Introduction: Welcome My Flock

Gather 'round ye indoctrinated and ye infidel, ye holy and ye heathen, ye homer and ye hater.

Hark as I analyze, evangelize and proselytize.

Welcome to the Gridiron Church of Foxboro. I am Brother Tom. This is the Word of the New England Patriots.

I know what you're thinking. "Oh, God. Not another sports blog."

Hear me, my skeptical little lamb: Another sports blog, yes. "Just" another sports blog, no.

New England Patriots Pulpit will be my soapbox. You will be my congregation. Together we will explore the mysteries of the oblong pigskin. In Bill we trust.

Bear witness, however: I tell it like it is. Indeed, while our beloved Patriots stroll atop Mount Olympus these days, they are not utterly infallible. I will call judgment upon those who I deem deserveth so.

I am neither omniscient nor omnipotent, but I know my stuff, and I don't have near the access many others do. I used to be "one of those guys," but I was small time. I covered everything from Little League Baseball to NASCAR Winston Cup, and I wrote columns.

My endeavor into journalism began almost on a whim while at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Believe you me, a North-of-Bostonian transplanted to Long Island, Land of the Jets, Mets, Nets, Rangers, Yankees, Knicks, Islanders, Giants and Devils (New Yorkers claim as many teams as possible -- they figure they have better chances of winning) -- it was pretty gruesome.

Anyway, I actually began covering features ("It was very windy.") because that's what The Stony Brook Statesman needed, and no one asked me what I wanted to write about. It wasn't long before I switched to sports, became sports editor, became known as "Da Mass" and started writing the column named "Scarlet and Gray," eventually becoming editor in chief under a very bizarre set of circumstances. But that's Long Island for you.

While at Stony Brook, I cut my teeth on the Stony Brook Patriots metamorphosis to the Stony Brook Seawolves, their further transition from Division III to Division I, and I watched a lanky shortstop and occasional pitcher named Joe Nathan (see the Minnesota Twins) transform himself into what he dreamed of as a kid.

Unfortunately, when I graduated, I didn't know the right people, so I didn't get the right jobs. In fact, everyone I knew in journalism was in New York, and upon returning to New England, I found myself at the absolute bottom of the ladder, and not even in sports. I started as a newshound at the Caledonian-Record in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, "just down the road a piece," from Canada. My, weren't those glorious, heady days?

A whole four months later, I took an editing job at The Citizen in Laconia, New Hampshire. At least it was 2 hours closer to Boston. After about a year, I took a half-step down to assistant sports editor, but at least I was writing sports. My column then was "In My Court." Two years later, I took a step up as assistant Sunday sports editor at Foster's Sunday Citizen, a combined effort of The Citizen and parent paper Foster's Daily Democrat in Dover, New Hampshire. I think my column then was nameless -- just a byline.

Now and again I'll dust off my archives (The Good Book) and quote you some scripture of old, and then you will indeed believe, this is not just another sports blog.

Regrettably, I never got the chance I was looking for, and as I was tired of toiling for dolts, when I absolutely couldn't take it anymore, I sought refuge in my other haven of heart and mind: computers.

In my real life (the one outside of this blog), I am an entrepreneur, a computer technician, a network guru. I am "The Techie Guy." I own a small LAN gaming center in Dracut, Massachusetts, (my primary gaming name is "The Analog Kid") and I am a general computer consultant.

My gaming center consists of 16 computers and several consoles (I have XBox and PlayStation 2), so there will be much Madden 2006 to discuss. We'’ll ponder other such contenders as there may be, should any company be so bold to take on the King of the Console Gridiron.

On occasion, I'll meander into meadows of other sports of the realm -- when I have something to say about them, or when I have nothing to say about the Patriots. That's me, the Meandering Man.

But enough about me. Really.

Besides, the end of summer means the onset of my favorite season of the year: Football seasaon.

So come to the altar, my faithful flock, and give thanks that you are a member of Patriot Nation. And if you are not a member, welcome, be at peace -- even if you're a lowly Jets or uncouth Raiders fan. Receive the Word.

Feel free to ask (Want to learn more about the options in a five-wide set?), to suggest ("Please write about your take on the draft."), to opine (Have something to say about the play calling at in the last two minutes of Sunday's game?) , to rip (Call me a dimwit and give your reasons.). Fire away. There's one rule: Keep it clean. Just remember, if you post something I deem inappropriate, I AM GOD here, and I'll do away with your heretic harangue.

And now, I give you New England Patriots Pulpit.