2007 NFL Pro Bowl

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Adam Schefter spoke with Bill Belichick after the AFC's first practice in Hawaii
Schefter: Bill, a little bit different experience for you. You haven't been back here as a head coach since January of 1999. What's it like to coach in one of these things once again?
Belichick: Well it's an awesome array of talent and it's a lot of fun seeing these guys run around. We've been game-planning against them for years, and some of them multiple times during the year. It's nice to have them all on our team and not have to game-plan against them, so it's fun.
Schefter: A lot has been made in advance of you and the Chargers and LaDainian Tomlinson. I noticed that you were talking to LaDainian Tomlinson on the field, sharing a laugh. What did you two talk about?
Belichick: [Laughter] He's a great guy and a great player. We have so many guys from the Chargers, I feel like I ought to have a lightning bolt on my hat.
Schefter: Have you ever seen one team with so many players? Ten players here.
Belichick: I don't think so. And a couple of them weren't able to make it. They had a great team, very talented team. [audio disturbance] …awesome talent out here.
Schefter: Does that make your victory over the Chargers even more impressive?
Belichick: Well, no. I just have a lot of respect for that team, that organization and the players here that represent the Chargers, as well as the other teams in the AFC.
Schefter: Now, give us a hint of your wardrobe on Saturday. Is it going to be a Hawaiian hoodie?
Belichick: [Laughter] No, I don't think so. No, I think that will be a game-time decision.
Schefter: Game-time decision. Don't want to give anything away in advance, right?
Belichick: I wish I knew.

LaDainian Tomlinson spoke with Rich Eisen & Marshall Faulk
Faulk: You got a chance to talk to Belichick. Did you have any words for him?
Tomlinson: We actually just had a real good conversation last night before the meeting. Just talked about the game and obviously what happened after the game. But it was all with good fun. It wasn't any hard feelings with anybody. And I didn't expect there to be, because we're all competitors. After a game sometimes we all just, in the heat of the moment after a game, but everything was good. We were joking around out here on the football field and everything is good with us.
Eisen: Before the meeting did he seek you out, did you seek him out? How did that come down?
Tomlinson: It kind of was a mutual thing, because as I was talking to a couple of guys I saw Belichick kind of right beside me and once I got done talking we just kind of met each other and shook hands and gave a big hug. No hard feelings.
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SportsCenter on ESPN
From the AFC squad's first practice in Hawaii
LaDainian Tomlinson: I told him that obviously I said some things that maybe I shouldn't have said, and about him. It was between really the players. And in return Bill said he didn't even see Hobbs doing it. But after the game he definitely said something to him about handling the situation better than what he did. So it was real good. I was really happy with our talk.
Bill Belichick: We've talked. I have all the respect in the world for LaDainian as a person, as a player. It's fun to be out here working with those guys, not only LaDainian but all the other guys from the Chargers. Hopefully we can put it together and play well on Saturday.
Chris Mortensen: I really detected that they were sincere. I know LaDainian did not want to back off his criticism of that post-game celebration that the Patriots had, and he seemed to think that Belichick agreed with him and had spoken to the players in mind. It was interesting to watch Belichick on the practice field. You don't really get to do that in New England. He was relaxed, he seemed to be enjoying himself, he interacted well with the players, so I didn't detect any tension there.
NESN video of LT & BB

DeAngelo Hall & BB wired at AFC Practice
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SportsCenter on ESPN
Chris Mortensen: Bill Belichick called Peyton Manning the Friday before the Super Bowl to wish him well, and today we asked boHe left me a voicemail Friday morning. We were at a meeting…it was just a very sincere voicemail kind of wishing me luck and wishing our team luck. I truly appreciated it very much. Another head coach of another team, a team that we've had a lot of history with, took the time to call me. I truly appreciated it.th men about it.
Peyton Manning: I truly appreciated it.
Bill Belichick: He did that to me a couple times, and one time spoke to my daughter because he couldn't get me. I've always had a lot of affection for him, other than when we play against him. Obviously it's tough to compete against him; I'm sure he feels the same way. But just as an athlete and a person and as a player I have tremendous respect for him. [If] we couldn't do it then I hope he does.

Best Of The Best
10-Feb-2007, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
"'You only have these guys for less than a week, so you don't have that much time to get ready,' Belichick said. 'I think we've all enjoyed spending this time together. It's fun to get to know the players and their families. Frankly, I'd much rather be coaching in last week's game (Super Bowl XLI) than this week. It's nice to be in Hawaii, but the Super Bowl is where all of us want to be.'"
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Pro Bowl Notebook: Meeting Belichick
10-Feb-2007, Associated Press
"For several AFC stars, the most interesting part of Pro Bowl week was the opportunity to investigate Bill Belichick. … 'I never really met Belichick before, and you always hear about how he's a mean guy,' Baltimore linebacker Adalius Thomas said. 'But it's real interesting to see how he reacts with different players, how he gets comfortable over here. He's actually a really nice guy. I was surprised.' … 'For Bill, this is his peace on the football field,' league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson said. 'He's definitely happier out here. This is where he loves to be. Out here, I get to talk to him and understand the man.'"
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AFC Gives NFC The Boot
11-Feb-2007, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
"A pass-interference call against Arizona strong safety Adrian Wilson set up a chip-shot field goal by San Diego place-kicker Nate Kaeding to give the AFC a 31-28 victory over the NFC before a sellout crowd of 50,410. … 'I tell you what, this is really a fun group to coach,' Belichick said. 'They were a great group of guys, very cooperative, who played hard until the end. The NFC made a nice comeback, but our guys stayed with it and were able to score late when we needed to.'"
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Afternoon Delight
11-Feb-2007, Honolulu Advertiser
"Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer was named the Dan McGuire Player of the Game … 'I'm very happy and I told him that walking off the field,' Belichick said of Palmer, who missed last year's Pro Bowl while recovering from knee surgery. 'Obviously, he wasn't able to play in the game last year. For him to have the kind of game he had and get that recognition, I'm happy for him. He deserved it.' … 'We compete against these guys, game plan against them every week and it's fun to be coaching them and not worrying about them,' New England coach Bill Belichick said of his AFC squad."
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Manning Leaves Hawaii As King Of The NFL World
12-Feb-2007, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
"AFC head coach Bill Belichick leaned in to whisper something meant only for Manning. The quarterback smiled, shook his nemesis' hand and acknowledged Belichick with a nod and a simple, 'Thanks, Coach.' … 'Peyton deserves everything that's coming his way,' Belichick said. 'He's worked hard, he played well in the big moments. Winning the Super Bowl is what every guy in this room wants to accomplish more than anything else.'"
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PATRIOTS ALL-ACCESS: Behind the scenes at the Pro Bowl
"See and hear Bill Belichick and members of the Patriots' coaching staff as you've never seen or heard them before inside this special edition of Patriots All-Access! The cameras followed their every move during Pro Bowl week in Hawaii – on the practice fields, inside team meeting rooms and even during some moments of relaxation – as they led the AFC's best. Curious how Belichick interacted with such stars as Peyton Manning and LaDainian Tomlinson? Interested in hearing in-game sound as the AFC looked to hold off a late charge by the NFC in the game itself? All that and much more is here for you in this behind-the-scenes exclusive. Catch this special edition of Patriots All-Access, right here on Patriots.com."
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