Reactions to “The Dynasty”

[Boomer B]

Anyone saying this is a Bill Belichick hit piece needs to watch the 5th episode. Cant believe they gave an episode to 2008, made it look like the Pats were the best team in the league.

The Hernandez episode was hard to watch, but it was great TV. Finally get to see how the players felt. Kinda of a crime the 1st we see of Welker is this episode, but he made it clear that everyone knew there was serious issues with Hernandez. Brandon Loyd telling how Brady told Hernandez to get the **** off the field during a walk through while the coaches stayed silent. Jonathon Kraft was very raw when he told how he wanted him off the team “he was a ****ing murderer”, even though Bill wanted to see how everything played out.

 

[1960Pats]

It's interesting to see your take on this, as we've had some real disagreements on Bill, while I am certainly more on the "blame Bill" side than I used to be. Nothing really of note per se, just noteworthy that we appear to have changed sides.

I think a lot of what we are seeing is a reaction to the end of autocracy or dictatorship. I think to a certain extent, even Kraft felt obligated to get in line with Bill's ways, and now everyone down on Rte 1 in Foxboro is a little more freed up to breathe. I don't think that we are seeing is a result of them turning their back on Bill or them "blaming' him. I think it's a long exhale. That type of pressure is over.

Bill's ways were great while they were winning. But his methods changed and he changed as a result of all that happened. The winning narcotic no doubt changed him. Mangini's betrayal and spygate changed Bill and made him withdraw and retract from those around him. Then the drafting of Hernandez and the resultant **** show that turned into no doubt changed him. Look at the drafts after the June 2013 events. Bill never took that type of athlete again. The scoring eval system that Bill had must have changed as a result. In 2017 he said "At this point in my career, I want to coach guys I like. I want to coach guys I want to be around and that’s it.’ He said, ‘I’m not going to coach anybody else.'” and that has to be reflective in part of the AH mess. Finally, Tom's leaving likely changed him too, as he probably thought that Tom would be here forever. Like a lot of marriages, perhaps he took him for granted and figured that the next guy would be able to approach maybe even 80% of what Tom did. When it didn't work with Mac, we are already hearing how Mac and Bill did not speak for the remainder of the season. That's gotta be miserable for everyone around the team, Bill included.

My whole point is that Bill of 2023 was not Bill of 2011, 2007 or even 2000 when he got here. I think what we are seeing is a relief that the last 4-5 years of Bill's oppression is over. It's certainly going to be a much looser, fun place to be in 2024. If they get the right personnel, it expect a honeymoon period where they are very successful.

I haven't changed anything.

As a players first guy my issue with Bill was, and always will be, his decision to let Brady and Gronk go. That alone was enough to set me off but he compounded it by not having a backup plan at either position. But I always defended his coaching. He was one of the best but still had to.

Now that he's gone I think it's very poor to be going after him. Sure, if they want to get away from his style then go full steam ahead with that, but publicly laying the blame for everything negative on Bill is just plain wrong in my book. The Pats could accomplish all of their new goals without taking public swipes at Bill.

The other thing that's getting rehashed because of the Pats playing the blame game with Bill is the cheating. It's a can of worms that Kraft's attempt at tearing down Bill has opened back up.

 

[upstater1]

Anyone saying this is a Bill Belichick hit piece needs to watch the 5th episode. Cant believe they gave an episode to 2008, made it look like the Pats were the best team in the league.

The Hernandez episode was hard to watch, but it was great TV. Finally get to see how the players felt. Kinda of a crime the 1st we see of Welker is this episode, but he made it clear that everyone knew there was serious issues with Hernandez. Brandon Loyd telling how Brady told Hernandez to get the **** off the field during a walk through while the coaches stayed silent. Jonathon Kraft was very raw when he told how he wanted him off the team “he was a ****ing murderer”, even though Bill wanted to see how everything played out.

How about this passage?

"In 2013, Hernandez went to Belichick and he told him he feared for his family's safety. When Belichick suggested they get the Patriots security team involved, Aaron said no. Instead, he requested that he be traded to a west coast team.

Bill Belichick just said no.

CUT TO BELICHICK BEING INTERVIEWED:

Question: "In 2013, Aaron Hernandez said he feared for his family's safety and requested a trade from the Patriots. What did you do with that information?"

Belichick: "It's an unfortunate situation with Aaron. I don't have anything to add to it."

