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Ian Rapoport notes Bill Belichick made his final public appearance before his summer vacation on the Patriots All Access show.
"Our players have a lot of confidence in their own abilities and can step up to the opportunities that they’ve gotten and competed well with their teammates and also against the offense," Belichick said on the show. "I think training camp’s going to be interesting on the defensive side of the ball. There’s a lot of young players that are talented and need some work on refining their techniques and reads and things like that, but once they get that down, it’ll be very interesting to see them compete against the players that we’ve had around here."
Ian Rapoport notes Tedy Bruschi still has a player's mindset. He still has a little desire to play, but knows that feeling doesn't apply to him anymore.
"Well, I’m still not one total year out, so I still have the feeling now like the countdown is on," said Bruschi, who retired during last preseason. "Because after mini-camps, you go to your last little break and you want to enjoy it and have a little vacation. But you still realize you’ve got to stay in shape and work out and run the conditioning test. ‘But wait, I want to go to the Cape and have fried clams.’ That’s what I would do. That’s what I would do. ‘So, man, I want to do this, so I’ll just run the test tomorrow.’ So, I still have the same feeling when I look at my watch and I look at the date and it says I’ve got a month left. I’ve got 30 days left. I still have that feeling, but it doesn’t apply to me anymore."
"I guess, I’m describing the itch," Bruschi said. "I guess, I still am describing the itch that is ingrained in my persona. Last year, around the Colts game. Last year during the playoffs is when I felt it the most, about, ‘I should still be out there.’ Changed my mind a little bit after seeing Ray Rice go 83. (Laughs). But it’s still there, it’s going to take a little while for it to go away."
TEAM TALK
- Paul Perillo and Erik Scalavino debate whether Tom Brady will retire as a Patriot.
- Patriots Today - Bruschi youth mini camp. (3.09 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Albert Breer notes WR Brandon Marshall is planning on a championship, and wonders if Miami poses a bigger threat to the Patriots' AFC East title than the Jets.
- Ian Rapoport looks at where the position battles will likely be on defense at Training Camp.
- Mike Reiss offers his quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.
- Jeff Howe notes the Patriots learned their lesson after Joey Galloway's spectacular failure and have added a talented group to compete for that third option at WR.
- Mike Reiss looks at the Patriots defensive line position and how it compares with the rest of the NFL.
- Albert Breer reports Tedy Bruschi will be one of the speakers at the NFL Rookie Symposium in Carlsbad, Calif.
- Mike Reiss takes note of those players who "pass it on" from player to player through the decades.
- Jeff Howe points out that thanks to Stephen Gostkowski, the Patriots have no reason to worry about the kicking game.
- Mike Reiss puts the spotlight on the red-zone offense.
- Albert Breer tries to bring some context to the Mankins situation.
- Jeff Howe says the Patriots' success or failure against the Jets will determine their fate in 2010.
NATIONAL NEWS
- AP Roger Goodell addresses rookies at NFL symposium.
- Vic Carucci (NFL.com) Goodell touches on Jones' accident, other key topics at symposium.
- Eric Winston (SI) MMQB - Guest edition: Five ways to change the NFL, plus my 12 postseason teams for 2010. Great player-perspective read.
- Ross Tucker (SI) NFL coaches finally enjoy the down time that doesn't need to be so rare.
- Pat Kirwan (NFL.com) Sweet sixteen: These players are on the spot to perform in 2010.
- Tim Booth (Seattle Times) Seahawks WR Branch says he'll be ready for camp. The April surgery on his left knee was "just a normal clean out, nothing major."
- Pat Yasinskas (ESPN) Sean Payton's book tells more than a story.