Krafts Have a Decision To Make on GM

[Ivan]

People forget how tough of a decision that was, the Patriots had not won any SB's at the time Bledsoe recovered from his injury and Belichick could have easily lost his job if things had gone sideways that season. It was probably the biggest and most pressure packed decision he has ever made, and it surprises me that people take it for granted.

It doesn’t surprise me because most of the people claiming it was all Brady were hating all over Belichick throughout their Dynasty years. So it never mattered whether they were having great success or not, because nothing was ever good enough for them.

 

[Ivan]

If I’m Bob Kraft I go to Belichick, make it clear how much I appreciate everything he’s done for the Patriots, give him a nice big bonus for helping to turn the franchise from a value under 200 million $$$ to the 4th highest highest valued sports franchise on earth (7 Billion $$$), and then tell him I would like to see him keep coaching for a few more seasons, but that I have to find out if I already have the personnel to run football operations in Groh and Wolf, or either of them, so he can still have input on players, but those two, or one of them, will take a ver football operations, and in particular player personnel for the future. And when Belichick says the deal is complete control I would tell him that the have honored that deal for almost 25 years, and that I have to do what is best for the future of the franchise, and that’s my best offer. If Belichick decides that he can’t live with that then let him walk away, and turn the coaching search over to Groh and Wolf, or one of them if the decision for the future GM has already been decided.

While I question whether Belichick can still put a great coaching staff together, I still think he’s better than any coach in the game at game planning and game day decisions. But at this point they need to focus more on their future than trying to win a Championship now. Groh/Wolf should be making free agency and draft decisions, and the next coach is going to be focused on coaching, and not on running every aspect of the organization.

 

[venecol]

Any other coach or GM would have put Bledsoe back in for the playoffs, and traded Brady that offseason. Belichick did neither.

Lol, of course not. Belichick was 5-13 with Bledsoe and about to get fired until Brady came to the rescue. Brady was graded as a 3rd rounder that they got in the 6th. He was a steal. They weren't trading Brady, that's nonsense.

He coached the QB’s directly, saw Brady’s potential, then traded the former #1 overall pick, who they had just signed to a 100 million $$$ contract.

Is this a joke? Belichick didn't coach the qbs directly. I've heard Belichick was also a QB whisperer. Lol, you guys.

Belichick was the person who believed in Brady, and his decisions, roster building, and coaching. along with Brady’s development led them to 9 Conference Championships and 6 Lombardi’s. Anyone who thinks it was all Brady doesn’t know anything about football.

A lot of people believed in Brady: QB coach, OC, GM, Owner, scouts, etc. Brady proved his worth.

There's no doubt Bill is a top rated D coach. Of course it wasn't all Brady but I don't think there's any doubt, any longer, that Brady made Bill's HC career.

 

[sb1]

Lol, of course not. Belichick was 5-13 with Bledsoe and about to get fired until Brady came to the rescue. Brady was graded as a 3rd rounder that they got in the 6th. He was a steal. They weren't trading Brady, that's nonsense.

Is this a joke? Belichick didn't coach the qbs directly. I've heard Belichick was also a QB whisperer. Lol, you guys.

A lot of people believed in Brady: QB coach, OC, GM, Owner, scouts, etc. Brady proved his worth.

There's no doubt Bill is a top rated D coach. Of course it wasn't all Brady but I don't think there's any doubt, any longer, that Brady made Bill's HC career.

It was a perfect partnership. Bill a defensive savant and the GOAT on offense. Two of the best at what they do. Now Bill doesn't have that offensive mind to work with and it shows. Hence Matt Patricia, offensive co-ordinator.

