Tippett talks Hall of Fame

Former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett just held a conference call with the national media leading up to his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 2.

One of the topics that came up was Tippett's feeling about playing at a high level, but for a losing franchise toward the end of his career (1982-1993).

"It was kind of frustrating, because we had become the laughingstock a little bit," he said. "I kind of grew up in the league and you saw things like that happen. I can remember back in the early 80s, you were always threatened to get traded to Green Bay at the time. Green Bay was awful in the early 80s, but look what happened to those guys [since]. It's the evolution of the National Football League, that franchises going through those type of things eventually get back on track. Look at us, we're a prime example of that. We went from the outhouse to the penthouse, and it's pretty cool."

Tippett pointed out that his first-ever trip to the Hall of Fame came in 1986 when the Patriots played in the preseason Hall of Fame Game. The club beat the St. Louis Cardinals that day, 21-16. Tippett said his second trip to the Hall came this year; in his present role as executive director of community affairs, Tippett brought the team's rookies to Canton to tour the Hall.

"Comparing it from '86 to now, the place is amazing. When you go through there, you talk about history -- and if you have your history, you know your history, and respect history and the people who came before you -- you have nothing but respect as you walk through the place and you see the evolution of this game and how it's changed. It really, truly is a great place.

"I kind of equate this place ... I love golf, and I have seen the Masters. I recently received my [Hall of Fame] jacket and my wife [Rhonda] was laughing at it. I said 'You know, this looks like a Masters jacket. It doesn't cost a lot of money to get it, but this is priceless.' I think going through the Hall of Fame for me, as a new inductee, is priceless. I'm just honored to be part of this."