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2004 stories
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On A Number Of Programs, Smerlas Fits Bill
31-Dec-2004, Boston
Globe
"On this day, Smerlas mostly has Belichick on his mind. 'His knowledge of X's
and O's is beyond the knowledge of even former players like us [Smerlas, DeOssie],'
Smerlas said. 'He's bringing in players higher on the scale of football
evolution. They're smarter and better behaved. But that's only half the story.
He's in charge. He's set the parameters for coaching this team. Football players
are aggressive guys with a lot of bravado. They'll eat a coach for lunch and
take over the team if the coach lets them. Needless to say, that won't happen
here.'"
full story |
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A Love Fest For
Herm, Belichick
26-Dec-2004, New York
Daily News
"[The 'Border War'] took a civilized turn in 2001, when Parcells left the Jets'
organization. These days, it's downright peaceful. The coaches, Herman Edwards
and Bill Belichick, actually like each other – a lot. Is this any way to run a
rivalry? ... 'I respect the heck out of the guy,' Edwards said of Belichick.
'He's a Hall of Fame coach, in my eyes. If they ask me to vote, he's going in,
no doubt about it.'"
full
story |
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Off The
Belichick Tree
24-Dec-2004,
Fresno Bee
"Fresno State's Pat Hill and Virginia's Al Groh are former assistants on
Bill Belichick's 1992 Cleveland Browns staff.... 'I'm not really surprised by
what any of them have done,' says Belichick, the Super Bowl-winning coach of the
New England Patriots. 'Outstanding group of coaches and people. I think time has
shown that was a pretty capable and competent staff.'"
full story |
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Amos Alonzo Stagg
Coaching Award
23-Dec-2004,
US Sports Academy
"The United States Sports Academy announced today that New England Patriots
head coach Bill Belichick has been awarded the 2004 Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching
Award for his outstanding success at American football's highest level
of competition."
full story |
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In
The Huddle
22-Dec-2004, Sports Illustrated Kids (January 2005 issue)
"Our NFL PLAYERS POLL takes you inside the helmets of 33 players on 17
teams. We asked them to vote on the hardest hitter, the hardest thrower,
and everything in-between... Coach you would most like to play for
(other than your own): 1. (tie) BILL BELICHICK, New England Patriots /
Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts – 11%; 2. Herman Edwards, New York Jets – 9%."
full story |
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Dolphins Star Insists Pats Still Team To Beat
22-Dec-2004,
Eagle-Tribune
"While he says he always respects his opponent, there is no other franchise
in the NFL [Jason Taylor] holds in higher regard than your New England Patriots,
at least since Bill Belichick got this steamroller moving forward in 2001. 'They
play football the way it's supposed to be played. They play a team game,' said
Taylor. 'There are no Kobe Bryants on that team. Everybody has one goal, and
that's winning. I respect what they do. Look around the league with guys wanting
all the stats and publicity. That doesn't happen in New England.... I think you
have to look at Belichick. I've never played for him, but he's the leader. He's
the guy that sets the tone. He brings in people that are good players who want
to win. He doesn't just look at talent. We have some guys around here like that,
but not enough.'"
full
story |
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Top
Coaches Achieving Personnel Bests
10-Dec-2004, NFL.com
"Blaming a team's failure on the coach having total control is as overrated
as quarterback ratings. No matter how much power coaches do or don't have, they
must surround themselves with qualified front-office people and informed
personnel people that complement their opinions. Belichick, Reid and Cowher
do.... If players such as New England's Troy Brown and Denver's Champ Bailey are
good enough to play two positions, so are the men who coach them."
full story |
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Brown Inspired
Pats' Belichick
09-Dec-2004, Cincinnati Enquirer
"Belichick, known for his extensive library, has two copies of Brown's
biography, 'PB: The Paul Brown Story.' 'The one Paul Brown autographed is the
one that got ate by my dog,' Belichick said in his conference call Wednesday
with Cincinnati reporters. 'What did you do to the dog?' he was asked. 'The
dog's not around now....' 'What kind of dog was it?' 'A dead dog,' Belichick
said."
full story |
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Hall Of Famer Paul Brown An Inspiration To Belichick
09-Dec-2004, Providence Journal
"In a conference call with the Cincinnati media yesterday, the reverence
Bill Belichick has for Paul Brown, the founder of both the Bengals and the
Cleveland Browns, was on full display.... 'There probably isn't one thing that
we do as the New England Patriots, other than maybe a technological improvement,
that he didn't do 30 years ago, or maybe more than that. Maybe 40 years ago,'
said Belichick."
full story |
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Marvin Lewis
News Conference
08-Dec-2004, Cincinnati Bengals
Q: "Is there anything you borrow from Coach Belichick?" ML: "I think it's
that they pick players who fit their style. Their is no question about it. On
draft day they choose players who might not be the popular choice, but in two or
three years they are the right choice. That's what's important. I don't think
they will be swayed by some outside source. They don't choose who others feel is
the best player for the Patriots, they choose the player who they feel has
insight of what is important to the team."
full transcript |
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Sportsman
Of The Year: Patriots QB Tom Brady
08-Dec-2004, The Sporting News
"Belichick says he has been around only one other player with Brady's knack
for treating everyone, no matter their station, with the same grace and respect.
