Parcells on the Pats

[Ivan]

Will McDonough

I have heard both sides when it comes to McDonough, so i'm not sure where you were going with this? Shaugnessy and Borges are perfect examples imo, both are far more driven by their feuds and biases than they are by any sense of professionalism.

 

[Jackson 2]

I have heard both sides when it comes to McDonough, so i'm not sure where you were going with this? Shaugnessy and Borges are perfect examples imo, both are far more driven by their feuds and biases than they are by any sense of professionalism.

Willie was a terrific writer, in my opinion, but he was prone to letting personal biases influence his work. In fairness, I think all writers do that to some extent, but the real pros, I think, keep it to a minimum. McDonough loved Parcells, although they had a falling out over Willie's coverage of Parcells "premature" departure from the Pats. McDonough also had his famous moment in 1979 when he punched Pats DB Raymond Claiborne in the dressing room.

 

[RayClay]

Willie was a terrific writer, in my opinion, but he was prone to letting personal biases influence his work. In fairness, I think all writers do that to some extent, but the real pros, I think, keep it to a minimum. McDonough loved Parcells, although they had a falling out over Willie's coverage of Parcells "premature" departure from the Pats. McDonough also had his famous moment in 1979 when he punched Pats DB Raymond Claiborne in the dressing room.

McDonough had contacts and information in an era when it was hard to find. There were legitimate reasons for his biases (he got to leak stuff from people who knew and made them look good in return. Old time journalism).

Borges did the same, to a certain extent, by camping out around disgruntled players to get info (which mostly stopped with Belichick).

CHB is just a hacky gossip columinist and "humorist". After twenty or thirty years writing about football (not primarily, but...) he admits to knowing nothing about the sport when cornered.

 

[signbabybrady]

We may be spoiled but if it makes him feel better it is no thanks to him and BB is so much better than BP.

 

[Off The Grid]

Yes. Google: "Shaughnessy denied admission to Patriots breakfast" and you'll see Bruce Allen's reference to it in his 12/5/12 BSM piece.

That's all I'm finding, though: a tangential, Linkless reference to an alleged snub at the 1998 Super Bowl...one we weren't in. I'd love something more substantial than that, if you have it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I have heard both sides when it comes to McDonough, so i'm not sure where you were going with this? Shaugnessy and Borges are perfect examples imo, both are far more driven by their feuds and biases than they are by any sense of professionalism.

Will was a Parcells rump swab. Not a fan of Bob Kraft q.v. his attempt to build a stadium in South Boston.

 

[Tunescribe]

I've only been around since the Patriots were a dominant team since I'm 15 but I definitely agree that we as Boston fans are spoiled. I constantly see kids in my school posting on twitter, facebook or any other website wow Boston has really sucked for sports this year, after all 4 major teams made the playoffs. It actually aggravates me a lot. I hope people would be more grateful for the teams we have here in New England because for cities like kansas city they havent seen championships in a long long time

It's encouraging to see a young fan like you adopt a wise perspective. I only hope the "Brady choked" crowd here can do the same.

 

[Jackson 2]

That's all I'm finding, though: a tangential, Linkless reference to an alleged snub at the 1998 Super Bowl...one we weren't in. I'd love something more substantial than that, if you have it.

Yeah, sorry that's all there seems to be. I remember years ago when it happened and, of course there wasn't much Internet/social media (pre-2000.) My recollection is that I heard Danny boy asked about it on the radio and he went ballistic on the Krafts. Sorry I can't give you more, but trust me, it happened. Explains some things, doesn't it?

 

[Mike the Brit]

lol. Says I need 99 of these

to read the article by shank.

Wouldn't spend one.

I waited most of 24 of 25 years to see the Pats in the big game and had to watch a slaughter. I love the fact we keep building and competing every single year. Every single year. We never concede a year due to injuries or circumstance. Three times we left 31 teams in the dust.

That's not normal. If you think it is, you are spoiled.

Of course the Celtics, without the ability to buy championships (see Yankees) is on another planet, but most teams have a few years they compete and years more to even get to that level.

Well, I'm a subscriber and here are a couple of sentences:

"Pay attention Patriots fans: As much as the Krafts would like to get credit for all the good things that have happened to the franchise in the last 20 years, it was Bill Parcells -- not Bob, Jonathan, Hoodie or Tom -- who changed the culture of the Patriots. ... The passage of time and the Krafts' insatiable hunger to be credited with everything good has dimmed fans' memories of Parcells' impact."

