Building a winner, brick by brick

The Blueprint: How the New England Patriots Beat the System to Create the Last Great NFL Superpower
By Christopher Price
Dunne, 278 pp, illustrated, $24.95

Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery, and My Return to the NFL
By Tedy Bruschi
Wiley, 266 pp., illustrated, $24.95

It may be pure coincidence that these two books are rolling off the presses at the same time, yet there's an undeniable symmetry between them. "The Blueprint" deals with an innovative strategy for football supremacy. "Never Give Up" focuses on a successful personal game plan gone terribly awry. The former, written by Patriot beat writer Christopher Price of the Boston Metro, is a humorous if uneven look at the Patriots, from the Keystone Cop antics of the 1960s and '70s, to the juggernaut they've become under Robert Kraft's ownership and coach Bill Belichick's guidance. The latter, penned by Patriot linebacker Tedy Bruschi with radio show host and former Globe columnist Michael Holley, is a bit more polished and personal, and serves as both a cautionary and inspirational tale.

"The Blueprint" opens with a homespun observation ("No one thought that [the Patriots would be special in 2001], and if any football writers says they did, they're lying.") and quickly develops a tidy snapshot of Belichick ("a dour man") and the "simple set of core beliefs" he relied on to create a model NFL franchise. To illustrate how far the Pats have come, Price regales us with tales of folly from the team's history: from linebacker Steve Kiner frozen in place during a play against Houston in 1973 (Price quotes late Globe columnist Will McDonough: "Edgar Chandler asks him what he is doing. Kiner says he doesn't know, and adds 'I think I better leave the field now.' ") to a wonderful observation on the team's dilapidated Foxborough residence: "For roughly 30 years, Schaefer Stadium . . . was much more than a home for the New England Patriots. It was a metaphor for professional football in New England."

Price's research is thorough, and his storytelling shows a creative flair. But he has an irritating habit of repeating pet clichés, including "mortgaging the future," "in over his head," and "slow slide toward mediocrity," as well as setting up quotes - a gaffe usually corrected in Journalism 101. And at several junctures, he repeats quotes or vignettes, leaving the reader with an odd sense of déjà vu. There are also several conflicts and inconsistencies. For example, Pete Carroll was either the most successful coach in Patriots history, proving how inept the Patriots ownership was in firing him, or a "featherweight" who was too easy on his players, demonstrating the need for Belichick's strong hand to right the ship.

Price also acknowledges the role of serendipity in the Patriots' dynasty, such as the 2001 injury to All-Pro quarterback Drew Bledsoe and the emergence of Tom Brady - who was so lightly regarded that he was the 199th pick in the NFL draft. But Price also gives due credit to Belichick's staff - personnel guru Scott Pioli in particular - for uncovering such gems.

Overall, there is so much good material here that the book's shortcomings seem nothing more than a minor nuisance. "The Blueprint" is like a solid 10-6 squad bound for the playoffs, one that suffered a handful of bumps on the road to a satisfying season. With a first-time author at the helm, it has to be considered a winner, despite its flaws.

Likewise, "Never Give Up" is a triumph, not simply for its storybook ending, but for Bruschi's forthright account of his nightmarish experience as a stroke victim. Unlike the team's brain trust of Belichick and Pioli, Bruschi had no blueprint to follow after he was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital - less than three weeks after celebrating the Patriots' third Super Bowl victory in early 2005 - with a crippling headache, partial loss of his eyesight and coordination, and a hole in his heart.

Bruschi is an articulate athlete, and he and Holley do a fine job of bringing his voice to "Never Give Up," from his fractured childhood in California to his collegiate career at Arizona, and on to the NFL with the Patriots.

One oddity about Bruschi's tale is that the author fails to explore, with any true introspection, the intimately personal decision to return to play. Instead, he frames it within a conversation with his older brother, Tony, who nudges him to return. What's missing is Bruschi's own journey to that point when the thought enters his mind -"I can play." We want to see the grind, the mental and physical effort. Instead, it feels far too convenient.

Still, Bruschi doesn't flinch with regards to detailing the aftermath of that decision. He readily admits it put a strain on his marriage, as his wife, Heidi, was adamant about his retiring, even though doctors had given him medical clearance. There's also the legal wrangling, in which the Patriot ownership made certain to protect the team from liability, somewhat to Bruschi's consternation.

Given Bruschi's reputation as an intelligent player, it's difficult to believe that he hadn't considered the fallout. After all, no one had ever returned to the NFL after suffering a stroke. Perhaps writer Roger Angell's famous assessment of baseball players - "they are what they do" - applies to all elite athletes.

Of course, Bruschi's story is an open-ended book. His goal was to tell his story, and raise awareness about the warning signs of strokes. Much like his comeback, Bruschi succeeds on both counts.

Freelance writer Brion O'Connor can be reached at brion@inspiredink.com.