Belichickism

[PP2]

For some time I've been meaning to devote a thread exclusively to what makes Belichick one of, if not the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.

I would like this thread to be a collection of information, links, anecdotes, and technical explanations, and for others to contribut to it.

Please keep it free of hot takes and opinions which I'll be asking the mods to delete, whenever they show up.

For me, what makes Belichick so good is because of the following traits he has:

• He never stops thinking about the game, and about how to improve the team, or himself.
• He is very pragmatic. He is not afraid to discard what doesn't work for him or the organization.
• His attention to details, in all three phases of the game, is second to none.
• His work ethic is second to none.
• He is a serious student of the game, and has only the highest respect for the game.
• His ability to master all facets of what it takes to operate an NFL franchise, from cap management to roster, to nutrition, to scouting, to public relations, is second to none.
• He is a savant when it comes to breaking down film. His ability to see pattern in the morass of game films is underrated.
• Nothing is too small for him, nothing ever gets by him, be it tendency, habit, or any possible way to gain advantage.

 

[PP2]

He did the same during SB XLIX, which led him to not calling a timeout when noticing the Seahawks sideline was in disarray.





Urban Meyer always had a staffer locked in on the behavior of an opponent's head coach. Here's why - FootballScoop

 

[PP2]

This is a pretty good article by Nora Princiotti. Probably her best to date. The only thing she neglected to mention was that Belichick has his ST'ers attack at a different angle for every kicker, every game, because they all have different stride lengths when launching into their kicks- some are short, some long.

The Patriots are experts at blocking a punt. Here’s how they do it - The Boston Globe

 

[PP2]

What exactly is it that makes Bill Belichick so good? - FootballScoop

 

[sturmrider]

One I also add is he refuses to make excuses for anything. For example asked what he is going to do about the Houston game coming with so many illnesses.

His reply we will make do other teams have.

 

[dustcover]

He surrounds himself with knowledgeable people, from administrative personnel right on down through the coaching staff with the same edict that applies to his players, DO YOUR JOB.

 

[Ring 6]

For some time I've been meaning to devote a thread exclusively to what makes Belichick one of, if not the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.

I would like this thread to be a collection of information, links, anecdotes, and technical explanations, and for others to contribut to it.

Please keep it free of hot takes and opinions which I'll be asking the mods to delete, whenever they show up.

For me, what makes Belichick so good is because of the following traits he has:

• He never stops thinking about the game, and about how to improve the team, or himself.
• He is very pragmatic. He is not afraid to discard what doesn't work for him or the organization.
• His attention to details, in all three phases of the game, is second to none.
• His work ethic is second to none.
• He is a serious student of the game, and has only the highest respect for the game.
• His ability to master all facets of what it takes to operate an NFL franchise, from cap management to roster, to nutrition, to scouting, to public relations, is second to none.
• He is a savant when it comes to breaking down film. His ability to see pattern in the morass of game films is underrated.
• Nothing is too small for him, nothing ever gets by him, be it tendency, habit, or any possible way to gain advantage.

I know coaches who have been to BB talks/seminars/clinics and their biggest takeaway is that he sees the entire field and how everything affects everything else. He did an hour on kickoff coverage.

 

[BJ_McWild]

He learned at his dad Steve's knee, breaking down film at age 3. It's in his blood, and now his son Steve is showing up doing a great job as the D playcaller. It's a legacy of football coaching, unlike any other.

And Linda is fabulous.

 

[Pape]

Mic'd Up: Bill Belichick has priceless reaction to Mercedes-Benz Stadium roof staying open pregame

 

[Ochmed Jones]

One of the small things that makes bb special is the ability to make adjustments and put players in a position that Plays to their strengths.

 

[maust]

For anyone that hasn't read it yet I can't recommend David Halberstam's great book on Belichick, 'The Education Of A Coach' enough.

 

[Vatahala]

He's smart enough to realize he's no Mona Lisa Vito.

 

[Vindicate]

Most importantly, Belichick understands that leadership on any level - be it coaching, management, etc., - is most effective as the result of a collective. He'll take, respect, and even implement input from not only Josh or whoever his D coordinator may be, but he'll also lend his ear to the players.

He recognizes that others have perspectives he simply can't see, both literally and figuratively. Furthermore, this is suggested in his staff - McDaniels himself was previously a defensive coach. He also has an expectation that his offensive players know how defense works and vice versa.

All this culminates in is an environment that encourages both learning and communication. It feeds itself, so as long as the most important link in the chain is still listening to those beneath it.

And it's not just X's and O's. It's morale, it's workouts, and so much more. Belichick, though a genius himself, realizes the true meaning of "it takes a village."

He is a staple of good leadership, he's as selfless as an NFL head coach can come, but that all is enhanced by his confidence in his final decision. He just knows when to say yes or no most of the times. It's a beautiful thing to acknowledge. I manage a retail store, which is not anywhere close to the level of an NFL football game. But I take heed of the ways he leads his organization. The first always being "Players win games, coaches lose 'em"

 

[Oswlek]

Given how much he has invested in the team, the players and the sport itself, it never ceases to amaze me that he stays calmer during games than I do.

 

[Triumph]

Some aspects of Belichick can be found here.

EIGHT HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

How often have you heard about outsiders simply blown away by Belichicks practices? No motion is wasted and every minute has been methodically planned out to achieve the maximum outcome.It explains why Belichick will not tolerate tardiness during preparation.

I recall something else about the habits of successful people. That there is plenty for everyone. You see this during the Pats draft and free agency. Belichick does not focus on 1 player and pay any cost to get him. If said player signs elsewhere Belichick just moves on to the next player on the list. Next draft pick.

 

[Triumph]

How many times has a NE drive stalled out and Belichick punts?

Damned if the Pats dont get the ball right back via a fumble or something. Ive lost count how many times that has happened.

 

[mosi]

I would also argue that he looks like a genius because the majority of the NFL coaches are absolute morons.

 

[1960Pats]

It helps Belichick to have a GOAT QB who respects his HC's authority and also has a big brain. That's why I don't think all QB's could be as effective with BB as TB12 has been.

 

[luuked]

I would also argue that he looks like a genius because the majority of the NFL coaches are absolute morons.

Sounds like any business in any field in history.

 

[luuked]

An except from Lombardi's book about how the goalline defense with 3 corners that won SB XLIX came to be.

I left out a couple good paragraphs where he describes the rationale for why 6-2 defenses were traditionally played on the goal line and some of the process they went through to decide on the exact implementation because I don't want to get into copyright issues:

I [Lombardi] showed up for my first day of work.
...
Each time Belichick brought up his team’s horrendous goal-line defense—the one that gave up 13 touchdowns and 2 field goals in 15 “goal-to-go” situations the previous season.
...
We need a traditional goal-line defense that can also cover three receivers,” Belichick told us, his mind churning through a thousand different possibilities like a gridiron computer.
...
We worked over the next months, throughout the entire off-season and preseason, implementing and perfecting Bill’s ingeniously simple goal-line solution. Once the season started, though, we never encountered a situation that called for the three-corner goal-line formation.

Seven months, hundreds of practices, thousands of man-hours, and almost two dozen preseason and regular-season games had gone by. All the time and energy invested in perfecting Belichick’s goal-line wrinkle was looking very much like an utter waste.

Until the Seahawks had the ball on our doorstep with 26 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIX.

If I find some time I might post another 1-2 of those from the book. If the format is fine @Ian ?