Belichick won't play that game
Coach refuses to fire back at Ryan
FOXBOROUGH - If new Jets coach Rex Ryan, who said last week in a radio interview, "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings," was hoping to engage the Patriots' laconic coach in a war of words, he failed.
Belichick, speaking yesterday during the first day of the team's three-day mandatory minicamp, wouldn't take the bait when asked about the comments made by the former Baltimore defensive coordinator.
"I have a lot of respect for Rex," said Belichick. "What he did in Baltimore - the defense his team has played. We've always had great battles with the Jets, so I'm sure that will continue. It's a good rivalry. They beat us up here last year. They kind of got the last punch in on that one, so we will have to . . . It's a new year. Right now, we are more focused on Buffalo than any other team in the division because we open with them, but we know we are going to have to deal with Miami and the Jets as well, and we have a lot of respect for all those teams."
On Tuesday, Ryan was asked about his comments and didn't backtrack when asked if he was worried he'd given the Patriots additional motivation.
"If that is motivation, if that's going to give them an edge or something like that, if they need that, that's fine," said Ryan. "They're going to get 100 percent of what we have, so we'll see if that's good enough or not. Again, the thing with Belichick, my comment about him is that realistically I'm not going to concede anything. Do I recognize the fact that Belichick is a heck of a coach? Absolutely. My thing is that I'm not intimidated by him or anyone else in this business, period. And I don't care who it is. Our football team certainly isn't going to be intimidated either. If there are some issues with that, then so be it."
The Patriots and Jets play for the first time this season Sept. 20 at Giants Stadium.
Ryan isn't singling out the Patriots. He also has engaged in a verbal joust with Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder.
"I'm just really trying to come back, it's just doing all I can to come back full speed when it's time to come back [in late July]," Thomas said when asked if he was over the hump with his injury. "Right now, I feel good."
Asked if he was pleased with the progress with his forearm, Thomas answered vaguely.
"It's still June, so it's not like you're out here banging heads or anything like that," he said. "You're just trying to come out here, communicate, and get your feel for a lot of stuff down."
Nance, who died in 1992 at 49, played for the Patriots from 1965-71 and led the AFL in rushing in 1966 and 1967. He ranks second on the team's all-time rushing list with 5,323 yards.
Patriots legend Gino Cappelletti, who played with all three nominees, said they were all deserving of the honor.
"Jim Nance really stood out, and he made us a better team in those early critical years," said Cappelletti, a member of the Patriots Hall of Fame.
"I am glad that the fans selected Jim Nance for this honor," said team owner Robert Kraft. "Like so many others, he was one of the reasons I became a Patriots fan."
Taylor had not participated in organized team activities in his last four seasons in Jacksonville, but was a regular participant in the Patriots' OTAs this year while taking part in his first minicamp practice yesterday.
His first impressions of the way the Patriots conduct their business? "They operate like a team should," he responded. "The leaders lead. They don't play around. They get it done."
