BB told us what he would do this offseason at the Pro Bowl

[Brady'sButtBoy]

If we had paid close attention, and known how to correctly read the signs, like dream interpreters, we might have come close to predicting the future just by paying attention to BB's activities at the Pro Bowl.

#1. BB lets Adalius Thomas address the pro-bowl team several times after practices no doubt to gauge his leadership skills. Then Thomas gushes publicly about BB's personality. Granted, many of us wanted Thomas, but most of us doubted the Pats would lay out the coin, and the acquisition was more a wish than a prediction.

#2. During pre-game practices, BB is talking to the Raiders' DE D. Burgess: "How fast are you?" BB kids. "Lombardi tells me you're fast! Lombardi..." This should have told us that BB and Lombardi, then the Raiders' personnel guru, are friendly enough to engage in idle chatter about each others players. Hardly the "Wall of Silence" that was reported to exist between the two organizations when the Moss rumors swirled at midseason. "Nobody talked to nobody" was the NFL company line when the rumors were dismissed in mocking fashion by plugged in media guys like Schefter and Pasquarelli. If we had weighed that contradiction, we might have once again suspected fire with the Moss smoke.

#3. Finally, on the all access show, BB shouts enthusiastically at Ed Reed during the game, hugging him and patting him on the helmet: "Ed, you're all I need! You're all I need ! Just you and that pair of corners and that's all I need!" Read: fellow Miami alum and Reed clone B. Merriweather in rd 1.

The signs were there, although through a glass darkly. Funny how you can see something and not even know what you're looking at.

Dude, I enjoyed reading this post. Thank you, and just ignore the jealous and insecure naysayers, yeesh....

 

[PatsFanSince74]

If we had paid close attention, and known how to correctly read the signs, like dream interpreters, we might have come close to predicting the future just by paying attention to BB's activities at the Pro Bowl.
...
The signs were there, although through a glass darkly. Funny how you can see something and not even know what you're looking at.

I think your analysis is eye-opening and I think it's legitimate to parse what a guy like Belichick says, since he doesn't waste words. Now if only the CIA had been half as good as you in figuring out Iraq...

 

[ilduce06410]

a few points....

You don't think that BB checked out Thomas? Or that the Pro Bowl contact wasn't a factor? Or that we didn't really sign Thomas "D

1. been watching nfl football for decades, but it didn't hit me till right after the colts game that BB and the whole staff were going to go work the probowl. for BB, in the era of free agency, that's a license to steal. nobody knows like BB knows, you know?
2. BB loves ed reed. not that august of an observation. who doesn't love ed reed?
3. spacecrime, i wonder if the HC of the new orleans saints made as much hay as BB at the pro bowl.
4. this has been said all over the place, but....randy moss is a disciplined football player. never heard anything about him being out of shape. never heard anything about him being a problem in the locker room. IMHO he is corey dillon.
that said, both moss and dillon are/were thugs. that's how they grew up. it's who they are.
in houston, in the 1960s, i played with a number of "thugs", in HS, who went to the nfl. i found them to be guys who had a jailhouse mentality, like our common friends who ultimately went there (and are still there). each of them had families, values, and were athletes.
some went to prison. others, who had different kinds of coaches, went to the nfl.
i was not a thug, i was a hoodlum. all my my hoodlum friends got football scholarships. one is the AD in the houston public schools. two got MBAs and worked for the southern pacific railroad. another was a chemist. i'm a political consultant. another is a construction engineer.
two are now in state prison in texas, both second-timers.
two are dead, and have been for years.

randy moss strikes me as exactly one of the guys i grew up with. he will be no problem with the patriots. he wants a ring. nothing else matters. not money, nor prestige, nor touches, nor travel arrangements. the big-money folks who pay to ride on the team bus will not be an issue.

randy moss is far less of a risk than these goddam sportswriters realize. they never put on a strap and cup, and went out to practice every day with guys like randy moss. nor corey dillon, lawyer milloy, joe andruzzi, bruschi. not howie long, carl eller, stabler, tippett, nellie, raymond clayborn. the bad boys who were great on the field, and in the locker room.
shaughnessy, ryan, cafardo, that fool borges, others do not know people like moss. they've only seen them on the field and when they are naked, post-shower, answering stupid questions.
in these matters, they know nothing.

 

[primetime]

Please tell me we're not comparing Meriweather to Ed Reed already. This reminds me of when Jets fans called Robertson "Baby Sapp".

