News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Sports

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
February 3, 2012

Matt Light has been protecting Brady's blind side for 11 years

Purdue grad critical to Patriots' long-term success

CNHI

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s the first thing you notice about Matt Light, other than the 300 pounds of muscle and facial hair.

The smile.

It’s wide and it’s real.

“I don’t know why I smile so much,” said the New England Patriots left tackle. “Maybe it’s because I like my life.”

There’s a lot to like about Light, too, besides his penchant for one-liners: “I feel horrible about [missing Media Day on Tuesday because of the stomach flu]. I do. And I love spending time with you guys.”

One thing that isn’t funny is Light’s mark on this franchise. Tom Brady has been one of the NFL’s most durable quarterbacks under Light’s watch.

While coach Bill Belichick and Brady are forever linked as the cornerstones of the Patriots’ dynasty — five Super Bowl appearances in 11 seasons — the bond on the field between Brady and Light can’t be overlooked either.

“It’s incredible when you think about it. Matt’s been there as long as I have,” said Brady, who arrived in New England in 2000, one year prior to Light. “I trust him. I always have. He’s just a great guy and a hard worker. I’ve been very lucky to have him at left tackle.”

Left tackle might not sound special, but it’s a crucial position to protecting the quarterback. If a team finds a reliable one, it typically keeps him as long as possible.

At Belichick’s introductory press conference back in January of 2000, he was asked about his philosophy in rebuilding the Patriots.

He said nothing about a young, handsome franchise quarterback.

First and foremost, he said the “new” Patriots needed to be tougher and the offensive and defensive lines are where he would start.

Enter a country kid from Purdue University named Matt Light in the spring of 2001.

A lot has happened since the Pats drafted the native of Greenville, Ohio (population 13,227) in the second round. Owner Bob Kraft, Belichick and Tom Brady became future Hall of Famers. And the left tackle position, on Brady’s blind side, has been protected by Light the entire time.

“You make good decisions and some not-so-good decisions on players,” said Belichick. “Choosing Matt was one of our very good ones. He’s a professional. He’s smart. He works hard. He’s consistent. He’s tough. And he’s been playing one of the toughest positions in the game at a high level for a long time.”

In the bland, buttoned-down world of the Patriots, Light’s candor and sense of humor are a breath of fresh air.

When asked about the recent claims by Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora that he and Light seem to have fistfights every time they play, he smiled and said: “Can you have an individual rivalry? I thought rivalries were between teams in general. It’s football, not tennis.”

That’s not entirely accurate. Football may be a team sport, but it consists of many individual matchups/rivalries. And it seems nearly every week, every season there’s a superstar opposite Light waiting to knock Brady silly.

The names are a who’s who of the game’s elite: Dwight Freeney of the Colts, ex-Dolphin Jason Taylor, ex-Bill Aaron Schobel, Terrell Suggs of the Ravens, Jared Allen of the Vikings, DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys, James Harrison of the Steelers, Julius Peppers of the Bears and, yes, Osi Umenyiora.

They all combine exception size with freakish speed and strength. If that’s not pressure, then what is? How about the pressure protecting the “greatest” quarterback of his generation?

“I’ve never looked at it like it’s my responsibility,” said Light, who sometimes has troubles with the real speed merchants. “I think we’ve always looked at like it’s the offensive line and it’s the offensive line’s job — not any one guy in particular. We’ve had a lot of things — a lot of moving guys — up front, and I think everybody has done a good job of sticking together and working hard and playing as a unit.”

Light, who was a tight end as a freshman at Purdue, isn’t the biggest, quickest or strongest left tackle, but he seems to find ways to adjust to the strength of each pass rusher he faces.

“That guy does not get the credit her deserves,” said Freeney, who has faced off against Light eight times in 10 years, accumulating only three sacks. “He’s the toughest [left tackle] I face. I’m serious. He’s just a tough matchup. He’s strong and he moves his feet really well. I don’t know if people in New England realize how good Light is.”

