Mayo is a puppet

[pats_premi]

Mayo is no different than the rest of us. We are all puppet’s. We do what our boss or customer like us to do to earn that pay check.

 

[Sicilian]

Mayo is no different than the rest of us. We are all puppet’s. We do what our boss or customer like us to do to earn that pay check.

I'll go a step further: None of us can even be sure we have free will, and aren't just behaviors emergent through quantum mechanics. In a way, we all may be puppets of existence.

 

[Steve102]

It’s clear that Bob didn’t like being an afterthought to Tom and Bill. Bob admitted during the documentary that he wanted Bledsoe to play over Brady which is understandable given what he’s done for the franchise and his recent contract. However, Bill was facing a “pick your poison” moment where he either plays Bledsoe and the team doesn’t make the playoffs or he plays Brady and he turns out to be a dud. Had either scenario happened, Bob was going to fire Bill after 2001. Bob turned out to be wrong and they went on a 20 year run, yet has always tried to take credit for it. He’s a turd.

I am not defending Kraft, I think he's a rich fan, and really that's it. He's no different than the rest of New England on the Brady v Bledsoe debate of 2001. I don't think he knows any more about playing and coaching football than any of us here. I think he wants credit for managing Bill and Tom, especially the second half of the run. I agree with you that he was going to fire Bill for the Bledsoe thing if it fell on it's face. I think that he's a good businessman, with the city that's sprung up around Gillette as example of that, but it's all built on winning that first SB. He was smart enough to give Bill enough rope to hang himself, and Bill was smart enough to know that Brady was better at what they were trying to do than Drew was. None of it happens without SB36, and none of that happens if Kraft pulls a Jerry Jones and tries to run the football team. Everything would have been drastically different if they lost the Snow Bowl. Maybe Brady gets dealt and Bill gets canned and Kraft sticks with Drew.

 

[reflexblue]

They did. Then they washed him after he won 6 SBs.

I don't know if mayos going to be a good coach or not, but i'm willing to give him a chance. When BB was hire i remember thinking Meh, his time in cleveland wasn't that impressive, but ill wait and see what he does.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know if mayos going to be a good coach or not, but i'm willing to give him a chance. When BB was hire i remember thinking Meh, his his time in cleveland wasn't that impressive, but ill wait and see what he does.

Well there is no alternative but to give him a chance, but giving him a chance doesn’t (in my opinion) mean closing your eyes to everything he does for 2-3 years then evaluating. He should be evaluated as things occur.

 

[p8ryts]

Well there is no alternative but to give him a chance, but giving him a chance doesn’t (in my opinion) mean closing your eyes to everything he does for 2-3 years then evaluating. He should be evaluated as things occur.

It's too early for nit picking. We don't even know how disciplined they will be as a team. We should expect a competent if not great defense. The offense is an unknown. Expectations are low because of OT and QB. l like the deliberate approach to developing a team. I'm not going to get down on Mayo because of his media peccadillos, or Wolfe because of his snarky attitude. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. Showing how much smarter I am than they are, is probably not helpful so I will restrain from doing so.

 

[Ring 6]

It's too early for nit picking. We don't even know how disciplined they will be as a team. We should expect a competent if not great defense. The offense is an unknown. Expectations are low because of OT and QB. l like the deliberate approach to developing a team. I'm not going to get down on Mayo because of his media peccadillos, or Wolfe because of his snarky attitude. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. Showing how much smarter I am than they are, is probably not helpful so I will restrain from doing so.

It’s surprising to me that “expectations are low” is being used around here as an excuse for the front office rather than a criticism.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Everything would have been drastically different if they lost the Snow Bowl. Maybe Brady gets dealt and Bill gets canned and Kraft sticks with Drew.

That would've been an interesting scenario in an alternate universe. Brady had said that had they lost against Oakland that he was going to lose his job in the off-season to Drew Bledsoe. This makes sense given Drew just signed a $100M contract and the Pats were a feel good story of 2001 going one and done in the playoffs. We may be taking that "Tuck Rule" call for granted as that was a decision Walt Coleman made that another ref may have stayed with the call of a fumble.

 

[Steve102]

That would've been an interesting scenario in an alternate universe.

I used to think that in the Patriot Multiverse (copywrite steve-o, 2024) that if Bledsoe had not gotten hurt, Brady would have beaten him out in 2002. After watching Kraft's comments in the Apple thing, I am not so sure. I guess we need access to the TVA to know for sure. It's certain that if the Brady thing had not worked out, Bill would have been **** canned. Lucky for us, it all did. I think they could have easily wallowed in mediocrity for 20 years, given Kraft's comments. Keep Bledsoe, fire Bill, make the playoffs a couple times, Bledsoe puts up good numbers but ends up less than Phillip Rivers.

 

[Wozzy]

A head coach can look great even if he's nothing special if his coordinators are both good.

Look at the 2017 Eagles, they had Frank Reich running the offense and Jim Schwartz running the defense. After both left it all fell apart and Doug Peterson got canned. Or how how Barry Switzer winning a ring with Jimmy Johnson's coaches...

Mayo being good at his job will depend a lot of his coordinators, he doesn't have much experience. It will also depend of Wolf giving them all the tools to succeed. The offensive line looks like doodoo... this season won't be anything more than a developmental year and a lost opportunity. Maybe the young tackles will develop quickly and we might be able to watch some good football at some point this season.

