2010 will be much like 2000

[BennyBledsoe]

I think this team's hit the point where it was in 1999/2000. Now this does NOT mean that I think Belichick should be gone or that Brady's reached Bledsoe's level of frustration BUT it does mean that the cycle needs to be renewed.

There was a big OOMPH for ten years where everything clicked and the little flaws were able to be glossed over much like the mid-90s Patriots.

Now here in 2010, a decade after Belichick took over and cleaned house, he has to be that ruthless again. Sign cheap veteran scrappers and reload with solid drafts.

If he doesn't, if he continues the way they have since around 2007 or so (maybe earlier but 2007 was really the first draft I could think of which had so little impact) and just keep on with the same people there are currently here...

Then well, we as Pats fans might have to wait awhile to return to this level of success.

 

[p8ryts]

I think this team's hit the point where it was in 1999/2000. Now this does NOT mean that I think Belichick should be gone or that Brady's reached Bledsoe's level of frustration BUT it does mean that the cycle needs to be renewed.

There was a big OOMPH for ten years where everything clicked and the little flaws were able to be glossed over much like the mid-90s Patriots.

Now here in 2010, a decade after Belichick took over and cleaned house, he has to be that ruthless again. Sign cheap veteran scrappers and reload with solid drafts.

If he doesn't, if he continues the way they have since around 2007 or so (maybe earlier but 2007 was really the first draft I could think of which had so little impact) and just keep on with the same people there are currently here...

Then well, we as Pats fans might have to wait awhile to return to this level of success.

Ok, I think you need a serious reality check. I guess you don't remember how bad the 2000 team was, the OL wasn't even professional caliber. I hope your sky is falling mentality doesn't represent the opinion of many fans but it is totally unrealistic.

 

[Ryan]

If the whole offseason is going to be like this, I think I'll be taking a long break from visiting this site. You'd think the Pats just finished a 4-12 season the way people are talking.

 

[pats1]

The 2000 team was horrendous. They're not that bad.

 

[Patsrock]

I can't believe the Pats went 1-15. Who should we take #1 overall??

 

[BennyBledsoe]

*smacks forehead

That's not what I meant at all.

I'm saying the mentality regarding it should be the same. The 1999 team got exposed for its flaws and in 2000, Belichick started cutting dead weight and remolding the team.

Do you think the 2009 team didn't get exposed? Not even a little?

I'm saying 2010 should be approached the same way as 2000, retooling quickly and getting rid of bloated contracts and developing young talent like they did from 2000 on.

 

[Jimke]

I don't think 2010 will be like 2000 and 2001 but I expect to

see more players going and coming than recent years.

 

[pats1]

*smacks forehead

That's not what I meant at all.

I'm saying the mentality regarding it should be the same. The 1999 team got exposed for its flaws and in 2000, Belichick started cutting dead weight and remolding the team.

Do you think the 2009 team didn't get exposed? Not even a little?

I'm saying 2010 should be approached the same way as 2000, retooling quickly and getting rid of bloated contracts and developing young talent like they did from 2000 on.

I think 2002 to 2003 is a better comparison.

 

[mgteich]

That would be great!

I think 2002 to 2003 is a better comparison.

 

[BradyFTW!]

This team is nowhere near as bad as 2000, but I don't totally disagree with the general sentiment. I think that a lot of what you're talking about needing to happen, though, is already happening now.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I hope so, I mean, 2009 was a much more solid and useful draft class than we've had in awhile.

I mean, geez, saying this team will be in position to win another Super Bowl in only a couple years isn't a bad thing, right?

 

[Rob0729]

Personally, I think the 2010 Patriots will be so bad that they will have negative wins. I say they go 0-20. That means that in 2011, the Pats will be forced to forfeit four games because of 2010.

Seriously, I agree with the sentiment that if these are the type of threads we are going to get all offseason, this site is going to suck and be on my must avoid list.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I didn't realize how adverse to some criticism people are around here.

