Strong article by Curran . viewing FA: Pats way - the hard way - not for everyone

[long distance]

Curran: Pats earn their success the hard way

Good stuff in light of FA about decision-making elements other than money . noting Foxboro is not for everyone and not for all the time . thoughts on Hightower's decision-making, Ryan big payday, Gronk and Bennett..


"Me and Darrelle were driving home one day in [organized team activities] and they must have worked us to death that day," LaFell recalled. "We said it at the time, 'If we don't win the Super Bowl this year after doing all this work, we're going upstairs to the front office and telling somebody something.' Man, just the way we worked, the way we worked in camp, I believe in this team.”

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I think the grind is a huge part of the mental toughness and resilience this team has shown over the years. No matter how bad things get or what it looks like, this team can focus on the task at hand. We don't get intimidated by anything, we don't give up easy, and I think it all goes back to the mental toughness that BB starts to build in the team every day of the season.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Not buying it. They win because they cheat.

 

[sphen22]

No days off!

 

[50-yard-line]

Love how Curran makes the point that it's not whether the Pats would want Revis back, but whether he'd be willing to put himself through that again.

Maybe salvage his legacy?

 

[cmasspatsfan]

That's what's amazing about Tom, you don't have to work him hard, he does it on his own, is there a better team leader at QB than TB? I doubt it.

 

[deroc5050]

I would't trust Mevis to work hard. I am sorry but the guy was one of the greatest CB's I have seen play and he got a huge payday.. and basically stopped trying. I want no part of him.

 

[mosslost]

that article kind of depressing actually

 

[TB_Helmet]

Love how Curran makes the point that it's not whether the Pats would want Revis back, but whether he'd be willing to put himself through that again.

Maybe salvage his legacy?

Agree with your first point. I think his legacy is in good shape. Will be summed up as follows:

1. Shutdown corner; one of the best ever to play (although maybe didn't do it over as long a period of time as some others.)
2. Mercenary; knew how to get himself paid and time his contracts
3. One ring.

These past couple years with the Rats where he fell off a cliff, and the assault in Pittsburgh will just be (hilarious) footnotes. But in 20 years he'll be remembered mostly for the positives. (I know this is not on-topic, just an impulse post on my part).

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Yeah -- I thought that was very interesting...and timely with free agency about to start.

It's easy for all of us to sit back here and say "why oh why would a player leave NE with all that winning and stuff??" when we're not the ones putting in the day after day crap.

The things that make NE a good team - the grinding, the anyone can beat anyone out ethos, etc. aren't going to be for every player, especially when they talk to other players (or have come from other teams) and know they'd have it easier on the other side. So sure, you put up with it because you want the ring, or you want the reputation/cachet.

But once you get that, why the heck not cash in on it and have things a bit easier? It's not an unreasonable thing and many of you would be lying if you claim you'd never do something like that yourselves. And you're not even getting the crap beat out of you like football players do.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I think the grind is a huge part of the mental toughness and resilience this team has shown over the years. No matter how bad things get or what it looks like, this team can focus on the task at hand. We don't get intimidated by anything, we don't give up easy, and I think it all goes back to the mental toughness that BB starts to build in the team every day of the season.

Pre-Lombardi, Green Bay was the last place you wanted to be on Earth.

When he was there, he rode his players mercilessly. But Vince always managed to slip in an occasional encouragement or carrot or two. Ultimately, I would say they loved him more than any group ever loved their coach. It was much less about the money in those days, and Belichick is really old fashioned in this culture, in a good way in my opinion. Randy Moss is a good example of someone who felt all of these things, but at the end of his time here, couldn't help but be overcome by all those cultural pressures that compel modern athletes to think selfishly.

Obviously, they've been able to find enough guys who both get it and want it, and it's tough to replicate that. The Falcons did a pretty good job this year, though. They'd like some play calls back, but they didn't choke.

 

[zoostation]

I could certainly see who the 'freshest" team was in the 4th quarter a few weeks ago.

