Yeah, we don't need to rehash this again, although I'm not saying we can't talk about it. If anyone wants to beat their heads against the wall, I guess you can, but at the end of the day, it's not going to accomplish anything.
I think most people probably agree, there's probably no Brady without Bill. And when I say "no Brady", I mean his overall legacy and record, at least not without this foundation. Belichick instilled a lot of knowledge and discipline in him and at the same time, Brady had the desire and determination to do what he needed to do to become the best. He also had arguably one of the best organizations in football from top-to-bottom supporting him.
From there, Brady had to make the conscious decision to put the team ahead of himself by taking less money, putting winning, and building his legacy above all else. Meanwhile, Belichick had to coach up the entire roster and Brady helped solidify the mindset because when you see a guy like him working hard and succeeding, it sets a foundation where other guys need to either follow or they look ridiculous for going against the grain when everyone else is swimming in the same direction. I get that it was probably used against him and we've heard on more than one occasion it was also used against other players, but it still happened.
Think of it this way, would Brady have done this in Cincinnati under Marvin Lewis? Let's be honest about that one. Maybe Lewis gets lucky and they get one ring, but they don't get a sustained run of greatness or win six titles. We saw them fall apart in critical moments due to undisciplined players (which starts at the top), so we know what that's like. Worse yet, maybe they don't build a good enough roster and they get Brady killed or his career shortened. There are so many variables and "what ifs" ... we could go on forever.
At the same time, there's no Belichick without Brady. Brady took what he learned but he still had to go out there and do it. If he had fallen back to earth and became a mediocre player, Belichick likely would have gotten crucified for getting rid of Bledsoe and Brady could have turned into just another guy. They could have had a couple of losing seasons and he might have been fired. Think of all the QBs they drafted in the early years fairly high to "motivate" Brady. It's not like somebody else could have gone out there and won 10+ games every year, let alone a title.
I tend to use the analogy of think of a really good teacher who taught you how to do something that you went on to become really good at because they were just an awesome teacher. They taught you all the little tips/tricks and nuances that helped you get there. At the same time, you still had to practice and put in the work, but if they didn't teach you the little things, maybe you're not as good at it?
It's probably the biggest chicken/egg discussion in sports. Now, I've said this before, I'm on the team of people who believe they should have kept Brady "until he sucked", or at least I definitely was at the time. Everyone knows they could have made it work as long as they wanted to, provided they were eventually OK with dealing with a year or so of misery (like 2020). People argue the financial aspect, but it's not true. They would have just kicked the can down the line just like they did until they eventually decided not to. But I also don't think it was fair to put him in a year-to-year situation the way they did, and that's on Belichick but at the same time, they essentially sacrificed what became only two years.
And like I said, it became a nice distraction for us in January while the team was in transition. And it was better for Brady, who silenced all the people who love Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes by winning another title elsewhere.
But moving back to the original argument, you can debate both sides and no one is going to get banned over it (obviously). We just don't need what gradually becomes multiple threads making the same points. I would say that's about the only time that it ever really becomes an issue.
Also, you only get banned or kicked out here for being extremely disruptive or just flat-out being a jerk. I don't like doing it and it's extremely rare, so it's not like that's actually a thing. Otherwise, very little gets deleted in here, aside from some verbal sniping that obviously occurs from time to time. I do think there's no point in bashing another fan for still being a big fan of the guy who was here for 20-years. I still rooted for Brady and kept an eye on him all year. Most of us have done that with quite a few players. Once they play for this team, they're forever one of ours regardless of who they play for. I can't think of anyone who has left that I started hating...I'd have to think about that one.
I feel like most of you guys have known me for what, almost two decades? This place isn't that hardcore. All we want is for people not to go overboard with arguments and flood our inboxes over ridiculous disagreements. We're all adults and it's just a football board. The older I get and the more I see, I'm just trying to enjoy this ride with all of you guys however long it lasts. The rest is just noise
