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2008 stories: december - july
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Patriots LB Named Defensive Rookie of the Year
31-Dec-2008, Associated Press
"Jerod Mayo firmly answered everyone who criticized the Patriots for taking him with the 10th pick in April's draft by winning The Associated Press 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Mayo was a nearly unanimous choice, earning 49 of 50 votes Wednesday from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league."
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No Groaning Or Moaning For Overachieving Pats
30-Dec-2008, Providence Journal
"On Sunday, [Belichick] said, 'This is a mentally tough team, a resilient team.' What he didn't say is that he is the reason why his team is so mentally tough, so resilient. This is the culture he has created in Foxboro, from the free agents he signs, to the college players he signs, to the stars, to guys just trying to hang on to a roster spot. It runs through the locker room like a beam of light, passed down from the veterans to the rookies like a secret handshake. There's no overestimating this. You can argue all you want about whether this was Belichick's best coaching job or not, but there's little question that it was a great one. Eleven and five with this team? Please. For it wasn't just the loss of Brady, as symbolic as that was."
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Patriots, Belichick Put All Doubts To Rest
29-Dec-2008, WEEI.com
"Can Bill Belichick win without Tom Brady? Who is the person most responsible for the Patriots' success? Remember asking those questions after Brady went down in Week One? Four months later, you have your answers. Yes, the Pats are out of the playoffs and their defense remains a central concern, but this 11-win season was a success. Not even the worst cynic should feel otherwise. The Patriots as an organization should feel proud today. And that, I think, brings some closure to those questions we asked back in September. … On my old radio show we used to have this mythical debate: If the NFL did a total reorganization, and every player, coach and executive was thrown into a dispersal draft, who would you take with the first overall pick? You could take any living creature you wanted. Peyton Manning. Brady. Adrian Peterson. DeMarcus Ware. Bob Kraft. Bill Polian. Bill Parcells. You name it. For me, it wouldn't even be a debate. Belichick would be the selection. And if I didn't have the first pick, I'd trade up to get it."
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Peter King: Stat of the Week
29-Dec-2008, SI.com
"When the Patriots let the best kicker of his day – Adam Vinatieri – leave via free agency in 2006 after 10 stellar seasons, they were widely derided for allowing a few bucks to get in the way of keeping one of the best clutch players of the Super Bowl era. That year, they drafted kicker Stephen Gostkowski from Memphis in the fourth round. As usual, the Patriots are having the last laugh on the fourth estate – and the rest of the NFL too. In the last three years, Gostkowski, kicking outside most often, has been more efficient in field goals, with more touchbacks on kickoffs, for a quarter of the cost of Vinatieri, who's been kicking inside most often. Gostkowski was named to his first Pro Bowl this year."
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Belichick Mic'd Up
27-Dec-2008, Patriots.com
"Catch a behind-the-scenes look at how Bill Belichick runs his team in this very special 'mic'd up' segment!"
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Belichick Sets Standard For Coaches
25-Dec-2008, Buffalo News
"If beating Bill Belichick was a condition for employment, half the coaches in the NFL would be back in college or clowning it up with the fellas on those goofy pregame shows. Belichick is the best coach in the league, maybe the best ever. He's been especially merciless against Buffalo. In the 10-game losing streak, the Pats have outscored the Bills, 308-96. … The record is even more grim in the second game of a season. The Bills have lost five straight to the Pats in the second meeting of the year and been outscored, 179-29. That's an average score of 30-6. This is not the time of year to run into Belichick. Give him a full season of game tapes and he'll pick you to shreds. The Pats are smart, they're tough, and they practice outside. They've won 11 straight games in the month of December, and 23 of their last 25. … You won't hear the Pats telling you how they won the game for their coach. They don't win for Belichick. They win because of him, and because he has established the highest possible standard for his players and his organization."
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Belichick Masters Interchangeable Parts
23-Dec-2008, ESPN.com
"I've been saying for months Belichick is doing the best job of his coaching career. Thanks to the Elias Sports Bureau I have a compelling statistic to support my claim. The Patriots this year have used 42 starters. That's nearly two full offensive and defensive units and only three fewer players than a game-day active roster. Yet even with all these interchangeable parts, the Patriots have won 10 games and still could reclaim the AFC East title on Sunday."
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Patriots Peaking But Playoffs Still In Doubt
21-Dec-2008, ESPN.com
"No complaints were uttered in New England's locker room about the playoff scenarios. Rather than rail for a revamped system, the Patriots pointed a collective finger at themselves for not winning one more game earlier in the season. … But the Patriots don't have any bad losses on paper. Their five defeats came against teams that have either clinched a playoff berth already or could get in with a victory in the season finale. Despite being ransacked by myriad injuries, the Patriots are playing better than anybody else in the division. … The Patriots have scored 96 points over the past two weeks and have scored at least 47 in three of their past five games, including a 48-28 victory in Dolphin Stadium. They've won three straight road games, including consecutive victories on the West Coast in which they didn't return home in between. New England has won 11 straight games in December. Two more cool streaks apropos to nothing about the playoff chase: New England has won an NFL-record 15 straight games against nonconference opponents and is 10-0 all-time when it snows in Foxborough."
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Tomlin, Dungy, Belichick Deserve Coach-of-Year Votes
20-Dec-2008, Oakland Tribune
"With Tom Brady out in Week 1, it was pointed out that Belichick was a sub-.500 coach without Brady as his quarterback. All he's done is insert Matt Cassel, who didn't even start in college, and kept the Patriots ship afloat at 9-5. You could read the envy on the faces of Raiders players after their loss to the Patriots, as they talked with reverence about the New England 'system' and the ability to plug in players and keep winning."
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Patriots' Season Of Challenges Isn't Over Yet
19-Dec-2008, New York Times
"[T]he Patriots (9-5) and their fans may be witnessing the best coaching job of Belichick's career. Some consider his performance – with or without the playoffs – to be better than it was for the three Super Bowl championships and the perfect regular season. 'To win a Super Bowl takes a tremendous amount of focus and preparation to be able to push the right buttons,' said Bill Cowher, the former Steelers coach who is now an analyst for CBS Sports. 'But this year he's been presented with enough challenges. Developing a quarterback on the fly: that in itself is enough.' Cowher added: 'We're in a results-oriented business. You may do your best coaching job, and yet the results may not show that. With what Bill has done, in terms of having to make adjustment after adjustment, change after change, and yet still perform at a consistent level, two West Coast trips, with back-to-back games, I think it's almost like how much do you want to throw at a guy?'"
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Old Friends, Foes
18-Dec-2008, Arizona Republic
"Sunday won't be the first time Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Cardinals special teams coach Kevin Spencer will be on opposite sidelines of a sporting event in New England. The two played lacrosse against each other in college, Spencer at Springfield (Mass.) College and Belichick at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. … Spencer remembers Belichick 'ran the show' at Wesleyan, he said. 'Bill really coached the team.'"
