Pondering the "Patriot Way"...

[edboc]

The door outside the Gillette for Patriot players reads:
"When you come here...
Do your job
Work hard
Be attentive
Put the team first"

I personally feel that ownership and BB differ in what what they think the "Patriot Way"/being a team player is. BB thinks that they are only there to win games. I think ownership is more balanced in its way of thinking in terms of serving the community, being a good person/morals, being competitive, etc.

 

[manxman2601]

I don't know about the specifics of "Patriot way", but the team set themselves up as doing something different to the rest of the NFL early:

Patriots Introduction Superbowl 36 - YouTube

 

[PATS16N0]

You can't blame anyone in the Patriots organization for what Hernandez is involved in. This is entirely on him (if he was involved).

It isn't like he's running his mouth in the locker room and being a drama-whore during the season for the press. This is just different.

People who are using this to say "The Patriot Way" is dead are just $@%#ing idiots. That's all. I mean am I to believe all of these geniuses all came up with this schtick individually? It's the off season. It's something for media-whores to talk about, and just like any other media, it's sensationalism, not reality.

What Hernandez is involved in has NOTHING to do with the Patriots aside from the fact that he is on their team. They didn't put him up to it. They didn't ever lead him to believe murder or obstruction (were he guilty) is ok as a New England Patriot. They haven't been tolerating and harboring murderers and setting a team culture of drug deals gone awry.

This conversation (not this thread, not you guys, but this national dialogue) is just off season stupidity and idiots trying to sound smart or observant or whatever.

The Patriot Way is the same as it's been since the Kraft/Belichick/Brady era began, and will continue to be that next season. If anything, this will even renew it.

And with that TRUTH out of the way.

If in 20 years the Patriot Way did crumble to dust, and the Patriots became a loud mouthed, rabble rousing troll fest, complete with criminals and ex-cons, I'd still speak highly of our "Patriot Way" in the most condescending, arrogant way imaginable, just because other teams fan bases $*#&ing HATE those three words.

The Patriot Way.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

...
Correct me if I am wrong, but seems as though the mediot contrarians are the creators of this concept, and now they are criticizing something they created???
Guess they gotta sell air time on the airwaves..

No. It's a fair criticism.

The Patriots may not have coined the term, but there is no doubt that the Franchise under Kraft has communicated a set of standards and expectations that include things like doing nothing to embarrass the team or NFL, eschewing the "star" system and never putting one player, even a future HOFer, over the Team, making it known that any player can be cut for creating locker room or other problems, and stuff like the SB XXXVI team introduction vs. individual introductions (thanks to the poster above for reminding us of that) etc. That all pretty much adds up to what the media coined as "The Patriot Way." I kind of liked it actually.

So, yeah, it's fair to ask out loud what happened to that when you have a player like Hernandez who seems to have thrown it all to the winds, a guy like Gronk who occupies a lot of space on the pages of tabloids in Boston and New York when he seems to have a lot of other things to worry about, and when you "experiment" with the player formerly known as Ocho Cinco. Even the addition of Tebow raised eyebrows, but I don't think that would be fair until we see how he works out.

I don't like the mediots any more than you do, but sometimes they accidentally get something right.

 

[jmt57]

To me the "Patriot Way" was simply a team-first attitude, as was epitomized when the Pats refused to be introduced individually and entered Super Bowl 36 as a team - an action that has since then been copy-catted by every other NFL team.

The other parts of the "Patriot Way" are exemplified by the signs that can be found within the Pats locker room: one that simply states "Do Your Job", and another that says

When You Leave Here:

-Don't believe or fuel the hype
-Manage Expectations
-Ignore the noise
-Speak for yourself​

or somewhat similar words to that effect.


Somehow many people, perhaps fueled by the opinions of some in the media, have taken those ideals and morphed them into the 'Patriot Way' somehow representing this choir boy image. My guess is that the idea of not saying anything (the one-voice philosophy) becomes not saying anything bad, which becomes this wholesome good guy representation; that portrayal then gets repeated often enough that it is accepted as fact.

What is overlooked is that has never been the case. As pointed out earlier, the Pats have had plenty of players on the team, from Bryan Cox to Rodney Harrison to Corey Dillon to Randy Moss and plenty of others that have had varying degrees of questionable character on and/or off the field.

