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FOXBORO - Being named a member of an "all-decade" team is a special accomplishment for any NFL player.

But for 10 former Patriots, the experience will be twice as nice.

Those players were selected to not just one, but two all-decade teams by a special committee comprised of print and broadcast media, former players and team personnel that met Monday at The Hall at Patriot Place.

Offensive tackle Tom Neville was named to the honorary teams of both the 1960s and 1970s. Quarterback Steve Grogan, wide receiver Stanley Morgan and offensive guard John Hannah were all picked to the 1970s and 1980s teams on offense, while defensive end Julius Adams, inside linebacker Steve Nelson and cornerback Raymond Clayborn were similarly honored on defense. Fullback Mosi Tatupu also earned selection for that two-decade period as a special-teams performer. And finally, offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong and outside linebacker Andre Tippett were honored for both the 1980s and the 1990s.

The selection of the three most recent all-decade teams, as well as a slight tweaking of the all-1960s team chosen by fans in 1971, kicked off the season-long celebration of the Patriots' 50th anniversary. The nomination committee also filled out ballots to choose a special 50th Anniversary all-star team, the results of which will be announced close to the start of the preseason schedule. An all-decade team of the 2000s will be selected next year, but players from 2000 to the present were eligible for selection to the 50th anniversary team.

And, finally, the committee voted to choose the three nominees for this year's addition to the Patriots' Hall of Fame. Online voting by fans on the Patriots' Web site (patriots.com) will begin in a couple of weeks, said Stacey James, the team's vice president in charge of media relations.

The Patriots will also induct former owner and team founder William H. "Billy" Sullivan Jr. into the team's hall of fame this summer as a "contributor" to the success of the franchise. Plans are in the works for an "alumni weekend" at Gillette Stadium as part of the anniversary celebration and induction ceremonies.

The lineups chosen by the nomination committee not only honored 10 players in different decades, it also honored three players twice in the same year.

The panel added three selections to the 1960s team to make it consistent with the later teams. Running back Larry Garron was also honored as a return specialist, while safety Don Webb also earned the selection reserved for the best non-returner on the special teams.

On the 1980s team, wide receiver Irving Fryar drew a double honor as the kick returner.

Mike Holovak was also added to the 1960s team as its head coach. The other honored coaches are Chuck Fairbanks (1970s), Raymond Berry (1980s) and Bill Parcells (1990s).

All 13 members of the Patriots' Hall of Fame and their four members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Hannah, Tippett, cornerback Michael Haynes and linebacker Nick Buoniconti, the latter two having split their careers equally between the Patriots and Raiders and Dolphins respectively) are represented prominently in the all-decade teams.

Patriots' owner Robert Kraft dropped by midway through the five-hour meeting to thank the panel members for their willingness to devote a block of time in their busy schedules to helping the team kick off its anniversary celebration.

The voting panel's membership consisted of retired beat writers Dick Cerasuolo (Worcester Telegram & Gazette), Ron Hobson (The Patriot Ledger) and Carlo Imelio (Springfield Union-News), current writers Mark Farinella (The Sun Chronicle), Jim Donaldson (Providence Journal), Dave Pevear (Lowell Sun), Paul Perillo (Patriots Football Weekly) and Tom E. Curran (NBCSports.com), Patriots' broadcaster Gil Santos, WEEI talk-show host Michael Holley, WCVB-TV sports anchor Mike Lynch, WBZ-TV sports anchor Steve Burton, former players Larry Garron, Steve Nelson and Andre Tippett, team researcher Ernie Adams, equipment manager Donnie Brocher, statistician John Hendry and Bryan Morry, executive director of The Hall at Patriot Place. MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.