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Inside The NFL
17-Dec-2008, Showtime
"After beating Seattle last week, the New England Patriots stayed on the West Coast. In an exclusive, Coach Bill Belichick granted our award-winning colleagues at NFL Films a unique all-access to practice as he prepared his team for the Raiders and helped quarterback Matt Cassel cope with the unexpected death of his father."
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Take A Bow: These coaches deserve some love, too
17-Dec-2008, CBS Sports
"Bill Belichick, New England: So he lost Tom Brady. And Adalius Thomas. And Rodney Harrison. Tedy Bruschi. Running backs galore. Defensive backs galore. That might sink another coach or another organization. Not Belichick and not the Patriots. He has them on top of the AFC East with two games to go, and a show of hands, please, of those who think he won't beat Arizona and Buffalo to complete the season? I thought so. We believe in him because he knows how to win. OK, OK, so he had a lot to work with, like an 18-1 club that was this close to winning another Super Bowl. But those Patriots lost their best player – the league MVP – one quarter into the season and had to survive with a quarterback who hadn't started since high school. But it isn't surviving; it's flourishing. I call that remarkable."
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Speed Bumps Or Not, Belichick Simply Knows How To Win
16-Dec-2008, CBS Sports
"The more I study the list of players elected to this year's Pro Bowl the more I appreciate Bill Belichick as a head coach. You will, too, when you notice that the only New England starter is none other than the kicker, Stephen Gostkowski. Remove him from the equation, and New England is as well represented as the New Orleans Saints. Which means they have one reserve. Period. Now, New Orleans is 7-7 and going nowhere, so having one guy on the roster is not exactly a surprise. But New England? The Patriots lost Tom Brady. They lost Adalius Thomas. Rodney Harrison. Tedy Bruschi. A stable of running backs. Defensive backs. You name it, they subtracted it. Yet they're 9-5 and tied for first in the AFC East, and we were just served another reminder why. Bill Belichick, please step forward."
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Belichick . . . "I blew it."
15-Dec-2008, WEEI.com
"Even the great coaches can admit when they make a mistake. Bill Belichick did exactly that on Monday when he was asked about the two challenges he missed on Sunday, including missing for the second time this season trying to catch the opposing team with 12 on the field in the first half. 'On the first one, I blew it on that one,' said a frank Belichick."
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Grief-Stricken Cassel Leads Pats Past Raiders
15-Dec-2008, Associated Press
"Bill Belichick pushed through a steady rain and a mob of players to reach Matt Cassel, wrapping his quarterback in a midfield hug even before the final seconds ticked off the Coliseum clock. Cassel then headed to the New England Patriots' locker room slowly, the game ball cradled in his left arm – even though he probably won't need a football to remind him how he felt during an inspiring performance just six days after his father's death. Cassel passed for 218 yards and threw two of his career-best four touchdown passes to Randy Moss, who reveled in the Raider Nation's disgust during the Patriots' 49-26 victory over Oakland on Sunday."
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Taking It Up A Level: 150th is emblematic of coach's excellence
10-Dec-2008, Boston Globe
"Registering his 150th career head coaching victory, Belichick joined [Mike] Holmgren as one of just 17 NFL sideline bosses to reach that milestone. Accounting for his five seasons in Cleveland from 1991-95 and the past nine in New England, Belichick is now 150-90 as a head coach (regular season and playoffs included). His .625 winning percentage ranks fifth among coaches with at least 150 wins, behind George Halas (324-151-31, .682), Don Shula (347-173-6, .666), Curly Lambeau (229-134-22, .631), and Joe Gibbs (171-101, .629). As for Belichick's reaction to joining the 150 Club, he took stock of members of his new fraternity and said it was flattering, yet made it clear that players win games and that he simply coaches them. 'Never did I think about seeing my name on a list with these legendary coaches,' he said. 'It is very humbling and I appreciate everyone who helped win those games. Hopefully there will be another one this week.'"
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Personality Parade
07-Dec-2008, Parade Magazine
"Q: New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick wears a ragged sweatshirt at games. Is that his lucky shirt, or is he just a slob? –Michelle McShane-Frankewich, Colorado Springs, Colo. A: 'I wear other things from time to time, but the sweatshirt is my first choice – for comfort,' says Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls with the Pats. He adds that he's not superstitious. Time was, many coaches wore a suit and tie at games. Now an NFL endorsement deal requires them to wear clothing with a Reebok logo."
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Rutgers Revived When Teel Started To Bill-Ieve
04-Dec-2008, New York Post
"If the turnaround had begun the first game after Bill Belichick addressed the Rutgers football team, his speech would have been nominated for Motivational Talk of the Year. But the Scarlet Knights lost twice more after the Patriot coach spoke in late September, and quarterback Mike Teel, who entered this season with such high expectations, continued to struggle. Then Rutgers beat Connecticut on Oct. 18, and Belichick's words suddenly hit home. 'Football isn't a complicated game,' Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. 'We make it real complicated sometimes, but it always comes down to the same things – blocking, tackling, execution. When someone of Coach Belichick's stature says it, it carries a little more weight.'"
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Grumpy Bill Belichick? Just an act
04-Dec-2008, Seattle Times
"Belichick has become an easy punchline with just one problem: That punchline isn't always accurate. 'When the cameras are on, he puts on a show for y'all,' said Seahawks receiver Deion Branch, who played for Belichick four seasons in New England. 'And you all bite every time. As soon as the cameras go off, he laughs about it.' On Wednesday, Belichick was engaged and considerate during his weekly telephone interview with reporters from the opposing city. He talked for two minutes uninterrupted on the scouting process that led the Patriots to drafting quarterback Matt Cassel in the seventh round in 2005, even though he never started a game at USC. Belichick even showed some comic timing when asked about his personality off the field. 'Pretty loose,' he said."
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Bill Belichick, Getting Loose With It
03-Dec-2008, Seattle Times
"New England coach Bill Belichick just finished his conference call with Seattle reporters, and those expecting a gruff-voiced porcupine were disappointed. He was engaging, and dare we say it, legitimately funny when he was asked what he was like off the field. 'Pretty loose,' Belichick said. Really? That doesn't sound like the thick-browed man we see on the sidelines for the Patriots who's been known to tuck a challenge flag into his sock and wear sweatshirts with the sleeves hacked off. Belichick went on to explain that in the offseason he's taken trips to see Bon Jovi concerts, gone to the NCAA Tournament with Florida coach Bill Donovan and spent summers in Nantucket (as opposed to winters in Rangoon)."
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Old Is New, New Is Old, Back To The Future With The Single Wing
01-Dec-2008, Sports Illustrated
"The single wing was hatched within a decade of the turn of the last century, and more than 100 years later it is experiencing a renaissance on every level from youth football to the NFL, where this season at least seven teams have used some variation of the old-school package (while calling it the Wildcat, a name whose ownership is in dispute). College football is on board as well, and has been for more than a decade. The Florida offense that 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow operates for coach Urban Meyer is, in the words of Patriots coach and football history aficionado Bill Belichick, 'the perfect blend of single wing running and spread passing.' And simply by speaking those words – single wing – Belichick dismisses a taboo, because coaches have long concocted strategic aliases like 'quarterback run game' to avoid a name that might make them seem out of touch. In fact, they are on the cutting edge."
