AzPatsFan
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How does Bill Belichick choose to win his annual wars for the Lombardi Trophy? Answer that question, and you can see what MUST happen in the Draft.
Belichick fights his annual War like American generals and Admirals chose to fight their wars. With the singular exception of General Washington. They win with Attrition Warfare, deploying more resources, bigger and better equipped armies rather than with cunning tactics. Cunning tactics are for longshots and underdogs; even brilliant under dogs like General Robert E Lee. In the end they lost. They are ground down under the weight of Americans fighting methods of fielding over whelming matériel and manpower resources.
This philosophy is also how Belichick has won, when he has won. His Championship teams have the depth to withstand injuries and simply wear out the opposition, getting stronger the longer the campaign. In the case of the annual Football wars, his teams inevitably get comparatively stronger as less well equipped, less deep teams have gaping holes opened in their Defenses by the inevitable injuries, as the playoffs approach.
Once you recognize that, you realize what Belichick must try to do in the Draft and Free Agency. Acquire more soldiers, than the other guys. They can have their glorious fighters like Stonewall Jackson; he wants another Corps of troops, or another Fleet instead.
Since this is the way he fights, how does he get more soldiers than the other guys?. He must find enough cheaper, good but not great soldiers, to fit in the budget given to him. That means fewer Stars and many more younger able youngsters, and still useful good veterans, who can be paid less. He would rather have the best 65 players on call than others. His top ten might not be as good as yours, but he will wear you down. Indeed his "bend but don't break" Defense is a wear you down approach, not letting you exercise the benefits of your "game breaking" stars.
So when it comes to the Draft Belichick tries to accrue as many selections as he can to build a very deep Team with which to wage Attrition Warfare.
Occasionally his whole team will grow old, so he must do massive reconstruction. Such is the situation he has faced since 2007. He has stripped the old Championship team down, retiring or sending away many of the key cogs, while he undertook a massive Reconstruction. Last seasaon th last of the old players left. Tedy, Rodney, Vrabes and Richard departed.
It is his genius that he has been astute and wise enough to be able to conduct three "double drafts" in a row. While others selected 7 players, or less per year, he had choices of 10, 12, and 14 selections. Instead of 21 selections, he has made 36 selections. Now with starters and prime reserves and good reserves behind them, from defensive Safety to offensive RB, can he even begin to consider adding Impact stars.
His 2 #1s and 2 #2s of 2011 draft will probably be the first in several years devoted to a different approach. He might be setting out finding Impact players then, rather than large numbers of good players.
For example, the weakest squad on the Patriots is the OLB Pass Rush. All the pundits and fans agree. But the reality is, Belichick has two players that have double digit annual sack totals in their histories. Behind them, he has two high draft picks, with ideal triangles, both taken before the end of third round, to back them up; and four more applicants for jobs behind them. Some weakness, it is a gaping hole. Eh, What?
Isn't it wonderful to be a Patriots Fan and know that the Team has been gathering strength for three seasons, for a series of annual SuperBowl quests in the next half dozen seasons? While winning 11, 11, and 10 games the past three years.
Comments?
Belichick fights his annual War like American generals and Admirals chose to fight their wars. With the singular exception of General Washington. They win with Attrition Warfare, deploying more resources, bigger and better equipped armies rather than with cunning tactics. Cunning tactics are for longshots and underdogs; even brilliant under dogs like General Robert E Lee. In the end they lost. They are ground down under the weight of Americans fighting methods of fielding over whelming matériel and manpower resources.
This philosophy is also how Belichick has won, when he has won. His Championship teams have the depth to withstand injuries and simply wear out the opposition, getting stronger the longer the campaign. In the case of the annual Football wars, his teams inevitably get comparatively stronger as less well equipped, less deep teams have gaping holes opened in their Defenses by the inevitable injuries, as the playoffs approach.
Once you recognize that, you realize what Belichick must try to do in the Draft and Free Agency. Acquire more soldiers, than the other guys. They can have their glorious fighters like Stonewall Jackson; he wants another Corps of troops, or another Fleet instead.
Since this is the way he fights, how does he get more soldiers than the other guys?. He must find enough cheaper, good but not great soldiers, to fit in the budget given to him. That means fewer Stars and many more younger able youngsters, and still useful good veterans, who can be paid less. He would rather have the best 65 players on call than others. His top ten might not be as good as yours, but he will wear you down. Indeed his "bend but don't break" Defense is a wear you down approach, not letting you exercise the benefits of your "game breaking" stars.
So when it comes to the Draft Belichick tries to accrue as many selections as he can to build a very deep Team with which to wage Attrition Warfare.
Occasionally his whole team will grow old, so he must do massive reconstruction. Such is the situation he has faced since 2007. He has stripped the old Championship team down, retiring or sending away many of the key cogs, while he undertook a massive Reconstruction. Last seasaon th last of the old players left. Tedy, Rodney, Vrabes and Richard departed.
It is his genius that he has been astute and wise enough to be able to conduct three "double drafts" in a row. While others selected 7 players, or less per year, he had choices of 10, 12, and 14 selections. Instead of 21 selections, he has made 36 selections. Now with starters and prime reserves and good reserves behind them, from defensive Safety to offensive RB, can he even begin to consider adding Impact stars.
His 2 #1s and 2 #2s of 2011 draft will probably be the first in several years devoted to a different approach. He might be setting out finding Impact players then, rather than large numbers of good players.
For example, the weakest squad on the Patriots is the OLB Pass Rush. All the pundits and fans agree. But the reality is, Belichick has two players that have double digit annual sack totals in their histories. Behind them, he has two high draft picks, with ideal triangles, both taken before the end of third round, to back them up; and four more applicants for jobs behind them. Some weakness, it is a gaping hole. Eh, What?
Isn't it wonderful to be a Patriots Fan and know that the Team has been gathering strength for three seasons, for a series of annual SuperBowl quests in the next half dozen seasons? While winning 11, 11, and 10 games the past three years.
Comments?
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