This from Dan Banks on SI.com:
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The Moss trade will only feed the perception that perhaps Belichick is gearing up for one more Super Bowl title in an attempt to go out on top. Speculation has swirled for most of the past year that Belichick might be done in Foxboro after the 2007 season. Either he's ready for a different challenge and a monstrous payday elsewhere, or he just feels he's close to having maxed out his time in New England and wants to leave on his own terms.
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What a load of B.S. This is entirely irresponsible journalism. The only thing that is feeding the perception that Belichick is looking to leave is idiots like Don Banks who insist on feeding the perception.
Don, if Belichick was looking for one last hurrah, why trade a first rounder into 2008? How could that possibly help? And, exactly what about the Moss trade makes you think that he's sacrificing the future for one last run at it? The fact that he gave up a 4th rounder? Yeah, I can see how that's pretty steep for a once-in-a-generation talent.
Belichick has been working for years to put the Pats in a position where they can afford to make deals like this, accumulating a depth of talent at all positions, saying no to players like Milloy, Law and Branch to manage the cap space, putting a coaching and scouting team together, stockpiling draft picks to leverage when the opportunity presents, and accumulating a veteran core that has the resiliency to tackle a headcase like Moss and feel that they can actually tame him, and the professional credibility that would convince Moss to renegotiate his contract. None of that comes easily.
Belichick knows that this is a Golden Age for football in Foxboro, and it's a wave largely of his own making. Why would he bail now, just when things are getting really interesting? He knows, better than anyone, the team's future is brighter now than it has ever been. "One last hurrah" is absolutely preposterous.
Where does this stuff come from?
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