There?s a code of silence that we don?t dare speak
There?s a wall between us and a river so deep
We keep pretending that there?s nothing wrong
But there?s a code of silence and it can?t go on
? Bruce Springsteen?s “Code of Silence”
FOXBOROUGH – Tom Brady had the brace on his left knee. Jimmy Garoppolo had the white leggings under his workout shorts. Garrett Gilbert was the other one.
On Friday, for the first time since the Super Bowl, we got a look at the Patriots on the field. The team?s third day of optional team activities was open to the media, but not to the public. Typically for Pats’ OTAs, the players wear numberless jerseys. Usually, though, there are small ? teensy, to some eyes ? numbers on their helmets and workout shorts.
Not this year, though. No numbers. No quarterbacks in red jerseys. The better to keep you in the dark.
And with a drone flying overhead, presumably to tape the workouts and not eavesdrop on the media, it was a little surreal. The first time I?ve seen a drone at any team?s practice.
About an hour into the hour-and-45-minute portion of the workout that was open, music began blaring from the ginormous speakers at the practice field?s far end zone. It was cranked up to concussion-inducing decibels, mimicking game-day stadium noise. The first song of the day was Living Colour?s “Cult of Personality” from 1988 … older than both Garoppolo and Gilbert.
But it was the last song of the day ? Bruce Springsteen?s ?Code of Silence? ? that really touched on the irony of the day.
We keep pretending that there?s nothing wrong ?
After the workout, coach Bill Belichick and a few players ? none named Brady ? talked with the media. Can?t exactly say we were enlightened. Belichick typically — notoriously — attempts to impart as little information as possible, in as few words as possible. And prefers his players do the same.
But, of course, the pesky reporters had a few topics they wanted to discuss — among them Deflategate, the possibility of starting the season with Brady serving a four-game suspension and Garoppolo as the opening game starter.
Maybe we weren’t all on the same wavelength.
Is the truth so elusive, so elusive you see
That it ain?t enough, baby
To bridge the distance between you and me?
Q: Are you preparing to start the season with Jimmy Garoppolo as the starter based on Tom Brady?s situation?
Belichick: “We?re just going day by day right now. Everybody?s working hard trying to get better. That?s what we?re all doing.”
Well, you walk with your eyes open
But your lips they remain sealed
Q: Has it been tough to watch what has transpired over the last couple months?
Belichick: “We?re just working hard every day to come out here and get better. Coaches, players, everybody in the organization, each day we?re trying to make it a little bit better than the day before. That?s where we?re at. That?s what we?re going to keep doing.”
While the promises we made are broken
Beneath the truth we fear to reveal
Q: Has Deflategate taken away from the joy of the Super Bowl win?
Belichick: “That’s a long time ago. We’re on to next year. 2015. Forget about last year. That was last year.”
OK, how about Garoppolo, who will be the starting quarterback when the NFL opens its season with the Pats and Steelers on Sept. 10 ? unless Brady can somehow wriggle out of his suspension?
There?s a list of grievance 100 miles long
Q: What?s your mindset with Brady facing a four-game suspension?
Garoppolo: “I just have the mindset I?m trying to get better. That?s all you can control at the end of the day.”
OK, how about Julian Edelman, Brady?s favorite target last year?
Now I need to know now darlin?
I need to know what?s going on
So c’mon c’mon c’mon c’mon ?
Q:Brady took nearly every snap in the workout, but what if he?s missing for the first four games?
Edelman: “We’re not even thinking about the first four games. We’re still thinking about trying to get this offense going