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2007 stories
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How The Patriots Do It: An inside look at keys to New England's dominance
31-Dec- 2007, SI.com
"There are many reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls this decade and had the first 16-0 season in NFL history. From top to bottom, they seem to do everything better. Here are the five biggest elements of success I've observed in my time with and against New England."
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Don Shula on the New England Patriots
30-Dec-2007, ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown
"I had the opportunity to see the game in Baltimore against the Ravens, and also the Philadelphia game before that – and Colts game earlier in the year – and in all three of these games they were down, they were behind in the ball game, but they kept their poise and they knew they had the confidence to make the plays when they had to make them in order to win the game at the end. And that's a real credit to the coach and to the quarterback to keep the poise and to make the plays the way that Brady makes them in a pressure, clutch situation."
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Patriots Go 16-0, Break NFL Records
29-Dec-2007, New England Patriots
"The Patriots have finished the 2007 regular season with a 16-0 record, becoming the first NFL team to have an undefeated regular season since the league established a 16-game schedule in 1978. New England has joined the 1972 Miami Dolphins (14-0), the 1942 Chicago Bears (11-0) and the 1934 Chicago Bears (13-0) as the only teams in the NFL's 88-season history to complete an undefeated regular season."
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History Buffs: Patriots say Belichick never better
28-Dec-2007, Boston Globe
"The pressure to perform from within has prepared the Patriots for this moment. New England has stayed perfect by knowing it is far from it. Veteran players said coach Bill Belichick has pointed out as many flaws in his seemingly flawless team this season than any other year. 'I have been around Bill awhile, and if there was any year where he could possibly throw us a bone, or take care of us because of any type of success we had, it would be this year,' said Bruschi, whose 12-year Patriots career predates Belichick's arrival in 2000. 'But he has coached us harder this year than he has ever done in previous years. I think that is a testament to him for keeping his focus.'"
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Genius-In-Waiting Belichick Coached Davenport Central Grad Jones
28-Dec-2007, Quad-City Times
"Jones even saw some of evidence of that growth in the late stages of his own career. He said he tried to greet Belichick after a blowout Patriots' loss to Jones' Detroit Lions. 'He was in a bad mood and just basically shrugged me off,' Jones recalled. A bit later that same day, though, 'He came out to the (Lions' team) bus and said 'Hey JJ, how are you doing?' He congratulated me on how I was playing, and he basically was saying 'I should have acknowledged you before. I just was in a bad mood.' 'Whereas 10 years before, it didn't really matter what anyone else thought.' Jones said he thinks Belichick's ability to communicate with players is what has completed his transition into perhaps the best head coach in all of pro sports."
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Bah Humbug, SI
28-Dec-2007, Boston Herald
"Fans and media around the country are certainly entitled to their opinions of Belichick, but the cover of the current issue of Sports Illustrated, with a photo-shopped image of a dour-faced Belichick in a Santa suit, was inappropriate and over-the-top. If nothing else, the decision to run the photo showed a profound lack of respect from the magazine to the coach. And here's a guarantee: If Belichick played ball with the publication and its reporters (i.e., fed them information or access, particularly during the videotaping investigation), then there's no way the editors would have run that photo. There's little doubt the Pats have become the bad guys and the team everyone likes to root against, but, really, can you recall other such teams or players/coaches receiving that treatment? Can anyone recall a comparably unflattering portrayal of George Steinbrenner? Kobe Bryant? Ray Lewis? Pat Riley? Larry Bird? Name a guy. It's hard to find an example of someone else who was treated that way."
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The NFL Today: Armen Keteyian interviews Bill Belichick
23-Dec-2007, CBS
On all the things they've had to deal with since the beginning of the season: "It's a real credit to our players to be able to push [aside] those issues that don't really matter and affect the outcome of the game and focus on their job and the task at hand, which is our next opponent." What it's like to coach this team: "I think we all look at things kind of in a similar way – what's important, how do we win? It's not about personal stats and that kind of thing. Nobody even talks about that. They just talk about 'What can I do to help the team win?' And it's great to be a part of that type of a group. It's a privilege for me to do it."
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Getting To The Heart Of What Makes Belichick Successful
22-Dec-2007, Kansas City Star
"Every so often you happen across a little story so perfect that you just have to share it, even if it doesn't really have much to do with anything else. This story is about New England coach Bill Belichick. … There are those who think it isn't too difficult to figure Belichick's success. He is obsessed, he's smart, he's cranky, he's meticulous, and he's willing to push pretty much any boundary in order to win. … But obsessed, smart, cranky, meticulous, competitive – these words describe 80 percent of coaches. There's something else."
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Eight Patriots Selected to AFC Pro Bowl Squad
18-Dec-2007, Patriots.com
"Eight members of the New England Patriots have been selected to represent the Patriots and the AFC at the 2008 Pro Bowl in Honolulu on Feb. 10. QB Tom Brady, C Dan Koppen, T Matt Light, G Logan Mankins, WR Randy Moss, CB Asante Samuel, LB Mike Vrabel and DL Vince Wilfork have all earned All-Star honors. The Patriots will send eight players to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1985… Last season, two Patriots were named to the Pro Bowl (Light and DE Richard Seymour)."
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Irrelevant Questions: Inside the head of Bill Belichick
14-Dec-2007, NBCSports.com
"There's no shortage of opinions when it comes to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Many are poorly informed. Is he prickly. Yeah. And he's funny. And he's condescending and accommodating. Stubborn and adaptable. He's nuanced. But nobody's got much time for nuance these days. And, at 55, Belichick isn't out to change people's minds. He is what he is. And, with his team 13-0 and about to play the hated Jets for the first time since the word 'Spygate' entered the NFL vernacular, Belichick gave us a peek under the hood."
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Bill Belichick Nominated for Week 14 Motorola NFL Coach of the Week
12-Dec-2007, NFL.com
"Belichick's Patriots took down the Pittsburgh Steelers 34–13. The Patriots gained 421 total yards as QB Tom Brady threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns to three different receivers. The Steelers did not record a single sack, while the Patriots defense took down QB Ben Roethlisberger three times. The Patriots limited Roethlisberger to only 187 yards and one touchdown and allowed no rushing touchdowns."
