The first day of the Patriots' 2009 mini-camp has concluded, and there was a pleasant surprise, as Vince Wilfork, DT, finally showed up for the mandatory minicamp. He had skipped out on all of the previous Organized Team Activities because of contract disputes, now arriving late for training camp, pulling what I like to call "a Manny". Wilfork knows his duty to his team, as he stated on Wednesday, "Right now, the smart thing thing is to be here, playing football, what I do best...At the end of the day, I’m still a Patriot, and I want to be a Patriot. I’m looking forward to a great camp and to a great season. Hopefully we can move forward from here." Obviously, the pro bowl DT has true Patriot Pride, as he grinds out his final contract negotiations. I'm happy to see Wilfork sticking with the Pats, unlike former Super Bowl winners who deserted New England for the big bucks of free agency, such as Asante Samuel, Adam Vinatierri, and Deion Branch.
Also, the Patriots' special teams are looking sharp--well, at least the punters and kickers. First year punter Tom Malone has shown significant improvement from the beginning of OTA's. Also, fourth-year kicker Stephen Gostkoski has been impressing coaches. During the 2-minute drill, he and his unit rushed onto the field and promptly nailed a 60-yarder.
Overall, the team is heading in the right direction, and if this continues, look for a very successful 2009-2010 Patriots' campaign. Missing fom Wednesday's practice were: WRs Tyree Barnes, Shaun White, and Brandon Tate; DB Brandon Meriweather; RB Sammy Morris; CB Mike Richardson; WR/DB Ray Ventrone; safety Brandon McGowan; LBs Jerod Mayo and Tyrone McKenzie; OL Mark LeVoir; DLs Ty Warren and Jarvis Green.
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