2002 stories     Our Genius Problem December 2002, Atlantic Monthly "When the Pats actually defeated the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl, the New York Times headline for the Boston edition, in sixty-point type, read simply 'DEFENSIVE GENIUS.' The text of the article made it clear that this figure of speech had taken hold… And as Belichick's father, a ripe eighty-three years old (and himself a former coach), took time out to observe, 'genius' seemed an odd appellation for 'somebody who walks up and down a football field.'" full story           Rivalry Between The Jets And The Patriots Is Long And Deep 19-Dec-2002, New York Times "When asked about his comment that the Jets' coach, presumably Edwards, had shown disrespect to the Patriots' defense (something none of the regular reporters could recall Edwards as saying), he was evasive. 'That was a long time ago,' Belichick said. 'I am moving way on past that. This is the biggest game of the year. And that is where our focus and intentions are, and I have the highest respect and regard for the Jets and their entire organization from top and bottom.'" full story           In Homecoming, Bledsoe Has A Forgettable Day 09-Dec-2002, New York Times "For conspiracy theorists who believe that Bledsoe struggles against teams coached by Bill Belichick, there are numbers to back them up. Bledsoe, who was cheered in pregame warm-ups, entered the game with a 77.5 career pass rating, but only 62.6 against Belichick. Bledsoe's record against Belichick is now 4-7, with 13 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. (Bledsoe's passer rating today was 61.6, as against 101.3 for Tom Brady, who completed 15 of 27 passes for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns.)" full story           Nothing Like A Heated Rivalry 04-Nov-2002, New York Times "How's this for an insult? Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Bledsoe's former understudy, completed 23 of 27 passes for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns, about as perfect a day a quarterback can have. Bledsoe and the Bills (5-4) will most likely spend two weeks stewing over this game (they have a bye on Sunday), possibly longer. The Patriots (4-4) can feel as if the ship is sailing straight again and, more important, that Belichick & Company kept the right quarterback – at least until the Bills travel to New England on Dec. 8." full story           Online News Hour: Goal Line Economics 23-Sep-2002, PBS.org Paul Solman of WGBH Boston looks at the economics of professional football with Robert Kraft, Scott Pioli, and Bill Belichick. "PAUL SOLMAN: When people call you brilliant or a genius, what do you think they mean? BILL BELICHICK: I'm not really sure what they mean. And I've been called a lot of other things, too, that would balance that off." full transcript         Belichick Setting The Standard In The NFL 16-Sep-2002, NFL.com "What makes Belichick so intriguing to me is the things he does on defense. I went to the Patriots-Jets game to get a close-up look at what Bill is up to these days. Some teams claim to be a 4-3 defense and pretty much show the opposing offense some variation of that package on every down. Other teams hang their hat on the 3-4 system. Belichick does it all, and then some." full story           Inside Belichick's Brain 16-Sep-2002, ESPN The Magazine "Bill Belichick knows how to get inside a player's head. That's how he beats you. Not with a roster full of All-Pros, but with a week of prep time to hatch a game plan. Then – presto! – your strength becomes your weakness. If the Patriots' Super Bowl upset of the Rams didn't convince you, ask Peyton Manning. The NFL's poster boy for brainy QBs is a career 2-4 against Belichick D's. In two '01 losses to the Pats, the Colts QB was sacked six times, surrendered three picks and threw just two touchdowns. Mention Belichick's name, and the normally affable Manning turns to stone…" full story         A Changed Dr. Doom Returns 15-Sep-2002, New York Times "For most of his 50 years, Bill Belichick has approached his life the way he creates his stonewall defenses and perplexing game plans: always struggling to find balance and walk that line between what is too little and what is too much. He grew up the son of a football coach in Annapolis, Md. In high school, he experienced the initial years of America's educational integration. At liberal, eclectic Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. – hardly an N.F.L. incubator – he played football, lacrosse and squash, studied economics and gained a perspective on race, religion and philosophy. But once Belichick became an N.F.L. assistant coach in 1975, X's and O's and winning games became his passion." full story           Belichick: The Coach of a Thousand Defenses 13-Sep-2002, New York Times "'He uses three down linemen, and four linebackers at times,' Testaverde said. 'Certain times he uses four down linemen and three linebackers. Other times he uses three down linemen with a linebacker as a down lineman. If they have a linebacker as a down guy and the line thinks he's a down guy, but the back thinks he's a linebacker, you have two guys blocking the same guy and that means somebody else is free. You really lose focus on what you're trying to get done, and all the attention is on them and what they're doing.'" full story           Belichick Keeping Pats Focused 09-Sep-2002, NFL.com "After winning his first Super Bowl as a head coach, Bill Belichick is faced with a new challenge this year. Improving a championship team isn't easy, but the New England Patriots head coach knows his club will have to be even better this season to get back to football's promised land. 'For the most part, we've really tried to just stay focused and try to improve our team from last year with personnel and adjustments to our schemes,' Belichick told NFL.com. 