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Tom Brady on Randy Moss
01-Dec-2007, Boston Globe
"Randy is an extremely mentally tough person and people have criticized him since the day he got here. People have prejudged him and stereotyped him. He's been nothing but a positive influence on this team, on this locker room, and his performance speaks for itself. He's probably the most-feared offensive player in the game, so what somebody says outside of this locker room means nothing. … It bothers me that people take unnecessary shots at him. I don't know what he's done in the past, but he's been great to be around and I think people just like taking shots, unfortunately. If you truly appreciated what he does in his game, then [you wouldn't take shots]. I think he's a shy person by nature, so people take advantage of that. That's unfortunate, because around us he's a great teammate and everything we're looking for."
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Homecoming: Patriots' trip to Baltimore brings Belichick back
01-Dec-2007, Patriot Ledger
"Bill Belichick has always been drawn to New England, but the man – and coach he has become – were forged hard by the Chesapeake Bay. His mom, Jeannette, still lives in Annapolis, right down the street from current Annapolis High AD Dave Gehrdes. Belichick sponsors a scholarship at his old school, visits the area frequently, gets nostalgic for the great Colts teams he grew up watching as a kid, and counts Johns Hopkins lacrosse coach Dave Pietramala among his closest friends. This, Belichick's first-ever appearance in his hometown as an NFL head coach, is no ordinary road trip. Good luck getting Belichick to play the homecoming card, though. 'It's not a big deal,' he said Thursday in a private chat after his news conference."
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Army-Navy: "It Just Drips With Tradition"
29-Nov-2007, New York Times
"The classic rivals play again this week, with Navy (7-4) a heavy favorite over Army (3-8). Belichick's father, Steve, was a Navy assistant coach for a number of years. Belichick grew up watching game film in the kitchen with his father and the other assistant coaches, going on scouting trips and hanging around the locker room with the Heisman trophy winners Joe Bellino (1960) and Roger Staubach (1963). (Much to Belichick's delight, Navy is on a threefive-game winning streak.) The best part of Belichick's analysis of why this game resonates so much in American culture came when he gave this example of how seriously each team takes the other."
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Pats' Relentless Approach Makes For Perfect Season
27-Nov-2007, NBCSports.com
"If you look at it with pretzel logic, those wins by ridiculous scores – 56-10 over Buffalo, 52-7 over Washington, 49-28 over Miami – those weren't occasions where the bloodthirsty Patriots disrespected the game and rubbed their opponents noses in it by playing to the gun. Those were moments when the Patriots showed the game and the league some honor. The kind of dominance New England showed in those games is fleeting. That kind of excellence is rare. To take a knee and take a pass on that level of greatness is a crime against football."
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The Spread: Spreading to the N.F.L.?
24-Nov-2007, New York Times
"The daily transcripts from Bill Belichick's news conference that the New England Patriots send out are typically some of the most interesting things that pop up in my in-box every day. Belichick is often portrayed as dry and confrontational by those who cover the N.F.L. Since I don't, the transcripts are often some of the most insightful things I read about football. Belichick may not talk much about injuries or running up the score or whatever the P.T.I. topic da jour is, but he has an astonishing grasp of football and its history."
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The Bully-Boy Patriots
21-Nov-2007, Newsweek
The NFL's greatest teams have always run up the score. And there are plenty of good reasons for the Pats to keep doing just that. "For the record, here's a little sampler from the championship seasons of the most storied coaches in NFL history, hall-of-famers all. George Halas's 1940 Chicago Bears: 41-10 vs. Packers; 47-25 vs. Rams; 73-0 vs. Redskins. Paul Brown's 1954 Cleveland Browns; 62-3 vs. Rams; 42-7 vs. Steelers; 56-10 vs. Lions. Vince Lombardi's 1962 Green Bay Packers: 49-0 vs. Bears; 49-0 vs. Eagles; 41-10 vs. Rams. Tom Landry's 1971 Dallas Cowboys: 42-7 vs. Eagles; 56-17 vs. Falcons; 41-14 vs. Steelers. Don Shula's 1972 Miami Dolphins: 52-0 vs. Patriots. Bill Walsh's 1984 San Francisco 49ers: 41-7 vs. Bears; 51-7 vs. Falcons. Joe Gibbs's 1991 Washington Redskins: 45-0 vs. Lions; 56-17 vs. Falcons; 41-14 vs. Steelers."
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Under The Hoodie
16-Nov-2007, ESPN.com
"Is the monotone man of mystery actually human? Elizabeth Merrill tries to find Bill Belichick's inner teddy bear. … Can you imagine Bill Belichick entertaining a crowd by singing 'Love Potion No. 9'? Meet the other side of the Pats coach."
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Belichick Unplugged … Sort O'
12-Nov-2007, Eagle-Tribune
"Talk about a rarity. A Saturday in early November and Bill Belichick wasn't sure about his plans for the night. 'I might try to hook up with (my son) Brian and have dinner,' he said. 'The Celtics are on against the Nets. I may watch that, too.' The New England Patriots coach was at Brooks School watching his youngest son, Brian, a backup quarterback at Rivers School, playing in a season finale. Dressed in jeans and a gray Rivers football sweatshirt, the coach couldn't have looked more comfortable on a weekend in November."
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Bye Products: Work at Gillette continues despite having week off
12-Nov-2007, Boston Globe
"It's Wednesday morning at 8:30, smack-dab in the middle of bye week. Patriots coach Bill Belichick has given his players the week off, a reward for a 9-0 start. For the most part, they have scattered faster than Randy Moss running a deep route. … But in an unmarked office on the administrative level, Belichick already has been hard at work for 2 1/2 hours. Dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a gray sweatshirt, clicker in hand, he's watching video of the Buffalo Bills, scribbling names and numbers of a team the Patriots already dismantled by 31 points earlier in the season. Belichick has a vacation house in Nantucket, where the November pace is peaceful, the migrating birds plentiful, the moors are still crimson red, and the island fishermen currently are harvesting some of the finest bay scallops in the world. So, Coach, why aren't you there?"
