Be honest all of you old heads. What was your initial thought when we hired BB?

[Real fan 02]

I was in the military at the time. I was stationed on the West Coast. The internet was around but it's not like it was today. I heard some news of the Pats getting a new coach. But I wasn't paying that close attention to the team back then. I remember not liking Pete Carroll so was more or less onboard with a new guy.

Thank you for your service!

 

[The Gr8est]

I wanted to keep Carrol,
But when I saw the options were Belichick or Dom Capers I literally prayed for Belichick.
That Jets conference was legendary.
However when he came and dismantled a very talented team and brought in the corpses of Charles Johnson,Torrance Small, released Ben Coates, Didn’t bring back Jefferson, big play Clay, Slade, Rucci, Lane, Armstrong if memory serves right. I hated what he did to the Team,

He took my hero’s and jettisoned them out and released Milloy I was livid.
Then we did Ty law super dirty, and traded Glenn.

Ugh.

If it wasn’t for Brady man.

We should have kept Bobby Grier as GM.

That was a man who knew how to draft.

 

[Ross12]

I was 9 years old, so I don't have much to add, but I can tell you that I had a wicked Charizard.

The Pats run in '01 is what got me more interested in football in the first place.

 

[Steve102]

I liked the move, given that he was a brilliant defensive mind and I felt like his experience in Cleveland would make him a good fit here. And the one thing I'll also say is a lot of the cryptic stuff with the media came later in his career here after the team had more success. He talked openly and honestly about a lot of stuff during the early days, and was very forthcoming. He actually started out that way and then later pulled back, so he was a much different guy back then.

I was all in. Pete took a Super Bowl team and ruined it. Parcells had that ******** contract with Curtis Martin, and this was a payback. The Jete presser was brilliant, I couldn't wait to get the rebuild going.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

I was living in northern New Jersey at the time and wfan was going crazy about the pats interest and what that the jets were going to soar with bill as GM and little bill as coach….and then the bar napkin and 20 second press conference. Surrounded by jets and gnats fans, I was really enjoying it. And then the rest is history.

 

[AQPE]

I couldn’t stand Carroll, and still can’t. I know he can coach but his whole gum chewing idiotic chatter grated on me right from the start, and the fact that he had stupid old Bobby Grier undermining him prevented me from gaining any confidence in him. I also couldn’t stand the way that the Globe guys in particular (Borges, Shank Shaughnessy, and Bill Parcells’ ******* tenant Bob Ryan) would get away with treating the Poodle.

So when BB came in I was optimistic and happy that Groin Fat Parcells got a taste of his own medicine. I was even happier when I saw that the first thing BB did was to march Johnny “Secret Agent” Parker right the hell out of the building.

BB made an effort to form a good relationship with the media slobs, such as his football seminar day his first spring. His approach to information, which I agree with, was to not discuss things when they have no possibility of helping the team. This is what got him in trouble with the media because they are generally ignorant and lazy and resent not being spoon fed stories by BB. Even Curran, who was a hard worker and not ignorant when he was at MetroWest news or whatever it was called fell into the trap.

My issue with BB isn’t about how he presents himself, it’s about results. He was the best for 20 years but I don’t see him getting to a championship anymore. I think it has a lot to do with not having a good enough staff to rely on: no Pioli, Dimitroff, Licht, no Scar, Weis, Seely, Crennel, Fears, and perhaps most of all no Ernie Adams. The guys he has brought in do not have the same abilities to evaluate prospects and teach guys effectively. The regression of Mediocre Mac is the prime example of how BB and his staff misjudged the kid’s immaturity and failed to get through to him with whatever they were teaching him. The same goes for the mental errors and penalties that has plagued the team for the past 4 years. I will always be grateful to BB for what he accomplished but for me there’s zero reason to believe he can still get everything done with whom he has to work with, and whom he would be working for (Jonathan).

 

[Rob0729]

If I remember correctly, I was happy. He was a Parcells disciple and was a huge reason the Pats' defense was so good the Super Bowl season under Parcells.

I do remember I wasn't happy about losing a first round pick for him. Thought the league gave preferential treatment to the Jets on that one. They pretty much pressured the Patriots into giving up a first for Belichick.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I Remember when his team from Cleveland took down the young Patriots upstarts in 94. I liked what he did with the defense in 2nd superbowl run so I was happy with the hiring. Not really with the draft pick though, but at least was hopeful he’d get them back on track.

