It's the Law

The Pats website -- home page on all of my computers -- has been having a hard time coming up with enough content to keep people clicking merrily along during this lockout.

Recents posts have included updates on the Pats cheerleaders (OK, there's nothing wrong with that), a look at the greatest jersey numbers in team history, and a feature on the cranberry bog at Gillette. Every day is a slow news day.

Today there was a story on Ty Law being honored at the annual gala The Tradition. Not all that exciting. But Patriots.com also had a story debating if Law was worthy of Hall of Fame status. Not Pats Hall. That's a sure thing. But NFL Hall. Not so sure about that.

Law was a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback. One of the best over the last 15 years. He finished with 53 career interceptions. The 22nd most in league history. More importantly, he is a three-time Super Bowl champ and one of the best clutch playoff performers the position has ever seen. Law is a great Patriot. But -- in my mind -- not an NFL Hall of Famer.

That raised the question among my tailgating friends as to which Pats are worthy of the yellow blazer. There was a flurry of texts all day.

Brady is in for sure. Of course.

Rodney Harrison and Corey Dillon should make it, mostly for what they accomplished with San Diego and Cincy, respectively. But the fact that they came to New England and were key parts in Super Bowl titles clinches their case for the Hall.

Vinatieri gets in. There has to be a spot for the best clutch kicker of all time.

Other Hall candidates? Willie McGinest. Tedy Bruschi. Troy Brown. Mike Vrabel. I think they are all worthy but not quite the superstar that usually makes the Hall. Their numbers aren't flashy. Of the four my vote goes to Willie. He holds the record for most career playoff sacks with 16. Now THAT'S a flasy number. Willie was truly the leader of one of the greatest dynasties in league history.

There's another Patriot from the last 10 years who is a sure Hall of Famer.

That #81 guy.

Now what?

July 4th is almost here. Thanks to the Bruins' unexpected and entertaining run to their first Cup in nearly 40 years the lack of an NFL offseason hasn't really been noticed. Till now.

June is a key month in the NFL season. Free agent signings are wrapped up so you  have a pretty good idea what the roster is going to look like come training camp. Rookies show up for workouts and to get a look at the playbook. "Optional" workouts begin in earnest, giving fans a chance to get a first look at the new players and a chance to see the progress of injured veterans.

It was in June of last year that we first learned that Wes Welker doesn't recover from major knee surgery like a normal human. He was back and running routes months before anyone ever expected to see him. It was a good sign.

There are no good signs at this moment. The hockey season is over and the lockout continues.

How are the Sox doing these days?

Oh, Lord!

THOMAS: Giving Tims a good name.

I was surprised at just how great it felt to watch the B's hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time since I was 11 years old. As me, Rich, Paul, and Shanny got sprayed with beer by the delirious crowd at the Banshee, we must have looked much as we did back in the Bobby Orr days. Well, at least our smiles looked the same.

Four guys who grew up in the glory days of the Bruins -- when it really was a hockey town -- but who also endured too many men in the ice, Bucky Dent, Buckner, Desmond Howard, 1-15, 3-0, and decades of futility as a sports fan. The B's title -- as has been well documented here and much despised just about everywhere else -- gives Boston an unprecedented seventh championship since 2000. Three for the Pats. Two for the Sox. One for the Celts and now one for the Black and Gold.

Amazing.

As we walked to our cars at the end of the night we talked about just how ridiculously lucky we are as sports fans. Are we spoiled? Not our generation. Maybe if you are in your 20s and have grown up watching title after title you begin to think this is the way it's supposed to be. But not people who grew up in the 70s. We are still pleasantly surprised and delighted when one of our teams wins a title.

We may be getting old, but watching the teams we root for hoist a championship trophy never does.