Don't let the door hit you

As Dorothy said in "The Wizard of Oz"... My, people come and go so quickly here.

My dream defensive line of Big Vince, Ty Warren, and Phat Albert -- which I predicted could be the best in the league for years (ha) -- lasted less than 24 hours. Warren was cut yesterday before he ever got to meet Mr. Haynesworth.

Warren's release was the biggest surprise among yesterday's list of departures. Others let go were Coach Crump (who might return for less money to continue mentoring the two young tight ends), offensive lineman Nick Kazcur, Tully Banta-Cain, Marcus Stroud, and Tony Carter. Kazcur, Banta-Cain, and Stroud all had injury issues that made them a bad investment salary-cap wise. Warren was also coming off an injury (hip) and also had a fairly high salary-cap price tag, but many (like me) expected the 30-year-old to return to form and help form a monster defensive line.

But he reportedly failed his physical and was sent packing. Another member of the Super Bowl run gone.

That's just one of the many ways the NFL is unlike all the other sports. You rarely see star players still in the prime of their careers just dropped from the team in baseball and basketball. Why? Because, unlike in the NFL, they would still have to pay them. So teams keep them and keep them and keep them... J.D. Drew ring a bell?

Not in the NFL. A player may sign a 5-year, $40 million dollar deal. But if he gets hurt or he falls out of favor with the coaching staff, he can be cut at any time after collecting only a small portion of that $40 million. Of course a small portion of $40 million is still better than most of us will ever see. But if you've already spent most of the $40 million... well, that's how players who sign $40 million contracts end up in a financial mess.

LAWYER: Another case closed.

Patriots fans have gotten used to these sudden departures. The most infamous of course was when Lawyer Milloy was cut right before the start of the '03 season. Milloy was a favorite of Belichick but for some reason -- we'll never really know -- the coach decided he wasn't a good fit for the team anymore. Back-to-back Super Bowl titles proved the coach was right.

But I was sad to see Lawyer go. I remember sitting in my basement watching the '96 draft with Mark. That was the one where the Pats took wide receiver Terry Glenn in the first round against the wishes of Parcells. The first crack in the Tuna-Kraft relationship. As the Pats second-round pick approached Mark looked up from his draft preview magazines and said "I think the Tuna will go for that safety out of the University of Washington. Lawyer Milloy. Great name and Tuna's type of hard-nose player."

"Never heard of him," I mumbled through my mouthful of chips.

A few minutes later, the commissioner stepped to the podium and said "With their second pick in the draft, the New England Patriots take safety Lawyer Milloy from the University of Washington."

Lawyer was a Parcells guy who became a Belichick guy. They had a father-son relationship. One of the best moments from the Pats first Super Bowl win was when the two were caught on tape embracing right after Vinatieri's kick sailed through the uprights.

Lawyer was a great Patriot and his sudden departure shook the team. He was Brady's best friend at the time. Warren leaving is less team-shaking but still a huge loss. He's been one of the team's most underrated players this decade. A rock in the team's foundation.

Now he's gone. Always a class act, he thanked the Pats on his way out.

Who will be shown the door next? It could be anyone. Well, except #12. That day will never come.

Ya. Right.