This afternoon, Tom E. Curran posted an interesting story on Patriots defensive back Derrick Martin, who signed with the team last week, and comes to New England as the only player in the NFL with a ring from each of the last two Super Bowls.
Not that he did anything to earn themhe was on the IR with the Packers in 2010 and only made four tackles last season for the Giantsbut that won't matter 30 years from now. Martin's got rings! Two more rings than Dan Marino and Dick Butkus combined. One more ring than Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis and Brett Favre. And this year, now that he's on board with the Patriots, Martin will look to join Ken Norton Jr. as the only guy in NFL history to play for three consecutive Super Bowl winners. Amazing stuff. Read more about Martin here.
After I was done reading, I thought about Takeo Spikes.
I guess that's pretty random, since he has nothing to do with the Pats, but . . . let's connect it this way: The Pats play the Bills on Sunday. Spikes had two of his best seasons while playing for the Bills. Not to mention, Spikes is also the older cousin of Brandon Spikes. Is that enough? OK, good.
And here's why Derrick Martin made me think about Takeo Spikes:
Now in his 15th NFL season, Spikes is currently playing for his fifth different team (the Chargers). He's seventh among active players with 207 career starts and, over that time, has amassed nearly 1000 solo tackles. But all those numbers pale in comparison to Spikes' true claim to fame: HE'S NEVER PLAYED IN THE POSTSEASON.
Never. Fourteen years and he's never made the playoffs. Not in six years with the Bengals. Not in three years with the Bills. In 2007, Spikes went to the Eagleswho had made the playoffs in six of the previous seven yearsand they fell short. He then spent three years suffering through the Singletary years in San Francisco. Last year, he went to San Diego, a team that had been to the playoffs in four of the previous five years, and THEY fell short.
This season, he's back with the Chargers. At 35 years old, he's started every game. As always, he's playing his ass off. And as always, it probably won't amount to much. San Diego's 4-4, but with Norv Turner at the helm and only one playoff spot realistically up for grabs, it doesn't look good for Spikes. Again.
Crazy how that works, huh? Derrick Martin has two rings (and counting?) without breaking a sweat. Without even playing. He can't stop winning! Meanwhile, a guy like Spikes gives everything and gets nothing. You can't help but feel bad. You can't help but root for the Chargers to sneak into that sixth playoff spot and give Spikes a taste of the real thing.
And then we can go back to pinning our hopes on Derrick Martin winning a third straight Super Bowl.
God knows he deserves it.
Rich can be reached at rlevine@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Rich on Twitter at http:twitter.comrich_levine