Gasper: We're witnessing a breakdown in communication

[upstater1]

Can anyone explain to me why Big Vince has not been extended yet? For the life of me I just don't get this one. I'll chug the Kool Aid with the best of them but management has dropped the ball here! Big Time!!!

I can think of one easy obvious answer.

It's much better to sign your guys during an uncapped year so that you can frontload the contract.

 

[satz]

Vince used to be on sports tonight and already expressed his displeasure.
He will not be here he wants a 9 million/yr contract which will put him below brady,Moss,AD in the team.

We can get a first rounder in trade and more

1)Chargers have a old jamal and even with years of drafting and FA signing there is no replacement

2) Ferguon down in dolphins is retiring and do not have a replacment

3)Jets have Jenkins who cannot play more than 6 games a year andOLD

4)Denver Needs a NT

5)Shaun rogers of Clevland OLD and need a replacement

6)Steelers with casey hampton.He more of a dt who is on 1 on 1 due to the front seven.They never had a true double team requiring NT. Can you imagine harrison and woodley on TE or RB.Steeler defence will be killer.

as a defence fan i would love to see him with the steelers to see how the OLB sack QBs.

 

[blackglass3]

I can think of one easy obvious answer.

It's much better to sign your guys during an uncapped year so that you can frontload the contract.

This was the impression I was under, also. Would there be union trouble if he slipped up and said something like "Yeah, the front office told me they are waiting for the uncapped year to hit so they can resign me." Is that illegal in any way?

 

[RayClay]

Sounds like Gasper's been studying at the Ron Borges Journalism school. Sure, they're having some growing pains due to waiting to turn over the defense until after the solid vets were worn out.

I's even go so far as to say they forgot a bit about what they learned about character in free agents from thr Phifers Vrabels and Harrison's. Nevertheless, there's only one real bad apple that i can see and BB's dealt with that (D-I-D). A couple wins solves a lot of issues.

I could name at least a dozen character problem turning points that have turned into springboards, it's the nature of an emotional game.

random

1. A bunch of people looking at a live ball without picking it up (help me out on this one). 2002 against Green Bay?

2. Steve Martin

3. D-I-D

4. Brady throwing for huge numbers against the Jets, Pitt then the team folding in 2002.

5. Ty Law's cousin

6. Lawyer Milloy

7. Ty Law's family's appetite

and on and on.

Bru, Troy and Willie grew into leadership. A totally focused team with great leadership is exceptional, not typical. We're building a new one and the young and old leaders will come from situations like this.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

People forget that leadership is forged through adversity. Everyone's a leader when you're winning. After Milloy was cut the media told us they hate their coach. Even guys like Bruschi and Brady were frustrated or wounded to the core. I personally feared Bill had lost his mind. Rodney wasn't all that happy either, but after the Buffalo beat down he asked them if they were all done crying or if this was what they were going to do all season. They had to think about it a bit and won one and then lost another...and then didn't lose again until sometime in 2004. Bill's not goin anywhere anytime soon so he will wait them out and when those who want to win again outnumber those who want a hug he will still be here scheming and coaching to put them in a position to win.

They all know the deal when they walk through that door with the sign over it that reminds them to check your ego before entering and do your job. He never blows smoke up your ass and then backstabs you in the media to cover his own like the vast majority of insecure NFL HC do. Former players will tell you they always knew where they stood with Bill. What he does do is hold you accountable for effort, execution and unselfishness committment to something bigger than yourself. Even if you're not the most gifted athlete, he can help you make the most of whatever gifts you possess if you're willing to work at your craft. If you want to rest on laurals or coast on talent there isn't all that much he can do for or with you.

I get frustrated with him too at times because he doesn't appear to do enough to make it easier. I think what gauls him is despite any deficits we see, he sees evidence on film every Monday that indicates they all could have played and executed exponentially better inspite of any talent shortfall. So he continues to coach them up and put them in a position to win inspite of themselves. But he cannot make grown men perform consistently to the best of their ability. That's on them.

And hugging players or coddling players or enabling players doesn't make them play any better and there are lots of past and present NFL HC willing to attest to that. Preparing them to play, as just about every player who's ever succeeded here or left here to play elsewhere will attest he does, means a lot more to players to whom football truly matters than a hug and an extra couple of bucks at the front end of a disappointing career ever will. But at the end of the day no coach can make players perform to the best of their ability or perform consistently. What he can do is move on from them if they cannot or will not perform or if they measure respect in dollar signs as opposed to winning team championships.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

the problem with the defense is that the team has acquired one decent LB in the last 7 years (mayo) and we are talking about a scheme that depends on LB quality

 

[Deus Irae]

Sadly, most of the responses in this thread so far avoid the meat of the article in favor of giving Belichick a tongue bath or bashing the writer, instead of focusing on the issues brought forward in the piece.

Then again, I guess all's well as long as we can pretend that it's always the players at fault and never the front office.

 

[mgteich]

I agree 100%.

Watch. If Wilfork goes in the offseason, we'll see the same people that are complimenting Wilfork on his attitude toward the contract negotiations now saying that he was "always a cancer" and "chasing the almighty dollar" if/when he goes to another team and speaks out. It's almost a travesty that he hasn't been re-signed yet.

 

[Pats726]

We're witnessing a team that is going through change
... media blowhards trying to make some extra money off of it.

