PHOENIX - When Tom Brady and Jay Feely first became pals, Brady was working his way up the University of Michigan quarterback depth chart and Feely was a wet-behind-the-ears kicker.
That no-frills beginning has given Feely a different view of the Patriots quarterback's rise to stardom.
"It's funny for me to watch everything and hear the talk about 'the greatest ever' and I just remember the guy who sat with me in Jon Runyan's place we rented, watching the Summer Olympics, making pancakes," said Feely, who now kicks for the Miami Dolphins and is in town for the Super Bowl working for ESPN.
Brady was in Feely's wedding party in 2001 and the two remain tight. Feely always predicted great things for one of his best friends.
"He has a magnetic personality and people are drawn to him," Feely said. "I always thought that was his greatest asset.
"I think when he got elevated into a starting role, that's what galvanized that team and brought everyone together - his personality and his willingness to reach out, grab a rookie and play backgammon with him. That's the type of friend he is."
Feely does not think Brady's ankle injury is serious - "if he was really hurt, he would have stayed in Boston and gotten treatment" - and joked that his wedding pictures have become hot commodities among family members.
"Those are now prized possessions for the bridesmaids, who got to take pictures with him," Feely said. "All my nieces have pictures of Tom Brady up on their dressers."
Ogden undecided
Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden, in town working for a Baltimore-based radio show, remains undecided as to whether he will return for a 13th season in 2008.He hopes to have a decision by March, or, at the very latest, by the draft.
"For me, it's primarily my health," said Ogden, a perennial Pro Bowler who has played in 177 regular-season games, with 176 starts. "If my [hyperextended] toe feels OK, I'll think about giving it a shot again. If not, it won't happen. That takes a little more time."
Another wrinkle to the decision is the Ravens' state of transition. Brian Billick is out after nine years as coach. John Harbaugh is in. Ogden said he is not sure whether he's part of the new regime's plans, but it would be hard to imagine they wouldn't want him.
"Any time you go 5-11, you have to look at a change, and I think change is good in this league," Ogden said. "I think it's going to make the team better in the long run.
"Some of the guys weren't buying into what was going on there. When you change coaches, everyone has to be on their toes, and everyone has to get out of that comfort level. I think that's going to be good for the team in the long run. This year, I don't know. But in the long run, I think it will be."
Uneven Stephen?
Feely has been impressed with Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski but believes he's been put in a tough spot because of a lack of work."When we played New England at the end of the season, we talked about it and I asked him, 'Why aren't they letting you kick a little to let you get in a rhythm going into the playoffs?' " Feely said.
"They've been going for it on fourth down, that's been the philosophy this year, but I think that's kind of hurt him a little bit. We saw the missed kick against San Diego [in the AFC Championship game]. When you can't get into a rhythm, I think that hurts you when you get into pressure situations.
"It will be interesting to see if it gets into a situation like that how he handles it. I think that's a good story line for this Super Bowl."
Whipple is now an Eagle
Former UMass coach Mark Whipple - who was out of the league for one year after serving as Steelers quarterbacks coach - hooked on as an offensive assistant with the Eagles. "I've kind of followed Mark's career," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He started off at New Haven, went to Brown University where he kind of brought football back to Brown and then went to the University of Massachusetts and goes in there and wins a national championship. Bill Cowher and I talked about him last year when I thought maybe I would lose [quarterbacks coach] Pat [Shurmur] about maybe coming in and working with the quarterbacks and Bill told me that, when he came back [to the NFL to be a head coach], that would be the first guy that he would hire. I said, 'Wow, I've got to really look at this guy.' "Ravens re-sign Ryan
The Ravens re-signed defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to a three-year deal . . . The NFL will honor late coaching legend Bill Walsh during the Super Bowl. Walsh's son, Craig, will participate in the opening coin toss with former 49ers captains Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young . . . The league also will honor Super Bowl XXII Most Valuable Player Doug Williams at the game. Williams quarterbacked the Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Broncos 20 years ago. He currently is an executive with the Buccaneers . . . NFL players spotted on Radio Row: Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Michael Irvin, Marcus Allen, and Rodney Peete also were making the rounds . . . Former Bengals and Buccaneers coach Sam Wyche is in town; he's writing a novel that will tap into his football past . . . Former Patriots great Andre Tippett conducted interviews with various radio stations as he looks to build some momentum for his Hall of Fame candidacy.Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.
