SI.com put out their list of the “Best Brains in Sports,” which includes Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. The article noted Belichick’s complex defensive schemes and attention to deal – not to mention his three Super Bowl wins – as reasons why the meticulous coach made their rankings. Belichick joined the likes of Tiger Woods, Pete Carril (Former Princeton men’s basketball coach), Tony Dungy and Phil Jackson, among others. To view the entire list, go to:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0706/gallery.best.brains/content.1.html

Meanwhile, CBS Sportsline’s Senior Writer Pete Prisco ranked his top 50 players in the NFL. Tom Brady came in second on the list, just behind Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Prisco says Brady ranks a hair below Manning but that this could be a special season for the Patriots quarterback with all the new weapons he has in New England.

Richard Seymour (11) and Ty Warren (43) were the other two Patriots who cracked the top top 50. Prisco calls Warren the most underrated player in the NFL and predicts he could be headed to his first Pro Bowl at season’s end. Asante Samuel, Vince Wilfork and Logan Mankins just missed making the list.