 

[zoostation]

These past couple years with the Rats where he fell off a cliff, and the assault in Pittsburgh will just be (hilarious) footnotes. But in 20 years he'll be remembered mostly for the positives. (I know this is not on-topic, just an impulse post on my part).

IMO in 20 years Mevi$ will respect or be more proud of his 1 year the Pats more than any other years. He used the Rats and their idiotic tampering owner. Of course Mevi$ went out saying "I love you New York and all the right things. What's not to love? The Rats folded like puppets every time he waned more cash. Woody and Rex gave him a hand job during every hold-out just in case the $$ wasn't enough. The fans want to build a statue for this guy after they watched him milk their nasty green team for years. Was he the best corner in football? Yes, for 2 years he was. But I'd hold off on the statue Rats fans. Just sayin

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Pre-Lombardi, Green Bay was the last place you wanted to be on Earth.

When he was there, he rode his players mercilessly. But Vince always managed to slip in an occasional encouragement or carrot or two. Ultimately, I would say they loved him more than any group ever loved their coach. It was much less about the money in those days, and Belichick is really old fashioned in this culture, in a good way in my opinion. Randy Moss is a good example of someone who felt all of these things, but at the end of his time here, couldn't help but be overcome by all those cultural pressures that compel modern athletes to think selfishly.

Obviously, they've been able to find enough guys who both get it and want it, and it's tough to replicate that. The Falcons did a pretty good job this year, though. They'd like some play calls back, but they didn't choke.

Lombardi was was notorious for being "tight" paying players, sound familiar?

 

[RobertWeathers]

that article kind of depressing actually

How?

If they want to win, it's the price they pay.

If they don't want to make that kind of commitment then they are weeded out quickly and shouldn't be here in the first place.

Thank God he runs the program in this fashion.

 

[PatriotsReign]

that article kind of depressing actually

Why? Don't you like when your team is like the military? It's the perfect model for a football team.

Authority, discipline and inified toward a single goal.

HOO rah!

They're grown men and it's a profession. It isn't supposed to be about "Fun". It's supposed to be about "Work".

 

[RobertWeathers]

Why? Don't you like when your team is like the military? It's the perfect model for a football team.

Authority, discipline and inified toward a single goal.

HOO rah!

They're grown men and it's a profession. It isn't supposed to be about "Fun". It's supposed to be about "Work".

Let Ryan and Revis work for a stone mason in 95 degree heat in July outdoors for 10 hrs a day. I did that for a summer in HS and it was sheer hell.

Theyll gain a different perspective on what "work" is.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Let Ryan and Revis work for a stone mason in 95 degree heat in July outdoors for 10 hrs a day. I did that for a summer in HS and it was sheer hell.

Theyll gain a different perspective on what "work" is.

I worked on a coal mine in Wyoming during my college years. At one point, we worked 12 hours/day for 14 days straight 6pm to 6am

I spent another summer working for a concrete form company building home foundations. That job was intense.

Everyone that is able should work hard. I don't understand people wanting easy jobs. ...makes no sense

 

[aluminum seats]

Let Ryan and Revis work for a stone mason in 95 degree heat in July outdoors for 10 hrs a day. I did that for a summer in HS and it was sheer hell.

Theyll gain a different perspective on what "work" is.

Completely OT, but on the flip side of that, one summer I worked in an ice factory...12 hour shifts in small freezer rooms bagging ice and then stacking/wrapping on pallets. Good times!

 

[ivanvamp]

If we're taking turns sharing awful work stories, I worked on an assembly line in a factory cutting industrial carpets with a utility knife. 12 hour days. The factory got up to 110 degrees. Came home every day completely covered in those tiny carpet fibers. Don't even wanna know how much of that I breathed in, or how many years off my life that job took.

Might not have been as bad as what some of you guys dealt with but it sucked.

The point being: Lots of people truly have hellacious jobs for real. I've no doubt that being a football player is really, really hard and incredibly physically taxing and, frankly, very dangerous. But they're also getting paid $600k minimum, a veritable fortune compared to the very, very modest wages I and my colleagues made in the factory.