I posted this Sept 22nd

[Iron Helmet]

Lets get one thing straight. I am a Patriots fan. However, this does not blind me to what I see on the weekends, and trying to call it like I see it.

I am still at a loss for words as to why Bill B. is handing the wheel of a well oiled machine comprised of personnel he has been assembling since he got here to a kid who hasn't played since high school. To me this is almost insulting to all the players that "play for less" to be a part of this organization in order to win. Soooo, I can only come up with 2 possibilities:

1. Billy B is drunk on his own Kool Aid, and thinks he can use a "plug and play" philosophy because its all his "system" that has resulted in the Pats success, not the players; or

2. Matt Cassel does things in practice that make them all go ooo, and aaah...stuff that we, as fans, cannot see...

I am starting to lean towards 1, however, I am willing to wait it out, as Billy B has earned that much and then some.

I got hated on...If Cassel doesn't improve, I'll be expecting some of you to come looking for your plate of crow. This is Brady's team, not Bill's. Hey Bill...the Experiment is over.

 

[dtbrks]

I got hated on...If Cassel doesn't improve, I'll be expecting some of you to come looking for your plate of crow. This is Brady's team, not Bill's. Hey Bill...the Experiment is over.

Ok.. some of it i agree with, and I have posted this about 10 times tonight..
TO ME:
Brady is the heart of the team.
BB is still the brains.
You need both. BB has put tom in position to win and grow as a player and Tom has put BB in position to trust his QB and make some daring calls.

 

[Iron Helmet]

Billy B. definitely has the brains for the game. However, I have a feeling he has over valued his abilities. He needed to respect Tommy B. more by having a capable backup. Having a bunch of mid to low tiered QBs waiting in the wings is almost insulting to the impact BRady had on this team.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I got hated on...If Cassel doesn't improve, I'll be expecting some of you to come looking for your plate of crow. This is Brady's team, not Bill's. Hey Bill...the Experiment is over.

Let's assume I grant all of your points for the sake of argument. Specifically, what should BB and Pioli have done differently? Whom should they have had on the roster? Whom should they have let go to make room under the cap for that person? How would he have done better? Specifically, with names, not words.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I don't think he's been disrespectful to Brady, at all. It's just there really aren't that many great back-up quarterbacks lying around. Hell, look at the starting QBs for half the teams in this league - they're awful.

Bill has made a decision to draft low-draft QBs and try to groom them into back-ups, rather than deal with guys like Tim Rattay,Chris Simms, etc., whose flaws are well known and probably aren't going to do any better than the guys you draft. Hell, look at Carolina's problems over the last few years for how far an experienced back-up will get you.

I don't think Bill is sold as Cassel as the next Brady, but what were the other options? I think he was hoping to squeak by with one more year and groom KO into a better one. It didn't happen, and now he's hoping that Cassel will develop into a serviceable spare part. But that's going to take time.

The only thing that Brady had coming in in 2001 was his poise. He lost some games, and he lost some ugly ones. But he got up, got better, and made a miracle happen.

Is Cassel going to do that - probably not. But certainly not if you chuck him out after a couple of bad games.

So before you go ripping on Bill, I'm just curious who the experienced back-up is that was going to come in and sit behind Brady for years, with no shot at being a starter, and would now lead this team to another Super Bowl?

 

[WhiZa]

The thing is it takes much longer for a QB to understand the system and only Cassel has that experience which is what gives him the nod. Bring in anyone else and there is that learning curve.

 

[Iron Helmet]

Let's assume I grant all of your points for the sake of argument. Specifically, what should BB and Pioli have done differently? Whom should they have had on the roster? Whom should they have let go to make room under the cap for that person? How would he have done better? Specifically, with names, not words.

I'm no expert on knowing who was available over the past 7-8 years, but here are a few folks that I know were available at some time over the past 6 months.

Jeff Garcia
David Carr
Gus Ferrote
Brian Griese

Any of which are light years ahead of Cassel.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Jeff Garcia
David Carr
Gus Ferrote
Brian Griese

Any of which are light years ahead of Cassel.

All of whom wanted to go where there was a chance they could compete for the starter job, or thought that things were shaky enough at the top that they might get that chance in the near future. The places they went, when they went, were very different than the prospect of sitting behind Brady.

 

[Iron Helmet]

All of whom wanted to go where there was a chance they could compete for the starter job, or thought that things were shaky enough at the top that they might get that chance in the near future. The places they went, when they went, were very different than the prospect of sitting behind Brady.

yeah. David Carr was going to get a shot at starting in NY

 

[mike_usagisan]

yeah. David Carr was going to get a shot at starting in NY

Well, you're right on that one (I thought he joined the year before), but would you really want him starting for you? Frankly, I see more upside on the guy who hasn't played since high school and at least knows the Pat's offense through several years.

 

[Rob0729]

Was it still Brady's team in 2002 when the Pats were lucky to finish 9-7 and missed the playoffs or did Bill take the team over that year from Brady?