'We've spent quite a bit of time trying to keep pace with the rest of the league because everybody is improving." full story           Q&A With Jon Bon Jovi 09-Sep-2002, Sports Illustrated "SI: One of your good friends is Patriots coach Bill Belichick. How soon after last year's Super Bowl did you hear from him? Bon Jovi: I talked to Bill the next day. I told him that I thought he should wear the ring on his middle finger. A little-known fact about Bill is that he's a closet drummer. SI: Belichick and his wife actually joined the Bon Jovi tour in Europe when you guys played with the Rolling Stones. So who wins in a two-on-two basketball game pitting you and Bill against Mick Jagger and Keith Richards? Bon Jovi: [Laughs.] I think there would be no question who would win: We would." full story           Last Season Belichick's Last Concern 05-Sep-2002, Boston Herald "In two years, he's taken the once-laughingstock Patriots from disaster to distinction. He was tough when he had to be. He developed a plan and stayed with it. Criticized and dismissed when he returned to the Pats as head coach, he refused to be done in by pressbox sniping and talk show ranting. And now that he has won the big prize, not once has he pushed himself to the front of the crowd and shouted into the microphone, 'I told you so.'" full story           Patriots For Real? Believe It 02-Sep-2002, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "How come so many people are down on the Patriots? Hardly anyone picks them to win their division. Nobody picks them to return to the Super Bowl. Anybody notice that the Patriots won 13 of their last 15 games, beat your Stillers at Heinz Field and shoved Mike Martz's ego through a ticker-tape shredder in New Orleans?" full story           Bon Jovi On Football: It's My Life 28-Aug-2002, NFL.com "The classiest act in all of football – and my best friend in the game – is the one who (in New Jersey terms) would be the consigliore…the man with all the smarts and all the heart, Bill Belichick. He'd be the man you'd want next to you on the field or on the stage! Because, if most of you don't know, Bill Belichick is a HUGE rock 'n' roll fan and if he wasn't head coach of the Super Bowl champs, I'd bet he'd be a drummer in a rock band… In fact, the song Bounce on our new album is dedicated to Bill. He's a good man." –Jon Bon Jovi full story           A Good Crop Of NFL Teachers 27-Aug-2002, AllMadden.com "I've always been impressed with Bill Belichick. He helped lead his New England team to a win in last February's Super Bowl, and he and his coaching staff did one of the all-time outstanding coaching jobs in that game against St. Louis." full story           Shop Right 26-Aug-2002, Sports Illustrated "Entering the tenth season of unfettered free agency, NFL teams could learn a lot from the way Belichick and Pioli built last season's Super Bowl-winning roster. New England went shopping at Wal-Mart. The 20 free agents Pioli and senior vice president Andy Wasynczuk locked up cost the Patriots just $2.57 million in signing bonuses (the only guaranteed money NFL players receive). Not one of the signees had a base salary of more than $525,000. Seven of those bargains started in New England's win over the St. Louis Rams last February, and four were Super Bowl heroes. Eight other signees came off the bench." full story           Rinse, Repeat? Philosophical Belichick Knows Title Defense Will Be Tough 15-Aug-2002, SI.com "The other day, I walked into Patriots coach Bill Belichick's office at training camp. Lo and behold, he held up a book. My first book. The Season After, which is about why dynasties in sports are dead today, and why they will never be revived again. 'Re-read some of your stuff last night,' he said. 'Interesting.'" full story           Belichick At The Top Of The Coaching Field 12-Aug-2002, New York Times "He has always been a brilliant tactical defensive coach, probably the best in league history, edging Bud Carson and Buddy Ryan. No coach has been better than Belichick at not just probing for an offense's weaknesses and exploiting them but also for creating a plan of attack that his offensive counterpart did not anticipate." full story           Patriots Hoping To Keep The Magic 10-Aug-2002, New York Times "Belichick decided to surprise his players last week with a movie about [Bill] Russell's life and then surprise them again by introducing the Hall of Fame center himself… Belichick said 'it was a real nice mesh' between Russell and the Patriots because Russell is 'a very impressive man.' While few question the legitimacy of Celtics championships in the Russell era, some still think the Patriots' title was a fluke after an 11-5 regular season with a roster filled by unheralded free agents working for modest wages." full story           Celtics Legend Russell Speaks To Team 01-Aug-2002, Patriots.com "Like in 2001, Bill Belichick loaded his team on buses and took it to Providence, but this year, it was to watch a 45-minute documentary about [Bill] Russell. As the video concluded and players sat slumped in their chairs, Russell walked into the theater and the room quickly sat up to pay homage and attention to one of Boston's greatest all-time athletes." full story           Tom Brady Avoids The Blitz August 2002, Boston Magazine "Everybody wants a piece of Tom Brady. People Magazine. High school girls. Yet even with his Super Bowl ring, Brady will never be the 21st century's answer to playboys like Joe Namath. Dull as it sounds, the Patriots' heartthrob QB cares more about winning than he does about scoring… No doubt about it: The things that help prevent a player – or a team – from becoming a one-shot wonder are pretty dull to watch or write about." full story           Belichick And Pioli Have Winning Formula 27-Jul-2002, ESPN.com "Charges that the team was a low-priced amalgam that overachieved diminish the 2001 accomplishments of the Patriots, overlook the fact Belichick opted after a miserable 1999 season to seek improved locker room leadership and make light of the significance of human chemistry in a team dynamic. They also ignore an incredible synergy that exists between Belichick and Pioli, two guys who must have experienced a Vulcan mind meld at some point in their relationship. To define the pair as like-minded would be an understatement. 'There just aren't many things we disagree about,' Belichick said. 'We tend to look at players through the same set of eyes, I guess, and see the same things.'" full story           In-Vince-A-Bill 21-Jul-2002, Standard-Times "Standard-Times editor Ken Hartnett covered the Green Bay Packers during the Vince Lombardi years. Thirty years later, he compares the great Lombardi to the Patriots' resident genius, Bill Belichick." full story           Belichick Breaks It Down For The Media 18-Jul-2002, Patriots.com "With a crew from NFL Films recording the scene, Belichick worked with a whiteboard and a video machine to school the rapt media on how he prepares for an opponent by breaking down game films – a skill he has mastered perhaps like no other." full story           The Coaching Life, Part 9: Amazing Transformation 08-Jul-2002, Pro Football Weekly "'Have I lightened up a little bit? I probably have,' [Belichick] said. 