Belichick Dinner 2015!

[signbabybrady]

We attended the Visa Extra Points Experience Dinner with the Head Coach again tonight and it was an absolutely amazing evening. Best one yet.

We got to see the Rings! Meet Bill and congratulate him personally. Take a picture with him and he spoke to the crowd for over an hour mostly question and answer with us.

I asked Bill 2 questions

Q1: what's the dumbest thing you've ever seen Gronk do?

A: He laughed and joked that he doesn't really run with his crowd but when he is here in the building he is all professional and everything you could ask for. He also joked about seeing some of his off field videos. Good funny response but obviously hoped for a better anecdote.

Q2: Brilliant call at the end of the SB not to use a time out and put the pressure on Pete. You had other options talk about what led you to this choice?

A: first he gave all credit on the series of plays to the players specifically citing Browner and Butler. Saying Browner set the play up allowing Butler to make the play. He then acknowledged he could of taken a time out and it wouldn't have been wrong but he thought they were scrambling a little bit to call the play. He also thought if they ran they had good personell and thought they did good on 3-1 earlier in the game holding Seattle to a field goal.

Best response of the night came from someone else about how the team choosing to be introduced as a team got started.

He said they were on the road in Philly and they have a way of introducing individual players that was very of the top and that for every visiting player they announce 68,000 in the crowd add the chant sux to it. so they announce us and it would of wound up being Starting CB Ty Law Sux, Brian Cox Sux, so we decided not to take part in that and it kind of took on a life of its own from there.

My brother got one of the last questions in and asked everyone in attendance how we feel about the Belichick Dinner and most if not all knew how to respond....Aweeeee Yeaaaaah! Bill got a kick out of that.

Grogan was also in attendance he took a few brief questions and signed too.

I asked him what the hardest hit he remembers was and he joked that he doesn't remember.

He then said there was one game vs Pittsburgh where he got knocked out and it was right around Christmas and he needed someone to tell him it was yesterday.

He went on to talk about how it was a little crazy they'd just hold up 2 fingers and if you could answer it right they'd let you back in. He thinks its great that they are trying harder to protect them and that hopefully it will make a big difference down the road.

I'll add some things as they come to mind and here are some pictures.

 

[supafly]

Wow...what an experience! I'd use the phrase "once in a lifetime," but that wouldn't fit your situation too well.

Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[JDot]

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

On behalf of most of the folks here, let me just say: We hate you.

j/k. Most of us would pay dearly to take your place.

 

[signbabybrady]

Also big shout out to Murray Kohl VP of Sales for the Kraft Group. He sat at our table and it's his ring we got to wear. He couldn't have been nicer.

On top of sharing the ring he showed some of his personal photos from the SB, the Parade, and the ring ceremony.

He was on the field after the game and I asked what players or coaches he got to have a moment with Brady or BB or what? he said no but he did get a hug from Vince. So I said who wouldn't want a hug from Vince. He mentioned Patricia too and a few other guys too.

 

[Tunescribe]

obviously hoped for a better antidote.

The food was that bad?

(I think you mean "anecdote.")

Nice report.

 

[Fencer]

it's his ring we got to wear.

At least you didn't go all Vladimir Putin on him.

 

[DarrylS]

Nice report, nice experience...

Your questions were better than most that are asked by our local mediots.... don't let Gary Myers know about how he managed the clock at the end of the Superbowl... his view was that BB didn't and completely messed it up.

 

[Tony2046]

Q2: Brilliant call at the end of the SB not to use a time out and put the pressure on Pete. You had other options talk about what led you to this choice?

A: first he gave all credit on the series of plays to the players specifically citing Browner and Butler. Saying Browner set the play up allowing Butler to make the play. He then acknowledged he could of taken a time out and it wouldn't have been wrong but he thought they were scrambling a little bit to call the play. He also thought if they ran they had good personell and thought they did good on 3-1 earlier in the game holding Seattle to a field goal.

What a great question to ask. If there was ever a time that I needed Meds for high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, insanity... it was during that last minute of the game. Watching those seconds tick away when he decided not to call a time out was just torture but as it turns out it was brilliant or lucky not sure which. I'll go with Brilliant.

 

[oldrover]

That must have been quite a night!!!

I can tell you were nervous... apparently you sweated right onto the camera lens.

 

[patfanken]

Awesome report. Thanks for sharing with us. Unfortunately we are Patriot fans, so that means we want MORE! Did anyone ask any questions about the injustice of the Wells Report, and Brady's suspension? Were you told in advance NOT to ask questions on that subject? Did he discuss any players who have had great or horrible off seasons?

I need to know more. I'll be waiting for additions

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

SBB: I'll give you my answer in the morning

PF Ken: I gotta know RIGHT NOW!!!!

