- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
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So here is something that I realized as a fan, and I am sure we all have: Subconsciously we always knew that the team was anybody passing through, even for a fairly long hitch, say five years... plus Tom Brady.
That likely irked BB, but in typical BB fashion, he made best use of it, making an ally and partner out of Brady, not just another player. Everybody knew the deal, but I'd wager it was an uncomfortable region of departure for BB.
Now that link's broken from Coach down through Tom to the ranks... and the result is, that channel has to be recreated, but since there will not likely arise any such channel in perfect alignment with the coach and management, this one constant aspect of team culture will change.
That's all that can be specifically known. How the change gets filled in... whether through a veteran mafia, through an empowered coaching staff, through more hands-on BB attention, or (most likely) via a combination of the three, that's all unwritten.
That near perfect alignment of owner/coach/"face of the franchise" has been part of what makes the Patriots special these last 20 years... it'll be interesting to see the next culture emerge. We are used to "little" turnovers of culture, each year's machine-like culling of those whose contract interests don't align with team evaluation... that is normal.
But right now, every player is on the bubble -- no "except Tom Brady." It'll be interesting to see how the team culture responds to the new normal .
That likely irked BB, but in typical BB fashion, he made best use of it, making an ally and partner out of Brady, not just another player. Everybody knew the deal, but I'd wager it was an uncomfortable region of departure for BB.
Now that link's broken from Coach down through Tom to the ranks... and the result is, that channel has to be recreated, but since there will not likely arise any such channel in perfect alignment with the coach and management, this one constant aspect of team culture will change.
That's all that can be specifically known. How the change gets filled in... whether through a veteran mafia, through an empowered coaching staff, through more hands-on BB attention, or (most likely) via a combination of the three, that's all unwritten.
That near perfect alignment of owner/coach/"face of the franchise" has been part of what makes the Patriots special these last 20 years... it'll be interesting to see the next culture emerge. We are used to "little" turnovers of culture, each year's machine-like culling of those whose contract interests don't align with team evaluation... that is normal.
But right now, every player is on the bubble -- no "except Tom Brady." It'll be interesting to see how the team culture responds to the new normal .