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Patriots & Buccaneers To Play In London In 2009
01-Dec-2008, NFL
"The NFL's International Series of regular-season games will return to the United Kingdom in 2009 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New England Patriots, the NFL announced today. The game will be played on Sunday, October 25 at Wembley Stadium in London with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS. The Buccaneers and Patriots have been two of the NFL's most successful teams in recent years, combining to play in five of the past seven Super Bowls. Both clubs are strong contenders for a return trip to the playoffs this season."
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Belichick Boosts Dawson's Hall Of Fame Candidacy
27-Nov-2008, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Dermontti Dawson's Hall of Fame credentials received a boost from a guy likely headed to Canton one day. Bill Belichick, who has coached the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl victories, coached against Dawson in the 1990s when he was in Cleveland and put him in high company yesterday. 'He was one of the best players that we have ever played against at that position,' said Belichick. 'He had exceptional quickness; I think that really the measure of a center is his ability to play against powerful guys that are lined up over him and try to bull-rush the pocket and collapse it in the middle so that the quarterback can't step up. Dawson had great leverage and quickness with his hands and his feet where he did a great job of keeping that pocket clean for [Neil] O'Donnell and those guys who played behind him.'"
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'08 Belichick's Best Coaching Job? Not Even Close
26-Nov-2008, NBC Sports
Pats coach has better items on resume than being 7-4 with a backup QB "It's been murmured lately that the job done by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick so far in 2008 is the best coaching he's ever done. Sorry. No. … The man's got two Super Bowl game plans in the Hall of Fame. There's the one from 1990 when he was defensive coordinator of the Giants and they held a Bills offense that scored a cool 51 in the AFC Championship to 19 in the ultimate game. And there's the one from 2001 when the Patriots pounded The Greatest Show on Turf into submission… [T]o allege that going 7-4 with a backup quarterback is somehow more impressive than coaching a team to an 18-0 record is a stretch. … Honestly, what Belichick and the Patriots did in 2003 and 2004 when they won 21 straight games over two seasons? That beats this year as well."
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Coachspeak: Bill Belichick on Football, Family and His Future
26-Nov-2008, Patriots Football Weekly
"It is a tiny room, linking the Media Work Room and the New England Patriots weight room. It bridges the divide between today's world at large, represented by the various media members who cover the Patriots, and a seldom-visited domain – the team's inner sanctum, the football operations offices. A place that has achieved mythical status under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick. It was here that he recently agreed to meet for a rare, in-season, one-on-one interview. The setting seemed appropriate, for, like the ensuing discussion, it felt like being at the tip of an enormous iceberg – so close to the source of something so impressive, yet, at times, so far from the considerable substance beneath." Includes photos as well as a sidebar of Bill's favorite films & books.
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Mark Bavaro Promotes First Novel
26-Nov-2008, Danvers Herald
"Bavaro is the author of the new football novel, Rough and Tumble, published Sept. 2 by St. Martin's Press. … Patriots head coach Bill Belichick…coached Bavaro during the 1992 season, when both were with the Cleveland Browns. … Prior to joining the Browns, Bavaro recalled a story how about how a Browns physician told Belichick that Bavaro wouldn't be able to play ever again because of a knee injury. After the conversation took place, Belichick thanked the doctor for his advice, and asked Bavaro if he was ready to sign his contract. 'Bill is a loyal guy, and because of his support, I was able to turn my football career around,' said Bavaro."
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Schein Nine: King of the Cassel
25-Nov-2008, FOX Sports
"Still doubting the Patriots new quarterback? It's truly amazing what Cassel has done since replacing injured legend Tom Brady. Cassel played his worst game as a starter against the Dolphins in a humbling Week 3 loss that left people screaming in unison that Cassel would cripple the Pats. Fans and media types, were ripping the career college back-up and destroying the Patriots brass for leaving themselves exposed a heartbeat away from Brady. … On Sunday, Cassel exorcised the demons from the first meeting by torching the Miami defense in a must-win game. Cassel, in a cool, calm Brady-esque fashion, tossed for over 400 yards for the second straight game. Cassel went 30-for-43, 415 passing yards and three touchdowns. … Did you really think Belichick and Pioli didn't know what they were doing?"
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Parcells vs. Belichick Neck And Neck For Now
19-Nov-2008, FOX Sports
"In the Belichick-or-Parcells debate, you're talking about figures who will end up going to Canton – as Parcells used to say – on roller skates. People in the Belichick camp argue that the matter is settled on the Super Bowl scoreboard. Their man has won three titles, Parcells has won two, and, of course, Belichick the defensive coordinator was a big part of those two. … By helping Parcells win his two championships with the Giants, and by helping him reach a third Super Bowl with the Patriots, Belichick established himself as one of the greatest defensive coaches of all time."
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Bill Belichick Nominated for Coach Of The Week
14-Nov-2008, NFL.com
"Belichick led the Patriots to a 20-10 win over the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills. Under Belichick's leadership, QB Matt Cassel completed 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards and rushed for 22 yards and one touchdown. Rookie RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 105 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown to help the Patriots gain 370 total yards and control the clock for more than 37 minutes. The defense recorded two sacks and two interceptions against Bills QB Trent Edwards and limited Buffalo to only 168 total yards."
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Best Coaching Performance So Far? Choice Might Surprise You
11-Nov-2008, CBS Sports
Charley Casserly: "All of the previously mentioned coaches could make a case for being coach of the year at this point of the season, but I think the man who has done probably the best coaching job so far this season has been Bill Belichick. … I think Belichick has gotten more out of his talent than any coach in the NFL in the first half of the season."
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Forget Jets-Pats, It's Bill vs. Brett
11-Nov-2008, Fox Sports
"There was no way, I declared, that New England could get by with Matt Cassel at quarterback. Now, with the Patriots at 6-3 and their woefully inexperienced quarterback coming off a fine, mistake-free game against the Bills, my chagrin is equal to the credit due Cassel. Still, even more credit is due Belichick. To this point he's gotten more out of a guy who hadn't started since high school than Eric Mangini has gotten out of the NFL's career leader in touchdowns, yards, completions and attempts. By now you've heard a lot about Favre's difficult transition into Eric Mangini's offense. But, really, who had the tougher adjustment: Mangenius and Favre, or Belichick and Cassel?"
