The Pats are back at work.
Some are excited to have the pads on again. Others dread the return of grueling two-a-days in sweltering heat. Then there are those who never stopped working in the first place.
"To me, the '08 season started back in February," said coach Bill Belichick after yesterday morning's first official training camp workout. "It's an on-going process. Certainly training camp is an important part of that process. There's been a lot of work done leading up to yesterday and today."
February was also when last year ended in such disappointing fashion. You won't catch any of the Patriots pondering what might have happened in that nearly historic run, though.
"I think the biggest thing I can say about how you move on from the season is after we've won, we've never dwelled on it either, so we're not going to dwell on it when we've lost," said veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi. "It's just going to be the same. We never strutted our stuff around here after we won Super Bowls because we forgot about them instantaneously once we came into training camp because we know there's work to be done."
Some of the Pats relished the chance to get back down to business.
"I'm very excited to get back," said nose tackle Vince Wilfork. "I couldn't wait for this moment to get here. Even though it's training camp, I love doing what I'm doing. I'm happy. I'm excited."
If yesterday was the Patriots' first day of school, then for every kid happy to be back with all his friends again, there was another wishing he could play hooky and go back to the beach.
"Training camp is training camp," said linebacker Adalius Thomas. "Training camp isn't like an excitement thing. It's a lot of hard work. Yeah, you're glad to be back at work, but training camp - you're not necessarily excited about two-a-days."
Thomas does recognize the necessity of training camp, even if it is a bit of a necessary evil. There's simply no other way to prepare for a football season than by getting out on the field and banging bodies.
"Football shape, game shape, is different," said Thomas. "You're working on your timing, your footwork, your handwork. It's not like other sports. In basketball you can shoot free throws (on your own). Out here, you can't tackle in the offseason. You can get in shape, cardio shape, but you've got to get into hitting shape."
Defensive lineman Richard Seymour, who has been hobbled by knee and shoulder injuries in recent years, was happy to have been healthy enough to get in any kind of shape this offseason, and to be able to start camp on schedule.
"I'm just excited to be out here with my teammates," said Seymour, who began last year on the physically unable to perform list and didn't make his first start until Week 9. "I was able to train this offseason, which I haven't been able to do the last few years. We'll just see where that puts me."
Thomas might not be looking forward to the grind ahead of him, but he was at least happy that he's more comfortable in his surroundings this time around.
"It's a lot easier now," said Thomas, who signed with New England as a free agent last year after seven seasons in Baltimore. "You know everybody's name and you kind of know the system for the most part, so there's a lot less nervous energy."
While Thomas is more at ease, there are still plenty of new faces adjusting to life in New England.
"I'm really just trying to do whatever I can to come out and compete, learn the system and be the best player that I can," said linebacker Victor Hobson, a free-agent addition from the Jets. "I'm just trying to get everything down as fast as possible."
The sense of urgency is amplified by what the Patriots know they're capable of accomplishing. While last year's disappointing finish might be a sensitive topic, the 18 straight wins that preceded it show just how talented this team is.
"I think everybody is excited to be back," said quarterback Tom Brady. "I think we realize we have a good team. I'm anxious to start the games. We have five tough weeks of practice (ahead), and I think we're going to need it. The '08 season has begun. I hope the rain isn't a forecast of things to come, but I think everybody is excited to be back."
Yesterday's storms forced the Patriots to move inside the Dana Farber Field House, but did little to dampen the club's enthusiasm.
"It's no different than any other year," said offensive tackle Matt Light. "This is exciting for all of us. At the beginning of camp, there's always a little, 'ah, how's everything going to play out?' After you work a few kinks out and you go through all the rustiness and you get the new guys on the right page, it's another year man."
And yesterday was just the start.
(Douglas Flynn covers the Patriots for the Daily News. He can be reached at 508-626-4405 or dflynn@cnc.com.)
