New England Patriots 2005 training camp: Opening day
- By Keith Hayes
- Published 08/2/2005
- Football
- Unrated
Keith Hayes
Keith Hayes got his love for writing in the 6th grade where he began writing sci-fi stories for classmates and friends, while continuing to write over the years as a personal hobby.
In 1991 after purchasing WebTV, he caught the Internet bug and began writing on various message boards and newsgroups under the pseudonym Mista Sinista. His posts became popular as he covered movie reviews, the New England Patriots, WCW and WWE (formerly WWF) wrestling. Just do a Google search for Mista Sinista or Sinista1 under groups, and you'll discover enough material to read for months.
As his debating talents developed online, he became vocal in his local newspaper, the Enterprise. He began submitting Letters to the Editor, and most of his pieces were printed on a regular basis. He also had similar success with his letters to the early years of Patriots Football Weekly. After generating some buzz and catching the eyes of readers, Keith was contacted to write for wrestling web site Wrestlenutz.com. He was then later contacted to write for a New England Patriots fan website PatriotsFootball.com, which is now known as PatsFans.com.
When covering the Pats, Keith kept his Mista Sinista attitude and reviewed the games with his "tell it like it is" style. The Patriots experience soon took off, and allowed him to meet various players, travel to a Pro Bowl in Hawaii, a Super Bowl in New Orleans, several away games in the Meadowlands, and some great games in Foxboro, where he has been a season ticket holder since 1990.
Today, he covers the New England Patriots for eSports and as a 12th Man correspondent for PatsFans.com. You can read his political and local debates on his hometown site Brockton Forums. But for a real treat, you can also see the twisted side on his moniker web site Sinista1.com, where he has some great spoofs like "Barbie and Ken's True Hollywood Story," and "Celebrity Survivor."
Most recently, Keith has become a co-host on two hit radio shows at WXBR 1460 AM in Brockton (formerly WBET). On Fridays, Keith can be heard during the "On the Mark PI Show," with his host Private Investigator Mark Chauppetta, who has his own reality television show in negotiations, and a role in the upcoming horror film Frightworld where he plays an FBI Agent hunting a serial killer who has killed his wife.
Keith is now following in his host’s footsteps after scoring a part in Walt Disney's upcoming movie "The Game Plan," starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. In the movie, Keith plays a football player on QB Joe Kingman’s (Dwayne's character) Boston Rebels rival team the New York Dukes. Also joining Keith on the show is defense attorney Ken Diesenhof, and Brockton Police Officer Frank "Czman".
On Saturdays, Keith can be heard during "Krashing Into the Bigfield/The Lock Up" from noon to 4 p.m. talking sports with Enterprise writer Kevin Tocci, and aspiring actor Tom Mariano, cousin to "Boston Rob" of "Survivor/Amazing Race" fame. The show also features guests Matt Futrell, Peter Czymbor, Dennis Harris, and is produced by former Indie wrestler Mike Pavia. The South Shore Sports Show is growing, as the first two hours cover sports (professional and local), while the second two hours cover the best talk in professional and Indie wrestling.
So what is it like going to camp for a team that has won the last three of four Super Bowls, with two of them being back to back? Let's just say I was blown away once again, because Bob Kraft and this organization has truly been blessed with fortune.
Just a couple of years ago, camp was held off of RT 146 in Smithfield, Rhode Island, at Bryant College. The Patriots made a decision to bypass on a contract renewal with the college's services and decided to move their training camp functions with the opening of their new facility.
If that move was not made, there is no way Bryant College would have been able to handle the crowd that showed up early Friday morning to see the NFL's World Champions open up camp.
8,100 + -- That was the magic number, and once again a Boston sporting event had all kinds of people playing "hooky" from work, camps and summer schools to make the trip to see their "heroes" of the gridiron prepare for the upcoming season -- a season that has almost every card stacked against them.
The most recent... ILB Ted Johnson retired the day before camp opened, and the reports are that if the season had started today, he would not have been medically cleared to play due to the complications from the concussions he's sustained over his 10- year period playing in New England.
Ted had been seeing a doctor on a regular basis, with symptoms ranging from memory loss and migraines to blackouts. I applaud his decision, because he has realized his achievements and put his health and family first, just as Tedy Bruschi has done.
Three rings, and a lot of life ahead of him.
With Ted Johnson gone, most reporters out there are pushing the doom and gloom buttons, and talking about the hole it leaves...
What hole? The Pats have eight inside linebackers! It leaves a HUGE veteran hole, because Johnson's departure leaves only three veterans' who are familiar with the Pats system, which this year will be somewhat changed with Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel gone.
