FOOTBALL; Return home drums up Flutie-mania
Boston Herald,  May 23, 2005  by Karen Guregian

The benefit concert, Music for Middlesex III, had kicked off on a recent Saturday night around 8 at the Chevalier Theatre in Medford.

Jon Pousette-Dart, Jon Butcher, James Montgomery and the Bay City Rollers' Ian Mitchell were among the headline performers. By 11:30, several anxious crowd members were chanting for the last "surprise" guest to finally make his appearance.

"Flu-tie!" "Flu-tie!" "Flu-tie!"

On cue, Montgomery invited the new backup quarterback from the world champion Patriots to come onstage and jam. The sight of Flutie jumping in behind the drums and feverishly rapping out the percussion to the Bo Diddley classic "Roadrunner" prompted many in the crowd to rise from their seats and applaud.

Flutie, wearing black and performing the gig shoeless, stayed on to bang out one more rock 'n' roll tune with Montgomery's makeshift band, closing the night to a standing ovation.

"He was one of the reasons I came to the show," said Marty Manoli of Revere, who secured an autograph just after Flutie arrived. "He's a local legend. I've followed his career ever since that Miami game. Since The Pass. From BC, to Canada, back to the NFL. A lot of people still follow him around no matter where he goes. It's just unbelievable having him back as a Patriot."

That sentiment was echoed continuously from the moment Flutie and his wife, Laurie, pulled into the parking lot in their cream- colored Cadillac Escalade.

"Welcome home!" shouted one parking lot attendant as he greeted the Natick resident and former Boston College Heisman Trophy winner, who last month signed a one-year deal with the Patriots.

When not signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans, Flutie and Laurie managed to watch the performances and cheer on the acts. Flutie sang along when Mitchell launched into the Bay City Rollers classics "I Only Want to Be With You" and "Saturday Night."

There was a rumor Aerosmith's Stephen Tyler would be another surprise guest, joining Flutie onstage. According to the quarterback, the two did get together earlier in the evening at the Medford venue, but Tyler left and did not perform. Flutie has his own band and has moonlighted as a drummer for the past 20 years. He basically ad-libbed his two songs in the show.

"James (Montgomery) just said follow along and you'll be fine," Flutie said. "I had a blast. I'm all pumped up ready for more."

Jeff Woods of North Attleboro brought his 16-year-old son, Jeff Jr., to the show and loved seeing the rock star version of the quarterback. The elder Woods is a 1983 graduate of BC and attended The Heights with Flutie.

"He was big man on campus at BC," Woods said. "But this is nice for him, rejoining the Patriots. It closes the circle."

Keith Ariel of Whitinsville was hoping to meet Flutie, but their paths didn't cross during the VIP reception and silent auction prior to the concert. Ariel was in a private bidding war for an autographed and framed Flutie photo, taken of the star wearing his No. 2 Pats uniform from his first go-round with the team during the late '80s. Ariel was determined to win the prize and his $150 bid did the job.

"I have an autistic kid, and Doug's been a role model (as a parent)," said Ariel, who has two special needs children, including 10-year-old Drew who is afflicted with autism. Flutie's 13-year-old son Doug Jr. is also afflicted by the syndrome, which inspired Doug and Laurie to create the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.

"I'm in the process of writing a self-help book titled, `Get up, Shut up & Do it.' And I'd say, he got up, shut up and did it," Ariel said of Flutie with respect to his son. "I have also always liked the way he played. He was the first Michael Vick. He's just a winner."

Center of attention

A few days before his appearance in Medford, after making an appearance alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was honoring 20 local philanthropists in Foxboro, Flutie made some brief comments to the honorees, shook hands, mugged for pictures and did a quick media session.

Later, he sat in a back room at Gillette Stadium and talked about the latest chapter of Flutiemania that's sprouted since he agreed to ride shotgun alongside Tom Brady.

As Brady's backup, it's possible Flutie might not see a snap, or a meaningful minute in a game. But that hasn't stopped New Englanders and media types from showering him with attention wherever he goes.

Recently, he's been spotted and highlighted at Red Sox and Celtics games. It seems like his every move has been followed.

"During the past three years, I've been to plenty of Celtics and Red Sox games, but you never heard anything about it," Flutie said. "Now all of a sudden, I take my nephew up on the Green Monster, and there's TV cameras on us. I've done that a bunch of times. Now it's a big deal.

