Ruthless Belichick's approach pays dividends in New England
When I was in Boston last week, New England Patriots owner but was reluctant to pull the trigger on the deal due to concerns over the structure of the salary cap-less Premier League.
I cannot help but think Liverpool missed a trick because under Kraft's leadership, the Patriots - - have become one of the most successful teams in American sport and you have to wonder what he could have done at Anfield.
Kraft's wisest move in New England was to hire as head coach. Since taking charge in 2000, he has guided New England to six AFC East Division crowns, four Super Bowl appearances and three NFL title game victories.
And he has achieved all of that success with steely determination, an almost robot-like focus on preparing for each game and on a total refusal to let any single player become more important than the team.
The Patriots are, indeed, the ultimate team. They have their share of stars such as quarterback Tom Brady and wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but all of those guys buy into the concept of being just the same as the other players on the roster.
Brady is a perfect example. Now, I'm sure Brady will get handsomely rewarded in the near future, but this is a player considered to be among the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game. .
Yet Brady took a pay-cut in order for the Patriots to sign Moss in 2007. He remains in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual quarterback salaries and hardly seems bothered by that scenario. What concerns Brady and the Patriots is winning games.
Belichick and Brady have been instrumental in bringing three Super Bowl titles to New England over the last decade
Belichick is not big on reputations and he couldn't give two hoots about what it says on a player's birth certificate. All that matters is that a player does a job for him each weekend.
Take a look at New England's 53-man roster and that becomes evident. The 2009 Patriots feature 14 players who entered the NFL as rookie free agents. Of that undrafted group, defensive lineman Mike Wright and linebackers Gary Guyton and Pierre Woods are starring on the NFL's sixth-ranked defence.
When Belichick talks about the impact made by those free agents there are several phrases that come up time and time again as he talks about their intelligence, their work ethic and their ability to buy into the concept of team.
By contrast, wide receiver Joey Galloway arrived in New England with a big reputation this summer. He was closing in on 700 career receptions and was among the most productive receivers of the past decade.
In the opening three games, Galloway caught just seven passes. He looked confused, had not properly learned the Patriots system and he dropped several key passes.
It didn't matter to Belichick whether Galloway had six, 689 or 6,089 career receptions. He wasn't getting the job done so he had to go.
And it is the same with linebacker Adalius Thomas, . Despite being a star defender with several Pro Bowl appearances under his belt, Thomas was deemed surplus to requirements. Belichick didn't need him, so he didn't play him.
You would think such an approach would make Belichick an unpopular tyrant. But, by all accounts, his players enjoy playing for him. Winning cures a lot of concerns and there's no doubt the Patriots have been major winners under the demanding head coach.
One man who obviously enjoys playing for Belichick is future Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau, who has been tempted out of retirement for the second straight season.
Seau is another example of how Belichick has no regard for age or reputation - it's all about production. Belichick knows Seau can do a good job for him for the remainder of the season and that's all that matters - he doesn't care that Seau will turn 41 three weeks before this year's Super Bowl.
Such an approach has worked wonders for the Patriots and makes them a fascinating franchise. They are very business-like, almost emotionally detached from what is a very passionate sport, and they are intelligent and play together as a team.
It is a formula that should be replicated around the league because it's hard to argue with the results.
The unique Wembley stage...
Fans at Wembley Stadium will be cheering for the Patriots or Buccaneers even though they are fans of the Dallas Cowboys or San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, a fact that makes the annual Wembley game such a colourful occasion.
That, and a similar discussion on 5 Live Breakfast this week, had me wondering if I could support a second team in the NFL. My Miami Dolphins hardly look like Super Bowl contenders so it was well worth considering.
So I enlisted the help of NFL UK's outstanding new website and used the interactive team picker in the hope of being assigned either the Pats or Bucs for the weekend. I used it to randomly select my new 'second team.' After answering a series of questions based on my sporting preferences as a sports fan, my gut instincts and a random selection, I was offered a choice of the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.
Go Giants! You are now officially my second-favourite team in the NFL. So who will you be supporting this weekend and why?
Listen live to Neil and the team on Ö÷²¥´óÐã 5 live sports extra as the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play at Wembley this Sunday from 1700 GMT, and watch highlights on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Two from 0000-0100 GMT.
Hello, I'm Neil Reynolds. I commentate and write about the NFL. I've followed the NFL since 1983 and covered the league as a journalist and broadcaster since 1991. I also played for 10 years in the British American Football League.
Comment number 1.
At 22nd Oct 2009, No1_Dave wrote:man how I wish Bob Kraft would have bought Man Utd instead of the Glazers, Bob Kraft seems to be much better owners, can imagine him taking us to the next level, but instead he now talks about buying pool, doesn't feel good for me who supports Utd & Pats :-(
lucky the Glazers haven't had too much interference & meddling of the football side of things at Utd, but looking the the Bucs, that 1 Superbowl win looks like a one hit wonder, whereas Bob Kraft has turn the Pats into the "model franchise" of the NFL.
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Comment number 2.