Got it correct..it's a real feast for the mediots who LOVE teh fact the team is doing bad..and unfortunately a LOT of fans are following like sheep.
The reason Wilfork hasn't been extended has a lot to do with the CBA..seems like many are forgetting about that. Once they have an idea about what is happening, then they will address it. They are NOT going to do anything premature and I do not blame them. No one is dropping the ball as large contracts need to be done not in a vacuum but with some sense of the future.
I hiope he is around for teh future and would love to see that happen. My guess is it will happen.
But I agree..it's time the malcontents are identified and dealt with starting with two of the worst, AD and SS. Thomas has not lived up to what the team paid him...Just a big rip off for this clown. Same it seems for Springs.

 

[Ring 6]

Sadly, most of the responses in this thread so far avoid the meat of the article in favor of giving Belichick a tongue bath or bashing the writer, instead of focusing on the issues brought forward in the piece.

Then again, I guess all's well as long as we can pretend that it's always the players at fault and never the front office.

Or that nothing is really different except that when the team is ONLY 7-5 its easy to criticize the same approach that won 3 SBs.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Sadly, most of the responses in this thread so far avoid the meat of the article in favor of giving Belichick a tongue bath or bashing the writer, instead of focusing on the issues brought forward in the piece.

Then again, I guess all's well as long as we can pretend that it's always the players at fault and never the front office.

What meat? A cub reporter who was cutting his reporting teeth covering regional HS sports through Bill's back to back championship seasons apparently wants us all to know that something is fermenting in Foxboro and regurgutated koolaid could be at it's root and if somebody doesn't do something pronto there may be long term consequences, unless of course we win this week and next and the one after that. Been there, done that DI. And seen this outfit survive it on multiple occasions. Maybe you and Chris haven't. He may have been in class or cramming for finals or polishing up his resume, which is what this piece is intended to do. Holla at me as Vrabes used to say... He's apparently enjoying his on air time with the big boy mediots.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Or that nothing is really different except that when the team is ONLY 7-5 its easy to criticize the same approach that won 3 SBs.

Average fans and mediots are a lot like average players in one respect. Once they pocket that signing bonus and have to somehow manage to feed their family on salary or non guaranteed roster bonuses, they forget they ever got it or what it covered.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

What this team needs is a good old fashioned Herm Edwards ass rub.

 

[Fencer]

You guys seem to be forgetting that, at the end, Gasper predicts BB will pull it out.

When you include that part, he's right.

One problem is that Thomas HAS been a leader (passing out T-shirts, being player rep, etc.), and he's been leading in the wrong direction.

 

[Jackson 2]

As I said here a while ago when Gasper "ascended" to columnist status: here comes the new Ronnie "Laughing Boy" Borges...

 

[Deus Irae]

Or that nothing is really different except that when the team is ONLY 7-5 its easy to criticize the same approach that won 3 SBs.

If you think that nothing's been different this year from previous years, you have an interesting take on things. This is especially true if you are referring to me, given my defense of the 2006 team during its early struggles.

 

[Deus Irae]

What meat? A cub reporter who was cutting his reporting teeth covering regional HS sports through Bill's back to back championship seasons apparently wants us all to know that something is fermenting in Foxboro and regurgutated koolaid could be at it's root and if somebody doesn't do something pronto there may be long term consequences, unless of course we win this week and next and the one after that. Been there, done that DI. And seen this outfit survive it on multiple occasions. Maybe you and Chris haven't. He may have been in class or cramming for finals or polishing up his resume, which is what this piece is intended to do. Holla at me as Vrabes used to say... He's apparently enjoying his on air time with the big boy mediots.

I've been following the team since the early 70s, Mo. I've cheered for the Patriots when they've been great, and I've cheered for them when they've been so inept that they couldn't even do inept right. That's over 30 years of following this team, and I don't need the crap about what you've survived.

I defended BB during spygate, when I saw where he was coming from and could accept his position. I criticize him now, because he's made a lot of boneheaded moves in the past 12 months and deserves the criticism. I prefer to think for myself, rather than just spout the party line.

 

[Ring 6]

If you think that nothing's been different this year from previous years, you have an interesting take on things. This is especially true if you are referring to me, given my defense of the 2006 team during its early struggles.

I'm speaking about the article and I am saying the same management style that is praised when you win is criticized when you lose.
If you preach discipline and win, the Terry Glenns look like idiots.
If you preach discipline and dont win, the complainers are listened to and you are too rigid and losing the team.
The right thing is the right thing and when you lose 3 of 4 and players show up late the day after you have a meeting about commitment, sending them home is the right thing to do. BB acted that way when winning SBs too.
Its just the media. Most winning coaches do the same thing when they win as they do when they struggle, but their decisions are offered as the reason for struggling. I am very confident BB is doing everything the same today as he did it in 03 and 04

 

[Ring 6]

If you think that nothing's been different this year from previous years, you have an interesting take on things. This is especially true if you are referring to me, given my defense of the 2006 team during its early struggles.

Nothing in the way BB relates to and manages players.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm speaking about the article and I am saying the same management style that is praised when you win is criticized when you lose.
If you preach discipline and win, the Terry Glenns look like idiots.
If you preach discipline and dont win, the complainers are listened to and you are too rigid and losing the team.
The right thing is the right thing and when you lose 3 of 4 and players show up late the day after you have a meeting about commitment, sending them home is the right thing to do. BB acted that way when winning SBs too.
Its just the media. Most winning coaches do the same thing when they win as they do when they struggle, but their decisions are offered as the reason for struggling. I am very confident BB is doing everything the same today as he did it in 03 and 04

I'm confident that he's not doing everything the same, for better AND for worse.