[USN Squid]

Summed up nicely:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/print/nfl/story/10157026/2

It's time to open the car wash again in New England, the one run by Bill Belichick.

Here's how it works: Any player acquired by the New England Patriots who has any problems, whether off the field or on the field, goes through the wash before showing up to play.

And you know what happens: The stink washes away.

Randy Moss is ready for his wash after being acquired from the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round pick. His might be an industrial-strength cleaning.

But you watch and see how clean a player Moss becomes in New England. All the moaning and complaining and loafing and lack of production he's had at times in his two other stops in the NFL will stop with the Patriots.

It stopped with Corey Dillon. It stopped with others, too. Bad players suddenly make plays. Good players become even better.

The griping Moss did in Minnesota and Oakland won't play in the New England locker room. A lot of that has to do with Belichick. But it also has to do with peer pressure.

When you walk into that locker room, he sees players who have been winning, with three rings to show for it, and so they're just players who go about their jobs without creating problems.

The players don't really like Belichick, despite what you might think. They play for him, respect him, but don't believe that there is this warm, fuzzy relationship.

That's where veterans like Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Tom Brady come into play. They're all good guys and hard workers -- and that rubs off and is far more valuable than anything Belichick can say or do, other than cutting a guy.

So for all those who think Moss to the Patriots isn't a good move because he's a locker-room cancer, think again.

It's a great move.

Randy Moss for a fourth-round pick? Are you kidding me?

Trading for that kind of player is why the New England Patriots are three-time Super Bowl champions and the favorite now in 2007.

The Patriots know how to make their team better.

There is talk that Moss doesn't have the top-end speed any more, but he supposedly was timed in the 4.3 range recently -- although I have my doubts. Still, ask any corner who faces him whether they still fear him.

It was only four years ago that Moss caught 111 passes with 17 touchdowns. Then his quarterback in Minnesota got hurt, he was traded to Oakland where the quarterback play was horrific, and his production dropped along with his reputation.

But even Lane Kiffin, the new coach in Oakland, said he was perplexed when he watched tape of Moss as to why the team didn't throw him the ball more. That led to Moss griping and loafing.

Is that right? Of course it isn't. But, damn, throw him the ball

They will in New England. And if they don't, he won't show up Brady. That won't happen. Can you imagine if it did?

Moss has 102 catches the past two seasons, including 11 touchdown catches. Donte' Stallworth, the free-agent pick up people were raving about when the Patriots signed him, had 108 catches with 12 touchdown catches. So he's right there even with no quarterbacks and a bad team.

The Patriots have uncharacteristically made a lot of high-end moves this off-season. In addition to Moss and Stallworth, they paid big money for outside linebacker Adalius Thomas and traded for Wes Welker.

Not getting to the Super Bowl in two years eats at this organization. And when you think about their AFC Championship Game loss to the Colts, two things stand out from that day.

The receivers didn't catch the ball.

The back seven looked slow.

Now they've added four receivers, including speed guys in Moss and Stallworth, to upgrade that spot.

Ina addition to Thomas, they drafted safety Brandon Meriweather, a safety from Miami, in the first round Saturday. He will bring speed to that area.

Like Moss, Meriweather has character issues. He was off some team's boards because of them, according to league sources.

New England didn't care. And we know why.

Like Moss, he'll go through the car wash.

The stink always washes away.

Besides, a 4th round pick at risk? Big deal.

I LOVE this trade.