don’t know. I watched a couple of the games yesterday. It will be a great game. We played both teams. They’re both talented. Can they both lose? Is that possible?"

Were you surprised with either result yesterday?
"No, they’ve been the best teams all season. They certainly deserved to be there. They proved it over the course of the whole season. They have a lot of good players. They did the job. They earned it."

Will you watch the Super Bowl and is it painful?
"Yeah. I think all of us wish we were out there. In another respect, you have to give credit to the teams who earn it. They did. I think both teams over the course of the season, they deserve to be there. You don’t want to hate on those guys. You have to say ‘Congratulations, you guys did a better job than anybody else.’ Hopefully we’ll be back in that position at some point next year.’

How far away do you think the Patriots are from both those teams?
"Well, we’ve obviously got ... the way it ended, there are a lot of things that we need to do better. I talked about a lot of those things over the course of the year. This is the part of the offseason where you try to solve those problems. And every team has problems. Every team has strengths and weaknesses. It’s about identifying them and trying to figure out ways to improve them."

Is there one greatest area in your mind that needs to be improved?
"There are a lot of them. The thing I think I focus on is what I need to do better, and there are certainly a lot of things I need to do better as a player, as a leader, as a quarterback, as a mentor. I’m one of the oldest guys on the team now. I’ve seen a lot of good teams and I’ve been on teams that haven’t been successful. Hopefully I can just provide insight to those players in a leadership role that ‘this is what we need to do.’"

There is a lot of uncertainty with the CBA, and you are in the last year of your contract. Is there any uncertainty there for you with your future with the Patriots?
"With my contract? [Laughs]. I really don’t like … we’re so fortunate to be playing. I think we’re way overpaid as it is; all of us. We get to go play football for a living. I love playing and I’m very fortunate to play, and I’m very fortunate to walk off the field this year and end the season without having surgery. That’s not really a concern."

So you’re willing to take a pay cut? [joking]
"Like I said, we’re all overpaid. We have the greatest job in the world and I have the greatest job in the world. I love being here and I love Boston, I love the city, I love the community, that’s where our home is."

Would you like to have that settled before the start of the season?
"The contract? Well, I’m under contract and I signed a six-year contract five years ago. There are a lot of players that end up being in my situation. There is a lot of uncertainty with the league and being a player rep now, I realize all the different issues that we’re facing. It’s a really unique time in the league and as a team player, I don’t sit here saying ‘What about me, What about me?’ I’m under contract and I’m going to go out there and play and play my butt off."

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino looks at the New England roster to assess the most pressing needs. Today's snapshot: Running back.
• Andy Hart wonders what was the most regrettable of New England’s many "minor" trades this season, between Vrabel, Burgess, Hobbs, Smith, Hochstein, Smith and Lewis.
• Mosi Tatupu was named an honorary captain for USA Football's "Team USA vs World" game. High-school aged teams spanning nine countries will play on Jan. 30 in South Florida.
• The Patriots announced the launch of the 2010 New England Patriots Write On Scholarship, which will give local students ages 13-18 the opportunity to win up to $10,000 in college scholarship funds.

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian catches up with Tom Brady, as he plays flag football with some lucky kids and then reflects on some key topics.
• Mike Reiss reports on Tom Brady's appearance at the Tobin Community Center Monday, and how genuine and sincere he appears, especially in his interaction with the kids.
• Adam Kilgore notes Tom Brady's injuries are healing nicely and he won't need off-season surgery.
• Karen Guregian observes how grateful the kids at the Tobin Recreation Center were in Roxbury to have Brady play with them, and how grateful the advocates were to receive the much needed $30,000 donation.
• Chris Gasper feels the Patriots need to concentrate on the Draft and player development.
• Ian Rapoport describes the scene at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza and the high-profile NFL personalities attending the Senior Bowl workouts.
• Christopher Price presents a snapshot of where the team stands at offensive line: Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Nick Kaczur, Sebastian Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Rich Ohrnberger, Mark LeVoir, Ryan Wendell.
• Mike Reiss offers his 2009 positional review of the Patriots specialists: Stephen Gostkowski (kicker), Chris Hanson (punter/holder) Jake Ingram (long snapper.)
• Mike Reiss reports Pepper Johnson's passion, energy have forged connection with his players, especially Vince Wilfork who would like to see Johnson promoted to DC.
• Mike Reiss notes Vince Wilfork departed for Miami this morning to participate in the Pro Bowl. Brandon Meriweather and Logan Mankins will also play Sunday.
• Tony Massarotti asserts the league has changed and the Patriots need to bring in personnel to stop the pass, not the run.
• Mike Reiss offers a terrific piece from Carl Banks, a longtime linebacker that played with Pepper Johnson on Bill Belichick's Cleveland Browns in 1994.
• Ian Rapoport finds Florida QB Tim Tebow had his critics out in force yesterday, after a less than stellar practice with hundreds of scouts and coaches watching.
• Mike Reiss knows this is a significant week for NFL teams in the scouting process, with many coaches, personnel executives and scouts headed for Mobile, Ala., and the Senior Bowl.
• Albert Breer checks in with some notes from Day 1 and the start of Day 2 at the Senior Bowl.
• Albert Breer checks in with former Patriot Dave Thomas, grateful at being able to participate in the Saints journey to the Super Bowl.  He missed SB XLII because of injuries.
• Tenley Woodman notes Ex-Pats cheerleader Elizabeth Hanson is a finalist in the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl commercial competition.
• Tom Layman defines the new F-word in town, "Favre."
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Ravens reel in Dean Pees as linebackers coach.  (So far, PFT is the only source reporting this - there is nothing yet on the Ravens' official site or the Baltimore newspapers.)
• Kevin Seifert (ESPN) Was the play that injured Favre's left ankle legal?
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets begin makeover for 2010.
• Michael Rosenberg (SI) Every NFL team has hope, but it's hard to believe in Buffalo, Oakland.
• Stephanie Stradley (NFL Fanhouse) Will the 4,000-yard quarterback kill the NFL running game?