New England Patriots Links 7/04/11 - Tom Brady Voted NFL's Best Player By His Peers

Mike Reiss offers some soundbites from Ray Lewis and Darrelle Revis as they presented Tom Brady with the number one pick in the Top 100 Players in the NFL.

One thought from Ray Lewis:  "A play that always sticks out in my mind, they're playing Carolina in the Super Bowl [in the 2003 season]. Big third down. Of course, Carolina is playing that two-deep coverage. And you would think, OK, Tom Brady has to make this incredible throw, where is he going to go with the ball? But the weakness of cover-2, if you understand it, from Tom Brady's perspective, is if a linebacker is 1 on 1 with a [running] back, that's your best bet. He drops back and he simply drops the ball off to Kevin Faulk. Could he have tried to force it into a cover-2? Could he have tried to go to his tight end down the middle of the seam in a cover-2? Yeah. But that's what makes great players, great players. The unselfish players. When I saw that play, I said 'Wow. That's how simple he makes the game. The game ain't hard to him.' It's like a matrix where it slows down.' It's poetry when you see it from that angle."

One thought from Darrelle Revis:  "The crazy thing about it is his accuracy. His accuracy of where he throws the ball, where as a defender you can't get it sometimes. You're here in position but then he's throwing it right there and Wes [Welker] is catching it an inch from the ground."

Ian Rapoport highlights Tom Brady's reaction to being named as the league's number 1 player.

"It’s very flattering," said Brady, who wished everyone a happy fourth of July, too. "I think I’ve been really fortunate over the years to play with an incredible organization and an incredible group of players. This year was really a great year for our team in the regular season. We accomplished some great things. The things that I love about football is that it’s a team sport. The great teammates that I’ve ever had, the teammates I had this year, nobody would really accomplish anything without the help of every guy on that team and every coach. It’s very flattering, but ultimately I give all the thanks to teammates past and present, cuz they’re what really makes this game special for me."

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino and Andy Hart debate if Ty Law is Hall of Fame worthy.

LOCAL LINKS

• Monique Walker reports that for Kyle Arrington, this offseason is about preparing to keep a job.
• Ian Rapoport finds out that even on the Friday before the holiday weekend, small groups of Patriots players are planning to work out together.
• Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit thoughts from the Pats and around the NFL.
• Ian Rapoport reports the Patriots believe they drafted the left tackle of the future, Nate Solder.
• Mike Reiss gives his view of the top third-year Patriots players in "make or break" situations based on their draft status.
• Ian Rapoport notes Belichick loves tight ends and the Patriots are stacked at that position.
• Ian Rapoport thinks the Patriots are mostly in good shape at RB with the one-two punch of Green-Ellis and Woodhead.
• Ian Rapoport recaps what an opponent says they have to do to stop the "'coverage nightmare' that is Wes Welker.
• Ian Rapoport gets an opponent's view that breaks down the Patriots and why they're so hard to stop.
• Mike Reiss highlights Raymond Clayborn's guest appearance on Sirius NFL Radio, talking about being in retirement and taking joy in raising his children.
• ESPNBoston introduces fans to Equipment Assistant John Jastremski, who has a ten-year tenure with the Patriots, and and Football Operations Assistant Shawn Donnelly, with the team since 2005..

NATIONAL NEWS

• Instant Debate (NFL.com) No question: Patriots QB Brady is the best of the 'Top 100' bunch.
• Top 100 (NFLN) Tom Brady: Ray Lewis and Darrelle Revis present the best player of 2011 as voted by the players. (6.59 min. video) 
• NFL Total Access (NFLN) Tom Brady reacts to being ranked the best player by his peers in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011. (5.59 min. video)
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Tom Brady leading man on 'Top 100' list.
• Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady named top player on NFL Network countdown.
• Charean Williams (Star-Telegram) Marcus Cannon believes he will be in the Patriots' camp on time, ready to play.
• Ben Levine reports Tom Brady is featured in a 'Real Men' commercial for DNA Foundation against child trafficking.
• Dan Pompei (Nat'l Football Post) NFP Sunday Blitz.
• Mike McGuire (SI) Guest MMQB: Soldier reflects on his Army career on Independence Day.
• Len Pasquarelli (Fox Sports) Are any NFL football teams contacting their players?

LABOR LUNACY

• Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Letter to De Smith: Send your lawyers packing. Dump their asses. Do it now.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) A closer look at the post-settlement timeline.
• Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Courts could inject chaos into fragile NFL labor talks.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Lost preseason hurts players financially, too.
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) NFL labor developments reminiscent of '06 talks.
• AP Report: NFL mediator enjoys a challenge in court, on ice.