Great post, Ian. It's pretty well-known that BB benched AD due to performance. But what I am trying to figure out is when things started going wrong. Based on this excerpt from BBs PC yesterday, I found these comments interesting...
Coach Bill Belichick was asked how things will proceed with Thomas this week.
“Everything’s the same for every player,’’ Belichick said. “They’ve all got the same job: come in, learn the game plan, be ready to go. Substitutions and playing time are all coaches’ decisions; they’re not players’ decisions.
“A player’s job is to be ready to play, and if he’s put into the game, then go out there and play his best. All 53 guys, it’s the same for all of them.’’
Sounds like his beef with AD went beyond game performance and a couple of weeks ago. He was missing practices and when he was in practices, he wasn't applying himself.
I think back to when Seymour skipped out to attend his grandfather's funeral and BB did not start him for the Denver 2003 MNF game. People said that his benching had nothing to do with the death, rather it was BB making an effort to adjust Seymour's attitude.
May be the same set of circumstances here.
Just wish that this would go away an AD would start wrecking offenses and play to his potential.
My .02$