'Roger Staubach,' he says. 'I knew Roger when I was 11 and a nothing, and he
treated me like his best friend. Same with Tom. I don't care if it is the owner
or the ballboy, it doesn't matter to him.'"
full
story |
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The American Money Machine
06-Dec-2004, TIME
"Belichick defines the 21st century NFL coach: tech savvy, detail
oriented and passionate about personnel – a mini-CEO in his realm. New
England spends inordinate amounts of time evaluating players and not
just assessing athletic talent. It looks for personalities that fit into
New England's system, which is not star driven."
full story |
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Belichick Has Risen To The Top
01-Dec-2004, Patriots Football Weekly
"Let's all step back and marvel at what we are witnessing in Patriots
Nation. It's only sports, but we are, after all, passionate about our teams.
They affect morale. They can lift the spirit of an entire region or tear away a
piece of its heart. And so we do place a certain level of importance on our
teams even if their performance is far less vital than many other things in
life. With that in mind, it's hard to place a historical perspective on these
recent Bill Belichick-led New England Patriots because we are living in the
midst of it."
full story (subscribers only) |
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21:
The Story Behind The NFL's Longest Winning Streak
01-Dec-2004, New England Patriots
"Every game of the streak is chronicled with highlights and insider
sideline and locker room footage. Also included is Head Coach Bill
Belichick's weekly 'Belestrator' segments from the Patriots All
Access TV show where he previewed key factors to look for prior to
each game. Plus, bonus content includes exclusive interviews with all
the games' playmakers and never-before-seen footage from the Patriots
Super Bowl XXXVIII ring ceremony at owner Robert Kraft's house."
full
details | the streak |
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Monday
Morning QB
29-Nov-2004,
SI.com
"Coach of the Week:
New England defensive backs coach Eric Mangini. Never met the man. Don't
know much about his philosophy or his hands-on teaching. All I know is
Bill Belichick and Romeo Crennel let their position coaches coach, and
that the Patriots went 4-0 in November, surrendering 12.5 points per
game, with a wide receiver (Troy Brown) and three former practice-squadders
(Randall Gay, Omare Lowe, Earthwind Moreland) playing major minutes at
cornerback."
full story |
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Let's Praise Old-School Patriots
28-Nov-2004, San
Antonio Express-News
"Leaving opponents,
fans and media flummoxed along the way, the Patriots are 9-1 despite a
spate of costly injuries, rolling up 96 points in three victories since
a 34-20 setback at Pittsburgh halted their record streak. Bill
Belichick, who has emerged as the strongest coach in the league, has
fully implemented an old-school system populated by players who fit into
the game plan, instead of forcing the game plan to fit them."
full story |
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Ravens
Personnel Department's Roots Go Back To Belichick
27-Nov-2004, Ravens
Insider
"The Bill
Belichick tree has multiple branches and a sphere of influence that
extends throughout the elite ranks of the NFL and college football. And
a few of the New England Patriots head coach's strongest roots are
thriving in the Baltimore Ravens' personnel department."
full story |
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By The Numbers: Calling The Playmakers
26-Nov-2004, Wall
Street Journal
"Who's the best
NFL coach ever? Big Game Factor says its Vince Lombardi, followed
closely by the still active Bill Belichick and Joe Gibbs. This stat
combines regular-season wining percentage with playoff winning
percentage, thus placing a special emphasis on post-season performance
rather than piling up regular-season wins, which is why active coaches
like Mike Shanahan rank ahead of legends like Don Shula and Tom Landry."
full
story |
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White-Collar Heroes: Teams' GM Becoming Big Hit
With Baseball Fans
26-Nov-2004,
Boston Herald
"Simply put, baseball
fans are rapidly shifting their loyalties from the players on the field
to the men in the front office.... Lucchino said last week, 'If the fans
have developed a respect for us, we've earned it. Players come and
players go, but the ownership in the front office remains the same and
it's working hard to produce a winning team.' ... But the perceived
greed of the modern peripatetic ballplayer is only part of the story.
The success of Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots head coach, has
also reinforced loyalty to the front office."
full story |
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Quarterbacks Facing "The Belichick Factor"
26-Nov-2004,
NFL.com
"The
young quarterbacks with winning records in the AFC that have the best
chance to make the playoffs along with Manning have a combined 4-10
career record with 19 touchdowns, 19 interceptions and 22 sacks against
the best defensive game planner in the league. Keep in mind not one of
them has ever won more than one game against the Patriots coach."
full story |
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Brian Billick Conference Call
24-Nov-2004, New
England Patriots
"Is there anyone in
the profession today that is performing any more brilliantly than Bill?
In a historical context, I will leave that for you all to judge. The
thing I admire most about Coach Belichick is the way they are winning
now. This is a good, solid football team that is very veteran. They
really don't do a lot. What they do is brilliant in its execution in
that it is absolutely fundamentally flawless. They are at the right
place at the right time doing the right things. I have never seen an
entire team manage a game as well as the Patriots do, and you have to
attribute that to Coach Belichick."
full transcript |
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Ten
Things To Be Grateful For This Season
24-Nov-2004,
NFL.com
"8. Bill
Belichick and the New England Patriots: The consistency that his team
has displayed over the past three-and-a-half years has been nothing
short of amazing. His team wins regardless of injury or whom they are
playing. There have been some who have said that today's NFL, because of
free agency and the salary cap, cannot sustain a dynasty. They long for
the old days when teams like the Steelers, Cowboys and 49ers ruled the
NFL landscape. But I point right to [the] Patriots and their success as
a counterpoint to that argument. Watching greatness unfold before our
eyes is something we all can be thankful for."
full story |
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Patriots-Chiefs: How They Performed – Notes, Quotes
24-Nov-2004,
Patriots Insider
"Bill Belichick
is now the Patriots' all-time winningest coach. The Patriots' win over
Kansas City, which improved the team's best ever start to 9-1, also was
Belichick's 54th of his career in New England. He passed Mike Holovak,
who posted a 53-47-9 record between 1961 and 1968. Belichick is now
54-26 as the Patriots' head coach and 48-26 during the regular season.
