Very Good Reiss Piece on getting into BB's head...

[DarrylS]

From this mornings globe, nice article on how BB views some of the proposed rule changes, what has always amazed me with this guy is now well thought out and deep he views every situation.. The only bad thing about the article is it has a pix of him sittting with Cashman and Torre.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/03/25/getting_in_the_coachs_head/

When NFL owners arrive in Phoenix today for their annual meetings, they will vote on a handful of rule changes. One of the most notable involves overtime, specifically moving the opening kickoff from the 30- to the 35-yard line in an attempt to lessen the advantage for teams that win the coin toss.

The Patriots have played in nine overtime games since Bill Belichick was hired as coach in 2000, and they are 8-1, with eight straight victories. Given that run of success, one might assume Belichick is just fine with the current rules.

Not exactly.

In fact, overtime rules are one aspect of the game he is particularly passionate about.

"Football is a game that is played to the final gun," said Belichick. "There is a lot of strategy at the end of the game -- you're protecting a lead, conserving time to get the ball back, and that all gets eliminated from the game in overtime.

"The way it is now, you're playing for field position and the score, and you lose that end-of-game strategy. I think that strategy is part of the intrigue that football brings."

 

[QuickOutGo]

Isn't it so refreshing to read a Globe football notes column that actually contains info relevant to the Patriots? I hope they give the notes column to Reiss permanently even after Borges gets back from his suspension. In one week Reiss is able to get more quotes from Belichick than Borges has in the last 8 years.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

Nice piece by Reiss. Makes me appreciate how carefully Mike has cultivated this relationship over the years by staying out of the BS that's created by so many others. It's earned him BB's time.

His thoughts on the roster and the defensive headsets were particularly good,I thought.

 

[JoePats]

I like BB's overtime proposal, basically as follows:

a 7:30 "quarter" with no sudden death. Each team would likely, but not definately, get the ball. If still tied, then 7:30 of sudden death.

 

[Fencer]

BB's thoughts on 45 vs. 47 surprised me, because a few years ago he was quoted as saying that a sux to tell healthy guys that they can't play.

Maybe he didn't bother thinking it through until there was a specific proposal that needed addressing. That would be very BBish.

I like the OT idea, in part because the "and then sudden death" clause covers most of the possible possession inequities. However, I'm amused that he so fervently wants to keep coaching strategy as part of the game. Not surprised; just amused.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

The common theme throughout is BB's love of the game and of coaching.
It's interesting that he prefers adding an opportunity for more strategy into OT,given the fact we've had so much success there as the rules stand now. Most coaches who had that record would probably prefer not to look a gift horse in the mouth and stand pat with the rules as they are,but not BB lol.
He's the consummate coach.
He also points out the fans would enjoy seeing OT with a bit more strategy involved,and I'd agree with him. BB in a gameplan type OT? :rocker:

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

BB emphasizes game strategy because he knows that the majority of his HC opponents are inept gametime strategists, unprepared and illogical.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

BB emphasizes game strategy because he knows that the majority of his HC opponents are inept gametime strategists, unprepared and illogical.

Likely true also.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Nice piece by Reiss. Makes me appreciate how carefully Mike has cultivated this relationship over the years by staying out of the BS that's created by so many others. It's earned him BB's time.

His thoughts on the roster and the defensive headsets were particularly good,I thought.

It is a nice piece. When Belichick sees no reason to be cagey on an issue, he can usually be counted on for insightful commentary, refreshing straight-forward honesty, and a dryness that borders on wit. Reiss does a great job of catering to BB's no-nonsense, all-football-all-the-time attitude, and doesn't try to bang his head against the wall by asking Belichick to speculate, which the man obviously hates to do.

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

I love BB's take on the idea of making pass interference a 15 yard penalty:

"Personally, I could live with it, but the problems I see is what is blatant, what isn't? I can see that getting into a difficult call to make.

