Schefter: Bill Belichick & Patriots to Part Ways

[venecol]

Kraft's behavior during Spygate, Deflategate, and in so many instances (including this one) shows that he wilts easily when it comes to media pressure. He is 100% concerned with the overall impression people have of him and the Patriots.

Upstutter (white coat) and his friends on their way to watch Buffalo Bills play.

 

[BritPat]

Hey all. Haven't posted for a while for one reason or another.

But days like today bring enough energy to speak for a short time about the sadness I feel after the news, even if it was somewhat expected.

I came on board as a fan just after the first SB win (the months after Tampa won the SB first time round) and so we weren't quite the juggernaut we became.

I feel like I've grown up with Bill and the Franchise as the years have gone by (I was but a whippersnapper of 22, instead of a grufty 43 soon to be 44 year old) and it feels like I've lost a family member. Whatever the rights or wrongs, seeing him leave hurts so much.

Time will make things easier and the Franchise will find a new HC and GM in the coming weeks etc, but it'll take us a while to move on I would think.

All the very best Coach, and thank you for everything.

 

[Wax Frog]

Ok then. Thanks BB! You and Tom gave me more than I'd have ever dared ask! Here's hoping you get the chance to curb stomp Shula's record and then do so.

As for the team, success or no, it'll never be that good again. Welcome back to the 32.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I sure you meant “ don’t” … that’s not what I meant either. Without getting into semantics I’ve seen real poverty, and yet those people were the happiest I’ve ever seen. There are more unhappy rich people than there are miserable poor in my opinion.

LOL....yes "don't".

"Poor" I mean like the rest of us working-class stiffs.

 

[Ross12]

Falcons just seem like a weird place for BB.
I can't see him representing the south, but who knows...
He'll definitely go wherever the ownership is the most solid and hands off - and that might be Atlanta (or Washington)

Washington reportedly is not interested. Sorry Florio.

 

[upstater1]

The Pats are not going to be good for several years no matter who the coach is. In fact, I fear Belichick would go for the quicker fixes that would turn the Patriots into the Steelers (a perpetual borderline playoff team that will do nothing in the playoffs). I expect the Pats to be a bottom tier team next year even if they hit on a QB at #3. This is a rebuild. It is going to take time for the Pats to get back into contention.

Unless Vrabel or Mayo are the coach, expect very bad results for many years. This scheme needs to stay intact because so many of the players are built for it. Guys like Peppers fit hit, did poorly elsewhere. There are many guys like that on the D.

So if you're also going to tear down that D with a new coach, you're going to be chasing your tail forever.

This is why abandoning a rebuild in the middle of it (I'd argue toward the end) is clueless and mindless.

 

[Ross12]

 

[upstater1]

I think Strange gets a worse rep than he should because of where he was taken, but he was steadily improving this year before his injury. Put a LT next to him that consistently gives a ****, and I'll bet he'll look even better.

The tricky part of the OL this offseason is that there aren't a lot of good free agents, and they probably need both a starting LT and a quality swing guy (even assuming they re-sign Onwenu to play RT). That means if you're also hoping to get a new QB, you're definitely using your 1st and 2nd round picks on those specifically, and hoping both work out. It's not going to be easy to address both in one draft without getting at least a little bit lucky.

My biggest problem is the young QB.

I am down on Daniels a lot because I don't see him as a viable thrower.

But they can offer heaps of money to a WR in FA, draft a second round LT who can be more than serviceable.

The problem is the QB.

They can also sign Kirk Cousins or even trade for a guy like Fields in the 2nd.

 

[VrabelJr]

Today is the first time in over two decades having "that" feeling back. The feeling where you don't feel like we can win the Super Bowl and that anything can happen. This was a big mistake. He was going to retire in at least three years and we would be better off doing a good transition.