He also is the all-time leader in terms of winning percentage with a
.675 success rate in four-plus seasons. He still needs four wins to tie
Holovak for regular season wins since all of Holovak's came during the
regular season. Belichick is also the only Patriots coach with a perfect
postseason mark at 6-0. Raymond Berry is the only other head coach in
team history with a winning record in the playoffs (3-2)."
full story (subscribers only) |
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Kraft
Turns Pats Into Perfect Franchise
22-Nov-2004, Kansas
City Star
"'With me, it's
first of all having good people, and that means people you're
comfortable having at your dinner table,' said Kraft. 'The one thing I
said when I hired Bill Belichick is, 'You can do whatever you want in
personnel; just don't bring any bad apples here.' If they come into this
community and do something...this team carries my family name, and it's
an embarrassment to me and my family personally. I'm proud of the people
Bill has brought into this organization.'"
full story |
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Implicit Trust In Coaches Is Key To Patriots' Success
22-Nov-2004, Pro
Football Weekly
"LB/special-teams captain Larry Izzo says the players' belief that
the New England coaching staff is acting with a single-minded goal – to
win every game – fosters the team's unbeatable aura. 'I think what we've
done in the past to be successful is to buy into what Bill (Belichick)
and the other coaches are saying,' Izzo told PFW. 'Every week, it's
amazing how they identify what we need to do to win. And, you know, so
far we've been pretty successful at that. But there are still some
things we want to get better at. But the faith that we have in our
coaches is a credit to them because they've proven it year-in, year-out,
game-in, game-out that they know what they're doing – they know how to
win. If we can just consistently do the things they identify each week,
we'll be successful. We're not quite there yet, but we're striving for
perfection. I think you can be perfect. Obviously we haven't been, but
that's our goal and hopefully we'll get there.'"
full source |
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Belichick Takes Offense
19-Nov-2004, Boston
Herald
"'I am in 1,000
percent agreement with Tony Dungy. That's 1,000 percent.... If
preserving the integrity of the game and presenting it in the right way
involves getting lower ratings, then that's what we're going to have to
accept,' said Belichick. 'If that's what we have to do to, if that's the
deal, then that's the deal. This can't become the XFL.'"
full story |
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Cowboys Get Old At Wrong Positions
19-Nov-2004,
ESPN.com
"Loading up with aging
veteran starters can provide the leadership necessary to turn a good
team into a great team. Look at the Patriots. They've patented the
processes. Bill Belichick knows the value of role players and loves to
fill out key positions with veterans.... Older teams require bolder
decisions. Belichick stays ahead of the curve because he and vice
president of player personnel Scott Pioli constantly churn their
roster."
full story |
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Analyze
This: Best besides Brady
18-Nov-2004,
NFL.com
Vic Carucci: "Bill Belichick is the most indispensable member of the
Patriots, period. That includes Tom Brady and any other viable player
candidate such as Adam Vinatieri, Tedy Bruschi, Corey Dillon, Mike
Vrabel, Richard Seymour or Troy Brown. Every bit of the success that
Brady and his teammates have enjoyed starts with Belichick, who not only
is the greatest coach in the game today but one of the greatest – if not
THE greatest – in NFL history. The Patriots' structure, strategy and
philosophical approach follow his brilliantly crafted blueprint. Take it
away and there are no Super Bowl victories or history-making winning
streak or current 8-1 record that has set the stage for another Super
Bowl run."
full story |
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Charlie
Weis Press Conference
17-Nov-2004, New
England Patriots
"I have said this
before and I will never say anything other than this, that I have never
seen a man with as much foresight and insight as Bill. He always seems
to be one step ahead. It is not just x's and o's. It is personnel. It is
the whole organization. He is thinking ahead rather than just staying on
an even keel. I think that gives a decisive edge over most people he is
going against because there are a lot of good football people. There are
a lot of people that are good at x's and o's. But, there are very few
people that have the insight/foresight to look ahead and try to figure
out what he is going to do before those times even come up."
full transcript |
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Romeo
Crennel Press Conference
17-Nov-2004, New
England Patriots
"The thing about
Bill is he is a very thorough football oriented guy. He knows football.
He knows offense. He knows defense. He knows special teams because he
has coached all of those positions. He is willing to put in the time to
work, the study, and the effort that it has to have to get it done. I
think that is one of the reasons that our team is a thorough team
because that is his nature.... If you give him an idea and it is sound
and he thinks it is a good idea, he will go for it. If he doesn't think
it is a good idea, he is not going to go for it. He is open-minded. He
is flexible."
full transcript |
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Only Patriots And Eagles Are Consistently Good
16-Nov-2004,
Providence Journal
"'You're always looking for consistency,' said Patriots head
coach Bill Belichick yesterday after his team's 29-6 win over Buffalo.