Definitely agree. Though if Meriweather turns out to be Ed Reed, I'll be pretty happy. Reed is, after all, the best defensive player in the NFL, and possibly the best player overall (discounting QBs, who are a different breed, he's right up there with LT). If this team had Reed, it'd be possibly the best in NFL history.

Good post, PonyExpress.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Of course, many thoughtful posters guessed at the Pats' plans on their own, because of their own extensive knowledge of the team's needs and tendencies; those who guessed correctly deserve congratulation. But I find it interesting that in those miked up moments, BB's offseason ambitions, thought to be closely guarded secrets, were in fact plain as day to people clever enough to identify them. I wish I had been one of those clever people. That was the point of my original post.

Great point. Many here have attempted to point out that BB subtly lets those with patience gain insight into his thinking. Following his actions at the Pro-Bowl and last season's debacle at WR, it was apparent that BB would take corrective action. That being said I never anticipated the magnitude of the action.

My only mystery is what's his feeling and plans about LB? Mayes looks OK to him? A plan to sign a summer camp cut vet for a year? Seau definitely able and returning?

 

[bishbash]

Re: a few points....

1. been watching nfl football for decades, but it didn't hit me till right after the colts game that BB and the whole staff were going to go work the probowl. for BB, in the era of free agency, that's a license to steal. nobody knows like BB knows, you know?...i wonder if the HC of the new orleans saints made as much hay as BB at the pro bowl.

Good post ilduce,
Folks around here love to do what ifs in the off season (one pass caught/batted down/tackle and we'd-a won the SB). If we hadn't lost to Colts, and BB hadn't gone to ProBowl, would we have "stolen" A. Thomas? He "could" help us mightily for years. Time will tell.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

On the Meriweather/Reed comparisons, no-one is saying Meriweather will be as good but the comparison is natural and obvious - and not just to us :

"Before his senior year, he spent time with Reed, the Baltimore Ravens' All-Pro who was his recruiting host, breaking down film. Shannon, who also coached Reed, said comparisons between the two are not off base.

"Both of them have great ball skills, great feet, competitors," said Shannon. "Edward may be a better return guy with the ball in his hands. I think Brandon will get to that next level because he studies film like Edward studies film, so he's going to have the ability to do those things. Edward is a better blitzer; Brandon is a better nickel guy and a slot guy."

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/11/branded_unjustly/?page=3

 

[psychoPat]

After all the negative press BB received following the Colt loss from the hometown media phonies (i.e. the Plagiarizing Pugilist, Man-Hands MacMullen and Farrah Fawcett Felger) ....

You've had lots of well-deserved praise, PonyX.
I hope you won't mind some of my own "sincerest form of flattery".
For years, i've been referring to him as wRong Boring.

But the Plagiarizing Pugilist truly is how that guy should be known.
Sums up all of his greatest accomplishments in life.
Henceforth, whenever something distasteful makes referring to him unavoidable
... the Plagiarizing Pugilist is what i'm saying.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: a few points....

Nice Post re Randy Moss and the media. Let's face it a lot of the media writers in Boston are plain ignorant. They don't know these players as people. They don't even bother to investigate the player on an actual personal level. They just like to push their agenda and try to make themselves sound smart. Oh yeah, and for some reason it seems like they have to print obligatory negative stories on the home teams because they believe that negativity sells.

i was not a thug, i was a hoodlum. all my my hoodlum friends got football scholarships. one is the AD in the houston public schools. two got MBAs and worked for the southern pacific railroad. another was a chemist. i'm a political consultant. another is a construction engineer.
two are now in state prison in texas, both second-timers.
two are dead, and have been for years.

randy moss strikes me as exactly one of the guys i grew up with. he will be no problem with the patriots. he wants a ring. nothing else matters. not money, nor prestige, nor touches, nor travel arrangements. the big-money folks who pay to ride on the team bus will not be an issue.

randy moss is far less of a risk than these goddam sportswriters realize. they never put on a strap and cup, and went out to practice every day with guys like randy moss. nor corey dillon, lawyer milloy, joe andruzzi, bruschi. not howie long, carl eller, stabler, tippett, nellie, raymond clayborn. the bad boys who were great on the field, and in the locker room.
shaughnessy, ryan, cafardo, that fool borges, others do not know people like moss. they've only seen them on the field and when they are naked, post-shower, answering stupid questions.
in these matters, they know nothing.

