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I have a theory. I think the main reason why more NFL fans have had such a hard time seeing what is so clear to us in this Deflategate thing, comes from the fact that they sincerely believe that the Patriots must be doing SOMETHING illegal. They believe this because they have completely bought into the concept that the NFL is geared to Parity. Teams rise, and then they fall, only to rise again. They see it happen almost every year.
So when looking through THAT kind of prism, it's not hard to understand why after 14 consecutive years of winning seasons, 12 consecutive years of double digit wins, 6 superbowl appearances, with 4 wins, etc; why they might question how this organization can maintain this excellence, when NO one else in the salary cap era can come close. SOMTHING has to be going on. Right?
So when the NFL (who HATES that the Pats aren't conforming to the Parity Imperative) creates deflategate out of thin air, and then sells it with the propaganda mastery of Goebbels or Ailes; we can now understand why, even when presented with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they still hold on to the illusion that SOMETHING isn't fully Kosher in NE.
When I saw the excellent clip on Junior Seau, which peeks behind the barriers BB usually puts up, and allows us to see into a team meeting It showed a side of the Pats that I wish the league knew more about..... Hell that WE knew more about. It wasn't the sterile, cool, antiseptic version that the rest of the league identifies us with. It was warm. It was funny. It was watching a group of men who work hard, with a common goal reflecting on a iconic figure who passed ever so briefly through their lives, and the impact he had on them. A group of men who obviously like and respect each other, but also the men that play the game the right way.
It's not easy to be a Patriot. It's not for everyone. The REAL secret of their long running success comes NOT from deflated footballs, NOT from any advantage rung from illegal films, but rather because they simply work harder, get prepared better, and are more consistently disciplined and focused than their opponents. It sounds so ridiculously simple when you say it like that, but it is incredibly hard to put into action., And MANY times more difficult to "maintain" that level of excellence over a long period of time. THAT's the genius of Bill Bellichick. Not that he got them to the point of success, but that he's KEPT them there.
To that end, THAT is what marks BB as the greatest of all time. The NFL has seen their share of great coaches. Guys who were great innovators. Guys who were great motivators. But NO one has been able to put together the kind of consistent excellence that BB has. Only Landry, or maybe Shula come close, but they got to coach in a league that allowed teams to be kept together, longer. BB has done it during the height of the salary cap era, and maintained it through about 3 different rebuilds, where the only consistency has been Brady.
This entire affair has been the product of envy and jealousy from individuals who couldn't replicate the kind of success the Pats have maintained. People who either don't know or don't WANT to know how hard it is to do what BB has done. Just because other programs can't duplicate that level of success, they believe that SOMETHING has to be going on.
They don't want to believe its merely because the Patriots are usually better prepared, better coached, more disciplined and focused than their opponents. It's too simple, and IF it was so simple why hasn't everyone done it. THAT's because, while it is simple to set forth what needs to be done, its is extraordinarily hard to implement, and like I said, even harder to do it year after year after year.
Parcells couldb't do it. He was never going to be a maintainer of excellence. In fact HIS greatest gift was that he recognized that in himself, and that's why every time he reached success, he was already looking for his next job. He knew he had a relatively short shelf life.
Of course, BB got lucky in getting Brady so early in his tenure, and having him be able to play at such a high level for so long. But people forget 2 things. Brady was never the GOAT right out of the box. There was a process and that took several years. The other thing they forget that for the first 2 critical years Brady was with the Patriots, Bill Bellichick was his QB coach.. And it also didn't hurt that BB's benefited by being HC in the same place for 15 years with many long time assistants, all speaking the same language and on the same page.
So, I'd like to propose a "propaganda" attack of our own. I'd like to break down this myth that the Pats can't be this successful without doing SOMETHING. I'd like to think that when we confront, or go to other teams' sites or converse with fans of other teams; we can explain the simple message that I've already mentioned twice.
The Pats win because in a league where the margin between victory and defeat is razor thin; they are better coached, better prepared, more disciplined and focused. What makes that obscenely simple strategy work is that it arises out of an environment of just plain hard work, committed players, and very, very smart leadership. It's also why its known around the league that playing for the Pats is not for everyone. (BTW- It doesn't make you're a bad guy if it isn't for you.)
