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As the Patriots' vice president of media relations, Stacey James (back row, center) appreciates the challenges faced by reporters
-- like the ones surrounding him from the Cunniff Kids News and the Watertown Splash on Nov. 18.
Outstanding on their field
St. Jean, Hannah at home at Patriots' Hall of Fame
FOXBOROUGH -- On Nov. 18, the Cunniff Kids News went to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
The reporters started with a tour of the Patriots’ Hall of Fame. In the theater on the third floor, they got an interview with former Patriots players John Hannah and Len St. Jean.
St. Jean was a Patriots lineman from 1964 to 1973. Hannah is one of the most famous linemen of all time. He played guard from 1973 to 1985.
They told CKN about how the old team was and about their old stadium. Their old stadium wasn’t like this one now. St. Jean said that he played football at Fenway Park.
The players were asked many questions. They were asked how many games they won.
“I’m not sure how many games I won with the team,’’ said St. Jean. “Not as many as I would have liked.
“We probably didn’t have a lot of talent that a lot of teams had. We had some good seasons and some bad seasons.”
 
Reporters speak with Len St. Jean (left) and John Hannah in the clubhouse area on the second floor of the Hall of Fame. On the facing wall are memorabilia and pictures -- including a photo of Hannah, in football gear, walking hand-in-hand with his 8-year-old son.
They both played for a long time, so it was hard to count.
“I played some bad ones [teams], but I had a lot of good ones,” Hannah said.
They were asked, “What was the biggest obstacle that you had to overcome?”
St. Jean said he was too short. Hannah said he was small, but he said he had extra long arms and was very strong in his legs. People think he was one of the best guards ever in the NFL. He is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
One reporter asked if they were ever scared. St. Jean said, “He got butterflies in his tummy,” but he was not scared, just a little nervous.
Hannah said, “A little bit of fear fired me up!”
Video link: Len St. Jean and John Hannah
John Hannah and Len St. Jean answer questions from the Cunniff Kids News and Watertown Splash from Cunniff Kids News on Vimeo.
Hannah talked about giving things up to play football (“Nothing would interfere with my football. Nothing”) and blaming other people for mistakes (“When you point a finger, the other three [fingers] point at yourself”).
They were asked if it was fun being a football player. They said yes, unless you get hurt.
“It’s tough work. You’ve got to love it,” St. Jean said. “I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve been with the Patriots.’’
 
The offensive line of the New England Patriots featured either Len St. Jean (left) or John Hannah from 1964 to 1985. They answered reporters questions (right) in the theater of the Patriots’ Hall of Fame.
They both said one of the best parts was playing on a team.
“The friendships last a lifetime,” said St. Jean.
St. Jean’s grandson, Sam, is a Cunniff Kids News reporter. Nobody knew his grandpa was a Patriots player until he said, “I’ll get in trouble if I don’t find my grandson.” Then he found Sam.
The theater is on the third floor of the Hall of Fame. The building is huge, and it feels like you have to climb 100 steps.
The third floor is the first place you should go. There were three huge screens showing video from football games. One of the movies on the wall was of the Patriots. One of the guys flipped over, and a Miami Dolphins player watched him.
You will see some old and new uniforms. There are jerseys and footballs from famous players. You also can see jerseys of NCAA and high school teams.
There are helmets on the side of the big open room. There are different helmets from the Patriots and other teams.
In the theater, you can see a movie about the football.
You should see everything at the Hall of Fame. You should go to the second floor. In one room, you will see players’ lockers. In another room is a big Duck Boat. In the third part, you will see all three championship trophies.
On the second floor, you get to kick the ball into a video screen for a field goal. You can kick a field goal from 24 or 42 yards.
There is a space that makes you feel like you are a player. They make it look like cameras are flashing everywhere.
 
At left, football fans of all shapes and sizes can put on equipment just like the Patriots in the Hall of Fame's locker room area. At right, John Hannah (center) blocked for a lot of quarterbacks during his Hall of Fame career -- but never before did he have to watch out for six Tom Bradys at once.
Also on the second floor is an exhibit that makes you feel like you are in the Pats’ locker room. It is fun to find Tom Brady’s locker and try on a helmet and shoulder pads. It makes you feel like the Patriots are getting ready for a big game.
There is a huddle that you can go in. In the huddle, you feel little next to the football players. You can listen to Tom Brady talking about the plays.
You can see movies of when the Patriots won the Super Bowl. Confetti falls from the ceiling when they win.
Then you see the Super Bowl trophies. They are big and very shiny. It is pretty cool to see them.
You can see the three Super Bowl rings, and you can meet a person with a real Super Bowl ring who let you try it on. It is shiny and it has lots of gems. Some young people can fit all five fingers in one ring because it is so big. There is a fake person with a ring, too.
Outside the Hall of Fame is the stadium and the field where the Patriots play. A lot of people have seen it on TV, but the field is much bigger when you are standing next to it.
READ THE WATERTOWN SPLASH'S STORY ABOUT THE PATRIOTS' HALL OF FAME AT:
www.my.hsj.org/MA/Watertown/Splash
Peg Myers (center, in red), education coordinator for the New England Patriots, answers questions from the Gillette Stadium field -- a vastly different point of view than the one seen on television.
Did you know the Pats really play on fake grass? The field smells like grass and looks like real grass. There is also fake grass with the Revolution and Patriot logos outside of the stadium, by the parking lot.
At the end of the field is a bathroom close to where the Patriots sit. The visiting team has to walk around the field to reach the bathroom.
After you explore the field, you should go to the gift shop. At the gift shop, you will see some shirts with football players’ names on them.
The Patriots’ Hall of Fame is something that is really fun and you should go and see it.
(Story reported and written by Cunniff Kids News staff reporters Daniel D., Domenic M., Shannon M., Ryan O., Patrick W., Alexis C., Owen G., Meagan K., Beth P., Christine S., Renee S., Isabella V., Jalen M., Jake M., Arianna P., Mairead W., Ryan L., Dyanne B., Sam C., Declan G., TJ P., Giovanni R., Julian R., Shane S., Jacob D., and Eoin M.)
(For more information about the Hall at Patriot Place, go to www.patriot-place.com/thehall.aspx.)
Len St. Jean (back row center, left) and John Hannah (back row center, right) pose with nearly 50 representatives of the Watertown Splash and the Cunniff Kids News inside the Hall at Patriot Place on Nov. 18, 2009.
--Nov. 25, 2009--
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