'Some of the things that looking back that I did in Cleveland, I might have been a little too rough on them at times.' There is a saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Given Belichick an 'A' in history and an 'A' in personal growth. He did learn from his mistakes. In some ways, the foundation for his Super Bowl success with the Patriots was built from his failure with the Browns." full story           Patriots Hit The Links 10-Jun-2002, Patriots.com "A day after receiving their Super Bowl rings as a team, the Patriots had their jewels on display at the Belmont Country Club, where the players and coaches participated in the annual New England Patriots Charitable Foundation golf outing… Head Coach Bill Belichick got to play in the same group as one of his idols, former Navy Heisman winner and Boston Patriot Joe Bellino." full story           Nominees Announced For 10th Annual ESPY Awards 06-Jun-2002, ESPY Media "The nominees for the 10th Annual ESPY Awards include the biggest names in sports … and various nominations involving the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Lakers and New England Patriots. The ESPY Awards will be hosted by Samuel L. Jackson on ESPN Wednesday, July 10 at 9 p.m. ET." full story           2002 Championship Chase: Belichick On Hand For Premiere 29-May-2002, Pro Football Hall of Fame "Bill Belichick, head coach of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots traveled to Canton on Tuesday night for the premiere of the 2002 Championship Chase film in the Hall of Fame's spectacular GameDay Stadium theater. The film was updated to feature the Patriots' exciting victory in Super Bowl XXXVI." full story           Reading Is The Best Medicine 29-May-2002, Patriots Video News "Coach Belichick and his wife drop by the Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center to read to kids. 99.9% of them were Pats fans too. It was also a good opportunity to talk about the success of the local sports scene and the success of the off-season program." full video           Special Time For Belichick 29-May-2002, Akron Beacon Journal "The former Browns coach experienced another special moment last night as he viewed an exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He came to Canton with his wife, Debby, and son Brian for the premier of the 2002 'Championship Chase,' produced by NFL Films." full story           Super Bowl Champ Receives Honor 27-May-2002, Middletown Press "The Raymond E. Baldwin Medal … was presented to Belichick by Former University President Colin Campbell. Campbell called Belichick a 'longtime friend and renown miracle worker.' University President Douglas Bennet acknowledged Belichick for his quiet determination and knowledge that no individual rises above the team. He also thanked Belichick for 'those magical moments that bring the joy back into the game.'" full story         The Real Bill Belichick Has Cause To Stand Up 22-May-2002, Providence Journal "The reality is that, for a while, Bill Belichick has been living a life that's made an impact in locker rooms and board rooms, and prisons and homeless shelters. The 'new' Bill Belichick people have seen in the last eight months or so was there all along. Too few ever bothered to look." full story           The Draft Aftermath 22-Apr-2002, SI.com "I Really Like What They Did: 1. New England… Excellent decision. Excellent value. Wideout Deion Branch, who came in the second round, is a speedy slot receiver who will complement Troy Brown and Donald Hayes well. I get the feeling the Patriots are going to be good for a long time." full story           Prisoner Of Conscience: Q&A With Jim Brown 15-Apr-2002, Sports Illustrated "Let me tell you about someone I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern times – financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland (where Belichick coached the Browns from 1991 to '95). He's put up money. He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing." full story           AFM's NFL Coach Of The Year: Getting To Know The Real Bill Belichick April 2002, American Football Monthly "You thought you knew him, but it turns out you didn't. Ask the people who do know him – the people he works with, the people he coaches – and they will tell you some things you probably didn't know about New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick… 'I never remember a season like this,' says Scott Pioli, New England's director of player personal. 'All the perceptions of Bill based on history – his inability to communicate and handle and deal with people – what he has done here is the antithesis of the perception that's out there.'" full story (subscribers only)           Glenn Agrees With This Call: Belichick Gesture Was Appreciated 12-Mar-2002, Boston Globe "Terry Glenn was taken aback for a moment but ultimately appreciative of a phone call he received from Bill Belichick after the trade that sent the receiver from the Patriots to the Green Bay Packers." full story           Business As Usual: Super Bowl Hasn't Changed Outlook For Belichick, Pats 26-Feb-2002, SI.com "In a teleconference three weeks after the team's Super Bowl victory parade, Belichick said he is concentrating for now on the opening of the free agent market… Even after the first NFL title in franchise history, Belichick is convinced the Patriots can do better next season. Among the things he'd like to improve is the 1-3 record to start the season. 'The most important thing for us is self-evaluation, try to determine how things worked last year and try to improve on them,' he said. 'I'm not saying this is a rebuilding situation. We evaluated everything we did last year.'" full story           Welcome To The Era Of 'Franchise Coach' 22-Feb-2002, NFL Insider "The Patriots' muzzling of the league's most prolific scoring machine resulted from perhaps the greatest coaching job in Super Bowl history. And most of the credit belonged to Belichick, a coach known for his defensive wizardry. What team wouldn't give up a first-round pick for that?" full story           Super Bill 13-Feb-2002, Sports Illustrated (Special Commemorative Issue) "There was no turning point, you see. No magic time or date or incident. Low key and methodical won for the Patriots. That's Belichick… Here's another little thing that meant a lot: In six hours of practice the week before the Super Bowl, Belichick did not once raise his voice. If ever a coach appeared to be one with his team, it was this one." full story           Pat Answer 11-Feb-2002, Sports Illustrated "As New England prepared to take over at its 17-yard line with no timeouts, Belichick conferred with his offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, who agreed that an aggressive approach was the right one. 