Read Patriots Reign. I never said they weren't great players. I fact since I could not stand the QB they were my boys and turned me into a lover of defense in the Parcell's years. At the end of the 2002 season when they did their player evaluations the coaches glossed over Milloy assuming he was unquestionable. Bill then challenged them to find A SINGLE impact play he had made all season. Much to their chagrin, they could not. That is why he was asked to take a pay cut. I'm sure Bill also hoped to light a fire under him. But that was not the case and he refused to take the cut all along and was cut at the last minute for that reason. Broke Bill's heart because like many of us he loved Milloy and what he potentially represented. Only he found out he wasn't as all in as he'd led everyone to believe. Lawyer even admitted as much after his first season in Buffalo. Said he was immature at the time and learned from the experience. Only by then it was too little too late. Which is why his career went downhill from the day he walked out that door.
Law never represented a threat in the clubhouse because he didn't care about the abstract, he just cared about Ty Law. He was never a mentor or emotional leader, just ask Herm... As long as he got paid he was fine. Tinker with his phony contract and he was berserk. That is also why Bill could forgive his outbursts. He knew it was strictly financially bruised personal ego doing the talking. And as I said Ty had continued to play at a high level. Even after he was injured Bill wanted him back, at a reasonable price, because he knew Ty would get after it because of that pride and within this system that would make a difference. I never wanted him to leave and would have welcomed him back at almost any point, as obviously would Bill have since he kept trying to sign him, until his off season act, like the player, finally just got old. But in 2005 they could not keep him at a cap hit of $12M and that was simply a fact.