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Winners And Losers: Belichick Works Magic
09-Nov-2008, Yahoo! Sports
"Maybe it's not just the quarterback after all. No Tom Brady, no Rodney Harrison, and a fourth-string running back making big plays. Add it all up and it equals Bill Belichick's finest coaching job since winning Super Bowl XXXVI. And it just may be his finest coaching job ever. Even the biggest critics of the New England Patriots head coach would be hard-pressed to deny the argument after Sunday's 20-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, which moved the Patriots to 6-3 this season. That record makes Belichick the biggest winner this Sunday. Despite losing arguably the best player in the NFL in Week 1, he has overcome one obstacle after another, propelling the Patriots back to the top of the AFC East with seven games left to play."
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Dr. Doom: Bill Belichick's defensive schemes have a history of wreaking havoc on Bills QBs
09-Nov-2008, Buffalo News
"There is a long line of quarterbacks who have endured some of their most miserable performances against the defenses coached by Bill Belichick. At one point in his career, Peyton Manning was 2-10 with nine touchdown passes and 17 interceptions against Belichick's Patriots. Drew Bledsoe was 5-10 in his career against Belichick-coached defenses with 15 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. Dan Marino was 4-5 and Doug Flutie 2-5 against Belichick defenses. Trent Edwards will try to succeed where so many other Bills quarterbacks have failed against the Wizard from Wesleyan today when he leads the Bills into their House of Horrors – Gillette Stadium. The Bills have lost nine straight to the Patriots and 14 of their last 15 overall."
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Phillips Andover–Exeter, A Deep-Rooted Rivalry Of Prep Schools
06-Nov-2008, SI.com
"The framed, felt banner hangs on a wall in the study of Amanda Belichick's apartment. On the top, written in white lettering, reads 'Andover 34'. Underneath is a maroon strip with 'Exeter 8' written in gray. An heirloom from the 1970 rivalry game between the Phillips Andover and Phillips Exeter Academies, Belichick's father, Bill, gave it to his daughter when she enrolled at Andover in 2000. 'It's almost an antique now,' said Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots coach who spent a post-graduate year at Andover. As part of the ongoing 131-year heated rivalry between the two schools, which are separated by 37 miles and both boast endowments nearing $1 billion, Belichick's memento is relatively new. Not as old as the institutions (Andover was founded in 1778, Exeter in 1781), the football-fueled passions continue to enrich both campuses. 'The whole experience at the school, including the game, opened new horizons,' said Belichick, who was classmates with former Florida governor Jeb Bush and the U.S. senator from Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee. 'It was the toughest year of my education.'"
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A Kinder, Gentler Belichick
31-Oct-2008, Yahoo! Sports
"Belichick often is a tremendous interview, especially when dealing with questions about football or football history. But not so much for injuries, controversies, weather, league issues, comparisons and the emotional state of himself or his players. Still, this was different. While Pats-Colts isn't even the game of the week this year, this wasn't about one good answer. Especially on Monday, he looked, dare we write, like he was enjoying himself (relatively speaking, of course). A lot of things were lost when Tom Brady was injured in the first quarter of the first game of the season, most notably the Patriots' fearsome aura of domination and their championship dreams (at least for outsiders). Here's what wasn't: New England's success on Sunday."
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Patriots Linebacker Jerod Mayo Named NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Month For October
30-Oct-2008, National Football League
"Quarterback Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons and linebacker Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots are the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Month for October, the NFL announced today. … Mayo, a first-round selection (No. 10 overall) from Tennessee, led the team with 24 tackles in the month as the Patriots posted a 3-1 (.750) record in October. The first linebacker selected by the Patriots in the first-round in the NFL Draft under head coach Bill Belichick (2000-present), Mayo has started all seven games at inside linebacker this season. The rookie leads the team with 55 tackles and has also added one fumble recovery. Mayo posted his best performance of the month in his first appearance on Monday Night Football against Denver (10/20), registering 11 tackles. Mayo is the first Patriots player to earn Rookie of the Month honors since wide receiver Deion Branch (Offense) in September of 2002, and he is the first New England player to win Defensive Rookie of the Month since the league started the award in 1996." |
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Patriots Kicker Stephen Gostkowski Named AFC Special Teams Player Of The Month For October
30-Oct-2008, National Football League
"Wide receiver Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans, linebacker Joey Porter of the Miami Dolphins, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for October, the NFL announced today. … Gostkowski has made 9 of 10 field goals (90.0 percent) in the month of October and has totaled 38 points to lead the Patriots in scoring. In 2008, Gostkowski has made 16 of 17 field goals (94.1 percent), including a perfect 10-for-10 from under 40 yards. In 2 games this month (at San Francisco on 10/5; against St. Louis on 10/26), Gostkowski made all three field goal attempts as the Patriots won both games by fewer than 10 points. The Mississippi native has made 23 of his past 24 field goal attempts dating back to last season. His career field goal accuracy rate of 85.1 percent (57 of 67) is the best in Patriots history. In his third year from Memphis, this is Gostkowski's first Player of the Month Award. Gostkowski joins Adam Vinatieri as the only two Patriot kickers to win Special Teams Player of the Month." |
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Belichick Is Doing One Of His Best Coaching Jobs
30-Oct-2008, Providence Journal
"A record measures a team. But it doesn't measure coaching. Coaching is full of variables, and the record depends on many of them, not the least being talent. Rest assured, it was easier to coach last year's Pats than it is this year's version. Rest assured, it's easier to coach a team with Brady at quarterback than one with Cassel as the signal-caller. Rest assured, this also was a team that could have gone either way three weeks ago when it was trampled in San Diego, spending much of the second half as if it couldn't wait for the season to end. That the Pats bounced back is a tribute to the character of this team, one that's rebounded from not one, but two embarrassing losses. It's also a tribute to Bill Belichick."
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NFL Players Evaluate Their Coaches
26-Oct-2008, New York Times
"Last season, the N.F.L. players union commissioned the Wharton Sports Business Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania to conduct an unprecedented survey of players. It was the first time players had been asked about issues related to their coaches. The survey asked players to name names, and the players overwhelmingly obliged. Asked which active N.F.L. coaches they would most like to play for, the players picked Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts) followed by Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears) and Bill Belichick (New England Patriots). Herman Edwards (Kansas City Chiefs) was fourth and Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers) fifth. … The players were also asked to identify … the best [organization in the N.F.L.] (New England, Indianapolis, Dallas, Green Bay and Pittsburgh)."
full story | full survey |
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We Stand Behind Brady 100 Percent
24-Oct-2008, Sporting News
"Speaking with Sporting News on Friday, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick adamantly denied there being any friction between the organization and its franchise quarterback, Tom Brady, on the player's choice of treatment in the case of his knee treatment. … 'I've been in communication with Tom on a regular basis, as has the organization and the medical people,' Belichick told SN. 'Yes, we stand behind him 100 percent.' As for concern over Brady's condition, the coach said to SN that, 'I think the combination of Tom's statement and our statement [see below] covers it.'"