It's good to think of that twerp suffering as his innards are gnawed away by bitterness and resentment. Long may the Patriots' success feed it!

 

[Gumby]

Well, I'm a subscriber and here are a couple of sentences:

"........., it was Bill Parcells -- not Bob, Jonathan, Hoodie or Tom -- who changed the culture of the Patriots. ... The passage of time and the Krafts' insatiable hunger to be credited with everything good has dimmed fans' memories of Parcells' impact."

........!

What a TOOL and I wonder if listerine will ever get that much taste of BP's member out of his mouth.

Ok, BP helped turn the franchise around from early 90s depths; but crediting him for success that occurred STARTING 5 YEARS after his departure is a bit of a stretch. Plenty of other teams have gone through 2 up and down SIN curves in that same time.

And to accuse the Krafts of SEEKING CREDIT; exactly HOW? They are given credit. by any sane reader of the facts. ( The guy threw BORROWED MONEY on the table to pay a 50% PREMIUM for a team that SUKKED. And he stuck with it til he found the method to success. 3rd times the charm with the coach. ) I have never once read or heard anything that would lead me to believe B Kraft (or his son) was out there grand-standign to get credit for somehting.

what a DOUCHE.

 

[ausbacker]

Spoilt or not even Parcells has to acknowledge that every year you don't win the Superbowl is another year you won't get back in Tom Brady's career. That's why some people are incredibly precious. They don't know how long this period of sheer awesomeness is going to last.

 

[Mike the Brit]

What a TOOL and I wonder if listerine will ever get that much taste of BP's member out of his mouth.

Ok, BP helped turn the franchise around from early 90s depths; but crediting him for success that occurred STARTING 5 YEARS after his departure is a bit of a stretch. Plenty of other teams have gone through 2 up and down SIN curves in that same time.

And to accuse the Krafts of SEEKING CREDIT; exactly HOW? They are given credit. by any sane reader of the facts. ( The guy threw BORROWED MONEY on the table to pay a 50% PREMIUM for a team that SUKKED. And he stuck with it til he found the method to success. 3rd times the charm with the coach. ) I have never once read or heard anything that would lead me to believe B Kraft (or his son) was out there grand-standign to get credit for somehting.

what a DOUCHE.

Indeed -- welcome to the wonderful world of the Boston sports media.

Me, it makes me thankful: thankful for the Kraft family, thankful for BB, thankful for the closed-gates media policy, and thankful for the decent sports journalists who do their best to do an honest job -- Reiss, Bedard, SMY, for example. That this person has written a kiss-and-tell expose of the Red Sox doesn't surprise me. He and baseball deserve each other.

 

[BigMike]

well Ol Bill P has made it into the Hall of Fame tonight. Wonder who will present him? Might it be BB?

 

[IndianPat]

Patriots have a built a team that could gone to the Super Bowl this year. Fans know that. Such knowledge is not "spoiled". Expecting great things out of a dominant kick ass team is not "spoiled". It is not as if we are not appreciative. Of course we are. I expect this team to be the No# 1 contender for the Super Bowl next year. That makes me spoiled?

 

[scout]

Patriots have a built a team that could gone to the Super Bowl this year. Fans know that. Such knowledge is not "spoiled". Expecting great things out of a dominant kick ass team is not "spoiled". It is not as if we are not appreciative. Of course we are. I expect this team to be the No# 1 contender for the Super Bowl next year. That makes me spoiled?

No NFL team has done what the Patriots have done in the salary cap era. Currently, it looks like the 49er's have something special. Watch and see if they can have a run for over a decade. Log on to this discussion board after a Patriots loss and there is plenty of evidence of New England fans are spoiled.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I love this team even though I left MA many years ago. I can remember a lot of mediocrity and a lot of awful teams and it was painful. The poster that mentioned the fact that there was no internet or social media is right too. There was a time when I had to go to my schools library and read a couple of lines in the USA Today to find out what was going on. I would stay up late to watch a few highlights on the news since most games were not shown here. Winning is not a birthright.

 

[DarrylStingley]

Parcells indeed had a huge role in turning the Pats around and BB comes from the Parcells tree. So we do have a debt of gratitude to him.

