The indomitable New England Patriots (18-0) will play the upstart 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.
Resulting from New England’s decade-long run of dominance, some pundits have hailed their “HC,” Bill Belichick, 55, as the best coach to ever stroll an NFL sideline and others have had the audacity to infer that the Vince Lombardi Trophy should be re-named after the Patriots nefarious cheater.
Such a ludicrous and unfounded assertion is shire tomfoolery. The loveable 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 for the ages, Tom Brady.
While coaching 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 subpar while he alienated the bulk of the Cleveland region.
In his first year as the head coach 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 it opened the door for Brady to take control as New England’s signal caller.
Prior to being blessed with Brady, Belichick had a combined (Cleveland and New England) Hall of Fame record of 41-57. 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 that those numbers don’t expose Belichick for the mediocre gump 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. But, how can anyone genuinely claim that Belichick is a better coach than either Bill Parcells or Joe Gibbs?
Parcells captured two Superbowl championships with two separate quarterbacks and he won at all four coaching stops that he made. Gibbs won three Superbowls 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.
10 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Thomas Guertin about 1 year ago
well written but I think you are wrong. Here is why.
I am a Pat's fan and i agreed with your opinion of Bill , why hire a coach with a losing record.
Thank god team's do not listen to guy's like us . Because we would look like idiot's if they did.
Now as far as bill parcels and Joe Gibb's, neither of them could win a Superbowl in the salary cap and free agency era,, Belichick has won 3 as a matter of fact he is the only one who has done that .
So this is the reason why people should not write thing's about teams they do not like because even though they are good writer's more often than not they make them self's sound like ignorant fools.
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Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for the read...I give Pioli and Kraft credit for winning in the salary cap era and not Belly...I always said good caoch just not the best (I put him at fourth I've seen since 87-Parcells, Gibbs & Walsh)
Thnaks alot for the read though-Truly
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Phelan O about 1 year ago
1. BB is a Lombardi-esque coach. His coaching Lineage traces back to the Great Lombardi, so you lose there.
2. Brady was a Backup for Brian Griese, the Bears third string QB, and Chris Hanson, who, last time I checked, was a fringe roster player for the Vikings or Cowboys (cannot remember which). Cleveland was a trainwreck when he was there. Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, Bill Parcels, Mike Martz (offensive genius), and Don Schula combined couldn't have fixed those browns.
3. Does the name Lawrence Taylor mean anything to you? How about the Giants teams of the 80s? If the answer is no, shut up and go home because you don't know your basic NFL history. If the answer is yes, guess who was their DC, who helped train the real LT, who created such a frieghtful group of LBs that Joe Gibbs had to creat the H-back position to try and deal with it. He lost Charlie Weiss, who is not succeeding on the college level because he doesn't know how to work with College players, but was the architect of the great offense they use. He's on his 3rd DC since 2001, his top WR was troy brown.
4. Generally, coaching success is determined by the success of former assistants. He has 2 HCs in the NFL, one of which was inches from the playoffs, and 2 in the College ranks (Weiss and Saban).
Sorry, try again
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Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Phelan,
Thanks for the read....Truly...
In regard to your comment, I don't really understand your argument....I know the mid-80's to late-90's Giants as well as anyone...Is your point that every championship team has good players? That's obvious....What's your point about Brady-I know he worked his way up from nowhere.....
Weiss and Saban are disciples of Parcells...Did you know that? "If the answer is no, shut up and go home because you don't know your basic NFL history."
Best coaches I've seen since 1987:
1) Parcells
2) Gibbs
3) Walsh
4) Belichick
5) Jimmy Johnson or Cowher
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Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Rod,
Thanks so much for the read...You're the only one who seems to be on my side here...
Have a great weekend and don't burn the liver-up entirely during the Super Bowl...
My best!
Colin
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Cleveland was a long time ago... he is a great coach though. Not a great human being. When he stops winning, then it will be interesting to see what happens...
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Two different eras of football, its apples to oranges.
Belichek is by far the best coach of his era, and every Parcells Superbowl win came with Belichek on the staff.
He is also the most experienced coach in the league, and quite frankly, it shows.
He acts as coach and GM, and he gets it done while other teams struggle with the salary cap.
You don't see other teams using 34+ year old line backers and dominating, but Belichek is the one guy that had the foresight to do it.
The Moss trade was the steal of the century, also a nice bit of Belichek work.
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Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Genuinely appreciate your feedback...But, you realize that Belichick is not the GM, right? He doesn't make trades or acquisitions....He undoubtedly has input....But, those tasks belong to Scott Pioli and NOT BILL BELICHICK
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Actually, they belong to Belicheck.
Thats why he was fined so much, remember? Because he also acts as the GM.
Pioli is the messenger boy.
He gets the phone call from the agent, and sets up the meeting.
Call it "glorified secretary", NFL style.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Belicheck only looks like a good coach because of the players on the team. If he is such a coach and GM then how come he didn't turn the Browns around. Any coach would look like a genius if they were coaching the a team with the amount of talent the Patriots currently have. All the greatest coach of all time stuff comes from the media that has over-hyped the Pats all year long. Also its easy to look good when you play the Dolphins, Jets, and Bills twice a year. Thats six guaranteed wins. The Patriots only broke all of their offensive records this year because they ran the score up after games became meaningless. He is just really lucky that none of his key players were hurt while he overplayed them in meaningless games or when they were up by twenty in the fourth.
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