Cut to a Boston Globe reporter: "Belichick never explained why he didn't trade Aaron Hernandez but it was probably because the team invested all this money in him because he was still a great football player. This embodies what we call Football Inc., which is just a cold attitude that says we just want to win..."

[MUSIC]

"And so a young man ends up dead."


Holy mackerel, what a conclusion to that sequence of statements, Belichick quotes, Boston Globe quotes. Hernandez wanted to be traded for fear of his family's safety. Belichick refused because he cared more about winning. And so [BECAUSE OF THAT (IMPLIED)] a young man ended up dead.

I mean, is this not laughably pathetic?

 

[signbabybrady]

How about this passage?

"In 2013, Hernandez went to Belichick and he told him he feared for his family's safety. When Belichick suggested they get the Patriots security team involved, Aaron said no. Instead, he requested that he be traded to a west coast team.

Bill Belichick just said no.

CUT TO BELICHICK BEING INTERVIEWED:

Question: "In 2013, Aaron Hernandez said he feared for his family's safety and requested a trade from the Patriots. What did you do with that information?"

Belichick: "It's an unfortunate situation with Aaron. I don't have anything to add to it."

Cut to a Boston Globe reporter: "Belichick never explained why he didn't trade Aaron Hernandez but it was probably because the team invested all this money in him because he was still a great football player. This embodies what we call Football Inc., which is just a cold attitude that says we just want to win..."

[MUSIC]

"And so a young man ends up dead."


Holy mackerel, what a conclusion to that sequence of statements, Belichick quotes, Boston Globe quotes. Hernandez wanted to be traded for fear of his family's safety. Belichick refused because he cared more about winning. And so [BECAUSE OF THAT (IMPLIED)] a young man ended up dead.

I mean, is this not laughably pathetic?

I ignored that stuff because it was a compelling episode but yeah they practically tried to put a gun in Bill's hand.

 

[sb1]

This Kraft quote aged kinda poorly…

 

[archstanton543]

This Kraft quote aged kinda poorly…

Yeah Bob should have used his future-seeing and mind reading powers to avoid saying that.

 

[resdubwhite]

Anyone saying this is a Bill Belichick hit piece needs to watch the 5th episode. Cant believe they gave an episode to 2008, made it look like the Pats were the best team in the league.

Anyone that thinks it isnt a hit piece on Belichick should watch the 6th Episode where Jonathan plants the Its all Bills fault seed, and the hack from the globe implicates BB by the fact he refused to trade Aaron.

 

[resdubwhite]

BTW, I thought Branch and Lloyd were really great interviews for episode 6.

 

[sb1]

Haven't seen this one yet. Who is the "Boston Globe reporter" at the end?

 

[archstanton543]

Haven't seen this one yet. Who is the "Boston Globe reporter" at the end?

Tom Hanks reprising his role from Spotlight.

 

[resdubwhite]

Haven't seen this one yet. Who is the "Boston Globe reporter" at the end?

Bob Hohler I believe.

 

[JMC00]

Anyone saying this is a Bill Belichick hit piece needs to watch the 5th episode. Cant believe they gave an episode to 2008, made it look like the Pats were the best team in the league.

I didn't get that at all. They set it up as that was basically the same team that went 16-0 the year before and while Cassel stepped up they still missed the playoffs without Brady, which then it goes in to '09 where the narrative was the team was on the decline, Belichick couldn't get guys to play and they cap it off with the playoff game which they segued into Bill seeming desperate and taking Hernandez who had major red flags, was a1st round talent that dropped to the 4th round because he was off a lot of teams boards.

 

[JMC00]

Anyone that thinks it isnt a hit piece on Belichick should watch the 6th Episode where Jonathan plants the Its all Bills fault seed, and the hack from the globe implicates BB by the fact he refused to trade Aaron.

I hated how they spun the narrative that basically Belichick was already over Gronk's antics the night they drafted him but coddled a murderer.

 

[resdubwhite]

I hated how they spun the narrative that basically Belichick was already over Gronk's antics the night they drafted him but coddled a murderer.

Its clear. Bill bad. Robert good. weave story to that conclusion.

FWIW, I'm no Bill apologist. I thought it was time for him to go. I just find all of this stuff really truly distasteful.

 

[signbabybrady]

BTW, I thought Branch and Lloyd were really great interviews for episode 6.

Wish we heard more from Branch earlier. Some stuff about how he and Brady were like a mind meld. Some stuff on his performance in the SBs would have been great. This show seems all about drama how about something about his contract dispute and it's impact on the 06 season. Something about how his return to the team came about and how the mind meld was still there instantly on his return.