'O.K., let's go for it,' Belichick said. When Weis relayed the decision to Brady, he could see the surprise in the second-year passer's eyes. There was no fear, however. Brady is so cool that he caught a locker room catnap that ended a mere half hour before kickoff. 'With a quarterback like Brady, going for the win is not that dangerous,' Belichick explained later, 'because he's not going to make a mistake.'" full story           Give Belichick The Respect He Deserves 08-Feb-2002, Columbus Business First "Belichick's behavior this past season as head coach of the New England Patriots has caused this Browns' fan to rethink things dramatically. The truth is, after Kosar left Cleveland, his career was pretty much over. Though he drifted to other teams for a short while, he did so with little or no success. So, in the end, other NFL head coaches validated Belichick's decision. And say what you will about him, one thing Belichick is not is stupid. He had to know he'd be setting off a public firestorm by bouncing Bernie, but he did it anyway and took all the heat for it because he thought it was the right call for the team as a whole." full story         Jaws: Belichick Coaching Job 'Best Ever' 08-Feb-2002, Boston Herald "He thought he had seen it all. He thought there was nothing more he could learn about the X's and O's that NFL coaches throw at one another each Sunday. He thought the Rams were just too good for the Patriots. Then he popped in the tape of Super Bowl XXXVI, and suddenly he knew how it felt to be Mike Martz. He found out what it was like to go to school at the University of Belichick. 'The best coaching job I've ever seen,' Jaworski said." full story           Price Check: Patriots' Secret Is Not Overpaying, Finding A Good Fit 07-Feb-2002, SI.com "Since Belichick and Pioli began running the personnel side of the Patriots before the 2000 season, they've piloted the team to the fourth-lowest total dollars spent in the league during that two-year period, in bonus and salaries combined. New England will be the only team in the nine-year history of free agency to win a Super Bowl and be under the cap entering the next season." full story           The Team, The Team, The Team 06-Feb-2002, Pro Football Weekly "The Patriots proved that titles are not won on turf. They are won on heart. The Patriots proved that games are not won indoors. They are won in the weight room, in the film room, in the minds of those who dare to think the unthinkable." full story           Winners Act The Part 06-Feb-2002, Boston Herald "As for what the coach said to his players before playing the Rams on Sunday, Belichick offered an inside look. 'I told them that if they played Patriots football that this would be our time,' said Belichick. 'And right now, this is our time.'" full story           Belichick's Believers 05-Feb-2002, Boston Globe "Let the teenyboppers drool over New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his dimpled chin. At a certain point in life, you don't dream about being his date. You look at a 24-year-old like Brady and think: What a great mom he must have. Coach Bill Belichick is the thinking woman's hero… Never underestimate the sheer power and appeal of brawn plus brains, minus arrogance and ego." full story           Tiznow's Horseshoes Kick In At The Super Bowl 05-Feb-2002, Hoofcare & Lameness "A funny thing happened on the way to the Superdome. The New England Patriots' coach, Bill Belichick, received a pair of horseshoes in the mail." full story           Coach, QB Rewarded For Super Bowl Heroics 05-Feb-2002, ESPN.com "Looking like a couple guys functioning with a combination of too much partying and too little sack time – a common malady in this city – New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and then head coach Bill Belichick strode to the dais for a too-early Monday appointment that marked the final news conference of Super Bowl week." full story           Script Casts Coach In New Light 04-Feb-2002, Boston Globe "There they were last night, dozens of admirers by Belichick's door. They weren't pounding this time. They were tapping and speaking softly. A few of them had tears in their eyes. A few of them were able to sneak in and have a few words with the coach who was more than worth a first-round draft pick. 'Team defense, team defense, team defense,' he said as he sat in the office. He was trying to explain how the Patriots were able to hold the Rams to 3 points through three quarters." full story           Pats' Belichick Made Fools Out Of Everybody 04-Feb-2002, Miami Herald "We – hey, don't duck your head out there, pal, you figured the same way unless you're a hopeless Patriotnik – thought nobody including the defensively lethal Patriots could stop perhaps the greatest offensive machine in National Football League history. Belichick's game plan did." full story           Head Coach Supreme 04-Feb-2002, BBC Sport "The Patriots' victory was reminiscent of Super Bowl XXV in 1991, when the underdog New York Giants were matched against a powerful Buffalo Bills' offence that many considered unstoppable. The Giants' defence stifled the Bills that day on their way to an improbable 20-19 victory… Belichick now holds the distinction of devising not one, but two of the greatest single-game defensive strategies in NFL history." full story           Statement Of Senator Edward M. Kennedy 04-Feb-2002, US Senate "At a time when our entire country is banding together and facing down individualism, the Patriots set a wonderful example, showing us all what is possible when we work together, believe in each other, and sacrifice for the greater good. That example came from the top, and it came from the start of the season. Choosing to be introduced before the game as a team, not as individuals, the Patriots set the tone for their victory. Coach Bill Belichick stressed teamwork, saying that only by working together could the Patriots overcome their opponent, the best team in the NFL's regular season, the St. Louis Rams." full story           Super Psych 101 04-Feb-2002, SI Online "He's not an emotional type of person. I talked with him in his little coaching room about an hour after the game was over, after he'd come down off the podium in the interview room and accepted all the congratulations, and he laid out the defensive scheme and talked about the roles everyone was expected to play, and the sacrifices they had to make." full