A reporter finaly asked BB a good question again

Marinlik · Aug 20, 2014

Belichick got asked about kick returns, and gave a good and interesting answer about how a kick returner should play and read the play. Bill Belichick breaks down the art of the kick return | Boston Herald

I really hate how mediots continue to ask BB stupid questions that they will never get the answer too(like injury stuff), but then also continue to ask that same question several times during a press conference.(I get why they ask about injuries, but one time is more than enough) Instead of using that huge source of football knowledge that they have in front of them, to you know, ask football questions. Because when BB gets a good question he usually give a really good and interesting answer. When he gets a stupid question he will give a stupid answer. So please, pretty, pretty, pretty please ask Belichick relevant football questions.

Va_Pats_Fan · Aug 20, 2014

Some one should of followed up and asked which of those traits Dan Connolly showed best!!!

jmt57 · Aug 20, 2014

More gems from the post-practice Q&A:

What we learned from Professor Belichick - espnBoston

What defines a good training camp. How does Belichick know a team has had a good training camp? He explained that part of it is seeing how the club responds to adversity. "It’s a challenge for the team -- not just the players but the entire organization -- to handle all the things you have to handle in training camp. You have to be able to show some mental toughness, some ability to block out distractions and focus on your job," he said. "If you can do those over a training camp period of, call it six weeks, then it’s probably a pretty good indication that you have a chance to do it during the year. If you don't, then it’s probably an indication that when the pressure really comes on during the season, which the pressure is going to mount for the team as the season goes, I’d say the likelihood of it all just magically coming together without a legitimate foundation, I haven’t had a lot of great experience with that."

Here is the full transcript; it's a lengthy read, but well worth the time to go through it all:

Bill Belichick Transcript: 'Another day grinding through camp' | Patriots.com

Q: What do you like about Brandon LaFell? What have you learned about him over the last few months?

BB: He’s been good. He’s been very diligent in trying to learn his assignments, learn the plays. He’s a tough kid. He’s played for us in the kicking game, he’s given us some plays there, which at that position it’s always good to get those [plays] out of those receivers. Those are kind of like bonus plays. I think he’s been very competitive. Obviously he’s a big target. Again, he’s gotten better at the routes that we’ve run. I thought the deep out route that he ran in the game was good. He created a lot of separation on that. He’s got a good skill set; a little different than some of our other guys, but good and he’s tough.

Q: Is it more difficult to get a bigger, lankier wide receiver integrated into special teams than a shorter, quicker guy?

BB: I’d say probably the bigger guy might have an advantage. Other than in the return game, although Brandon has worked for us on kickoff returns as well. No, I think size and strength are big attributes that you have to have to block or take on blockers, unless it’s a return guy. No, I think those are things that kind of work in his favor and he’s did in Carolina. He’s tough and he’s competitive and he does a good job there. Just another way that he can contribute to the team. I think that’s really been one of the best things about Brandon is just he’s finding different ways to contribute, whether it’s blocking, receiving, special teams. Whatever we’ve asked him to do, he’s done it and done it well. He’s gotten better at it. I think he’ll be able to carve out a role for himself here. It might be a big one, I don’t know, we’ll see.

Q: Is that a huge consideration when you starting looking at the position groups toward cut down day – is ‘OK, this guy also plays two of these special teams and this one doesn’t play on any.’ I’m really looking at the wide receiver group. Danny Amendola can return and Julian Edelman obviously returns and LaFell has some. Kenbrell Thompkins, I’m not sure if he does anything. Does it all weigh in?

BB: Sure it does. And especially in the positions where you normally don’t get – you see returners come from the wide receiver group, I’d say that’s where most of them come from, not all but most of them, come from. When you get contributions from those guys in coverage or you take an offensive or a defensive lineman that generally doesn’t have much of a role in the kicking game other than field goal and they can contribute for you on a team or two then that’s just bonus that you don’t normally get. So, sure. I think everyone counts, you bet.

Nikolai · Aug 20, 2014

The biggest take away for me was the blocking lanes and not really seeing them take form until the return has started in earnest. Awesome breakdown.

I really love to hear BB's thoughts on things like this, and it disappoints me that most questions tend to center around the sensational or fantasy football considerations. Though, in fairness to some of those reporters, I wonder if they are instructed to ask those questions by their editors, etc regardless of whether or not someone else asked. Perhaps someone here with media experience or knowledge can elaborate.

