Reid firing makes Belichick the longest tenured coach in NFL with one team

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Wow, it's going to feel strange when Belichick finally walks away from the game, and I imagine we'll feel like the Dolphins post-Shula or the Steelers post-Noll. With Jeff Fisher leaving Tennessee last year and Andy Reid's firing today, Belichick's run with the Patriots is now the longest in the NFL, plus he has job security that will last until he decides to retire.

Belichick has won 151 games with the Patriots. Next on the list is Coughlin, with 83 wins for the Giants.

 

[ALP]

Wow, it's going to feel strange when Belichick finally walks away from the game, and I imagine we'll feel like the Dolphins post-Shula or the Steelers post-Noll. With Jeff Fisher leaving Tennessee last year and Andy Reid's firing today, Belichick's run with the Patriots is now the longest in the NFL, plus he has job security that will last until he decides to retire.

Belichick has won 151 games with the Patriots. Next on the list is Coughlin, with 83 wins for the Giants.

wow, almost 50% of BB's, impressive for our guy

 

[hellolin]

Funny both of them came out of the same coaching tree

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Wow, it's going to feel strange when Belichick finally walks away from the game, and I imagine we'll feel like the Dolphins post-Shula or the Steelers post-Noll. With Jeff Fisher leaving Tennessee last year and Andy Reid's firing today, Belichick's run with the Patriots is now the longest in the NFL, plus he has job security that will last until he decides to retire.

Belichick has won 151 games with the Patriots. Next on the list is Coughlin, with 83 wins for the Giants.

When you put things in perspective you see that Reid had a successful tenure in Philly. Cowher in Pitt. Dungy in Indy. But nobody! touches BB in terms of 'best coach' of our time, period.... and there is a fair argument to be made he is the best of all time. WW holds onto that pass and Eli is called in the grasp and there isn't even a mainstream argument to be made for others. And that doesn't even count the next several years. The other guys are gone while there is no doubt in my mind that BB will be in that small and elite group of teams vying for another SB (or three ). Hard to believe but signs point to the Patriots being better the next few years than they are this year.....

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Wow, it's going to feel strange when Belichick finally walks away from the game, and I imagine we'll feel like the Dolphins post-Shula or the Steelers post-Noll. With Jeff Fisher leaving Tennessee last year and Andy Reid's firing today, Belichick's run with the Patriots is now the longest in the NFL, plus he has job security that will last until he decides to retire.

Belichick has won 151 games with the Patriots. Next on the list is Coughlin, with 83 wins for the Giants.

Is BB, when he walks away from coaching, done with the Patriots in any official capacity? One of the interesting things about BB is football is more than just his profession, it's part of his essence. This isn't meant to denigrate other NFL coaches -- being an NFL coach is a meat grinder of a profession that requires working insane amount of hours and makes an early trip to the grave (I suspect) a much higher possibility. But when you read up on BB you see football is not only his work, it's his passion, it's his temple.
So when he walks away from coaching, he is now going to sit next to some version of Shannon Sharp and Terry Bradshaw and chat about the day's matchup? Or he is just going to not be part of football at all and truly retire from the game? Neither of those fit the impression I get of who BB is. Which leads me to believe that BB will be part of the Patriots years after he no longer walks the sidelines. Unlike Parcells, I just don't see BB franchise hopping....I see him as a Patriot until he no longer wants to be or the game passes him by.

 

[PYPER]

Seeing Reid get fired after what has been a pretty impressive run in Philly makes me think of how amazing our run under Belichick has been.

I think fans tend to take it for granted, especially younger ones who have never really known anything but success, but winning in this league is extremely difficult.

To consistently be as competitive as we have is remarkable. BB has completely rebuilt this team on the fly while never dipping below the 10 win plateau.

It's a shame we don't have better media personalities covering this team. All we have are angry blow-hards grasping at straws in an attempt to diminish Belichick and/or the fans that love and respect him.

I wish Pats fans would unite to get c.cksuckers like Felger, Borges, and the other haters off the airwaves.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Seeing Reid get fired after what has been a pretty impressive run in Philly makes me think of how amazing our run under Belichick has been.

