Highlights
The New England Patriots are a professional football team that has enjoyed varying degrees of success throughout its checkered history. Under owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots won three Super Bowls during a four-year period (2001-04). The team originated when Boston businessman William H. "Billy" Sullivan Jr. was awarded the eighth and final franchise in the upstart American Football League on Nov. 16, 1959. Originally known as the Boston Patriots, the team played home games at several venues during the 1960s, including six years at Fenway Park. The Patriots were one of 10 AFL teams that joined the NFL when the two leagues merged on Feb. 1, 1970. The following year, t...
The New England Patriots are a professional football team that has enjoyed varying degrees of success throughout its checkered history. Under owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots won three Super Bowls during a four-year period (2001-04). The team originated when Boston businessman William H. "Billy" Sullivan Jr. was awarded the eighth and final franchise in the upstart American Football League on Nov. 16, 1959. Originally known as the Boston Patriots, the team played home games at several venues during the 1960s, including six years at Fenway Park. The Patriots were one of 10 AFL teams that joined the NFL when the two leagues merged on Feb. 1, 1970. The following year, the team was renamed the New England Patriots and started playing home games at newly built Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The venue would be renamed twice, first as Sullivan Stadium (1983-89) in honor of the man who founded the franchise and later as Foxboro Stadium (1990-2001) after Sullivan sold the team to Victor Kiam, owner and CEO of Remington Products in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1988. In 1992, Kiam sold the controlling interest of the team to James Orthwein. The ownership changed hands two years later when Kraft, who strategically purchased Sullivan Stadium in November 1988 with the hopes of buying the team some day, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he became the fourth owner in Patriots history on Feb. 25, 1994. The following day fans responded to the sale by purchasing nearly 6,000 season tickets, a single-day sales record at the time. The Patriots have come a long way. At his introductory press conference as head coach in 1969, Clive Rush was shocked, literally, when he grabbed a microphone that wasn't grounded and received a jolt. With the team headed to the postseason in 1978, fans were stunned to learn that coach Chuck Fairbanks had accepted a job to be the University of Colorado coach. The team suspended Fairbanks for the final game of the regular season but reinstated him for the playoffs and the Patriots played like a distracted team in a 34-14 loss to Houston. In 1985, the Patriots won three playoff games on the road for the team's first trip to the Super Bowl. Days after getting hammered by the Bears 46-10, six Patriots players were identified as drug users. The next time the Patriots played in the Super Bowl, there was more dysfunction. A power struggle between coach Bill Parcels and Kraft resulted in Parcells quitting shortly after a 35-21 loss to the Packers. He was replaced by Pete Carroll, who lasted three seasons. The Belichick era began in 2000 and coincided with the opening of Gillette Stadium two years later. In Belichick's first eight seasons, the team won the AFC East six times and three world championships with Tom Brady as quarterback.
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Opportunity is special one
Brendon Ayanbadejo could have been happy staying in Chicago, where fans knew his name and recognized his value on the Bears' special teams. He could have been comfortable in New York, too, where the Jets told him he would simply hang out with punters and...Tags: Brendon Ayanbadejo, Super Bowl, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Canadian Football
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Giants kick off Super Bowl defense with win
The Associated PressThe New York Giants kicked off their Super Bowl title defense with what else -- defense. Playing without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the defense limited the new-look Washington Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and...Tags: New York Giants, Super Bowl, Lawrence Tynes, Joe Gibbs, Multi-Sport Events
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Giants beat 'Skins, 16-7
Associated PressPlaying without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, New York's defense limited the Washington Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards and gave indications that the Giants are back for another Super Bowl run in a 16-7 victory last...Tags: New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Super Bowl, Michael Strahan, Eli Manning
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Calling Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis' inner voice - the one that differentiates a simple run off tackle from a play-action fake - just got a little company.
As the middle linebacker of the Ravens' vaunted defense, Lewis is the recipient of a radio helmet that transmits defensive...Tags: New York Jets, National Football League, Radio, Ray Lewis
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Giants Open Title Defense With Victory
Courant Staff WriterIn the first game of their championship defense, the Giants emerged for 2008 looking not like a one-year-wonder but much like the team that stirred the country and shocked the world in February. Their offense dominated the first 28 minutes, their defense...Tags: New York Giants, Super Bowl, Lawrence Tynes, Multi-Sport Events, Antonio Pierce
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Federer in semis -- again
Roger Federer edged 130th-ranked qualifier Gilles Muller 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (5) at the U.S. Open on Thursday to reach the semifinals for the 18th consecutive Grand Slam tournament. It was Federer's 32nd victory in a row at Flushing Meadows, where he has...Tags: Philadelphia Phillies, Tony Stewart, U.S. Open Golf, Super Bowl, Joe Gibbs
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Skins feeling blue
The regular-season coaching debut of Jim Zorn wasn't the elixir that the Washington Redskins sought against a Super Bowl-winning defense.
Playing without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the New York Giants limited the new-look...Tags: New York Giants, FedEx Corporation, Shawn Springs, Super Bowl, Joe Gibbs
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Eli, not Favre, is No. 1 in town
wallace.matthews@newsday.comEli Manning is no better than the third-best player on his own offense. Plaxico Burress, with his hands of Velcro and nerves of steel, is surely better, as is Brandon Jacobs, a snorting bull in helmet and shoulder pads. And yet, Manning is the No. 1...Tags: New York Mets, Brett Favre, New York Giants, Super Bowl, Joe Namath
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Crowder leads sound defense
South Florida Sun-SentinelIf Dolphins middle linebacker Channing Crowder is seen smacking his helmet during Sunday's season opener against the Jets, it probably won't be because he's trying to regain his senses after a violent collision. It's more likely that Crowder will be...Tags: Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Radio, Eric Mangini
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Defensive Giants pound on 'Skins
Wire reportsThe New York Giants kicked off their Super Bowl title defense with what else — defense. Playing without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the defense limited the new-look Washington Redskins to 11 first downs and 209 total yards...Tags: Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Willie Anderson, New York Giants, Assault
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Giants follow familiar script
Associated PressEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants won the Super Bowl with defense and they kicked off defense of that title with more of the same. Playing without Pro Bowl linemen Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, New York limited the new-look...Tags: New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Super Bowl, Michael Strahan, Eli Manning
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Brady Off Injury Report
For the first time since the 2005 Super Bowl, Tom Brady was not listed on a Patriots practice participation or injury report Thursday, a sign that he is ready to start Sunday's season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. The quarterback, last season'...Tags: Tom Brady, Super Bowl, New York Jets, National Football League, Injuries
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