I'm not saying the TALENT level is the same. I'm saying the SITUATION is similar to when Belichick came in.

There's a need to retool on the fly and there's a bunch of deadwood with some keepers. Mix with solid drafting and good veteran free agent signings and there you go.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

You might have a point there..
Wacky but interesting notes about the history of the Patriots

1960 - Record 5-9
1970 - Record 2-12
1980 - Record 10-6 (missed playoffs)
1990 - Record 1-15
2000 - Record 5-11

The team in its history has typically been horrible in a football year than ends with 0 and has never made the playoffs in those years in its history....bad number...even wierder stat

Not serious worrying about it because thats dumb, but the historical stuff is interesting

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Yikes, I hope I'm not right as far as the record goes...but that is pretty damn creepy.

 

[Rob0729]

I didn't realize how adverse to some criticism people are around here.

I'm not saying the TALENT level is the same. I'm saying the SITUATION is similar to when Belichick came in.

There's a need to retool on the fly and there's a bunch of deadwood with some keepers. Mix with solid drafting and good veteran free agent signings and there you go.

The situation and the talent level are completely different. In 2000, Belichick had a bunch of overpaid underachievers (Max Lane, Todd Rucci), really bad draft picks who never did anything (most notably Chris Canty), and guys who didn't fit his system at all. He had to purge all these players to free up cap space to get his guys. He also had a QB who didn't fit his system and got paid the highest contract in league history at that point.

Now he has a lot of young players he drafted and players who fit his system. The defense started a transition from the old guard to his new players. The offense suffered mostly because of injuries on the o-line and a lack of depth at WR along with some bad signal calling.

How are the situations similiar?

 

[pats1]

The situation and the talent level are completely different. In 2000, Belichick had a bunch of overpaid underachievers (Max Lane, Todd Rucci), really bad draft picks who never did anything (most notably Chris Canty), and guys who didn't fit his system at all. He had to purge all these players to free up cap space to get his guys. He also had a QB who didn't fit his system and got paid the highest contract in league history at that point.

Now he has a lot of young players he drafted and players who fit his system. The defense started a transition from the old guard to his new players. The offense suffered mostly because of injuries on the o-line and a lack of depth at WR along with some bad signal calling.

How are the situations similiar?

Well, there are overpaid underachievers (Thomas) and really bad draftpicks who never did anything (Jackson, Maroney, Crable, Wheatley, Brace)

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Well, there are overpaid underachievers (Thomas) and really bad draftpicks who never did anything (Jackson, Maroney, Crable, Wheatley, Brace)

Did you say Maroney included there?

Watch out!!!! ....here comes the LoMo lovers!!

 

[BennyBledsoe]

You either see the point or you don't. While I agree it could be more like 02 or 03, there are still parts of the team which no longer can get the job done.

There's some bad draft picks. There's some overpaid older guys.

There's a need for some reevaluation.

You guys really need to stop being so uptight. Do you honestly think what they've been doing for the last few years has been the right way?

 

[RayClay]

You either see the point or you don't. While I agree it could be more like 02 or 03, there are still parts of the team which no longer can get the job done.

There's some bad draft picks. There's some overpaid older guys.

There's a need for some reevaluation.

You guys really need to stop being so uptight. Do you honestly think what they've been doing for the last few years has been the right way?

I think it's a great point. If we take the same approach, we could improve quickly. Get football players instead of "athletes" who perform better on paper than on the field. Get character guys.

That team had a core of veterans, Law and linebackers, who were just coming into their own. we have a lot of young talent and Bodden in the secondary that just needs coaching.

That team had a QB who held on to the ball too long looking for the big play, this team, uh whoops. That one kind of hurts.

We have plenty of draft picks to replace talent, that's not a problem. Finding our core and re-signing important players, cutting underachievers and lackadaisical players and improving the coaching are keys IMO. Offensive and defensive game plans have been aimless and predictable at times. Time to get back to basics, then build. We don't play cohesively enough to worry about anything fancy right now. It's a problem of basic execution.