Not a lot of people thought Light was returning to the Patriots this season. His contract was up and they drafted a behemoth of a left tackle in 6-8, 319-pound Nate Solder. Light, however, signed for two years, $12 million, with $6 million guaranteed.

“We’re lucky with the way things worked out with injuries that we signed Matt,” said Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. “He’s been a stabilizing force for us ... Hasn’t he always been?”

Light smiled at the comment.

“I love the guys I work for, like Dante, and the guys I work with. And that accounts for something,” said Light. “This really is a great organization. Here it’s about accountability. In the end, there was no other place I wanted to be.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Sports
SPT 052412 STEWART RUN.jpg

On his way home: West Vigo's Kyle Stewart rounds third base in a hurry on his way to home plate to score for the Vikings during the team's sectional game against Owen Valley Thursday in Greencastle.

  • West Vigo baseball falls in sectional to Owen Valley

    West Vigo overcame the odds to win 20 high school baseball games this season with a lineup that often included four freshmen and few seniors.

    May 25, 2012 4 Photos

  • South Vermillion softball's late-season surge comes to end

    A late-season surge by South Vermillion wasn’t quite enough to halt a high school softball sectional winning streak by the host team Thursday night, as Edgewood got on top early and held on for a 5-2 win in the championship game of the Class 3A Edgewood Sectional.
    The loss was just the second in the last 12 games for the Wildcats. The Mustangs, however, haven’t lost a sectional softball game for eight years in a row.

    May 25, 2012

  • Indiana State throwers advance to NCAA championships

    A pair of Indiana State juniors punched their ticket to Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday as Felisha Johnson finished fifth and Mary Theisen ninth in the women’s shot put at the 2012 NCAA East Preliminary track and field championships on the University of North Florida campus.
    “Both were very focused and had great starts,” ISU women’s track coach Angela Martin said. “They did just what we wanted them to … be relaxed, have fun, and do what they have already done this season.”

    May 25, 2012

  • Kaeding takes Tony Hulman Classic on Thursday at Action Track

    The complexion of Thursday night’s 42nd running of the “Tony Hulman Classic” at the Terre Haute Action Track changed many times in a few short laps.
    In the end, it was Bud Kaeding cutting celebratory donuts and collecting the Winchester rifle for the 30-lap feature win.

    May 25, 2012

  • South takes second, North third at boys track regional

    Terre Haute South finished second and Terre Haute North third on Thursday night at the boys track and field regional at Evansville Central, with 11 individuals and three relay teams qualifying for the state finals June 2.

    May 25, 2012

  • SPT 052212 CHEYENNE REINIG.jpg Feeling cursed: South bitten in sectional final again

    Terre Haute South softball is not even close to being as cursed as a certain northside baseball team in Chicago, but it might just seem like it.

    May 24, 2012 4 Photos

  • Sycamores KO’d

    Indiana State’s baseball team picked a very bad time to have its worst stretch of the 2012 season.

    May 24, 2012

  • PREP ROUNDUP: Mundy, Porter, Knight individual regional winners

    Chanli Mundy and Keirra Porter of Terre Haute North were among the individual winners in the IHSAA Evansville Central girls track and field regional that ended late Tuesday night.

    May 24, 2012

  • Thornton puts away South Vermillion

    Cody Thornton’s three-run blast over the left-field fence was the finishing touch to West Vigo’s 10-3 victory over South Vermillion in the opening game of the Class 3A Greencastle Sectional on Wednesday.

    May 24, 2012

  • Colts have stocked up on tight ends

    Just because Dallas Clark is now in Tampa Bay and Jacob Tamme has moved on to Denver doesn’t mean that the tight end position has become any less important to the Indianapolis Colts offense.

    May 24, 2012

Local Interest
SPT042812ISUBB lucas2.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Gone: Indiana State's Jeremy Lucas watches his home run head over the left field wall. The blast put the Sycamores up 2-1 over the visiting Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

  • MVP of the MVC: Lucas first Sycamore to earn Player of Year honors

    Indiana State’s baseball team got the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season hardware last week and it’s hoping to grab more gold this week in its quest to win the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament.
     

