Will Farnham Follow In Morey’s Footsteps Again?
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Growing up in Andover, Massachusetts, his idol was Brown WR Sean Morey. He followed in Morey's footsteps once already. Now he is trying to follow in Morey’s footsteps again.
Buddy Farnham’s story isn’t just a good one, it’s a great one!
The New England Patriots WR/DB/jack of all trades had an impressive game Thursday night in the team’s preseason opener against Jacksonville. He 3 receptions for 34 yards and an interception while playing safety. All that he can do now is continue to work hard and hope that a spot is waiting for him either here in New England or somewhere else.
Farnham is the son of a former Brown football player and the nephew of yet another. For that reason, Brown football always played an important role in his life.
It was his exposure to Brown football as a young kid that opened his eyes to Sean Morey. Morey is considered to be, by many, the greatest player to ever put on a Brown uniform. He finished his college football career holding 7 different Ivy League records. And to this day, he is the only player in the history of the program to have his number retired.
Farnham remembers watching Morey play at Brown and wanted nothing more than to be like him.
Like Morey did at Brown, Farnham rewrote the record books at Andover High School where he led the program in receptions, receiving yards and interceptions.
When Brown coach Phil Estes recruited him to Brown, the decision was an easy one for Farnham.
From 2006-2009, Farnham excelled at Brown both as a receiver and a return man. All the while remaining as humble as any young man you will ever meet.
“Buddy and Sean are so much alike,” said Brown head coach Phil Estes. “Starting with the fact that they are both really talented individuals, they both work so hard to get the very most out of their abilities. There was never a question in practice or in the games that you were going to get their very best.”
Estes has seen his share of talented players come through his program at Brown over the years, and he can tell you what made guys like Farnham and Morey stand out above the rest.
“Those guys have a never-quit attitude and they work so hard at both the physical and mental part of the game,” Estes said. “That’s why a guy like Bill Belichick has to like Buddy because he is one of those ‘whatever you want me to do’ type of guys.”
“We were able to make some play and Buddy (Farnham) stepped in there – we’ve got a receiver leading the team in interceptions,” said Belichick. “It will be a point of embarrassment for the defensive backs, but it’s alright, they deserve it.” He called him “Buddy.” Not “Farnham” or “#13,” “Buddy.” That is probably an indication of how highly he thinks of Farnham.
This, by no means, means that Farnham is a lock to make the Pats 53-man roster. Far from it! With Deion Branch, Wes Welker, Chad Ocho Cinco, Julian Eddleman, Taylor Price, Brandon Tate, Matt Slater and Darnell Jenkins all competing for time at WR, the competition is tough. The absolute most the team would probably keep would be 6 at that position.
That’s why Farnham is trying his hand at defense and special teams. His idol Sean Morey carved out a terrific NFL career for himself as a special teams guy which included a Super Bowl title in Pittsburgh. What many people also may not know about Morey is that he also played safety for the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe while trying to impress NFL scouts.
And that is what Buddy Farnham is now doing for the Patriots. “I’m a football player,” Farnham said after the win Thursday night. “I’ll play whatever’s best for the team, whatever the coaches tell me to do.”
It is that type of approach that will have Farnham playing regularly in the NFL someday like his boyhood idol Sean Morey.
For now, he can only continue to work hard and hope for a spot on New England’s 53-man roster or perhaps some other team’s. If that doesn’t pan out, you would have to think that he may find a spot on the team’s practice squad as he did last year.
Good stuff!
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