'With each player, each unit, and collectively as a team. That's the key
to being successful. It's a long season. There's a lot of games, a lot
of snaps, a lot of circumstances that you go through. You play in a lot
of different elements – home and away, field conditions, you're ahead,
you're behind, you're on your own 1-yard line, you're on their 1-yard
line. There's so many things. To be able to consistently play at a high
competitive level is what you're striving for.'"
full story |
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Patriots' Rushing Attack Hits A New High
16-Nov-2004,
MetroWest Daily News
"The Patriots
rushed for 200-plus yards in a game for the first time in Bill
Belichick's four-plus years as coach. How did they do it? The plan
started to take shape on the first offensive possession of Sunday
night's impressive 29-6 victory over the Bills.... But as we've learned
from the Patriots under coach Bill Belichick and coordinators Charlie
Weis (offense) and Romeo Crennel (defense), there's a calculated reason
for every decision they make. It comes after intense film study and
research, and the latest example – carried out by the sharp execution of a talent-rich team
– was brilliant."
full story |
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The Amazing, Enigmatic Belichick
11-Nov-2004,
Newsweek
"Patriots players
have bought into a successful system that is revolutionizing the game in
a fashion that hasn't been seen in the NFL since the Bill Walsh heyday
with the 49ers back in the '80s. Walsh's revolution can be neatly summed
up as the West Coast offense, while Belichick's impact is difficult to
describe with any catch phrase. But in a me-first era in professional
sports, he has somehow resurrected old-fashioned notions of team and
made them paramount."
full story |
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Otis Smith Waits For Pats To Call
10-Nov-2004,
Eagle-Tribune
"Smith says
coming to New England would be one of the only options he would
consider. Not only because of the team's success, but because of
Belichick.... Smith says Belichick's best
attribute, though, might be his ability to make adjustments during a
game. 'I've played for other coaches and it's not even close,' said
Smith. 'If the defense gives up a big play, he immediately goes to work
on the sidelines with an adjustment so it doesn't happen again. You
never see the Belichick defense get burned by the same play twice.'"
full story |
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Patriots Of 2004 Find Their Identity
09-Nov-2004,
Providence Journal
"Players – regardless
of their résumé – are welcomed onto this team that has done great
things. In return, they must perform when their time comes. Sunday, many
players did just that. The Rams game is now a reference point for what
the 2004 Patriots can do. Not what somebody else who used to wear the
same number and uniform did some other year. The 2004 Patriots' season
is now under way."
full story |
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Midseason Awards
09-Nov-2004, SI.com
"Best coaching
job of the first half: I started to over-think this one for a time,
and then I realized New England's Bill Belichick is still the
measuring stick in this league. Despite getting every opponent's A game,
Belichick has had his defending champion Patriots up to the challenge
seven times in eight games, with their first six victories furthering
New England's remarkable NFL-record 21-game winning streak."
full story |
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MMQB: The Fine Fifteen
08-Nov-2004, SI.com
"2. New England
(7-1). The 40-22 win over St. Louis is a new chapter in the
Belichick / Pioli / Weis / Crennel / Seely brilliance book. Imagine going into
Rams-ville and conquering the obstacles the Pats did. Midway through the
first quarter, because of injuries, the starters were Randall Gay, who
started one game in college last year, and Earthwind Moreland, who I
think last played an NFL snap in 2001. The nickel back was Troy Brown.
That's right, the wide receiver. Don Davis, a linebacker and
special-teamer, played a good chunk of the game at safety. And Marc
Bulger did some damage (23-33, 285 yards), but not enough to win this
game. Bill Belichick and his offensive, defensive and special-teams men
– Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel and Brad Seely – then had the gumption to
call a touchdown pass to linebacker Mike Vrabel and a fake field goal
when the kicker threw a touchdown pass."
full
source |
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Tips From The Pros
08-Nov-2004, Zweig White Consulting
"Some of the best team builders come from the world of
professional sports. A select group of managers and coaches have become
household names by accomplishing great feats – not on their own, but
through others.... In the professional sports world, coaches and
managers can plan, strategize, set lineups, cheerlead, and even throw
tantrums – but they can't strap on a helmet, run onto the field, and
actually make the tackles. Their primary responsibility is to put their
players in a position to win, period. How can you build a team without
actually playing the game? Let's take a look at some lessons from the
pros." (Includes Red Auerbach, Vince Lombardi, Herb Brooks, Joe
Torre, Bill Belichick)
full
story |
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This Victory What Patriots 'Team' Is All About
07-Nov-2004, CBS
SportsLine.com
"Their coaches
have the answers. They deal with adversity better than any staff or team
in the league. 'It's probably as complete a team victory as any I've
been around,' Patriots coach Bill Belichick said afterward. Notice the
word 'team.' The Patriots always do."
full
story |
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The Sporting Side Of Election Day
07-Nov-2004,
Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sports
Illustrated's Web site, SI.com, held an Election Day fan poll last week,
and asked readers to pick their favorite athlete in the clutch....When
asked which coach – of any sport – you'd want calling the shots in a
title game, the fans gave Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots 35
percent of the vote."
full results |
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Martz Raves About Belichick, And Vice Versa
04-Nov-2004, St
Louis Post-Dispatch
"'Bill
[Belichick] is probably the standard for the rest of us in the league,
how he manages the game, his team,' Martz said at his Wednesday news
conference. 'He does a great job of creating turnovers, creating
opportunities for his football team to win. When they do get the
opportunity, they take advantage of it.' And ... 'Bill is terrific,'
Martz said. 'I have great admiration for him. He's a Hall of Fame head
coach, He may be as good as there has ever been. I consider him a good
friend. I have a chance to talk to him more than any other head coach
and I enjoy the relationship a great deal.'"
