Zolak article in the NYT

[Fencer]

The Belichick Whisperer

Two things I found interesting:

• Since Zolak ran the scout team while BB was DC, he in a way worked directly for BB.
  
• BB went out of his way to explain to Zolak some time after the Seattle Super Bowl to explain why he thought the goal line pass call wasn't stupid. (Namely that the Pats had stuffed a run using the same package earlier in the game.)

 

[K. Dog]

That's a good article, in the style of the old Times - good journalism, well-written, well-researched. I miss the Times!

 

[maust]

• BB went out of his way to explain to Zolak some time after the Seattle Super Bowl to explain why he thought the goal line pass call wasn't stupid. (Namely that the Pats had stuffed a run using the same package earlier in the game.)

There are plenty of reasons why that play wasn't stupid, the execution of it on the other hand...
Few things show a football neophyte up more than the way they simply blame the play call for what happened there.
Thanks for the link!

 

[Jackson 2]

Paywall.

 

[mgcolby]

There are plenty of reasons why that play wasn't stupid, the execution of it on the other hand...
Few things show a football neophyte up more than the way they simply blame the play call for what happened there.
Thanks for the link!

Including Marshawn Lynch being one of the worst short yardage backs in the league for several years leading up to that play and after.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I never thought it was a stupid call. All you needed to hear was Russell Wilson asking Pete Carroll “what happened?” after the play. Did he really not know what happened? Not to put all the blame on Wilson, but he clearly wasn’t capable of reading a defense and adjusting, either pre-snap or post-snap. Take the snap and just throw it to a spot? I don’t know...I suspect Brady doesn’t get picked there given the same play selection in that situation.

 

[bbobbo]

Paywall.

view it in incognito mode.
.

 

[bbobbo]

wow, what a weird coincidence.

Like Belichick’s father, Steve, who coached at the United States Naval Academy, Zolak’s father, Paul, was a coach at Ringgold High School near Pittsburgh, where he once coached a teenage Joe Montana. (Scott Zolak idolized Montana, but now argues that Brady is the best quarterback ever and adds, “It’s not even close.”)

 

[raduray]

Paywall.

Well worth it.

 

[SilverSeven]

And here I thought he was the Tomlin whisperer...

 

[fnordcircle]

• BB went out of his way to explain to Zolak some time after the Seattle Super Bowl to explain why he thought the goal line pass call wasn't stupid. (Namely that the Pats had stuffed a run using the same package earlier in the game.)

Read that somewhere else, too. Can't find the article, but didn't he say that a pass there was the right call for time management purposes to ensure you have enough time to go for it on 4th down.

 

[DarrylS]

Nice props for Zolak, now if he could only lead the way on his midday show instead of letting Bertram control the script and all of the controversy that goes along with it..

Too many times has Bertram bitten and stirred the controversy pot(it hit its apex during the Wickersham article discussion), while Zolak sits in the back ground and keeps his mouth shut..

 

[Jackson 2]

Nice props for Zolak, now if he could only lead the way on his midday show instead of letting Bertram control the script and all of the controversy that goes along with it..

Too many times has Bertram bitten and stirred the controversy pot(it hit its apex during the Wickersham article discussion), while Zolak sits in the back ground and keeps his mouth shut..

Correct. Zolak, who has tons of football expertise and interesting perspective (it's on non football stuff that he morphs into BoZo), often becomes a whispering eunuch when Bertrand decides to dominate. It's infuriating, and at times impossible, for me to listen to.

 

[PP2]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing.

 

[AGCSBill]

The only reason fans consider that last play call by Seattle stupid is because it didn't work and the Pats defense made the better play. If it worked, it would have been called a brilliant one when everyone was thinking they'd pound Lynch in there again.

 

[Galeb]

The only reason fans consider that last play call by Seattle stupid is because it didn't work and the Pats defense made the better play. If it worked, it would have been called a brilliant one when everyone was thinking they'd pound Lynch in there again.

When something "bad" happens, people tend to try to blame something. For some, it's a quick impulse that they quickly get past on their way to acceptance. Unfortunately, some never get past it. It wasn't a bad play call, nor bad execution, really. It was an excellent play by Butler who had seen that exact play in practice.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

There were two great plays. Browner preventing the pick and telling Butler what was going down, and Butler's.

 

[jimnance]

There were two great plays. Browner preventing the pick and telling Butler what was going down, and Butler's.

Really 3-- Hightower's incredible tackle saves TD on previous play.

 

[RedSleevesPinkStripes]

Really 3-- Hightower's incredible tackle saves TD on previous play.

Incredibly underrated SB saving tackle

 

[Steve102]

The only reason fans consider that last play call by Seattle stupid is because it didn't work and the Pats defense made the better play. If it worked, it would have been called a brilliant one when everyone was thinking they'd pound Lynch in there again.

Zo just recapped the conversation with BB on the Not Done Now network. Said that BB baited Carroll. Great stuff.