SI.com article on the agents who try to negotiate with Patriots.

[Bill Lee]

Great article. I see three huge keys to their success.

First, they have an owner who lets Belichick do his thing without interfering.

Second, Belichick has the ultimate in job security. He never has to worry about getting fired. It's possible that that may change down the road, but that would be many years off. He can act in confidence knowing that his job is not in any way on the line. He can make long term decisions.

Third, Brady. It really is remarkable. He's not only the greatest QB ever, his whole approach to ownership, management, coaching, and finances make all this possible. He could easily command the highest salary in the NFL but he doesn't. I think it's helpful that Brady's wife makes more than he does, so money simply isn't a concern for him.

This really is the perfect storm of quality ownership, the best HC/GM of all time, and the best QB of all time who has the ideal temperament and perspective. This combination....you will never, ever see it again for the rest of your life.

Ok, you mention the owner's delegating authority, BB's job security, TB12's approach to the game, but to me the real key is BB's ability to assign a proper value for each player relative to the system he uses, and then the discipline to stick to that valuation, even when he knows it's a lot lower than the player wants or expects. The article gives the example:

Player A makes $2 million per year and is 10% better than Player B, who makes $500,000. Too many teams, Kraft argued, were committing to the marginally better player at the higher price. The Patriots, he said, would prefer the cheaper player in nearly every instance. Bill Parcells, the coach at the time, generally agreed with this principle, but it was Belichick, six years later, who made it the team’s doctrine.

It's interesting how the article says that BB and Caserio put in lowball offers and don't care what the other party thinks of that. I'm sure they've gotten rejected a lot, but they don't care, they stick to their valuations, and to me, that takes balls. I think that's why BB has cultivated the gruff exterior. You can catch glimpses when he relaxes for a second, and actually says nice things about people he really likes or delivers devastating remarks about people he doesn't like, but in an instant he's back on message. That takes amazing discipline. I think it came from his early failure at CLE. He learned that no one in the media is your friend, they'll all stab you in the back in an instant, so don't give them anything. I think the failure hurt so bad he vowed to get it right the next time.

 

[bruce_w]

Wow did anyone read this whole thing? This is nothing but another Patriots are cheating article. This loser of course has many "un named sources". We have to flood SI with emails.

 

[Former Fan]

Of course, an article cannot be written without the suggestion of some type of impropriety by the team.

Quote an anonymous source saying "I don't know anything about it, but I guarantee they are giving TB12 a break on the rent."

Another accusation from someone with no proof (or even a single iota of evidence) and who won't put their name on it.

smh

 

[n1997y]

Thanks from here also. The article had just the right amount of whine to make it enjoyable.

The question of TB12 vs BB is one that may never be answered. Personally, I'm firmly in the TB12 camp. He brought the unselfish attitude and the big brain with him. He also brought a lot of confidence for a 6th round pick. His comment to Kraft that he was the best decision the Pats ever made showed that early on.

BB and Kraft also lucked out with Brady's respect for authority. In the Brady6 video there was an interview with a counselor from Michigan who mentioned that aspect of TB12's personality. With all that he accomplished he could be looking to really make a killing.

The luckiest people of all are the Pats fans.

You don't think he has made a killing? Really? What more could he want?

 

[n1997y]

Article suggests Butler has an inexperienced agent and could be fleeced. Interesting (not that I don't want Butler to make what he deserves).

Experienced agents are saying agent experience is important? I'm astonished.

Might ask Tedi what he thinks about that idea. Haven't seen anything to indicate he fared poorly with no agent at all.

 

[n1997y]

I thought this was good insight. Add in using the Foxboro PD parking lot as a mid-January nudist retreat and it all makes sense. But this is very impressive:

One theory behind the Jones trade revolved around a blockbuster free-agent deal signed just seven days earlier: The Giants inked former Dolphins edge defender Olivier Vernon to a five-year, $85 million contract, with $52.5 million guaranteed, elevating the market for ascending edge rushers to unforeseen levels. Belichick saw the basement for an elite player at that position rise to $52.5 million guaranteed, and decided he could cut bait, salvage some value, and still go to a Super Bowl this season. Before the rest of the league could get a handle on the new reality, Belichick dealt his own ascending edge defender, with similar traits, to the Cardinals for a second-round pick. A handful of contributors, including Long, have picked up the slack, and the Patriots are back on the game’s biggest stage for the seventh time under Belichick.
“This is the key,” one longtime agent says. “To pull off that trade, first of all, you need job security that no other coach in the NFL possesses. Then there is no other coach besides Belichick with his fingerprints all over the organization, with the balls, the vision, the foresight and a genius level of insanity to make that deal.”