 

[SteveKiner]

I was not happy when they chose BB. I was hoping for Tom Moore or Dom Capers. (shows what I know)I was especially not happy when they gave up a first round pick. Looking back, that was probably the best decision Patriots management ever made.

 

[The Gr8est]

I couldn’t stand Carroll, and still can’t. I know he can coach but his whole gum chewing idiotic chatter grated on me right from the start, and the fact that he had stupid old Bobby Grier undermining him prevented me from gaining any confidence in him. I also couldn’t stand the way that the Globe guys in particular (Borges, Shank Shaughnessy, and Bill Parcells’ ******* tenant Bob Ryan) would get away with treating the Poodle.

So when BB came in I was optimistic and happy that Groin Fat Parcells got a taste of his own medicine. I was even happier when I saw that the first thing BB did was to march Johnny “Secret Agent” Parker right the hell out of the building.

BB made an effort to form a good relationship with the media slobs, such as his football seminar day his first spring. His approach to information, which I agree with, was to not discuss things when they have no possibility of helping the team. This is what got him in trouble with the media because they are generally ignorant and lazy and resent not being spoon fed stories by BB. Even Curran, who was a hard worker and not ignorant when he was at MetroWest news or whatever it was called fell into the trap.

My issue with BB isn’t about how he presents himself, it’s about results. He was the best for 20 years but I don’t see him getting to a championship anymore. I think it has a lot to do with not having a good enough staff to rely on: no Pioli, Dimitroff, Licht, no Scar, Weis, Seely, Crennel, Fears, and perhaps most of all no Ernie Adams. The guys he has brought in do not have the same abilities to evaluate prospects and teach guys effectively. The regression of Mediocre Mac is the prime example of how BB and his staff misjudged the kid’s immaturity and failed to get through to him with whatever they were teaching him. The same goes for the mental errors and penalties that has plagued the team for the past 4 years. I will always be grateful to BB for what he accomplished but for me there’s zero reason to believe he can still get everything done with whom he has to work with, and whom he would be working for (Jonathan).

The Pats coaching staff was stripmined by other teams, after BB developed them.

It is a travesty that coaches are not treated like FA players, since they need to be developed and don’t grow on trees.

For those who are wanting a new GM instead of BB, I believe Bobby Grier is still available.

Getting another person run the draft guarantees nothing.

 

[TheRainMaker]

We should have kept Bobby Grier as GM.

That was a man who knew how to draft.

Aside from injuries, he was the main reason for their downfall in the late 90's.

 

[The Gr8est]

Aside from injuries, he was the main reason for their downfall in the late 90's.

I agree.

In case it wasn’t clear, Bobby Grier is one of many examples of how easy it isn’t to get an exceptional drafter.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I loved the Belichick hire. I hated how he started the Pats demise in the 1999 season on MNF, but watched him slow down Manning twice and wanted that defense back in NE.

However, I certainly didn't like him dismantling the team in 2000 even though those players like Coates and Slade were cooked.

 

[Love The Drake]

We should have kept Bobby Grier as GM.

That was a man who knew how to draft.

I mean pretty comparable to the last 10 years of drafts.

 

[Pape]

Did not like the hire at all.

thought he was nothing but a DC after his Cleveland years.

worse than when i thought that randy moss was going to flame out in new england in his first season.

 

[Love The Drake]

Did not like the hire at all.

thought he was nothing but a DC after his Cleveland years.

I think at the time Kraft was only looking him him and Dom Capers.

 

[moosekill]

I was so excited listening to his press conference on weei. it was simply amazing.

 

[Pape]

I think at the time Kraft was only looking him him and Dom Capers.

i wanted to bring in Marty Schottenheimer, who had been cut loose in KC and was working at espn iirc

 

[TheRainMaker]

worse than when i thought that randy moss was going to flame out in new england in his first season.

I didn't think Moss was cooked as people were saying, but looked more like he was unmotivated with a mediocre QB and team in Oakland. However, the reports of him being cut were ridiculous.

Moss had recently said that he met Tom Brady a couple years prior to 2007 and told Tom one day they would play together. Oakland actually wanted to trade him to GB, but Moss rejected it and said to trade him to NE.

 

[Love The Drake]

I didn't think Moss was cooked as people were saying, but looked more like he was unmotivated with a mediocre QB and team in Oakland. However, the reports of him being cut were ridiculous.

Moss had recently said that he met Tom Brady a couple years prior to 2007 and told Tom one day they would play together. Minnesota actually wanted to trade him to GB, but Moss rejected it and said to trade him to NE.

You mean Oakland not Minnesota?