Relax---Bill Belichick et al. are giving the matter their full attention.

[Isaac]

My compliments to Mike the Brit for inspiring the title (http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=34976).

This is not the time for fandom that gives a thumbs up and thumbs down to each passing decision as if they are picking an NCAA tournament pool. All the decisions currently being made by the Patriots are correct, not because BB et al. are always correct but because they have the best system, in history, of making decisions. The decision themselves become objective within the system. The objectivity is a result of the process---players are evaluated, coaches are evaluated, game plans are evaluated, systems are evaluated---and whatever comes up top in the evaluation system is the decision (e.g. trading up to take Chad Jackson, not offering MG a contract, going for it on 4th and 5 with 1:55 seconds remaining down by 4). There is absurdity in you and I suggesting that we may have made a better decision (e.g., we should have traded for Walker) not because we don't have an opinion but because we haven't been through the process. The process is a long one, it is a product of lifetimes of football minds, it is amazing if you would like to learn about it, and it is comprehensive.

So I suggest to those of you that find yourself sitting around wondering "if we had a good draft" or what our draft grades are like---rather just relax and know that the best decision that could have been made has been made and be excited about what you are witnessing (as in, "huh. i wonder why we drafted two TEs?"). Hindsight will be 20-20, some of the players won't pan out, many will. The team won't win every game, but they will try. For the present, be assured that BB et al. are the greatest assemblage of football minds ever assembled (in which I include the diaspora---Crennel, Weis, etc., and the old schoolers), they have developed an amazing system over many, many years, and they are giving the matter their full attention.

 

[emoney_33]

no no no the sky is falling!

 

[spacecrime]

we're doomed

 

[Remix 6]

sign Roman Phifer!

 

[The Gr8est]

Agreed, and while I thought picking Chad Jackson was a great pick where we got him, I expect very little from him. That is the nature of rookie WRs, and is the reason I generally do not like the idea of picking a WR high. Even if he doesn't do much his first year, it won't mean he's a bust though, and we definitely need a young WR with upside like Jackson has. I just hope everyone will be patient, Branch and Givens gave us very little their first years too.

 

[shakadave]

Branch and Givens gave us very little their first years too.

My memory is that Branch had a pretty nice first year. Second opinions anyone?

 

[arrellbee]

My compliments to Mike the Brit for inspiring the title (http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=34976).

This is not the time for fandom that gives a thumbs up and thumbs down to each passing decision as if they are picking an NCAA tournament pool. All the decisions currently being made by the Patriots are correct, not because BB et al. are always correct but because they have the best system, in history, of making decisions. The decision themselves become objective within the system. The objectivity is a result of the process---players are evaluated, coaches are evaluated, game plans are evaluated, systems are evaluated---and whatever comes up top in the evaluation system is the decision (e.g. trading up to take Chad Jackson, not offering MG a contract, going for it on 4th and 5 with 1:55 seconds remaining down by 4). There is absurdity in you and I suggesting that we may have made a better decision (e.g., we should have traded for Walker) not because we don't have an opinion but because we haven't been through the process. The process is a long one, it is a product of lifetimes of football minds, it is amazing if you would like to learn about it, and it is comprehensive.

So I suggest to those of you that find yourself sitting around wondering "if we had a good draft" or what our draft grades are like---rather just relax and know that the best decision that could have been made has been made and be excited about what you are witnessing (as in, "huh. i wonder why we drafted two TEs?"). Hindsight will be 20-20, some of the players won't pan out, many will. The team won't win every game, but they will try. For the present, be assured that BB et al. are the greatest assemblage of football minds ever assembled (in which I include the diaspora---Crennel, Weis, etc., and the old schoolers), they have developed an amazing system over many, many years, and they are giving the matter their full attention.

Very very well said. Thanks.

 

[bigrichard93]

My memory is that Branch had a pretty nice first year. Second opinions anyone?

branch played in 13 games as a rookie, starting in 7 of them. He had 43 catches and 2 TD's. Not bad for a rookie, but he improved a lot with his 78 receptions last year.

Givens as a rookie had 9 catches, 1 TD in 12 games.

 

[Isaac]

Very very well said. Thanks.

Q: What level of trust did you have at the time when all of that was happening? Were you saying, 'Scott and Bill are going to get it done and I'm not going to worry about it?'

TB: Hopefully, everybody, all of our fans, hopefully you guys have just as much trust in them as we do. They've proven time and time again that they make great decisions, just like the players, their track record and the history. If you're around here, you're around here for a reason - because you're really pulling your weight. Scott Pioli and the way he works and his staff and the way they put together their draft. Every time I see him he's here as early as any player and he leaves as late. That's extremely important to him. He runs a great part of that building, and Coach Belichick, everyone knows how I feel about him. I trust those guys. There's probably two people in this world, outside of my father, that I trust more with any important decisions like that.

http://www.patriots.com/mediacenter/index.cfm?ac=audionewsdetail&pid=19002&pcid=85

 

[the taildragger]

ditto, and i've been preaching this mantra for two years...but it's just that we love this team and we have nothing to do right now but wait around for minicamp and try to keep our anxiety in check for four months.

the Pats make their share of mistakes -- football isn't an exact science -- but obviously the team is in good hands.

the media hates this stuff -- "you're not allowed to criticize Belichick, they say sarcastically"-- for them it's a ratings game.

plus, being the armchair coach/gm makes us all feel way more important than we actually are.

