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DO YOUR JOB An Account of the 2022 New England Patriots Season
Chapter One - Origins
Welcome to Do Your Job, where I’ll chronicle my journey of being a New England Patriots fan.
If you’ve followed me on Twitter, you’ve seen me complaining about the last few weeks as a Yankee fan. So, you’re most certainly wondering about this whole Yankee-Patriots fan thing. You’re not alone in your confusion.
Oddly enough, being a Yankees & Patriots fan isn’t as rare as it seems. Take it from this guy, who got his Yankee fandom from his Cuban father (the Yankees remain all the rage in the Caribbean) and loved the flashy uniforms Drew Bledsoe did. Or several Redditors. Or, if you’re lucky, maybe you know a few in New England yourself.
As for me, it’s a simple answer. I grew up watching the two best athletes at their position of all time. I was the biggest Derek Jeter fan in Connecticut, and watched Tom Brady carve up the league ever since I can remember watching TV.
So, yeah…for me, it really isn’t as deep as it might seem.
Oddly enough, I’ve only ever been to one Patriots game. It was December 29, 2013; all things considered, it was meaningless except for the Pats securing the first-round bye (they lost to the Broncos in the AFC Championship that year). The Pats won 34-20, but the score wasn’t reflective of the game itself. It was the worst possible weather you could ask for; 35 degrees, unrelenting rain, and whipping wind.
Brady threw only 24 times (and completed a mid 14 passes). Julian Edelman caught 9 passes for 65 yards. Passing back Shane Vereen scored a touchdown.
But the hero of the game? One LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns. It was a classic “ground pound” game that Bill Belichick became known for employing in harsh weather. He racked up over 330 all purpose yards after registering 145 kick return yards, too.
People forget LeGarrette Blount’s true contributions to the team over his four years. Blount was a low-risk gamble in a trade for future Olympian runner Jeff Demps and a pick. He was certainly taken for granted when he was in New England - hell, I can almost hear every Patriots fan asking “why do we need another big bruiser running back?” But his stats held up pretty well after four solid seasons as the primary RB in Foxboro.
After all, he became the quintessential Patriot after that game: “Every time I play, I try my best to come out with the mindset to make a contribution to any part of the game…whether it’s kick returns, or running the ball, or catching it,” said Blount after their win.
I definitely hope to get back to Gillette Stadium for a game either this year or next. I’ve been back to Foxboro since, but the circumstances were drastically different. My senior ball at Bryant was in the Putnam Lounge, where we saw Chelsea throttle the New England Revolution in an international friendly. I announced the Premier Lacrosse League All Star Game back in July from the Red Level of the south side Press Box; I’ll be back for the Quarterfinals in early September.
Over the next few weeks, you’ll get the updates you need on the offseason, some insights from industry experts, and reactions as they happen in near real-time.
So, kick back and enjoy with me. Maybe it’s over an ice cold Bud Light, crushing a plate of nachos and wings, or praying to the gambling gods that your three-leg parlay hits.
However you like to spend it, I’ll be there with you.
Let’s ride.