Patriots Blog: Indianapolis Is Hostile Territory
FOXBORO (CBS) - It's the first official day in Indy and here is what we can expect.
Read: Levan Reid's Patriots Blog
I ran in to some football fans Saturday night and it's obvious: the Patriots are not popular here. Everybody wants them to lose.
Even Colts linebacker Gary Brackett said he can't believe the Patriots will be dressing in his own locker room.
BELICHICK, PLAYERS SPEAK TO MEDIA
At 5:35 p.m., the Patriots arrived at the team hotel. Coach Bill Belichick and a few players spoke to the media soon after.
The overwhelming feeling about these press conferences was this: the players are enjoying the moment, but this is a business trip and they are here to take care of business. Jerod Mayo, Brian Waters and Wes Welker all discussed how important it was to stay with the same routine and the team will get back to practice on Monday.
Matthew Slater said it's also a good thing that Belichick is having the team's family members stay at a different hotel and that way, the guys will stay focused.
Tom Brady and Belichick both side-stepped the Rob Gronkowski questions but they both smiled while answering them. Though for what it's worth, ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss shared an image of Gronk walking off the plane in a boot.
The coach and the QB are excited to be back, and not so much looking for revenge after the previous Super Bowl loss, but just a victory.
CREDENTIALS
Probably the most important thing to do when you get to Indy is getting your credential.
This can be a nightmare but when you get here early, the process goes smooth.
WBZ-TV is here right on time. Got the ticket to the game quickly!
THE FAN EXPERIENCE
The NFL experience is a pretty big thing here Indy. There is a little for everybody.
For the little kids, there is a whole set-up of games that they can do and things they can try. This option is very cool.
For the grown-ups, there are exhibits such as the Lombardi trophy and a collection of all the Super Bowl rings. This is a very cool experience.
TV SET
We have a nice set up in the back corner of the team hotel.
As of 11 a.m., we were the only ones here, but later on, WBZ-TV will be sharing the space with ESPN and the NFL Network.
Follow Levan Reid on Twitter: @LevanReid
