If the Florida Gators repeat as college basketball's national champions, they may have to thank Bill Belichick. The Patriots head coach, in Gainesville recently to work out some football prospects, gave the team a motivational speech at the request of Florida's head coach, Billy Donovan. According to a Florida Times-Union article, Belichick found a unique way to get his point across.
Back in Boston, linebacker Tedy Bruschi took a timeout from offseason workouts to appear on a local radio show. Suffice it to say that the former University of Arizona product is working hard toward a return to the desert for Super Bowl XLII. Read all about Bruschi's radio chat in today's Boston Herald. The paper also identifies a free agent linebacker who, according to a source, is still a possible target of the Patriots.
Elsewhere around New England, the Sun Chronicle looks ahead to where the Pats may go next in free agency and the Draft. And in New Hampshire, Patriots representatives were on hand to get a look at some UNH players, including record-setting wide receiver David Ball.
Nationally, NFL.com has released another Mock Draft, this one showing New England trading one of its first round picks to get back-to-back selections. ESPN.com also examines the Patriots free agent and Draft needs in an *On the Clock* feature.
Meanwhile...
"Belichick is great at knowing what a player's value is. He works very well with Pioli and the ownership. The Patriots fit together nicely. I can't imagine that would have happened with the Jets."
...and...
"I've been saying it for years, the worst thing the Jets ever did was hire Parcells because they lost out on Belichick."
That's a sample of some of the fan responses to ESPN.com's What If question this week: What if Bill Belichick had become coach of the Jets? The answers are somwhat comical, and if you like, you can add your own two cents to the hypothetical argument.
