CONNECTIONS
- While serving as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hired Jim Bates as the defensive line coach. Bates is now the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.

• Patriots quarterback Damon Huard played for the Miami Dolphins for four seasons, appearing in 34 games with six starts and recording 170 completions for 1,691 yards. He was 5-1 as a starter for Miami.

• Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as a rookie free agent. In his five seasons with the team he appeared in 61 games and recorded 95 special teams tackles, five defensive tackles (all solos) and one blocked punt.

• Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri converted all four of his field goal attempts against Miami, including game-tying and game-winning kicks to spark the Patriots to a 27-24 overtime win against the Dolphins in the season finale. (12/29/02)

• Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel is originally from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and attended Central Florida. He played quarterback, defensive back, kicker and punter on Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lake, Fla.) High School's football team.

• Miami defensive line coach Clarence Brooks was an offensive guard at the University of Massachusetts from 1970-72, and was the team captain his final season. Brooks also was the defensive ends coach at UMass from 1976-80.

• Miami running backs coach Joel Collier was the Patriots assistant running backs and receivers coach for two seasons (1991-92) and worked in the Patriots personnel department for one season (1993).

• Miami cornerback Terrell Buckley played for the Patriots for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, appearing in 31 games with two starts and recording 47 tackles (45 solos) and seven interceptions.

• Miami tackle Greg Jerman was born on Jan. 24, 1979 in Hyannis, Mass.

• Miami wide receiver Derrius Thompson's cousin, Reyna Thompson, was a cornerback for the Patriots in 1993.

• Miami fullback Rob Konrad attended St. John's Prep School in Danvers.

• Miami quarterback Jay Fiedler matriculated to Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

• Patriots fullback Patrick Pass was drafted in 1996 by the current MLB world champion Florida Marlins and that year played for the organization's rookie league team in Melbourne, Florida.

• Miami defensive coordinator Jim Bates was Patriots safety Chris Akins' defensive coordinator in Dallas in 1999. Miami wide receiver James McKnight also played with Akins and the Cowboys that year.

• Miami assistant special teams/offensive assistant coach Bernie Parmalee played for New England head coach Bill Belichick, then an assistant head coach, with the New York Jets from 1999-2000. Parmalee's teammates included New England tight end Fred Baxter, defensive lineman Rick Lyle, defensive ends Bobby Hamilton and Anthony Pleasant, and linebacker Roman Phifer.

• Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest was a teammate of Dolphins safety Sammy Knight at USC in 1993.

• From 1990-96 the coaching staff of the Dallas Cowboys included Patriots strength and conditioning coach Mike Woicik and Dolphins head coach Dave Wannstedt, defensive coordinator Jim Bates and wide receivers coach Robert Ford. Dolphins safety Brock Marion played under the staff from 1993-96.

• Patriots running back Patrick Pass and defensive lineman Richard Seymour were teammates with Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael at the University of Georgia.

• Patriots assistant head coach/offensive line Dante Scarnecchia and Dolphins tight ends coach Pat Jones coached together at Southern Methodist University.

• Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau both became Pro Bowlers while playing together on the San Diego Chargers.

• Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi attended and played his college ball at the University of Arizona while Dolphins defensive line coach Clarence Brooks was an assistant there.

• Dolphins Defensive Line Coach Clarence Brooks played offensive guard at the University of Massachusetts before becoming defensive ends coach there.

• Dolphins National Scout Chris Grier interned with the Patriots in 1994 and then joined the staff full-time until 1999. He matriculated at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Grier's father, Bobby Grier, is the former Vice President-Player Personnel for the Patriots.

• Dolphins College Scout John Crea was an assistant coach at Holy Cross (Worcester, Mass.) in the early 1980s.

• Dolphins College Scout Roger Pollard was linebackers coach and Junior Varsity defensive coordinator at Brown University (Providence, RI) from 1991-93. Pollard held the Head Coach position at Dean Junior College (Franklin, Mass.) from 1996-98.