Michael Floyd and The Patriot Way

[RelocatedPatFan]

To me the Patriot Way as its currently interpreted by the majority of people is a largely media driven myth.

I think the true definition of the Patriot Way is found in the OTA's, training camp, the day to day practices and meetings. And in the locker room.

To me the Patriot Way is better described as simply "How Coach Bellichick wants **** done".

I agree

bill doesn't use the "Patriot Way". It's a moniker the media uses to try and describe or encapsulate the Patriots. 1 Part mysticism, 1 Part Mystery, 1 Part Misunderstood results.

Either way, BB doesn't care what you call it. He's too busy living and teaching it. It's not a static principle with the exception of "making the team better" It involves many things, the most of which means you have to critically self-evaluate and always think long-term, but implement short-term. You have to be mentally agile and willing to learn.

It's about the near absolute dedication to your particular craft

 

[mb6592]

The Patriot way is simple. The understanding that there are qualities that are important for success like grit, resilience, conscientiousness, persistence, humility, cohesion, loyalty, work as a pack, etc.

 

[chasa]

hernandez ruined the aura of the patriot way.

just the opposite. as soon as he ****ed up, he was gone. none of the ******** "wait and see" that ray rice, josh brown, ray lewis, etc saw.

the patriots heard he did something stupid, validated it, and cut him loose, which at the time he was a high caliber pro bowl player.

 

[Bill Lee]

Michael, We luv you my man...You are now part of the Family. A family that has your back and will help you and resurrect your career in a huge way. The GOAT has gotten the best out of many and he will with you, bank on it....We know you can be a huge asset on our Drive For Five...Big outside, physical WR is what we are lacking and you've solved that. January in Foxboro is special and is something you'll now get to taste, we know you'll give us everything you have as you get your life and football career back to where it should be. You came to the perfect place to make that happen. Give us all you have and The GOAT and BB will give it back to you. We believe in you, I believe in you. You are in great hands now...

 

[RobertWeathers]

While BB is on record as saying there isn't a "Patriot Way", but there is absolutely a culture he has established.

A few thoughts from 17+ years of observing...

1. Production, performance, hard work, competing and excelling under pressure earn you respect and promotions. If you don't do those, you will not be successful here.
2. You must be mentally tough and disciplined. Focus on the task and job at hand. Don't get suckered into things that divert your energy away from focusing on #1. If you must deal with an issue, do it, get it off your plate and move forward. Mistakes happen. Continuous mistakes without measurable, incremental improvements are unacceptable.
3. You are demanded to accept responsibility and accountability for failure. Learn from it, improve and move on.
4. The team and the organization's goals are always going to be bigger than yours. Accept that. If you can't then this place is not for you.
5. Winning happens when 1,2,3 and 4 are executed with the highest commitment. You must improve. Complacency, stagnation and regression is unacceptable. If any of those do not have your 100% commitment, this place is not for you.

 

[yukon cornelius]

The Patriot way is simple: Do your job, everything you do is to help move this football team forward.

Floyd can fit into that narrative just fine; there's a reason why so many "dead-enders" fit in here, because it really is that simple. Do your job. Move yourself & the team forward. Shoulder to shoulder in a red, white & blue clad phalanx. If you can't handle your end of things, you're moved along.

 

[MassPats38]

This notion of the 'moral' team in the Patriot Way is about as legitimate as the 'moral' Tiger Woods. The media builds it up as a great story, then something happens to contradict this unsanctioned 'image' and the media then tears it down in another storyline. If the Pats ever came out and claimed we only work with people of the highest moral fiber who live a clean life, take care of their moms and go to church weekly, then I missed that press release. It would also be tough to field a team, because, as I suspect anyone who went to a school with a Division I sports program knows, these elite athletes are not always the nicest folk and the NFL hosts the elite of the elite.

The Patriot Way and "do your job" are more or less the same thing. You can sweep through a number of player names over the past 20 years and there will be bad stories. If those stories impacted the ability to practice and perform, then the players would be released because the distractions would hurt the team on the field.

