Richard Seymour made news for his poker-playing prowess this week and, as he approaches the 10-year anniversary of his stunning trade from the Patriots to the Oakland Raiders, he drew a comparison to the hand he was dealt with at the time of his trade and the way the NBA's crazy offseason has unfolded.
In one of the best examples of Bill Belichick's unsentimental way of doing business with his personnel, Seymour, a five-time Pro Bowl selection about to turn 30, was shipped to the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 6, 2009. Seymour went from a team that had gone 77-19 and won three Super Bowls the previous six seasons to one whose glory days had faded in going 24-72 in that same span.