Mayo being "a puppet" is a bit extreme. It's Jonathan's team now, he wanted a fresh start and built it in his image. Mayo is a cog in the wheel. All he has to do is manage the day to day and games.

 

[vicspats]

It seems like there's a "faction" of people who don't like Kraft who want to blame him for being cheap and/or setting up Mayo as a puppet for him to control. This is ignoring the last 20 years of Bill running every bit of football operations. Kraft made Parcells follow Parcells own plan for scouting and draft Terry Glenn, which then led to the Parcells divorce and the shopping for groceries comment. Kraft has said, paraphrasing, he inspects what he expects, puts people in charge and then then holds them accountable. this is what he did with Parcells. Why is it suddenly different? The only thing different IMO is he has Wolf and his staff making personnel decisions and Mayo as the young leader of the locker room, who's not going to be a grumpy old 70 year old that cannot relate to 20 somethings out of college. I just don't see the change in how the Krafts do things.

I do think there's an effort to make Kraft look good and get him in the HoF, but that's not at the expense of football ops. More as a manager of his senior staff and his superstar players, IE "holding it all together" with Tom and Bill.

Definitely don’t think Mayo is a puppet. Not sure someone that is an alpha male who played Pro football at such a violent level would fall into that category. And do agree Bob let Bill be the guy … until Tom was jettisoned and won the big one in Tampa. Then I’m sure it was egg on Roberts face time. Again agree Old Bill lost the locker room with the younger “ selfie” crew..what makes it different with Robert at this stage of the Patriots evolution could be Father Time … he’s running out of it. He could definitely be way more hands on?

 

[Steve102]

Definitely don’t think Mayo is a puppet. Not sure someone that is an alpha male who played Pro football at such a violent level would fall into that category. And do agree Bob let Bill be the guy … until Tom was jettisoned and won the big one in Tampa. Then I’m sure it was egg on Roberts face time. Again agree Old Bill lost the locker room with the younger “ selfie” crew..what makes it different with Robert at this stage of the Patriots evolution could be Father Time … he’s running out of it. He could definitely be way more hands on?

I don't see him morphing into meddlesome Jerry Jones. I think he's going to be in the meetings with Mayo and Wolf, just like RKK did with Bill, but I don't see his role becoming more prominent on the football side.

I think Kraft knows this:

 

[maust]

We may be taking that "Tuck Rule" call for granted as that was a decision Walt Coleman made that another ref may have stayed with the call of a fumble.

The "Tuck Rule" call was not just a decision Walt Coleman made. It was the devine retribution of the football gods, karmic playoff justice for New England being enacted at the expense of the Raiders due to the evil actions of their former employee Ben F'n Dreith. May he roast in hellfire for a thousand eternities.

 

[Clonamery]

I don't see him morphing into meddlesome Jerry Jones. I think he's going to be in the meetings with Mayo and Wolf, just like RKK did with Bill, but I don't see his role becoming more prominent on the football side.

I think Kraft knows this:

Desperate people do desperate things.

 

[Steve102]

Desperate people do desperate things.

I just don't see it.

 

[Clonamery]

I just don't see it.

OK. You can be wrong sometimes.

 

[Brotherblues]

Puppet is an extreme word, but I do get the sense the Krafts are unwilling to ever put themselves again in a situation where one other man holds so much power in their business.

 

[vicspats]

I don't see him morphing into meddlesome Jerry Jones. I think he's going to be in the meetings with Mayo and Wolf, just like RKK did with Bill, but I don't see his role becoming more prominent on the football side.

I think Kraft knows this:

Can ya smmmeeeellllll what the Rock is cooking !!!

 

[Ring 6]

That would've been an interesting scenario in an alternate universe. Brady had said that had they lost against Oakland that he was going to lose his job in the off-season to Drew Bledsoe. This makes sense given Drew just signed a $100M contract and the Pats were a feel good story of 2001 going one and done in the playoffs. We may be taking that "Tuck Rule" call for granted as that was a decision Walt Coleman made that another ref may have stayed with the call of a fumble.

The call was 100% correct, it was called that way all season, including against us

 

[VrabelJr]

I am not defending Kraft, I think he's a rich fan, and really that's it. He's no different than the rest of New England on the Brady v Bledsoe debate of 2001. I don't think he knows any more about playing and coaching football than any of us here. I think he wants credit for managing Bill and Tom, especially the second half of the run. I agree with you that he was going to fire Bill for the Bledsoe thing if it fell on its face. I think that he's a good businessman, with the city that's sprung up around Gillette as example of that, but it's all built on winning that first SB. He was smart enough to give Bill enough rope to hang himself, and Bill was smart enough to know that Brady was better at what they were trying to do than Drew was. None of it happens without SB36, and none of that happens if Kraft pulls a Jerry Jones and tries to run the football team. Everything would have been drastically different if they lost the Snow Bowl. Maybe Brady gets dealt and Bill gets canned and Kraft sticks with Drew.

Great post. I’ll just add that losing the Snow Bowl would have been acceptable because winning SB 36 was insane and quite possibly the best coaching job of all time. 2002 basically confirmed that when it was obvious some re-tooling and FAs were needed.