PS Mea culpa re Brandon Meriweather. I considered him one of the Big Four safeties talentwise in this year's draft, however I dropped him off my Patriots 1st round list because of the character concerns. Looks like BB was comfortable enough with Meriweather's character to draft him in the 1st after all. But I will say, looking back predraft, that I thought it was much more likely the Pats would take a safety in the 1st round than linebacker. I believe in one pre-draft post I had speculated that the best way for the Patriots to counter the Colts middle of the field passing game with the tight ends (which killed them in the AFCCG) was to draft a freakish safety that could cover like a corner. Looks like BB was thinking along the same lines.

I also thought CB was a possibility, what with the Samuel situation, but the Jets draft day jump got them Revis and Hall went shortly thereafter. Maybe Mangina was forced to move up because he was also worried the Pats would take a CB at #24?

 

[zippo59]

#2. During pre-game practices, BB is talking to the Raiders' DE D. Burgess: "How fast are you?" BB kids. "Lombardi tells me you're fast! Lombardi..." This should have told us that BB and Lombardi, then the Raiders' personnel guru, are friendly enough to engage in idle chatter about each others players. Hardly the "Wall of Silence" that was reported to exist between the two organizations when the Moss rumors swirled at midseason. "Nobody talked to nobody" was the NFL company line when the rumors were dismissed in mocking fashion by plugged in media guys like Schefter and Pasquarelli. If we had weighed that contradiction, we might have once again suspected fire with the Moss smoke.

I agree with all of them but this one seems like a stretch.

 

[patriotsdynasty12189]

With all due respect to these amazing revelations, we all picked up on Belichick's chuminess with Thomas and I wasn't the only one on the draft board who said "Meriweather could be Belichick's Ed Reed" . . . we remember 2003 (I think it was that year) when Belichick called Ed Reed the defensive player of the year.

If Meriweather turns into Ed Reed im just seriously going to be the happiest man alive.

 

[zippo59]

Please tell me we're not comparing Meriweather to Ed Reed already. This reminds me of when Jets fans called Robertson "Baby Sapp".

No one saying he is as good as Ed Reed just that their skill sets and playing styles are similar. They also have The U connection.

 

[belichickaholic]

After all the negative press BB received following the Colt loss from the hometown media phonies (i.e. the Plagiarizing Pugilist, Man-Hands MacMullen and Farrah Fawcett Felger) and after the national media raked him over the coals, falsely labeling him a poor sport after he failed to meet their standards of decorum following a devastating defeat, BB fought back by allowing Pats all-access to mike him for the probowl. BB made a genuine effort to drop the veil of secrecy and reach out to the public, to show he was not Darth Vader incarnate as depicted. During that window of candor we caught an unusually lighthearted and spontaneous glimpse of our hero, and in retrospect those who watched closely could have gained insight into one of the most ambitious offseasons in league history. Of course, many thoughtful posters guessed at the Pats' plans on their own, because of their own extensive knowledge of the team's needs and tendencies; those who guessed correctly deserve congratulation. But I find it interesting that in those miked up moments, BB's offseason ambitions, thought to be closely guarded secrets, were in fact plain as day to people clever enough to identify them. I wish I had been one of those clever people. That was the point of my original post.

spot on!! Often times we'll hear the members of the media pronouncing astonishingly that he did exactly what he said he was going to do. Must be the monotone.

 

[Dragda]

I'd love to have like a six hour DVD of him and pioli talking about the team and its players in closed door meetings.

I'd watch it over and over in a darkened room. I'd let my personal hygiene erode. My family would LOVE that. You think they hated combine footage, wait until I get ahold of personnel meetings.

 

[Water Boy]

You forgot this little nugget. Jason Taylor played in the Pro Bowl -the same Jason Taylor who plays for the Miami Dolphins. During the Pro Bowl week BB talked with Taylor and in the off-season ended up trading for a teammate of Taylors (Welker) and also picked another former Dolphin FA (Morris).

 

[fgssand]

Re: a few points....

4. this has been said all over the place, but....randy moss is a disciplined football player. never heard anything about him being out of shape. never heard anything about him being a problem in the locker room. IMHO he is corey dillon.
that said, both moss and dillon are/were thugs. that's how they grew up. it's who they are.

randy moss strikes me as exactly one of the guys i grew up with. he will be no problem with the patriots. he wants a ring. nothing else matters. not money, nor prestige, nor touches, .