story           Now I Can Die In Peace 04-Feb-2002, ESPN.com Page 2 "Now it all makes sense. You bleed for your team, you follow them through thick and thin, you monitor every free-agent signing, you immerse yourself in Draft Day, you purchase the jerseys and caps, you plan your Sundays around the games … and there's a little rainbow waiting at the end. You can't see it, but you know it's there. It's there. It has to be there. So you believe." full story           Defensive Plan A Thing Of Genius 04-Feb-2002, ESPN.com "Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who once again checkmated the league's resident offensive guru, acknowledged that if the two teams played again next week the betting line might not change at all. He might be right in that assessment but, on this night at least, he was more often correct in the defensive calls he made. In finally moving for good out of the solar coaching eclipse otherwise known as Bill Parcells, the brilliant Belichick not only reinforced his reputation as one of the premier defensive strategists of the last quarter-century, but established himself as a pretty good head coach, too." full story           Enjoy Your Hangover, New England 04-Feb-2002, ESPN.com Page 2 "Like I told my guy Howie: I covered the NFL for five years. I heard every assistant coach break down blitz tendencies and zone defenses like they thought I knew what they were talking about. I've been an NFL fan for 25 years. I've heard talk radio and read beat stories until the scene has morphed into the Edge NFL Matchup gig that we have today, with Ron Jaworski breaking down game films in between orders of baby back ribs. And I still have no idea what the hell Bill Belichick did to the Rams. All I know is, every play, it looked like the Pats had 15 guys on defense." full story           Belichick Befuddles Rams With Mind Games 04-Feb-2002, USA TODAY "The Patriots pulled it off because Belichick kept running players on and off the Superdome turf at a frantic pace. He played mind games with Rams coach Mike Martz, switching from his base 4-3-4 defense to 3-4-4 and 2-3-6 units, using Terrell Buckley and Terrance Shaw as extra backs. Warner, the league's best quarterback, was so befuddled by Belichick's combinations that he repeatedly held the ball for long periods. It took the Rams' so-called 'Greatest Show on Turf' 50 minutes, 29 seconds to score their first touchdown. It took them 58:30 for Warner to throw his only touchdown pass." full story           A Double Whammy In New Orleans 04-Feb-2002, Eagle-Tribune "'To the rest of the world, this verifies so many things about Bill,' said Patriots director of player personnel Scott Pioli. 'Look at where this team came from and all of the problems he had to deal with. I'm happy for him, but to be honest, all of us that know him knew he had this in him. He is a great coach. He is a great guy. It's too bad it took winning the Super Bowl for a lot of people to realize it.'" full story           The Sincerest Form Of Flattery 04-Feb-2002, SI.com "Everyone's going to wonder what kind of fluke this was. No fluke. Mike Martz was right coming in: This is a supremely well-coached team with enough talent. You scoff at that? I don't. Because this is the key to life in the NFL today: Every team has enough talent. It's how the talent is coached and orchestrated, and how the coaches make the talent 10 percent better than they'd be somewhere else. Coaching in the NFL means more than in any other sport, ever." full story           Pats Bring New Meaning To 'Team' 03-Feb-2002, NFL.com "One didn't have to wait for the kickoff of Super Bowl XXXVI to learn just how successful Bill Belichick was at turning 53 players into a single, unified force… 'The players wanted to do it that way; they wanted to come out as a team,' Belichick said. 'We've been doing it since October.' Belichick may have passed off the credit. But the fact that his team thought of this college-style method, this one-for-all, all-for-one mentality, underscores the success he had during the 2001 season." full story           Belichick Will Not Be Changed 03-Feb-2002, Associated Press "Not surprisingly, even after this victory, Belichick remained a man of few words. 'These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that,' he said after the New England Patriots stunned St. Louis 20–17 Sunday to win the Super Bowl, 'is all that matters.'" full story           There's No 'I' in 'Team': Belichick's Patriots Rally Around Wolfpack Concept 03-Feb-2002, Pro Football Weekly "Belichick found a way to win, giving new meaning to the term 'team.' After the Rams' starting lineup was introduced individually and each player had run out of the tunnel, the Patriots chose to forgo individual introductions and stormed out of the tunnel in unison. 'There is an old saying about the strength of the wolf is the pack, and I think there is a lot of truth to that,' Belichick said. 'On a football team, it's not the strength of the individual players, but it is the strength of the unit and how they all function together.'" full story           Bill Belichick: He Sticks To Business 03-Feb-2002, Indianapolis Star Linebacker Tedy Bruschi: "The best thing I can say about coach Belichick is he's a solid football coach. He's not a comedian. I'd rather have a football coach who knew what he was doing and could manage a team and make the tough decisions rather than a guy who is going to make me laugh or give you sound bites." full story           The Thinking Man's Game 03-Feb-2002, Northeast Magazine "When the 5-foot-10, 185-pound freshman arrived in Middletown in the fall of 1971, he did excel on one playing field – lacrosse. He played football, putting in his time in the trenches, first as a center, then on the other side of the ball as a defensive end and outside linebacker. But looking back now, as Belichick prepares to lead the New England Patriots into the Super Bowl this evening, his first visit to the NFL title game as a head coach, his college coaches remember an intelligent, inquisitive player – but a decidedly average football player – who was always thinking about the next tactical move, always trying to make his teammates better." full story           Destiny's Darlings Now America's Team 03-Feb-2002, NFL Insider "Fittingly, at the end of a day cloaked in red, white and blue, a team called the Patriots not only turned this into a much better game than almost anyone could have imagined, but easily the greatest Super Bowl of them all. They did it by coming up with a masterful defensive game plan and an amazing