They got so fixated on the 90s in the first 3 episodes and Matt Cassel got so much time in episode 5 and this thing is ten episodes long so it's not like they don't have time. There is so much they don't cover its maddening.

 

[Boomer B]

How about this passage?

"In 2013, Hernandez went to Belichick and he told him he feared for his family's safety. When Belichick suggested they get the Patriots security team involved, Aaron said no. Instead, he requested that he be traded to a west coast team.

Bill Belichick just said no.

CUT TO BELICHICK BEING INTERVIEWED:

Question: "In 2013, Aaron Hernandez said he feared for his family's safety and requested a trade from the Patriots. What did you do with that information?"

Belichick: "It's an unfortunate situation with Aaron. I don't have anything to add to it."

Cut to a Boston Globe reporter: "Belichick never explained why he didn't trade Aaron Hernandez but it was probably because the team invested all this money in him because he was still a great football player. This embodies what we call Football Inc., which is just a cold attitude that says we just want to win..."

[MUSIC]

"And so a young man ends up dead."


Holy mackerel, what a conclusion to that sequence of statements, Belichick quotes, Boston Globe quotes. Hernandez wanted to be traded for fear of his family's safety. Belichick refused because he cared more about winning. And so [BECAUSE OF THAT (IMPLIED)] a young man ended up dead.

I mean, is this not laughably pathetic?

Ya, Belichick didn’t look good in the Hernandez episode. Kraft also didn’t look good, he looked completely naive.

I also didn’t like how they ended it with Bill didnt trade him and he ended up murdering someone. Was it a mistake by Bill to see what everyone else saw, that this kid was seriously troubled and should be away from Boston? Sure, it probably was a mistake but the murders are clearly on Aaron Hernandez, he pulled the trigger. That should have been said.

 

[Boomer B]

Anyone that thinks it isnt a hit piece on Belichick should watch the 6th Episode where Jonathan plants the Its all Bills fault seed, and the hack from the globe implicates BB by the fact he refused to trade Aaron.

Jonathon was 100% right though. Playing out the situation like Belichick wanted to do would have been horrible for the Patriots.

 

[upstater1]

Ya, Belichick didn’t look good in the Hernandez episode. Kraft also didn’t look good, he looked completely naive.

I also didn’t like how they ended it with Bill didnt trade him and he ended up murdering someone. Was it a mistake by Bill to see what everyone else saw, that this kid was seriously troubled and should be away from Boston? Sure, it probably was a mistake but the murders are clearly on Aaron Hernandez, he pulled the trigger. That should have been said.

I do agree with you the Cassel season and even the 2010 season were highly complementary of Belichick.

I would also add that even though they didn't win in 2012, that was my favorite non-winning Patriot season with the exception of 1985. That offense with Hernandez was fantastic. They could've spared 10 seconds with these words: "In 2012, the Patriots built one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history with Hernandez." That would've increased the drama even more.

How Brady didn't win league MVP in 2012 is one of the most absurd things I've seen happen. His numbers absolutely crushed Rodgers' numbers when you take into account scoring, rushing TDs, even Brady's rushing.

 

[upstater1]

I hated how they spun the narrative that basically Belichick was already over Gronk's antics the night they drafted him but coddled a murderer.

From the news reports on Bill admonishing Gronk for whooping it up after he was drafted, I thought Belichick was going to come out looking like a grump.

Instead, Belichick and the Patriots were clearly laughing and joking about the antics of the Gronkowskis.

Last week, my kid put in the best performance she ever had while trying out for a soccer club. Afterward, the coach came up to her and said, "You have to be more aggressive and try running harder next time." He said it sarcastically. She didn't pick up on it all and just started shaking her head, "Yes, I'll try harder next time." He had to explain to her that she was super aggressive and that he appreciated it. I feel like Gronk was my kid and he didn't hear the dry humor in Belichick's voice needling him for going off on television. Clearly, the NFL had never seen anything like Gronk's display in the history of the event. It was over the top funny.

 

[lancerman]

Jonathon was 100% right though. Playing out the situation like Belichick wanted to do would have been horrible for the Patriots.

Yeah I mean, it's hard to judge someone's initial reactions with hindsight, but knowing what we know now, it was completely the right call to get rid of him fast. It was about as forceful a comdemnation and breaking of the ties as we could make and it spared us more scrutiny