Amnorix

Today's article with Dr. Z was focused on Bill Parcells, but is also very relevant to the way Belichick builds teams, I think. He doesn't seem to draft linebackers high (yet), but certainly alot of other "tough positions" like TE, OLine and DLine have gotten alot of draft pick attention. Here's the most relevant quote:

One afternoon I was sitting in the lobby of the Arizona Biltmore, the site of the meetings, waiting to talk to someone, when Parcells came over. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. No, hell no, I didn't mind.

He just started talking, kind of a stream of consciousness thing. He talked about the kind of teams he tried to build with the Giants, how he always put more value on the tough positions, linebacker, tight end. It was an unusual and revealing part of himself.

"I'll bet you can remember every tight end and linebacker I ever had there," he said, "but you can't remember the DB's and wide receivers I had on my Super Bowl teams."

I tried. A few names drifted up ... Mark Collins, Mark Haynes, Bobby Johnson, Phil McConkey, but nothing I could really nail. He was right, as usual. So we talked for a while, the philosophy of building personnel, some of the game's trends, his particular likes and dislikes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...arcells/1.html

RayClay

I hope "yet" is the operative word.

Parcells influenced the picks of McGinest, Bruschi and T.J., no doubt and we need an infusion of youth and talent now IMO.

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Amnorix

I absolutely agree.

Based on his statements in the past, I think BB also influenced the Bruschi pick, which was in the '96 draft -- his one year with the Pats during the Parcells era.

cstjohn17

Hopefully we can draft a Carl banks type player...