FOXBORO - It was Old Timer's Day at Gillette Stadium with Willie McGinest as special guest.

Leave it to the relentlessly ruthless New England Patriots to snub the guest of honor, tearing through McGinest's new team, the Cleveland Browns, 34-17.

Fans, his ex-mates, even his former coach Bill Belichick treated old Willie, now 35, well before and after the game.

But during the crucial 60 minutes on the clock, Pats lineman Stephen Neal hardly allowed McGinest (0 tackles, 2 assists, no sacks) a sniff. New England didn't go out of its way to neutralize McGinest. He was simply another outmatched Browns defender on a team laden with them.

You almost wanted McGinest's Gillette return to have a little more impact.

Despite some inexplicable but expected shots from the sycophantic Patriots media at McGinest earlier in the week - the NFL's leading active sacker was actually called a "bust" here - he will go down as one of the greatest Patriots of all time.

No, McGinest is not a Hall of Famer. We'll save that status for the special Pats in history - John Hannah, Mike Haynes, Tom Brady, Ty Law and Adam Vinatieri top the list.

But in the Patriots Hall of Fame, McGinest is a first-ballot lock.

Like his at times sour demeanor or gruff exterior or not, the guy meant as much to the chemistry of Belichick's three championship teams as he did on the field. And when it counted most, on the field, McGinest truly was a giant.

In the playoffs, he murdered opponents, averaging nearly a sack a game (16 in 18 games).

"It's not awkward," he said. "I miss the guys, but I'm in a new situation. I'm content. That's the past, I still talk to the guys."

Those sacks impacted mightily on those three Super Bowl rings.

McGinest appeared out of place, in the wrong locker room, wearing the wrong colors and talking about a "whooping," but not a fifth straight win like his former compatriots.

"Good to come back to see some of the old coaches and players, I just wish we had played better," said McGinest, who was drawn to Cleveland for one last big payday (3 years, $12 million with $6 million guaranteed) and the chance to play for Romeo Crennel. "It's great crowd here. I had a lot of years here, and we went through a lot together."

McGinest was one of the Super Six, along with Law, Vinatieri, Tedy Bruschi, Troy Brown and Ted Johnson, to link the Parcells Super Bowl Era with the Belichick dynasty years.

Selected fourth overall by the Pats in 1994, McGinest clearly was worthy of such a high selection. Remember, Dan Wilkinson, a no-time Pro Bowler, was the top pick overall, followed by Marshall Faulk.

The names Heath Shuler, Trev Alberts and Trent Dilfer surrounded McGinest in that first round. Which of those would you prefer?

Almost as if to honor McGinest's memory here, Tedy Bruschi had his best game in years, with seven tackles and two sacks. You know McGinest had to be feeling at least some mixed emotions as his ex-Patriot mate executed his textbook knee-walk.

"I root for them when they're not playing us," McGinest said.

When it was over, the two teams and the players went their separate ways. But before Brady jetted off somewhere, probably to see his infant son, he made sure he paid homage to old No. 55, the other USC guy who once occupied what has become Junior Seau's locker.

"He's still disruptive and he's a leader on that defense, you can see," said Brady. "I just hate to see him in another jersey. He's a Patriot as far as I'm concerned."

And history shows, he was one of the greats.

Hector Longo is a sportswriter for The Eagle-Tribune. E-mail him at hlongo@eagletribune.com.