Could be totally wrong and this is going waaay out there on a limb...but I don't think Bill meets in his office regularly with Mac Jones 1 on 1 to talk football like he did with Brady. Lol

 

[venecol]

If I’m Bob Kraft I go to Belichick, make it clear how much I appreciate everything he’s done for the Patriots, give him a nice big bonus for helping to turn the franchise from a value under 200 million $$$ to the 4th highest highest valued sports franchise on earth (7 Billion $$$), and then tell him

 

[venecol]

Here's your legendary HC from someone that knows him. Class act.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Bill scouting WR’s:

 

[Ivan]

Ironic. That’s exactly what I have to say to troll's like you. Anyone who doesn’t understand and appreciate what Belichick has done for this franchise is a ****ing moron, and you exemplify that.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Well, Kraft was all giddy about drafting Mac. Yes BB had had some absolute duds but he never thought Mac will have almost the same number of INTs 6 as TDs.

 

[Biffins]

Belichick 23-24 years in is not going to stay on if his GM abilities are taken. It's either/or.

And Bill this year hasn't been justifying that he's currently such a great coach that it's even worth it to attempt.

Outside of Tom as QB, Bill hasn't justified that he's a good coach...... let alone a great coach.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Bledsoe was gone the first excuse Belichick could find. Tom gave him a hell of an excuse.

But Drew never fit into what Belichick wanted.

I'll give Belichick credit for changing schemes as Tom's skills evolved. But he wasn't willing to do it with Bledsoe. He got rid of the things that Bledsoe needed to succeed with. I think we look at what Tom did with the same personnel and give Bledsoe a hard time. They had different skillsets and needed different personnel.

 

[1960Pats]

I loved Tuna and loved how he ran a team.

At the time I felt the Krafts were kind of a joke. They forced Tuna out (Tuna didn't help matters) hired that clown Pete Carroll (who I also couldn't stand with his over-the-top enthusiasm) and heres Bob trying to move the team to CT because hes trying to squeeze Emperor "Montgomery Burns" Finnegan. Hes at a combine with a stopwatch for Tebucky Jones' workout and getting embarrassed by Lisa Guerrero on MNF when hes 3 sheets to the wind.

Bill gave them credibility. They owe him a ****load....Tom as well.

I used to work with two season ticket holders from the north shore who were perfectly willing to drive to Hartford instead of Foxboro. Ironically, that attitude by fans probably helped the Pats stay there.

 

[1960Pats]

Outside of Tom as QB, Bill hasn't justified that he's a good coach...... let alone a great coach.

It's abundantly clear that Kraft backed the wrong horse. He let the thoroughbred go while keeping the old gray mare.

 

[1960Pats]

Yes, we know.

Why does it bother you that Pats fans still appreciate the legacy that Tom left us with?

 

[1960Pats]

A "high" first?

I guess what you are saying is that we'll probably get the 3rd best QB with or 6th to 10th pick, presuming one is still available?

Consider the year that we picked Jones. It seemed that there was a true #1 franchise QB and the questionable rest. We got #5. And surprise, surprise, we didn't end up with a franchise QB. Why should this year be any different?

We won't get the 3rd best QB. We'll get the one that the Pats think is the 3rd best but he could end up being anything.

Do we have to go over the hundreds and hundreds of examples of all-pro players drafted behind players who didn't make it in the NYFL? Or the best example of them all, a QB who was drafted 199th and ends up the GOAT? The draft is a crap shoot.

 

[1960Pats]

It doesn’t surprise me because most of the people claiming it was all Brady were hating all over Belichick throughout their Dynasty years. So it never mattered whether they were having great success or not, because nothing was ever good enough for them.

I didn't start criticizing Bill until he dumped Brady but I've never really cared much about coaching. I think it's an over-rated job with many of it's techniques from a half to a full century old. Even when something new comes up it can be figured out quickly. And almost anyone can do it if given the chance. That's not true of players, you know, the people we pay to watch play.

So in your mind Bill's a victim now and haters were claiming that it was all Tom throughout the winning years? That's a load of bs. Bill started taking criticism as a GM at some point but he's still appreciated by just about everyone.

But the time has come for Belichick's fans just like it did for Tom's fans. Time to let go.

