Ellis Hobbs called his trade last Sunday to the Philadelphia Eagles a ``breath of fresh air'' - for himself, for the Patriots , and for the fans who dogged him for his play. However, the outspoken cornerback said he has no hard feelings toward the team or coach Bill Belichick.
``Now I'm feeling like somebody wants me, somebody thinks I can do the job, somebody is embracing me with love and wants me here,'' said Hobbs. ``They've already done that. Words only go so far, see? We'll see what's done from here.''
Hobbs got the news that he'd been traded for a pair of fifth-round picks as he was getting ready to check out of his room at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, where he had attended the Jermain Taylor-Carl Froch fight the night before.
When he saw ``unknown'' come up on his cellphone caller ID, he knew his days in New England were over. Then Belichick confirmed it.
``He basically said with the young guys they had and the guys that they had brought in, they felt they wanted to go in a different direction,'' Hobbs said. ``They wanted me to go in a different direction. That it was best for both parties.
``He said he'd never had another dude work harder and `I appreciate everything,' just the whole blowing-smoke thing. He put Mr. Kraft on the phone, and he said some nice things. You feel like it's all kind of for nothing at that time.''
The frequent target of fan ire in his four seasons, Hobbs said he had ``nothing but love'' for ``the true Patriots fans.''
However, he said, it was tough at times to deal with criticism from fans who had no idea that he was playing through injuries.
Hobbs, though he played all 16 games each of the last two seasons, revealed that he suffered a level-2 sprain of the AC joint in his left shoulder in the win over the St. Louis Rams in the seventh game last season.
``I literally thought I broke it, it hurt so bad,'' he said. ``That next week it wasn't feeling right. I couldn't get it up. It felt like it was jumping in and out. I got a shot, and it felt brand new. But after that shot wore off, it was like that the whole season.''
Hobbs, who was critical of Patriots fans who booed the team after its loss to Miami, said he understands why they would be frustrated at times with his play - if they didn't know he was hurt.
``I have had nothing but love for the community and the people here since day one,'' said Hobbs. ``I gave my all - good, bad, or ugly. I can't believe that nobody else put it out there like I did, as far as my body.''
The shoulder Hobbs hurt last year was the same one he suffered a torn labrum in during the 2007 season. Already playing on a groin that would require surgery, Hobbs played Super Bowl XLII against the Giants with both injuries and was beaten for the winning touchdown in the stunning 17-14 upset loss.
Hobbs acknowledged that most people will remember his Patriots career for that touchdown, which prevented them from being a perfect 19-0.
``Doesn't bother me none,'' said Hobbs. ``That play, that day, was like the whole JFK thing. Nobody knows who shot that man. It was like Area 51 - does it exist or does it not exist? There is so much behind that.
``Rightfully so, I got beat on a play. But breaking that play down from the call to everything else, there are a lot of other key players. Before that, there were many key plays where we could have ended that game, and I'm not even talking about the amazing catch [David] Tyree had.
``If that's what they remember me for, that's what they remember me for. I'm not here to sit there and hear about it anymore. That stuff doesn't bother me.''
What also doesn't bother him is being reunited with former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel.
``There is a mutual respect,'' said Hobbs. ``I'll go on the record and say there was no animosity. There was never a dispute. Or something like `he's showing me up' or `I'm showing him up' or anything like that, man. We enjoyed each other's company.''
Hobbs said several of his teammates, including Ty Warren, Richard Seymour, and James Sanders, contacted him after the trade to wish him well; Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees did the same.
Regardless of whether you liked Hobbs and his demonstrative style, he was always candid and accountable for a team that sometimes is neither.
``Whatever happened here happened, good, bad, ugly, pretty,'' said Hobbs. ``From my perspective, the organization, the fans, everybody can take a sigh of relief because it's change. Everybody has a new start.
``There are no hard feelings, no animosity. It is what it is. It was my time to go.''
Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper @globe.com.
