Bill Belichick: Everybody's critic - possibly the best article ever

[nabwong]

I see 2 different cultures in the NFL: The team that listens to its head coach and the team that listens to fans and media. Almost always, the latter will almost never be successful in the long term.

 

[everlong]

As much as I loved and cracked up at so many of those stories hearing that BB and Vrabel are on good terms was the best part of the article for me. As Vince once said (paraphrasing) I don't know how you trade Mike Vrabel, who's more Patriot way than Mike? Of all the other trades, releases or no new contract situations that's the one that bothered me. I would LOVE it if they brought him back here to coach.

 

[Funktopus]

That's just literary license to draw you in, as you say. Of course she was not there. She is just reconstructing the situation based on her interviews.

Some of the quotes were made up then. I guess I'm ok with that. I was entertained by the story.

 

[Bella*chick]

Five star article. Epic.

Did Jackie Mac write the Ninkovich article from a couple weeks ago too?

 

[NEP4Life]

I don't necessarily agree with humiliation and degradation as a motivational technique, but I will say I can see how it helps build the team, because...

1) Nobody (especially Brady, but also including other vets) is off limits

2) The huge ego/me-first guys get upset, then get weeded out

Make no mistake, this humiliation tactic is a big part of what makes the team successful.

 

[seven]

Sure felt to me like the Pats just gave Vrabel away.
It shouldn't still bug me, but it does.

Can't imagine how long term Colt fans feel right now.
Thinking that unthinkable thought about our hero forces me to
appreciate this, right now.

These are some great days, legendary.
In a real sense, what they have already done puts them in a class of one
in the modern game. Comparable to the best, from any era, as it stands right now.

We still itch about missed chances.
2006, the game that shall not be mentioned,
almosts in '09, '10,
yet here we go, BB and B in Number Five.
Fifth Super Bowl.

The incredibly horrid Super Bowl Rap tune on another thread reminded me of
the unspeakably horrid 1985 experience, a video, an incredibly lame Patriot answer.

We have come a very long way.
I am not just happy to be here, don't misunderstand.
There is an element of Cannot Lose This Game to this.

This is History people, get it done.

But I do appreciate the ride, being here.

The kind of insight Jackie offers here is too rare.
She too has come a long way, become a valued, terrific contributor.
Was given about as much respect and chance as our team, in the beginning.

A great ride, all around.

 

[Elijah T.]

Great article.

You have to stay committed to getting better as a Patriot. There is no such thing as "has arrived" in this organization. If Tom Brady is still being called out in meetings....well then.

The Vrabel trade happened because it was best for the team. Belichick put Vrabel in the best possible place for him to finish his career--instead of cutting him.

I'm glad in hindsight Vrabel understood. Players get older and slower, at some point you have to move on, no matter how much you love the 'person'.

In the book War Room, Bruschi talked about how he knew his career was winding down when he would study film and noticed he wasn't getting to the spot as quick anymore.

I'm glad BB notices it and makes the neccessary changes to keep the team competitive.

 

[RayClay]

Do you think BB could but too much pressure on players not to be the one to repeat a mistake?

Yes. Those players will be home watching the game Sunday.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I liked the article, but he most interesting part to me was how his relationship with Vrabel disintegrated after the trade. I had always wondered why Vrabel was never part of things like the beginning of the Baltimore game when a lot of the old-timers were named honorary captains. It always seemed strange to me that one of the key players in all of those championship years was never part of anything, and I guess I just got my answer.

I am very happy that they've repaired their relationship and Vrabel now understands what happened. That made me feel good (sorry to be such a sap). I love it because Vrabel is still one of my favorite all-time Patriots. I guess that's why I have such a soft spot for Ninko, who reminds me so much of the old #50.

 

[Gwedd]

What an insightful and well-written article.

I have no doubt that the way Coach Belichick does his critiques was influenced from his time around the Naval Academy. His breaking down film and emphasizing these mistakes is exactly the way I remember being debriefed after missions while in the Navy. Aircrew were and are coldly brutal in the debrief, because a mistake can get someone killed. They're also the closest of friends and will give a shipmate the shirt off their back if he needs it. But in a debrief, if you messed up somewhere, you are going to hear about it and quite possibly see it again and again as an example of what not to do.

It's the same in ward room of surface ships and submarines after an exercise. No one is spared from the skipper on down. It has to be that way.

Now, football isn't a matter of actual life or death, but folks do get hurt and if it happens because of a mistake, then that just compounds things. It's also a cold & brutal game and facts are facts. I think that New England is fortunate to have someone who understands this form of teaching and motivation. Like I said, his time around his father at the Naval Academy was a huge influence on his ability to break down film, scout players and teams, and see how things are done. I can see glimpses of my own experiences in the stories his players.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

As much as I loved and cracked up at so many of those stories hearing that BB and Vrabel are on good terms was the best part of the article for me. As Vince once said (paraphrasing) I don't know how you trade Mike Vrabel, who's more Patriot way than Mike? Of all the other trades, releases or no new contract situations that's the one that bothered me. I would LOVE it if they brought him back here to coach.

