Has anyone read Michael Holley's Patrot Reign?

[Lifer]

Awesome book. Takes you from 2000 thru the 2003 season.

Interesting take on the "Drew Bledsoe is Mr Wonderful" myth. According to Holley, on the inside of meetings with coaches, Bledsoe was a royal pain that season. He made the QB meetings very tense and he pouted constantly.

He didnt respond to Belichicks letters regarding training camp and basically forced the trade.

to his credit, Drew was ok in public, but he WAS a disrruption on that team and per Holleys book, the players felt it.

and by the way, his hand clapping and woweee i can play behavior when Brady got hurt in Pittsburgh and his crying on the field when they won always showed me that to Drew, it was always about Drew.

Get the book, its a great read.

 

[LoisDenominator]

Loved that book! Whenever anyone at the Denominator home sees Tom Jackson on TV, we always quote Coach Belichick as detailed in the last chapter. Classic stuff.

 

[Lifer]

Loved that book! Whenever anyone at the Denominator home sees Tom Jackson on TV, we always quote Coach Belichick as detailed in the last chapter. Classic stuff.

that book gives the greatest history and insight into the history of the franchise from the Parcells days through the establishment of the dynasty than anything else out there.

 

[fumbrunner]

It was a great book. I borrowed it to a Pats hater so that he can have some insight on the inner workings of the organization.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

It was a great book. I borrowed it to a Pats hater so that he can have some insight on the inner workings of the organization.

i don't think the book is that great. I think Christpher Price's The Blueprint is much better. That book goes from 2001 to 2007. Holley wrote that book for 12 year olds and I couldn't stand it.

 

[patfanken]

i don't think the book is that great. I think Christpher Price's The Blueprint is much better. That book goes from 2001 to 2007. Holley wrote that book for 12 year olds and I couldn't stand it.

I wouldn't be THAT harsh....HOWEVER, I felt that, given the incredible access he had, I would have LOVED to have seen more meat, though I DO understand that if I had gotten my wish, Mike would have become a personna non grata down at Foxboro.

 

[tombonneau]

It was a great book. I borrowed it to a Pats hater so that he can have some insight on the inner workings of the organization.

Me fail English? That unpossible!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Holley's book while not especially well written and lacking in revelations that would terminate his career access to the org is by far the best Pats book. At lease SOME funny stuff like Weis' riff on Patrick Pass.

Second place goes to DL coach Pepper Johnson's book. The best part of his is the detailed description of the work week for the coaches in game prep. I thought Hi-Tech startups worked long hours but Pats coaches work insane hours. Every week.

I would KILL to read a book by BB or Pioli or someone of that ilk that, post retirement of course, featured some really detailed thoughts about certain players, opponents, etc.

 

[BlitzFritz]

i thought it was ok
i thought Blueprint was just ok

Education of a Coach -- now that was a well written tribute

if anyone wants other good books on football, i have a bunch.
one of my faves is When Pride Still Mattered -- about Lombardi

FRITZ

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I did not read the blueprint yet.. but I did read Patriot Reign.. and it was a great book... Drew was always about Drew... but have some good memories about him.. But i compare him to Mcnabb situation.. Its time to move on..

 

[102 Pat]

Imagine how interesting a Belichick written book would be? The stories he could tell...

 

[PatsFanSince74]

yeah...great book...feels like ancient history now, but great...

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Imagine how interesting a Belichick written book would be? The stories he could tell...

yeah, like about how Mangini used to run the oppo tape department...

 

[Fencer]

Yep, Holley's was a nice book to have read, and could have been a lot better.

Education of a Coach was really interesting, and of course by one of the great writers of the day.

 

[Lifer]

On the other hand, I beg you all, do NOT read Nick Cafardo's post 2001 book. That really was written as if a third grader wrote it.
...one day i talk to Drew and he said it was great. And the next day we played the Jets. And then the next week we won again......
it was almost like reading something by Pete Sheppard. I dont even remember what the stupid book was called, it was just so awful i think i gave it to an elementary school.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

On the other hand, I beg you all, do NOT read Nick Cafardo's post 2001 book. That really was written as if a third grader wrote it.
...one day i talk to Drew and he said it was great. And the next day we played the Jets. And then the next week we won again......
it was almost like reading something by Pete Sheppard. I dont even remember what the stupid book was called, it was just so awful i think i gave it to an elementary school.

I do have that, and Cafardo used to be the Pats beat writer for the Globe and then turned sour on them for some reason.. He was mostly a red sox guy,writing stories about the Pats..

 

[PJM]

I agree that Holley didn't do as much as he could have with the access he got (read Next Man Up for an example of how it's done). The Blueprint was best for the earlier years but I didn't think there was much that was new for the post 2001 period. Education of a Coach is still the best Belichick book but we are awaiting a truly great Pats book. Have to agree about 'When Pride still Mattered' - the best football book I've read. Hopefully someday someone will do the same for BB - he's a fascinating enough character for it.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

i don't think the book is that great. I think Christpher Price's The Blueprint is much better. That book goes from 2001 to 2007. Holley wrote that book for 12 year olds and I couldn't stand it.

That's a little hard on Holley. I thought of it like one of the books that will come out about Obama now that he's been elected. More hagiography than substance, but worthwhile. Also, he's still a working reporter and had to be careful not to hurt his future access to the organization.

IMO, the best book, with no close second, on this Patriots team and/or those associated with it is The Education of a Coach.

 

[The Dog]

Drew made the pats relevant. Before Drew the pats were an absolute laughingstock. Brady and BB brought them to the next level, but it all started with Drew. It is a shame that people only remember when he became a complete statue at the end.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

My favorite was Education Of A Coach. I heard Moving The Chains was only so-so; has anyone read that one?

I hope BB writes a book, his memoirs, or whatever someday. Actually there's a bunch of players too whose books would be awesome should they decide to write one