"I don't think the rule needs to be changed, but I think the officials collectively could do a better job officiating it with consistency. It's the same type of thing we see in basketball with blocking and charging; every play is a little different.

The problem isn't the rules themselves, it's that they're not being called consistently. Making PI a 15 yard penalty wouldn't have made a difference in the way the Pats/Colts game turned out -- after the b.s. PI call on Hobbs, the Colts would have gotten a new set of downs at the 4 yard line instead of the 1, and the clear interference on Caldwell in the endzone would still have been a non-call.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

Whoa! Obviously dorky looking Reiss scooped one of your girlfriends from you. My sympathies.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It is a nice piece. When Belichick sees no reason to be cagey on an issue, he can usually be counted on for insightful commentary, refreshing straight-forward honesty, and a dryness that borders on wit. Reiss does a great job of catering to BB's no-nonsense, all-football-all-the-time attitude, and doesn't try to bang his head against the wall by asking Belichick to speculate, which the man obviously hates to do.

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

Give me a friggin' break. At least Mike had some journalistic integrity to trade. Can't say the same for his peers in this town. Most of whom long ago sold their journalistic souls to the devil for a shot at the kind of noteriety that lands you on multiple airwaves by breaking a negative or critical story or spinning something innocuous into negativity or failing that manufacturing a negative where none existed by injecting themselves into a story.

 

[Sam Malone]

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

EXACTLY. Everyone knows that if a reporter just sticks to unbiased facts he or she has no journalistic integrity.

I personally can't wait for Ron Borges to come back,how else am I gonna find out whats going on in Drew Bledsoe and Al Davis' minds right now.

 

[belichickaholic]

It is a nice piece. When Belichick sees no reason to be cagey on an issue, he can usually be counted on for insightful commentary, refreshing straight-forward honesty, and a dryness that borders on wit. Reiss does a great job of catering to BB's no-nonsense, all-football-all-the-time attitude, and doesn't try to bang his head against the wall by asking Belichick to speculate, which the man obviously hates to do.

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

Your upset that he's earned Belichick's trust. What would you have done differently? Fans have been waiting for 8 years to hear Belichick's thought's on different subjects in the globe. Imagine that, Belichick quoted in the sunday globe!!

Mike Reiss is awesome and if you don't appreciate what he's done, your not a fan.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Give me a friggin' break. At least Mike had some journalistic integrity to trade. Can't say the same for his peers in this town. Most of whom long ago sold their journalistic souls to the devil for a shot at the kind of noteriety that lands you on multiple airwaves by breaking a negative or critical story or spinning something innocuous into negativity or failing that manufacturing a negative where none existed by injecting themselves into a story.

Yes, Borges + Felger are opportunistic, sleazy hacks who, motivated either by a desire for infamy or by a pure, simple grudge, do nothing but try to incite controversy through knee-jerk contrarianism and cheap, dirty innuendo.

They're God-awful. Ron, in particular, should long ago have been fired for his violations of every canon of journalism imaginable.

But if those two are the Globe and National Enquirer of Boston sports journalism, Mike Reiss would be Entertainment Weekly or People magazine: willing to print anything the subject's publicist wants them to so long as the subject will pose for flatteringly air-brushed photo shoots and talk about their tough road to fame was and how much fun it was working with [insert co-stars' name] and how they've always dreamed of being directed by [insert director's name].

There really should be a medium in between being a muckraker like Borges and being a shill like Reiss. Reiss may be the lesser of the two evils, but he certainly doesn't deserve the reverence in which he's held on these boards.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Your upset that he's earned Belichick's trust. What would you have done differently? Fans have been waiting for 8 years to hear Belichick's thought's on different subjects in the globe. Imagine that, Belichick quoted in the sunday globe!!

Mike Reiss is awesome and if you don't appreciate what he's done, your not a fan.

And if you don't remember Michael Holley and Michael Smith doing beat writing the way it was meant to be done, than you haven't been a fan for the 8 years. They took advantage of the access working for the Globe provided while maintaining their editorial independence.

