ESPN Power Rankings Belichick is the top coach

[DarrylS]

Of course we all knew this.. but it was unanimous...

But he missed a breakfast in New Orleans..

Of course, consider the source, they had to mention Spygate..

Power Rankings: Top 10 NFL head coaches - AFC East Blog - ESPN

Bill Belichick is the great unifier.

For the first time in ESPN.com's individual Power Rankings series, the eight panelists reached unanimity. Each of us voted Belichick the NFL's best head coach, and there's little room for argument.

As someone who has scrolled through their comments for the past three years, I can hear the Spygate whiners already.

 

[363839]

They're all out to get you when you're number one.

 

[Calciumee]

ESPN has BB #1???

Are they ok over there?

 

[VectorPrime]

Wow, why are you complaining? Yeah they mentioned spygate but they were explicitly DEFENDING the Pats and BB. They laid out the case right there in a couple sentences why so many Pats haters are just jealous idiots.

This is a good article.

 

[Nikolai]

I think I saw a glowing dust cloud making its way over to the studios yesterday. That might have something to do with it.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Thanks. Most interesting was that he got every number one vote, if that hasn't already been pointed out.

 

[townes]

As much as the loss to the Jets sucked the season was a big success overall and Belichik did one of his best coaching jobs ever. Despite playing the best football in the NFL over the regular season the Patriots are clearly a team with many needs but Patriot fans should really take heart in the fact that he coached them into great play for 16 games and they are returning almost completely intact with significant additions coming in the draft. Overall i love where they are at going forward and give most of the credit for that to Belichik who has become the greatest coach of his generation.

 

[Frezo]

ESPN has BB #1???

Are they ok over there?

They changed their name to the Extra Special Patriots Network.

 

[Keyser Söze]

BeLiCheaT!! SuCKs CHEatz!!!!!!! SPYgate!!!

G.O.A.T

 

[jmt57]

BeLiCheaT!! SuCKs CHEatz!!!!!!! SPYgate!!!

G.O.A.T

Actually I was curious and waded through the comments section (no, I am not a masochist) and was shocked at how relatively few 'Belicheat' and 'spygate' comments there were. Obviously there were some, but overall I can't recall the last time there was so little venom; maybe 2003 or so?

I know it's off-season, but considering he was named #1 I was very surprised at how low the percentage of hater/trollish comments was, and how high the percentage of actual discussion of who should and should not be ranked high or low.

Is this a sign in a shift of attitude by fans nationwide? Or perhaps it represents the difference between 'hardcore' fans who follow the sport all year long and blowhards who have lots to say but only follow the NFL from the day their baseball team gets eliminated until the end of the Super Bowl halftime show.