At 22nd Oct 2009, No1_Dave wrote:anyways personally can't manage to support a 2nd team, being a loyal person, it's too hard to split loyalty when/if the 2 teams plays, it takes a lot of time, effort and money already just supporting 1 team.
so only 1 team per sport for me (may be a "soft spot" for another team, but can never be "proper" supporter of 2 or more teams in the same sport).
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Comment number 3.
At 23rd Oct 2009, Percinho wrote:I became a bills fan in the early '90s after playing as them in the computer game TV Sports Football. the first four years I supported them they went to the Superbowl and I thought I'd have a long and happy life with them. Oh how things change. I feel very much able to follow other teams though, and have soft spots for the Saints and Steelers. the latter because I always loved Bill Cowher, there is not a greater gurn in football than his angry face, the former for no particular reason. The liking for the Saints was cemented by last year's game.
As a Bills fan it's easy to know who to support for this year's game! I don't expect to be backing the winning team though.
Neil, I contacted you via twitter yesterday (slightly different name spelling). If you have the chance to respond please feel free to use the email associated with this account. Thanks.
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Oct 2009, hunk4hire wrote:Pats v Bucs.............like shooting fish in a barrel.
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Comment number 5.
At 23rd Oct 2009, Eddie-george wrote:Seeing today the news that London may by 2012 be hosting as many as 4 regular season NFL games...
Personally, I think that would be a mistake. Firstly, it will dilute how special an occasion days like this coming Sunday will be. Secondly, if the prime purpose of the playing of games abroad is to expand the global appeal of the game, then they need to take the games to other countries as well. Germany would be top of my list, NFL is very popular there. Thirdly, the chance for teams to play at Wembley and US fans to attend these games should be special in it's own right - 4 games, again, would be a dilution. Certainly I would never want for the visit to London to breed any sort of resentment from US fans, I fear that too many games here could do that.
Two games a year in the UK seems to me the most we should look for, any more and the occasion would become less special.
As for this weekend's game, what a treat to have the Patriots and even though I am a Pats fan to the core, I hope Tampa also can give a good account of themselves. NFL is such an awesome product because of how competitive the league is (English and Scottish Premierships, take note), and it would be something of a shame if a badly one-sided game here gave a misleading impression of how generally small the margins are between the teams.
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Comment number 6.
At 23rd Oct 2009, stismail wrote:Good article.
One correction, though, in regards to Brady.
Brady left money on the table when he signed his most recent contract; he could certainly have gotten paid more than he did, but he knew that, in a league with a salary cap, it made no sense to take extra money that could be used to get him better receivers/give the team a better defense/etc.
He did NOT, however, take a "pay cut" to bring in Moss. What actually happened is that he worked with the Patriots to restructure his contract in a way that allowed the Patriots to fit Moss under the salary cap.
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Comment number 7.
At 23rd Oct 2009, xpat73 wrote:It's funny how socilaist the NFL is compared to the ruthless capitalism of the premier League.
No promotion/relagation.
Draft.
Salary cap.
Revenue sharing.
Strong players' union.
Ha ha.
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Comment number 8.
At 23rd Oct 2009, topspin wrote:I'm not sure if I would call a billionaire boy's club socialist.
Also, a salary cap limits costs, and there are no guaranteed contracts, except for signing bonuses.
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Comment number 9.
At 23rd Oct 2009, bstacy wrote:Good story, the ruthlessness of the Patriots' management is legendary here in N.E.
The photo is of Tom Brady with previous coach Pete Carroll (NOT Bill Belichick)
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Comment number 10.
At 23rd Oct 2009, dorchestergirl wrote:bstacy wrote that the picture of Tom Brady is with Pete Carroll and not Bill Belichick, sorry but it is indeed a side profile picture of Belichick( only he could wear a cut off sweatshirt). I don't think Brady was ever coached by Carroll.
Wish I could have been in Wembley on Sunday, looks like it could be a great game.
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Comment number 11.
At 23rd Oct 2009, John wrote:Neil,
Great blog. I too have supported the Dolphins for twenty odd years. I was lucky enough to see them play the Bills and the Jets recently and loved both games. I still remember that wet night at Wembley too.
I used the new website too and it suggested that I might support the J-E-T-S - not a chance. I'm a fin through and through. This weekend though I will be hoping the pewter and red can pull the improbable out of the hat (especially as I have been to the RayJay too).
Hoping the NFL come to Edinburgh next year.
John
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Comment number 12.
At 24th Oct 2009, g baby wrote:whoever said that kraft would be better than the glazers answer three titles in three years
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Comment number 13.
At 24th Oct 2009, Bright Blue Shorts wrote:Definitely a picture of Belichick talking to Brady ... BB has cutoff hoodie ... TB wearing a Patriots throwback uniform ... unless it's Raymond Berry and Steve Grogan ...
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Comment number 14.
At 24th Oct 2009, grimsbybear wrote:interesting article
that link is broken; the one at the very end of the article.
i think it should be
And that's an interesting little website, especially for newer fans of the game, or those catching up after a while away from the game.
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