‘The Last Dance’ Jerry Krause = BB the GM?

BB also basically benched his franchise QB for a 4th stringer, then traded him w/in the division.

Pretty ballsy moves and wildly unpopular at the time. I remember the shtstorm that caused in the media.

All this hand wringing and pearl clutching. BB's been here before...twice.
Brady was going to do a Joe Montana and play for another team no matter what. There was going to be a certain point where his price tag was greater than his value to the team. I hope he doesn't hang on too long and retires gracefully.

Curran: Belichick's 'just business' mentality dates back to Bernie Kosar

Biffins said:

I find it interesting that posters flip between saying "Krause is obviously HoF GM" to "Krause is not highly regarded at all". Hope that's not the legacy of BB the GM after this decision.

Click to expand...

I'd love to hear from someone who feels he's a HOF GM. He was good to very good but caused as many problems as he solved, probably more.

Jordan and Jackson ran that team.

Whichever team had Jordan was going to be a dominant team of the 90's and that had nothing to do with Krause. He absolutely deserves credit for picking up Pippen and he made some solid moves adding Grant then later trading for a whacked out Rodman on the cheap but that is about it for his important moves in his 17 or so years as a GM. The majority of his drafts were complete duds (take a look) and most of his other moves involved picking up role players (Paxton, Kerr, Cartwright, Longley...) to compliment Jordan and Pippen. 1 player in the NBA is also much more influential than a football player. And as has been mentioned, Jordan was 35 YO, had just averaged 29 points a game in the regular season and over 30 when he won MVP in the playoffs. And Krause did not just let Jordan go - he also jettisoned Phil Jackson and Pippen.

It's fair to argue that the Pats could have made another run this year by keeping Brady but they would be far from the favorites and they still kept the majority of the team intact unlike the Bulls.

Biffins said:

There seems to a creeping need for BB to also have public credit. I hope I am wrong but it seems to be there's a real drive and motivation for BB to prove that he can do it without Brady. I hope that's not the case. Because that would mean we let go of Brady for the wrong reasons.

Click to expand...

I guess I feel like that’s more of an idea that people - fans, media, whatever - have tried to ascribe to BB based on interpretation, supposed hearsay or, more likely, blatant speculation. With Krause it was literally quoted repeatedly from the horse’s mouth over more than a decade. Bill, on the other hand, has spent decades extolling the virtues of his players, how it’s a players’ game, they have to make the plays, no QB I’d rather have than Tom, etc. Imagining he is now requiring some sort of mass “credit” for his contribution when he is literally a living and working legend in football just strikes me as ridiculous. I understand if some disagree, and I think some of that comes from things like Brady’s body language or more evident resignation to the team’s fate at certain points in 2019.

Of course I think it’s reasonable to assert that BB has considered his legacy, as much as anyone with his level of success in any industry would. He’s too much of a historian of the game to imagine him being completely ignorant of legacy, and how intertwined his and Brady’s football lives are. He knows that. Even if they won the SB this year with Stidham, the conspiracy wing of NFL fandom would just spend their time claiming he cheated to get it. He knows that too. Is that a big, personal win for one’s bruised ego?

So yeah, that also means that he knows what potentially would mean for him to win without Brady. As a Pats fan I hope he can rebuild it as quickly as possible, and I’m in his corner no matter what. But whether he does or doesn’t have quick success with this next phase doesn’t mean there was some sort of nefarious personal conflict that happened to exile Brady. I don’t think they’re winning a SB this year, and with a little bit of distance from the breakup the main thing I see is that it was just untenable to pay Tom what he was still fairly worth AND field the kind of roster that could expect to win. That’s about letting some vets go, probably needing a year or two of work with some young guys that Tom was maybe unable or unwilling to put work into, all of that. I wish it was different, but I think ultimately it was what’s best for both teams and both BB and TB, and it certainly doesn’t feel as acrimonious as some other legends leaving home does, and in a couple years hopefully I’ll be able to pay several thousand dollars for tickets to see Tom come home and #12 go in the rafters. Or on the wall, or facade, or whatever.

But I’m also rooting for Tom in Tampa too. I can’t not.

sb1 said:

He came back in 09 and finished one game worse than Cassel did so...

Click to expand...

That '09 team was the most dismal of the past 20 years...too much attrition...the official End of the First Dynasty...Cassel would've fared worse with that bunch...

Doctor DDS said:

Whichever team had Jordan was going to be a dominant team of the 90's and that had nothing to do with Krause. He absolutely deserves credit for picking up Pippen and he made some solid moves adding Grant then later trading for a whacked out Rodman on the cheap but that is about it for his important moves in his 17 or so years as a GM. The majority of his drafts were complete duds (take a look) and most of his other moves involved picking up role players (Paxton, Kerr, Cartwright, Longley...) to compliment Jordan and Pippen. 1 player in the NBA is also much more influential than a football player. And as has been mentioned, Jordan was 35 YO, had just averaged 29 points a game in the regular season and over 30 when he won MVP in the playoffs. And Krause did not just let Jordan go - he also jettisoned Phil Jackson and Pippen.

It's fair to argue that the Pats could have made another run this year by keeping Brady but they would be far from the favorites and they still kept the majority of the team intact unlike the Bulls.

Click to expand...

Exactly he made a few good moves but Idk where this HOF stuff comes from?

Trading for Pip was a great move but Scottie was going top 5 regardless. Good on Krause for that though. Probably his best move I'd say? Then getting Grant a few picks later.

Looking back he's (Pip) arguably the best player from that draft, between and Robinson. I love Pip. So versatile. They were so lucky they had him on that deal.

Anyway yea Krause was a good GM but 23 & Phil ran that team imo. On & off the court. They complemented each other really well. Jordan's intensity, linear focus, "Or dying trying nature". Jackson's ability to get multiple players/coaches on the same page using different paths. I loved how when everyone was mad at Scottie & rightfully so. Phil said, no, let him have that one. Just very empathic and understanding, great at reading a room. Knew exactly the buttons to push.

Krause made some nice moves but was such a fanboy his feelings got caught in the middle of so many issues.

The owner lost control imo. Looks like he just wanted to pass the buck but he lost control and feel of his own team.
No reason you couldn't add to that squad like they've were doing.

Biffins said:

I love you too.



I appreciate the thoroughness of your analysis and response. The intellectual mettle behind your arguments is on full display.

Click to expand...

Not my fault you can't see the difference in the two situations.