Overview
It all came down to one kick. With seven seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England Patriots were locked in a 17-17 tie with the St. Louis Rams. Starved for a championship, Patriots fans rested all their hopes on kicker Adam Vinatieri. As hearts pounded throughout New England, Vinatieri booted a 48-yard title-winning field goal-prompting howls of joy from Boston to Bangor.Little did fans know that Vinatieri's kick was the birth of a dynasty. But Patriots fans do know that the journey to that point was long and bumpy. This is the story told in New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today. It includes:
? The birth of the team in 1959, when Boston businessman Billy Sullivan plunked down $25,000 and the Boston Patriots became the final team admitted into the fledgling American Football League
? The Patriots' struggles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, relieved only be the exploits of fan favorites like Sam "Bam" Cunningham, "All World" tight end Russ Francis, and perennial All-Pro guard John Hannah
? Two heartbreaking Super Bowl appearances: in 1985 behind Tony Eason, when the Pats were trounced by the Chicago Bears, and in 1996, with "Big Tuna" Bill Parcells unsuccessfully coaching the team against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers
? The team's ascendance to dynasty status in the new millennium, when quarterback Tom Brady led them to Super Bowl wins in 2002, 2004, and 2005, earning himself a place among the greatest QBs ever and Bill Belichik similar status among coaches
? The Patriots' near-perfect-but ultimately heartbreaking-2007 season and efforts to retain their glory after injuries to Brady, the Spygate scandal, and more
Few pro football teams have endured the highs and lows of the Patriots. But stars like Gino Cappelletti, Nick Buoniconti, Andre Tippett, and Ben Coates have given Pats fans reason to cheer in all eras. So will New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today.
Synopsis
It all came down to one kick. With seven seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England Patriots were locked in a 17-17 tie with the St. Louis Rams. Starved for a championship, Patriots fans rested all their hopes on kicker Adam Vinatieri. As hearts pounded throughout New England, Vinatieri booted a 48-yard title-winning field goal-prompting howls of joy from Boston to Bangor.
Little did fans know that Vinatieri's kick was the birth of a dynasty. But Patriots fans do know that the journey to that point was long and bumpy. This is the story told in New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today. It includes:
? The birth of the team in 1959, when Boston businessman Billy Sullivan plunked down $25,000 and the Boston Patriots became the final team admitted into the fledgling American Football League
? The Patriots' struggles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, relieved only be the exploits of fan favorites like Sam "Bam" Cunningham, "All World" tight end Russ Francis, and perennial All-Pro guard John Hannah
? Two heartbreaking Super Bowl appearances: in 1985 behind Tony Eason, when the Pats were trounced by the Chicago Bears, and in 1996, with "Big Tuna" Bill Parcells unsuccessfully coaching the team against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers
? The team's ascendance to dynasty status in the new millennium, when quarterback Tom Brady led them to Super Bowl wins in 2002, 2004, and 2005, earning himself a place among the greatest QBs ever and Bill Belichik similar status among coaches
? The Patriots' near-perfect-but ultimately heartbreaking-2007 season and efforts to retain their glory after injuries to Brady, the Spygate scandal, and more
Few pro football teams have endured the highs and lows of the Patriots. But stars like Gino Cappelletti, Nick Buoniconti, Andre Tippett, and Ben Coates have given Pats fans reason to cheer in all eras. So will New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today.