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Statement From The New England Patriots On Tom Brady
23-Oct-2008, New England Patriots
"Today, ESPN cited an unnamed source who supposedly expressed the feelings of the Patriots 'organization.' This unsubstantiated report does not represent the team's views whatsoever. We have supported Tom Brady one hundred percent from day one of this process and will continue to do so. We issued a statement last Saturday expressing our complete organizational support for Tom. That support includes all aspects of the process. Unfortunately, our statement was not mentioned or referenced in ESPN's report. Today, we reiterate our total support for Tom as he recovers from his injury." |
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Hall At Patriot Place Does It Right
23-Oct-2008, ESPN.com
"Before Monday night's game in Gillette Stadium, I had the chance to tour The Hall at Patriot Place, a dazzling collection of exhibits, multimedia presentations and high-tech interactive displays on 36,000-square feet. … [T]he most impressive elements are interactive. Educated football fans will leave smarter than they walked in. A presentation by Bill Belichick insightfully breaks down actual plays from the Patriots' playbook. You pick the play, and Belichick tells you why it works in detail. Visitors also can listen to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels relay plays into quarterback's helmet, step inside an actual-sized Patriots huddle to hear how plays are called and pick up sideline phones to hear how the coordinators communicate with players during the game."
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Peter King: Bill Belichick vs. Paul Brown
13-Oct-2008, SI.com
"Similar? Impossible. Look at their sideline dress. Brown was the spiffiest dresser in NFL history, with his business suits (pleated pants), striped ties and smart fedoras. Belichick wears a gray hooded sweatshirt ; not a very nice one, either. But that's where the dissimilarity ends. Brown was brilliant, calculating, acerbic, intensely private and got fired by Art Modell as the coach of the Cleveland Browns. Sound familiar? Brown invented the facemask, the draw play, playbooks, training camps, college scouting, full-time coaching staffs and messenger guards. Belichick invented none of those. He just refined so many things. And he was a disciple of Brown's. He read books about him, asked Modell about him, took great pride in being in the same profession. Do they have something like Spygate in common? Probably not, though in Brown's day there was nothing like the intense scrutiny from the media and public that Belichick has faced in his career. Brown invented continuing education for coaches with his film study and play-charting and long coaches' meetings. A couple of weeks after his second Super Bowl victory with the Patriots, Belichick flew to Baton Rouge and spent two days with his former defensive coordinator at Cleveland, Nick Saban, then the LSU head coach. Because Belichick knew every team on his schedule would be studying what the Patriots did and parrying their greatness, Belichick went to work with Saban on disguising what the team did on defense. Then he went to Florida to pick Jimmy Johnson's brain on the draft. Then, on vacation, he listened to books-on-tape of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. One thing both men believed in strongly: the football team as team. No player was bigger than the team. A cliché, but Brown lived it, and Belichick continues to. …"
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The Mag.com Presents: All World Power Rankings
09-Oct-2008, ESPN The Magazine
"When It Comes To The Worst 'Casting Decisions' Ever, We'll Take Cleveland Not Sticking With Belichick: 'You benched Kosar?' 'In 12 years, I'll laugh at you.' – Don't get us wrong. The dude went 36-44 in Cleveland and benched Bernie Kosar, so he wasn't exactly getting the LeBron treatment over there. Still, that playoff win he scored in '94? That's the last one for the franchise. His staff was ridiculous out there too: Eric Mangini, Nick Saban, Kirk Ferentz, etc. Could the Browns have been a dynasty?"
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New Year, Same Quest for Red Wings
09-Oct-2008, Detroit News
"[Mike] Babcock, 45, is at the highest level, yet appears as driven as ever, smart enough to know there's always more to learn, more to do. On a recent morning in his office at Joe Louis Arena, he tapped on his computer and called up one of his favorite Web sites: allthingsbillbelichick.com. Bill Belichick is the unyielding coach of the Patriots, who have won three Super Bowls under him. On the Web site, Babcock watches Belichick's news conferences and scours Belichick's comments."
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NEWS FLASH: Belichick Knows His Stuff
01-Oct-2008, Press Democrat
"Patriots Bill Belichick has an incredible football mind. He demonstrated on Wednesday when the Boston-area media asked about the Patriots' lack of familiarity with the 49ers. The question was whether it's one of those things where they have to see them on the field to accurately be able to judge their speed and quickness. Here's Belichick's amazing answer: […] Belichick mentioned 15 players on the 49ers roster. And, furthermore, he did it all without notes. He knew all those players off the top of his head. And he does that every week – regardless of the opponent. Meanwhile, Mike Nolan mentioned one Patriots player by name today. Well, he said 'Wesley Walker,' but I'm pretty sure he meant Wes Welker."
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Big Challenge For 49ers This Week
01-Oct-2008, ESPN.com
"Belichick's preparation comes through not just in the way his team plays, but also in the way he answers questions. Check out this answer from Belichick when a reporter asked him Wednesday about a lack of familiarity with the 49ers: […] Unbelievable. Belichick mentioned 15 of the 49ers' players, starters and backups alike, in historical context off the top of his head. Think about that for a minute. Belichick's background is on defense. We might expect a defensive head coach to know the opposing offense, but generally not to that degree or by name. We would not expect him to rattle off the employment histories of defensive players and experience levels of the specialists. There are probably general managers in the NFL who could not speak that fluently about an opposing team's personnel. Think anything will surprise Belichick on Sunday?"
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A Day At Film School: Belichick teaches kids about Ernie Davis
01-Oct-2008, Boston Globe
"A powerful chapter in the history of football and race relations was revisited in an unlikely place yesterday – the Showcase Cinema De Lux at Patriot Place – and with a surprise guest leading the discussion, Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Instead of breaking down film of his team's next opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, Belichick was speaking to more than 100 local children about the new Universal film they were about to watch, The Express. … Dressed in a tan suit, blue shirt, and bright red tie with soccer balls, footballs, and baseballs on it, Belichick told the youngsters the film had a powerful message they shouldn't forget."
full story | get the dvd |
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Tony Miserable Massarotti In Top Form
25-Sept-2008, Boston Sports Media Watch
"'With Tom Brady as his starter, Bill Belichick has a career record of 87-24. Without Brady, Belichick is 43-58.' … How many times is this going to be trotted out there? First used by Ron Borges, this stat has been repeated over and over and over again by the self-proclaimed 'objective' members of the media. How come no one says: 'With David Ortiz on his roster, Terry Francona has a career record of 468-338. Without Ortiz, Francona is 285-363.' … How about: 'With Kevin Garnett on his roster, Doc Rivers has a career record of 66-16. Without Garnett, Rivers is 273-312.' … No, you don't hear either of those. It's only Belichick that this stuff gets applied to. I prefer to turn it around and say Belichick's career record without stiffs like Bernie Kosar and Drew Bledsoe is 105-46."
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Troy Brown Retirement Press Conference
25-Sept-2008, New England Patriots
Bill Belichick: "Troy, we have so many great memories of you and all that you've done for this organization, this football team and me, personally. I will be forever grateful and indebted to you. It truly has been an honor, truly an honor, to coach you as a professional football player. On behalf of our football team and myself, I want to give you these three pictures, three of our greatest memories of you, along with many. Congratulations."