If a player buys into the system and follows those rules mentioned above, then he fits in and has a chance to be successful; if he does not then he is let go, as was the case with Albert Haynesworth. The Pats do attempt to find more of the former by looking at certain character traits such as leadership skills (their penchant for signing players that were team captains in college), but if the risk/reward makes it worth it, then drafting an Alfonzo Dennard in the 7th round is seen as a good value.

Football is an extremely violent game. The cold reality is that one cannot field a winning team by limiting the player search to 53 Tim Tebows.

 

[IllegalContact]

regardless of his level of involvement, AH compromises the notion of 'team first' by putting himself at risk of being available for training camp.

there are too many coincidences for anyone to be able to say that he is in no way involved in the death of Lloyd......whether it is him or his belonging or a rental car he got and let someone else drive puts him at a minimum precariously close to the incident, and that hurts the team. You don't have to be a goody two shoes in order to not hurt the team.....he is hurting the team right now

 

[tonyto3690]

The Patriot Way was never anything besides to keep your mouth shut, and not do anything stupid and put the team first or you're out.

Last I checked that's still the rule. Hernandez is the first big star for the Patriots to ever have something blow up like this. We'll see how the Patriots play it.

It's just idiots like Felger and Shaunessy love to rip on the Patriots and other idiots have picked up on this and ran with it like what they've said was out of the bible.

 

[Uncle Rico]

...
So, yeah, it's fair to ask out loud what happened to that when you have a player like Hernandez who seems to have thrown it all to the winds, a guy like Gronk who occupies a lot of space on the pages of tabloids in Boston and New York when he seems to have a lot of other things to worry about, and when you "experiment" with the player formerly known as Ocho Cinco. Even the addition of Tebow raised eyebrows, but I don't think that would be fair until we see how he works out.

I don't like the mediots any more than you do, but sometimes they accidentally get something right.

Again, the two issues I have with the oh-so-clever "Pats have lost their Way" angle are:
- Myopic view of history. Acting like the Pats taking a gamble on players with "red flags" is something new, a sign of their new "win at all cost" philosophy. Belichick has "experimented" on these guys going back to Cox and Rodney H.
- Sheer hypocrisy. "The Patriot Way" was heralded as this great thing only after the Patriots won Super Bowls — WITH "red flag" guys like Cox and Harrison playing key roles. Again: WINNING IS PART OF 'THE PATRIOT WAY.' If the Patriots were not a winning franchise, I don't think you'd have seen many columns about how wonderful it is that The Patriots Way means losing because of high morals.

 

[Danger Zone]

When we see this kind of vulturistic sensationalist "reporting" we should remind ourselves that this is why Bill loathes the press.

Can't say I blame him.

 

[Clonamery]

regardless of his level of involvement, AH compromises the notion of 'team first' by putting himself at risk of being available for training camp.

there are too many coincidences for anyone to be able to say that he is in no way involved in the death of Lloyd......whether it is him or his belonging or a rental car he got and let someone else drive puts him at a minimum precariously close to the incident, and that hurts the team. You don't have to be a goody two shoes in order to not hurt the team.....he is hurting the team right now

You hurt my stomach.

 

[IllegalContact]

You hurt my stomach.

this situation hurts the team........he could have made better decisions in regards to who/where he places himself.....

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

This situation, imho, does little to the Patriot Way. It could impact it to a somewhat tangible degree as the case unfurls, possibly. But the Patriot Way continues to exist. The problem for some is the misinterpretation of what the Patriot Way is. It was never about having quasi boy scouts on the team. For god's sake, LT is probably one of BB's favorite players of all time. If LT was younger and would have been available for BB in 2001 or 2012, he would have picked him in a heart beat.
Some Patriot's players in 2001 and 2006 and 2012 likely hung out at shady Strip Clubs (as opposed to the real class ones ), at the wrong night clubs, hang around the wrong people, hang out too late, smoke dope, drink too much, drive after drinking, etc etc. Two things make the Patriot Way:
One, you don't get arrested/you don't bring negative attention to your off field life. And If you did prior to coming to the Patriots, incidents like that are behind you. Short of the uncertainty of AH (who may be innocent) this pretty much remains.
Two, you take your job EXTREMELY seriously/winning is of 1000% importance including not needing personal glorification attention on the field. #2 is still the case.

With that said, if the worst case scenario occurs and AH is found to be a criminal participant in the death of someone or in a conspiracy connected to that, or is arrested for it and hard evidence suggests guilt to a sufficient degree, the Patriot Way takes a bit of a hit, fairly or not. But once the Patriots take the field this season, if they win most of their games and the team conducts themselves on the field as they have ever since BB took over, the damage will have been mostly fleeting.