I agree 100% - Randy Moss will be all about the ring and have a b-l-a-s-t getting it this year. He will be like a kid in a candy store, reborn into a world where football is all that matters surrounded by guys who eat, drink and sleep football. Do you remember how happy Dillon was, especially that first year? I think we see the same from Randy.

Question for you I/Duce - in your opinion, what happens to him in year two.

A) If he comes close to getting that ring - it's easy, he signs on for one more grab at the brass ring.

B) He gets it this year - does he then leave for more money - or - does he take the "hometown discount" and live happily ever after trying for more rings??

 

[fgssand]

After all the negative press BB received following the Colt loss from the hometown media phonies (i.e. the Plagiarizing Pugilist, Man-Hands MacMullen and Farrah Fawcett Felger) and after the national media raked him over the coals, falsely labeling him a poor sport after he failed to meet their standards of decorum following a devastating defeat, BB fought back by allowing Pats all-access to mike him for the probowl. BB made a genuine effort to drop the veil of secrecy and reach out to the public, to show he was not Darth Vader incarnate as depicted. During that window of candor we caught an unusually lighthearted and spontaneous glimpse of our hero, and in retrospect those who watched closely could have gained insight into one of the most ambitious offseasons in league history. Of course, many thoughtful posters guessed at the Pats' plans on their own, because of their own extensive knowledge of the team's needs and tendencies; those who guessed correctly deserve congratulation. But I find it interesting that in those miked up moments, BB's offseason ambitions, thought to be closely guarded secrets, were in fact plain as day to people clever enough to identify them. I wish I had been one of those clever people. That was the point of my original post.

Pony, I hate you - that first line is so well written and so awesome - it's just not fair to the rest of us struggling to string together two thoughts that make sense.

Question for you - Do you think the negative press directed toward BB, I mean all the pot shots taken at him by the guys with the poison inked pens (as you say - i.e. the Plagiarizing Pugilist, Man-Hands MacMullen and Farrah Fawcett Felger) and those horrible Herald Inside track whores Gayle and Zelda (or whatever her name is) - will be a real reason for him to leave before he really should??

 

[FirstAndGoal]

If you play BB's video backwards, it looks like a Bon Jovi concert from the eighties.

 

[PonyExpress]

Pony, I hate you - that first line is so well written and so awesome - it's just not fair to the rest of us struggling to string together two thoughts that make sense.

Question for you - Do you think the negative press directed toward BB, I mean all the pot shots taken at him by the guys with the poison inked pens (as you say - i.e. the Plagiarizing Pugilist, Man-Hands MacMullen and Farrah Fawcett Felger) and those horrible Herald Inside track whores Gayle and Zelda (or whatever her name is) - will be a real reason for him to leave before he really should??

As an optimist, I predict that BB's tenure as coach of the NEP will outlast the current ownership of the Globe. Wouldn't that be ironic! The NYTimes', and by extension the Globe's, animus toward BB and the Pats IMO is motivated less by a personal vendetta, than by financial, political, and ideological opposition to the NFL and its product. The NFL has skyrocketed in popularity since the emergence of the Pats as a dominant team, because they have essentially conquered a new, wealthy, underdeveloped market, i.e. New England, and are in the process of wresting control of the region from the Olde Towne Team. The rise of the Pats has also, for better or worse, intellectualized the popular appreciation of football, because many East Coast baseball geeks, disenchanted by the steroid era in baseball, switched horses and turned their attention to America's Game, inspired by BB's cerebral approach and reputation. This contributed to the development and explosion of fantasy football, statistical and probability analysis of football, and elevated the game from backyard brawl status to that of an intellectual endeavor. This "Acceptability" factor of football as a cerebral game has been worth billions of dollars to the NFL, and IMO was due in no small part to BB and the rise of the Patriot dynasty. Like any revolution, the football revolution, though bloodless, rattled some old world cages, and one such cage is the intellectual penitentiary aka the NYTimes company. For strategic reasons, and possibly others not worth discussing in a sports forum, Upper management at the NYTimes company (owners of the Red Sox) IMO authorized Joe Sullivan to unleash media hounds like PP (the Plagiarizing Puglist) and Man-Hands MacMullen against the Kraft Family and BB. These vendettas and the noxious hypocrites who nurse them, are just pawns employed on behalf of much larger interests in a Great Game. Interestingly, the same company is also pushing the Ted Johnson concussion story IMO as a weapon against the NFL. BB understands business tactics, managing a billion dollar business himself, and he knows the "PsyOps" and dirty tricks inherent to success and failure on the field of business and battle. As the face of the organization he understands that he is a target, and can accept bad press on those terms. He has an iron will and a good heart and squeaky wheels in the press box will never defeat him. However... the Inside Track girls are a different story. In this "Great Game" the Globe is about Power, while The Herald is about Money. The Track Girls do what they do for one reason only: to sell papers. That being said, the Herald's sensationalism is more likely to wound BB than the Globe's poisonous agenda, because tabloid muck raking attacks BB and his relationship with his children, which is sacred even to the most public men. But if BB can weather the storm, stabilize his off-field life, and avoid providing grist for the tabloid mill, the girls' interest will fade, and he will be able to regain control both of his private and public reputation. And if you actually read this post to the end, smack yourself in the face for wasting two minutes of your life.

