Bledsoe's departure from New England

[Iron Helmet]

Would you consider this departure "ugly"?

 

[ScottieC]

Would you consider this departure "ugly"?

No, not at all. Why?

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I don't think I would call it ugly, but it wasn't pretty either. Benched for a backup, then traded to a division rival.

McCarthy's instance that Brett leave the conf, and BB's willingness to trade him to a div rival says a lot about what each thought of their ex-QB.

 

[Kontradiction]

No, not at all. Bledsoe knew he wasn't going to start so I'm sure it didn't come as a suprise either. He got traded then got what he wanted all along: a chance to start. I would think the boatload of cash we paid him to sit the bench and the fact that he helped us get to a Super Bowl is severence pay enough.

 

[ScottieC]

I don't think I would call it ugly, but it wasn't pretty either. Benched for a backup, then traded to a division rival.

McCarthy's instance that Brett leave the conf, and BB's willingness to trade him to a div rival says a lot about what each thought of their ex-QB.

Yea, but there was no animosity between Bledsoe and the organization. They got the best deal from the Bills and traded him (The Bills first round pick of 2003). They could have taken a hard line with him, but knew Brady was the future and allowed Drew to go where he could start.

At least that's my recollection.

 

[captadamnj]

Re: comparing Favre and Bledsoe. The fact that the Packers wouldn't let Favre go to within the division and that the Pats would let Bledsoe go to a divsion rival may also speak a lot about how each franchise viewed the quality of the QB they were letting go at that time; i.e. - the Pats didn't think Bledsoe in Buffalo would be much of a threat while the Pack clearly thought Favre with the Vikes could pose problems.

But to answer the question, no, I wouldn't call it ugly. Tough, yes, on Kraft, Bledsoe and the fans as he did so much for the organization. I wonder if any decision is "tough" for BB anymore, though, it simply seems to come down to a numbers game for him.

 

[MassPats38]

He was unwilling to play backup and Brady was better for the team, so to some extent the trade was in his best interests. The full page ad in the Globe thanking the fans indicated he didn't hate everything about the team when he left.

Much is read into the trade to the Bills and the fact they are in the division. I would guess if Belichick truly hated him as QB there would have been rumors of immediate trade negotiations when Belichick took over. As far as it being an insult to execute the Bills trade, I was never aware that there were other takers and I cannot recall ever hearing the Belichick Patriots not working trades within the division. The fact is Bledsoe would not have happily spent 2002 on the bench (everyone was happy he did it for a few games in 2001). It would have become a distraction.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Yea, but there was no animosity between Bledsoe and the organization. They got the best deal from the Bills and traded him (The Bills first round pick of 2003). They could have taken a hard line with him, but knew Brady was the future and allowed Drew to go where he could start.

At least that's my recollection.

I didn't say it was ugly. He wasn't calling the Lions tell them how to beat the Pats, but I got the sense Drew was bitter about 2001 and getting his ring from the bench. And there was some (not much but some) talk of keeping Bledsoe and trading Brady.

 

[ScottieC]

I didn't say it was ugly. He wasn't calling the Lions tell them how to beat the Pats, but I got the sense Drew was bitter about 2001 and getting his ring from the bench. And there was some (not much but some) talk of keeping Bledsoe and trading Brady.

I remember all that talk as well.

I never sensed any animosity on the team or in any interviews, I always thought that Bledsoe was a class act as he went thru the season coaching Tom and working with him on the game plans and in game changes. After all has been said and done, he was really just a coach for Brady and I think we all owe him a big "thank you" for helping Tommy out during that time.

You have to think about that moment in the Tunnel when Tommy goes nuts on Drew telling him, "I told you I would get you here!" - I think that speaks volumes about their relationship.

 

[Iron Helmet]

Let's see:

29 years old, prime of his career
2 years into a $103 million dollar contract
Gets hurt busting his butt for the team
Gets healthy, never starts again, replaced by a 6th round pick
Hangs out on the sideline looking like he is attending a wake (ended up being his own)
Looks like is crowning a turd after they win the superbowl and Brady is screaming " we won! "
Bails on the SB Parade

My guess would be: he was pissed, wanted to strangle BB, but due to $$$$ he bit his tongue. BB thought he was over rated and couldn't wait to dispose of him at the end of the season. Only difference is they never went public with their feelings.

So, was it ugly? Yes. Did the ugliness spill over into the media? Not really.

 

[Rob0729]

Bledsoe was mad at Belichick and Charlie Weis because they supposably told him he would get a chance to get his starting job back. But by the time he was traded, I think he had moved past it. Bledsoe was not a happy camper towards the end of the season and the playoffs.

Bledsoe didn't do anything to undermine the Patriots other than his relationship with Brady cooling (they were close before that). He didn't call other teams (had called Parcells in the past when Parcells was the head coach of the Jets) about the Pats and didn't try to force a trade.

The Patriots knew he would not be happy as a back up and traded him. I think if they didn't and he had to sit on the bench the following year, it could have gotten ugly. Bledsoe repeatedly has said he does not want to be a back up in the the league. He backed up that claim by retiring rather than trying to find a spot to fight for a starting job or go into camp as the #2 QB.

 

[Nunchucks]

I think it was ugly, not from the Patriots standpoint and not even really from Drew's standpoint (never got to the Ty Law style of ugly) but the fans were brutal to him. In that respect it was really ugly.

Drew wanted to play, Brady is better....trade Drew....it worked out fine for everybody, he never had to hold out etc

 

[Lifer]

Its not even the offseason and we are talking about this again.

Cant somebody start another Brian O'Connell vs Matt Cassel controversy thread?

 

[ScottieC]

Its not even the offseason and we are talking about this again.

Cant somebody start another Brian O'Connell vs Matt Cassel controversy thread?

Who is Brian O'Connell? Is he related to Kevin O'Connell?

 

[Lifer]

Who is Brian O'Connell? Is he related to Kevin O'Connell?

thank you. Kevin O'Connell.

Cant we have another Kevin O'Connell vs Matt Cassel thread?

 

[Kontradiction]

I remember all that talk as well.

I never sensed any animosity on the team or in any interviews, I always thought that Bledsoe was a class act as he went thru the season coaching Tom and working with him on the game plans and in game changes. After all has been said and done, he was really just a coach for Brady and I think we all owe him a big "thank you" for helping Tommy out during that time.

You have to think about that moment in the Tunnel when Tommy goes nuts on Drew telling him, "I told you I would get you here!" - I think that speaks volumes about their relationship.

"Just sling it".

 

[Wildo7]

It was probably a blow to Drew's ego as a good quarterback, and I'm sure there was some uncomfortable situations behind the scenes, but Drew was very classy about it IMO, and it went about as well as it could have gone. Anyone remember the letter he wrote to the fans in a one page ad he bought in the Boston Globe? I thought it was a pretty standup move.

He was also a team player, coming off the bench to perform really well against the Steelers. And I'm sure everyone knows the quote Brady uses where he tells him to "just go out there and sling it." I don't think it would be fair to expect that departure to have gone any better.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

I did not consider it ugly at all.In fact I remember Drew taking out a full paged Ad in both Newspapers thanking the Fans and The Organization for everything.I'm sure that He wasn't happy but He handled it about as well as anyone could.

 

[matt1073]

NO it was not bad at all I remember Bledsoe took an ad in the paper personally thanking the pats organization and fans for his time here

 

[ScottieC]

"Just sling it".

Exactly. Perfect example.