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Experiencing The Chill Of 'Victory'
09-Nov-2007, ESPN Page 2
"[W]hile watching 'Victory,' I thought to myself, 'I hope this isn't how the Pats game is called tomorrow.' As it turned out, I wasn't far off. Nobody outside of Boston made a big deal about the officiating because the Patriots prevailed. And besides, everyone was more interested in making excuses for the Colts … and taking solace in the closeness of the game… Few noticed the Patriots needed just nine minutes of quality football to defeat an undefeated Super Bowl champion on the road, or that they pulled off the comeback despite having 95 percent of the borderline calls go against them."
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Welcome To The 'Backerhood
06-Nov-2007, Sports Illustrated
"Never fails. The Patriots' linebackers will shuffle into their meeting room at Gillette Stadium during a game week, fold their bodies into chairs for an hour or more of whiteboard and videotape education, and soon enough coach Bill Belichick is among them. He doesn't have to be there. He can be anywhere he wants, including in the executive suite polishing Lombardi Trophies. Belichick's ID card works on every lock in the building, and he has Matt Patricia to coach his linebackers. Yet more often than not he is in this room. It is a place where Belichick feels at home, with his kind of guys."
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Bill Belichick Nominated for Week 9 Coach of the Week
06-Nov-2007, NFL.com
"Belichick's Patriots beat the previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts 24–20 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis to remain the only undefeated team in the NFL at 9–0. Tom Brady completed 21 of 32 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns, including two within a four-minutes span in the fourth quarter. In the second half, the Patriots outgained the Colts 228 yards to 100. The Patriots limited Peyton Manning to one touchdown pass and forced two turnovers, including a fumble off a sack by DE Jarvis Green that was recovered by LB Rosevelt Colvin, allowing the Patriots to run down the clock and secure the win."
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Patriots' Aim: To Win At Small Costs
06-Nov-2007, Chicago Tribune
"Dominance in this era is more impressive than dominance in any other era. Sustained dominance in this era is almost freakish. The New England Patriots have achieved sustained dominance since 2001, winning three Super Bowls and 76 percent of their games, including the postseason. Of course, none of it would have been possible if they did not have one of the greatest head coach-quarterback combinations in NFL history. … But what the Patriots have accomplished goes beyond Belichick and Brady."
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It's Chronicled: Flutie over Kosar? Raiders Assistant Hired as Coach? Belichick Humble?
04-Nov-2007, Plain Dealer
"While interviewing coaches to replace Bud Carson in 1991, Modell initially chose Mike White, a former Raiders assistant. Accorsi later talked him out of White and into Bill Belichick. In 2000, with Belichick in his first year as Patriots coach and Accorsi with the Giants, Belichick and Accorsi had a phone conversation. Out of nowhere, Belichick blurted to Accorsi, 'I really screwed up thing up in Cleveland, Ernie.' Accorsi tells Callahan: 'People who say Belichick doesn't have [humility] don't know him.'"
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Dan Pompei on the NFL: A Conversation With Bill Belichick
01-Nov-2007, Chicago Tribune
"Depending on your perspective, he is either the best coach in NFL history or he's Darth Vader in a hoodie. Bill Belichick lords over not only the Patriots, but the entire NFL with a loaded team that is the envy of many. Perhaps it's that envy that has led many to take shots at him as his team has dominated the league like no team in modern history. He has been criticized for using a camera to steal signals from the opposing sideline, for running up the score, for compromising character on his roster, for wearing ugly sweatshirts and for being a grouch. But no one can criticize the team he has created and its record."
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From Here On Out, He's Suge Belichick
01-Nov-2007, ESPN Page 2
"The NFL world is considerably brighter since the Patriots assumed the role of the strapped rabbit. The venom the Patriots have displayed the past several weeks has taken them from boring, goody-goody multi-Super Bowl winner to the most interesting, reviled NFL team in years. In fact, Belichick is no longer just a genius coach with a ratty hoodie. He's added an element of pure gangsta to his already impressive game. He is officially the NFL's Suge Knight. From here on out, he's Suge Belichick."
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The Pats' No-Pity Party
01-Nov-2007, Washington Post
"I have a weakness for world conquest, which may explain my fascination with the New England Patriots. You can have the sentimental underdog; I'll take the dynasty or the empire every time. There's an imperial marching quality to the way the Patriots have trampled their NFL competition, which I frankly appreciate. This is a team that clearly wants to sweep the board, own everything from Egypt to Babylon. There are those who don't appreciate the Patriots, who find their dominance cold and unappealing. This is merely weakness, a common complaint from those whimperers and whiners who don't understand what dark beauty lies in dominion and the exercise of total power."
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Only Winning Suits This Bill
30-Oct-2007, NBC Sports.com
"Through the first eight games of the 2007 season, the Patriots have been historic. They're 8-0 and averaging more than 41 points per game, winning by an average of 25.5 points. No team in the Super Bowl era has shown such staggering dominance in the first half of a season. Two lines have formed – one full of backslappers, the other backbiters. Belichick is barely cognizant of either. 'Do you think joy for me is to pick up the Monday paper and read some article by somebody or other saying how great we are?' he asks. 'You think that's what drives me? You think on Monday if I pick up an article that says 'Belichick this' or 'Belichick that' you think that ruins my day?' Perception and image are two intangibles for which Belichick has little patience. He deals in what is."
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Unbeaten Patriots? Don't forget that taint
19-Oct-2007, CBS Sports.com
"[Don] Shula always tells the truth, no matter how blunt, no matter how uncomfortable it might make the room. He was asked about the New England Patriots and if they finished the season undefeated would that unbeaten season be tainted because of Videogate and the accompanying cheating accusations. Shula didn't hesitate in his response. 'Well it would have to be,' Shula said. 'That's not going to ever go away (the videotaping scandal). That's going to be talked about forever. They were fined $500,000 right? They lost how many draft picks? That tells you about the seriousness of what they did.'"
