Hollywood Donahoe

Bouncing around between the Pats-related threads here and three Patriots boards. New England hardly ever gets this involved in free agency this early, so I've been going everywhere looking for fresh info and insight.

Yeah, I've heard about that. Too funny. It's typical Borges - being an actual journalist is apparently too much work for him, so he resorts to smear campaigns, hit pieces, and plagiarism.

I heard that the NFL Network reported that the Patriots offered a 3rd. Something tells me the Packers will offer more.

Earlier in this thread, I called Thomas' contract front loaded. Just to correct myself, the contract is actually pretty back loaded according to Peter King:

Yeah. It is. I always hear it as Belichick and Brady. I'm really not even sure what you're arguing anymore. In any event, it seems to simply be the deranged ranting of someone who's in denial over the fact that the Patriots got significantly better this weekend, and still have two 1st round picks in the upcoming draft. The foolish prognostications of the Pats' demise made by you and your ilk are looking worse by the day. I realize that's tough to handle, but when you deny reality, it only serves to make you seem foolish.

Bingo.

Again, idiotic comparison. The Patriots have won the AFC in 5 of the 6 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING years. Absurd. You're focusing on one old unit and ignoring everything else. The Patriots' OLs and DLs are very young and very good, and both are signed for several more years. Championship teams are frequently built from the lines out, so the Patriots' future looks incredibly bright. It's a crapshoot every year. The Pats have been pretty successful with it, though. Thomas helps us get better. Frankly, I'd rather add a very good 29-year-old than a crappy 25-year-old. Perhaps the issue should become why you're so obsessed with age. Which is why the Pats went out and got a LB who runs well. Is any of this getting through? Or is your hatred toward the Patriots so strong that you'll just believe what you want no matter what anyone says?

History isn't everything, but it is relevant. This is undeniable. Well, it's a front-loaded 5 year deal, so he'll probably be with the Patriots 3 years minimum. Given that he's a relatively fresh 29 (hasn't been a starter for long), I imagine he'll hold up well until 33, at least. There's this big event coming up at the end of April. You might want to check it out. The Pats' LB troubles last year came mostly against the pass.

Yeah, I'm sure the Pats are beating themselves up over the fact that they're continuing the tactics that have won them 5 AFC East tiles and 3 Super Bowls in the past 6 years. Do you think that might be why they signed a LB so athletic that he plays CB and S sometimes?

What names? I called the comparison idiotic, not you. Dude, did you miss the part where I noted the 8 year age difference between Thomas and Seau? You're the one lying to yourself, attempting to spin the Patriots' flurry of free agent activity into a negative. The reality is that they've filled holes with good players. That's what good front offices do.

What an idiotic comparison. Seau was 37 when the Pats signed him. Thomas is 29.

What is it with you an predictions? Not everyone is constantly concerned with what's going to happen in the future. To (sort of) answer your questions, though, the Patriots, as of now, have to be considered on of the top three teams in the AFC (along with Indianapolis and San Diego). In all likelihood, they will be in contention for a Super Bowl all year. There are no guarantees in sports, though.

Yet Borges ignores that Belichick - who just decided Thomas was worth a huge contract - is also terrific at assessing defensive talent. It's a biased hit piece, plain and simple. It's what Borges does.

Back in '01-'02, Ron Borges predicted the Patriots would lose Super Bowl 36 by a score of 73-0. This kind of crap is his speciality. He's a laughingstock because he always plays the pessimist, and he's always WRONG. MBD...are you him?

The Pats were rumored to have been considering a poison pill in that offer. I would imagine that's why it's so long and so pricey. In reality, it's probably much more reasonable.

He's probably not. The Patriots probably attached a poison pill to the contract. In all likelihood, much of that dollar figure would only kick in if Welker plays a certain specified amount of games in the state of Florida. In any event, is $5.5 million a year really that much in this crazy market?

The Pats' offer to Welker will apparently be $38.5 million over 7 years. That definitely sounds poison pilled.

Adam Schefter of the NFL Network is reporting that the numbers as $37.5 million over 5 years. No word on the guaranteed money, but he does note that Thomas will receive $24 million in the contract's first three years.

29 (He'll turn 30 in August). The only thing I've heard on contract length is a Boston reporter's guess that it will be a six year deal.

Actually, I am of the opinion that the Patriots are acting just like themselves. Here is a post I made on a Pats board: "This offseason has been classic BB/Pioli so far. Every move has been centered around filling a need with an appropriate player: - We get toasted in the second half of the AFCC game because of our lack of LBs who can cover, so we sign a LB athletic enough to play CB and S. - We lose our best blocking TE, so we sign a TE who's like an extra OT when he's on the field. - We lose our complement to Maroney, but also want Maroney to assume a bigger role next year, so we sign a capable back who won't mind taking a back seat to the kid. - Our quick slot WR/PR/jack of all trades is on the verge of retirement, so we're considering signing his 10-year-younger equivalent. All of these moves make PERFECT SENSE. That's really all you can ask for." The beauty of the Patriots FO is that they have a vision of what they want their team to be like, and they will use every avenue to get there - high-priced free agency, bargain-basement free agency, the draft, post-June 1st free agency. They reassess every year which is the best path of pursuit.

I agree, but I wouldn't blame the league. It's the union that's preventing an end to the practice.

Something along the same lines, I imagine. Not $49 million, mind you, but a clause that guarantees all his salaries or calls for large option or roster bonuses if the Dolphins were to match.

According to PFT (I know, I know...) the NFL and the NFLPA negotiated the elimination of poison pills after the Hutchinson/Burleson scenario, but nothing was agreed to. Thus, they are still legal.

Word is the Pats are considering a geographical poison pill along the lines of the those used by Minnesota and Seattle when signing Steve Hutchinson and Nate Burleson, respectively. Now here's a prediction I hope you get right.