display of heart and resilience that has defined their entire season." full story           Change In The Game Plan 02-Feb-2002, Bengals Press Box "Bill Belichick's genius has always been in the details. The other stuff? He'll tell you himself he's a better head coach because he's more of a big picture man now. But once a detail man, always a detail man. Has Bill Belichick really changed from the deposed Cleveland head coach who coordinated this Pats' defense to the Super Bowl five years ago?" full story           He's Put Winning In Their System 02-Feb-2002, Boston Globe "Bill Belichick is a pigskin Mozart grown up. He wanted into the family business ever since he was 9 or 10. He learned how to break down films from his dad before he was out of his teens, and he never had any doubts that coaching football would be his life. When he speaks in matters football, it is practically ex cathedra. What other people can only guess at, Bill Belichick knows." full story           We Shall Overcome 02-Feb-2002, Associated Press "For this film session, Belichick chose Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure, the story of the 1914 voyage of the 'Endurance,' in which the ship got trapped and then crushed in the ice. The crew withstood 17 months of hunger, inhuman temperatures and boredom before making its way over icy land and sea to safety… Willie McGinest said '[Belichick] is the captain of our ship, and we're the crew members. Everything hasn't gone perfectly for us, obviously, but we've believed in him, we've followed his direction and he's gotten us to the Super Bowl.'" full story         Patriots Coach Has Well-Earned Reputation For Stopping Whatever's Thrown His Way 02-Feb-2002, Boston Globe "Belichick's credentials as an X's-and-0's, how-many-schemes-can-I-invent-this-time guy have always put him at the valedictorian level wherever he coached. Other coaches aren't ashamed to admit they've copied Belichick's defense when it's time to play an opponent that Belichick already has solved." full story           Bill Belichick Q&A 01-Feb-2002, NFL Insider "Through my career, I've faced a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players, and great offensive systems. But certainly you've got to put the Rams right up there with them. Mike Martz does a tremendous job. They've got great players, they have a good system, and they really execute well. They are efficient and precise in their execution. It's going to take a real good team effort to stop them. There's not any one guy or one thing you can load up on. They have too many weapons." full transcript           Belichick Learns To Smile – And Win 01-Feb-2002, Palm Beach Post "When he was asked Thursday about his, uh, reputation for having a boring personality, Belichick delivered a one-liner. 'Who said that?' he replied with a wry smile. 'I feel like that I still am who I am for better or worse,' he said. 'I try to coach the team the way I coach the team and get them ready. That's my job. Have I lightened up? I probably have. When I look back at Cleveland, might I have been too rough at times? Maybe. On the other hand, when you're trying to establish a program that's not been at a high level, you have to show the way you want things done.'" full story           Selflessness Makes Pats' Special Teams Special 01-Feb-2002, ESPN.com "'Our guys haven't been reluctant about getting on special teams,' [Troy] Brown said. 'We've got guys like Lawyer and Ty who are begging to get out there and hold up gunners on special teams, and they probably just came off a long series of defense. That's what it's all about. That's the kind of attitude you have to have on a team that expects to win a lot of football games. We don't have any prima donnas that are too good to be on special teams, because it is a vital part of the game.'" full story           Belichick Cast Lot With Castoffs, And It Worked 01-Feb-2002, CBS SportsLine.com "While most Super Bowl teams are lined with more star appeal than Ocean's 11, Belichick has brought in a cast of journeymen to help him with his mission. In fact, these castaways in the NFL sea make up the core of this team. 'We're the has-beens and some never-will-bes,' said one such player, Mike Vrabel, of Belichick's hired help. 'He brings in guys who he likes, guys he looks for to fit his plan in his system. Some people can calls us castoffs, but I like to think of us as guys who Bill likes for what he does. That's good enough for me.'" full story         Belichick Defensive? Just On The Field 01-Feb-2002, USA TODAY "'I don't think anybody is the same at work as they are at play,' [Charles] Barkley said Thursday of Belichick. 'He's a totally different guy than people may think. He's down-to-earth. A real good man. But people may not know it, because you have to be different, not as open, when dealing with your players and even the press.'" full story           Using Their Strength 01-Feb-2002, Associated Press "Bill Belichick chatted about the lure of Bourbon Street and a previous Super Bowl where he saw guards with rifles on rooftops. His main concern, though, was the blur of blue and gold uniforms known as the St. Louis Rams." full story           Five Reasons Why Patriots Will Win 01-Feb-2002, ESPN.com "The Patriots' head coach and his defensive staff have to be taken into account when handicapping this game. There might not be a better game-day scheme coach in the NFL than Belichick. And there's no one better at making game adjustments on the fly than Belichick. So, if the Rams are hurting New England with something in particular in the first half on Sunday, watch for Belichick and his staff and players to adjust quickly." full story           Belichicks Follow Paternal Instinct 01-Feb-2002, Boston Herald "The only way the elder Belichick could share time with his son was to bring him into his pigskin existence. 'I remember we had a screen porch at our house in Annapolis,' said Belichick. 