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Bill Belichick Voted Week 6 Motorola NFL Coach of the Week
19-Oct-2007, NFL.com
"Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots is the Motorola NFL Coach of the Week for games played on October 14-15. Bill Belichick coached his Patriots to a 48-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys to remain undefeated with six wins. Behind QB Tom Brady, who threw a career-high five touchdowns, the Patriots controlled the ball for 38:15 and totaled 448 yards. The Patriots scored their most points in 23 years to beat the Cowboys in Dallas and hand them their first loss of the season. Belichick was selected as Motorola NFL Coach of the Week from among three finalists by voters on NFL.com. The other finalists were head coaches Jack Del Rio of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints."
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A Pre-Midseason Look at NFL Awards Contenders
17-Oct-2007, Sporting News
"Most valuable player: 1. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots. OK, we know this race is pretty much over. Brady is having the best season ever for an NFL quarterback, and even if he 'cools off' into the 35-TD, 4,000-yard range, it's his. … Coach of the year: 1. Bill Belichick, Patriots. Say what you want about 'Videogate', but that's only put more scrutiny on Belichick and raised the pressure for him to keep the Patriots rolling. Although he arguably has the most talent he's ever had in New England, that doesn't mean his coaching and motivational skills have dropped off."
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Whole New Breed Of Patriots Win With A Prolific Offense
17-Oct-2007, USA Today
"Excluding clock-killing efforts at the end of halves and games, they have produced points on 60.7% of 56 drives. Almost half of the drives (46.4%) have resulted in touchdowns (26). Along the way, the Patriots are controlling the clock with an average time of possession of 35:08 that is second-best in the NFL to the Pittsburgh Steelers' 35:12 and a third-down conversion rate of 48.5% that ranks third. 'It's not about stats,' Belichick says. 'It's not about getting the ball to one player X number of times or getting so many yards rushing or passing or whatever. It's about moving the ball and scoring points and winning the game. As long as we're scoring points and winning, we're efficient offensively.'"
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A Dizzying Dimension
17-Oct-2007, Washington Post
With a New Set of Weapons, Brady and the Pats Have Been Unstoppable: "It was a testament to the greatness of Belichick and Brady that they came so close to securing a fourth Super Bowl title last season even with a set of wide receivers that didn't come close to scaring opponents. Now Brady has an abundance of offensive talent around him, and he's carving up defenses. … There's been almost no adjustment period for Brady and his revamped group of wide receivers. [Randy] Moss is having a career renaissance after three uncharacteristically ordinary seasons, one with the Vikings and two with the Oakland Raiders. He leads the league in receiving yards (610) and is tied for the lead in touchdown catches (eight)."
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Belichick's Sweatshirt Top Sales Charts
16-Oct-2007, Portfolio.com
"[Bill] Belichick's game-day sweatshirt has become the top seller in the Patriots Pro Shop, outranking even quarterback Tom Brady's No. 12 jersey, according to ESPN. Reebok VP/NFL Merchandising Kenny Gamble said the company said to Belichick, ''Wow, coach, we have a lot of other great styles. We would love to see you outfitted in those styles.' But since he chose to wear something that he felt comfortable in, we support it.' Belichick cuts the sleeves off the sweatshirt, but Gamble said Reebok does not 'have any plans to design any hoodies with cutoff sleeves.' ESPN added that the sweatshirt, known as 'The Belichick,' is such an 'integral part of his mystique, the Pro Football (HOF) is hoping to add one to its display.'"
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Cowboys' Phillips Defends Tactics
16-Oct-2007, Dallas Morning News
"[T]he great coaches are the ones who are willing to adapt their philosophy. The great coaches do what Bill Belichick did as the Giants' defensive coordinator in 1990. He felt like in order to slow down Buffalo's no-huddle spread offense (not that much different from what the Patriots do now), he needed to let Thurman Thomas run to keep Jim Kelly from killing them with the pass. As the late David Halberstam wrote in The Education of a Coach, stopping the run was what Giants football was all about. Now [Belichick] was saying he wanted to change that for the Super Bowl. 'You guys have to believe me,' he kept saying. 'If Thomas runs for a hundred yards, we win this game.' Belichick changed the defense by putting linebacker Lawrence Taylor on the line, putting safeties at linebacker – basically adding speed all over the field which made them better against the pass and more vulnerable against the run. Thomas ran for 135 yards. The Giants won the game."
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The Winning Machine
16-Oct-2007,
Sports Illustrated
After a systematic dismantling of the unbeaten Cowboys, Tom Brady and the Patriots are clearly operating on a higher plane than the rest of the league. Can the Colts, or anyone else, stop them?: "In the dying minutes of Sunday's game, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his son Jonathan, the team's president, stood near the southwest corner of the field. A cluster of fans in New England jerseys made all the noise there was in the emptying stadium, and the Krafts waved to them. At the finish Belichick was among the last to run from the field, jogging into the tunnel while clapping his hands above his head and pointing to the stands, acknowledging the road-warrior fans in the corner."
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Patriots Coach Short On Flash, Long On Results
14-Oct-2007, Dallas Morning News
Belichick's unrelenting desire to improve paves way for New England's success: "Mr. Belichick's way is a constant pursuit of something unattainable: perfection. The idea purported by the coach is that it can't be reached in football without the guy next to you. 'Football's a special game, and all of us that are in it realize that there are individual sacrifices you have to make for the overall success of the team and the organization,' Mr. Belichick said. 'People that are uncomfortable with that don't really like football or they're not in it. And the people that do get extra satisfaction from it.'"
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Week 6 NFL Rundown: Games To Watch — Patriots at Cowboys
10-Oct-2007, FOX Sports.com
"At Football Outsiders, we've calculated DVOA (our custom stat that accounts for every play in a season and adjusts for schedule strength) for the past 10 years. The 1999 Rams – the Warner-Faulk-Bruce-Holt-Hakim Greatest Show on Turf Rams – have the best DVOA in history after five games. This year's Patriots are second. DVOA accounts for everything, from offense and defense to special teams, turnovers, third down efficiency and red zone efficiency. If DVOA says you're great, you're great, and all of the teams on the top 10 list either reached the Super Bowl (like the 1999 and 2001 Rams, the 1996 Packers, and the 2000 Ravens) or finished the season 14-2 but did something idiotic in the playoffs (hello, last year's Chargers)."