full story |
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Our
Famous Alumni
01-Nov-2004,
Lacrosse Magazine (Nov/Dec 2004 issue)
"While his notoriety comes from football now, lacrosse was his best sport,
starting all four years and earning captain honors while playing sparingly
during his collegiate gridiron career. Although [college coach Terry] Jackson
envisioned Belichick, a close family friend during his time at Wesleyan, heading
into the business or teaching realm, there were signs of coaching ability early
on."
full story (photo courtesy of US Lacrosse) |
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Those Championship Seasons: The fans, plans, & teamwork in Pats' success
31-Oct-2004, Boston Globe
"For a region steeped in extraordinary devotion to the Red Sox, the New
England Patriots had long been a bumbling sideshow, their haplessness
snapped only by the occasional, futile title run. Then they won two NFL
championships in three years. Only delusional cynics ignore the idea
that these Patriots are gifts from the football gods, spiced with the
ingredients of professional athletic excellence: a devoted owner, a new
stadium, a dynamic defense, a golden-boy quarterback, a freon-veined
kicker, a virtuoso coach, a team-first philosophy, and a knack for
winning close games. In 'Patriot
Reign,' former Globe columnist Michael Holley explores the
organizational culture behind such magnificence."
full story |
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Patriots Buy Belichick's Philosophy
28-Oct-2004,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Asked after the Patriots' 13-7 win Sunday over the formerly unbeaten
New York Jets how the team was able to respond to Belichick week after
week, safety Rodney Harrison said, 'Concentration. Maturity. Confidence.
And we don't panic. We go through a lot of situational football, so,
when it is a critical moment, we don't panic. Someone always steps up
and makes a play.' When he addressed his team after that game, Belichick
handled the winning streak the same way as usual. 'I didn't say one word
about it,' he said. That's no surprise to anyone who has paid attention
to Belichick. It turns out, though, that Belichick might not be as
one-dimensional and dry as he lets on."
full story |
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Belichick
Values A Victory
26-Oct-2004,
Washington Post
"When he was 7, Belichick's father, Steve, longtime football coach at
the U.S. Naval Academy, took him to see a Bears game against the Colts
in Baltimore. When Belichick was introduced to Halas in the locker room
afterward, Halas pulled out a $1 bill, signed it and handed it to the
youngster, telling him that because he was the first to congratulate him
for the victory, he would be suitably compensated."
full story |
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NFL's Longest Winning Streaks
25-Oct-2004, Pro Football Hall of Fame
"On October 5, 2003, the New England Patriots defeated the Tennessee
Titans, 38-30. That win began a record streak of victories by the
Patriots that spanned more than a calendar year.... The Patriots record
winning streak reached 21 games and included wins in both the regular
season and post-season highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
New England also entered the record book when the team strung together
18 straight wins in the regular season which surpassed the mark held by
the Chicago Bears in 1933-34."
full story | hof exhibit | special
section |
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Superstitions
Not In Pats' Game Plan
24-Oct-2004,
Providence Journal
"We figured this week we'd go off the board and ask what kinds of
pregame rituals the players go through. Somewhat predictably, many have
none. They feel they are a distraction, an impediment to focusing on
what matters. 'What do you mean, do I tie my left shoe first?' asked
head coach Bill Belichick when the subject was broached. 'No. There's
plenty of people who do that but you're not talking to one of them.
There's gotta be more to it than wearing the same underwear. I don't buy
into it and I won't knowingly let [the team] buy into it. We're not
doing something one week because we won when we did it two weeks ago.'"
full story |
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Belichick:
Genius At Work
24-Oct-2004,
Newsday
"Belichick owes much of [his] creative genius to his intense scrutiny of
game films. He began studying them as a child, sitting next to his
father, Steve, a former assistant coach at Navy. The elder Belichick
used to take his son to the Annapolis train station on autumn Monday
mornings to pick up game films of the upcoming opponent, and the two
would examine the intricacies of the game. 'I think I
had an appreciation for it early,' Belichick said. 'A lot of times, guys
don't watch film until they get to college. But I was 10 years old and
studying it. Film was important to me.'"
full story |
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Boston Sports
Media Watch
22-Oct-2004, BostonSportsMedia.com
"As for the Patriots, how crazy is it that they are going for the
'Official' league record for consecutive victories (already owning the
'unofficial' record) this Sunday against the New York Jets, and no one
is saying a peep about it. Maybe it's better that way, it seems to have
made Bill Belichick's press conference's even better, you need to check
out today's transcript. Maybe it was because there were only hard-core
football writers there, but this stuff is as informative as you're going
to see anywhere. It continues to boggle my mind how media types complain
about Belichick being boring and dull. They want the Bill Parcells'
'She' material all the time, yet if you take the time to read and
listen, Belichick tells you 100 times more about the nuances of football
than Parcells or probably anyone else does."
full story |
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Patriots Let Results Make All The Noise
22-Oct-2004, Newsday
"They have won 20 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in
NFL history. They're the defending Super Bowl champs. They're 5-0 and
tied with the Jets for first place in the AFC East. A win over the Jets
on Sunday at home and they're alone at the top. If ever there is a team
in the NFL that has a right to feel good about itself, it's the
Patriots. But they don't."
full story |
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The Patriots
Act: CEO Belichick Has Created The Model Organization In Today's NFL
20-Oct-2004, SI.com & NPR News
"Presumably Belichick is a fine coach on the field, but in a way,
we don't really know. Maybe it doesn't matter. We do know that he has
superb assistants. Football, like the army, is a hierarchical
enterprise. Staff officers are crucial. And just as crucial, Belichick
has developed a system to deal with the bureaucratic intricacies of the
business of football today, where the salary cap and free agency force
complicated decisions on all franchises. It is primarily Belichick's
ability to manipulate personnel and finances that have made the Patriots
the winner of a record 20 straight games. Management executives and
academics see Belichick more as a CEO than a coach."