"It's gone to another level," Flutie said of his attention- meter. "It's very comforting, it's very nice. I'm very recognizable here anyway, and people wave, but now, they need to talk to you. You're a Patriot. I don't know, maybe playing football in San Diego, a lot of people must have lost track, or not known I was even playing."

Did he miss all the passion and celebrity that comes with being an athlete in Boston?

"No. I kind of enjoy my anonymity when I can get it," Flutie said. "I'm a very simple person. I enjoy simple things. I enjoy going to a baseball game. I enjoy bringing my glove to a baseball game. That's fun. But because of the Patriots now, and the level they're at, and the amount of hoopla surrounding them, it's hard to do the simple things you've always done."

Adding in the Flutie fame factor, particularly from the Nov. 23, 1984, Hail Mary pass to Gerard Phelan that upset the University of Miami, it's no wonder fans want to reconnect with him now that he's rejoined the Patriots.

He knew prior to signing that being in the spotlight would be part of the equation, but he believed it was a small price to pay.

"I wanted to keep playing, and this was a great opportunity to be home," said Flutie, who believes he first met Bill Belichick at a surprise 30th birthday party for rocker Jon Bon Jovi. "I wouldn't be traveling as much and put as much stress on the family, so whatever extra attention I may wind up getting out of it, it'll be worth it. I think my family's happy. I my family's happy."

Home cooking suits him

Whenever he's home, Flutie tends to be a creature of habit. He and his family typically eat at the same three restaurants when they dine out.

Lou Corrado, owner of the Corrado sub shop Flutie frequents in Natick, said the quarterback stood at his counter not so long ago looking for advice on where he should finish his career.

"I said, `What are you asking me for? I'm just a sandwich guy,' " Corrado recalled with a laugh. "But hey, I've known Dougie for 30 years. You hear about famous people who are jerks. He's not. He's just a regular guy."

A short distance away at Agostino's, there's a box of Flutie Flakes in the back room of the Italian restaurant. The man featured on the cereal box had brought a party of 16 to Agostino's for Mother's Day.

"Since he signed with the Patriots, he's been like the pope," cracked George Souliopoulos, co-owner of the family business. "Speaking selfishly, now that he's down the street, I hope he'll bring some of his teammates by. Seriously, though, it's cool having him with the Patriots because we'll see more of him."

Jen Wilson, a waitress and bartender at Pizzeria Uno's in Framingham, had a Flutie football as a kid. Little did she know her restaurant would be one of Doug's favorite stops.

"He acts like a normal customer. He's low-key and very nice. He'll joke with us," she said. "He doesn't like to make a big deal of himself. It's exciting to have him back in the area (full-time). Hopefully, it'll be good for him."

Corrado, whose sons Matt and Anthony play softball with Flutie in a modified fast pitch league in Framingham, said the quarterback's homecoming is a perfect ending.

"A lot of folks are glad to have him back," Corrado said. "He's our native son."

FLUTIE FLAKES; Here's what Doug has to say for himself

On playing for Bill Belichick: "I've got at least five phone calls from different coaches I've played for in the past asking me, `Let me know his secret. What's he do so different?' I don't know yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out and seeing it from the other side."

On the adjustment of being a backup: "Well, it's been four years. It's a different mentality. You don't want to step on toes. You pick your spots. If I'm going to make a suggestion somewhere (to a wide receiver), I have to make sure it's the way Tom wants it done.

"But the toughest adjustment as a backup is preparing as a starter every week, even if it's not your job, because you never know when that time is going to come.

On his nephew, Bill Flutie, who plays football at Natick for his former coach, Tom Lamb: "He's 6-3, very athletic, a three-sport captain, and a junior. Notre Dame and Maryland are very interested and a lot of other schools are talking. He's going to have an opportunity. But does he want to go local and be a Flutie or does he want to go somewhere else and start his own path, which isn't a bad thing."

Caption: CLICK: Fans Linda Nickerson (left) and Bruce LaPierre pose with Flutie.

Caption: KEEPING THE BEAT: Patriots quarterback Doug Fluie plays the drums during a recent benefit concert at the Chevalier Theatre in Medford. Flutie is thrilled to be back home with the Pats, a job that enables him to be close to his family and the people that know him best. Staff photos by Stuart Cahill

Caption: LOU CORRADO

Caption: GEORGE SOULIOPOULOS

Caption: JEN WLISON. Staff photos by Mark Garfinkel

Copyright 2005
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