OLB Mike Vrabel can play interior and exterior spots, while I'm expecting special teamer Larry Izzo to finally move up the depth chart. He's been a behind the scenes type guy for far too long in my book. If Don Davis and Matt Chatam can stay in for two or more downs, it would also bolster the interior. And, DT/NT Dan Klecko was on a tear before his injury last year, so I expect him to return at full strength.
There is something that some people don't realize either. Newly acquired Chad Brown from Seattle fits nicely at ILB, and if he can learn the system I think his signing will be our best of the off-season.
The rest of the ILB corps, including Monty Beisel, can make their impact by also learning the system and making key plays when the time comes.
So what went on at camp on Friday? Well, if you read every paper in New England on Saturday morning you would have sworn the Patriots had reverted back to the sad sacks they were in 1991. It wasn't that good of a day, but it was only the FIRST day, so of course there was going to be miscues, dropped passes and fumbles. But, you have to remember, for some of these guys this is a new environment for them, so the butterflies have to be there for at least the week.
So, instead of focusing on the downs of camp, I chose to follow the bright spots as I watched the team's first round pick Logan Mankins provide protection to QB's Tom Brady, Rohan Davey, Doug Flutie and Matt Cassel. He did his job somewhat well, while I must mention that this kid looks very strong and he has a good eye for the line. Can he do it at game time?
Brady had some rust, but that is going to be obvious, while Flutie got some serious hometown cheers from the crowd as he ran his rotation. LSU's Rohan Davey may spend time behind Brady on the depth chart once again, but if he doesn't get his footwork down as usual, he may find himself Flutie's understudy. I also can't forget about Cassel, who seems to have a friggan’ cannon. This guy may throw just as hard as Bret Favre.
The WR's were the next batch of guys I had my eye on. Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch impressed the camp with some nice sideline catches, but (remember this name) P.K. Sam out of Florida State was all over the field making plays, showing some serious speed and cuts. From every article I saw over the weekend, no one mentioned this guy and that's probably because he's fourth on the depth chart, but this may change with Bethel Johnson on the injury list after having foot surgery.
Another guy with some speed was rookie Ricky Bryant, but I didn't see him catch much. Another WR surprise was seeing former San Diego Chargers Tim Dwight on the field, since the word after his signing was that they were bringing him as a punt return specialist.
The defensive unit and RB's were on the far side of training camp, so the crowd didn't get much of a look at their drills, but we did get to see them perform as they ran scrimmage towards the end of the session.
S Rodney Harrison was in WR's faces as usual, while my man Dexter Reid has been given Ty Law's number for now. That could be the ultimate jinx since the word is Ty spoke with head coach Bill Belichick last week. There are reports that teams are making their move, but I still stick by my prediction that he will be back in New England to finish out his career as a Patriot.
Law’s injury is what is hurting his chances of being offered the money he's looking, for so it may be time for him to decide what's best for his long term plans. The one thing most of the guys realize here, is that staying in New England gives them benefits from Maine to Rhode Island (Connecticut is mostly Giants fans) for the rest of their lives and I'm sure Lawyer Milloy knows this deep down inside.
DE Richard Seymour was a hold out for the weekend, but with the Johnson retirement the team could make an offer since this move frees up some money. Too bad I have yet to see this team give in to any holdout. This team thrives on a "team" aspect, and holding out isn't a "union" issue in their eyes, it is a distracting "me" issue that the media hounds love to thrive on.
The RB's looked hungry, but the guy who leapt out at me this day was Cedric Cobb who got a lot of looks. I was concerned for the Pats fullback position since they have been light at this position for the last few years. With the return of Klecko, who is listed number two on the depth chart, that could be limited if he makes his mark at ILB.
The one position I'm truly excited for this season is the tight end, a position that I feel not many teams are utilizing in the league for the last few years. The Pats have a very talented TE corps with Daniel Graham, Christian Fauria, Benjamin Watson and Jed Weaver, who is one of the fastest TE's I've seen here in a while.
Watson was on his way to having a breakout season last year, but got injured, Graham blocks the best, while Fauria is a role player that doesn't spend that much reps on the field, but whenever he gets in, he gets the job done whether it's converting first downs or making that catch coming across the back of the end zone. If the FB spot is light this year, I say go with a three TE's using the third as a FB on third and short situations to give you another great pair of hands.
As for other sites around camp... Well, we've had them all since 1997 when the crowds began to grow. We've had celebrities, visiting team scrimmages, pigeons (I'll have to archive an old report for that explanation), but this year I noticed a lot of hungry single mothers at camp, mothers armed with kids and rosters. I might have to come up with a name for these mothers as I did for the salary hungry groupies (pigeons) years ago. If any of you can come up with a great name for this new camp menace let me know.
Comments? Hit me up at sinista1@msn.com