The Patriot Way

[broadwayjoe]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/don_banks/03/16/patriot.way/index.html

 

[SaCaCh]

Eventually New England's free-agent losses are going to turn into regular-season losses, and not even savvy mid-level signings, shrewd trades and consistently strong drafts are going to be enough to offset all the defections on both the personnel and coaching fronts. It's the law of the NFL jungle.

Um no, that's the point of doing it the way they are. To avoid the "law of the NFL". They are trying to be consistantly good, to give themselves a chance every year. Not over pay now, and then kill themselves later, thats the "Law".

 

[Patriot Games]

I thought it was a good article except for this:



"and not even savvy mid-level signings, shrewd trades and consistently strong drafts are going to be enough to offset all the defections on both the personnel and coaching fronts."



Umm..yes it is. The question is WHETHER they will be able to keep doing these things. If they have success in these areas, they'll be fine. If they fail for 2 or 3 years in a row, they'll have problems.

Last season's acquisitions weren't good in free-agency, but the draft showed some promise. If they can have a good year in the draft / free agency, that will keep them on track.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Yes, I too thought it was a good article. Of course, he ducks saying anything substantive that might yield a prediction (How long will the Patriots' way work? Until it stops working. Well, I'll be d*mned.) but he is right: the Patriots aren't perfect but they are consistent.

Here are some questions, though.

There's moving on from players and moving on from players. I think it is much better to let players get to the end of a contract than having to cut them, even when the numbers are obviously too rich to accept. (When we had this discussion before, someone said that Willie was absolutely OK with being cut. He didn't sound over-happy about it when he was interviewed after signing for Cleveland -- classy though he undoubtedly was.) And if you let them get to free agency and lose them you get compensation picks!

I also think that there is a place for schmooze. Calling the guys up and telling them how much we appreciate them (even if we don't have the money to match another offer) is part of what any classy organization should do. There's no need to lie, but valued contributors have earned that. If it's true that our free agents hadn't heard from the Pats that is bad news.

Finally, if you take a wait-and-see-what-drops attitude towards free agency you may well get better value than those who jump in in the first week, it's true. But that was particularly true in years when players became cap casualties through the summer. The new CBA has given most teams a lot more cap space than they'd expected. It wouldn't surprise me then if there were a lot fewer fire sales going on this year than there have been previously. If that's what BB/SP are hoping for, perhaps they'll be disappointed.

 

[Pats726]

Um no, that's the point of doing it the way they are. To avoid the "law of the NFL". They are trying to be consistantly good, to give themselves a chance every year. Not over pay now, and then kill themselves later, thats the "Law".

I agree with you...it's almost like a contradiction in that statement being in there..The Patriot Way IS different..and is trying to avoid.."the law of the NFL".. I think again that statement is bogus..more like well they did it rhwir way BUT?? It comes to an end..more like wishful thinking is all of what that is.
This year will be a tough one for the team..I really saw BB as tooling up for this year to be a SB run..I still think that despite these losses...BB was way ahead on that and I think he has plans in place. It's almost like everyone of the doubterrs thins that he is home twiddling his thumbs..maybe it's the Red Sox mentality coming into play with these new-posters. They have much to learn though. MUCH to learn about the Patriot way.

 

[broadwayjoe]

Yes they are consistent and I think our big name will come next month before the draft and then we will try to make hits in the draft as well.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Nice piece, he and his interns did a nice job of mining one or more Pats' forum to test the mood of the messes (that is correct, no A - ).