Looking at the Patriots 2023

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spacecrime said:
I spent three weeks in Germany with my wife in 2015, but knew I couldn't handle this place and passed it by. I believe these remembrances are important but I'm also highly susceptible to feeling the overall vibe of a place. I felt I should go, but earlier in Amsterdam I skipped the Anne Frank House. On the other hand, visiting the D-Day sites was one of the highlights of that trip. Probably not consistent enough for BB :D
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Oddly enough, if people haven't heard, Bill himself once did the narration for a short film about D Day and he was excellent. I saw that film and a seminar on the topic in Providence a couple of years ago and Rob Ninkovich was also involved with the program. The best speaker was a guy who was part of one of the early waves to hit Omaha beach and he told some fascinating stories with great humility. When his landing craft dropped it's gate he and his squad all leaped out into the surf but he had stepped in a deep hole and he was dragged under by his heavy gear. By the time he finally fought back to the surface (he couldn't swim) he was the only one in the boat still alive. The rest got chopped to pieces. He also said that after the war was over he WENT BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL (he faked his age to be able to serve) to get his diploma. This statement seemed quite amazing and when questioned about it he responded "that is just what we did back in those days. I didn't think anything of it." Amazing.

Another highlight of the night was when a presenter asked if there were any more WWII vets in the house. I immediately thought "no way", but slowly guys started to stand up, if they could, and there were dozens of them in the crowd, some wearing their uniforms and there were also a bunch in wheelchairs that could no longer stand. I couldn't believe it and it was very emotional to see these ancient warriors, many leaning on canes but still hanging in there seventy-odd years later. The crowd went absolutely nuts for them. I had tears streaming down my face, but didn't bother hiding them. Everybody in the place seemed to be doing the same.
 
Hawg73 said:
Oddly enough, if people haven't heard, Bill himself once did the narration for a short film about D Day and he was excellent. I saw that film and a seminar on the topic in Providence a couple of years ago and Rob Ninkovich was also involved with the program. The best speaker was a guy who was part of one of the early waves to hit Omaha beach and he told some fascinating stories with great humility. When his landing craft dropped it's gate he and his squad all leaped out into the surf but he had stepped in a deep hole and he was dragged under by his heavy gear. By the time he finally fought back to the surface (he couldn't swim) he was the only one in the boat still alive. The rest got chopped to pieces. He also said that after the war was over he WENT BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL (he faked his age to be able to serve) to get his diploma. This statement seemed quite amazing and when questioned about it he responded "that is just what we did back in those days. I didn't think anything of it." Amazing.

Another highlight of the night was when a presenter asked if there were any more WWII vets in the house. I immediately thought "no way", but slowly guys started to stand up, if they could, and there were dozens of them in the crowd, some wearing their uniforms and there were also a bunch in wheelchairs that could no longer stand. I couldn't believe it and it was very emotional to see these ancient warriors, many leaning on canes but still hanging in there seventy-odd years later. The crowd went absolutely nuts for them. I had tears streaming down my face, but didn't bother hiding them. Everybody in the place seemed to be doing the same.
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That's unbelievable. I had the privilege of visiting Normandy for the 75th anniversary a few years back and I was struck with every range of emotion imaginable. You walk for days through a sea of seemingly unending cross headstones... and then you turn back and read the ages of those who rest there and it's almost impossible not to cry. 9,388 men and women rest there because they were brave enough to stand up in the face of evil.
 
Hawg73 said:
Oddly enough, if people haven't heard, Bill himself once did the narration for a short film about D Day and he was excellent. I saw that film and a seminar on the topic in Providence a couple of years ago and Rob Ninkovich was also involved with the program. The best speaker was a guy who was part of one of the early waves to hit Omaha beach and he told some fascinating stories with great humility. When his landing craft dropped it's gate he and his squad all leaped out into the surf but he had stepped in a deep hole and he was dragged under by his heavy gear. By the time he finally fought back to the surface (he couldn't swim) he was the only one in the boat still alive. The rest got chopped to pieces. He also said that after the war was over he WENT BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL (he faked his age to be able to serve) to get his diploma. This statement seemed quite amazing and when questioned about it he responded "that is just what we did back in those days. I didn't think anything of it." Amazing.

