Dante Scarnecchia

INDIANAPOLIS - At this point with the longevity of Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, the only thing missing is a "Field of Dreams"-like voiceover by James Earl Jones. "The one constant through all the years, young Patriots fans, has been Scar. The people associated with the franchise are like an army of steamrollers. They have been erased like a blackboard (with X's and O's on it, of course), rebuilt and erased again. But Scar has marked the time. " He has received paychecks from all four team owners: Billy Sullivan, Victor Kiam, James Orthwein, and Robert Kraft.

Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia talked about Matt Light's retirement today. The two had an interesting, often stormy relationship, which I wrote about before the Super Bowl . Scarnecchia's comments: You said at the Super Bowl that you and Light had gotten to a good place, was that because you knew his career was coming to an end? "I know we're all kind of winding down as you get older, but I don't think any of us knew at that point that he was going to retire.

Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia talked about Matt Light's retirement today. The two had an interesting, often stormy relationship, which I wrote about before the Super Bowl . Scarnecchia's comments: You said at the Super Bowl that you and Light had gotten to a good place, was that because you knew his career was coming to an end? "I know we're all kind of winding down as you get older, but I don't think any of us knew at that point that he was going to retire.

Tom Brady tried to persuade Matt Light to return for another season by offering him a year's supply of his favorite candy bar. Offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia reminded Light that he's still in the prime of his career. But Light, one of a handful of NFL players to have started in five Super Bowls, said on Monday he is retiring from the league at the age of 33 to have a chance "to leave this game upright and feeling good. " "When it's your time, you just know," the New England Patriots offensive lineman said Monday in a retirement ceremony at the team's Hall of Fame.

Tom Brady tried to persuade Matt Light to return for another season by offering him a year's supply of his favorite candy bar. Offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia reminded Light that he's still in the prime of his career. But Light, one of a handful of NFL players to have started in five Super Bowls, said on Monday he is retiring from the league at the age of 33 to have a chance "to leave this game upright and feeling good. " "When it's your time, you just know," the New England Patriots offensive lineman said Monday in a retirement ceremony at the team's Hall of Fame.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff Just realized that one of my favorite sections of t oday's story on Patriots veteran offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia was cut in the editing process. These things happen when you submit a 1,900-word story (yes, the submitted story was much longer) on deadline. But I wanted you guys to see it. It would have been in between the part about Dan Koppen being Scarnecchia's favorite, and the way his grandkids have softened him. * * * (Trouble)

As expected, Josh McDaniels is returning to his NFL roots and reuniting with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady as a member of the Patriots coaching staff. McDaniels will replace the departing Bill O'Brien - who was introduced yesterday as Penn State's new head coach - as offensive coordinator, though a league source said McDaniels may have an expanded role with the team. According to the source, a deal has been finalized with McDaniels, who has been in New England since Friday night.

FOXBOROUGH - For the last week, the Patriots have been motoring through transactions at warp speed. All the while, rookie offensive tackle Nate Solder was waiting for the call to let him know his contract was completed. He got that call yesterday. The Patriots signed their first-round pick (17th overall) to a four-year deal worth $8.54 million, which includes a $4.7 million signing bonus. Solder then participated in his first practice. "It was great," he said. "It's been a while, so I was happy to be out there.

This is unfortunate. A week from tonight the 9-2 Patriots play host to the 9-2 New York Jets in the NFL’s Game of the Season. It’s the latest chapter in an epic tale of hatred and hubris and the story lines stretch from here to Exit 16W on the Jersey Turnpike. So why are we talking about Spygate again? Call it bad luck. Call it unfair guilt by association. Call it sour grapes by the haters. Just don’t call it nothing. Word broke Saturday that the Denver Broncos and coach Josh McDaniels each had been fined $50,000 because a former team video operations...

After reviewing his options, Eric Mangini decided yesterday to accept the Patriots' offer to be the team's defensive coordinator, succeeding Romeo Crennel. The 34-year-old Mangini, who has been Bill Belichick's defensive backs coach since February 2000 -- and through three Super Bowl championship seasons -- was also sought by the Browns and Dolphins but elected to take the lowest paying of the three offers he received. Mangini, who was in Cleveland Friday being wooed by new Browns coach Crennel, took a call from Belichick late Friday night that sweetened the team's offer.

The clearest sign yet that Patriots left tackle Matt Light has played his final down came Tuesday, when according to a league source with access to the NFL transaction wire, New England placed him on the reserve/retired list. There was no formal announcement that the 33-year old had decided to retire; Dan Roche of WBZ tweeted that Light was out of town and that there would be a news conference when he returns. Light was in Boston last week for a charity event but said he had been spending all of his time in his native Ohio and didn't know that the Patriots officially had...

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots finished the last of their 30 pre-draft visits Wednesday, and director of player personnel Nick Caserio would like to think that's the end of it. But he knows better. "I personally have gone out the day before the draft or maybe a few days before the draft to work out a player that maybe we haven't had as much exposure with during the spring or during the process," Caserio said. Just last year, he sent offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia to visit Nate Solder.

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots finished the last of their 30 pre-draft visits Wednesday, and director of player personnel Nick Caserio would like to think that's the end of it. But he knows better. "I personally have gone out the day before the draft or maybe a few days before the draft to work out a player that maybe we haven't had as much exposure with during the spring or during the process," Caserio said. Just last year, he sent offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia to visit Nate Solder.

FOXBOROUGH - Patriots tackle Nate Solder could be taking on a more significant role with the offensive line this fall, and he's looking forward to what might come. Solder, New England's first-round draft pick last year, had a solid rookie season, playing in all 19 games with 16 starts. Fourteen of his starts came at right tackle in place of ailing Sebastian Vollmer, with the other two coming at left tackle. Solder also saw time as the third tight end in jumbo sets, although he did not catch a pass.

INDIANAPOLIS - Despite the protests of fans, the Giants truly are a nightmare matchup for the Patriots in many respects. New York is a much better team than it was in Super Bowl XLII; New England likely isn't. Defensively, the Giants can generate pressure - or at least the appearance of pressure - to disrupt Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. And the Giants can "spin the dial" in coverages to put doubt into Brady's mind before the snap and after it. "There is some man, some zone, some man-pressure, zone pressure, split-safety coverage, some post-safety zone...

INDIANAPOLIS - At this point with the longevity of Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, the only thing missing is a "Field of Dreams"-like voiceover by James Earl Jones. "The one constant through all the years, young Patriots fans, has been Scar. The people associated with the franchise are like an army of steamrollers. They have been erased like a blackboard (with X's and O's on it, of course), rebuilt and erased again. But Scar has marked the time. " He has received paychecks from all four team owners: Billy Sullivan, Victor Kiam, James Orthwein, and Robert Kraft.