full story | full
audio |
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A League Of
Their Own
18-Oct-2004, Sports Illustrated
"The most amazing thing about the run is the ever-changing
Patriots' roster. This is Belichick's fifth year as coach. At the
beginning of every season he has had at least 10 starters who weren't in
the opening day lineup the previous year, including a dozen guys in '04
who were not in the lineup that opened the season for last year's title
team. This year the Pats replaced their running back, the fullback, a
wideout, three offensive linemen, the tight end, two defensive linemen,
two linebackers and the free safety. By comparison, the lineup for the
'72 Dolphins had only three changes from 1971. In '73 Miami changed two
starters."
full story |
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Like Wilfork,
Belichick Doesn't Give Much Ground
15-Oct-2004, Providence Journal
"Little about the Patriots is underrated anymore, but the nuances
of a Bill Belichick news conference are still largely underappreciated.
There are days when Belichick is so deadpan he'd make straight-faced
comedian Stephen Wright check the coach for a pulse, but regardless of
delivery, there is usually some heft to what the coach has to say when
he's allowed to roam with game-related thoughts."
full story |
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New England
Simply The Model Franchise
15-Oct-2004, St. Petersburg Times
"Rams coach Mike Martz said he 'can't even fathom' winning 19 straight
and believes getting to the milestone starts with coach Bill
Belichick.... 'One of the best things he does is he keeps everybody
level-headed,' Martz said. 'It isn't a team of superstars. He has a real
solid team atmosphere and he keeps their feet on the ground because he
has his feet on the ground.... That's how he coaches, that's why he's
got it going so well.'"
full story |
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Go 2 Guy: Tale
Of A Dogged Newshound
14-Oct-2004, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"After shaking his hand, I could tell he was in a hurry and had
time for one quick question, causing me to pull out old reliable, the
query that inarguably measures the greatness of a man. 'Got any dogs?' I
asked. Belichick looked at me like I was out of my mind, an astute
observation from a genius. But right when I thought he might go Joe
Paterno on me, Belichick said: 'Yes, I've got two. They're English white
golden retrievers.' Vince Lombardi, step aside."
full story |
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Team Takes It
'One Game At A Time'
13-Oct-2004, ESPN.com
"Clichés are tired and trite, but they are also true. The New
England Patriots believe in them, which is why they have managed to win
one game at a time – 19 times in a row. After the Patriots handled the
Miami Dolphins 24-10 last Sunday, they celebrated their NFL record by
orchestrating what has become the ultimate victory cliché. Richard
Seymour and Rodney Harrison doused head coach Bill Belichick with a vat
of Gatorade on the sidelines at Gillette Stadium."
full story (subscribers only) |
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Brains Over
Brawn
12-Oct-2004, SI.com
"What continues to impress me is that they have smart players who
get it. They want to win. Some players say, 'I just want to win. And
I'll sacrifice a few bucks to do it.' At least six Patriots have proven
this in the last year and a half. Tom Brady saw Peyton Manning and Chad
Pennington get $58 million in new bonus money before this season.
They've combined to win no Super Bowls. Brady's won two.... These guys
know they're in a special place in time, and they're not going to screw
it up. I give Bill Belichick his due in Sports Illustrated this week on
the terrific coaching job he's been doing (surprise!), and I urge you to
read it if you want to know how a very good team stays very good."
full story |
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It's Pats, Then Everyone Else
10-Oct-2004, Newsday
"If the Patriots beat the Dolphins today at home...they will be the
first NFL team to win 19 consecutive games. Five other NFL teams have
won 18 in a row, with the 1997-98 Broncos the most recent team to
accomplish the feat before the Patriots.... 'It really doesn't affect
me,' Belichick said. 'I am respectful of the situation ... but it
doesn't have a lot to do with what we are doing. It doesn't affect what
our preparation is. It doesn't affect what our game plan is. It doesn't
affect how we practiced. That is all determined by the opponent we are
facing. It is all determined by Miami and what we have to do for this
week.'"
full story |
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This
Doctor Orders A Cliché A Day
08-Oct-2004, Detroit
Free Press
"ESPN interviewed [Dr. Don] Powell Tuesday for an 'NFL Countdown'
segment on Belichick, who's known to be a master of the cliché. It is
expected to air between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 'His use of clichés is
a way of motivating his players, but also not providing fodder for the
other team,' Powell said."
full story |
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Take Less,
Win More Is Their Battle Cry
07-Oct-2004, Boston
Herald
"One of the reasons why the Patriots have a chance to be a
consistent championship contender through the salary cap era is that
they have enough players who operate under a different philosophy. Left
tackle Matt Light and special teams captain Larry Izzo are just the
latest examples. Both players recently came to terms on contract
extensions with the Pats, giving up the chance to make bigger scores as
unrestricted free agents after the season. Both followed the lead of
several teammates who decided that playing for a championship
organization was more valuable than a higher number on their contract."
full story |
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Patriots
Are Best Because They're The Smartest
07-Oct-2004,
Sun-Sentinel
"They are the thinking person's football team, one that should
change the way all people think about pro football. Their run has been
borne more of brains than of brawn. They have proved how much
intelligence matters in this sport, with nimble minds as valuable as
robust bodies."
