Mail is delivered

While reading the mailbag this statement stuck out to me, "I do think Vrabel was a good leader to a certain group of players, but I don’t see that as a major issue." I was wondering if you could give more insight into that statement.

Mike,
Love the blog, keep up the great work. Is there anyway you could post the link to the "single page" view? It's a small thing, but it was nice when you would post the link to the full version and it saves an additional click.

Hi Patsfan401. I think a player like Brady is a leader to every player in the room. They see his success, see his work ethic and can't help but follow. Vrabel, to me, was more of a niche leader to the linebackers. I just wouldn't overrate his status as a total team leader. I also think his sharp tongue was an acquired taste to some players. ... Tim, I don't think the single page is an option any more. It looks like it disappeared to me.
--Mike

Mike, is it a slow Pat's mailbag day...if so we're still dealing with C's and B's playoff hangovers.

On another note I was curious about Tyrone McKenzie and his status with the Pats. After reading his background I was sure he was another one of the BB draft gems in the making. Will he get paid this year after suffering the season ending injury?

The single page option is at the bottom of the page. Just to the left of the page numbers.

The trash Mike Vrabel whispers have begun. Funny how that happens everytime a Pats player leaves, isn't it? He's slow, he's not much of a leader, he's got a sharp tongue. Why not say all this stuff about him when he's still here to respond? Could it be because praising him used to fit the Pats company line, and now trashing him does? Just wondering...

The single page link didn't disappear, it just got moved further down, next to the page number links! I was thrown off by that at first as well.

I have to agree with Max. We all said Vrable was one of the best leaders in Pats history, now you are saying some people didn't care for his sharp tongue? What gives. When Bruschi retires it will come out that the locker room couldn't stand him I bet.

Seems to be a negative feel to the phrase "sharp tongue". Maybe people would prefer "wit" or "dry sense of humor"?

Its human nature that every single person isn't going to get along with each other in a given environment. So while Vrabel's sense of humor was probably appreciated by many/most of the other 60+ men in the locker room, odds are there were at least a handful who didn't care for it and would rather put their heads down and go to work. Its not a big deal, really.

There are plenty of leaders in the Patriots locker room, what we need are quick, reasonably priced defenders who can make plays out there. Do we have them? I can't wait to find out.

Hi Maximbob, I think that is a bit unfair to take that one remark and say that. As I wrote in the mailbag, I said that I can't do the revisionist history thing and I would have kept Vrabel. Everything I wrote here, I have said in the past. Canpatsfan, I never said Vrabel was one of the best leaders in Pats history. I respect the way he plays the game, and as I wrote in the mailbag, I would have kept him on the team. I am not trashing him as a player. I also wouldn't say that Bruschi is one of the best leaders in Pats history.
--Mike

Hey Mike, I don't understand why a team has to cut a guy before putting him on the practice squad? If a team drafts a player, shouldn't they have the right to put him on the practice squad without the risk of another team swooping him up?