Belichick is the king on non-answers

[Steve102]

Here's a lighthearted look at yesterdays presser. Non-answers, one sentences, even one word answers. He's the king of give 'em nothing.

The Voice of The Fan: FVP: Bill Belichick: King of the Non-Answers

 

[Razor's Edge]

Yup, no surprises there, all reporters or interviewers ( if they're smart) know what they are going to get from BB, the dude is consistent, you have to give him that, he just never looks beyond the task at hand, and we ALL know he'll only give you bits and pieces. I love the guy, I get it!

 

[ALP]

Not a big advantage? Cut it out. To paraphrase Kevin Van Vankenburg of the Baltimore Sun, Give Bill Belichick two weeks and enough film and he can defeat the Taliban. Of course it's an advantage.


ive never seen that mentioned before....really cool line

 

[Steve102]

Yup, no surprises there, all reporters or interviewers ( if they're smart) know what they are going to get from BB, the dude is consistent, you have to give him that, he just never looks beyond the task at hand, and we ALL know he'll only give you bits and pieces. I love the guy, I get it!

I think it's great when they are 14-2 and winning by 30. When it's a home playoff loss like last year, I'd like some analysis, but he can't do it. "Have to coach better". No kidding? Didn't know that.

 

[Froob]

Q: Will you watch the Colts-Jets game on TV when it’s on?

BB: I’m not that far ahead right now; just trying to get through today.

lmao, not only does he take it one week at a time he's taking it one day at a time.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

One of the main reasons lots of writers get nothing out of BB is that they ask stupid questions or that they ask legit questions but in a stupid way.

Examples: he's not going to talk about injuries, or personnel problems, or character issues, or leak out info from private conversations, EVER!!! EVER!!!

The overtime rules question was a good idea, but instead of "Do you have any thoughts on the new overtime rules?" ask "How do the new OT rules affect strategic decisions such as trying longer field goals, going for it on 4th down, field position, etc." In other words, ask him to talk about situational football, which he loves to do.

"Will you watch the Colts-Jets game on TV when it’s on?"
stupid question- what sort of in-depth answer are you expecting with a yes/no question not even involving his team?

"It seems that it is always the same teams this kind of year: the Colts, the Steelers, the Ravens. What do you attribute that to?"
stupid question because it's factually inaccurate. 5 of 12 playoff teams are new, and there is usually more turnover than that.

Then after several stupid questions in a row, he's in "move on" mode and you are not going to get anything. The only question that was half-decent that he blew off was the Atiyyah Ellison question. Everything else was poorly thought out.

You can get lots of football knowledge from BB if you think about what to ask and how to ask it. Otherwise you get nothing and he makes you look silly. It could be argued that he enjoys making reporters look silly, but much of the responsibility is on them to be prepared.

 

[RayClay]

I loled at the answer about the same teams being there. Oh, there's also different teams? Never though of that.

Also, he's slipping. He actually revealed we might prepare for the blitz, instead of a "situation".

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

"he's played well on all three downs: 1st, 2nd, 3rd..."

Only Bill can turn the mundane into fun.

 

[N.Eman]

haha awesome read, Coach Belichick should just hand over these mediots a manuscript with rethorical questions then just nod at them everytime. Just a grand master at the podium, go Pats!!!

 

[peterforpats]

To paraphrase Kevin Van Vankenburg of the Baltimore Sun, Give Bill Belichick two weeks and enough film and he can defeat the Taliban. Of course it's an advantage.

BEST LINE EVER!!!!:singing::singing:

 

[Tunescribe]

Only Bill can turn the mundane into fun.

He takes "mundane" to a whole new level. I used to look forward to his Monday show on WEEI, but it is the epitome of boring. I understand and accept why he does it, but his non-answers to everything are mind-numbing. I think I'll start recording them to play whenever I have trouble getting to sleep.

 

[BTTA]

One of the main reasons lots of writers get nothing out of BB is that they ask stupid questions or that they ask legit questions but in a stupid way.

You can get lots of football knowledge from BB if you think about what to ask and how to ask it.

Bingo. It is baffling, how the media continuously blows the opportunity to engage this guy in football talk. They are sitting in a room with one of the great walking historians and strategists of all time, and they can't figure out how to engage him? How many of us would pay to sit in a room with him and ask him questions?

"Coach, when a new guy joins your DL and needs to learn your approach to the 3-4, what are some of the common techniques and understandings he needs to learn?"