 

[1960Pats]

If I’m Bob Kraft I go to Belichick, make it clear how much I appreciate everything he’s done for the Patriots, give him a nice big bonus for helping to turn the franchise from a value under 200 million $$$ to the 4th highest highest valued sports franchise on earth (7 Billion $$$), and then tell him I would like to see him keep coaching for a few more seasons, but that I have to find out if I already have the personnel to run football operations in Groh and Wolf, or either of them, so he can still have input on players, but those two, or one of them, will take a ver football operations, and in particular player personnel for the future. And when Belichick says the deal is complete control I would tell him that the have honored that deal for almost 25 years, and that I have to do what is best for the future of the franchise, and that’s my best offer. If Belichick decides that he can’t live with that then let him walk away, and turn the coaching search over to Groh and Wolf, or one of them if the decision for the future GM has already been decided.

While I question whether Belichick can still put a great coaching staff together, I still think he’s better than any coach in the game at game planning and game day decisions. But at this point they need to focus more on their future than trying to win a Championship now. Groh/Wolf should be making free agency and draft decisions, and the next coach is going to be focused on coaching, and not on running every aspect of the organization.

Bill could handle all of those duties before and now he can't. Maybe age has caught up to him.

 

[Ivan]

Bill could handle all of those duties before and now he can't. Maybe age has caught up to him.

I’m not sure whether it’s age or just the fact that all good things come to an end, You can’t stay on top forever, regardless of who you are. When Belichick was a younger coach he could get the best young coaches to work for him because it was the best road to the top of the profession, and that was despite the fact that he’s a serious prick, and his demands and expectations were at times ridiculous. At a certain point however that ability runs dry, and those talented young coaches gravitate to other coaches who they see as more innovative, and a better opportunity for advancement. So I don’t think Belichick is able to draw the best young coaches to his staff any longer.

People have long made a case against his drafting, but those criticisms have always been cherry picked, and completely lacking any context, as every franchise struggles to draft well. But as I said in another post that could well be the structure of the league, where there is no minor league to grow against equal talent, before going to the NFL, that is at the root of why NFL teams all struggle with their drafting. However, in this case, as it pertains to Belichick, I believe Kraft has allowed Belichick the complete control they originally agreed to, and has the right to tell him that deal has run its course, and he needs to find out if the young front office, Groh and Wolf, are the right people to lead the franchise into the future, and Kraft needs to give them control over personnel to determine that. Belichick has always maintained that he puts the franchise first, and that’s essentially what Kraft would be asking him to do now. Belichick could argue that isn’t their deal, and Kraft could tell him he’s free to step down if he wants to.

Aside from not being able to attract the best young coaches anymore I think Belichick can still coach, and Kraft should give him that option, but personnel would no longer be his decisions. Imo now is the time to make this move, as this coming offseason is going to be big for their future. I want Groh and Wolf making the decision on their next QB, as they will be picking really high, and there should be several good options available to them. They also have major decisions on who to pay, and who to let walk in free agency, and free agency, more than any other area, is where Belichick has really failed in recent years, as he has spent huge money with poor returns. The Judon signing was a home run, but other than that he just burned money. Now is the time to find out if Groh and Wolf are the people to run this franchise going forward, so I would propose this to Belichick, and if he walks let them take over the franchise, and let them make the decisions on Coach, free agency, and the Draft.

 

[moosekill]

It's abundantly clear that Kraft backed the wrong horse. He let the thoroughbred go while keeping the old gray mare.

************. Brady had at most 3 years left. The Patriots weren't going to win anything with him there. There was no horse to pick, it was time to move on.

 

[moosekill]

Freaking pink hat patriots fans. Probably a top 10 in the league defense, especially when healthy, missing their top two players. Top 2 wide receivers out. O line consistently injured. And Bill sucks. Sadly, when they replace him you whiny *****y posters, and you know who you are, are going to realize what really sucking is like. Some of us lived it in the 80's and still remember it, I get some posters have lost their memories with age. I remember when the punter was the best player on the team. But of course many of you won't post anymore.