Faulk steps up to plate, addresses legal trouble

KEVIN FAULK He's like Belichick

BROCKTON - With the backdrop of a beautiful baseball diamond nearby, Patriots running back Kevin Faulk stepped to the plate and knew what pitch was coming.

Although he would have preferred to speak about the charity softball game he is promoting at Campanelli Stadium, or his reflections on the Patriots' remarkable 2007 season, there was another important issue to address - his misdemeanor summons for possession of marijuana in February.

Faulk said it was a regrettable incident on a night he was attending a Lil Wayne concert in Louisiana, although he reiterated the marijuana was not his, and he did not smoke it. When he was searched, Faulk said he was wearing a jacket that was not his.

"The only comment I have on it is that I take total responsibility for what happened to me," said the 31-year-old Faulk, one of the Patriots' seven captains last season.

"I knew there were going to be a lot of questions as to why I didn't comment on it, but I was always taught actions speak louder than words, so my reaction was to just go and take a drug test. I didn't have to say anything after that."

Faulk said yesterday he passed the test, although he could still face formal charges.

Captain John Babin of the Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force had said Faulk was cooperative after he had been found with four hand-rolled cigars filled with marijuana. Babin described the amount as "a couple of grams, probably."

The report of Faulk's citation has been forwarded to the District Attorney's office, which has up to two years to file formal charges, according to Casey Broussard, the deputy clerk in the 15th Judicial Court, which serves Lafayette Parish. Most often, it takes 2-3 months to file them, Broussard said.

It is not known if the DA's office plans to file the charges; a clerk at the office did not return a phone message yesterday.

Faulk has remained a regular participant in the Patriots' offseason program, which concludes its second week today. He indicated there has been little time for anyone to look back at the team's disappointing Super Bowl loss.

"Obviously, we didn't play our best football that day and the best team won. That's how you have to look at it," he said.

"The best thing about it is that you get to come back next year and try to do it again."

Faulk also relayed a conversation he had with coach Bill Belichick.

"Since I've been with Coach so long, you kind of have a personal relationship with him, and I asked him how he was doing, with the loss and the game and everything," he said. "He's just like me. You think about it for about a week or so, but at the same time you have to think about building the team up for this year. You can't think about last year right now."

Entering his 10th season and coming off arguably the best year of his career, Faulk returned to the offseason program healthy despite logging more playing time than any Patriots running back last season. It marked the first time since 2000 that Faulk went the entire season without missing a game, and he finished with 47 receptions for 383 yards and a touchdown, contributing 62 carries for 265 yards.

He hopes the work he's putting in now helps him duplicate the feat. With receiver Troy Brown not expected back, Faulk will be second on the team in tenure, behind only linebacker Tedy Bruschi (13 seasons).

Sometimes it's hard for Faulk to believe he's entering his 10th season. New England has become his second home, right after Louisiana, which is why his charity softball game May 17 will benefit the United Way in both areas.

"It's something that you cherish," Faulk said of his career. "You think about the memories and how time flies when you're having fun."

The Patriots' four preseason opponents have been finalized. The team will host the Ravens on the first weekend (Aug. 7-11) and Eagles the third weekend (Aug. 21-25). The team has road games against the Buccaneers (Aug. 17) and Giants (Aug. 28-29). Only the date of the Buccaneers' game is solidified; the game will be broadcast on the NFL Network at 8 p.m. The dates and times of the remaining three games will be finalized later in the offseason.

Christopher L. Gasper contributed to this report. Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.