 

[signbabybrady]

Awesome report. Thanks for sharing with us. Unfortunately we are Patriot fans, so that means we want MORE! Did anyone ask any questions about the injustice of the Wells Report, and Brady's suspension? Were you told in advance NOT to ask questions on that subject? Did he discuss any players who have had great or horrible off seasons?

I need to know more. I'll be waiting for additions

No one asked a single deflategate question and no one told us not to. No one wanted to be that guy.

He spoke highly of Butler but that was in response to developing guys in the 6,7, and udfa. So not just the off-season but gushed about how far he has come since last May. Joked he didn't have as far to go as Steve Neal did but that he come a long way.

Asked about what he saw in Brady to draft him. He spoke about how he handled splitting duties with Henson and how he was mature and how looked in the bowl game. But joked that if they truly saw something in Brady they would have drafted him in the second.

I thought really you don't think he was worth a one? Then after thinking some more it made me realize Bills genius. Spur of the moment but he didn't forget that they were without a first that year so the 2nd rd was as early as they could have.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Too often the label genius is applied to academia ... to music and science and medicine etc... I have no doubt Bill is a genius also and to me it was evident when he was a DC. We're lucky to have him ... how many genius coaches has the NFL had .... that is a very small select club.

 

[neuronet]

Thanks so much for sharing that it sounds amazing!

 

[signbabybrady]

Another good question was when someone asked about his football mentors and got into how he had 5 different jobs in 4 cities with 4 different coaches in his first 5 years out of college so he didn't have one specific mentor. But he credited that kind of change as allowing him to see a lot of different systems and schemes and was able to come up with things he liked and didn't like about each. Things where he said if I were on charge I would never do this.

He obviously mentioned growing up with football with his dad.

But what I really found interesting were the 3 names he did finally throw out there. He didn't really call them mentors as it was much later in his life but he did include 3 coaches he felt had the biggest impact on him. Scar, Ernie Adams, and Nick Saban.

 

[fgssand]

SBB: I'll give you my answer in the morning

PF Ken: I gotta know RIGHT NOW!!!!

No one addressed anything with us about what to ask and what not too. Luckily, the group knew enough to respect the coach and ask well thought questions that he would actually answer and enjoy talking about. In doing so, it enabled us to actually gain some insight into some of the inner workings of what goes on inside Gillette Stadium.

BB, in this type of setting is everything that you hear players and people close to him speak about but rarely get an opportunity to experience first hand. He is a tremendous public speaker. He is charming, warm, polite, funny, as sharp as he is smart and a great story teller. Yes, I am taking about our coach, Bill Belichick.

As SBB mentioned, his recollection about not calling a time out on the Butler pick was spot on, BB said he thought he noticed they were a little but hurried over there, perhaps confused, felt the personell he had on the field was good, recalled they had fared well earlier in the game in a similar situation, so he decided to not call a TO.

Bill pointed out, as we have heard before, that every decision he makes is always in the best interest of the NEP football club and the 53 players on the team. Based on that he said the reason for any decision is very easy, but making that decision is what can be the difficult part. When asked how a Butler or a Brady can make the team, he said once a player walks into the locker room, how he got there, where they were drafted, how much money they make, none of it matters. Once they are there, its what they do that will determine if they stay, how much they will play if at all, understand their role, improve on it learn, take advantage of whats in front on them and compete for their job. Everyone has an equal opportunity to take full advantage of being there. He said some have a lot further to go than even a Butler or a Brady from when they first got there, a player such as Neal who had never played a down in college.

He was asked if he could provide an additional training camp story similar to the wetting of footballs or punt to a lineman for a night off. He mentioned that last year, being World Cup, the Patriots had their own World Cup competition with the winners (defense or offense) not having bedchecks for the weekend. He said they were quite spirited as a result of that. He then finished that off by talking about the Brady versus Revis face off.....yes, Braady won and scored!!

As for deflated footballs -- the only time it came up at all was when Grogan was about to invite everyone back for pictures and signings and more questions, he said " now before anyone asks, the deflated football incident is plain and simple a complete and utter joke." The look on face was that of total disgust over the way this entire incident has been handled.

We did ask one of the executives if Mr Kraft was aware of fan displeasure over his decision to accept the penalty. He said that yes he was fully aware and not surprised at all. He made his decision to cut his losses then and there and basically end it as far as the team was concerned. Nothing good was coming of it, he was tired of it, it was consuming every move, every thought , every action of the football team and for better or for worse, he felt he had to just stop. To let the noise die down and just move on. Thinking of it from that perspective, things really did die down, they did at least enable the media and haters to move on, for a while anyway. It was also hinted that Brady has 100% support of the team without question.

Finally, while the subject was not addressed directly, the impression we were left with was that Brady will be there, in uniform on banner night, period.

