[CBFF] And here's the kicker: Patriots loved Gould :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears - Sent Using Google Toolbar

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And here's the kicker: Patriots loved Gould :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears


And here's the kicker: Patriots loved Gould
SUPER BOWL NOTEBOOK


February 3, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs at suntimes.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- If the Patriots hadn't been beset with injuries
at the beginning of the 2005 season, the Bears' Robbie Gould might be
kicking for them Sunday in Super Bowl XLII.

New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi was out, still recovering from the
effects of a stroke, and roster spots were at a premium for a team
that wound up using 45 different starters, a record for a division
champion. Otherwise, the Patriots might have done the unconventional
and kept Gould, whom they signed as an undrafted free agent, along
with All-Pro Adam Vinatieri. That's how much they revered him.

''We had a long discussion when we let him go,'' special-teams coach
Brad Seely said. ''We had some injuries at the start of that year;
otherwise we were going to keep him on our football team. We were
going to keep him on the 53. Adam was in the last year of his
contract, there was a good chance we might lose him, and here was a
good, young kicker. We felt like he was really good. To this day, we
feel bad we had to release him.''

Had that happened, Stephen Gostkowski might not be the Patriots
kicker, and Gould would be making his first Super Bowl appearance a
year late.

Seely helped Gould, who earned All-Pro honors last season, convert
from a three-step to a two-step kicker. He says it's like a golf swing
that's too long -- when a kicker uses a three-step approach, his hips
are at a different position every time he makes contact with the ball.

Seely said he wasn't concerned that Gould's statistics at Penn State
were marginal.

''We always try to find a guy to come to camp who has an NFL leg,''
Seely said. ''Robbie had one. He had enough ability to kick off to
make it in the NFL. So that's what I always look for for a second camp
guy. He had a really strong leg. Once he got there, we found out a lot
more about him, that he had a great work ethic and he was a listener
and he was coachable.

''I can't say enough good things about this kid. He's a class act.''

Gould, who made the Pro Bowl a year ago, still calls Seely about once
a month. It's a fair bet he'll be rooting for him Sunday.
Doom's day

Patriots coach Bill Belichick comes from the expanding coaching tree
of Bill Parcells, whom he worked under during two Super Bowl victories
with the Giants. They also worked together previously with the
Patriots and the Jets.

''I think it was the way it was characterized then,'' Belichick said
Friday when asked if ''complicated'' still describes their
relationship. ''I've spent time with Bill in more recent times since
then. Bill and I shared a lot of success together, and I think we'll
always treasure those victories and those good times.''

Parcells used to refer to Belichick as ''Doom'' for his gloomy outlook
during staff meetings. Parcells would be seated at the head of the
table, and while the coaches would be reviewing a player, Belichick
would mutter under his breath about the player's deficiencies.

Parcells, who can be hard of hearing, didn't want to ask Belichick
what he'd said, so he would turn to offensive coordinator Dan Henning
and ask him. Henning would repeat whatever Belichick said, and
Parcells would turn to him and say, ''Doom.''

With a victory Sunday, Doom will have twice the number of Super Bowl
rings Parcells earned as a head coach.
Final preparations

The Patriots and Giants completed up-tempo practices Friday, and the
right ankle of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady continued to be a
non-issue. Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown spoke to the Patriots
at Belichick's invitation.

 The only concern for the Giants is wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who
was held out of practice with an injured right ankle (a seasonlong
problem) and swelling in his left knee. Although he did run a few
routes and stretched, Burress is questionable for Sunday.

• •  Giants backup defensive end Adrian Awasom, who's on injured
reserve, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving by Arizona state
police early Friday. Awasom was sent home by the team, Giants
spokesman Pat Hanlon said.