The only adage that has any currency at the moment is “what have you done for me today?”. The focus on the present, and only the present, gives the media the mandate to focus on the sensational while amplifying the trivial and mundane. Past and future, history and strategy, therefore have little marketability or interest, and that is why they are rarely addressed in print or broadcast.
However stepping back and viewing the Patriots since 2000, the KBP management team have excelled like few others in sport let alone the NFL. I see nothing in the latest free agency activities that suggest that the Patriots are doing anything different than before. Kraft, Belichick and Pioli have always run the operation as a business and planned and executed with Jack Welch efficiency. They have a planning cycle that determines needs, analyses appropriate actions, and executes “according to a comprehensive plan”, for short, mid and long term objectives. That approach has brought New England 3 Superbowls, but also a consistent and genuine interest in the post season, and this is largely forgotten by the media. Even in their worst year (other than the building year 2000) they almost got to the big dance in 2002.
The most impressive aspect of all this however is the obvious attention to detail and policy that keeps the enterprise prosperous. Last year, in my mind, laid the foundation for the free agency machinations that we are seeing now. Thanks to the media at the time I too was uncomfortable with the loss of Willie, Adam, Givens and most of all by Branch. But KBP stood firm - they maintained their policy of paying for value, withstood the criticisms and almost made it back to the Superbowl, falling 1 minute short. And guess what? - it wasn’t for lack of the boot or the glove. They fell short by that small margin because of defense, not that the planned one was poor - but it was riddled by injury (one of the highest teams with players on IR) flu and heat exhaustion (thank Polian for that masterstroke). You could even argue, and many have, that the fall of the dice on some of the refereeing decisions were all that stood in the way of that trip to Miami.
Now here we are today and those decisions not to re-sign those fan favorites have given us the cap room to improve on the areas that are needed to get to Arizona. I can only speculate on what the total salary cost would be for those 4 had the front office given in to their desires - but I would be willing to suggest somewhere in the region of 20million for 2007. AD for Willie, Ghost for AV, Welker for Givens, Brady for Graham and possibly Stallworth or Moss for Branch (though I doubt the Raiders will trade) - that is nothing short of brilliant especially as the team is still not handicapped by cap room.
These are good, good times - even if we don’t win the Superbowl every year! I look forward to the year when Bellichick is inducted into the HOF and all this can be better appreciated - though not too soon as I relish the campaigns still to come even more.
shows as ATHorn and Cold Pizza,then that's what gets broadcast as the true inside story,direct from Boston.