'Bill must have been 6 or 7 then. Ernie Ready, our offensive line coach, would put a copy of our game plan for the week in an envelope for Bill, and we'd sit on the porch and he'd read it.'" full story           Father Knows (Belichick) Best 01-Feb-2002, Boston Globe "His boy, Bill, is all sideline, no Seinfeld. But by his father's account, Bill Belichick's personality, like his coaching ability, was misjudged during his five seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Steve Belichick, 83 years old and more than a decade removed from his 33 years as an assistant coach at Navy, made it clear he doesn't much care for the public perception that Bill, his only child, would be severely challenged in a Mr. Congeniality contest." full story           It's A Day Of Decisions For Coach 31-Jan-2002, Boston Globe "Tests are often helpful when making psychological assessments. There's the Rorschach Test…the Myers-Briggs personality test, and the standard IQ test. While the nation yesterday breathlessly awaited a decision from Belichick regarding his starting quarterback for Sunday's Super Bowl, he graciously took a few minutes to take the Standard Shaughnessy Ginger-Mary Ann Test." full story           Coach In Boss' Corner 31-Jan-2002, Boston Herald "'Let's not make this about Parcells-Belichick,' said Weis. 'This is about Belichick, and what he's done. He deserves his day in the sun without that association. It's unfair.'" full story           Belichick's College Chum Not Shocked At His Success 31-Jan-2002, Providence Journal "'Bill was a better lacrosse player than he was a football player,' [Bill] Devereaux says. 'In football, he was an average Division III football player. In lacrosse, he was better than that, was the captain his senior year. But he was a student of both. In fact, on both teams there was the feeling that having Bill was like another coach on the field.'" full story           Cox: Pushing All The Right Buttons 31-Jan-2002, SuperBowl.com "Bill Belichick has pushed all the right buttons this year. I'm thankful that he brought me to the Patriots. He's done such a wonderful job just being human. That's probably the biggest reason we're in this position." full story           Belichick, Martz Do Have A Human Side 31-Jan-2002, ESPN.com "'I'm kind of a detail-oriented person, and I don't mind doing the details,' Belichick said. 'But I found through time that I'm better off not getting involved in those things, so I can do a better job of managing the team. What I found out is that a lot of people do those jobs better than I would have done anyway.'" full story           Belichick Hits His Stride 31-Jan-2002, Detroit News "Bill Belichick's good friend Jon Bon Jovi, a New Jersey-bred rocker, didn't have him in mind when he wrote such hits as Keep the Faith, Something to Believe In or Maybe Just Older. But those titles from Bon Jovi's discography could make up the sound track for how Belichick's coaching career has evolved" full story           Theismann: Patriots Had The Look Of Winners 31-Jan-2002, ESPN.com "I had dinner Wednesday night with Bill Belichick and six other people at the Palace Cafe around 9:30. Initially, I had wanted to attend one of the Patriots' practices, so I left a message for Bill. But he didn't feel it would be appropriate and suggested dinner instead. Hey, they lost the last time I practiced with them. They don't want me out there. Football players are superstitious enough." full story           Coaching Out Of The Blocks 30-Jan-2002, Washington Post "Bill was telling his pals where to play in backyard baseball games. His mother, Jeannette, heard him one day – 'You pitch, you play third, you get out there in the outfield' – and thought Bill was being bossy. 'When I started to say something,' she said, 'the boy who lived next door told me: 'If he didn't tell us, we wouldn't know what to do.'' Those instincts and leadership skills have grown even stronger and now have the team Belichick coaches, the New England Patriots, playing in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday." full story           Patriots Put Their Faith In Belichick 30-Jan-2002, NFL Insider "Last summer, Belichick snared Gruden and his wife front-row seats to a Bon Jovi concert and a backstage meeting with the band. Gruden joined a devout list of players, coaches, an owner, and even a band from New Jersey who have realized over time that Bill Belichick rocks." full story           Belichick Makes Right Call To Stick With Brady 30-Jan-2002, Sporting News "Bill Belichick made the correct choice when he decided to start Tom Brady at quarterback for the Patriots in Sunday's Super Bowl. As long as Brady is nimble enough, he has earned the right to begin the game. It is another example of Belichick's wonderful feel for what is proper for his team." full story           Lots Of Work Goes Into Patriots Defensive Plan 30-Jan-2002, ESPN.com "Acknowledged as one of the NFL's premier defensive minds over the past 20 years, a guy who has displayed more wrinkles than a seersucker suit, the Patriots' surprising Super Bowl stretch run has validated Belichick as a head coach in full. And now as a far mellower man, but also one of greater accomplishment, the respect for him has increased exponentially." full story           Who Was The Media Day Star? 30-Jan-2002, ESPN.com Mike Tirico: Bill Belichick. "For a guy with a reputation for being uptight and not great with the media, Belichick was wonderful with the media. [He] handled the whole QB controversy with a firm point of view and was still able to talk about everything else relatively candidly." full story           Belichick Molds Pats As Winners 29-Jan-2002, USA TODAY "The self-effacing Belichick gives all the credit to his players. 'The whole group,' he says, 'has molded together and bonded and been able to stay focused on each weekly challenge.'" full story           Hard-Working Super Bowl Coaches In Search Of Weaknesses 28-Jan-2002, CBS SportsLine.com "Belichick's defenses can do that to a team. They are hard to figure out, hard to decipher. He is perhaps the best defensive mind of all time, a guy who goes against the grain in scheming opponents." full story           Patriots Bask In Sendoff Despite Unfinished Business 28-Jan-2002, Associated Press "The new AFC Champion New England Patriots got a rousing Super Bowl send-off Monday, with the governor warning the St. Louis Rams that the Patriots are not to be underestimated. 'While some may already believe that the Rams are a favorite on Sunday, being the underdog has suited the Patriots just fine this year,' acting Gov. Jane Swift said to a crowd of hundreds that gathered in front of the Statehouse. 'The Rams are going to find out very soon that these underdogs have a very painful bite,' she said." full story           Belichick, Williams Lead Way To New Orleans 27-Jan-2002, ESPN.com "Well, you have to give it to Patriots owner Robert Kraft. When he was asked to pay a No. 1 pick to the New York Jets for Bill Belichick, he put up only a little fuss. Eventually, he put up the first-rounder. Two years later, now you know why. Is there any doubt the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl because of Belichick? I have no regrets at casting my coach-of-the-year vote for the Bears' Dick Jauron, but now that the dust is settling on the full NFL season, Belichick obviously is the guy." full story           Coaches: Bills Of Right Stuff 26-Jan-2002, Boston Herald "He knows that there's more to coaching, more to managing people, than plays and precision. Which brings us to Sir Ernest Shackleton, a British explorer in the early 20th century; a buried football; and Tiznow, the thoroughbred which won the Breeders' Cup Classic winner last fall.  