Peter King speaks with Tom Brady following the grim news about his quarterback mentor.
"There is no one who knows more about throwing the football than Tom. And no one has meant more to me when it comes to throwing the football than Tom."
"We've been trying to get together this offseason for a session, and finally we met last Sunday at an indoor facility in San Carlos. We spent two hours there. He analyzed what I was doing, just like always. And when I got in the car with my dad afterward, I said to him, 'It's unbelievable how much he knows -- how much he helps me.'"
"That,'' Brady said of his Blackberry tool, "is a collection of 16 years of what I've learned from Tom. It's my guide to stay right with my mechanics.'' Said Brady: "Every time you step on the field, whether there's weather, whether you're on the road, where you've got a big pass-rush coming, it always comes down to mechanics. He instilled in me the importance of doing things the right way, every time.''
"There's so many people I owe so much to -- high school, college and the NFL,'' he said. "But he is right at the top of the list. Second to none. He never held back with me. Even when I was going good, he'd watch me and call me and say something like, 'Your feet are way too slow in the shotgun. Speed it up!' or 'When you throw to your right, close your right shoulder.'
"I just can't say enough about him, and what he's meant to me. When I heard how serious it was the other night, I was there in bed with my wife, and it was just a sad moment. Very tough on his family, and on ours.''
Mike Reiss reports Logan Mankins ranks No. 39 on the NFLN Top 100 players poll, with Bill Belichick as his presenter. Here's what Bill really thinks of Mankins.
1. "There are tough players and then there are the super tough guys. I’d say Mankins would go into that [second] category. Both physically and mentally, he’s as tough as they come."
2. "You could honestly pick out any one of 30 plays of him in any game and find him really dominating guys."
3. "He played left tackle at Fresno State. He made the move inside right away and became an immediate starter for us from the first preseason game, the first year he’s out there. He’s been our most durable and consistent performer on the offensive line for several years."
4. "With a quarterback like Tom Brady, who needs to step up into the pocket, who likes to step up into the pocket, there has to be somewhere to step up into. Logan does a great job of that, of staying firm on the line of scrimmage and not getting driven back, so that Tom can step up and avoid the rush and make the throw. That’s a big part of the passing game. That’s a big part of Tom’s passing game. Logan is a big part of that."
5. "I think Logan is really a force in the running game because he's able to play with great leverage and power, and get movement. A lot of plays that run to our left side, you see him getting push at the line of scrimmage and creating seams for the back. He's also a very good puller, and a lot of plays to the right, he ends up pulling around and leading the runner through the hole. A lot of times Logan is at the point of attack in the running game regardless of where the play is called."
6. "I think guard is really a tough position to play. It's a very challenging position, but Logan has the skill set and the mentality and toughness to do it on a play after play, down after down, week after week basis."
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino and Paul Perillo debate whether an NFL team should return to Los Angeles.
- Andy Hart wonders whether Brandon Meriweather should be considered elite or overrated.
- Patriots Charitable Foundation donates $100,000 in the names of Community MVPs across New England.
- Patriots Today - Robert Kraft speaks. (8.51 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Pats honor community MVPs. (2.43 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Swimsuit Calendar sneak peek. (1.21 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Christopher Price writes about Tom Brady's personal QB guru Tom Martinez being gravely ill.
- Tom E. Curran reports Willie McGinest wants to retire a Patriot.
- Mike Reiss recaps what Saints LB Jonathan Vilma had to say about 35th ranked Vince Wilfork when he presented him on NFLN's Top 100 players.
- Ian Rapoport notes Jermaine Cunningham remained in Foxboro to train this offseason and spoke with children at the "Football for You" camp put on by Pats alumni.
- Shalise Manza Young says the strangest thing Jermaine Cunningham admits to doing this offseason is "probably a bunch of sprints."
- Tom E. Curran questions the legitimacy of the players ability to correctly evaluate their peers in NFLN's "The Top 100" series.
- Kirk Minihane makes the case for Plaxico Burress to the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.
- Karen Guregian reports Robert Kraft is still practicing positive thinking on the labor front.
- Shalise Manza Young reports Ron Brace hosted a fundraiser Friday night to benefit those affected by the recent tornadoes in Springfield, MA.
- Mike Reiss reports Kevin Faulk took part in NSTAR's Walk for Children's Hospital in Boston on Sunday.
- Karen Guregian says Kevin Faulk still plans on his place with the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss highlights what ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper had to say about the Patriots draft, in his summer audit series of each division in the NFL.
- Karen Guregian reports former Patriot Ellis Hobbs is facing a hard decision regarding his future.
- Tom E. Curran reports good progress has been made in ending the lockout, but a lot of hard work is still left to be done.
- Mike Reiss notes Bill Belichick attended the 25 year reunion of the NY Giants 1986 Super Bowl championship team.
- Jeff Howe answers his weekly Patriots mailbag: No need for Randy Moss to reunite with New England.
- Nick Coman notes Bret Lockett explained that his "physical relationship" with Kim Kardashian never actually involved meeting. Huh. Wouldn't that mean ...? Never mind.
- Ian Rapoport posts his random picture of the day: Tom Brady debuting his Under Armour hoodie.
- AP Report: Locked out? NFL training camp sites start to sweat.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Glenn Reeves (San Jose Mercury News) Tom Martinez in grave condition.
- Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Devin McCourty: How I'm spending my lockout.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) McGinest says he's not making a comeback. "The only thing that will bring me back is a one-day contract with New England to retire as a Patriot."
- The Monroe Free Press reports Jonathan Wilhite just got married. Congrats.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB: Grim news about his quarterback mentor hits Patriots' Brady hard.
- PFW Staff (Pro Football Weekly) NFL head coach power rankings.
- John Clayton (ESPN) This All-Underrated Team is strong up the middle.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Vollmer lands on NFL All-Underrated team.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Underrated players: AFC East.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Name top five QBs for each AFC East team.
- Gary Mihoces (USA Today) NFL's best: Troy Polamalu and the top 10 safeties of 2011.
- Dan Pompei (Nat'l Football Post) Sunday Blitz.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Mailbag: Readers demand answers.
- Jason La Canfora (NFL.com) Free agency will bring big risk for teams pursuing these vets.
LABOR LUNACY
- Albert Breer (NFL.com) NFL, players continue to talk between face-to-face meetings.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Framework for agreement could come in two weeks.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Mediator has different, but likely critical, role in not-so-secret talks.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Judicial oversight of settlement shouldn't be a sticking point for NFL.
- Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) The revenue tidal wave is on its way.