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Spoiling For A Fight? Pats Fans Are Now Most Obnoxious
24-Sept-2008, CBS Sports
"It's official. The most spoiled, brat-ish, fat-baby, knee-jerk, jerk-faced, obnoxious fans in all of sports are no longer New York Yankees followers. They've been usurped. And that's saying something. They've been eclipsed by another group that is a clear No. 1 after booing one of the great dynasties in the history of organized sports. Congratulations, New England Patriots fans, your testicles have dropped. You are the top dog when it comes to whiney fans who take winning for granted. You elevated the spoiled-brat fan phenomenon in sports to an entirely different level when on Sunday you heavily booed a team that's only one of two to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span, went undefeated in the regular season and generated the two longest winning streaks in NFL history. … The booing symbolizes how many fans who think they know football actually don't. They really don't understand the intricacies of the sport and how hard it is to do what the Patriots have accomplished."
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The Hall at Patriot Place
18-Sept-2008, New England Patriots
"The New England Patriots on Thursday unveiled The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon, the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind in the world. … The Hall features interactive exhibits designed to educate and entertain. Visitors can receive instruction from Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick on how plays in the Patriots playbook are designed."
"Belichick Breakdowns" featuring Bill Belichick: "A projection screen and touch screen allow visitors to choose from a number of the Patriots' actual plays, and watch Bill Belichick break them down using the team's game and practice film."
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For Belichick, It Will Always Be Business As Usual
16-Sept-2008, Providence Journal
"The man who might just be the best football coach on the planet walked into the interview room in Gillette Stadium shortly before noon yesterday. He was wearing a cutoff gray sweatshirt, gray shorts and sandals. Just another day at the office. No matter that the day before the Pats had beaten the Jets in Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands of New Jersey. Or that the day before he once again had symbolically slapped former assistant Eric Mangini, someone he perceives to be Judas with a clipboard. Or that the New York media spent the weekend trashing him, essentially portraying him as the Darth Vader of the NFL, the ultimate villain. No matter that his Patriots are now 2-0 without Tom Brady in this new season, and that the day before they had held the Jets to a measly 10 points. No matter that Matt Cassel, his young, untested quarterback, had done what he had to do: manage the game. No big mistakes. Leading his team to 19 points, more than enough on Sunday."
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Motivated Patriots Teach Jets, Media A Lesson
15-Sept-2008, NBC Sports.com
Without Brady, New England steps up and makes statement vs. Favre & Co. "The Patriots began the post-Brady portion of their 2008 season with a 19-10 win over the Jets. When it was over, New England corner Ellis Hobbs strutted toward the Patriots locker room, waited to get within earshot of the assembled media, and said, 'Team on three! One, two, three TEAM!' Then, wanting to make his point crystal, Hobbs said in a sing-song voice, 'They can't do it. Tom's not there. They can't do it without Tom.' Apparently, they can. Still. Again. Same as it ever was."
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With Tom Brady Out, Bill Belichick's Brain Battles Brett Favre, Eric Mangini
14-Sept-2008, Daily News
"'I think Belichick has done a fabulous job,' another GM said. 'And I'm not a big fan of the guy. To win without Brady would enhance his coaching reputation and eliminate SpyGate.' The other GM posed this question: 'If you had to start a franchise and you could get a Hall of Fame coach or a Hall of Fame quarterback, which would you choose?' He then answered his own question. 'I would choose a coach,' he said. 'The player can get hurt. Things can go awry with your team. Brett Favre is a Hall of Fame quarterback, but he played a lot of years on bad teams. I've never seen a Hall of Fame coach fail. You are going to see how great a coach Belichick is. Brady masks how great Belichick is.' Or perhaps Brady made Belichick great. If he can coach Cassel and win with him like he has with Brady, then Belichick will fully redeem himself.'"
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Bills Don't Believe Brady-less Patriots Will Surrender
11-Sept-2008, Democrat and Chronicle
"With unproven Matt Cassel as the triggerman in what was the NFL's most prolific scoring offense in history last year, how can the Bills and Jets in particular not experience a surge in confidence regarding their chances to not only beat the Patriots, but win the AFC East? Here's how. 'We're not taking it as a big deal because they still have a lot of good players that were surrounding Brady, and I'm sure that coach (Bill) Belichick, who is one of the best coaches in NFL history, will get (Cassel) ready to play some football,' said Bills strong safety Donte Whitner. 'They're not going to lay down and think the season is over because Brady is not there. They'll find ways to win.' Quarterback Trent Edwards agreed. 'I know the Patriots' style, that they're good at coming back from injury and I'm sure they're still going to make a run at it, so I'm not sure it shifts it at all,' he said of the dynamics of the division."
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Will They Cheer For You?
11-Sept-2008, NASA Goddard CIO Blog
"I've pondered various aspects of what might be Bill Belichick's leadership acumen that consistently produces team leaders, quarterback leaders, and winning teams. … Consider this quote from Randy Moss when talking about Brady's season-ending knee injury … 'We saw Tom today,' Moss said in a national conference call. 'I am not sure how much longer we are going to see him, but he is here today and has been uplifting and keeping a positive attitude. I think that goes a long way with not only him but the team as well.' They are going to miss him. But, his leadership helps them feel they can win without him. Well actually, they will always have him with them even if he is on crutches. And even if he is on crutches, they will still cheer for him. And he will cheer for them."
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Another Challenge For Belichick To Conquer
10-Sept-2008, Yahoo! Sports
"These are the times that fascinate Bill Belichick. Now, don't be confused. Given his druthers, Belichick would probably rather do one round in a cage match with Kimbo Slice than lose quarterback Tom Brady for the season. But if you know much about Belichick, it is times like this that make his mind churn with ideas … certainly not self-pity. 'That's a really good way to put it,' said former Patriots assistant Joel Collier, who spent the past three years working for Belichick before being let go when the team hired Dom Capers. 'This will obviously present a tremendous challenge for him as a coach and as a manipulator of circumstance. But when you talk about people and their ability to manage situations and get the most out of what he has, Bill is among the best ever.'"
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Statement on Tom Brady
08-Sept-2008, New England Patriots
"After extensive tests this morning, it was revealed that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's left knee, which was injured in the first quarter of yesterday's game, will require surgery. He will be placed on injured reserve and will miss the remainder of the 2008 season." |
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Peyton, LT, Pats The Ones To Beat
05-Sept-2008, Chicago Sun-Times
"Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick, New England – He's unlikely to be accused of anything as nefarious as Videogate this year, but you know Belichick will pay attention to every detail and search for every advantage in his quest for perfection. The simple fact is that New England has a shockingly easy schedule – the Patriots play only four games against teams with winning records last year – and should dominate a subpar division. If Tom Brady is hurt for any stretch of time, that will only allow Belichick to flex his coaching muscle. If Brady is healthy, he'll be connecting with Randy Moss for a second straight season, which means improvement and celebration of Belichick's coaching genius."