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History Puts Pats In Perspective
07-Oct-2007, Chicago Sun-Times
Points don't lie – No team has started the season in such dominant fashion: "The fine folks at the Elias Sports Bureau, who know a little something about history, have revealed that the Patriots are the first NFL team since 1920 to win each of their first four games by 20 or more points. The Patriots haven't been threatened in cutting through the N.Y. Jets, San Diego, Buffalo and Cincinnati by 24, 24, 31 and 24 points. The last team to beat its first four opponents by 20-plus points was the 1920 Buffalo All-Americans. And they had a team of All-Americans for God's sake."
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Keeping Bond to NE Ohio Paying Return For Pats
07-Oct-2007, Plain Dealer
"Since he became a head coach for the first time in Cleveland, Belichick has always looked to give breaks to young men seeking to further their careers in the NFL. His so-called coaching tree – men who advanced under his wing to bigger and better jobs – is the largest in the NFL. It stems from Belichick getting his first NFL job at the age of 23 when Baltimore Colts coach Ted Marchibroda named him a special assistant. 'I think that has something to do with it,' he said. 'But a lot of times it's just finding the right mix and the right people for your program. 'There's always going to be turnover in a coaching staff and you want to have young people, players or coaches, who are learning the system, developing and can potentially replace people that leave.'"
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McDaniels Latest Branch Of Belichick Coaching Tree
07-Oct-2007, Akron Beacon-Journal
"Josh McDaniels said he fell in love with the football life being around his father. That's something he shares with Belichick, whose father, Steve, coached for 33 years at the Naval Academy. 'I got an opportunity to learn things that some people didn't necessarily learn, being around the locker room and the staff meetings,' Josh McDaniels said. 'I got used to the style of life at home as a kid, saw the rewards my father had. I went to college with my eye on it the whole time. 'I majored in math for no other reason than I was good in math. But I wanted to move on to coaching at some level, never dreaming it would be this one.'"
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All Guts, No Glory
07-Oct-2007, Boston Globe Magazine
"As the world of pro sports is consumed by egos, me-first attitudes, and over-the-top celebrations, there is still one place – the offensive line in football – where the game is all about teamwork, skill, and anonymity. Few units have learned this as well as the blockers on the Patriots. … 'It really is the game within the game,' Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says. 'You have to get a lot of personal satisfaction out of doing that job. Nobody watches them, and nobody cares, but they keep doing it because they love the competition. It's not about the crowds or the fans; it's about doing their jobs. You can score a goal in lacrosse. You can make a basket. [For linemen], that's not the nature of that position. It's competitive, but it's just a little different.'"
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Crennel Meets Old Friend Belichick
05-Oct-2007, Akron Beacon Journal
"Some might suggest that being a defensive coordinator under Belichick merely would be a title, with Belichick doing the bulk of the work. Crennel said that was not the case. 'He let me do all of it,' Crennel said. 'I installed the game plan. I decided who to play. I made all the calls.' But Crennel was watching and listening to pick up everything he could from Belichick. Crennel didn't have a hard time remembering his best lesson. 'His ability to adjust during the course of a game,' Crennel said. 'He doesn't necessarily always wait until halftime. He will make adjustments on the sideline. You see the benefit of being able to do that when you can."
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McDaniels Has Pats' Offense Rolling
04-Oct-2007, Canton Repository
"[Josh] McDaniels gained Belichick['s] confidence by being a lot like him. Both were brainiac high school [football players]. Neither played major college football. Belichick's dad, Steve, was a longtime Navy coach who patterned himself after Ohio coaching legend Paul Brown. McDaniels' dad, Thom, was a longtime McKinley coach whose archrival was Paul Brown's old school, Massillon. Nick Saban was Belichick's defensive coordinator in Cleveland. McDaniels was a graduate assistant under Saban at Michigan State. Belichick and McDaniels entered the NFL as workaholic football junkies willing to pay their dues and then some."
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The Patriots' Game: No Mercy, They Rule
02-Oct-2007, Washington Post
"They've been great for a while now, three Super Bowls' worth of great. But only this season have the New England Patriots become The Show, the must-see team of stars, pretty boys and reformed bad boys. Suddenly, the Patriots are not simply great; they're compelling, fascinating, appearing to be almighty and a touch lawless. They'll cheat if possible, or beat your brains out strictly by the rules; it hardly matters. The Patriots didn't bother with swagger to start this NFL season; they went straight to defiant. Either you're one of them or you're about to get crushed. They beat the New York Jets by 24 points to start the season, San Diego by 24 points in Week 2, Buffalo by 31 in Week 3, and the Bengals by 21 here Monday night."
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One Reason For Patriots' Success Easily Identified
30-Sept-2007, Boston Globe
"[T]he Patriots, who enter tomorrow night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals with the top-ranked offense and defense in the NFL, have started faster than a nitro-methane-fueled dragster, racing to a 3-0 start and outscoring opponents, 114-35. Trading a fourth-rounder for Moss, who is tied for the NFL lead in touchdown catches (five) and is second in yards (403), and ponying up $35 million for the versatile Thomas, who has plugged a hole at middle linebacker, were headline-grabbing coups. But what has separated the Patriots under Belichick is their ability to identify complementary players."
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To Explain Belichick, Go To The Tape
25-Sept-2007, ESPN.com
"…'Great play,' said Belichick, admiration in his usually monotone voice. 'That's why he's Bill Walsh.' It was the ultimate compliment from a professional peer; Walsh and Belichick might be the keenest minds ever on their respective sides of the ball. Belichick's defenders were ready for that pick play, and the Giants beat the 49ers 21-17. It was the sixth of 12 consecutive wins that season, the last coming in Super Bowl XXI. That deep and abiding fascination with film, the delight in the detail (and seemingly little else), is why Bill Belichick is Bill Belichick."
