05/17/2008

Tomase: Will regret error for life
BOSTON — The Boston Herald sports writer who reported the New England Patriots taped a pre-Super Bowl walk-through by the St. Louis Rams in 2002 says he will regret the erroneous story for the rest of his life.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick slams Matt Walsh’s credibility in CBS interview
The Patriots coach says he wasn’t close to Matt Walsh before he was fired for poor job performance.

05/16/2008

Jim Donaldson: Senator Specter, here’s how you get past Spygate
Senator Specter needs help.

Boston Herald reporter Tomase expresses regret over Spygate story
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Herald sports writer who reported the New England Patriots taped a pre-Super Bowl walkthrough by the St. Louis Rams in 2002 said he will regret the erroneous story for the rest of his life.

NFL reiterates stand on taping
During his interview with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday, former Patriots employee Matt Walsh said that he did not tape the St. Louis Rams’ walk-through before Super Bowl XXXVI, but mentioned that he did talk to then-New England assistant Brian Daboll about what he saw during the practice.

05/15/2008

Specter wants independent probe of Patriots’ taping
WASHINGTON — Sen. Arlen Specter called yesterday for a “transparent and independent” investigation into the New England Patriots’ illicit videotaping of opposing teams.

Walsh talks about Spygate, Belichick in HBO interview
NEW YORK (AP) - Former New England video assistant Matt Walsh dismissed Patriots coach Bill Belichick's attempts to minimize the impact of the team's illegal taping of opponents' coaching signals.

05/14/2008

Boston Herald says Spygate story false, apologizes
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Herald apologized Wednesday for falsely reporting that the New England Patriots videotaped a walkthrough by the St. Louis Rams a day before the 2002 Super Bowl.

Head of NFL says tale of the tape is over
Commissioner Roger Goodell comes to that conclusion after meeting with a former New England employee.

Donaldson: Now that Spygate has fizzled, will Specter stop haunting the Patriots?
I can’t wait to hear what Senator Arlen Specter, that righteous Republican from Pennsylvania, has to say today.

Text of Patriots' statement regarding Spygate
The Patriots released the following statement yesterday afternoon, soon after commissioner Roger Goodell completed his press conference concerning his meeting with Matt Walsh:

Patriots’ Tom Brady lauds Giants; wants to get past Spygate
In his first public interview since the Super Bowl, Tom Brady had praise for the New York Giants, joking contempt for the New York Jets, and expressed hope that yesterday’s meeting between NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh would finally put an end to Spygate.

05/13/2008

Spygate’s Walsh meets with NFL commissioner today
Former Pats’ video assistant Matt Walsh will huddle with the NFL commissioner to discuss the tapes he turned over last week.

05/10/2008

Curtain could soon fall on spotlight over Patriots’ videotapes
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is set to meet with former New England employee Matt Walsh on Tuesday in New York.

05/09/2008

One view: It's time to forget Spygate, and remember how good Bill Belichick really is
The black hat fit Bill Belichick so well. Of course, anyone who wins as much and as easily as he does has to be cheating, right? Cheating more than he would admit.

And another: After a decade of sins, Belichick deserves a year suspension
What an extensive video library Bill Belichick turns out to have produced.

05/08/2008

Walsh sends Patriots Spygate tapes to NFL; Super Bowl walkthrough not among them
NEW YORK (AP) - Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh sent the NFL eight videotapes that show New England violated league rules by recording opposing coaches' playcalling signals.

05/06/2008

Patriots draft choice O'Connell showing he's a fast learner
Kevin O’Connell, New England’s third-round draft pick out of San Diego State, shows he’s a fast learner.

05/04/2008

Wheatley ready for all elements
FOXBORO — Terrence Wheatley has his head in the clouds.

Rookie orientation nearly complete for New England Patriots
FOXBORO — Early this afternoon, the young players who took part in the New England Patriots’ rookie mini-camp will head for their respective homes, their heads full of plays, workout plans, and details.

05/03/2008

Slater proves multi-talented in rookie mini-camp practice
FOXBORO — When people find out that Matthew Slater, all 5-foot-11 and and 195 pounds of him, is the son of Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jackie Slater — who is 6-4 and tipped the scales at 277 pounds during his long career — there’s one thing they want to know:

Draft pick Crable isn’t shy about asking questions
Though he was mostly a defensive end at Michigan, Crable is learning the skills of outside linebacker.

05/02/2008

Mayo is eager to join Pats’ linebacking corps
First-round pick Jerod Mayo meets the media and chats with CEO Robert Kraft.

Former Patriots Coates, Morris and Nance vying for Pats’ Hall of Fame
FOXBORO –– Tight end Ben Coates, center Jon Morris or running back Jim Nance will make up the 2008 New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame induction class of one, as the franchise announced this year’s finalists and opened online voting yesterday.

04/30/2008

Patriots get a high grade for their draft -- of 2005
The Dallas Cowboys get an A. So do New England, the New York Giants and San Diego. For the 2005 draft.

04/29/2008

Mayo’s character was apparent long ago
Jerod Mayo, the Patriots’ top pick in the NFL Draft, was always a favorite of his high school football coach.

BC’s Silva signs with the Colts Despite having been passed over through the seven rounds of last weekend’s NFL Draft, Jamie Silva, a former Boston College star and the pride of East Providence, has found employment with a team — and a pretty good one, at that.

Former Patriots punter Mike Patrick dies
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) - Former New England Patriots punter Mike Patrick has died. He was 55.

04/28/2008

Patriots’ defense is suddenly a lot younger
New England uses five of its seven selections to shore up positions that were exposed as weaknesses.