I think fans tend to take it for granted, especially younger ones who have never really known anything but success, but winning in this league is extremely difficult.

To consistently be as competitive as we have is remarkable. BB has completely rebuilt this team on the fly while never dipping below the 10 win plateau.

It's a shame we don't have better media personalities covering this team. All we have are angry blow-hards grasping at straws in an attempt to diminish Belichick and/or the fans that love and respect him.

I wish Pats fans would unite to get c.cksuckers like Felger, Borges, and the other haters off the airwaves.

Some well said thoughts. I'd add in the 'salary cap era' as making the consistently competitive point even more remarkable. I'd also add, while you're on the mark listing some of the sorry media lops, there are a few such as Reiss that provide some balance against the blow-hards.

 

[Fencer]

BB will keep exactly the job he has for as long as he has the health and energy to do it at a top level. Whether he transitions to a less demanding/more supervisory job with the Patriots will almost certainly be a function of the health circumstances causing him to step away from his current role.

Conversely, I do not think BB's performance will decline because he ages, slows down, and mails it in.

I also do not think BB will lose much ability to innovate as he ages. He'll never be AS innovative as he was early in his Patriots tenure, because then he caught the league by surprise. But he manages an innovation process more than he has lightning-bolt brainstorms, and that's a form of innovation that can persist for as long as you have your full mental faculties.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

He has gone on record saying that he doesn't envision himself coaching into his dotage (70's) as some have. Halberstam felt he would eventually move upstairs. I don't get that sense. He doesn't seem inclined to become that looming presence his predecessor persisted in being (which is part of why he ran screaming from the Jets HC gig). It's the teaching and hands on coaching that still motivates him.

I long felt if he walks away from the NFL grind he might still coach, just on a different level or in a different sport (lacrosse...). He'd suck at the college level because of all the happy horse**** including recruiting. The service academies eliminate that. And Annapolis is where he grew up loving the game. He will likely write about the game and coaching strategy as his dad did and probably collaborate on some fascinating and insightful sure to be bestselling works about the NFL in his time. He'll speak, although not with some cackle of idiot talking heads filling airtime from a studio on Sundays. Maybe he'll do a little off the grid scouting that only one organization (this one or one where his sons work since his kids seem to have inherited the bug) benefits from. Maybe like some former QB's he will open some sort of coaching academy. I think he like Brady will want to remain connected to the game on some level and the desire to pass on knowledge will factor into that.

Eventually the grind will become less rewarding and more demanding than he's still willing to engage in, but I see no signs of that happening any time soon. I think he has several more seasons before it does. And legacy matters to him when all is said and done so he likely has some goals whick he'd be privately thrilled to accomplish that if he continues to have the health and opportunity to persue he will. I think he and Brady are a lot alike in that respect. I think both will anticipate and recognize the end of their road when they approach it and conduct themselves accordingly. They may both remain past peak, but what a peak to be making that decent from. They aren't going to hurtle themselves stubbornly into some god forsaken over the hill valley... They both love to golf and at some point will want more time for that and family and in Bill's case fishing off Nantucket and in Florida.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Some well said thoughts. I'd add in the 'salary cap era' as making the consistently competitive point even more remarkable. I'd also add, while you're on the mark listing some of the sorry media lops, there are a few such as Reiss that provide some balance against the blow-hards.

Balance is all well and good but I have long felt that this entire dynasty got short shrift because of the elitist mentality of the Boston sports media. God forbid they toot the home teams horn however deservingly and be viewed as homer lackey's... They are critics who live to prove how much smarter than their peers and those teams they cover are. Will likely cost a couple of borderline deserving players a shot at the HOF. The nationals increasingly take their lead from locals deemed to be much more knowledgeable about their specific teams. Or from internet entrepreneurs (ever notice how Peter King now refers to his PFF influenced decisions as what "we" think...). One reason the pro bowl voting doesn't work is coaches and players watch less film of non opponents than fans do... So they too become victims of select media spin. Much of which is agenda driven.