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Belichick's Real Secret To Success
22-Sept-2007, Associated Press
Patriots coach a genius in discovering talent, hidden gems for roster: "Belichick's secret to success is not spying. Almost every team in the NFL does that in some form. He just happened to get caught using a method banned by the league. The Patriots have stayed at the top of the NFL for most of this century because they understand how to put together a team of players to fill specific roles and keep finding unheralded role players such as [Randall] Gay. Yes, they got Randy Moss this season because he came cheap and still has most of his awesome ability, but Belichick also loves Moss' new running mate, Wes Welker. The one-time San Diego Chargers castoff and former Miami Dolphins receiver already has 14 catches in the team's two 38-14 wins."
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No Need To Go To The Tape, Belichick Tops At Finding Role Players
21-Sept-2007, USA Today
"Belichick's secret to success is not spying. Almost every team in the NFL does that in some form. He just happened to get caught using a method banned by the league. The Patriots have stayed at the top of the NFL for most of this century because they understand how to put together a team of players to fill specific roles and keep finding unheralded role players such as [Randall] Gay. Yes, they got Randy Moss this season because he came cheap and still has most of his awesome ability, but Belichick also loves Moss' new running mate, Wes Welker. The one-time San Diego Chargers castoff and former Miami Dolphins receiver already has 14 catches in the team's two 38-14 wins."
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Former Cleveland Indians Legend Bob Feller Familiar With Spying
21-Sept-2007, Plain Dealer
"Bob Feller, the greatest Indian ever, broke no written rule when he and Bob Lemon used a Navy telescope from the scoreboard at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium to steal signs. The telescope came from the USS Alabama, on which Feller had served as a World War II gunnery mate. 'All's fair in love, war and a pennant race,' Feller said. …What are you going to do with an ultra-competitive guy who will bend the rules? You can't single him out. He's everywhere."
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Patriots Won't Be Hit Harder
21-Sept-2007, Boston Globe
"There will be no further sanctions against the Patriots as a result of the NFL's investigation into the team's videotaping procedures, a league source confirmed last night. According to the source, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 clubs last night in which he said he was satisfied the Patriots fully cooperated and complied with his instructions."
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The Devil In Every Fan
20-Sept-2007, Time Magazine
"[B]y all means, penalize Belichick. Wag your finger. Rake him over the coals. But don't weep for us Pats fans, because we aren't innocent victims; we're co-conspirators. Belichick understands us perfectly. He knows that as long as he wins, all will be forgiven. And that once he stops, it won't matter if he becomes Mother Teresa. He doesn't care about being fair to the other team; he doesn't even really care about his own players. He just wants to win. He'd make an excellent fan." Peter Beinart is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
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The NFL's Mob Mentality
19-Sept-2007, SI.com
Bill Belichick broke a rule; the snitch broke the coaches' code: "Just what is this code? First, don't mess with a former colleague's players, a tenet Mangini – who was hired by Belichick in 1995 and rose from coaching-staff gofer to defensive coordinator – violated in March 2006, just after he left New England for New York. … Second, don't mess with a former colleague's coaches. … Third, don't snitch."
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Rallying Cries
17-Sept-2007, Boston Globe
"[F]ormer Cowboys and Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson – who works as a host on Fox's pregame show – said on the show: 'This is exactly how I was told to do it 18 years ago by a Kansas City Chiefs scout. I tried it, but I didn't think it helped us.' Johnson added that 'every team has got a file on the other team. I used to send an intern up to the opposing coach's box after the game and go through the trash. Because after the game, what do they do? They take their game plan and their scouting reports and throw them away. My intern would get all of that stuff and put it right in the file.' … '[W]hat irritates me is hearing some reactions from players and coaches. These players don't know what their coaches are doing. And some of the coaches have selective amnesia because I know for a fact there were various teams doing this. That's why the memo was sent to everybody. That doesn't make him [Belichick] right, but a lot of teams are doing this.'"
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Players Hand It To Embattled Coach
17-Sept-2007, Boston Globe
"After putting the finishing touches on their 38-14 pummeling of the Chargers, owner Robert Kraft presented the embattled Belichick with the game ball. 'He's always had our backs, now we have his,' said running back Laurence Maroney. 'He's like our brother. He's family. We look after family around here.' The Patriots presented their coach with the most precious gift they could offer him: a total domination of their AFC rival."
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We Should Know Better Than To Make The Pats Mad
17-Sept-2007, ESPN.com
"[I]t was obvious Belichick's team had his back. As time ran out, the Patriots players surrounded Belichick, glad-handing him and slapping him on the back. The coach then exited to another standing ovation, waving to the crowd that remained to hail its conquering hero. 'All I have to know is, he's my coach, and I follow his lead,' emotional linebacker Tedy Bruschi said. 'He didn't have to say anything in here this week. We all knew what we had to do. He's a big part of our family, and we're like his extended family. And we did what good families do when one of their own is affected.'"
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Robert Kraft Halftime Interview With Al Michaels
16-Sept-2007, NBC Sunday Night Football
Al Michaels: "[I]t's being reported tonight that Bill Belichick has signed a new deal, you've agreed to terms with him through the 2013 season. Is that true?"
Robert Kraft: "Well, the coach and I have had a policy that we don't discuss his contract, but he's made great contributions to this franchise over the last seven years and myself, and all of our fans, truly appreciate his efforts."
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Statement From Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft
14-Sept-2007, New England Patriots
"I believe that Coach Belichick always tries to do what is best for the team and he is always accountable for his decisions. He has been a very important part of what our organization has accomplished over the last seven years. In this case, one of his decisions has resulted in a severe penalty for our franchise. He has paid a heavy price and so has our organization. He has apologized for his actions. I accept his apology and look forward to working with him as we move forward."