But I don't forgive him for what he did in 1996. The packers were good but we've seen lots of upsets over the years. I have no doubt that the distraction that his dalliance with the Jets caused did not help the Patriots in their preparation for that game. It was so unfair that a coach who had preached "no I in team" then allowed himself to be a negative or potential negative heading into the Super Bowl. He also totally ruined the vibe in the two weeks going into that game.

Parcells' line about Pats fans being spoiled -- a very popular refrain and one perpetuated by Brady -- is utter BS. Two things are true. One, we're incredibly grateful for the SBs, the golden era that we're still in, the fact that we have a HOF HC/QB combo and that we get to watch relevant football into January of every season. Two, when the Pats lose, and particularly when they don't play well and seem to have been outcoached, it's incredibly disappointing. What do people expect? Pats fans to say "darn, I'm bummed about the loss but I am very appreciative and, in fact, I'm so appreciative that I will not analyze the game or question any plays or decisions?"

It would be nice if someone in the media one day rebutted the easy storyline about Pats fans being these spoiled brats. Being aware that your team is good, and has the chance to win it all, is just a different perspective. And it's one that we should have; it is what it is. Again, I get that fans in Cleveland have much more to complain about. That doesn't change the fact that Pats offense bogged down in the last game after averaging 35 points a game. It doesn't change the fact that the team got no takeaways in the last game. Lamenting those things just means that I'm very disappointed that a team that very well could have one another SB did not. It doesn't at all mean that I don't appreciate what I have.

The other storyline that is ridiculous is the continual criticism of the crowd at Gillette. Don't people realize that the open air stadium and open ends makes all the noise escape? Seattle fans would have trouble making noise if their stadium didn't hang over like it does. And the Putnam seats? Sure people are slower to come out after half time but by the 13:30 mark of the second half the place is full. I sat there twice last season and have sat all over that Stadium over time. The intensity of the fans in the Club seats is just fine and not different than in other parts of the Stadium.

 

[IllegalContact]

Parcells ego is a bit much and there was too much bs in his no bs approach.

I'm not spoiled..... I'm ready for the next phase of the teams history..... I've seen this version more than 'remember the titans' and its getting redundant

Parcells indeed had a huge role in turning the Pats around and BB comes from the Parcells tree. So we do have a debt of gratitude to him.

But I don't forgive him for what he did in 1996. The packers were good but we've seen lots of upsets over the years. I have no doubt that the distraction that his dalliance with the Jets caused did not help the Patriots in their preparation for that game. It was so unfair that a coach who had preached "no I in team" then allowed himself to be a negative or potential negative heading into the Super Bowl. He also totally ruined the vibe in the two weeks going into that game.

Last: The mantra about Pats fans being spoiled is pure BS. What are we supposed to do when they lose? Say "damn I'm grateful for all the good times; I have no further comment and will not question anything that just happened"?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Watched my first Patriots game in 1977 and went through some pretty lean years.

Still I spent all my free time as a man in his 20s during those bad years in the 80s and early 90s,still cheering on a team that seemed destined to lose before the kickoff even began.

Despite the poor performances and seasons over a period of 2 decades of up and very down years,I proudly displayed my enormous love for the team throughout with proudly wearing the Pat Patriot logo on Jackets,hats ect: while being mocked here in Pa by football fans here since the Pats were a laughingstock of the NFL at those times.

Younger fans today have absolutely no idea of how hard it was to love a team that won 7 games in 2 years back then.

....hopefully the younger fans here and abroad will never have to endure what we as older fans went though back then,but when the day comes and this team is mediocre again,the real fans will once again rise to the top and still root on the team,while the bandwagoners acting as true fans right NOW will find another better team to root for and jump over to.

 

[terabthia2]

It's not that I feel spoiled. I appreciate all the great things that have come through this incredible run. We will not see anything else like it in our lifetimes. The only thing for me is that I just want that ONE MORE, just so we can shut up a few "They haven't won since Cameragate" haters. Not all of them, certainly, cuz haters are gonna hate no matter what. But no matter what we'll always have those LEGITIMATE three rings. The Patriots don't have to prove anything to anybody re Cameragate, but just getting that ONE MORE would really get that damn monkey off our backs once and for all.

That's the only reason the losses in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and this year sting a little more than they should. But, believe me, I know and am aware of how hard it is simply do what they all those years, and that is something truly special indeed.

Congrats to The Tuna for getting in the HOF.