I think if we offer other fans an alternative to the NFL myth making machine, they will at least become more open minded to the truth of what's happening to the Pats and more specifically Tom Brady.
Just putting it out there and awaiting your comments
So when looking through THAT kind of prism, it's not hard to understand why after 14 consecutive years of winning seasons, 12 consecutive years of double digit wins, 6 superbowl appearances, with 4 wins, etc; why they might question how this organization can maintain this excellence, when NO one else in the salary cap era can come close. SOMTHING has to be going on. Right?
So when the NFL (who HATES that the Pats aren't conforming to the Parity Imperative) creates deflategate out of thin air, and then sells it with the propaganda mastery of Goebbels or Ailes; we can now understand why, even when presented with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they still hold on to the illusion that SOMETHING isn't fully Kosher in NE.
When I saw the excellent clip on Junior Seau, which peeks behind the barriers BB usually puts up, and allows us to see into a team meeting It showed a side of the Pats that I wish the league knew more about..... Hell that WE knew more about. It wasn't the sterile, cool, antiseptic version that the rest of the league identifies us with. It was warm. It was funny. It was watching a group of men who work hard, with a common goal reflecting on a iconic figure who passed ever so briefly through their lives, and the impact he had on them. A group of men who obviously like and respect each other, but also the men that play the game the right way.
It's not easy to be a Patriot. It's not for everyone. The REAL secret of their long running success comes NOT from deflated footballs, NOT from any advantage rung from illegal films, but rather because they simply work harder, get prepared better, and are more consistently disciplined and focused than their opponents. It sounds so ridiculously simple when you say it like that, but it is incredibly hard to put into action., And MANY times more difficult to "maintain" that level of excellence over a long period of time. THAT's the genius of Bill Bellichick. Not that he got them to the point of success, but that he's KEPT them there.
To that end, THAT is what marks BB as the greatest of all time. The NFL has seen their share of great coaches. Guys who were great innovators. Guys who were great motivators. But NO one has been able to put together the kind of consistent excellence that BB has. Only Landry, or maybe Shula come close, but they got to coach in a league that allowed teams to be kept together, longer. BB has done it during the height of the salary cap era, and maintained it through about 3 different rebuilds, where the only consistency has been Brady.
This entire affair has been the product of envy and jealousy from individuals who couldn't replicate the kind of success the Pats have maintained. People who either don't know or don't WANT to know how hard it is to do what BB has done. Just because other programs can't duplicate that level of success, they believe that SOMETHING has to be going on.
They don't want to believe its merely because the Patriots are usually better prepared, better coached, more disciplined and focused than their opponents. It's too simple, and IF it was so simple why hasn't everyone done it. THAT's because, while it is simple to set forth what needs to be done, its is extraordinarily hard to implement, and like I said, even harder to do it year after year after year.
Parcells couldb't do it. He was never going to be a maintainer of excellence. In fact HIS greatest gift was that he recognized that in himself, and that's why every time he reached success, he was already looking for his next job. He knew he had a relatively short shelf life.
Of course, BB got lucky in getting Brady so early in his tenure, and having him be able to play at such a high level for so long. But people forget 2 things. Brady was never the GOAT right out of the box. There was a process and that took several years. The other thing they forget that for the first 2 critical years Brady was with the Patriots, Bill Bellichick was his QB coach.. And it also didn't hurt that BB's benefited by being HC in the same place for 15 years with many long time assistants, all speaking the same language and on the same page.
So, I'd like to propose a "propaganda" attack of our own. I'd like to break down this myth that the Pats can't be this successful without doing SOMETHING. I'd like to think that when we confront, or go to other teams' sites or converse with fans of other teams; we can explain the simple message that I've already mentioned twice.
The Pats win because in a league where the margin between victory and defeat is razor thin; they are better coached, better prepared, more disciplined and focused. What makes that obscenely simple strategy work is that it arises out of an environment of just plain hard work, committed players, and very, very smart leadership. It's also why its known around the league that playing for the Pats is not for everyone. (BTW- It doesn't make you're a bad guy if it isn't for you.)
I think if we offer other fans an alternative to the NFL myth making machine, they will at least become more open minded to the truth of what's happening to the Pats and more specifically Tom Brady.
Just putting it out there and awaiting your comments
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