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Statement From Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick
13-Sept-2007, New England Patriots
"I accept full responsibility for the actions that led to tonight's ruling. Once again, I apologize to the Kraft family and every person directly or indirectly associated with the New England Patriots for the embarrassment, distraction and penalty my mistake caused. I also apologize to Patriots fans and would like to thank them for their support during the past few days and throughout my career. As the Commissioner acknowledged, our use of sideline video had no impact on the outcome of last week's game. We have never used sideline video to obtain a competitive advantage while the game was in progress. Part of my job as head coach is to ensure that our football operations are conducted in compliance of the league rules and all accepted interpretations of them. My interpretation of a rule in the Constitution and Bylaws was incorrect. With tonight's resolution, I will not be offering any further comments on this matter. We are moving on with our preparations for Sunday's game." |
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Statement From Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick
12-Sept-2007, New England Patriots
"Earlier this week, I spoke with Commissioner Goodell about a videotaping procedure during last Sunday's game and my interpretation of the rules. At this point, we have not been notified of the league's ruling. Although it remains a league matter, I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players. Following the league's decision, I will have further comment." |
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New England Department of Culture
09-Sept-2007, MetroWest Daily News
"The way several longtime Patriots explain it, it started with the scheme and philosophy put in motion eight years ago by Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli. When that manifested into wins, a tradition was built. That tradition has been cemented and enabled to continue through the resulting culture. When the Patriots open their season at the Meadowlands this afternoon, the team taking the field will look far different than the one that ended last season in Indianapolis. Big-ticket acquisitions like Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss, Donté Stallworth and Wes Welker figure to play big roles. Their inclusion describes in several ways the culture the Patriots now carry. They wanted to be here. They've fit in quickly. They've adopted the high standard the team holds dear. They're Patriots now."
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Disciples Owe It To Belichick
06-Sept-2007, Boston Herald
"There are kings of England who'd kill to produce the kind of lineage that has followed Bill Belichick through the coaching ranks. The Belichick tree has laid roots across the pro and college games, with seven of his former assistants now head coaches and another 11 serving as either coordinators or executives. The Patriots coach's stamp is, in some way, on all of them. … 'There's really not much that I can't attribute to Bill,' said New York Jets coach Eric Mangini. 'He's an incredible football coach, an incredible manager and he's a great mentor. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor than Bill Belichick.' Others would agree."
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Patriots Chemistry Gamble Hedges On Moss
05-Sept-2007, USA Today
"The fear is that the often-petulant Moss could disrupt the Patriots' chemistry. It's a compelling point, considering that when Terrell Owens made headlines for criticizing Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb and the Eagles organization, some of the New England players never thought the team would take a risk on such a player. 'The question has been posed, 'How would you guys treat something like that?' ' fullback Heath Evans says. 'Well, it wouldn't be just me. It wouldn't just be (linebacker) Mike Vrabel. We wouldn't let anyone talk to our quarterback that way. We wouldn't allow anyone to disgrace our offensive coordinator or head coach that way. But then again, (the Patriots) would never bring a player like that in here.'"
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In New England, Teamwork At The Top
04-Sept-2007, FOXSports.com
"Jimmy Johnson rebuilt the Dallas Cowboys fashioned around the famous triplets, Aikman, Smith and Irvin. Halfway across America, New England has built a modern-day dynasty thanks to another threesome, owner Bob Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and personnel executive Scott Pioli. Now, this trio may debate each other's significance to the Patriots, but the bottom line is that Kraft purchased a financially underachieving NFL franchise in 1994 and was smart enough to swap a 2000 first-round pick for Belichick and resourceful enough to build Gillette Stadium, one of the NFL's crowned jewels. And, for the most part, Kraft has stepped back to allow Belichick, the league's best coach and manager, and trusty sidekick Pioli to do what they do best: find talent, mold it and create a consistent playoff-caliber team."
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Patriots Fueled By Past Adversity
21-Aug-2007, NBCSports.com
"Look hard at them and recall the backstory each one owns. Bruschi returning from a stroke he suffered just 30 months ago. Rosevelt Colvin coming back from a broken hip in 2003. Randy Moss, discounted and discarded. Brady, taken 199th in 2001. Wilfork, carrying the sadness of his parents' deaths while he was still at the University of Miami. And Seymour, burdened by the death of his father who killed his girlfriend then himself in 2004. All of them every day seeing the empty locker of recently drowned teammate Marquise Hill. They don't wear these things on their sleeves, cheapening them with constant rehashing. Instead, they serve as silent fuel. They, in turn, become fuel for their teammates. It's a quiet drive that makes this team that much more imposing."
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Schwartz A Proud Belichick Disciple
17-Aug-2007, MetroWest Daily News
"Yes, Jim Schwartz remembers those days in Cleveland. He remembers Eric Mangini and Scott Pioli being there. He remembers the work they did, breaking down film, studying practices, charting plays, acquiescing to the 'real' coaches' every want. But above all, he remembers this: It wasn't about him, or Mangini, or Pioli. It was about the opportunity to work with the man running the show, and the success those three and so many others have had is the windfall of that experience. 'To me, that's a testament to Bill Belichick,' said Schwartz, the Tennessee defensive coordinator who will be in Foxboro for tonight's Patriots–Titans preseason game."
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Patriots Happy Harrison Has Persevered
14-Aug-2007, ESPN.com
"Belichick does not rave about many players publicly, but Harrison is one of those few. It is a situation of a coach having his ideal player and a player having his ideal coach. Harrison is the turnover creator Belichick loves to have on any defense, and his ability to line up at multiple positions gives the master schemer more options. On the other hand, Harrison loves Belichick's no-nonsense approach. 'He is the best coach I have ever had,' Harrison said after practice Sunday. 'He knows about football players as well as anyone.' Added Belichick: 'Rodney has always been our inspirational leader.'"
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Congratulatory Comments Greet Glavine
07-Aug-2007, MLB.com
"Notable sports stars applaud Mets lefty on 300th career win … Patriots coach Bill Belichick: 'On behalf of your favorite NFL team, the New England Patriots, congratulations on your incredible career and your 300th victory.'"
