Before the game, team had it all together

By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Staff, 2/4/2002

EW ORLEANS - Throughout the New England Patriots' improbable season, the one advantage the players stressed again and again was their sense of team, and the willingness of the bigger names to put their egos aside for the good of the whole.

Don't believe it? Witness last night's Super Bowl pregame introductions. The St. Louis Rams sprinted through the tunnel first, with their starters singled out for a rousing ovation.

But, when it was time for New England's starters to take a pregame bow, an unprecedented thing happened.

The Patriots ran onto the field together, as a team, instead of singling out their most prolific performers.

It was another brilliant stroke of coach Bill Belichick's ever-fertile mind.

Before the game had even started, it was already Patriots 1, Rams 0.

This story ran on page C5 of the Boston Globe on 2/4/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.