Malcolm Butler Mega Thread

[The Brandon Five]

Page 2? Page 2?!?!?!?

Awww, hell naw!

 

[JayNM]

Ayoooo keepp it goin

 

[IcyPatriot]

Malcolm Butler loves football, fitting in well in Nashville

 

[chasa]

Malcolm Butler loves football, fitting in well in Nashville

That can't possibly be accurate. Multiple posters here said he was a drug addict, that fights with teammates, and punches coaches, and that he is CONSTANTLY drunk.

 

[Ring 6]

That can't possibly be accurate. Multiple posters here said he was a drug addict, that fights with teammates, and punches coaches, and that he is CONSTANTLY drunk.

I challenge you to find multiple posters or even one who said that.

 

[captain stone]

How Different Would Tom Brady's Outlook Be If Malcolm Butler Had Just Played In The Super Bowl?

Truth.

If Butler is covering Agholor on 3rd/6 in the 3rd quarter, the Patriots are NFL Champions,
even when Billy & Skippy's play-calling feckups during the 1st half are taken into account.

And if Billy & Skippy called those 1st-half feckups like men instead of like...you know...
then the Patriots win by double digits, if not by double touchdowns.

 

[ralmat55]

It’s called hyperbole. A small exaggeration of fact to make a point. The point being there was no GOOD (i.e best interest of the team) reason for the Patriots HC to bench one of his 3 best CBs just before kickoff of the Super Bowl thus not only putting his team at a personnel disadvantage but also maximizing the distraction it caused as well.

If there was good reason, none of us really need to know the details. I would be satisfied if Bob Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, Tom Brady, Devin McCourty or Duron Harmon just spoke up to say that “they know the circumstances but would not elaborate other than to express their support of the Coach’s decision”. It could be handled that easily. 4 1/2 months later and no one has come to Belichick ‘s defense.

Heck, I would be happy if Bill Belichick stood up at his next press meeting and said “ I made a mistake and I’m sorry”- a genuine apology would be enough. What I won’t accept is the “Gods don’t answer to mortals” nonsense we’ve been given and asked to accept. He’s not a God despite being the best NFL HC to ever blow a whistle.

 

[supafly]

It’s called hyperbole. A small exaggeration of fact to make a point. The point being there was no GOOD (i.e best interest of the team) reason for the Patriots HC to bench one of his 3 best CBs just before kickoff of the Super Bowl thus not only putting his team at a personnel disadvantage but also maximizing the distraction it caused as well.

If there was good reason, none of us really need to know the details. I would be satisfied if Bob Kraft, Jonathan Kraft, Tom Brady, Devin McCourty or Duron Harmon just spoke up to say that “they know the circumstances but would not elaborate other than to express their support of the Coach’s decision”. It could be handled that easily. 4 1/2 months later and no one has come to Belichick ‘s defense.

Heck, I would be happy if Bill Belichick stood up at his next press meeting and said “ I made a mistake and I’m sorry”- a genuine apology would be enough. What I won’t accept is the “Gods don’t answer to mortals” nonsense we’ve been given and asked to accept. He’s not a God despite being the best NFL HC to ever blow a whistle.

Should he need to apologize if he and the coaching staff felt that Butler had been looking out of position lately, and that his illness (or whatever it was) had set him back a bit in the game planning and prep? There was even some chatter that they wanted to bench him in the AFC Championship game, so it’s possible that the coaches didn’t evaluate Butler’s play as well as some of the fans did.

I mean, obviously he made the wrong decision by assuming that Eric Rowe could hold his own, and more importantly, not switching Butler at halftime, but I’m sure that Belichick feels pretty lousy about all of his hard work and late nights being completely flushed down the toilet. I’m sure that it stings pretty badly. Justifiable or not, it was a coaching decision that didn’t work out. We’ve seen a ton of examples in all of the major sports over the years that have either been controversial or were simply failures. I don’t remember too many times when a coach apologized to anyone, and the majority of them couldn’t hold Belichick’s jock.

There were a lot of other variables in the game such as only scoring 12 points at the half, allowing a game ending strip sack from Mason, Brady missing a wide open White on the checkdown, Gost missing some kicks, Cooks’ strange decision to try and wedge his penis into the face mask of a defender instead of scoring an easy TD, and at least 2-3 calls that the NFL officials completely botched under their “change the rules on the fly” policy implemented for the postseason.

I’m not saying that Belichick did/didn’t make a mistake. I’m saying that it’s much easier to criticize him in hindsight, and I think some are being a bit hard on him and his decision. Malcolm Butler would’ve increased the odds of winning, but it’s not the sure thing that some here believe that is, either. Any one of those previously mentioned variables falling our way would’ve increased the odds of winning just the same. Ultimately, the absence of Butler was one piece, not the entire puzzle that a lot of people make it out to be.

 

[Kontradiction]

Should he need to apologize if he and the coaching staff felt that Butler had been looking out of position lately, and that his illness (or whatever it was) had set him back a bit in the game planning and prep?

Given what the players said in the immediate wake of the game (before the New England Damage Control Machine could go into effect), Butler practiced in multiple packages all week and Gilmore and Rowe both stated that they didn't find out he wasn't playing until game time. So it's highly unlikely that the illness (or whatever it was) set him back a bit in game planning. It just is what it is... an incredibly bad decision that the GOAT head coach will have to live with now and one that very likely cost the Patriots Lombardi #6.

