Here are some nuggets from the Patriots locker room on Thursday.

Maroney hoping to run through San Francisco.

Before heading into the hot tub to re-energize before meetings and practice, Laurence Maroney (shoulder) reported that he feels strong and is ready to return to the five-back rotation in the Patriots backfield this weekend in San Francisco.

Matt Cassel met with the media for about five minutes and informed everyone that despite heading back home to California, this won’t be a social week for him. “I’m looking forward to it but for us, it’s a business trip and so I don’t think I’m going to be able to experience the California scene or spend as much time with my family as I’d like to, but that’s part of it.”

This won’t be Cumbaya for Cassel and Pats.

Then there was the following little morsel he offered for all those who say that Moss (as in Randy) needs to get the ball more.

“You always like to get Randy involved,” Cassel said. “I don’t really have much to do with that other than the fact that I go through my reads and let the coaches gameplan and do the things they need to do to get Randy the ball. You have to make smart decisions because you start forcing it into double coverage, you get into bad habits and that’s when bad plays happen. As much as you’d like to get the ball to him as much as possible, you still have to be smart with the football.”

As for the title of this cutting-edge entry, Jonathan Wilhite has brought a new tradition into the locker room. Wilhite and many of his teammates, most notably Deltha O’Neal, kick around the soccer ball, trying to see how long they can play hackey sack, only with the real thing.”I used to play in high school,” said Wilhite, a native of Monroe, La. and graduate of Ouachita High. “I love that sport.”

For those of you who don’t remember, the Patriots rookie cornerback played at Auburn and impressed the Patriots enough to be drafted in the fourth round this past spring. He has played in all three games for the Patriots, mostly on special teams.