As I teased the other day we got to attend the Dinner with the Head Coach again this year. Thank you times a billion
@fgssand. Best father ever!
I'll skip to the meat of the night then tell some of the other stuff.
We got our photo op with BB I was so excited I forgot to take one on my phone but they will send the copy they take later in the week. My buddy circled back and had the stones to ask for a selfy and took it with a Free Brady Hat on. He actually had a huge smile when he saw the hat. We thought he might not want to take the pic with it.
Then he gave a quick speech about where we are at in the off-season. Still only 5-10 practices in on what is a real long road. He talked about how he liked this event as its always signals the start of the year. Then he opened it up to questions.
I managed to get 2 in.
My First question: I asked given you drafted CB first this year what are the traits you look for in a corner?
His response was that with WRs getting bigger he thinks size is important. That teams really covet those guys early that are bigger and still fast. He said obviously speed and quickness is important. And that they better be able to handle the deeper half of the field. And that he and his team probably take a bigger priority in tackling. He also noted specifically with Jones they like that he is a 4 down player with potential to be a good returner.
I was a little surprised the first thing he said was size given that most of the CBs he has drafted weren't bigger than 6ft.
The second question: I asked that in the past you have mentioned not wanting to coach into your 70s like Marv Levy but that we would all love for him to hang around another 10 or 15 years have you reconsidered that thought at all?
His response was that he tries to take that year by year. Not that as a manager he doesn't have an eye on the next few years because he does he has to be cognizant of future when building a team but that he is really focused on the current year. He still loves what he is doing and can't think of doing anything else and he is just really focused on this year.
This kind of scared the crap out of me and maybe that's just because I was hoping he would say he is more open to it as he's getting closer. I think his real point was just that he didn't want to think to much about that far in the future. But I couldn't help but think when he first made the Levy comments he was probably in his late 50's and saying that gave him a 10 year window which is more comforting than year by year. My father pointed out if you want to be positive about it he didn't rule out coaching into his 70s like he did with the Levy comments.
He was clearly more focused on loving his job and taking it year to year but my own mind had me a little scared by the answer.
My favorite question someone else asked was about some of the different things he does to motivate his team especially given the success and potential to get complacent.
His response was about leaders in the locker room and how they have different styles a guy like Troy was quite but still very effective where Bru was more emotional and vocal but equally effective. But then he went on to talk about bringing in new guys that maybe have come from teams that aren't so good. Citing Corey Dillon and Randy Moss as examples. That they come in and can be really excited to go from a team that hasn't been winning to one that has a chance and that it can rub off on the team with guys wanting to win for them. What really excited me about this is that I couldn't help but think that this was his exact thinking with Chris Long and from what I've heard Long is excited in this exact way.
I'll post more if I can remember it.
Some highlights from the rest of the night included a speech from Tippett, and a trip to the field for picture ops. I ran onto the field pretending to pump up the crowd. Went over and waved to my seat. Then got my group to huddle up for Bru like Awe Yeah chant. Got another chance to check out the newest ring it really is a thing of beauty.
The night was so much fun.
Tippett's son went to the same camp I did growing up. West End House Boys Camp in Maine so I asked if his son loved it their and his son did he said kids from his neighborhood convinced him to go and they all loved it so much he even said his son was a west ender which is how we all refer to ourselves.
I also asked that he tell his Ken O'Brien story which I've heard before but I love it.
Interesting thing is I almost sensed a little embarrassment I assume given the added microscope on concussion. He started by couching the statement by saying football is a tough sport. But then went onto to say that at the pro bowl a friend and teammate of O'Brien's told him he really messed them up that he hit their QB so hard he was reciting his plays from high school.
That's it for now.
