With the Patriots completing their first OTA session in front of the media on Wednesday, there now seems to be a heated debate on the WEEI airwaves about whether these voluntary workouts truly matter. Former Pats cornerback Ty Law gave his opinion on The Greg Hill Show Friday morning:
"It depends on where you're at in your career and who you are," the three-time Super Bowl champion told the crew. "I think OTAs [are important] if you're coming to a new system to get acclimated to the playbook because it's different terminologies everywhere you go. Football is football, but you say it differently. So for some [it matters]."
Law continued: "I didn't need OTAs... Wiggy did! But I didn't."
Earlier this week, former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia called into Gresh and Fauria to express the importance of the sessions, saying that they are "invaluable to get young men to understand protection systems, where the weaknesses are in the systems, and the adjustments that have to be made relative to the fronts which are dialed up in so many different ways.”
The players (Christian Fauria, Law and Jermaine Wiggins) don't see it in the same light.
"Don't you think Bill [Belichick] takes notice if guys shows up?" asked Greg Hill Show co-host Courtney Cox.
"I ain't ever show up," Law told Cox, point blank.
Wiggy went on to explain that all NFL players aren't on an equal playing field, and that Patriots coach Bill Parcells used to call the sessions 'voluntary mandatory', meaning you knew if you needed to show up or not:
"For me? Mandatory. For Ty? We'll see you come July."
You can listen to the full segment below:
The Patriots will continue these "voluntary mandatory" sessions next week, with Tuesday's workout open to the media. We'll have it covered here at WEEI.com.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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