Each has been used by the Pats coach/psychologist to strengthen a message he felt was important to the success of his team. Each time the message seemed to get through." full story           Uncommon Friends: Belichick, Barkley Mutual Admirers 26-Jan-2002, Boston Globe "'I like the way, when things happened this year, he made decisions and lived with them,' Barkley said. 'It's been an interesting year for him, and he's handled it well. Like with Brady, he's not out there saying, 'I told y'all! This was my decision! I made it, I'm the coach!' He's not doing that. He's just coaching this team. I like that.'" full story           Simms: Patriots Show Value Of Team 24-Jan-2002, NFL.com "Do you think football's not the ultimate team game? Think it's not about teamwork and what the coaches do to help you? Just look at the New England Patriots … Yes, the ability of the players is critical, and the Patriot players are getting the job done. But you've got to look at the design of what they're doing. I give the New England coaching staff a lot of credit – a lot of credit. The fans and the media don't always want to admit that. And, of course, players don't either. But when you talk about the New England Patriots, it is true." full story           Quietly Intelligent Belichick Getting Job Done In New England 23-Jan-2002, Tribune-Review Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher on Bill Belichick: "He's being himself. That is probably the thing I respect the most about the guy. He's done it his way, being the type of person he is. He's a good person and I respect good people." full story           No Verbal Sparring By Cowher, Belichick 23-Jan-2002, Tribune-Review "'The job he did this year was phenomenal,' Cowher said of Belichick, adding that Belichick got his vote for coach of the year. 'He was my pick because I felt that this guy, with everything he had to deal with this year, I thought he did a phenomenal job.'" full story           Cinderfellas: AFC Title Game-Bound Patriots Leading Charmed Life 21-Jan-2002, Associated Press "Destiny? Luck? A makeup for all those down years, including a 5-11 record last season that earned them last place in the AFC East? Not in the mind of head coach Bill Belichick, a detail-obsessed defensive whiz who leaves little to chance and less to regret should he lose. 'I think that stuff evens out,' he said of calls that have gone the Patriots' way." full story           Coach Uniform In His Beliefs 20-Jan-2002, Boston Globe "[Belichick] paused to reminisce eloquently and effusively on his idyllic childhood in the enclave by Chesapeake Bay and the reflected glory of associating with the football team. It was a perennial national power that also included the likes of quarterback Roger Staubach, the 1963 Heisman winner who later became a Pro Football Hall of Famer and was a Belichick favorite. But Belichick's most reverential reminiscences were reserved for Bellino, who eventually became a journeyman running back for the Patriots from 1965-67 after completing his Naval commitment. Bellino, Belichick recalled, was his first football hero." full story           Natalie Jacobson Interviews Bill Belichick 18-Jan-2002, WCVB-TV5 Boston "NewsCenter 5 anchor Natalie Jacobson interviewed Coach Bill Belichick before the Patriots took on the Oakland Raiders on Jan. 19." full transcript  |  full video           You Should Know … Raiders At Patriots 17-Jan-2002, NFL.com "Jon Gruden owes Bill Belichick – though the Raiders coach doesn't want to pay back his Patriots counterpart on Saturday night. It turns out the two head coaches, whose teams will meet in Saturday night's AFC Divisional Playoff Game in Foxboro, have an affinity for the rock band Bon Jovi. That common interest created a bond between the two workaholic coaches." full story           Meet Bill Belichick, Mr. Popular 17-Jan-2002, Boston Herald "As for his newfound popularity, Belichick said, 'One of the things I've learned is that you can be 16–0 and there will be people who hate you, just as you can be 0-16 and there will be some people who will defend you. That's always the way it's going to be. Knowing that, it's easier just to do your job and hope people like what they see. I don't think I can be 100 percent of what everyone wants me to be.'" full story           Belichick Deserves Praise For Doing More With Less 15-Jan-2002, Sporting News "In January of 2000, I was critical of the Patriots' decision to hire Bill Belichick, who was a bust in Cleveland. I wrote: It is possible he has learned from mistakes and is a different coach, but it's also possible that a pig will learn to use silverware. Well, Babe is spooling linguini. And I'm eating crow." full story           Bill Belichick, Turnaround Artist 14-Jan-2002, NFL.com "What's different, though, is Belichick's increased emphasis on his relationships with players. Gradually, the former Bill Parcells lieutenant has managed to gain one of the unique traits Parcells had in his years as a head coach – the ability to inspire intense loyalty from many of his players." full story           Patriots Coach Grows On The Job 07-Jan-2002, Sports Illustrated "There is no better example of a coach who has improved the second time around than the Patriots' Bill Belichick… 'I learn something in this job every day, every week, every year,' Belichick says. 'I'd better be a better coach than I was 10 years ago.'" full story         An Excellent Credit Report 06-Jan-2002, Boston Globe "Bill Belichick wore his game face when he boarded the Patriots' 757 Northwest charter out of Providence early yesterday afternoon. The face won't come off until the Patriots beat Carolina to win the AFC East today." full story           Belichick Ranks At Head Of Coaching Class 02-Jan-2002, ESPN.com "With apologies to Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher and Chicago's Dick Jauron, New England's Bill Belichick is the NFL's Coach of the Year, writes Len Pasquarelli, who hands out the rest of his postseason awards for 2001." full story

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