 

[fgssand]

As an optimist, I predict that BB's tenure as coach of the NEP will outlast the current ownership of the Globe. Wouldn't that be ironic! The NYTimes', and by extension the Globe's, animus toward BB and the Pats IMO is motivated less by a personal vendetta, than by financial, political, and ideological opposition to the NFL and its product. The NFL has skyrocketed in popularity since the emergence of the Pats as a dominant team, because they have essentially conquered a new, wealthy, underdeveloped market, i.e. New England, and are in the process of wresting control of the region from the Olde Towne Team. The rise of the Pats has also, for better or worse, intellectualized the popular appreciation of football, because many East Coast baseball geeks, disenchanted by the steroid era in baseball, switched horses and turned their attention to America's Game, inspired by BB's cerebral approach and reputation. This contributed to the development and explosion of fantasy football, statistical and probability analysis of football, and elevated the game from backyard brawl status to that of an intellectual endeavor. This "Acceptability" factor of football as a cerebral game has been worth billions of dollars to the NFL, and IMO was due in no small part to BB and the rise of the Patriot dynasty. Like any revolution, the football revolution, though bloodless, rattled some old world cages, and one such cage is the intellectual penitentiary aka the NYTimes company. For strategic reasons, and possibly others not worth discussing in a sports forum, Upper management at the NYTimes company (owners of the Red Sox) IMO authorized Joe Sullivan to unleash media hounds like PP (the Plagiarizing Puglist) and Man-Hands MacMullen against the Kraft Family and BB. These vendettas and the noxious hypocrites who nurse them, are just pawns employed on behalf of much larger interests in a Great Game. Interestingly, the same company is also pushing the Ted Johnson concussion story IMO as a weapon against the NFL. BB understands business tactics, managing a billion dollar business himself, and he knows the "PsyOps" and dirty tricks inherent to success and failure on the field of business and battle. As the face of the organization he understands that he is a target, and can accept bad press on those terms. He has an iron will and a good heart and squeaky wheels in the press box will never defeat him. However... the Inside Track girls are a different story. In this "Great Game" the Globe is about Power, while The Herald is about Money. The Track Girls do what they do for one reason only: to sell papers. That being said, the Herald's sensationalism is more likely to wound BB than the Globe's poisonous agenda, because tabloid muck raking attacks BB and his relationship with his children, which is sacred even to the most public men. But if BB can weather the storm, stabilize his off-field life, and avoid providing grist for the tabloid mill, the girls' interest will fade, and he will be able to regain control both of his private and public reputation. And if you actually read this post to the end, smack yourself in the face for wasting two minutes of your life.

Of course i read it all......two minutes quite well spent. While I like to think I "master" in following NFL football and the Patriots #1 of course, I also "minor" in Bostom media type stuff. I never tire of reading stuff from boston sports media.com, I eat this kind of stuff up.

Attacks on BB's personal life and family matters is simply wrong. I understand he is a public figure and it comes with the territory. The Track (about the worst of the bunch) and other haters of Bill seem to really take pleasure in taking mean spirited and often unsubstantiated or proven shots at BB. They never come back and recant, correct or admit they were wrong or off base (as with the NJ situation). File under: They only care about slinging mud and moving on to their next target, never getting the story right.

I suppose, by our even mentioning them, they will feel as if they succeeded in doing their jobs.

My point is that BB may just simply choose to finish his career in a place that cares about football and not dirt. Man, would that ever suck.