NFL Sunday Remember Pats Equipment Manager Don Brocher

There is there's no easy way to do this and this is going to be much clone here than I intended it to be but we're talking about trainers and training staff and I think it's the appropriate time for us to to mark the passing of of a guy -- didn't know much better than I do. But I knew him as well he was the equipment manager for the patriots even when I was doing the games and number of years ago. -- brochure passed away New Year's Day in the very early morning hours of New Year's today. Fought a valiant fight with leukemia ultimately lost that fight the patriots. Will be wearing a yet commemorative. Sticker on their helmets. Bill Belichick had very emotional this week I thought when he was in any opened his press conference without being asked talking about Donny and what he had meant. Think about this 41 years. In one organization 41 years in in any walk of life in any job. To be in one place and do and do it it's an indication of how well he did it and how well thought out he was and you guys -- much better -- an idea. Yeah I mister Kraft yesterday at the ceremony actually talked quite a bit about some numbers from the Munich in this game we often get too tied up in -- -- yards the personal those kinds of things. And he rambled through some of the numbers that the brooch was involved than just the numbers of games disguise appoint -- number consecutive this and that. In some of the things that that he's done in his career. The things that are not lauded the thing you know that is not you know it's not glamorous work when he was a rock and an organization a guy that we all love. The consistency model and I think it if you look at promised organization one of the one of the the standards the things that they really appreciate the really gonna come about for you guys are consistent I mean and had a guy that is always there that always books or that's always selfless and that was -- And put together the string of consistency and production of fact I had. You can't get there without just selflessness and I think four years I mean richest in -- That the organizations -- -- this has nothing to do with that the crash of Belgian business moves through several organizations several let me ownership group ownership groups he was here through at all. He's got we love these guys that you know always busting my balls because I was one of the guys that would like to uses little equipment as possible and -- would always try to known all you need a little more than so that he always knew what was best warrior. But I think it's something you take for granted I think there's a lot of teams -- that you know -- as forthcoming with. You know given their guards in the best position I mean I Don always had your best interest in horror he always is trying to fit he was some from the would be. A little better fit a little wider if you needed it you always felt like you were the most repair on the field -- the guy across from you and Donnie was a big part of it was a war. It's spoke volumes to me is a person. I've been knowing him for thirteen fourteen years. To walk into the memorial serves -- Syrian. Seat amount of people. This showed up for this equipment manager that. Who we feel very very. You know emotional about. 441 years -- seed they'll Hmong people who showed open to listen to some of the stories. There will say about about this man about his life. Immunity in that account through it it in the two Morse to listen to his wife. Speaking in. Speak freely. Happily. About her husband but his life. And by how he lived his life. And the wanting she theater he's there was that. While not going to leave you this panic you know alive I'm going to die one day after live my life. I've lived the life I wanted to live and happy and content. You know content to live via alive and I know as a young guy coming in. You always understand. A person which never could figure out who. And brochure world. You have former players they come in and talk to you about this day care you how are you know. He's not gonna give you this in the equipment room he's not gonna give you that their criminal. He's gonna keep everything to himself he's got a Beck wrong what all the equipment bags there if you want something from 1986. He had a -- he wants the whole picture is -- yes -- was bros and the great thing if he actually did have more to the little stuff at you you know it was awesome and we talked about in the media we've that we talked to him real briefly but yet -- that the -- collection. Yeah I was always tell us what history what effect does more to -- collection in you could go back there and not just. Like stuff that was created you know twenty minutes ago an old style you know -- only he actually had the old chargers helmet -- it was passed meaning to look into it. Is dead just a collection of football memorabilia as long as he's been there. You would think that he has. Collection of players that top ten list of players that has going and I'm pretty sure he'd be pretty sure he doesn't his mind. -- -- Which you would never. Ever hear him go to a guy. As a -- It was always work and you respected that about him until one day last year during the summer. Could never forgive this and I would never forget this because I never really thought that he. Talked a whole lot because he did notice it was it was talking -- -- unless it was about. Equipment -- business or something you didn't give much are we were red. -- deported for someone and his wife. And his wife would bury me in my wife was there and he started talking to me and we had about a 1015 -- counties -- this was -- for me. Recreate the locker Waltham we never had a long conversation. He actually told me he's like Kevin. I just want lets you know that you on one of the this list if ever. -- is doing preaches about wow. And who did -- for me. From this guy. Who has been here. For debt -- That meant a whole lot that -- they will when I came here I want it to be where I left an impression on affairs in the ring. And to leave that impression -- of rain like that guided actually works in the program. That will provide. So I think when when we think of the New England Patriots ever secede from their perspective we're live in those locker rooms but I think of the patriots. You know of course I think of course Belichick in the logo and mister Kraft and things like that but you often think of all the guys we -- on a daily basis the equipment guys the video guys Jimmy. George all the guys that we deal with on a database is Nancy Meyer of the foreign office of people PR mean the poles -- -- patriots to us in on those of the people that. That we I'd love to see that they they want with a sticker I think it's such a classy move because it doesn't say that the only you know it just the -- And on to you giving it'll go and and -- names I'm glad to you what we do as it. As a player that -- for Bill Belichick and is going to be perfect. Goes on build up build a little being. And those -- the little things those people you just named. All the little things and organizations that nobody knows about a -- that nobody understands what they do for us. As a person that actually has to go dated date in -- doing and pay to. -- and make your life easy Mitchell left -- blighted Donnie was really great to reduce heat. He was encyclopedic community there was another forty years he was quiet when he would when he would talk there were there were gold you know. And -- he wants told me a story about Russ Francis and Ross was you know all this all time tight end you know just. All American athlete YE a whole thing like he's just. This super human guy in the wave brought to tell stories about a -- you know kind of opened have to build the legend. He would come in a -- was was a javelin in college slick head damn near Olympic level kind of like all American could throw the -- and the feeling anything he would have done just couldn't go to class athletic to space right now and so and he would tells Donnie told the story and I had heard this through other channels. In its sound McConnell like that you know in Jolly Green Giant brand new issue of former players thing like you know how big official I kept I think. Well there would say that Russia France is controlled football you know clear over the mountain like the -- -- Napoleon died and it's it's uncle Rico Rico exactly. But the broached confirmed forming in Coleman -- story were where. Ross would stand on his pursuit on his knees of the goal line. And could throw a football from his knees from that sort of javelin motion is for his most of the quarterbacks and team could still outstanding he would tell stories work. He would stand into the sort of javelin throw the football that would be is as impressive as any quarterback in pro ball. And juicy -- is eyes light up that was elected -- -- she's got perspective he's got. Forty years of players and also it's not nothing needs to be moved by the little things what we see something special. Again I would like to open -- by the -- we can really tell yard so to me that was. -- to be -- -- pictures that these two -- of humor -- of -- and out of -- important people allowed to Super Bowl -- with the the managers trainers though did you guys if it's amazing us all with rings all held an insane -- that organization that's why it's a special added to games down there for three years a number of years ago. And in Europe all the pain that was when the media could go to all the practices and I was all the practices and it was at Bryant. And every day I'd say hello in 08 Tony I don't. Said hello. Nothing else and I think that with me every morning because I -- when they first guy I thought it immediately to shall have to. If I expected -- -- office could you be in office republicanism in the early in the morning. This would be like 63615. He's in there and I'm walking you know -- Morning -- are you going and morning morning I -- -- -- -- she drew -- this week in an office yes there was I was there yesterday's news out there.