QB O’Connell could push Cassel out
FOXBORO — Technically, Matt Cassel has one year left on his rookie contract, but his days with the New England Patriots could be numbered.

Pats’ latter picks may help to fill some voids
FOXBORO — The Patriots chose to focus on team needs, rather than the best available player, in the final four rounds of the NFL Draft, selecting a defensive back and a linebacker, as well as a multi-positional player.

Patriots take linebacker Crable at No. 78
The Michigan product, New England’s third-round draft pick, is built like former Giant Carl Banks.

Hendricken product Matt Sherry goes to Cincinnati Bengals East Providence native Matt Sherry is selected in the sixth round by the Cincinnati Bengals.

04/27/2008

Patriots scoop up linebacker: Jerod Mayo taken with 10th overall pick
FOXBORO — In the eight-plus years that Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli have been calling the shots for the New England Patriots, there have been a lot of surprises.

If personality counts, Mayo's a winner
FOXBORO — The Pats want Mayo!

Versatile Mayo ‘a great addition’ to the Patriots, says Belichick
FOXBORO — The Patriots don’t have much of a history of picking linebackers high in the NFL Draft under coach Bill Belichick, but it was no surprise yesterday that New England selected University of Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo with their first pick (10th overall) of the draft.

Terrence Wheatley expected to fit in with Pats’ secondary
FOXBORO — With the departure of All-Pro defensive back Asante Samuel, as well as talented cornerbacks Eugene Wilson and Randall Gay, the Patriots went into yesterday’s NFL Draft in need of help in the secondary.

Six picks are left on the table for New England
FOXBORO — Day One of the NFL Draft is in the books, but there is still plenty of work to be done today for the Patriots.

NFL would be a change for Brown's Raymond, but not his biggest
PROVIDENCE — The word is that Paul Raymond, a wide receiver from Brown, is the only Ivy League player to have a chance to get taken in the NFL Draft this weekend

04/26/2008

Don’t expect Pats to stand pat on draft day
Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli are crafty when it comes to giving the Patriots an upper hand on draft day.

04/25/2008

Donaldson: Here’s my 30th anniversary Patriots ‘Dream Draft’
With the Patriots having the seventh pick, courtesy of the San Francisco 49ers, New England fans are looking forward to the opening round of the annual NFL Draft tomorrow.

04/24/2008

Goodell says he would levy further Spygate penalties on Patriots, if Walsh has the evidence
NEW YORK (AP) - Roger Goodell is fully prepared to crack down again on the New England Patriots if his meeting with Matt Walsh uncovers a tape made of the St. Louis Rams' final walkthrough practice before the 2002 Super Bowl.

Goodell, ex-Pats’ aide to huddle on Spygate
Matt Walsh will finally discuss alleged videotaping violations by New England with the NFL chief.

In NFL Draft, top picks come at a very high price
Thanks to their trade with San Francisco during last year's draft weekend, the New England Patriots will be able to add one of the best players available in the 2008 NFL Draft with the number-seven pick they own.

04/23/2008

Former Patriots assistant Walsh has date with Goodell to discuss Spygate
NEW YORK (AP) - Former Patriots assistant Matt Walsh will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on May 13 about New England's videotaping of opposing teams.

Trades part of the big picture for the Patriots
Deals have led to the acquisition of key players, and in most cases the Patriots got even more draft picks for use in future years.

04/22/2008

Sizing up the Patriots at linebacker and in secondary
This weekend’s NFL Draft is the 73rd for the league, and the ninth for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli with the New England Patriots. Since Belichick and Pioli took over the team in 2000, the Patriots have selected 70 players in the draft, at every position except punter. Yet there are some spots on the field that the duo clearly places a higher importance on than others, and they choose accordingly. Over the next few days, we’ll look at New England’s history of picks under Belichick and Pioli, with an emphasis on where they rank in positional importance and how they’ve worked out.

04/21/2008

Draft advance: Pats’ Belichick, Pioli put a lot on the offensive line
A history of New England’s selections at the offensive-line and tight-end positions over the last eight years.

04/20/2008

Jim Donaldson: Upcoming draft doesn’t excite Belichick
Most years, any NFL team would be thrilled to have the first pick in the draft.

04/19/2008

Need dictates how Patriots navigate draft
Next weekend’s NFL Draft is the 73rd for the league, and the ninth for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli with the New England Patriots. Since taking over the team in 2000, the Patriots have selected 70 players in the draft, at every position but punter.

04/18/2008

On NFL draft day, Wilfork sets sights on a fundraiser
Embraced by fans as a player who doesn’t put on airs, the Pro Bowler has made battling diabetes, which claimed his father, one of his life’s causes.

04/20/2008

Defensive line could be a priority for the Pats
The NFL Draft, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, is the 73rd for the league, and the ninth for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli with the New England Patriots. Since taking over the team in 2000, the Patriots have selected 70 players in the draft, for every position except punter.

04/21/2008

Pats’ Belichick, Pioli put a lot on the line
A history of New England’s selections at the offensive-line and tight-end positions over the last eight years.

04/19/2008

Need dictates how Patriots navigate draft
Next weekend’s NFL Draft is the 73rd for the league, and the ninth for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli with the New England Patriots. Since taking over the team in 2000, the Patriots have selected 70 players in the draft, at every position but punter. Yet there are some spots on the field that the duo clearly places a higher importance on than others, and chooses accordingly. Over the next few days, we’ll look at New England’s history of picks under Belichick and Pioli, with an emphasis on where they rank in positional importance, and how they’ve worked out.