I don't think the next GM and HC matter at all. BB's finger prints are all over the organization and wiping all of them off is going to expose a lot of things the next regime won't be able to handle. All the fans that want a "young, innotivative" coach can enjoy all the innovative ways that person finds to lose. As a fan I hope I'm wrong and will cheer for whoever is next but I'll be happy to see BB win a ring elsewhere.

This franchise was better off when nobody knew who Robert Kraft was. His desire to be in the limelight and a cool guy is the problem.

 

[203Pat]

Goodbye New England fans, I'm out as a fan, heck I'm out as a football NFL fan with the whole NFL going dumb and woke pushing unbiblical ideas with their sodomite dancers, end racism myths, fake prosperity, virtue signalling, was a fun ride, I was just here cuz I respected the coach, 9 superbowls in 20 years and you let him go cuz you bended to the woke mob that hates BB.......sayonara have fun with the sodomites in woke Massashitets

 

[Guts]

I don't want to know what you had to search to get that GIF

 

[VrabelJr]

That's what the last 3 years have been all about. We were old on D in the playoff game against the Bills. Needed a total revamping. This is what a rebuild is.

People's expectations are ridiculous.

 

[upstater1]

We've been bad for 4 years lol

If they go 10-7 and make the playoffs next year, are they bad?

 

[203Pat]

I don't want to know what you had to search to get that GIF

Lol I just wrote "confused" and that one seemed as out there as the original post.

 

[The Gr8est]

Today is the first time in over two decades having "that" feeling back. The feeling where you don't feel like we can win the Super Bowl and that anything can happen. This was a big mistake. He was going to retire in at least three years and we would be better off doing a good transition.

I don't think the next GM and HC matter at all. BB's finger prints are all over the organization and wiping all of them off is going to expose a lot of things the next regime won't be able to handle. All the fans that want a "young, innotivative" coach can enjoy all the innovative ways that person finds to lose. As a fan I hope I'm wrong and will cheer for whoever is next but I'll be happy to see BB win a ring elsewhere.

This franchise was better off when nobody knew who Robert Kraft was. His desire to be in the limelight and a cool guy is the problem.

Robert Kraft sure liked to strut at all of the SBs the Pats won.

 

[upstater1]

People's expectations are ridiculous.

This is the biggest problem. No patience. No seeing through of a plan. They need instant gratification. They don't know how the rest of the league lives.

 

[203Pat]

This is the biggest problem. No patience. No seeing through of a plan. They need instant gratification. They don't know how the rest of the league lives.

We bottomed out in the 4th year of the "rebuild" we were heading in the wrong direction. How much more patience should we have?

 

[VrabelJr]

We bottomed out in the 4th year of the "rebuild" we were heading in the wrong direction. How much more patience should we have?

Progress isn't linear.

 

[MahomestoKelce]

According to Zolak, they will be reading statements and not taking questions.

Kind of lame on front office part

 

[upstater1]

Today is the first time in over two decades having "that" feeling back. The feeling where you don't feel like we can win the Super Bowl and that anything can happen. This was a big mistake. He was going to retire in at least three years and we would be better off doing a good transition.

I don't think the next GM and HC matter at all. BB's finger prints are all over the organization and wiping all of them off is going to expose a lot of things the next regime won't be able to handle. All the fans that want a "young, innotivative" coach can enjoy all the innovative ways that person finds to lose. As a fan I hope I'm wrong and will cheer for whoever is next but I'll be happy to see BB win a ring elsewhere.

This franchise was better off when nobody knew who Robert Kraft was. His desire to be in the limelight and a cool guy is the problem.

100% agree, although if it's Vrabel or Mayo, there's a good chance they can keep the same system in place.

The problem for them is going to be managing expectations. Are they going to take shortcuts to convince the fans and the owner that they are on the right track? Shortcuts that will bite the team in the butt?

When you have consistency and faith that someone is building the team with a good foundation, you give them a lot more leeway.

The prospect of forever chasing our tails isn't appealing.