Another highlight of the night was when a presenter asked if there were any more WWII vets in the house. I immediately thought "no way", but slowly guys started to stand up, if they could, and there were dozens of them in the crowd, some wearing their uniforms and there were also a bunch in wheelchairs that could no longer stand. I couldn't believe it and it was very emotional to see these ancient warriors, many leaning on canes but still hanging in there seventy-odd years later. The crowd went absolutely nuts for them. I had tears streaming down my face, but didn't bother hiding them. Everybody in the place seemed to be doing the same.
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I wish I could have seen that.

The story of the sole survivor of the landing craft means something to me. My father got malaria in North Africa in WWII and was in the hospital and missed the invasion of Sardinia by a few days. When he got to Italy, there ws nothing left of his unit. They used the mistakes made at Sardinia to plan for the invasion at Normandy.

I still see the occasional WWII vet at the Manchester VA. It's the Korean War vets I have the utmost respect for. I can't imagine spending weeks outdoors in a canvas tent in the freezing temps in winter there. No way to get warm with the clothing they had back them.
 
rivshark86 said:
this is my favorite pats draft in ten years. That said, a kicker in round 4?
Even if he’s Justin tucker it’s better taking a shot at another position.
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I disagree with this. As Patriots fans, we have been blessed to watch 25+ years of great kickers. That is part of why the team has been so successful, the ability to kick clutch field goals in close games. A lot of very good teams have been derailed by poor kickers.

I would imagine at least 25 teams, if the could go back in time and take Justin Tucker in the fourth round, when he came, would do so. Most people around here feel pretty OK about Gostkowski in the the 4th, and Tucker is at least his equal, even to the biggest NE homer.
 
Dolphins play the Chiefs in Frankfurt as well the week before Nov 5th. They too are giving up a home game for this. Could be a good game as well.

Ravens play the Titans in London and Buffalo will play the Jags in London. Bills are the home team.
 
Roberto71 said:
Well there it is. We play the Colts in Frankfurt on Nov 12th. 9:30am Eastern Time. Early start for you guys!

We are the home team and it will like it in the stadium for sure. Massive support in Germany for the Patriots.
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That also means the Pats will get a mid-November bye week which is perfect in my mind.
 
spacecrime said:
I wish I could have seen that.

The story of the sole survivor of the landing craft means something to me. My father got malaria in North Africa in WWII and was in the hospital and missed the invasion of Sardinia by a few days. When he got to Italy, there ws nothing left of his unit. They used the mistakes made at Sardinia to plan for the invasion at Normandy.

I still see the occasional WWII vet at the Manchester VA. It's the Korean War vets I have the utmost respect for. I can't imagine spending weeks outdoors in a canvas tent in the freezing temps in winter there. No way to get warm with the clothing they had back them.
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I finally found it and now you can.


View: https://youtu.be/mJypKeFbe3Q
 
Thanks,Hawg!! I'm on the road right now driving down from beautiful black fly infested Jackman Maine but I'll watch it when I get home. Really appreciate you finding this.
 
spacecrime said:
I wish I could have seen that.

The story of the sole survivor of the landing craft means something to me. My father got malaria in North Africa in WWII and was in the hospital and missed the invasion of Sardinia by a few days. When he got to Italy, there ws nothing left of his unit. They used the mistakes made at Sardinia to plan for the invasion at Normandy.

I still see the occasional WWII vet at the Manchester VA. It's the Korean War vets I have the utmost respect for. I can't imagine spending weeks outdoors in a canvas tent in the freezing temps in winter there. No way to get warm with the clothing they had back them.
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Thanks for all the great posts on this side topic. I could share a strange story about D Day and the war in Europe that came about from a genealogy search. f you could indulge me while I set up to get to the point...My Dad grew up in Pennsylvania coal country and served stateside ( out of South Weymouth Naval Air Station) flying on bombers searching for U Boats. He ended up discharged after getting hurt in a plane crash in 1944. We are of Lithuanian descent on his side of the tree and there are many Lithuanian genealogy resources based in PA, which I was active in while attempting to trace my roots back to the homeland.

In any event, one day about 20 years ago I got an email out of the blue from a Brit who was also researching on those PA sites. This is where it got interesting. He tells me he was born out of wedlock and his mom had been knocked up by an American soldier, and he was trying to trace back this guy based on his limited information.... his Mom didn't share much and she was passed on. But he had some clues to the fathers identity from her wartime correspondence.