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • Sycamores try to catch Missouri Valley Conference tourney vibe

    A Missouri Valley Conference championship season has bloomed for the Indiana State baseball team in 2012. The Sycamores have been dominant through most of the season.
     

    May 22, 2012

  • Braves, Knights open with wins

    It was an excellent night for starting softball pitchers to help their own cause Monday night in the Class 4A Northview Sectional.
     

    May 22, 2012

  • Lough dreamt about McMillan

    A two-time state finalist in wrestling and a two-time all-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference football player and wrestler, Tsali Lough of Terre Haute South was named the male recipient of the 2012 McMillan Award on Monday night at South’s Senior Awards Night.
     

    May 22, 2012

  • METRO ROUNDUP: ISU 5th in MVC all-sport standings

    Winning three league championships in 2011-12 helped Indiana State finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Trophy standings announced Monday by the league office.
     

    May 22, 2012

High School
College
  • Indiana State throwers advance to NCAA championships

    A pair of Indiana State juniors punched their ticket to Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday as Felisha Johnson finished fifth and Mary Theisen ninth in the women’s shot put at the 2012 NCAA East Preliminary track and field championships on the University of North Florida campus.
    “Both were very focused and had great starts,” ISU women’s track coach Angela Martin said. “They did just what we wanted them to … be relaxed, have fun, and do what they have already done this season.”

    May 25, 2012

  • Blanked by Blach: ISU drops MVC tournament opener

    Things went wrong for Indiana State’s baseball team in its Missouri Valley Conference Tournament opener against Creighton, but one statistic glowed white-hot.

    May 23, 2012

  • SPT042812ISUBB lucas2.jpg MVP of the MVC: Lucas first Sycamore to earn Player of Year honors

    Indiana State’s baseball team got the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season hardware last week and it’s hoping to grab more gold this week in its quest to win the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament.
     

    May 22, 2012 1 Photo

  • Sycamores try to catch Missouri Valley Conference tourney vibe

    A Missouri Valley Conference championship season has bloomed for the Indiana State baseball team in 2012. The Sycamores have been dominant through most of the season.
     

    May 22, 2012

  • FROM THE PRESS BOX: Subtle switch has fostered MVC baseball parity

    When Indiana State was crowned as the regular season baseball champion of the Missouri Valley Conference last Thursday, it marked the fifth different regular season champion the league has had since 2005.

    May 21, 2012

Sports Columns
Pro Sports
Terre Haute Rex
Colts
Auto Racing
Latest News
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Front page
AP Video
French Open Preview: Women's draw French Open Preview: Men's draw Controversial Show Offers Alternative Listening for Women During Stanley Cup Finals Tebow Teased by Jets Teammates Over Virginity, Lolo Jones Jets learn Sparano's offense 1st Inning: Hakeem Nicks Tweet Talkback: Brandon Jennings QB Kafka gaining valuable experience Showalter and Arrieta on the loss to the Red Sox Jenkins: 'I think I won' D'Brickashaw Ferguson Horrow: Steinbrenner's know what they have On the Record: John Orozco On the Record: Sarah Robles Kendall: Indy 500 Preview Heat knock out Pacers Barfly Week 5: Behind the Scenes Barfly Promo: Adam Carolla and Warren Moon On the Record: Steven Lopez Highlights: Charlotte qualifying
NDN Video
Kristen Stewart Is Red Hot Shark Attacks Australian Fishing Boat Bradley out for playoffs Kayaker Survives Trip Over Washington Waterfall Alison Brie Likes To Jog Naked Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Heidi Klum Goes Sheer Alton's Best Burger Ever Ellie Kemper's Stripper Surprise on 'Ellen' Maddie the Balancing Dog On Cross-Country Trip Crawford's Sexy Leather Look Boys eyes 'removed with spoon' Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament "Twilight" Stars Caught Kissing Etan Patz Case: Suspect Arrested Britney's Hot Pink Mini-Dress Wrongfully accused rapist exonerated after 5 years in jail Actress to Play Casey Anthony Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected Prince William on The Queen: 'Woman in Man's World'
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

    March 12, 2010

activity