Bruschi May Sit Out 2005 Season

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:39 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2019568

It would be a shame, but it might be the best thing for him until somebody figures out why he stroked.

welch · Post by **welch** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 12:56 am

At least he's alive. Hey, is pro-football that important compared to life?

I hope he just looks after his health. If, by chance, he plays again, then good, but I thought they had found a hole in his heart.

Great guy. He doesn;t owe us his life.

Primetime42 · Post by **Primetime42** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:32 am

welch wrote:At least he's alive. Hey, is pro-football that important compared to life?

I hope he just looks after his health. If, by chance, he plays again, then good, but I thought they had found a hole in his heart.

Great guy. He doesn;t owe us his life.

Supposedly repaired the hole.

Remember, some of these guys have nothing else in their lives. Although I'm sure Bruschi could be succesful in something else.

Just hope he himself feels like that.

Hogfather · Post by **Hogfather** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 7:18 am

That will be a big blow for the Pats, I hope he recovers and is back in the saddle for 2006. If he can't come back as a player, he'd make a great LB coach. Regardless of what he chooses I wish him all the best and hope he has a speedy recovery.

REDEEMEDSKIN · Post by **REDEEMEDSKIN** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:16 am

One of the things I think is interesting in the Bruschi saga is the fact, that his career may be over, and he didn't make as many millions as he could have.

From the perspective of the FAs that sign mega contracts to "secure their future", it seems that Bruschi made a poor financial decision when he negotiated his own contract, and, basically, took a pay cut.

I admire Bruschi's winner's mentality and his "team first" attitude. However, with his career hangin' in the balance, it would have been nice to know that he maximized his earnings while he was in the game.

Hopefully the Pats come through and place him on the PUP list, which will ensure he gets paid his base salary for the year. He's worth THAT AND MORE to the New England orga-nigh-zation.

washington53 · Post by **washington53** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:13 pm

I really hope his surgery goes fine and they repair everything... Unfortunatley he will never be the player he was, who went all out every play... I think if he comes back to play he will play like 3rd down situations or something like that. Because MLB is the position that gets beat up most, and if you had a hole in your a couple of months ago i dont think you wanna be getting beat on everyplay. And if he cant play im sure the Pats or any other team will put him as a coach or in the front office, because we all know that the smartest plyaer on the field is the MLB..
I hope the best for this guy.

welch · Post by **welch** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:37 am

Redeemed wrote:

One of the things I think is interesting in the Bruschi saga is the fact, that his career may be over, and he didn't make as many millions as he could have.

From the perspective of the FAs that sign mega contracts to "secure their future", it seems that Bruschi made a poor financial decision when he negotiated his own contract, and, basically, took a pay cut.

I admire Bruschi's winner's mentality and his "team first" attitude. However, with his career hangin' in the balance, it would have been nice to know that he maximized his earnings while he was in the game.

Hopefully the Pats come through and place him on the PUP list, which will ensure he gets paid his base salary for the year. He's worth THAT AND MORE to the New England orga-nigh-zation.

I, also, hope the Patriots behave decently and ke sure he gets paid his base salary for the year. If not, it seems like some for the Players Association to fight...or something to put into the next general agreement: a career-ending injury or ther medical catastrophe makes you eligible immediately for a pension of <$???>. I haven't though about what would be reasonable. Any ideas?

- in general, there needs to be some balance, and some long-term protection for players

- there is something perverse about having a system in which only selfish greed makes sense. Think: Laverneus Coles.

- In terms of Bruschi doing something with his future, I think of Roger Kahn's "The Boys of Summer", about the '40s - '50's Dodgers. He found guys who had thought carefully about their future; one had a job as a mailman.

Does anyone know what his contract was for last year? And for this season?

SkinsJock · Post by **SkinsJock** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:51 am

"Bruschi, who has three years remaining on his contract, hadn't been represented by an agent since his rookie season. He's scheduled to earn $850,000 in 2005, $1.35 million in 2006 and $1.70 million in the final year of his contract. His deal would be voided if he retires, but he could earn his full salary if the team elects to place him on its physically unable to perform list."

welch, I also hope that the Pats do the right thing. This guy seems to be pretty well grounded and he will be fine financially. Fortunately there are a number of players who are also fairly well off financially because they are not idiots with the money they make like most players in most sports who waste so much that they have little left over.

This is not about the money right now.

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Sun May 22, 2005 8:17 pm

Bruschi's playing status still up in the air

NFL.com wire reports

BOSTON (May 21, 2005) -- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who suffered a mild stroke three days after the Pro Bowl, doesn't know if he will play football this season.

Bruschi told WBZ-TV in Boston that he will take his time before making the "big decision" of whether he should get back on the field in 2005 with the Super Bowl champion Patriots.

"During the season we take it one game at a time, and right now in my life I'm taking it one day at a time," said the 31-year-old Bruschi, who said he's "feeling great" three months after the stroke. "When it comes time for a decision to be made, we've been talking about it, my family and I, but that's a decision you don't rush into so I'm taking my time with it."

The linebacker, one of the Patriots' most important and popular players, suffered the stroke 10 days after New England beat the Philadelphia Eagles for its third Super Bowl victory in four years.

He has been working out at the team training facility at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, but there has been no announcement, from Bruschi or the team, about his playing prospects.

"I'm going in (to the stadium), getting my health back in order, working out and that's my step right now -- just testing myself physically, seeing where I am, seeing where I am tomorrow," he said.

Bruschi's agent, Brad Blank, said in March there was a possibility that Bruschi would sit out the 2005 season and return in 2006.

"That's one of the options. I have a lot of options," he said.

Bruschi, who negotiated his own contracts without an agent following his rookie season, hired Blank after the stroke.

Bruschi is scheduled to earn $850,000 in 2005, $1.35 million in 2006 and $1.70 million in the final year of his contract. His deal would be voided if he retires, but he could earn his full salary if the team elects to place him on the physically unable to perform list.

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/NE/8493148

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:06 pm

This guy is crazy if he plays again. 3 superbowl rings and a great carreer and your thinking about playing again after a stroke!?!
man, be happy, some players dont even get to play in a playoff game. He's got wife a kids to live for, don't risk your life...
And the pats have chad brown now... their not in too bad shape

JPM36 · Post by **JPM36** » Wed May 25, 2005 12:35 am

As great as the Patriots are at replacing players who leave or get hurt, I really believe that losing Bruschi would be a huge blow to them. He is the heart and soul of their defense. And no matter how much the media hypes up Tom Brady (who is very good but not as great as some make him out to be) the fact remains that the Patriots defense is primarily responsible for their 3 Super Bowl titles, with Bruschi at the heart of it all 3 times.

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Wed May 25, 2005 7:22 am

You know the saying, "Defense wins championships."
If Bruschi is lost, they'll have to get a really good replacement because he WAS a major part of their great D.

JPFair · Post by **JPFair** » Mon May 30, 2005 9:29 pm

I went to the U2 concert in Boston the other night, and Tedi Bruschi was sitting two rows behind me. He got the biggest ovation of the night when he walked, unassisted, to his seats. What a stud!