New England Patriots Links 4/02/10 - Jets Overtake Patriots as the Team to Hate

Tim Graham (ESPN) The NY Jets sure can stir up the angry blood.

There has been a noticeable turn within the AFC East and perhaps the entire league when it comes to the most hated team. Based on reader feedback and the disdain expressed on sports-talk shows and message boards, the Jets have replaced the New England Patriots as the team opposing fans love to hate.

Gary Guyton talks about how he'll always remember not getting drafted, and how he'll welcome any competition the draft may bring to the locker room.

"This is a good situation for me," Guyton said Thursday. "I wasn’t drafted, got picked up and made the best of my opportunity and now it’s working out for me.

"Will [not getting drafted] be something I forget? No. The draft is a big day for kids. For young guys like myself, that’s what you dream about every day. Will it affect me? No. Will it make me or break me? Nah. It will be something I remember, but it’s OK though."

"I think competition is always good," Guyton said after a workout at Gillette today. "It’s a competitive sport, so anytime there is competition, I’m game."

"Whatever they draft, they may draft a linebacker, if they do, if they don’t," Guyton said, "If they bring in somebody, it’s always a good thing. Competition is competition. I compete with myself every day. I’m my own biggest competition. We’ll come out here, work out together."

TEAM TALK

• The Patriots will honor the 2010 Hall of Fame inductee prior to first preseason game against defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. August 12th at Gillette Stadium.
• Patriots.com offers five more pages of Draft prospect video highlight clips to keep us busy until the Draft.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss notes Gary Guyton wants to improve watching film and then applying to what he sees on the field.
• Mike Reiss offers five Patriots Draft nuggets.
• Shalise Manza Young notes LaDainian Tomlinson looks forward to facing the Patriots twice a year. She includes the link to LdT's classic "no class" rant from 2006.
• Jessica Isner reports LaDainian Tomlinson will have to get used to the difficult task of swallowing pills.
• Ian Rapoport posts a video of Patriots backup QB Brian Hoyer discussing his goals for the offseason. Getting bigger and stronger is tops. (1.16 min. video clip)
• Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Brian Hoyer would have no problem competing with Tim Tebow if he were drafted by the Patriots; Clemson DE Ricky Sapp said the Pats' 3-4 defense would not be new for him and his surgically repaired knee is at 100%; Gary Guyton isn't worried about his job with Tyrone McKenzie back taking part in the offseason conditioning program.
• Mike Reiss ranks the Patriots' current needs in three categories: High, Moderate and Low.
• Mike Reiss offers a breakdown of the positions the team has selected in the opening round in the past.
• Jeff Howe observes that in the last month, the Patriots have talked about improving leadership so much that you'd think they were about to address a United Nations conference.
• Jerry Thornton tackles the discussion about Boston, race relations and lazy journalism.
• Mike Reiss offers the transcript of his weekly online chat.
• Ian Rapoport was tipped off by Ron Borges of a story over in the UK about a coach less media friendly than Bill Belichick, who banned the club's own press from his press conferences.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets overtake Patriots as the team to hate.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Which AFC East RBs grind it out best? LaDainian Tomlinson's numbers aren't as good as they seem and Laurence Maroney had a better season than you think.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Megalomania vs. Inferiority Complex:  A discussion between "Pardon the Interruption" hosts Tony Kornheiser and Bob Ryan on why Boston and New York make such great sports rivals. (1.21 min. video)
• Don Banks (SI) Peppers spices a busy offseason.
• Vic Carucci (NFL.com) Buffalo would be a great landing spot for Tebow.