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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots are once again attempting to kick down the door that leads to the Super Bowl, so they picked a player in the NFL Draft who knows how to stomp the hell out of people.
And shoot a gun.
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| Brandon Meriweather is a risky pick for the Pats, but there's no doubting his talent. (Getty Images) |
If the Patriots' new pick could have only thrown in a little armed robbery during his Miami Hurricanes days, he would be the ideal NFL triple threat.
You might remember safety Brandon Meriweather. He made almost every highlight show in the country because of an infamous, historic brawl last season between the Hurricanes and Florida International University that led to brief suspensions of numerous players, including Meriweather.
Meriweather was caught by cameras stomping a defenseless FIU player at least three times in what was a vicious act of overkill hooliganism. While at Miami, Meriweather was also involved in a gun incident. When a Miami player was shot near his off-campus house in what Hurricanes players described as a robbery attempt, Meriweather allegedly returned fire with his own semiautomatic gat. Police said Meriweather's actions were legal.
(In fairness to Meriweather, in the state of Florida, where there are approximately 15.2 trillion guns, simply shooting at someone is considered foreplay.)
A teammate being shot in the ass, and another returning fire, was met with casualness from fellow Hurricanes at the time. Former Meriweather teammate Kyle Wright told the media that at least Meriweather didn't "bring a knife to a gunfight."
I love that quote.
But since Meriweather went to Miami, are we sure he didn't bring a gun and a knife to the gunfight?
Despite Meriweather's baggage, and their limited selections, this was still another excellent first day of the draft for the Patriots.
There is no question that Meriweather is a risky selection, particularly for a Bob Kraft/Bill Belichick regime that normally does not tread into this sort of territory. Still, Meriweather's athleticism, play-making skills and apparent contriteness make him likely worth the risk.
The Patriots are not the Bengals. There has not been an abundance of turds and crooks polluting their roster. They do get the benefit of the doubt on this one.