Super Bowl XLII: Why Bill Belichick Is Overrated

The indomitable New England Patriots (18-0) will play the surprising New York Giants (13-6) next week at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Whether or not the Patriots triumph over Gotham’s Big Blue, they are deserving of their dynasty label.

The Patriots are simply one of the most overwhelming teams in the annals of North American professional sports.

Because of New England’s decade-long dominance, some pundits have hailed their “HC,” Bill Belichick, 55, as the best coach to ever stroll an NFL sideline.  Others have had the audacity to suggest that the Vince Lombardi Trophy should be re-named after the Patriots’ nefarious cheater.

Such a ludicrous and unfounded assertion is utter tomfoolery. The lovable Belichick, who makes Dick Cheney seem warm and bubbly, is a good coach who has reached an unjustifiably mythic status by riding the coattails of his iconic quarterback, Tom Brady, 30.

While in Cleveland and without Brady, Belichick led the Browns to a paltry record of 36-44 before being terminated after five miserable seasons. The grand majority of Clevelanders understandably rejoiced when the philandering fashion plate met his professional maker.

Belichick chapped the asses of players, fans and the media alike, and his coaching “skills” were proven to be sub-par while he alienated the Cleveland region.

In his first year as the “HC” of New England, Belichick once again exhibited his anemic guidance en route to “leading” the Patsies to an intimidating record of 5-11.

In 2001, the Patriots began the season with a mark of 0-2 before the New York Jets and their linebacker, Mo Lewis, changed the course of history for the Patriots and the overrated Belichick.

After being flushed from the pocket, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, 35, ran upright to the sideline before being lambasted by Lewis.

The vicious hit by Lewis caused moderate internal bleeding in Bledsoe and opened the door for Brady to take control as New England’s signal caller.

Prior to being blessed with Brady, Belichick had a combined Hall of Fame record of 41-57 in both Cleveland and New England. Since stumbling upon the rare pot of gold that is Brady, the man who perpetuated “Spygate” has gone 86-24.

I like coincidences as much as I enjoy jock-itch, and I refuse to believe those numbers don’t expose Belichick for the mediocre gimp that he is.

I fully realize that I reek of anti-New England bias. For me, cheering for Belichick and the Pats is akin to rooting for the reemergence of polio. How can anyone genuinely claim that Belichick is a better coach than either Bill Parcells or Joe Gibbs?

Parcells captured two Super Bowls with two different quarterbacks, and he won at all four coaching stops that he made.

Gibbs won three Super Bowls in Washington with three different Redskin signal-callers. That puts Belichick, at best, as the third most decorated coach that I’ve seen in the NFL since I began watching the sport in 1987.

So please, New Englanders, put down your Samuel Adams and take in a dose of reality. Green Bay Packers fans, take solace. The championship trophy will always be named after the truly special Lombardi.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.