Summary
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 ren...
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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Halftime hits
When the clock struck midnight, 2008 was half over. That's one-half less over than Roger Clemens' career. It's completely kaput, along with his reputation. Roger the Dodger's fall from grace might be the biggest story of the year. Or would it be the...Tags: New York Mets, Paul Pierce, PGA Tour, John Daly, Shawn Marion
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Sports & recreation calendar
Baseball Seeking players Ponce de Leon Baseball League is seeking players ages 30 and older at all skill levels. Games are played in Howard, Carroll and Anne Arundel counties. Tom LaGrave, 410-531-9434. Basketball Fall leagues Howard County Department...Tags: Gardens and Parks, Field Hockey, Tourism and Leisure, Softball
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Sports Digest
From wire reportsBaron Davis shocked the Golden State Warriors by opting out of his contract Monday. Imagine their surprise now. ESPN.com, citing NBA front office sources, reported last night that the guard reached a verbal agreement with the Clippers and will sign a...Tags: Baron Davis, U.S. Open Golf, Brent Barry, National Basketball Association, Mike Green
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Five locals v'ball all-staters
Five local players were named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association 3A and 2A all-state teams. Named to the Class 3A first team were Jesse Sell of Emmaus, Piotr Kuczaj of Parkland, Sean Reese of Freedom and David Ulmer of Souderton. Named...Tags: Colleges and Universities, Teaching and Learning, Athletics, Track and Field
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No longer losers, Boston is city of champions
shaun.powell@newsday.comWe had a hearty knee-slapping laugh at their expense way back in 1986, when the ball squirted through Bill Buckner's legs, and then again five years ago, when Grady Little left Pedro Martinez in a Game 7 won on Aaron Boone's epic home run. Those were...Tags: New York Mets, New York Giants, Pedro Martinez, Boston Celtics, LeBron James
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After Monday Arrest, Patriots Release Andrews
Courant Staff WriterWillie Andrews was released by the Patriots on Tuesday, a day after his second arrest this offseason. Andrews, a third-year defensive back, was arrested Monday and held without bail after being charged with illegal possession of a large capacity...Tags: Prosecution
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Boynton Beach: Mike Rumph Football Camp offered for kids July 9-11
Registration is open for the sixth annual Mike Rumph Football Camp for children ages 8 through 15. Stephanie Slater, Boynton Beach Police Department spokeswoman, said children will have a chance to play with professional football players this summer...Tags: Law Enforcement, Jimmy Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers
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McCormack will lead FAU baseball
John McCormack had not yet been introduced as Florida Atlantic's new baseball coach when he learned the timetable for making the Owls' first trip to the College World Series had been changed. "John had it in his fifth year. I said it has to be sooner,"...Tags: Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, National Basketball Association, Joe Jurevicius
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Gurney swallows 'tough pill' in narrow Rolex loss
What looked like it would be a sure victory for Alex Gurney in the No. 99 Pontiac Riley turned into a second-place finish by the closest margin in Grand Am history Thursday night in Daytona Beach. Scott Pruett, in the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Lexus...Tags: Troy Aikman, Porsche AG, Joe Gibbs, Randy Moss, Dan Marino
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Rumph to announce his retirement from NFL at youth football camp
Forum Publishing GroupNFL cornerback and free safety Mike Rumph will announce his decision to retire at the conclusion of his sixth annual football camp in Boynton Beach July 11. The three-day camp, for children ages 8 to 15, takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 9 to 11...Tags: Green Bay Packers, Jimmy Williams, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Retirement
Jul 5, 2008
|Story| Baltimore Sun
Jul 2, 2008
|Story| Baltimore Sun
Jul 2, 2008
|Column| Baltimore Sun
Jul 3, 2008
|Story| Allentown Morning Call
Jul 3, 2008
|Column| Newsday
Jul 2, 2008
|Story| Hartford Courant
Jul 2, 2008
|Story| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Jul 2, 2008
|Story| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Jul 4, 2008
|Story| Orlando Sentinel
Jul 3, 2008
|Story| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
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