Erik Scalavino says Tom Brady doesn't want to discuss what's in store for him in the future.  Pretty insightful.

"I don’t assume anything anymore in life. I don’t think anything is guaranteed to us beyond what we have today and I really feel that way. That’s the approach I’ve taken over the years, because you never really know when your last day will be. I really try to just take it one day at a time. I know it’s a cliché and all that, but it’s the truth. I think it’s a great message for all of us. No matter what your job, you’re living and enjoying today and that’s what’s most important to me.

"I think we’re fortunate to get paid for something that we love," Brady added. "If we weren’t getting paid, we’d have to find something else to do. There’s no better job in the word that I’d rather have, to do what I’m doing. That’s why I want to do it for a long time. Everything else in my life pales in comparison to how much I love this. In that sense, it’s about winning games. That’s what we’re here for. We’re expected to go out and win games. That’s the real motivation for all of us. That’s definitely the real motivation on our list."

Ian Rapoport talks about Bill Belichick wanting the team to wipe the slate clean, forget the past and create a new identity.

"It’s great. That’s really what a team should do," Belichick said. "Not latch on to the past, but blaze their own trail, so to speak, and become what they are about to become. It’s really uncharted every year."

"You can try to create an environment," he said, "but ultimately, it’s not something you totally have control over."

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino presents news and notes from the locker room.
• Erik Scalavino offers some quick kicks from Wednesday's full-pads practice.
• Bill Belichick Wednesday Presser (15.42 min. video) Plus transcript.
• Tom Brady locker room interview - 9/08/10. (13 min. video) Plus transcript.
• Patriots Today - A report from the practice field. (1.16 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Brady focused on the season. (3.10 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - Wednesday thoughts from the locker room. (3.33 min. video)
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Laura Crimaldi and Ian Rapoport report what they know about Tom Brady's car accident this morning.  Here's a pic of his car after the crash.
• ESPNBoston updates what we know about Brady's car accident this morning.
• Albert Breer says ready or not, the younger players will be expected to play with more presence.
• Shalise Manza Young writes about the nebulous areas of leadership and accountability in the locker room.
• Bob Ryan thinks another title would be a perfect fit for Belichick's legacy.
• Chris Gasper says it's all on the line for the 58-year old Belichick, pointing out the chinks in his armor and suggesting genius has an expiration date.
• Monique Walker checks in on how it's been working with Bill Belichick in charge as head coordinator on both sides of the ball.
• Ron Borges asserts this season will tell if Belichick's decision to forgo coordinators is thinking outside the box or going around the bend.
• Ian Rapoport sees Tom Brady focusing on the game Sunday against the Bengals, not money.
• Ian Rapoport notes Tom Brady revealed how his four surgeries in eight years and losing a year in 2008 shaped his views.
• WEEI Tom Brady discusses his contract, distractions, the Jets and more.
• Sports Tonight Albert Breer explains how a Tom Brady extension factors into Manning's bid for one of his own. (3.37 min. video)
• Mike Reiss wonders if Brady was laying it on a bit thick when he called Moss the greatest downfield receiver in the history of the NFL, but then asks if not Moss, then who?
• Sports Tonight Patriots Football Weekly's Paul Perillo would be leery of giving Moss a contract extension. (2.55 min. video)
• Christopher Price says Wes Welker actually likes the change in umpire location and is excited to get them out of his way so he can have more room to work in the middle.
• Mary Paoletti says Wes Welker hopes his knee will enable him to play to his level on Sunday.
• Tom E. Curran notes Terrence Wheatley was spotted wearing a walking boot in the locker room Wednesday. Yeesh.
• Monique Walker notes Rob Gronkowski and his two brothers are all in the NFL.
• Karen Guregian catches up with Ron Brace who declared himself back from a mild ankle sprain and prepared to work even harder.
• Ian Rapoport gets rookie NT Kyle Love's view of playing on a 3-4 defense: "I love it. Ain't nothing like a double-,triple-team."
• Shalise Manza Young points to the lackluster 2006-08 drafts that left the Pats with plenty of holes to fill.
• The Boston Globe offers a graphic of the Patriots locker room, showing who's next to who.
• Karen Guregian says ex-Pats Rodney Harrison and WIllie McGinest are fine with the pics of their glory days off the walls at Gillette. The young guys need to make their own history.
• Kirk Minihane's 'Hard Knocks' Diary: No cliffhanger on Revis Island.
• Christopher Price reports on Belichick and Ochocinco: the oddest of couples.
• Shalise Manza Young reports Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis says T.O. brings professionalism to the team and discipline to Ochocinco.
• Boston Herald Staff 2010 NFL Season Predictions. Ron Borges picks the Jets to win the AFC East. What a surprise.
• AP 50 years later, the AFL's joke is on everyone else.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tim Graham (ESPN) In a pawn shop, every item has a story, including the New England Patriots 2001 Super Bowl ring that once belonged to Brock Williams.
• Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Bad Randy is back and Patriots will get their taste.
• NFL Video Patriots QB Tom Brady discusses his contract and hopes to remain in New England. (2.14 min.)
• Don Banks (SI) The interminable seven-month wait over, the NFL returns tonight when the Vikings and Saints kick it off in New Orleans.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Left guard a vortex in AFC East.
• Sporting News Tackling five important questions before kickoff.
• Peter King (SI) Weekend Pickoff: NFL Week 1. Bengals 27, Pats 20.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Panel unanimous: Jets not in Super Bowl.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Preseason All-AFC East team.
• AP (NFL.com) Colts' Manning says he'll 'adjust' to new umpire position rules. Such sacrifice.
• The Onion 2010 NFL Team-By-Team Guide.

VIEW FROM CINCINNATI

• Geoff Hobson (Bengals.com) Brady OK after crash; Shipley to see Welker up close.
• Joe Reedy (Cincinnati Enquirer) Bengals' Cedric Benson ready for Patriots.
• Kevin Goheen (Cincinnati Enquirer) Kyle Cook welcomes match with Patriots' Wilfork.
• Geoff Hobson (Bengals.com) Bengals and Patriots will put four of the NFL's most prolific receivers ever on the field Sunday.
• Geoff Hobson (Bengals.com) Odd couple.
• Marvin Lewis (Bengals.com) Wednesday Press Conference transcript.