I'll leave it @Ian to decide if you should continue to post here.
You clearly aren't a fan of the team.
I only engage in reasonable discussion/debate with actual fans of the team.
Make up your mind. Either you're "ripping me a new one" every time I respond to you or you're ignoring me. So far you're not doing either.
I'm as much of a fan of the team as you are. I'm not a fan of Belichick's, which doesn't exclude from supporting the team. I'm also no fan of N'Keal Harry, wasn't a fan of Jordan Richards, **** MacPherson was a bad idea... none of those things makes me "no fan of the team."
Like the rest of the sports world I was very curious about how Brady and Belichick would fair without the other. I was skeptical about the Patriots but after they started out with two wins and a close loss at Seattle it seemed possible they could have a competitive season. However, they dropped their next four games with especially putrid quarterback play and that was it. The Patriots season was over by week 8. They were a hot mess in December which included one of the more embarrassing losses in recent memory (the Monday night massacre vs the Bills at Gillette). You going to tell me that you really stuck with them through all that?
The Brady experience in Tampa Bay was fascinating because in some ways their season mirrored some of what we had come to expect from the Patriots over the course of their dynasty. Gaining momentum as the season progressed, playing their best football in December, not losing to an opponent in the second or third meeting. Also you could see Brady's fingerprints allover their offense late in the regular season and into the postseason. Working in the play-action, establishing a good balance of short, intermediate and deep throws, and throwing to the open receiver... you could see the perfect culmination of this in the Super Bowl.
How could you not be in awe of what Brady (at age 43) just accomplished in Tampa Bay. It's remarkable and we'll never see anything like it again. It's not just his exceptional quarterback play either. Brady assembled some of the key pieces to their roster... Gronk, Brown and Fournette (who accounted for the four touchdowns in the Super Bowl). By all accounts Brady supported the coaching staff with game-planning, play-calling and provided invaluable leadership for the entire team. By the time the Super Bowl came Brady had them all believing in him, and more importantly in themselves, and focused on the collective goal of becoming Super Bowl champions.
Tampa Bay finished out the season with point totals: 31, 47, 44, 31, 30, 31 and 31. They won their last 8 games. They won 3 road playoff games. They knocked off three former league MVP's in a row. They completely dominated the Super Bowl against a team that virtually everyone had on the verge of becoming the next dynasty.
If it doesn't make you wonder if
the Patriot Way wasn't really just about most importantly having the GOAT quarterback then you're just burying your head in the sand.