"Coach, on the Sander's interception play against the Colts, as the Colts lined up, you said, 'OK, this is what we want!' What did you see in the Colts offensive set that you were referring to?"

"Coach, what have you seen that's different with the new wedge blocking rules on the kickoffs? How has it evolved over the season?"

Or whatever. I'm must making this up as I type, but if I were a sports journalist, I'd have all day to think about these things. C'mon, Man!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

"Coach, on the Sander's interception play against the Colts, as the Colts lined up, you said, 'OK, this is what we want!' What did you see in the Colts offensive set that you were referring to?"

Would he actually answer this question, though?

 

[Tunescribe]

Bingo. It is baffling, how the media continuously blows the opportunity to engage this guy in football talk. They are sitting in a room with one of the great walking historians and strategists of all time, and they can't figure out how to engage him? How many of us would pay to sit in a room with him and ask him questions?

"Coach, when a new guy joins your DL and needs to learn your approach to the 3-4, what are some of the common techniques and understandings he needs to learn?"

"Coach, on the Sander's interception play against the Colts, as the Colts lined up, you said, 'OK, this is what we want!' What did you see in the Colts offensive set that you were referring to?"

"Coach, what have you seen that's different with the new wedge blocking rules on the kickoffs? How has it evolved over the season?"

Or whatever. I'm must making this up as I type, but if I were a sports journalist, I'd have all day to think about these things. C'mon, Man!

It's not what you think. The media asks the questions it has to, and there is no way to trick BB into giving real answers to basic things fans want to know (re., the Deaderick suspension, injury news, etc.). The things you're suggesting would be limited to a feature story on Xs and Os vs. matters pertaining to team-related news of the day. Most coaches offer more than BB, he's unique in that respect.

 

[Steve102]

It's not what you think. The media asks the questions it has to, and there is no way to trick BB into giving real answers to basic things fans want to know (re., the Deaderick suspension, injury news, etc.). The things you're suggesting would be limited to a feature story on Xs and Os vs. matters pertaining to team-related news of the day. Most coaches offer more than BB, he's unique in that respect.

He does get into X's and O's occassionally. He did prior to the Minnesota game. It's not often, but so much of it seems to be his mood, and like previous posters said, how questions are asked. If he can give you a "we'll see" or an "it is what it is", he will.

I love his response to the question about overtime. "We'll play with whatever rules they give us." He'll never b*tch or complain about the rules. They are what they are.

 

[Tunescribe]

He does get into X's and O's occassionally. He did prior to the Minnesota game. It's not often, but so much of it seems to be his mood, and like previous posters said, how questions are asked. If he can give you a "we'll see" or an "it is what it is", he will.

I love his response to the question about overtime. "We'll play with whatever rules they give us." He'll never b*tch or complain about the rules. They are what they are.

I think BB sees press conferences as a required (pain-in-the-butt) interruption in his day, and considers giving the media nothing that could remotely generate distraction or controversy as his primary goal.

 

[Steve102]

I think BB sees press conferences as a required (pain-in-the-butt) interruption in his day, and considers giving the media nothing that could remotely generate distraction or controversy as his primary goal.

I see it as it's a game to him. It was a game to Parcells, he just played differently. He's playing the same game, just in a different manner.

 

[BTTA]

It's not what you think. The media asks the questions it has to, and there is no way to trick BB into giving real answers to basic things fans want to know (re., the Deaderick suspension, injury news, etc.). The things you're suggesting would be limited to a feature story on Xs and Os vs. matters pertaining to team-related news of the day. Most coaches offer more than BB, he's unique in that respect.

So the alternative is to keep having press conferences that produce nothing and make the journalists into moronic puppets?

There is no list of questions the media "has" to ask. There is the tradition of asking questions about the most recent game, individual performances, and injuries, but BB doesn't answer them. At some point, you'd think someone in the press pool would get tired of it all and try something out-of-the-box just to break the pattern and keep from dying of boredom.

 

[BTTA]

I see it as it's a game to him. It was a game to Parcells, he just played differently. He's playing the same game, just in a different manner.

Agreed, and I'd suggest that the reason he sees it as a game is that the journalists act like robots and keep asking the same questions that he won't answer. After a while, he'd have to consider the whole thing a game, and the press to be idiots, and just look forward to it being over.

 

[Steve102]

More from Sunday, although he wasn't so evasive. More of painting with a very broad brush.

The Voice of The Fan: FVP: Belichick Gets Ready For The Jets