Gwedd · Aug 20, 2014

I love these sorts of questions.

If I were able to have one sports-related wish, it would be to be able to spend an afternoon or evening, just talking football with Coach Belichick. To be able to ask questions about his philosophy of the game. How he looks at opposing teams and chooses what to try and shut down. What he looks for when drafting players. What he looks for in camp, during the weekly meetings during the season.

What frustrates him most about his job. What does he think has most influenced the game in the past 10, 20 or even 40 years.

Wouldn't that be a special treat? Sigh.

OhExaulted1 · Aug 20, 2014

Did anyone hear him talking up Branch the other day? It was one of the most glowing responses I've ever heard him give about a former player.

OhExaulted1 · Aug 20, 2014

The man is more of a teacher than a coach. That's what he actually enjoys. The history, the breakdown. A few of these guys in the media actually understand this. He doesn't want argumentative BS from someone who wants to act like a 5th grade rebel. He wants to genuinely share his 60 years of knowledge with people yearning to pick his brain.

Ask him a subversive question about the Jets, nothing. Ask him to break down an innovative Paul Brown play from the 40's, he's yours.

He's not a stand-offish enigma. He's a teacher.

Ring 6 · Aug 20, 2014

I know coaches who have been at seminars where BB taught KO coverage who came away amazed at how he visualizes the entire field and everything happen on it.

Jackson 2 · Aug 20, 2014

Speaking of reporters and BB, on 98.5 this morning at about 9:45 Boomer Esiason came on for the CBS sports minute. I only caught the tail end of it but he was opining about ethics in sports and he concluded by offering that the prime examples of a lack of ethics in sports are Rosie Ruiz, Alex Rodriguez, Bill Belichick and Lance Armstrong. What a New York douche. Sure let's group someone guilty of a misdemeanor in with 3 felons.

Fencer · Aug 20, 2014

OhExaulted1 said:
The man is more of a teacher than a coach. That's what he actually enjoys. The history, the breakdown. A few of these guys in the media actually understand this. He doesn't want argumentative BS from someone who wants to act like a 5th grade rebel. He wants to genuinely share his 60 years of knowledge with people yearning to pick his brain.

Ask him a subversive question about the Jets, nothing. Ask him to break down an innovative Paul Brown play from the 40's, he's yours.

He's not a stand-offish enigma. He's a teacher.

Possibly the first and certainly the first and most significant authorized biography of BB was "Education of a Coach". I agree with you emphatically.

And it's not just BB. 1/4 - 1/3 of the guys who pass through training camp have negligible potential to ever help the team on the field, yet the coaches do their best to teach these guys to be better. It's part of the ethos.

And it's even more central in college. Cynicism is deserved about whether coaches care about these guys learning anything other than sports, but they do absolutely try to teach them to be better athletes ...

Fencer · Aug 20, 2014

And by the way, a lot of what he said about kick returns can be summarized as:

1. Much of what matters is how soon the returner gets to the 10- or 15-yard line. Kick depth, hang time, and kick handling mechanics all influence this.

2. Beyond that, most of what matters is blocking, its success, and the returner's judgment in reading the field.

OhExaulted1 · Aug 20, 2014

You know where he gets it from? Here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Belichick

"Their son is currently the head coach of the New England Patriots and has cited his father, with whom he began analyzing game film at the age of 10, as his chief early influence."

PatsFanSince74 · Aug 20, 2014

Jackson 2 said:
Speaking of reporters and BB, on 98.5 this morning at about 9:45 Boomer Esiason came on for the CBS sports minute. I only caught the tail end of it but he was opining about ethics in sports and he concluded by offering that the prime examples of a lack of ethics in sports are Rosie Ruiz, Alex Rodriguez, Bill Belichick and Lance Armstrong. What a New York douche. Sure let's group someone guilty of a misdemeanor in with 3 felons.

Haters will hate.
It's what they do.

OhExaulted1 · Aug 20, 2014

His father was the baddest Croatian bad-ass until this guy came along. I ain't Croatian, but this guy was insanely good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drazen_Petrovic
Wes Unseld actually cried in public at the news. Vlade Divac did a tribute to him.

