05/21 — Good news. Junior Seau re-signed Monday with the Patriots.

I really mean that. After spending many years covering the NFL, I have a soft spot for the veterans, the guys who can still bring it toward the end of their storied careers, no matter whose laundry they're wearing. It's great to watch the fabled Jets such as Curtis Martin, Vinny Testaverde and Wayne Chrebet giving of themselves for their team and their fans year after year, and of battling nemeses like Dan Marino, Thurman Thomas, Ted Johnson and Marshall Faulk.

And it's tough to have to say goodbye to those Jets and those opponents when it's their time to hang up their stools above their lockers for the last time.

But Seau carries on. After playing linebacker for 17 NFL seasons and 247 regular- and postseason games, after making close to 1,800 tackles, he couldn't be blamed if he retired. In fact, it appeared he almost did a year ago, before New England lured him back from the West Coast. Even though his role is diminished within the Patriots' 3-4, you have to expect that since they've invited him back, he'll play that role as professionally as he can in Year 18.

I even admit to helping sustain the Seau empire. Back in 2002, I think it was, before the Jets went cross-country and rocked San Diego with that 44-13 upset, I dined twice at Seau's The Restaurant. I ordered the No. 55 Melt and the Bolt Burger. I washed them down with a few Firehouse American Pale Ales. I did not say ow.

I also enjoy it when the Jets beat the greats, and they've done that to Seau as much as he's done it to them. He began with a pair of Chargers wins in his rookie season of 1990, when the teams met twice because they both finished in fifth place in their divisions in '89.

But for his career, Junior has not been senior to the Green & White. The Jets were 2-3 against his Chargers, 3-2 against his Dolphins and 1-1 vs. the Patriots last year. (He missed the playoff game with a broken arm.)

So the series is knotted at 6-6. It'll be fun to watch Seau patrol the inside a few more times, this time perhaps trying to stop Thomas Jones. And all the Jets have to do to secure a winning record vs. Junior is to sweep the Pats.