Eagle-Tribune Blogs: Burt Talks Sports

Autograph seekers have taken over the early part of Thursday, as nearly 100 of them were outside the convention center as celebrities, current and ex-NFL players went in and out.
Former Patriot Mike Haynes signed several items but wasn’t thrilled about it.
“If it was kids, I would love to do it. I love dealing with the fans,” he said today. “But that stuff is going on Ebay. I don’t even fight it. I guess it’s part of what we have to deal with from time to time.”
I have a story in the Sunday Eagle-Tribune about the Patriots organization past and present, and quote him extensively. He is as bright and nice a guy as there is. He would have fit in very well with these Belichickian Patriots.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “I am a big fan of this organization. Big fan.”
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Former Patriot and current Giants backup offensive lineman Grey Ruegamer, who had filled in admirably for starting center Shaun O’Hara during the Patriots game at the end of the regular season and through the NFC Divisional game with Dallas, was talking about his one season with the Patriots, particularly his position coach.
“Dante Scarnecchia was a great coach for me,” said Ruegamer, who played for the Patriots as a backup in 2001. “He is very organized, like all of the coaches there, and he really was obsessed with technique.”
How about a Dante story?
“He always had a pencil in his ear,” recalled Ruegamer, who attended nearby Arizona State, graduating in 1999. “Well, when he’d get mad he’d pull the pencil out from behind his ear and fire it into the grass. A lot of times it would stick in. But the few times it didn’t he’d get even madder. We used to laugh, of course without him knowing.”
Of course.
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North Andover’s Zak DeOssie, a Giants special teamer and long-snapper, is close friends with Eli Manning.
“We go out together a lot,” said DeOssie. “He has a place in Hoboken, which is where I’m probably going to move to soon. It’s a great place to live. Plus, it’s close to the stadium and New York City.”
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The Patriots injury report for Thursday:
Wide receiver Jabar Gaffney missed some of practice with his sore shoulder.
And, of course, Tom Brady’s right shoulder was not bad enough to keep him from missing any time.
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Quote of the day:
Patriots offensive assistant Bill O’Brien, an Andover native said:
“Josh (McDaniels), without a doubt, is smartest person I’ve ever worked with. He originally trained on defense with Bill. He has a detailed knowledge of the defensive side of the ball. He’s taught me more about football than anybody.”
Translation: McDaniels won’t be an assistant coach longer than one more season.

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