 

[Isaac]

ditto, and i've been preaching this mantra for two years...but it's just that we love this team and we have nothing to do right now but wait around for minicamp and try to keep our anxiety in check for four months.

the Pats make their share of mistakes -- football isn't an exact science -- but obviously the team is in good hands.

the media hates this stuff -- "you're not allowed to criticize Belichick, they say sarcastically"-- for them it's a ratings game.

plus, being the armchair coach/gm makes us all feel way more important than we actually are.

Yes, sometimes it's nice to just preach to the choir. Less resistance.

 

[Haterproof]

The Pats will never be doomed.Mark my words?There is still a lot of gas in the Pat's tank.I hope Brady has 6 or 7 rings by the end of his career.Brady is the MJ of football to me.

 

[JoeSixPat]

sign Roman Phifer!

Can Dave Meggett still return kicks?

 

[minvardar]

I totally see Ben watson lining up as a wide receiver alot this year.

 

[arrellbee]

ditto, and i've been preaching this mantra for two years...but it's just that we love this team and we have nothing to do right now but wait around for minicamp and try to keep our anxiety in check for four months.

Keep preaching. Their are believers out here !

the Pats make their share of mistakes -- football isn't an exact science -- but obviously the team is in good hands.

Again, right on the money. What the Belichick and Pioli have shown is that they are 'right' enough of the time to put together winning football teams. I think so many posters miss that 'enough of the time' aspect and have some doubts and criticism that bubbles up in their hearts. There is simply no way that every decision BB/SP make is to acquire a superstar player or even always a successful player. What they do better than almost any team is make the highest percentage of good choices and selection of players that can contribute in a really solid fashion. If you count superbowls as a measuring stick, they are the best at this time. Period.

When you draft 32ish many of the top players are bound to be off the board. What they are very very good at is finding a player at the 32ish draft position who can be a really solid starter and, for whatever combination of poor evaluation or drafting for need by the other teams, has fallen that far in the draft. They have done it enough times that there is little doubt that they are emminently successful at that. They also unquestionably do as good a job or better than almost all teams at picking second rounders. Do they miss sleepers ? Of course. But what they apparently go for is not hitting home runs on significant risk/high-reward/low-success-rate players lower in the draft but instead selecting for the most solid talent that they can determine with their intensive scouting and evaluation effort.

When you sign only reasonably priced free agents, most of the top players are going to have been signed for unrealistic money - and many of the not-so-top players and over-the-hill players as well !! !! So BB/SP pass on all three of those categories. And the pool of reasonably priced players are players who haven't demonstrated great success. And even ones who are reasonably solid for many teams are not the caliber that are needed for a top performing team like the Patriots intend to be. So what so many folks don't seem to get is that, regardless of how perceptive BB/SP and company are in seeing potential in these 'rejects', even then the odds are not good at finding players who will contribute at a Patriot level. A lot of folks don't stop to really consider how MANY of these type of players that the Patriots go through in trying to determine with first hand practice observation which ones can possibly contribute. They discard a LOT of players. A LOT. And what folks want to criticize as failures, when they do keep a player, fail to give any weight to - the Patriots are pretty doggoned good at picking the best of the lost - but if there aren't any players in a given year of the necessary capability, there just aren't any. Even the Patriots can't manufacture them. So some years are better than others. And some years are honestly pretty much a bust - like last year. It's just a matter of odds and it's going to happen, no matter how good BB/SP are. But, again, many folks don't get the big picture or understand that the criteria of super-star coach/gm is based on the success rate compared to other teams. And, again, if you use superbowls as a yardstick, they are the best. It's too bad that folks feel a need to criticize individual player selections or even whole seasons - it shows an unfortunate lack of sensibility of what is going on. Consider, discuss, evaluate, wonder, predict - yes. Declare that the sky is falling or that BB/SP are slipping or failing ? - pretty lacking in sense.

the media hates this stuff -- "you're not allowed to criticize Belichick, they say sarcastically"-- for them it's a ratings game.

It seems like a required course for all media folks is "How to totally avoid looking at the big picture". Or an advanced course "How to avoid true perspective like the plague". It's enough to make one angry and disgusted. There are some heartening exceptions. Some report welcome amounts of information - Mike Reiss comes to mind, and Miguel of course. If you look hard, you can find some folks who are really good at perspective - Vic Ketchman comes to mind ( http://www.jaguars.com/News/AskVic.asp ). And Cold Hard Football facts. You just have to dig really hard to find them.

plus, being the armchair coach/gm makes us all feel way more important than we actually are.

Consider, discuss, evaluate, wonder, predict - yes. Really interesting to get ideas and perspectives from many folks. Good fun and satisfying if you end up getting in right. To think you have 'the' right evaluation or that your judgment is better than BB/SP in the complete context and perspective of what the Patriots are trying to do - just not sensible. And to be obnoxious about it and critical of folks with a different take on the issue - kind of ignorant.