 

[goheels22002]

Belichick has a ways to go get the record - George Halas was the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears for 40 years.

 

[DarrylS]

No matter when he retires, see BB as a long time fixture with this team as some type of consultant..

He is smart enough to know that when he does leave, he needs to leave the coaching to his heir....

Everytime I read posts like this, I realize how lucky we are to have hime...

Conceivably he could be #3 in all time wins when he does leave, right behind Shula and Halas.. pretty good company.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

It's a shame we don't have better media personalities covering this team. All we have are angry blow-hards grasping at straws in an attempt to diminish Belichick and/or the fans that love and respect him.

I wish Pats fans would unite to get c.cksuckers like Felger, Borges, and the other haters off the airwaves.

Been watching Deadwood on DVD, Mr Wu?

Let me second the motion.

 

[jmt57]

Seeing Reid get fired after what has been a pretty impressive run in Philly makes me think of how amazing our run under Belichick has been.

I think fans tend to take it for granted, especially younger ones who have never really known anything but success, but winning in this league is extremely difficult.

To consistently be as competitive as we have is remarkable. BB has completely rebuilt this team on the fly while never dipping below the 10 win plateau.

It's a shame we don't have better media personalities covering this team. All we have are angry blow-hards grasping at straws in an attempt to diminish Belichick and/or the fans that love and respect him.

I wish Pats fans would unite to get c.cksuckers like Felger, Borges, and the other haters off the airwaves.

I'm going to disagree somewhat with the bolded portion. There is a vocal minority on the radio and television, but they're just following the standard format for sports talk on those two mediums - stir the pot with a a controversial comment, go against the grain with contrary opinions, and fuel debate.

Once you get past Felger, Borges, and those that cover other sports (Mazz, Ryan, Gasper, Shaughnessy), consider the choices you have for news and analysis from Pats beat writers:

- espnBoston: Mike Reiss, Field Yates, Mike Rodak and Tedy Bruschi
- Globe: Greg Bedard, Shalise Manza Young, Monique Walker, Eric Wilbur
- Herald: Jeff Howe, Karen Guregian, Matt Chatham
- weei.com: Christopher Price, Kirk Minihane, Gary Marbry
- nesn.com: Doug Kyed, Luke Hughes, Jen Slothower
- csnne.com: Tom Curran, Mary Paoletti, Danny Picard, Phil Perry
- Patriots.com: Andy Hart, Fred Kirsch, Paul Perillo, Erik Scalavino
- Springfield Republican/masslive.com/CBS Sports: Mick Underhill

There are probably also a few other that I missed, but the bottom line is that the number of quality reporters and analysts far outweighs the number of debbie downers. After having traveled quite a bit with my former job I would say that we as fans are extremely fortunate to have so many good writers following the team, in comparison to just about any other team or market.


As far as getting people like Felger and Mazz off the radio, the only way that's going to happen is if people not only stop listening, but also stop talking about him.

(On a side note, does Felger still believe that the cap is crap, and that the patriots should emulate the Jets front office when it comes to player contracts?)

 

[NormZauchin]

Is BB, when he walks away from coaching, done with the Patriots in any official capacity? One of the interesting things about BB is football is more than just his profession, it's part of his essence. This isn't meant to denigrate other NFL coaches -- being an NFL coach is a meat grinder of a profession that requires working insane amount of hours and makes an early trip to the grave (I suspect) a much higher possibility. But when you read up on BB you see football is not only his work, it's his passion, it's his temple.
So when he walks away from coaching, he is now going to sit next to some version of Shannon Sharp and Terry Bradshaw and chat about the day's matchup? Or he is just going to not be part of football at all and truly retire from the game? Neither of those fit the impression I get of who BB is. Which leads me to believe that BB will be part of the Patriots years after he no longer walks the sidelines. Unlike Parcells, I just don't see BB franchise hopping....I see him as a Patriot until he no longer wants to be or the game passes him by.

I can just see BB, in retirement, seated with that group of blowhards, Sharp, Bradshaw, etc., when the camera finally turns to him --- "It is what it is."