Copy Pats

It was bound to happen. Sooner or later the folks up in Foxboro — or Foxborough (which is it anyway?) would wake up and realize cheating will only take you so far…or not far enough. After all, the New England Patriots did show some arrogance by deciding to turn off all the video spy cameras and send all their signal stealers to the locker room early to uncork the champagne on Super Bowl Sunday. Why did Bill Belichick stop cheating with just 2:41 seconds left to go in the season of perfection?

Well it wasn’t a weapon of mass destruction launched in the ongoing Border War between the New York Jets and the Patriots but it made some noise nonetheless. The Patriots decided they needed to steal a player from the Jets yesterday when they signed linebacker Victor Hobson to a one year deal.

A second round pick in 2003 NFL Draft calling Hobson’s tenure with the Jets nondescript might be kind. Coming out of football factory Michigan, Hobson never turned into the force on defense one would suspect with his pedigree. His pedestrian numbers don’t bear much repeating but at 28 he is still young enough to make improvements and on Patriots linebacker corp he’s the equivalent of a red shirt freshman compared to the other graybeards deciding on retirement and social security or player/coaching positions with the Pats.

The word out of Boston will paint a slightly more rose-colored picture with the Hobson signing but in reality it was a cheap roll of the dice on a serious need position from a division rival. The fact that they think he’s got good size at 6’0″ and 250+ lbs to play in the 3-4 is a little bit of a head scratcher since that is what Eric Mangini is so desperately trying to make successful for the Jets.

The Jets linebacker squad wouldn’t be hurt be an infusion of some new blood itself and the name Jerrod Mayo is moving up the draft charts as an inside linebacker. Maybe he is there when Jets pick in second round? The thought here ist hat he may sneak into late first round and land just out of Jets reach unless a draft day trade moves Jets around or arms Jets with additional picks.

As for Vic and the Pats, well I guess if you can’t beat ’em join ’em.