WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK…

I don’t care if it’s only a rumor. I don’t care if it has no validity. If there’s any shred of evidence that it could happen, I want it to happen. Doug Flutie was released by the San Diego Chargers and the Patriots are looking for a veteran back-up quarterback. How can this match made in heaven not happen?

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com throws this out: Flutie may look at the possible of going to the New England Patriots as a backup. Other possibilities include going into broadcasting or just simply retiring. Doug, let me be the first to say: WELCOME BACK.

Let’s take a look-see at the imaginary Patriots checklist for a veteran back-up to pair with untested Rohan Davy to back-up Tom Brady:
Cheap – Flutie will likely play for the veteran’s minimum.
Still has something left in the tank – Flutie is a modern healthy specimen of timeless physical proportions comparable to Julio Franco of the Atlanta Braves.
Smart – Well, he said Rob Johnson was a turd, so that was pretty insightful and intelligent.
Upstanding member of the community & locker room presence – Duh.
Content to be a back-up – Well, he sat behind Drew Brees before Brees became a competent QB.

For the PR, for the team, for Brady’s development: it all makes too much sense. Call him up, Scott Pioli. Welcome him home with open arms, Bill Belichick. Doug, we’re sorry about the whole Tony Eason/Raymond Berry fiasco of the late 1980’s—you were vindicated and they were humiliated. Come back to Boston in the springtime.

* * *

Rumor has it Ty Law is visiting the Pittsburg Steelers. As if I didn’t have reason enough to hate the Steelers.

* * *

I was reading about all these free agent signings and I can’t believe that the Patriots model of building a football team has been completely ignored by the other thirty-one teams. Being a Patriots fan right now feels like that smart feeling you get from being aligned with the smart kid in the class so you can be sure that an A is coming your way (see: being Brigham’s lab partner or at least sitting next to him or Greg in class).

Seriously, what is wrong with these teams? Mediocre players are getting paid huge signing bonuses. Fred Smoot, Ken Lucas and Anthony Henry are not all-star cornerbacks. But they’re getting these ridiculous $6 million signing bonuses and 6 year, $36 million dollar contracts. Chike Okeafor gets 5 years at $25 million? Chike Okeafor sounds like an Ent like Treebeard from Lord of the Rings. He’s good, but he’s fighting Rodney Bailey and Jarvis Green for playing time as a back-up if he were playing for the Patriots.

I get sick reading about these contracts. In Bill We Trust! (Belichick, not Chazer.)

* * *

The best story out of the NFL is the recent release of the PBP funding dollars, also known as the pay for play. This is money set aside in the last basic agreement from league revenues to reward players whose play exceeds their pay. For example Randall Gay of the Patriots, as an undrafted free agent playing for the rookie minimum, received a bonus check from the NFL for $145,000. Chump change to Ty Law, but that’s almost as much as he made last season, not counting play-off money which also probably doubled his salary. Dan Koppen also made the list with a bonus of $135,000 as a 5th round pick playing for close to league minimum. All leagues should copy this formula. These are the guys that deserve the money. They don’t get the big contracts, the big signing bonuses, and they’re lucky to be playing at all considering the tough road to the NFL for most of them.

* * *

Comments