When the NFL schedule drops in April the first thing I do is .See what Sunday the Patriots are off so I can make plans with my Football Widow of a wife. Yea I’m kidding. I go through each game checking off Wins and Losses , Just like you do . Then I circle the bye week.
If I’m lucky and it’s in October or early November. We take a ride up north to the friendly confines of New Hampshire for some foliage peeping and early Christmas shopping. And (evil grin) some alone time away from the kids. With the Patriots bye week in 2021 being the latest ever. I’m thinking of heading down to Mystic for the day. Hit the shops and check out the town’s Christmas decorations. She likes Mystic. I Love it. But what do players do ?
The Important Stuff
I had the chance to interview former Patriots wide receiver Terry Glenn RIP on (One Patriots Place) back in the early 2000’s and I remember he said This week is their one chance during the year to rest, recuperate and just get away from it all. Even for just a few days, It was a great conversation. What I took from it was , they get to give their wives the morning off and make their kids breakfast, take them to school, and hopefully see the school play. But most of all, get to feel like a part of the family again.
There isn’t a more regimented schedule in sports than there is for an NFL player. Every moment of every day from OTA’s to (If you’re a Patriot ) the Super Bowl is broken down into minute by minute increments for these men. So you can see why this time is so important to them, Younger players the moment they are cut loose do just that. and head back to their alma mater for a game, maybe drink cheap beer with their old teammates. Or go home to taste mom’s cooking and remind their little brother that they are still the little brother. Bye weeks mean no situations and tendencies to study, No Friday game scripts to go over. Everyone’s knees feel better on the bye week. But as I said it’s just for a few days. Before reality hits. and it’s back to work.
Back to Reality
On about Wednesday or Thursday the team parking lot starts filling back up, Game film is being poured over. Time for that self evaluation. Time to get ready for the stretch run. to hopefully the playoffs. Check your technique that’s fallen off while you were compensating for that knee or hip or toe. And get right again. I hope all of the players got right this week. I hope some of my brothers and sisters who cover their teams did too. And I hope you all get to spend Sunday in your best way possible, I’ll be in Mystic.
As Always you can follow / Give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207