 

[aluminum seats]

Should he need to apologize if he and the coaching staff felt that Butler had been looking out of position lately, and that his illness (or whatever it was) had set him back a bit in the game planning and prep? There was even some chatter that they wanted to bench him in the AFC Championship game, so it’s possible that the coaches didn’t evaluate Butler’s play as well as some of the fans did.

I mean, obviously he made the wrong decision by assuming that Eric Rowe could hold his own, and more importantly, not switching Butler at halftime, but I’m sure that Belichick feels pretty lousy about all of his hard work and late nights being completely flushed down the toilet. I’m sure that it stings pretty badly. Justifiable or not, it was a coaching decision that didn’t work out. We’ve seen a ton of examples in all of the major sports over the years that have either been controversial or were simply failures. I don’t remember too many times when a coach apologized to anyone, and the majority of them couldn’t hold Belichick’s jock.

There were a lot of other variables in the game such as only scoring 12 points at the half, allowing a game ending strip sack from Mason, Brady missing a wide open White on the checkdown, Gost missing some kicks, Cooks’ strange decision to try and wedge his penis into the face mask of a defender instead of scoring an easy TD, and at least 2-3 calls that the NFL officials completely botched under their “change the rules on the fly” policy implemented for the postseason.

I’m not saying that Belichick did/didn’t make a mistake. I’m saying that it’s much easier to criticize him in hindsight, and I think some are being a bit hard on him and his decision. Malcolm Butler would’ve increased the odds of winning, but it’s not the sure thing that some here believe that is, either. Any one of those previously mentioned variables falling our way would’ve increased the odds of winning just the same. Ultimately, the absence of Butler was one piece, not the entire puzzle that a lot of people make it out to be.

I have little interest in any kind of apology or explanation because none would justify the decision.

I typically appreciate your balanced take, but no justifying this one. And it’s not hindsight and it’s so much worse than the examples you cited...it’d be like Cooks taking his moronic leap over and over and over again until the Pats lost.

 

[Steve102]

 

[chasa]

butler was flawless in the superbowl.

Foles didn't throw towards him a single time.

 

[signbabybrady]

I have little interest in any kind of apology or explanation because none would justify the decision.

I typically appreciate your balanced take, but no justifying this one. And it’s not hindsight and it’s so much worse than the examples you cited...it’d be like Cooks taking his moronic leap over and over and over again until the Pats lost.

This is quite the take. I get the frustration over not knowing. But don't you think you owe him a little more benefit of doubt then zero apology or explanation could ever be good enough?
Your a sorry individual if you can't forgive BB.

 

[Ring 6]

This is quite the take. I get the frustration over not knowing. But don't you think you owe him a little more benefit of doubt then zero apology or explanation could ever be good enough?
Your a sorry individual if you can't forgive BB.

I forgive him for 5 Lombardis.

 

[Kontradiction]

I forgive him for 5 Lombardis.

Would have been 6 if he didn’t go full ******. Anyway, “forgiveness” entails that you’re now aware that he was wrong. Otherwise there would be nothing to forgive. So at least you’re making progress now.

 

[aluminum seats]

This is quite the take. I get the frustration over not knowing. But don't you think you owe him a little more benefit of doubt then zero apology or explanation could ever be good enough?
Your a sorry individual if you can't forgive BB.

It’s not a question of “forgiving” him, that’s silly. What’s done is done. My point is there hasn’t been even a hypothetical that would justify the decision, so I’m not interested in that.

 

[Ring 6]

It’s not a question of “forgiving” him, that’s silly. What’s done is done. My point is there hasn’t been even a hypothetical that would justify the decision, so I’m not interested in that.

Of course there has been a hypothetical. Some of the bizarre ones involve drinking, drugs, women or fights.
My suspicion is more grounded in the facts.

I believe the stories that for whatever reason butler was not focused and dialed in for 2 weeks of practices leading to the Sb. Hell he admitted that himself. I am very confident of the possibility that the coaching staff decided due to that to move butler to cb3.
I suspect that during pregame butler found out that he was demoted to cb3, and probably realized due to the big nickel heavy gameplan that would be a big demotion.
I know he melted down. We saw it on TV.
I am very confident in my belief that the typically mentality of a football coach (not a message board poster though) would be that if I lost enough confidence in this guy to demote him because his head wasn’t in it all week and he just melted down 5 minutes before kickoff,I can’t put that guy in the game. (I believe that if he melted down before inactives were announced he may have been inactive but with the lack of corners available that may not have been possible.)
I also am very confident in believing that a football coaches mentality (not a message board posters) would be that when my defense is struggling and I need it to step up in not going to turn to the guy I ruled out because he wasn’t mentally prepared to play.

I don’t know for sure this is what happened.
I do know it aligns with the facts.
I do know Belichick isn’t going to lose a Sb over a decision he is wishy washy on.
And i do not see a reason that makes more sense than this although many things could have happened behind the scenes that we dint know.

 

[signbabybrady]

It’s not a question of “forgiving” him, that’s silly. What’s done is done. My point is there hasn’t been even a hypothetical that would justify the decision, so I’m not interested in that.

But why does it matter to you you clearly stated your not interested in an explanation or apology.

 

[aluminum seats]

Fundamentally altering the defense because of some vague “lack of focus” would be a very poor decision. Not altering it in the face of a historically bad performance was catastrophic.

 

[aluminum seats]

But why does it matter to you you clearly stated your not interested in an explanation or apology.

Why does what matter