The Patriots and the Panthers traveled to Houston on Sunday instead of gearing up to play a game. The Pats spent the previous three days in practice, hopefully ironing out any kinks they had and preparing to take on Carolina for Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Fans greeted the Patriots at Gillette Stadium to give them a send off as the team boarded buses for the trip into Logan Airport where they caught a chartered plane to Houston.

All of next week will be a media frenzy in Houston. The teams are required to spend designated time talking to the media. And even though none of us will be there, we'll all be routing for them come Sunday during the CBS or WBCN broadcast.

Tedy Bruschi said his leg that was injured late in the AFC Championship game is feeling better - but no one is talking any more than that.

"He's feeling a lot better than he was on Monday," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. "We'll just take it day to day."

Bruschi took a page from the Belichick Bible of Media Communications and was more coy than his coach.

"I can't let you in on anything," Bruschi said Thursday. "I'm sorry. You know how we deal with things around here and I follow the rule."

Bruschi was spotted getting on the team bus Sunday without a limp. Let's hope our man Bruschi will be healed enough to be a big impact in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady was one of 30 invited guests of the President and First Lady to the State of the Union address this week. Brady was featured on the national broadcast during the part of President Bush's address that talked about sports figures paying a better attention to their off field actions and how their actions affect kids. The President's point in particular spoke of their image in the media and how the usage of steroid sends the message that cheating is more important than character.

The invitation had no reflection on the Patriots heading to the Super Bowl. Invitations were sent out weeks prior to the Address, according to a White House spokesman, but you have to believe that the Bush choice is more than coincidence. George H.W. Bush was an invited guest by the Kraft Family for the Inaugural Opening of Gillette Stadium in September 2002. He was also the honorary guest for the Super Bowl XXXVI coin toss. And as far as character is concerned, who else could be a better choice than All-American, clean cut Tom Brady, Quarterback for a team called the Patriots during these times?

The official reason by the White House is that the Patriots as a team ''have made an impact in their community by hosting a sports camp for local youth.''

Either way, it was better having our quarterback there then someone else's. Nice job, Tom!

Super Bowl Sunday - February 1, 2004
Reliant Stadium, Houston, Tx
New England Patriots (16-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (14-6)
Kickoff - 6:18 PM
Television Broadcast CBS
Patriots Rock Radio Network - 104.1 WBCN-FM

Pro Bowl tight end Frank Wycheck has decided to retire after 11 seasons. The Tennessee Titan is the fourth tight end with 500 receptions...A deal or not a deal? Rumored coaching deal with Cowboys assistant head coach Sean Payton and the Raiders is a no-go, and according to Al Davis was only a deal with the media. Miami offensive coordinator Norv Turner has since been hired by Oakland to fill the last vacant head coaching position.

1. Super Bowl XXXVIII is only 6 days away!

2. Norv Turner has got to be either crazy or desperate to take that gig on Oakland. But like they say, there are only 32 head coaching jobs, and now he has one of them.

3. It was good to see one of our own invited to the State of the Union address.

4. How about my man Al Pacino and his Golden "Doesn't Really Count for Much Cause it is sponsored by the Hollywood Foreign Press" Globe award last night? Too bad it was a TV movie (made for HBO). He'd be a shoo-in for an Oscar playing AIDS stricken Roy Cohn in "Angels in America."

5. It is a bum wrap how both Patriots assistants Romeo Crennell and Charlie Weis will not get a head coaching next season (that we know of), but think of how deadly this team is going to be in 2004?

6. I hope someone comes out of nowhere to win New Hampshire in the Primary election. This would be much more fun if someone new won each big state and kept this Democratic guessing game going a bit longer.

7. Rodney Harrison told the press this week he just loved hitting people. I can't wait to see him hit the crap out of the Panther on Super Sunday.

8. I'm not sure what is more unbelievable: how well the stock market is doing, how poor the job market is, or that the Patriots finished the season 14-2, 20-2 overall counting preseason and playoffs including going 12-0 at home. And yes, Dan Marino, you have to start considering that this team is one of the best ever.

9. I'm calling for a blow out by the Patriots. No more of this suspense and close game crap. Let's whale the snot out of the Panthers to knock out the season!

10. Super Bowl Week - Countdown to the Big Game.

ejh