Mike Freeman
CBSSports.com National Columnist

Preparation BGHH might cause tight lips, focus and coach-speak

  •  

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- This is what the New England Patriots are saying about the Indianapolis Colts: absolutely zippo.

The Patriots are the opposite of quote-a-licious. Bill Belichick is the best coach in history, but he is also a walking dampening field. He's Richard Nixon in a hoodie.

It's been nothing but smiles this season for TD machine Tom Brady. (Getty Images)  
It's been nothing but smiles this season for TD machine Tom Brady. (Getty Images)  
The scene at Fort Patriot just days before The Biggest Game in the History of History -- BGHH for short -- is bizarre even for this great, historic franchise, which is fueled as much by Raiders-like xenophobia as it is by unmatched brainpower and talent.

To say the Patriots are extremely focused for this contest is an understatement. The league's top workaholics are even outdoing themselves. Several Patriots players, who asked not to be identified, said in telephone interviews they haven't mentally prepared as hard for a game since their Super Bowls.

Think about that for a moment. This is a regular-season game.

No one outworks the Patriots and it appears that tradition unlike any other is continuing.

On Wednesday, the first full day of media access, came the initial glimpse of what BGHH week will be like. Think Ringling Bros. Think Harlem Globetrotters. Think Lindsey Lohan on a coke binge with the media tailing. It was just downright crazy.

Clearly, Belichick has informed the players to avoid the media this week as much as possible (avoiding the media even more than usual, that is). The locker room, for the most part, was abandoned during the period the press was allowed access. Tumbleweeds rolled through the center of it.

Instead of players, there were anywhere from 50 to 75 reporters standing around looking at each other.

"It's crazy," said tight end Marcellus Rivers, in his sixth season. "I've never been in a game where the hype was like this."

The funniest locker room scene was the reaction of Randy "Meter Maid Destroyer" Moss. He suavely strolled though the locker room like he was remaking a scene from Shaft. When politely asked by a reporter if he wanted to talk, Moss, who had his back to the questioner, didn't bother to even turn around.

"No," he said into his locker.

A few seconds later Moss mumbled some word that begins with "mother" and rhymes with "trucker."

CONTINUED: 1 · 2 · Next »
About Mike Freeman

author photoMike Freeman is a National NFL Insider and Enterprise Writer for CBSSports.com. He is the author of six books and has covered the NFL for two decades.
  •  
You May Also Like
 

Biggest Stories

CBSSports Facebook Twitter
COMMENTS
Conversation powered by Livefyre
 
Related Links
 

Latest

Most Popular

CBSSports.com Shop

NFL Schedule

NFL Draft