 

[dafoe2016]

Article suggests Butler has an inexperienced agent and could be fleeced. Interesting (not that I don't want Butler to make what he deserves).

Or it could work in the other direction. His agent's lack of experience could lead to Butler going elsewhere. There are 31 other teams. No reason he has to cave to Bill.

 

[Wax Frog]

The question of TB12 vs BB is one that may never be answered.

And I think we are all grateful as hell that the only way to get any sort of answer, seeing the two operate separately, is a possibility that has dwindled to near-nothing

 

[BKapatsfan]

Wow those guys hate BB.

 

[50-yard-line]

Not sure I'm buying much of this article.

JE isn't here on the cheap - he's great value, sure, but he's here because the pickings were slim when he went on the FA market. I don't remember him turning down big money to re-sign with the Pats.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Thanks from here also. The article had just the right amount of whine to make it enjoyable.

The question of TB12 vs BB is one that may never be answered. Personally, I'm firmly in the TB12 camp. He brought the unselfish attitude and the big brain with him. He also brought a lot of confidence for a 6th round pick. His comment to Kraft that he was the best decision the Pats ever made showed that early on.

BB and Kraft also lucked out with Brady's respect for authority. In the Brady6 video there was an interview with a counselor from Michigan who mentioned that aspect of TB12's personality. With all that he accomplished he could be looking to really make a killing.

The luckiest people of all are the Pats fans.

When Brady made that famous comment he had a pizza box under his arm. Really want to know the place and why they didn't capitalize off that.

 

[NormZauchin]

Great article. I liked this quote :

Belichick, exercising his abundance of leverage, will often go on vacation in the heat of free agency and make his take-it-or-leave-it offers from faraway beaches while other coaches are flying around the country on private jets to court players.

Belichick goes on vacation?

 

[n1997y]

Belichick goes on vacation?

Were some of those agents spreading scurrilous lies about his work ethic?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Article suggests Butler has an inexperienced agent and could be fleeced. Interesting (not that I don't want Butler to make what he deserves).

The only "star" I'm certain played well below market was Bruschi, who was his own agent. I hope Butler gets a lucrative but not near market high contract with the Patriots. He's young, so past/current excellent productivity should rationally be expected through a next contract.

If I were the Patriots I would offer quality financial advice to my employees, showing them how with sound financial management and their contracts they could live their post-football lives well and provide for their childrens' futures.

 

[Froob]

Interesting that Rosenhaus and BB seem to have a good relationship because a lot of teams seem to hate that guy.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Beli

Surface scratching article....never delving into the consequences achieved by frugal spending....aka ....quality depth ...that keeps NE in the win column later in seasons while injured marquis players on star-dependent teams teams speed up their death spiral.
No mention of NE's ranking in total cap spending.

coach has always said the team needs a strong middle class

 

[1960Pats]

You don't think he has made a killing? Really? What more could he want?

I was talking contractually.

 

[1960Pats]

And I think we are all grateful as hell that the only way to get any sort of answer, seeing the two operate separately, is a possibility that has dwindled to near-nothing

They're the perfect match and it would be a sin if they broke up with each other.

 

[1960Pats]

When Brady made that famous comment he had a pizza box under his arm. Really want to know the place and why they didn't capitalize off that.

Not Papa John's I hope.

 

[Jlaff]

Of course, an article cannot be written without the suggestion of some type of impropriety by the team.

Quote an anonymous source saying "I don't know anything about it, but I guarantee they are giving TB12 a break on the rent."

Another accusation from someone with no proof (or even a single iota of evidence) and who won't put their name on it.

smh

There are so many angles to what's wrong with people assuming Brady is getting something else on the side. The most obvious, as already raised here, is that his wife is hugely successful.

But saying Brady would need to be getting some other financial perks reveals a lot about the person making the accusation. That person assumes winning (the true success imo, and not just in football) is not better than money and that people are primarily driven by greed. That you can't be responsible with the money you have, and for the sake of more money you would be dishonest.

I can see Brady enjoys the good life, but I doubt he is some grossly frivolous spender. He drives what, an Audi A6? I'm sure a number of people on here do the same, or could afford to. If they don't have a white pool cover, I doubt he feels the need to order a custom TB12 white cover with platinum encrusted badging and trim to flaunt.