It’s a signal change

Dan Shaughnessy

July 30, 2011|By Dan Shaughnessy, Globe Columnist

Stephen Gostkowski warms up for yesterdays practice with his son Slayden.… (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff )

FOXBOROUGH - It’s been busy down here the last couple of days. The lockout is over and you truly can’t tell the players without a scorecard.

As you might have heard, Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco are now members of the Patriots. Wow.

Strap yourselves in, Patriots fans. Free agent frenzy is just getting started and - given Haynesworth’s rap sheet - the Patriots have sent the message that they’ll take a chance on anyone with talent. This means there might still be room for Pacman Jones, Dave Meggett, and Manny Ramirez. Too bad The Juice is behind bars.

Once a bastion of teamwork, character, and sanctimony (remember “The Patriot Way’’?), Gillette Stadium is the new Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. The franchise that said “No’’ to Christian Peter is now the place you go to restore your tattered reputation. Ochocinco calls it “Heaven.’’

In this spirit, why don’t the Patriots expand their Misfit Haven to the front office? Anthony Weiner would make a nifty team photographer. Charlie Sheen and Mel Gibson could work in public relations, and Tiger Woods might be a good fit as director of the cheerleaders. Why not hire Hells Angels for stadium security on Sundays?

Really. Have you looked at Haynesworth’s dossier? On and off the field? It’s longer than the wine list at Mistral. He’s a quitter, a bully, a deadbeat, and his sexual assault trial is scheduled to begin in three weeks.

I drove here yesterday to ask coach Bill Belichick about Haynesworth. Coach Bill has respect for the Redskins’ Mike Shanahan, and Coach Mike had a nightmarish experience with Haynesworth. After a series of hideous infractions, the Redskins suspended Haynesworth for the final four games of 2010 season.

Unfortunately, Belichick wouldn’t talk about either of his new star players because the deals were not officially done.

“We are in the process of working through the trades with Albert and Chad,’’ said the coach. “They still haven’t been officially completed yet so there isn’t really anything I can comment with them. We’re working through the process and when it’s complete, if it’s complete, we can talk about it then.’’

Cool, I figured. Let’s try the abstract route. An existential Q & A.

Me: Without talking about specific players, in general when you look at veteran players that are out there, how much do you consider things that happened in their background?