His homework led him to me. He shared details that led him to an army captain from Pennsylvania who got killed in Normandy on D Day, and this guy was my Dad's cousin. I knew nothing of this man. My Dad just never talked about the war or his extended family, and he was dead when I was 29 so there would be no information shared by him. This Brit had photos of this dead captain, his gravestone in the American cemetery, as well as my Dad and his brother, and other relatives. The resemblance was stunning. He had details on their families and ancestry that I could not believe. All of this led him to me since I posted about a few of these same people on these genealogy sites. I had never seen much of this stuff, I was shocked. He was sure that the D day captain was his Dad, and would I be willing to take a DNA test to see about that? Of course I did.

And as it turned out, it was a negative test and all this fellows research had been for naught.

I felt so bad for him and just wished him the best as he started all over. He sent me a lovely book as a thank you and we corresponded for a few years but then that faded out.
My guess was that his Mom may well have been intimate with this fellow, but probably with some others too and the luck of the draw was not on his side.

Anyway thanks for obliging me, the Normandy talk made me think of it and it's a decent tale.
 
patswin said:
Thanks for all the great posts on this side topic. I could share a strange story about D Day and the war in Europe that came about from a genealogy search. f you could indulge me while I set up to get to the point...My Dad grew up in Pennsylvania coal country and served stateside ( out of South Weymouth Naval Air Station) flying on bombers searching for U Boats. He ended up discharged after getting hurt in a plane crash in 1944. We are of Lithuanian descent on his side of the tree and there are many Lithuanian genealogy resources based in PA, which I was active in while attempting to trace my roots back to the homeland.

In any event, one day about 20 years ago I got an email out of the blue from a Brit who was also researching on those PA sites. This is where it got interesting. He tells me he was born out of wedlock and his mom had been knocked up by an American soldier, and he was trying to trace back this guy based on his limited information.... his Mom didn't share much and she was passed on. But he had some clues to the fathers identity from her wartime correspondence.

His homework led him to me. He shared details that led him to an army captain from Pennsylvania who got killed in Normandy on D Day, and this guy was my Dad's cousin. I knew nothing of this man. My Dad just never talked about the war or his extended family, and he was dead when I was 29 so there would be no information shared by him. This Brit had photos of this dead captain, his gravestone in the American cemetery, as well as my Dad and his brother, and other relatives. The resemblance was stunning. He had details on their families and ancestry that I could not believe. All of this led him to me since I posted about a few of these same people on these genealogy sites. I had never seen much of this stuff, I was shocked. He was sure that the D day captain was his Dad, and would I be willing to take a DNA test to see about that? Of course I did.

And as it turned out, it was a negative test and all this fellows research had been for naught.

I felt so bad for him and just wished him the best as he started all over. He sent me a lovely book as a thank you and we corresponded for a few years but then that faded out.
My guess was that his Mom may well have been intimate with this fellow, but probably with some others too and the luck of the draw was not on his side.

Anyway thanks for obliging me, the Normandy talk made me think of it and it's a decent tale.
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Crazy story. But it had to be cool to find out that your dad (much like you, of course) was such a legendary swordsman. 🤺

Seriously, thanks for sharing.
 
Man, it's a little tough for me to get used to the salaries these guys are earning now.

I recently read a book about the origins of the NFL called "The League" by John Eisenberg (fascinating book) and he told a story about how
the NYG had already been a relatively successful team in the league for something like 20 years and then somebody offered Mara a little less than
1M for the team and he was seriously considering selling because no team had ever had that kind of value.

Today, low-round draft choices are making that before they ever play a down.

If you could go back in time to meet with the core guys that started the NFL; Halas, Mara, Rooney and a few others and tried to explain where it has gone
now they would have thought you were insane.
 
Hawg73 said:
Man, it's a little tough for me to get used to the salaries these guys are earning now.

I recently read a book about the origins of the NFL called "The League" by John Eisenberg (fascinating book) and he told a story about how
the NYG had already been a relatively successful team in the league for something like 20 years and then somebody offered Mara a little less than
1M for the team and he was seriously considering selling because no team had ever had that kind of value.

Today, low-round draft choices are making that before they ever play a down.

If you could go back in time to meet with the core guys that started the NFL; Halas, Mara, Rooney and a few others and tried to explain where it has gone
now they would have thought you were insane.
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Me too. But then again look at the money the clubs are pulling in. Everything is relative I suppose.
 
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