Like many New England Patriots fans, Jerry Baldwin suffered through the lean years of last-place finishes and missing the playoffs.
That makes it all the more satisfying to see the team celebrate two Super Bowl titles in three seasons.
"It's great to be a Patriots fan now," Baldwin said as he joined his wife and two sons in snapping up souvenirs at the team's bustling shop.
And it could be great for years to come.
A young team that should only improve with experience, the Patriots have seven picks in the first four rounds of April's NFL draft and face a problem any team would love: How can the Patriots possibly fit all those players into an already deep, talented team?
Plus, the 2004 schedule appears easier.
"I haven't thought about next year," linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, striding through the snow as the Patriots greeted thousands of welcoming fans at Gillette Stadium. "Right now, we're just sort of resting up and enjoying ourselves, and I trust that the people in the front office will keep us focused and ready to go."
The Patriots' long playoff run delayed planning for free agency and the draft, but the flight home after Sunday's 32-29 victory over Carolina in Houston wasn't a nonstop party.
While some players slept, team officials tended to business.
The burden for improving a team that was 21-2 in exhibition, regular-season and playoff games falls on coach Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli, the vice president of player personnel.
During the plane ride, "a number of us had a chance to catch up on stuff we haven't done a lot this week," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "I think Scott Pioli's department has been working hard, and now Bill has to insert himself and his staff in the process."
In Kraft's 10 years as owner, the Patriots have seven winning seasons, three Super Bowl appearances and two championships. In the previous 34 years, they had just 16 winning seasons and one Super Bowl game, a 46-10 loss to Chicago in 1986.
In five seasons from 1989-1993, the Patriots went 19-61, finishing last in the five-team AFC East twice and fourth three times. And fans had to watch all that in spartan Foxboro Stadium, which had cold metal benches throughout the stands.
"So many years I spent hurting every offseason," Baldwin said. "It seemed that even when you had the greats like Steve Grogan and John Hannah, it just wasn't happening no matter how hard they tried."
In 2003, the Patriots drafted six players in the first five rounds and all played key roles on the road to Houston, led by safety Eugene Wilson and center Dan Koppen.
The 2002 draft class included wide receivers Deion Branch and David Givens -- who each caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl -- defensive end Jarvis Green -- who sacked Peyton Manning three times in the AFC championship game -- and tight end Daniel Graham.
Defensive end Richard Seymour and left tackle Matt Light came aboard in 2001. Quarterback Tom Brady came along in the sixth round in 2000.
The Patriots do have some needs. Punter Ken Walter struggled most of the season, a new running back could improve on the production of Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk, and the backup safety position needs help.
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