The Unwritten Rule - going after your ex-team's FAs...

[patsox23]

We heard a lot about this "unwritten rule" back when Mangini left (and talked to impending Patriots FAs like Matt Chatham on the flight back from Indy), and when Parcells made a point of saying he wouldn't go after Adam Vinatieri in free agency. It's not something that everyone adheres to, but it's certainly been a spoke in the Parcells/Belichick wheel of The Way It's Done. This, of course, doesn't extend to players who have been released, but in terms of guys who are FAs that the TEAM YOU JUST LEFT may plausibly be trying to bring back into the fold, it seems to be a point of honor.

Since Mangini's ex-Patriot tenure turned so quickly sour, it's easy for us to remember and focus on the iffy things he did, the alleged Branch tampering, the recruitment of players and coaches on the flight back from Indy, the stealing laptops and playbooks, the getting locked out of Gillette, etc... But something I'm wondering about - especially in light of the Kumbaya-flavored departure of Josh McDaniels (as close to a "son" Belichick has in the NFL) - is...Why did McDaniels, with not even a whiff of controversy (yet) go so aggressively after two guys who, while not impact players, were certainly among the Patriots FA class that one might plausibly assume the team might try to keep - Lonie Paxton and Jabar Gaffney.

Given the fact that this is the first I've/we've read about it - IOW, no stories whatsoever on this topic - and given the fact that this "unwritten rule" seems to most definitely exist, even if only for "The Parcells/Belichick Tree(s)," do you suppose these particular players were discussed by BB and McDaniels prior to Josh leaving town? Do you think he had Belichick's blessing to go so fast and hard after those guys?

I say this while fully acknowledging that those aren't major players, 'though I'd argue BOTH are more impactful than Matt Chatham was back when Mangini took off for jersey, and that caused quite a stink in and around the AFC East.

Thoughts?

 

[Wildo7]

tough to speculate without knowing what went on between McD and BB. For all we know BB could have given the moves his blessing or it could have been the straw that broke the camel's back in the three way deal. Not enough info to decide either way at this point.

My gut tells me that McD probably wouldn't have gone out of his way to cross BB so quickly.

 

[mayoclinic]

Rex Ryan has been much more aggressive than McDaniels about targetting his ex-teams FAs: Bart Scott and Corey Ivy signed, and Jim Leonhard rumored to be on the way.

 

[cstjohn17]

I think Magini was trying to take players and coaches well he was still employed by the Patriots... and he went to the Jets.. I hope BB thanked Eric for taking Chatham, he was brutal.

 

[patsox23]

My gut tells me that McD probably wouldn't have gone out of his way to cross BB so quickly.

That's my instinct, as well. Just though it was interesting.

 

[Jimke]

tough to speculate without knowing what went on between McD and BB. For all we know BB could have given the moves his blessing or it could have been the straw that broke the camel's back in the three way deal. Not enough info to decide either way at this point.

My gut tells me that McD probably wouldn't have gone out of his way to cross BB so quickly.

BB was not in any hurry re-signing these players last year. They

both received only one year contracts.

 

[Kontradiction]

My guess is that BB gave McDaniels his blessing to do so. If he didn't, we'll be hearing about it on ESPN and the Truth and Rumor section of SI pretty soon (like, within the next couple of days).

 

[37Harrison]

Maybe bescause BB has players in line to replace Gaffnery and Lonie on the cheap and didn't care?

I can't think of a player who would replace Lonie but Sam Aiken was coming on more and more at the end of the year and Gaff was (IMO) slipping (that missed Indy catch really hurt them).

Speculation at best of course.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think Magini was trying to take players and coaches well he was still employed by the Patriots... and he went to the Jets.. I hope BB thanked Eric for taking Chatham, he was brutal.

Agreed. I thought the taboo was going after coaches. Players were fair game. Either way, it's one of those situations that providing you still have open line of communication with your ex-boss, things can work out amicably (RAC getting Willie Mac and Jeff Davidson). I'm not 100% sure but RAC and BB are still pretty close.

Mangini blew up his bridge so any unwritten code was thrown out the window.

 

[zoostation]

It was the flight back from ''Denver'' that Man-kok tried to make his underhanded deals. This is the biggest reason I hate Man-Gina. SkyGate was and is overblown as they all tape (just from different areas of the stadium).

 

[AllabouttheVinces]

Unwritten rule? What are you watching? Parcells brings in "his guys" wherever he goes. It's what everybody does.

 

[jmt57]

My guess is that BB gave McDaniels his blessing to do so. If he didn't, we'll be hearing about it on ESPN and the Truth and Rumor section of SI pretty soon (like, within the next couple of days).

I would expect something up there soon (if not already there) regardless of whether or not BB gave McDaniels his blessing.

 

[jmt57]

Unwritten rule? What are you watching? Parcells brings in "his guys" wherever he goes. It's what everybody does.

You beat me to it, I was thinking the same exact thing.

 

[patsox23]

Unwritten rule? What are you watching? Parcells brings in "his guys" wherever he goes. It's what everybody does.

Picking up cuts, yes. Trades for "his guys?" Sure. But competing for the FAs that his former team is interested in signing? Never. It's a hard and fast rule. He simply doesn't do it. He's been pretty outspoken about this, too. Not sure how you missed it.

 

[spacecrime]

Picking up cuts, yes. Trades for "his guys?" Sure. But competing for the FAs that his former team is interested in signing? Never. It's a hard and fast rule. He simply doesn't do it. He's been pretty outspoken about this, too. Not sure how you missed it.

Never? Curtis Martin says Hi.

 

[Brettlax3434]

Never? Curtis Martin says Hi.

Parcells left NE and went to the Jets; thus, by signing Martin he was not crossing any coaches he worked with. The unwritten rule is an agreement between the coaches in the Parcells line, not the teams.

 

[Gunnails]

First off Mangini did nothing wrong.

I not buying into the unwritten law thing, BB took most of the Jets staff with him when he quit on Hess.

As noted Rex Ryan is bringing multiple FAs and coaches from the Ravens.

It's a business, I think most all successful Coaches and GMs understand that.

 

[Jimke]

Never? Curtis Martin says Hi.

The Patriots asked for it on the Martin thing. They never made him a

legitimate offer. They thought that he had a serious abdominal injury.

Obviously, they were dead wrong.

 

[Fencer]

Any such rule is BS. Players have limited enough employment opportunities as is.

Of all the things BB has gotten pilloried for in the press, the one that most lowered my opinion of him was the Garrett Mills story -- except that considering the source, I doubt whether it's true.

 

[Patjew]

Picking up cuts, yes. Trades for "his guys?" Sure. But competing for the FAs that his former team is interested in signing? Never. It's a hard and fast rule. He simply doesn't do it. He's been pretty outspoken about this, too. Not sure how you missed it.

Didn't Big Bill grab Martin on his way to the NYJ??

And didn't BB bring some Jets with him to the Pats? Maybe Bobby Hamilton? I'm not so sure about that...