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Carolina To Utilize Team's Athleticism
06-Aug-2007, FOXSports.com
"'In those five years I learned the majority of what I know about football,' [Jeff] Davidson said of his years as a Belichick assistant coach. 'You pick up a little from a lot of different coaches, but Bill was the smartest guy I've worked with. If I ever had a question about tight-end routes or coverages, I always knew where to go to first because he always had all the answers. That's just the way he is. The perception is that Bill is a defensive coordinator, but he could literally coach any position. I was always amazed about how football savvy he was about any position, and any form of offense, just everything to do with the game. He basically taught every assistant how to be a good coach.'"
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Retooled Patriots Turn Their Back On Defeat
06-Aug-2007, New York Times
"'I don't think you can orchestrate chemistry,' Belichick said. 'I don't think anybody can tell you what friends to have, who you should like, who you should hang out with. Those things just happen. You try to bring people together that have the same interests and the same values and the same point of view. Not the same, but similar. That has a way of coming together.'"
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Want Your Best And Most Overrated Coaches? Ask For The Bill
01-Aug-2007, CBS SportsLine.com
"Best of the Best … 1. Bill Belichick: … Belichick has mastered playing under a salary cap, won championships despite the ravages of free agency, and got the me-athlete to listen. Also, no coach with the exception of Brown, Walsh and maybe one other coach in history has been more innovative than Belichick. Some of his defensive schemes in Super Bowls both as a head coach and defensive coordinator are legendary."
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Deaths Affect Belichick, But Not His Routine
01-Aug-2007, Newsday
"I asked him if he has become stronger emotionally after having dealt with death, especially when it takes one of his own players. 'In some ways, it makes you stronger, but in some ways, it makes you softer,' he said. 'It's your feelings, the mortality that all of us have, how fragile life really is. It could have been any one of us. We've all done stuff that we could have ended up in really bad shape. You have to move on. You don't go around thinking about it all the time, and it doesn't affect decisions. But at the same time, you do think of it.'"
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Belichick Comments On The Death Of Bill Walsh
30-Jul-2007, New England Patriots
"Beyond being a great offensive coach, Bill mastered running an entire pro football organization. He figured out everything from the big picture down to the smallest detail and documented it in his book, Finding The Winning Edge, which was groundbreaking. It remains easily the most comprehensive and best modern day football book and is required reading for every coach. On a personal level, I am very fortunate to have developed a close friendship with Bill and my deepest condolences are with his family on this sad day."
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Unlikely Influence
30-Jul-2007, Yahoo! Sports
"'Even though we never worked together and were really rivals in the 1980s – myself as a defensive coach and Bill as an offensive coach – and even with a lot of distance between us, we've had a very good relationship,' Belichick said. You wouldn't have made the match, with the two seeming so different. Even with the often tribal relationship of coaches, Walsh seemed more of the philosopher poet while Belichick has seemed cut from the cloth of a Cold War scientist. But their mutual knowledge and abilities as thinkers created the bridge."
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Patriots Camp Showcases Football At Top Form
30-Jul-2007, NFL.com
"The Patriots were out in full pads and looking good in all aspects of their practices. A Bill Belichick practice covers so many aspects of the game from detailed fundamentals to game situations to cross training players at different positions that it really is a sight to behold. … From high on the top of the stadium, I got a chance to watch every aspect of the practice sessions. Moss was leading every receiver drill, Junior Seau was running around like he was 25 years old, Adalius Thomas was learning the defense with a lot of help from Tedy Bruschi, and coaches were shouting run it again. It was real football at its finest."
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Belichick Seems To Indicate He Is Not Near Done
29-Jul-2007, Boston Globe
"Is 2007 the last year of coach Bill Belichick's contract? While Belichick didn't directly answer the question, his response seemed to suggest otherwise. 'I don't talk about contracts, but I would say I like working here, I like the organization – ownership, coaches, scouts, players, and the guys I work with. I appreciate the opportunity to work here and it's a good situation,' he said. 'I don't see that changing any time soon.' Belichick's contract is one of the more closely guarded secrets in the NFL. He declined comment when asked how many years his contract had remaining, or if a recent extension had been struck."
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Continuity On Lines A Crucial Building Block
27-Jul-2007, Boston Globe
"Some teams return all starters on the offensive line. Others return all starters on the defensive line. But only eight of the league's 32 teams, including the Patriots, can boast they are returning all starters on both lines. … 'We all know how hard it is for a larger group to work together in maximum efficiency,' said Patriots coach Bill Belichick, when informed his team was in the minority by returning top personnel on both lines. 'Certainly on the offensive line, having guys who have played in the system, played with each other, that's a big help. There is always a process where those five guys have to see the same game, the same picture, to better identify it, and that is a lot easier said than done. I'm glad we're in that situation.'"
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Belichick Focused On Job
26-Jul-2007, Boston Globe
"…[H]e's already shifted into another gear, reminding players that while offseason camps were geared toward teaching, training camp is focused more on competition. 'There are always a lot of questions to be answered,' he said. 'At this point I think we've done the best things we could with the opportunities we had, and now is the time to go out and start playing, time to see the product on the field. We saw some of it at minicamp and that was good.' But what Belichick didn't see in June was a crucial piece toward preparing any football team: contact. 'Ultimately you need that to complete the circle,' he said."
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Always A Little Different Up In New England
20-Jul-2007, NFL.com
"I am sure most NFL fans have noticed that the Patriots are fortifying their roster for another Super Bowl run. The aggressive signing of linebacker Adalius Thomas early in free agency for big money was not in the typical Patriots style of dong business, but if anyone claims they're sure of how Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli will operate year in and year out, they don't know the New England brain trust very well. There are certain traits of a Patriots team that are back in fashion as they make their predictable run on old veteran talent to fill up the roster with experience."
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Face In A New Place: Randy Moss
19-Jul-2007, Sporting News
"'I still don't believe – and I tell Randy this – I still don't believe that he has reached his potential,' former Vikings teammate Cris Carter says. 'He's gone through a four-year period between Minnesota and Oakland where he really didn't improve upon the things we had worked on. I think the people he had around him had allowed him to slack.' That won't be the case in New England, where Belichick runs a notoriously tight ship."
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2007 stories continue |
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