Why is it all or nothing? Why can't the Patriots look for team captains as well as take a chance on someone like Talib? Has he raped someone? Has he beaten any women? I'm not making excuses for his terrible actions, he's made some bad mistakes, but I'm not naive enough to think pro sports are filled with top notch citizenry. The Patriots are not putting together a choir, they're putting together a football team. If he messes up we all know what will happen to him, Bill will drop him like yesterdays diaper.

You sound a bit upset, Greg? You seem to be taking this trade a bit personally. Why? Patriot fans are on board for this trade because we've always understood that the Patriots take high character guys and also take chances on "issues" guys. We have no idea where Bill draws his line on character. Obviously, you don't either. All we know is that Bill will always try to improve his team. We also know that he is never afraid to admit he's made a mistake. If Talib doens't work out, he's gone. Period. We get that. As for the holier-than-thou notions about what the Patriots represent - that's what you guys do. You attempt to perpertrate that myth. We understand they will stop at nothing to win another Super Bowl. Even if it means bringing in a troubled but talented defensive back. I'm sure Bill found out some things from Schiano about Talib that you, nor we, know nothing about. Will it work out? We have no idea. But it's certainly worth a 4th round pick to find out. I can't wait to see the kid play and see how it changes our defense. I'll leave the moralistic high ground to you, Greg. Bill knows not to write someone off at 26 years of age. You shouldn't either.

Powerful column, Greg.

If you wonder why your Globe is now so thin you can slide it under a door and why sports reporters are "quote, unquote" retiring, replaced by cub reporters masquarading as columnists, ya know, cheaper versions, Greg Bedards' incredibly slanted column today is a prima facie example. (Is Mitt Romney's speechwriter Greg's idol?) To put his column in proper perspective: When Danny Ainge brought back Delonte West, after Delonte had serious, ugly fistfights with teamates on several teams, played with loaded weapons in a house full of children, was arrested on a motorcycle in a physical state that endangered the lives of everyone on the road, and when arrested had enough kill weapons in his possesion to satisfy the current needs of the Syrian rebels, did anyone at the Globe write this type of column about Wick Grosbeck?  I mean the Celtics re-signing of Delonte was even worse that the Patriot's  signing. And, when Delonte returned, Shag said, let's give him a break, like Shag also implied about Clemons.  The Celts had him before and knew he was unstable. Did Bob Ryan write a cloumn like this when Manny threw a 64 year old Sox emplyee to the floor, refused to play in games when he was healthy and stiffed every charity in town. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Bob Ryan actually defended Manny on PTI. Are the Red Sox a win at all costs team?  The Bruins aren't, the phrase at all costs is not in Jeremy Jacob's vocabulary, forget mindset.  the Globe delight in targeting Bob Kraft and Bill bellichick, yet jeerremy jacob's insistence on destroying the NHL players union-well have ypou seen a Bedard like column on that. Don't hold your breath.  The Globe and NESN are tight as ticks.  The reality is simply this. The signing gives the Pats a good shot at the Superbowl and those Globe executives who accepted World Series ata supposidly objective paper  rings can't stand it.

There is a trend here with holier-than-thou reporters feeling good about themselves for taking the opposite stance of Felger.

The fact is, Bedard, you can't look at everything the Pats do in a vacuum.  Perhaps they took Talib off their draft board because they had other options?  In this case, where the brutal 2ndary could be all that stands between them and another shot at the SB, their options were limited.  So you swallow hard and go for it.  If it doesn't work out, you lose a 4th round pick.  When they don't use their high picks and trade down to the 4th round, you guys scream because nobody good is in the 4th round.  Now that they trade a 4th rounder, you guys scream because they are giving up too much.  How convenient.

Get off your high-horse....

Myra Kraft was the one person who could have - and would have - stopped this trade in its tracks. Hers was the one voice of conscience.

Hey Bedard...get this: I'm in Tampa last week and the Bucs fans I asked about this trade were pixxed that the Bucs let him go. Who the heck are you talking to?

Talib may prove to be a steal for a 4th round pick.  He could be smart enough to realize he'll never get a chance like this again. 

It seems Belichick gets a lot of flack as of late for his drafting and trade decisions.  I agree that Belichick has been weak with his  emphasis on building a respectful secondary.  But there's not a coach or GM in the NFL that doesn't have a list of stinkers among their draft picks or trades.  If you can choose wisely 60% of the time or better, you can win in this league.

Patriot fans need to remember a record by their team that is seldom mentioned.   The New England Patriots have WON more football games in the last ten years than ANY team has won in a decade in the 93 year history of the NFL.  And they won 3 out of 5 Super Bowls.  Not bad.

Certanly BB could haver made better choices, but with the thousands of decisions BB makes with drafts, trades, final roster and coaching, he's done pretty well, there are 31 other teams that would love to have the MOST GAMES WON since 2001.  

Tom Brady was right, the Patriots have spoiled us.

At least we know he's aggressive.

I don't agree.  The Pats have always entertained playeres with special skills even if they have behavior/legal issues.  They still do not draft them or commit big contracts to them which allows them flexibility to cut bait if they don't drink the cool aide.  I think this column is designed for exposure and emotion.....it doesn't appear to have been written for purpose and opinion.