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The NFL's 10 Most Valuable Coaches
03-Sept-2008, Forbes
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: "Hired: 2000; Average salary: $3 million; Avg. wins per season: 11.4; Team avg. previous five years: 8.8; Playoff appearances per five years: 3.8; Team playoff appearances previous five years: 3; Super Bowl titles: 3. Belichick has been nothing short of a magician in New England: He's 91-37 since he got there, including 66-14 since 2003."
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NFL Awards Watch – Coach of the Year
02-Sept-2008, SI.com
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: "The Patriots are always in title contention, and he should receive the bulk of the credit for their remarkable consistency this decade."
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The Most Fascinating Man In Sports? It Might Be Bill Belichick
02-Sept-2008, WEEI.com
"This summer, Boston Magazine ran a feature that would have been 10 percent more compelling if they hadn't asked me to contribute to it. Basically, the mag asked 14 different luminaries to partake in a psychological breakdown of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. This is no small endeavor; Belichick is a mountain of neuroses, perceived slights, inferiority complexes, raging self-aggrandizement and, oh yeah, undeniable brilliance. This all makes him my kind of coach. Tony Dungy might be admirable and an inspiration to millions, but that doesn't make him any less boring. I'll take Belichick and his demons any day. He's without question the most compelling figure in Boston sports right now, and perhaps the whole country. Which is why I loved the Boston mag feature so much. I mean, how often do you get to see a sitting Senator and former presidential candidate put your local football coach on the couch?"
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Patriots Kickoff Gala
27-Aug-2008, Patriots Today
"Tuesday night was the unofficial start of the regular season as the Patriots held their annual Kickoff Gala. Patriots Today was there to bring you all the sights and sounds from Gillette Stadium, including and interview with Ron Burton Community Service Award-winner Larry Izzo. It was a magical night as the organization ushered in the '08 season." Bill Belichick: "We're excited to get going and we appreciate your support. It's like a 12th man."
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Ranking The NFL Coaches
27-Aug-2008, NBC Sports
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: "…[O]n a week-to-week, year-to-year basis, there's no better coach in football. He's a brilliant tactician, known for his in-game adjustments. He's demanding, but flexible. He likes to be in control, but he's not afraid to give responsibility to promising young coaches. Truth be told, he's a bit of an enigma, but genius often comes in that form. The man has won three Super Bowls. Enough said."
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NFL's Winning Mix? Special Stars Plus Depth
27-Aug-2008, NBC Sports
To create mismatches, studs and players who fit the system are both key "'You've got to be careful with how many (specialized) guys you have because you still need players to do the things everyone else at the position does,' [Bill Belichick] explains. Belichick uses his team's running backs to illustrate his point. 'Even if you have Laurence Maroney (a semi-rugged everydown back) and Kevin Faulk (a slight and quick third-down back), you still need a backup that can do what Laurence does and if that's not Kevin, then you need somebody else,' he explains. 'When you have a really specialized player that's a lot different from the other players at the same position it gives you flexibility situationally but it would be hard to have Laurence, Kevin and another different style player. Then what do you do if something happens to Laurence? Now you can't do what Laurence does and you have no backup to Kevin. You can only go so far.' Unique skills are nice. But not too unique, Belichick explains."
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CHARLIE WEIS: You Don't Know Bill Belichick Like I Know Bill Belichick
21-Aug-2008, Sporting News
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis tells Sporting News what the world doesn't know about his former boss, Pats coach Bill Belichick. "The Bill people see publicly is not the Bill that I know. I know him in a totally different vein. It's good for people to realize there's a lot of good in this guy that the average guy doesn't see. He has a pretty big personality that he cares not to share with other people. He does a good job of separating football from nonfootball. In the summer, he's always doing something with his kids, be it Amanda, Stephen or Brian. He goes to lacrosse games all over the place. He watches in the stands, or he's throwing with his kids. He's just like any other loving, caring father. He's witty; he has a dry sense of humor that is quite comical. You have to understand that dry sarcasm or you wouldn't know he's being funny."
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Outtakes From Exclusive Sporting News Interview With Bill Belichick
21-Aug-2008, Sporting News
"There's only so much you can fit on seven pages. And I shoehorned everything I could into our exclusive Bill Belichick interview that ran in the freshly relaunched Sporting News magazine that hit newsstands today. But the space constraints also kept some juicy stuff out of the printed product, and we couldn't think of a single reason to leave our readers without more of what we have. … SN: Jim Brown said that he doesn't know a more honorable person than you. Do you wish people saw that side of you? Belichick: What I've done with Jim Brown and my relationship with Jim Brown is really between me and Jim. It's not the kind of relationship you can have with everybody – you just can't. There's not enough time; there's not enough opportunity to do it."
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Sporting News Conversation: Bill Belichick
21-Aug-2008, Sporting News
"During training camp, the NFL's man of few words sat down with Sporting News' Albert Breer for a wide-ranging 75-minute conversation. … SN: …Fast-forward to last season. Can you take any sense of accomplishment from the 18-0 start without thinking of the 18-1 finish? Belichick: Yeah. Sure. SN: So it's not all or nothing? Belichick: Yeah, we fell short of the ultimate goal, but it's like winning your division or winning playoff games. Really, the record we've had here since 2001, it's not all championships, but it's a lot to be proud of in terms of what we've done on a consistent basis – playoff wins and division championships and all that, including last year. But it's not at the same level as a Super Bowl championship. It's not 5-11. It's not 3-13. SN: So it's not close to winning the Super Bowls? Belichick: I'd say it's probably fourth. The three Super Bowls and then 16-0."
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An Imperfect Solution
17-Aug-2008, Boston Globe
"In the end, after declaring the [2007] season the fourth-greatest achievement in team history, they elected to have a private ceremony to commemorate it last Monday at Gillette Stadium. Owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft presented the players with rings. On one side of the ring, it reads '16-0 – perfect season.' On the other, it reads '18-1, AFC Championship.' … Added coach Bill Belichick, 'It was a very special and historic year, and I want them to look back with pride when they look at the ring and remember the week-to-week approach. When you're in a season, you're always moving on to the next game, the next challenge, and because there is always something ahead, you never look back. I thought it was a good time to talk about it and acknowledge it, and also talk about how I appreciated their approach and superior performance they gave throughout the year.'"
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Patriots Sign Nine-Time Pro Bowl Safety John Lynch
15-Aug-2008, New England Patriots
"Lynch, 36, is a veteran of 15 NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-2003) and the Denver Broncos (2004-07). The 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound safety has earned nine career Pro Bowl selections and has been to the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons, including 2007. His nine Pro Bowls are the second highest total in NFL history for a safety (Ken Houston, 10). Lynch has played in 224 career games with 191 starts, giving him the third highest career starts total of any active NFL player (Derrick Brooks, 205; Kevin Carter, 203). His career totals include 1,277 tackles (789 solo), 13 sacks, 26 interceptions, 100 passes defensed, 16 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and 24 special teams tackles. He has also started 12 career playoff games and was a member of Tampa Bay's Super Bowl XXXVII championship team."