Jackson 2 said:
Speaking of reporters and BB, on 98.5 this morning at about 9:45 Boomer Esiason came on for the CBS sports minute. I only caught the tail end of it but he was opining about ethics in sports and he concluded by offering that the prime examples of a lack of ethics in sports are Rosie Ruiz, Alex Rodriguez, Bill Belichick and Lance Armstrong. What a New York douche. Sure let's group someone guilty of a misdemeanor in with 3 felons.

Can you post that link? Boomer calling out BB. Really? I'm surprised. Over Pete Rose? The 1919 White Sox? The Russian win in 1972 in Olympic BB? Did you know NO player from that 1972 US Olympic team has ever picked up that Silver Medal? Not a one. Unacceptable.

Jackson 2 · Aug 20, 2014

OhExaulted1 said:
His father was the baddest Croatian bad-ass until this guy came along. I ain't Croatian, but this guy was insanely good.

Can you post that link? Boomer calling out BB. Really? I'm surprised. Over Pete Rose? The 1919 White Sox? The Russian win in 1972 in Olympic BB? Did you know NO player from that 1972 US Olympic team has ever picked up that Silver Medal? Not a one. Unacceptable.

I also would have been surprised prior to the CBS pregame show on January 12. Bill Cowher called Belichick the greatest coach ever. Esiason then"rained on the parade" by saying that BB would have the stain of Spygate on him forever.

jmt57 · Aug 20, 2014

OhExaulted1 said:
Can you post that link? Boomer calling out BB. Really? I'm surprised. Over Pete Rose? The 1919 White Sox? The Russian win in 1972 in Olympic BB? Did you know NO player from that 1972 US Olympic team has ever picked up that Silver Medal? Not a one. Unacceptable.

To the best of my knowledge, CBS Sports does not archive those segments to make them available on demand.

CBS Sports Minute

CBS Sports Radio named a diverse roster of highly recognizable personalities to deliver the CBS Sports Minute. The sixty-second commentaries can be heard near the top of every hour (weekdays, 6:00AM-7:00PM) on close to 120 affiliated stations of the network including outlets in nine of the Top 10 markets.

In regards to Esiason, he works for a New York sports talk radio station, so taking a shot at Belichick is simply pandering to his audience. In addition he grew up on the east end of Long Island, in West Islip, which means that he grew up as a fan of New York teams like the Jets.

The CBS national network leans on people like him since they're in the same city (if not the same building, most likely). Same deal goes for admitted Jets fan Brandon Tierney, who works for WFAN and also does segments on TV for the CBS Sports Network cable channel as well as some of those CBS Sports Minutes.

WFAN - Boomer & Carton

Jackson 2 · Aug 20, 2014

jmt57 said:
To the best of my knowledge, CBS Sports does not archive those segments to make them available on demand.

CBS Sports Minute

CBS Sports Radio named a diverse roster of highly recognizable personalities to deliver the CBS Sports Minute. The sixty-second commentaries can be heard near the top of every hour (weekdays, 6:00AM-7:00PM) on close to 120 affiliated stations of the network including outlets in nine of the Top 10 markets.

In regards to Esiason, he works for a New York sports talk radio station, so taking a shot at Belichick is simply pandering to his audience. In addition he grew up on the east end of Long Island, in West Islip, which means that he grew up as a fan of New York teams like the Jets.

The CBS national network leans on people like him since they're in the same city (if not the same building, most likely). Same deal goes for admitted Jets fan Brandon Tierney, who works for WFAN and also does segments on TV for the CBS Sports Network cable channel as well as some of those CBS Sports Minutes.

WFAN - Boomer & Carton

I believe you're correct about the lack of archives. I've been searching unsuccessfully since OE1 requested the link. You're also correct about Esiason pandering to his NY audience. But, the CBS sports minute items are broadcast nationally. It really struck a nerve with me. I'm sure he was looking to piss people off and, man, he sure succeeded with me.

Fencer · Aug 20, 2014

OhExaulted1 said:
You know where he gets it from? Here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Belichick

"Their son is currently the head coach of the New England Patriots and has cited his father, with whom he began analyzing game film at the age of 10, as his chief early influence."

Hence my reference to Education of a Coach.

bruinator · Aug 21, 2014

Post *12 is very true as it was in Mike H's book.

Patjew · Aug 21, 2014

I assumed this thread would be about Browner.

A reporter finaly asked BB a good question again

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