I mined the Globe archives, looking back at the early training camp reports of Patriots rookie quarterbacks past.
Then I mined them again. And let me tell you, I found the strangest thing.
Actually, wait. Amend that. This is really about what I didn’t find. And why I’m glad what I was looking for was not there.
In late July 2000, there was nothing, not a sole item, resembling a detailed statistical breakdown of how rookie sixth-round pick Tom Brady had fared in a given practice.
Seven years earlier to the month, I could find not a single reference to completions and pass attempts and interceptions and touchdowns thrown in 11-on-11 drills by No.