But see, now we know why it happened. Vrabel got it, but on some level as his own time was winding down he forgot it and Bill sent him to a good place to come to that realization on his own. Somewhere he'd be worth what he was still making and more amenable to taking what he was worth thereafter if he wanted to keep playing. And for that reason, he probably could come back. It's hard for Bill to let those guys go. That is why guys who didn't ask for more or even volunteered to take less and remained finally got to come to the decision here on their own. The rest needed to figure it out somewhere else and hopefully put that all in perspective after the fact. Vrabel has. So did Branch while there was still time for him to come back as a player.

It's not easy to play for someone like that. Takes a particular mindset, someone driven to prove his critic wrong. But for those wired to, the reward if and when you to is more gratifying than all the smoke you didn't get blown up your ass for merely being talented.

 

[everlong]

Vrabel got it.

I would agree with everything you said expect this. Vrabel gets it now. He didn't get it then. I'm glad he came to the realization that everything happens for a reason. Like Vrabel and Vince at the time I was like WTF. Seeing him play in KC not so much however I still wonder given the locker room situation in 09 if Bill wishes he had that one back. AD according to Rosie wouldn't have been nearly the issue if either Seymour or especially Vrabel was around.

EDIT: I guess we are saying the same things just differently. Semantics always get in the way.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I would agree with everything you said expect this. Vrabel gets it now. He didn't get it then. I'm glad he came to the realization that everything happens for a reason. Like Vrabel and Vince at the time I was like WTF. Seeing him play in KC not so much however I still wonder given the locker room situation in 09 if Bill wishes he had that one back. AD according to Rosie wouldn't have been nearly the issue if either Seymour or especially Vrabel was around.

EDIT: I guess we are saying the same things just differently. Semantics always get in the way.

Sometimes when they get it they still don't get it on a personal level. Lawyer and Willie didn't. Seymour didn't. I know he gets it now, at least where others are concerned. He said so at the end of his first season as a Raider. Talked about how if he were building a team he'd start not with elite talent but with the grinders, the effort guys...

 

[Bella*chick]

I don't necessarily agree with humiliation and degradation as a motivational technique, but I will say I can see how it helps build the team, because...

1) Nobody (especially Brady, but also including other vets) is off limits

2) The huge ego/me-first guys get upset, then get weeded out

Make no mistake, this humiliation tactic is a big part of what makes the team successful.

I just think that getting barbed comments, some of them pretty funny, in film session, even over and over again, is not really "degrading". Degradation is a really strong word. The guys are obviously embarrassed but given the ego stroking most professional athletes seem to expect these days, I think it's good for them.

Lol at Brady, " Bring your popcorn, I'm going to be the star of tomorrow's show." Sheer awesomeness.

And a giant to Adalius Thomas, who needs to suck it up. What a baby.

I had a teacher in high school who was absolutely merciless if he deduced you were not prepared for class. One day he alled on me over and over and over again until the whole lass was laughing at me because everyone knew I didn't know the answers. Did it suck? Yes, i was furious. But you better believe I had read the next assignment inside out and upside down, footnotes included. And I've never forgotten what an impression it left on me...what can happen if you are unprepared.

 

[everlong]

Sometimes when they get it they still don't get it on a personal level. Lawyer and Willie didn't. Seymour didn't. I know he gets it now, at least where others are concerned. He said so at the end of his first season as a Raider. Talked about how if he were building a team he'd start not with elite talent but with the grinders, the effort guys...

Lawyer's comments in the 2001 America's Game were very telling. I think he would have rather of taken the pay cut in retrospect and had two more rings.

Seymour also recommended to Gerrard Warren coming to the Pats. I think once the wounded pride got out of the way he realized it was best for both parties and only business. When it first happened and he gave that interview with Marshall Faulk he was seriously bitter. Faulk was like a kid on Christmas morning. It made me hate him even more. He took smarmy to another level.

 

[SEA_Pat]

Pure Patriots porn. Great article, and there are several more out there. So much fun to be in the Super Bowl again.

We are so lucky.

 

[NEP4Life]

One other comment on humiliation as a motivation technique.

Like any form of behavior modification by negative reinforcement, the technique only works when the subject knows what specific actions to take to remove the negative stimulus. In the case of a Patriots player, this involves, in a nutshell, fixing holes in one's game.

However, negative reinforcement has the key drawback of tainting the initiator in the subject's eyes. Essentially, the initiator is showing the subject he has a dark, vicious side, which the subject responds to in various ways. For the most part, the initiator does not escape without some sort of consequence.

This is also why negative reinforcement is typically accomplished through surrogates -- hatchet-men/enforcers, as it were. This leaves those in charge able to maintain the esteem and respect of the subject (i.e. "clean hands"), while surreptitiously using negative reinforcement to produce a desired outcome.

Fascinting subject.

 

[Steve102]

Great stuff.

 

[upstater1]

I know it's a Polish name, but really it's not that hard.

How many times can she possibly misspell Gostkowski?

Gost-Kow-Ski

+

+

Or to shorten things up Ghost +

 

[patchick]

Some of the quotes were made up then. I guess I'm ok with that. I was entertained by the story.

I think you're misconstruing that...just because she wasn't in the room doesn't mean the quotes were "made up." She's reporting what players who WERE there told her was said.

Definitely an insightful article that helps paint a picture of what the "tough mindedness" we keep hearing about with this team really means. It's about facing your faults and failings head on and accepting them as a to-do list, rather than making excuses; it's about understanding what is required to be the best, and demanding it from yourself, every time. And frankly, that's not a lot of fun, day to day. But boy does it feel good afterwards.