If you step back and study it, then I suspect most of the NFL athletes are very flawed human beings. Enjoy the sport for the performance on the field, and that is what BB strives for, but if you need true heroes then accept, as many athletes commenting on the military have observed, that it is only a sport and look elsewhere.

Floyd has a personal issue with alcohol. I truly hope all of this negative media attention helps him come to grips with that. You can throw the "what ifs" of what might have happened and speculate as to the worst case scenarios of outcomes with DWIs, but to date, to my knowledge, he has only hurt himself. If he rights himself and controls his issue, then I really have no issue with him as a player. Keep him on the team if he demonstrates he can contribute to the offense.

 

[SEA_Pat]

hernandez ruined the aura of the patriot way.

I dunno. He did his job. He just thought it was "Gang Enforcer" rather than "Move Tight End".

 

[rochrist]

The only other incident I was aware of was the DUI back at Notre Dame, but if you've recently read a story on some behind the scenes talk, please hook us up with a link. Thanks.

Yeah, me too. I went looking, and thing at ND was all I found.

 

[Ring 6]

To me the Patriot Way as its currently interpreted by the majority of people is a largely media driven myth.

I think the true definition of the Patriot Way is found in the OTA's, training camp, the day to day practices and meetings. And in the locker room.

To me the Patriot Way is better described as simply "How Coach Bellichick wants **** done".

The patriot way is to attempt to be more organized, disciplined, smarter , committed to football and harder working than everyone else.

Based on the comments that have come out of foxboro ( mostly talking about players comments here) they are pretty successful at it

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

'Do Your Job' is what it's all about

 

[fourhour]

There is a Patriot way, as evidenced by other teams....... If not, he'll be gone before he ever becomes a distraction to this team.

I just wanted to show my appreciation of your brilliant thread and let you know I'm going to try and use some of that information whenever some jackass tries to call my team cheaters!

 

[PYPER]

Ignore the distractions, don't become a distraction...JUST DO YUUR JOB! And do it well!

 

[Bill Lee]

'Do Your Job' is what it's all about

Or even (something I didn't expect to find on u2b):

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[patfanken]

just the opposite. as soon as he ****ed up, he was gone. none of the ******** "wait and see" that ray rice, josh brown, ray lewis, etc saw.

the patriots heard he did something stupid, validated it, and cut him loose, which at the time he was a high caliber pro bowl player.

just the opposite. as soon as he ****ed up, he was gone. none of the ******** "wait and see" that ray rice, josh brown, ray lewis, etc saw.

the patriots heard he did something stupid, validated it, and cut him loose, which at the time he was a high caliber pro bowl player.

Not only that, they did it DESPITE the fact that they knew it would cost them Millions in dead money. I can't recall the exact number, but it was over $6MM. @Miguel would know the exact number, and it was only fairly recently that they got out from under that dead money hit.

 

[patfanken]

This is just an example of the worst of Volin in action. Going back to 2 arrests for drinking underage years ago to demonstrate a narrative that suits him. I really wonder if any of us could even NAME 10 people they knew who DIDN'T drink when they were underage.

The hypocricy of that tweet is epic.

 

[Love The Drake]

I was arrested at 15 for public drunkiness

 

[deroc5050]

Can you play football at a high level?
Is football important to you?
Are you a smart football player on the field?

If you answered those questions yes, then Bill will give you a chance.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule and every situation is different. The Patriots are thin at WR, they could use a body. Since they had the money its a good risk.

 

[patfanken]

The Patriot Way is a myth the media made up to create a positive narrative when it suits them, and a negative reaction when it doesn't. If there has been one factor that shines through since BB walked through the doors in 2000, it has been consistency. A consistent message, a consisten work ethic, a consistent focus, and consistent accountability.

It's all pretty simple when you write down, but it is extremely difficult to execute over the long haul. When you think about it, the miracle of it's success has been how often their best players have been willing to tow the line. And Randy Moss was the best example of when even a great player is unwilling to subjugate themselves to the team, they will be gone. Collins is just the latest.