full story |
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Mike
Martz On Bill Belichick
07-Oct-2004, St
Louis Rams
"I think you're
talking about one of the best coaches to ever coach the game to begin
with, in Bill Belichick. To be able to do what he's accomplished, and
put together what he's put together is remarkable in today's NFL, how
things are done. I don't know if people really appreciate what he's been
able to do to keep that team together. To have changes, and the injuries
he's had, they just keep finding a way to win. The best thing he's done,
as good as anybody in the league, is keeping his team as a team. They're
connected, and they really kind of disdain that superstar mentality, and
I think it works well."
full transcript |
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Don Shula On Bill Belichick
05-Oct-2004, NFL
"It's just a tremendous job that Bill has done in New England, two
out of the last three Super Bowls. And I think that's what he cares
about more than the streak at this time.... I know that Bill would be
proud of breaking the record, but the record that he's looking for is
winning the big game at the end of the year."
full audio |
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Patriots Tie Unofficial Standard
For Victories In A Row
04-Oct-2004, New
York Times
"After adding a touchdown on a fumble return, the Patriots won,
31-17, in front of 72,698 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The victory was New
England's third in a row to open the season, its 15th in succession in
the regular season and its 18th straight victory over all, including the
postseason. The Patriots joined four teams with 18 consecutive
victories, although the N.F.L. acknowledges only regular-season
victories in its record book."
full story |
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Pats Attitude Right For Continued
Success
03-Oct-2004, NFL.com
"Yes, their success is about talent and about excellent coaching,
to be certain. But it's also about attitude. With two Super Bowl
victories in the last three seasons, a winning attitude seems pretty
much a given. What's truly remarkable about the Patriots is their
ability to maintain a workman-like attitude these past few years,
especially the past two seasons."
full story |
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Patriots' Win Streak
03-Oct-2004, Florida Times-Union
"The Patriots are aiming for a place in NFL history today when they
play at Buffalo in search of their 18th consecutive victory over the
last two years. A victory would enable them to become just the seventh
pro team to achieve that feat. If the Patriots beat the Bills and then
the Dolphins next Sunday, they'll become the first team to win 19 in a
row, including playoff games. Since the NFL officially doesn't mix
regular season and playoff games in its record books, the Patriots are
three shy of the regular-season record of 17 in a row set by the 1933-34
Chicago Bears."
full story |
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No Past Or Future For Pats – Only
The Here And Now
01-Oct-2004, Providence
Journal
"In most cases, such statements are just lip service, a meaningless
variety of sports psycho-babble. For the coaches, it's usually wishful
thinking. For the players, it's baloney. But not in the case of the
Patriots, who have bought into the Belichick approach, take it
seriously, truly believe in it, and make it work so successfully. 'Last
year is over,' said The Coach. 'I think we've talked enough about that.
Right now, a streak of one division win would be what I'm looking for – one division win.'"
full story |
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Belichick's NFL Success Is Anything But Boring
01-Oct-2004, Democrat &
Chronicle
"With a 7-1 post-season record – second
only to the immortal Vince Lombardi – Belichick is at the top of his game. At just 52 years old, he could
spend the next 10 seasons cementing his place in football history. He may have the staying power because he's not distracted by the
pursuit of airtime or headlines. It's the game, not fame that fuels him.
He's happy to let his players get the publicity, just as long as they
don't forget his team-first, individual-second credo."
full story |
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Coaching Fraternity
01-Oct-2004, Hartford
Courant
"For more than 20 years, Nick Saban and Bill Belichick have done things
virtually the same way. Their coaching styles mirror each other, born of
a longstanding friendship, both professional and personal. They are
no-nonsense men, with a keen attention to detail and a genius for
defense. And then early this year, the two 52-year-olds suddenly had
something else in common. In the span of a month, both coaches reached
the pinnacle."
full story |
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Pats'
Belichick The Model Teams Now Want To Copy
30-Sep-2004, Providence
Journal
"Belichick is viewed differently now. It no longer matters that his news
conferences lack the kind of inherent theater that the Tuna's did. No
longer matters that he's never going to say a lot, that there's always a
moat around both his feelings and how he runs his football organization.
No longer matters that once upon a time he seemed to be the antithesis
of the popular perception of what a coach of legend was supposed to be.
Now, everyone wants a coach like Belichick, and if there's a certain
irony to that, so be it."
full story |
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E=TD SQUARED
28-Sep-2004, Boston
Globe
"Why aren't we surprised that Patriots coach Bill Belichick wrote the
forward to Timothy Gay's new book, 'Football Physics'? (A professor at
the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Gay demonstrates how scientific
principles figured into Steeler Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception,
among other great pigskin moments.) Belichick, who majored in economics
at Wesleyan, writes that 'while some observers see only carnage and
chaos, brilliant athletic performances and bone-jarring collisions, the
science-minded see the field as a working laboratory.'"
full story |
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The Confidence Factor, From One With Plenty Of It
26-Sep-2004,
Boston Globe
"There are dozens of
heroes, from Mandela and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
to corporate chiefs Jim Kilts at Gillette Co. and Gordon Bethune at
Continental. What such leaders have in common is a belief in confidence
as a system and what Kanter calls an 'egoless' management style that
consists of listening, fostering open dialogue and initiative, holding
others to their goals, and inviting them to believe in themselves and
rise to the occasion."
