Seeing the awful news on David Patten this morning. One of the underrated members of the first three Patriots' title teams, and a guy who was always really enjoyable to cover.
He was always smart and insightful, with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. I always thought the fact that he had been around football and had some perspective made him appreciate the ’01 title in ways that some guys couldn’t.
Always had a crazy amount of respect for him. Guy made it from the Arena League to the Super Bowl. How can you not be impressed with that? The guy carried 75-pound bags of coffee beans around a factory to make a living before joining the Albany Firebirds. I mean, come on.
A dependable target who seemingly always did the right thing, even when he was knocked out along the sideline in Buffalo in ’01. Oof.
One other thing: Patten was a *huuuuge* fan of Madden. As a young reporter, you’re always looking to make some sort of off-field connection with someone you cover. When I learned that he played it all the time, it was a great source of conversation for us in the locker room.
Always struck by this quote: “Undersized out of Columbia, South Carolina, a small I-AA school, undrafted, working in the coffee bean factory, electrician's work, landscaper…
who'd have thought that 15 years later, I'd have 12 years in the NFL, three championships and so many memories?” (That was from his retirement in '10.)
THAT is perspective.
Best to him and his family.
-30-
THAT is perspective.
Best to him and his family.
-30-
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