 

[supafly]

If anyone is honestly questioning "The Patriot Way," they obviously have a narrowed viewpoint of what it means...

The Patriot Way means:

1. Never putting one individual above the rest of the team

2. Playing together as a whole, allowing everyone to properly do their jobs

3. Representing your teammates and community with class and never throwing anyone under the bus in the media or public setting

4. Giving back to the fans and the people of the community and area with service work on an every week basis

5. Growing together as a team and learning from your mistakes as the year progresses (this is one of the reasons why we see a very good record post-Thanksgiving on a consistant basis)

6. Being held accountable for your actions and mistakes, while also working hard in your role (just one of the reasons why guys like Haynesworth, Ochocinco, and possibly even Moss did not end up sticking around for good)

7. Coupling financial value with on the field performance....not only through the draft, but also with UDFAs, traded players, and even bringing in versatile guys off the street when applicable

8. Winning....as many games as possible, not only now but in the future

9. Properly planning and running your franchise with an eye on the salary cap and the changes to the CBA and other NFL rules

10. Never sacrificing the present for the future, as the future will be the present before you know it

11. Ignoring the noise--both good and bad. The only thing that matters is the play on the field, the work you put into it, and the role you represent. Everything else will come from that work. Other people's outside opinions do not matter here

12. Comment as little as possible on the bad, and always give credit to the work and positive traits of your opponent. Whenever in doubt, it's best to keep your mouth shut

13. Always be prepared--both on and off the field. You may need to play a role or position that you are not as familiar with, so pay attention to the entire scheme

14. Know your playbook inside and out, pay close attention both in meetings and film study. The game plan will change during the week vs the specific opponent and circumstance



I'm sure there are many, many more. Nothing that has been done has not at least followed one or more rules of the Patriot Way, and that includes trying to find value from other players who may provide success (Haynesworth, Ochocinco, Talib) via trades, or players that fell and are potentially worth more in the draft setting (Mallett, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Dennard). There is not a 100% success rate with much of anything, so I don't find any of their choices straying from what we deem as "The Patriot Way."

If D & C are questioning "The Patriot Way" based on the acquisition of a handful of players that don't agree with, they are obviously also forgetting about the ones that worked out just fine (Moss, Dillon, possibly Talib). On top of that, they are completely narrowing their definition to one aspect, rather than "understand" what it completely means in a bigger sense. It'd be nice if someone reminded those who are questioning this aspect with some of these traits that will never change as long as the proper coach/front office/owner remain here.

 

[DarrylS]

Was not as much about questioning, it was more about whether it was a media creation or a Patriots creation. After listening to the mediots on the radio, it became concerning as imo the media created all of this, and players played into it. Essentially they were criticizing their own creation..

Do not ever remember BB, Kraft or anyone from the organization using the term.

BTW nice definition..

 

[CheckMate]

The Patriot Way no longer works.

 

[chasa]

The Patriot Way no longer works.

seems to work pretty well.

Act like an idiot and create a media tornado of bad press. you get cut.



The patriot way, is a distraction free way.

Handle your ****
Handle it quietly
Be ready to play

 

[Tunescribe]

The Patriot Way no longer works.

Oh, to the contrary my friend. By cutting Hernandez today the Patriots once again proved it is alive and quite well.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Oh, to the contrary my friend. By cutting Hernandez today the Patriots once again proved it is alive and quite well.

Today illustrated three elements of the Patriot Way perfectly:

1. Keep all debate and judgements within the organization -- don't say anything about anyone inside the organization except if you absolutely have to.

2. Everyone is held accountable -- from undrafted rookie long snapper to Tom Brady.

3. When you've made a bad decision don't try to save face. Draw your conclusions, take the hit and move on. Obviously, the Patriots put a lot of faith in Hernandez that turned out to be misplaced. No good pretending otherwise.

I think a lot of organizations could learn from that.

 

[lurker1965]

...
there are too many coincidences for anyone to be able to say that he is in no way involved in the death of Lloyd....

Wait. The victim was Brandon Lloyd? This is weird on so many levels.

(JK, I know it was Odin, not Brandon, but wanted a joke. BTW, if you had told me Odin was murdered, I'd have suspected Loki.)

What? Too soon?

 

[aluminum seats]

The Pats immediately cutting Hernendez after his arrest pretty much defines the "Patriot Way." I'm sure the praise from the national media will now start pouring in.