full story |
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Heeding The Call: As A Member Of The Patriot's
'Brain Trust,' Ernie Adams '71 Strategizes For The Super Bowl Champs
Fall 2004, Andover Athletics
"While there are many members of the Patriots organization more
visible, there are few who contribute more to the team's success than
Ernie Adams '71, sometimes referred to as the head coach's right-hand
man. Belichick and Adams, offensive line mates on an undefeated 1970
football team at Andover and friends who spent time in the dormitory
drawing up football plays on scrap paper, are still collaborating 33
years later with tremendous success."
full story (Adobe Reader required) |
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Faulk Speaks About Return
22-Sep-2004,
Patriots.com
"Just more than a week after he returned to the Patriots following the
death of his mother, running back Kevin Faulk spoke publicly for the
first time Wednesday about his two-week hiatus from the team....'When my
mom was sick, I was going to be down there,' Faulk said. 'Coach [Bill]
Belichick, being the coach that he is, he was like 'However much time
you need to be down there with your family, or whatever you need, I
grant you that.' That just goes to show how much class the organization
has.'"
full story |
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Bill Belichick on Patriot Reign: Bill Belichick,
The Coaches, And The
Players Who Built A Champion during Patriots Monday on WEEI
20-Sep-2004, WEEI
"The reason that Michael
[Holley] had the access that he did was to give the fans a look at kind
of how the organization runs a little bit, and some of the things behind
the scenes. That was the arrangement that we had with Michael when he
did the book. It was about the background, the preparation, how things
work, meetings, a little bit of a week-to-week or day-to-day type of
routine, kind of what the fans don't see. And it wasn't done with the
idea to stir up a lot of controversy, and try to take something and
manufacture it into a big story."
full transcript |
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Sox, Ryder Cup Team Could Learn Something From
Pats
20-Sep-2004, Providence Journal
"For the last 17 consecutive games, the Patriots have walked off
the field winners. For nearly a year now – ever since last Sept. 28 at Washington
– the
Patriots have done whatever they have needed to do to win. Against good
teams, and mediocre teams, and bad teams – in the snow, in the bitter cold, in the pouring rain, in oppressive heat
and energy-sapping humidity – whether a
season opener, or a Super Bowl, the Patriots always find a way to win."
full story |
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Wesleyan An NFL Footnote
20-Sep-2004,
Record-Journal
"When Patriots head coach Bill Belichick won a second Super Bowl in
February, he joined an elite fraternity of two-time winners that
includes legendary names such as Lombardi, Shula and Landry. What is in
some ways almost as impressive is that Belichick has thrust his alma
mater, Wesleyan University in Middletown, a small, Division III, liberal
arts college, to the forefront of the football universe."
full story |
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Bill Belichick On 60 Minutes
19-Sep-2004, CBS News
"The biggest stories in pro-football today aren't about quarterbacks or
wide receivers – they're about coaches.... Why has the coach become such a big star? 60 Minutes figured the best way to find out was to go to the two
head coaches from the last Super Bowl, Bill Belichick of the New England
Patriots and John Fox of the Carolina Panthers. Correspondent Lesley
Stahl reports."
full video + transcript |
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Building Programs Using Belichick's Blueprint
18-Sep-2004, New
York Times
"These days, life on the sideline is nearly as good for Belichick's boys
as it is for the man who has led New England to two Super Bowl victories
in three years. Four coaches who worked for Belichick in Cleveland
between 1991 and 1995 have college programs in the Associated Press Top
20 this week. Belichick has become the most respected coach in the N.F.L.,
and his ideals and habits are also thriving in the college game."
full story |
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Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure Opening September 17th
16-Sep-2004, New England Patriots
"Audiences will be able to help support the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation when they see Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure, opening September 17 at
The Feinstein IMAX® Theatre,
Providence Place.... Three years ago, Head Coach Bill Belichick brought
the team to the Feinstein Theatre for a special engagement of Shackleton's
Antarctic Adventure because of its inspirational message of teamwork and
human endurance."
full story | more |
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SI Players Poll: Who Is The Best Coach In The NFL?
14-Sep-2004, Sports
Illustrated
"Q: Who is the best coach in the NFL? Bill Belichick 45%; Bill
Parcells 9%; Tony Dungy 8%; Dick Vermeil 8%; Steve Mariucci 5%; Brian
Billick 4%; Mike Shanahan 3%; Marvin Lewis 3%; John Fox 3%; Andy Reid
3%. ... Q: Who would you most want to play for? Tony Dungy 19%;
Dick Vermeil 10%; Bill Belichick 10%; Bill Parcells 7%; Steve Mariucci
7%; Marvin Lewis 6%; Brian Billick 5%; Mike Shanahan 4%; Jeff Fisher 4%;
Joe Gibbs 4%."
full story |
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Collector's Corner
12-Sep-2004, Providence
Journal
"COACHES SIGNING: Almost overlooked in the flurry of football cards on
the hobby market are two series of cards that feature the autographs of
National Football League coaches. The most ambitious are in a Topps
program called 'Ring of Honor Coaches Cuts' in its 2004 Football set
that boasts cards with the 'cut' signatures of all 38 winning Super Bowl
coaches including Vince Lombardi, Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells and Bill
Belichick."
full story | more info |
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2004 NFL Opening Kickoff
10-Sep-2004, Boston
Globe
"Ceremonies commemorating the Patriots' triumph over the Carolina
Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII were part of a one-hour live pregame
special on ABC that featured musical performances from four stages at
the stadium.... Patriots owner Robert Kraft took the stage and was
greeted by a rousing ovation from the capacity crowd. 'Fans of New
England,' he began, 'exactly two years ago to the day, I stood here with
you to celebrate a very special evening. O | | |