Belichick can trust Reiss, certainly, because he knows that Reiss will never print anything that Pats' media relations head Stacey James hasn't stamped w/ his approval. He also knew he could trust Holley, as evidence by the access he game him to his team for Patriot Reign -- the difference is that the Globe readership could also trust Holley to write the whole truth, even if seeing it in print would make someone at the Pats' FO unhappy.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

It is a nice piece. When Belichick sees no reason to be cagey on an issue, he can usually be counted on for insightful commentary, refreshing straight-forward honesty, and a dryness that borders on wit. Reiss does a great job of catering to BB's no-nonsense, all-football-all-the-time attitude, and doesn't try to bang his head against the wall by asking Belichick to speculate, which the man obviously hates to do.

That said: Mike didn't get this interview because he "carefully... cultivated this relationship over the years." He got it because he's the writer the Globe found who was willing to trade some journalistic integrity in order for the priveleged access and early information that comes along w/ being the Patriots FO's party organ. He got it because the master needs to throw the dog enough bones to earn his continuing loyalty.

Did Reiss do something to you? LOL jezuz there's a rant if I ever saw one,and quite frankly I can't figure out why. Because he writes for the Glob? *(I did read all your replies)

 

[belichickaholic]

And if you don't remember Michael Holley and Michael Smith doing beat writing the way it was meant to be done, than you haven't been a fan for the 8 years. They took advantage of the access working for the Globe provided while maintaining their editorial independence.

Belichick can trust Reiss, certainly, because he knows that Reiss will never print anything that Pats' media relations head Stacey James hasn't stamped w/ his approval. He also knew he could trust Holley, as evidence by the access he game him to his team for Patriot Reign -- the difference is that the Globe readership could also trust Holley to write the whole truth, even if seeing it in print would make someone at the Pats' FO unhappy.

Michael Holley? The only negative article I can remember him writing about the Pats was when he told Kraft not to hire Belichick. Yeah, that was smart!!

You yourself wrote that a writer is supposed to represent the fans. The fans want to hear from Belichick and the players. Fans want to enjoy this era. It comes once in a lifetime. I think Mike Reiss understands that. Why don't you? I understand as a writer you want to walk a fine line, but this isn't the time to do that. If Belichick and the Pats were to lose consistently over the next few years, then I could understand the criticizm. But right now, IMO, the conduit to the fans is doing a good job and I for one, am appreciative.

 

[patchick]

Yes, Borges + Felger are opportunistic, sleazy hacks who, motivated either by a desire for infamy or by a pure, simple grudge, do nothing but try to incite controversy through knee-jerk contrarianism and cheap, dirty innuendo.

They're God-awful. Ron, in particular, should long ago have been fired for his violations of every canon of journalism imaginable.

But if those two are the Globe and National Enquirer of Boston sports journalism, Mike Reiss would be Entertainment Weekly or People magazine: willing to print anything the subject's publicist wants them to so long as the subject will pose for flatteringly air-brushed photo shoots and talk about their tough road to fame was and how much fun it was working with [insert co-stars' name] and how they've always dreamed of being directed by [insert director's name].

There really should be a medium in between being a muckraker like Borges and being a shill like Reiss. Reiss may be the lesser of the two evils, but he certainly doesn't deserve the reverence in which he's held on these boards.

This is a reasonable position, I think. There does seem to be a trend of Reiss suddenly appearing with an extremely detailed inside view on a topic the team typically doesn't want to talk about...3 hours after the story is broken by somebody else. It sure looks like he sits on material until the Pats FO gives him the ok to run it.

I totally appreciate Reiss. He provides insights into the team nobody else does, and he works awfully hard. His interviews with Belichick are invaluable. But the incredible negativity and cattiness of folks like Borges can blind us to what journalistic objectivity is supposed to be. It's not just a matter of keeping the articles you write fact-based and balanced, which Reiss does admirably. It's also about what topics you choose to write about at all.