New England Patriots quarter back Tom Brady had a record setting season last year and was undoubtedly the best quarterback in the league.  The player is 31 years old but still in his prime form and fitness. It’s been nine years since Brady started playing for the Patriots and is now the fourth senior most player at the club. Brady said that he was expecting tough competition from the likes of Brett Favre and Chad Pennington. He also announced that the team was shaping up well and seemed better prepared than last season. Patriots had won 18 straight games last season before succumbing to a heart breaking 17-14 loss to the New York Giants.

The New England Patriots dream of making it to the NFL final stages this season received a very early jolt as the team lost their opening exhibition game against the Baltimore Ravens at the Gillette Stadium last Thursday night. Tom Brady, their in form player, was not able to play in the 16-15 loss game to the Baltimore Ravens. It was the rookie players like O’Connell who outclassed the experienced players of the Patriots tam on Thursday and the Patriots will have to get their act very quickly in order to feel confident entering into the new season. The Patriots fans who had already bought tickets to the season opener game are a disappointed lot after this defeat. 

The famed linebacker of the New England Patriots team, Andre Tippett, will finally get a chance to be in the prestigious Canton in Ohio as he has been selected as the tenth Patriot to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame. Tippett is very excited about the prospect of earning a spot in the Hall of Fame and is happy that his dream has come through. Tippett, who has only played for the Patriots throughout his NFL career, had to wait for ten long years to get voted into the Hall of Fame. There is no doubt that many Tippett’s will be mushrooming form the Patriots camp and the fans with tickets to the forthcoming NFL season hopes that they will find another Hall of Famer this season. 

The New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who will be featuring in his seventh NFL season for the Patriots this year, has been taken off from the physically unable to perform list and has joined his patriot teammates during the evening practice session on Tuesday. Harrison was pretty happy to be in the thick of things again and is hoping to make it big this time around. Rodney Harrison played college football for the Western Illinois University for three years from 1991 to 1993 and has recorded a career high of 345 tackles. His NFL career began with San Diego Chargers in the year 1994 and was with the team till 2002. Then he was traded to New England Patriots and proved his worth in the year 2004. The Patriots fans are rushing to book their tickets in advance in a bid to watch this safety in action.

The New England Patriots are gearing up for the upcoming NFL season by signing in some young players into  their team and the latest player to be drafted into  the team is the first year offensive  lineman Pete McMahon. The 26 year old player has been in the NFL season since 2005 but has not yet played a game in the NFL. McMahon is hoping that he will be able to showcase his football skills for the Patriots this season and will be wearing jersey No 64 for the Patriots team. The ticket sale for the New England Patriots games has been promising so far and it is expected that most of the Patriots home games this season will be a sell out.

The Patriots signed third-round draft choice Shawn Crable and third-round draft choice Kevin O’Connell today. Terms of the agreements were not made public. Crable who is a linebacker from Michigan, was selected with the 78th overall pick in April. O’Connell, a quarterback from San Diego State, was selected with the 94th overall pick in the draft. Their presence should help the Patriots get more ticket sales.

Fourth-round draft choice CB Jonathan Wilhite was signed by the New England Patriots today. The terms and financial details remain undisclosed as yet. This was their 129th selection for the NFL Draft in 2008. Wilhite is fresh out of Auburn University with an impressive 3 season record of 101 tackles (77 solo), 3 interceptions, 14 passes defensed and 1 sack. Jonathan Wilhite should provide the Patriots with stellar play and could make an immediate impact.

Ben Coates has been elected as the 13th member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.  The announcement came on Monday, as Coates played 9 seasons with New England as was chosen by the fans from the teams website as he was one of three finalists.  Coates played with the Patriots in the 90’s and was one of the games best tight ends, as he is second on the teams all time list with 50 touchdowns.  He ranks highly amongst the Patriots in receiving yards and receptions and leads all tight ends in that category. Coates was drafted in 1991 by the Patriots and came out of Livingstone College.  The tight end has a very impressive resume with several pro bowl selections and consistant numbers. 

The New England Patriots receiver Wes Walker wants the legacy of the Patriots to continue and is doing all that he can by way of imparting football skills to the younger generation through his annual youth football camp. This is the third year in running that such a camp is organized by Walker at his high school and he said that it is his way of imparting all the experience and knowledge that he had gained in his NFL career to the young NFL aspirants. Wes Walker wants to play a bigger role in the ensuing season and the fans are also hoping for better results from their Patriots team. Tickets to the New England Patriots opening game of the 2008 season are currently on sale.

The first round pick of the New England Patriots in the NFL Draft this season, rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo, is setting his eyes on the upcoming 2008 NFL season and is biding his time to get a crack into  the Patriots team. Mayo is a well mannered player and will be in time for any assigned duty. Jerod Mayo has by his good qualities captured the minds and hears of the Patriots coaches and management. His former coach of Tennessee University Chavis has high regards of him and feels that he will very easily fit into the Patriots team. The Patriots fans will be rushing to book their tickets to watch these rookie players take their team to greater heights.