 

[signbabybrady]

No one addressed anything with us about what to ask and what not too. Luckily, the group knew enough to respect the coach and ask well thought questions that he would actually answer and enjoy talking about. In doing so, it enabled us to actually gain some insight into some of the inner workings of what goes on inside Gillette Stadium.

BB, in this type of setting is everything that you hear players and people close to him speak about but rarely get an opportunity to experience first hand. He is a tremendous public speaker. He is charming, warm, polite, funny, as sharp as he is smart and a great story teller. Yes, I am taking about our coach, Bill Belichick.

As SBB mentioned, his recollection about not calling a time out on the Butler pick was spot on, BB said he thought he noticed they were a little but hurried over there, perhaps confused, felt the personell he had on the field was good, recalled they had fared well earlier in the game in a similar situation, so he decided to not call a TO.

Bill pointed out, as we have heard before, that every decision he makes is always in the best interest of the NEP football club and the 53 players on the team. Based on that he said the reason for any decision is very easy, but making that decision is what can be the difficult part. When asked how a Butler or a Brady can make the team, he said once a player walks into the locker room, how he got there, where they were drafted, how much money they make, none of it matters. Once they are there, its what they do that will determine if they stay, how much they will play if at all, understand their role, improve on it learn, take advantage of whats in front on them and compete for their job. Everyone has an equal opportunity to take full advantage of being there. He said some have a lot further to go than even a Butler or a Brady from when they first got there, a player such as Neal who had never played a down in college.

He was asked if he could provide an additional training camp story similar to the wetting of footballs or punt to a lineman for a night off. He mentioned that last year, being World Cup, the Patriots had their own World Cup competition with the winners (defense or offense) not having bedchecks for the weekend. He said they were quite spirited as a result of that. He then finished that off by talking about the Brady versus Revis face off.....yes, Braady won and scored!!

As for deflated footballs -- the only time it came up at all was when Grogan was about to invite everyone back for pictures and signings and more questions, he said " now before anyone asks, the deflated football incident is plain and simple a complete and utter joke." The look on face was that of total disgust over the way this entire incident has been handled.

We did ask one of the executives if Mr Kraft was aware of fan displeasure over his decision to accept the penalty. He said that yes he was fully aware and not surprised at all. He made his decision to cut his losses then and there and basically end it as far as the team was concerned. Nothing good was coming of it, he was tired of it, it was consuming every move, every thought , every action of the football team and for better or for worse, he felt he had to just stop. To let the noise die down and just move on. Thinking of it from that perspective, things really did die down, they did at least enable the media and haters to move on, for a while anyway. It was also hinted that Brady has 100% support of the team without question.

Finally, while the subject was not addressed directly, the impression we were left with was that Brady will be there, in uniform on banner night, period.

Just to clarify one Point the team exec is close to Kraft but was clear he did not have any specific conversations with him about deflate gate or his capitulation and was giving his opinion as someone close to Kraft about how he felt.
He said he knows it must hurt him but he made the decision and will live with it.

As to the Banner night his impression was not that Brady would not be suspended but that either he won't or the Banner will wait for him to return. Again nothing specific was planned or said just his feelings.

 

[signbabybrady]

First question of the night came from a kid maybe 12 years old.

Have you managed to change the clocks in your car yet?

Everybody was dieing laughing including Bill. I kept thinking this kid might not have been born when Bill made the original comment about his clock.

Bill then went on a rant about how they don't make it easy. Why can't there just be a clock button. Instead by the time I get the manual out and get it resolved and think I am good it's daylight savings time.

 

[patfanken]

We did ask one of the executives if Mr Kraft was aware of fan displeasure over his decision to accept the penalty. He said that yes he was fully aware and not surprised at all. He made his decision to cut his losses then and there and basically end it as far as the team was concerned. Nothing good was coming of it, he was tired of it, it was consuming every move, every thought , every action of the football team and for better or for worse, he felt he had to just stop. To let the noise die down and just move on. Thinking of it from that perspective, things really did die down, they did at least enable the media and haters to move on, for a while anyway. It was also hinted that Brady has 100% support of the team without question.
.

Thanks for the insights FG. On Kraft's reasoning for caving to the League, I think that's a lot of BS. The moment he caved was the moment the Pats were permanently and FOREVER branded our team as self confessed cheaters. There is no letting "the noise die down". The consequences of his actions make sure the "noise" will NEVER die down. It is mind boggling that he doesn't understand that.

However if that reasoning was the why he did it, it does provide us with a little be of insight, but it doesn't change the fact that it was an incredibly BAD choice. Not that we all haven't made a bunch of them in our lifetimes. I'd be willing to start to forgive him, if he just came out publicly and stated to his fans that he now understands what a back decision it was.