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John Lynch was selected as the Denver Broncos nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2005. He was selected based on his work with the John Lynch Foundation. The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is the NFL's highest honor given to one player each year based on his contributions to the community as well as performance on the field. It was the third time John had received this honor. While in Tampa, John was the Buccaneer's team nominee in 2001 and 2002. |
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How Do '08 Patriots Move On?
14-Aug-2008, USA Today
"'You look back on last year, and we did a lot of great things. That was a disappointing finish. One way or the other it doesn't make any difference. We're into 2008, and our focus is on this year,' New England coach Bill Belichick says. 'We'll look back with mixed feelings on last year, but it doesn't really matter.' … 'You improve by winning it all, which we didn't do last year,' says Scott Pioli, the Patriots' vice president of player personnel. 'You improve by finishing what we started and you improve by continuing to build your team toward the future as well.'"
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Dan Klecko Back In The Hunt
12-Aug-2008, Philadelphia Inquirer
"It was a difficult moment for the son and a proud one for the father. Dan Klecko, after collecting a couple of Super Bowl rings, was cut by the New England Patriots before the 2006 season. Most dads of NFL players don't get phone calls from the coach and general manager when their sons are released. Joe Klecko, a four-time Pro Bowler during his 12-year NFL career, did. Patriots general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Bill Belichick felt the need to tell Joe Klecko what he already knew about his son. 'Both of them told me how hard it was to cut him because of how much integrity they felt he had,' the father said yesterday by cell phone. 'That meant more to me than any of the Super Bowl rings he has.'"
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All Access; Monday Morning Notes
11-Aug-2008, Patriots.com
"A group from AccesSportAmerica, a national non-profit organization that inspires higher function and fitness for children and adults of all disabilities through high-challenge sports, took in Monday's walkthrough inside the Dana-Farber Field House and was treated to some special attention from Bill Belichick and the Patriots. … 'They do sports for handicap kids. I have worked with them and their foundation,' Belichick said. 'Part of the proceeds of The Education of a Coach went to them. It was good to see those kids out there and it certainly gives us an appreciation for some of the things we are fortunate to have.'"
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Seward Disappointed Pats Never Offered
11-Aug-2008, The Herald
"It was April when Carolina Panthers linebacker Adam Seward went to Boston for a job interview. Monday afternoon, it sounded like he was still there lobbying. Seward was disappointed New England never made an offer sheet, calling it a 'tremendous honor,' to even be considered by the Patriots. … 'It was interesting,' he said. 'Being here for three years and playing hard, it was kind of crazy to see a team like New England, who everybody views as the gurus of scouting, who do such a great job of bringing in late-round picks and free agents and turning them into superstars. So when they came calling, it was a tremendous honor, even though things didn't work out.'"
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Bruce Springsteen Doesn't Let the Rain Stop New England Show
04-Aug-2008, Rolling Stone
"'I guess a little rain suits you,' said Bruce Springsteen to the Gillette Stadium crowd, just before launching into Tunnel of Love on Saturday night in Foxborough, Massachusetts. After a rousing opening six songs, it was the first time that the Boss took a moment to talk to the rain-soaked crowd. Just before his scheduled start time, a pseudo-Nor'Easter had rocked the Patriots' home field, causing Bruce and the E Street Band to take the stage almost two hours late. … 'This is for the coach,' he said (presumably giving a nod to beleaguered Patriots coach Bill Belichick) before covering Creedence Clearwater Revival's Who'll Stop The Rain."
full story | iTunes |
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Breaking Down Belichick
August 2008, Boston Magazine
"Just what goes on inside the mind of the Patriots' enigmatic coach? As he begins his ninth season with the team, our panel of armchair psychologists weigh in with their own answers (and a few wild guesses) to a question we've all had plenty of cause to ponder. By Dr. Keith Ablow, Mike Felger, Senator John Kerry, James Frey, Doug Rubin, Will Leitch, Matt Taibbi, Dan Ariely, Michael Norton, Eileen Page, Gary Gulman, Roger Cossack, Gregg Easterbrook and Mel Robbins."
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Monday Notebook: Belichick signs autographs for the fans
28-Jul-2008, Patriots.com
"For the second consecutive day, head coach Bill Belichick signed autographs for the fans before ducking back into his office after practice. And he seemed to enjoy the interaction. 'I sign them during the year during training camp,' he said. 'It was nice. I could have been out there for quite a while. There were a lot of people out there. The fan support has been good and I really feel like I have a personal connection. I have spent a lot of time in New England going to school here, living here. I always spent summers up here and it's great. I appreciate it.'"
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Welterweight Andrade Top Hope For US Boxing Gold
28-Jul-2008, Comcast Net Olympics
"Bill Belichick doesn't invite many amateur boxers to drive up from Rhode Island to meet with him and the New England Patriots. With a world championship pedigree and a glistening pro career stretching out beyond Beijing, Demetrius Andrade is like no other American amateur boxer. To the U.S. welterweight, a summons from Belichick just seemed like another opportunity to seize the day. 'You know, if you want to win next year, put me out there,' Andrade told the Patriots coach. 'Running back or wide receiver, or I'll play defense, I don't care. All I do is win.' Andrade was a pretty good football player as a kid, but Belichick is among a growing circle of fight fans who realize the Beijing Olympics could be Andrade's kickoff to a remarkable boxing career."
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Picking Up The Pieces: As camp opens, Belichick busy rebuilding Patriots' mystique, reputation
24-Jul-2008, Eagle-Tribune
"'Nine years? It's been nine years already,' said Belichick when the questioning resumed, appearing to just then realize he is the third longest-tenured coach in the NFL (Denver's Mike Shanahan and Tennessee's Jeff Fisher enter their 13th seasons with their teams). 'It's a long time. It's been nine good years,' he added, getting a little sentimental. 'It took us a year to get going after that first year (in 2000). After (2002), we gotten to the playoffs every year.' Yes, despite popular belief, Bill Belichick is enjoying himself. And, yes, he says he and the franchise are ready, willing and able to put the Super Bowl disappointment behind them – as long as we do, too."
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Belichick Practices What He Teaches
24-Jul-2008, Boston Globe
"Perhaps no head coach gets more out of training camp and prepares his team for the rigors of an NFL season better than Bill Belichick, according to former Patriots players. Belichick, who will open his ninth training camp as Patriots coach this morning at 8:45 at Gillette Stadium, conducts each practice session with a purpose and maps out a game plan designed to have his team ready to play come Opening Day – and ready for almost anything that comes its way. What separates Patriots training camp is the attention to detail and emphasis on situational football."
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