Did Brady relinquish the reigns again in the first half of 2005 when the Pats the Pats went 4-4 including a blow out loss to the Chargers 41-17 only to take them back the second half of the season and go 6-2 the rest of the way?

Or how about 2003 when the defense led the league in almost every category, but the offense was average at best? Did Brady play defense that year?

This is the most ridiculous thread ever. Yes, Brady a HUGE part of the success of this past decade, but so did Belichick. It isn't like this team didn't have its own rough patched during the Brady era when Brady was actually playing.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Well, you're right on that one (I thought he joined the year before), but would you really want him starting for you? Frankly, I see more upside on the guy who hasn't played since high school and at least knows the Pat's offense through several years.

You're new here so let me give you some advice. Just understand you're wasting your time (and probably a few valuable brain cells) on our whining game day armchair geniuses. Who btw were not nearly as visible or vocal last week...

 

[Iron Helmet]

You're new here so let me give you some advice. Just understand you're wasting your time (and probably a few valuable brain cells) on our whining game day armchair geniuses. Who btw were not nearly as visible or vocal last week...

This arm chair genius posted this Sept 22nd, and have been vocal about not supporting Cassel as the leader of this team long ago. Next time try reading the subject line...you arm chair genius you.

By the way, any arm chair genius can tell you the Pats haven't played a team with an entrenched QB until last night. We've won against the likes of Brodie Croyle/Damon Huard, JT O'Sullivan, Pennington with like 3 weeks of experience in the Miami system, Farve (who has minimal experience in the Jets system). Wake up!!

 

[Clonamery]

This arm chair genius posted this Sept 22nd, and have been vocal about not supporting Cassel as the leader of this team long ago. Next time try reading the subject line...you arm chair genius you.

By the way, any arm chair genius can tell you the Pats haven't played a team with an entrenched QB until last night. We've won against the likes of Brodie Croyle/Damon Huard, JT O'Sullivan, Pennington with like 3 weeks of experience in the Miami system, Farve (who has minimal experience in the Jets system). Wake up!!

The grass is always greener....take a walk, genius.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

This arm chair genius posted this Sept 22nd, and have been vocal about not supporting Cassel as the leader of this team long ago.

Ergo, there's nothing new under the helmet and your inability to see the improvement of Matt Cassel is a personal choice. The true beauty of this decision is how you are completely blind to the fact that you have already been proven wrong. There is a certain piquant flavor to the irony when viewed with your user name. Best wishes with the blood pressure.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I got hated on...If Cassel doesn't improve, I'll be expecting some of you to come looking for your plate of crow. This is Brady's team, not Bill's. Hey Bill...the Experiment is over.

Mama's calling you to brsuh your teeth and wash behind your ears before you get dressed for Kindergarten...

You just might graduate after four years of trying...:singing:

 

[maryjane]

Mama's calling you to brsuh your teeth and wash behind your ears before you get dressed for Kindergarten...

You just might graduate after four years of trying...:singing:

What's with the gratuitious insult?

Maybe he's wrong and Cassel is all that (I think he probably will be, but I was sure of it before the game), but that doesn't mean he's a lousy person for expressing doubts.

It's almost as though you should be beaten for writing what you wrote.

 

[Patjew]

Ergo, there's nothing new under the helmet and your inability to see the improvement of Matt Cassel is a personal choice. The true beauty of this decision is how you are completely blind to the fact that you have already been proven wrong. There is a certain piquant flavor to the irony when viewed with your user name. Best wishes with the blood pressure.

Hey, who ya callin' "Ergo"?

 

[Iron Helmet]

Ergo, there's nothing new under the helmet and your inability to see the improvement of Matt Cassel is a personal choice. The true beauty of this decision is how you are completely blind to the fact that you have already been proven wrong. There is a certain piquant flavor to the irony when viewed with your user name. Best wishes with the blood pressure.

Inability to see improvement? Are you kidding? Hey, Spazola, the guys with the lighting bolts on the helmets are NOT the Patriots!!

Cassel can't throw anything that requires him to make a read.

A bit of info for ya...when he was running 7 or 8 times yesterday, it was because he was sh!tting his draws because he couldn't make a read. Rookies running is a sign of confusion.

The only irony is a guy called "Iron Helmet" is doing the educating here. Save your literary musings for another board.

 

[stcjones]

Billy B. definitely has the brains for the game. However, I have a feeling he has over valued his abilities. He needed to respect Tommy B. more by having a capable backup. Having a bunch of mid to low tiered QBs waiting in the wings is almost insulting to the impact BRady had on this team.

He needed to respect Tommy B. more by having a capable backup."

I would take it one step further and say that he should have had more awareness regarding the fact that Tom is the heart, soul, and in a large part, the GUTS of this team....and BB should have seen that.....and at least lined up some good backup to come in if gawd forbid something happened to Tom......I think that if this team had CONFIDENCE in the backup right now and felt like he could LEAD them to victory.....they would be more cohesive and overall would play better.....There is so much psychology to sports.....