CHANDLER, Ariz. -- It might just be a technical issue, but it'd probably be a better story if it were some Seattle-based gamesmanship scheme leading up to Super Bowl XLIX.
One thing that the fire alarms that have been going off in the early morning hours at the Patriots team hotel in Arizona won't be is an issue for the players as they prepare for the biggest game in all of sports.
While it's true that fire alarms have gone off at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass in two of the last three nights, the alarms have been in a portion of the hotel that has not allowed it to be a nuisance leading up to Super Sunday.
It may have been an issue for some guests and even team non-football staffers at the hotel, but it's been a non-issue for the players themselves.
"If there has, I haven't heard it," Tom Brady said in his Thursday morning press conference. "I've been sleeping through it. So that's good."
"I have no clue about any fire alarms," cornerback Darrelle Revis said.
Brady's hot and cold
In his final meeting with the media of the week, Brady also once again put to rest the concerns surrounding his health. Though he admits he's been dealing with a cold that's made its way through his family, the Patriots quarterback took all his normal reps during Wednesday's practice and has proclaimed that he'll be ready to go on Sunday evening.
"I feel pretty good," Brady said, though he's clearly not at full health right now. "It was a good day to go out there and run around yesterday, practice. Just good to be on the field."
"I think I've been through it plenty of times. I'm glad I had it early in the week. I'm feeling a lot better. I'll be 100 percent on Sunday. I'll be ready to go."
Develin's development
James Develin isn't atop the list of top Patriots playmakers that might include Brady, Rob Gronkowski or Revis. But that doesn't mean the former practice squader can't have an impact on Sunday's battle with the dominant Seahawks defense.
Develin has come a long way in New England and his work is the type of behind-the-scenes story that helps give a team an intangible boost on its way to ultimate success.
"James is really a tough kid," Bill Belichick said of his fullback. "Good blocker. Helps in the kicking game. Smart. Doesn't need a lot of reps. Durable and tough. There every day. Great effort and team player. You know what you're going to get from him seven days a week and 365 days a year."
As he's said before, Brady praised his role-playing back as one of the best at his position in the game today.
"I love James. I think he's the best fullback in the league," Brady said. "He doesn't get a lot of credit for it because he doesn't get as much opportunity. But every time we call on him he delivers. It's either great runs or great catches. He brings a lot of toughness to our team. He's a great blocker. He takes a lot of pride in that. I know the halfbacks are confident when he leads through the hole. Hopefully he'll get some opportunities on Sunday and hopefully we'll make the most of them."
Brady wasn't the only one who alluded to the possibility that Develin might have an impact in Super Bowl XLIX. Running backs coach Ivan Fears had an intriguing response when asked, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, if the team had just scratched the surface of the fullback's potential abilities.
"Let's put it this way…talk to me after the game," Fears said with a smile.
Manning's happy return?
A year ago Peyton Manning led the Broncos to a Super Bowl matchup with the Seahawks. Since then the Denver signal-caller and longtime Brady rival has dealt with injuries and seemingly fading arm strength that has put his future in doubt.
Asked about Manning, Brady made it clear he hopes he hasn't seen the last of his historic battles between the two best passers of this era.
"He's a great layer and been great for this league. He's a great competitor and I've been fortunate to play against him a bunch of times. I certainly hope he comes back because the league will miss him if he doesn't," Brady said.
Seau HOF supporters
Former Patriots, Dolphins and longtime chargers linebacker Junior Seau is one of the finalists up for debate for this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Those 15 guys will be presented and debated by PFWA writers this weekend in Phoenix, but the message out of New England from the late playmaker's former coach and quarterback teammate is that Seau is a shoo-in.
"It's obviously got to happen," Belichick said of Seau's possible election on Saturday. "I can't imagine having a Professional Football Hall of Fame without Junior Seau in it."
Belichick didn't get to coach the former Defensive Player of the Year until late in the linebacker's career, but Seau left a clear mark on the Patriots.
"I'd say the one word that comes to me about Junior is passion," Belichick said. "He's a very passionate guy. He has a lot of energy. Lot of enthusiasm. Great team player. Very supportive of his teammates. Everybody in the locker room loved Junior. They loved what he did and they loved the way he interacted with the team. He was a great player. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach him. We had great experiences together. Obviously it was late in his career so things were a little different than when he was in San Diego and so forth. I personally had a very good relationship with Junior. I loved coaching him. He always expressed how much he enjoyed playing for the New England Patriots. And that meant a lot to me."
Brady also assumed Seau's election was a foregone conclusion.
"I have no doubt he'll be elected. If he can't make it nobody can," Brady said, himself a future lock for Canton. "He's really one of a kind and it was a privilege to play with him.
"He was phenomenal player, teammate, friend. His attitude was infectious. He brought an entusiam every day to practice. You'd show up in the weight room and he'd be the fisrt person there at 6 in the morning. He had a love for life. He's missed by all of his family and friends and certainly me and all the guys that had a chance to be around him. He was a special person."
Notes
The Patriots once again are practicing Thursday afternoon the Cardinals practice facility. … Belichick will hold a formal press conference at the NFL Media Center on Friday morning, a photo opportunity that will also include the Lombardi Trophy. … Thursday afternoon will be another injury report and pool report from practice. Each will be posted on Patriots.com when they become available.
