Posts tagged BillBelichick at FanHouse

Senility May Force Roger Goodell To Get All Ironically Up in Al Davis' Business

Sweet Lord, Al Davis. We love you. Well, maybe not "we", but I totally back your "control freak in a leisure suit" thing, man. If I was nine billion years old and worth slightly more money than years alive, I would absolutely run a football team. You've got a better deal than Joe Paterno with a few less questions about your sanity because you don't actually call the plays.

However, here's an idea: when a player burns you by not trying hard enough simply because your franchise sucks, well, don't claim he faulted you when he shatters a world record with Tom Brady throwing him the rock the next year. Ah, yes, I see. Just like most of America, you would prefer "rationality" to "I'm going to sue your pants off". No, that's fine. Really.
Davis said the Patriots had tampered with Randy Moss before a deal in April 2007 that brought the wide receiver to New England for a fourth-round choice the weekend of the NFL draft. Patriots coach Bill Belichick denied the claim by Davis that New England had a workout with Moss before obtaining him in the trade.

In a June 5, 2008, memo distributed by Goodell to NFL clubs entitled "Policy on Integrity of the Game and Enforcement of Competitive Rules," the commissioner informed NFL team officials that competitive rules violations must be made in a timely manner. Davis' accusations against the Patriots came 18 months after the transaction occurred.
(Quick caveat/aside: this report is from Scoop (he really would prefer you call him that) so we have zero idea if it has any reliability, but assuming it is true, well, Al Davis needs to retire. Or stop making insanely ridiculous accusations just because he's teed off.

Bill Belichick Denies Al Davis' Allegations That Patriots Tampered With Randy Moss


First things first: props to ESPN.com's Tim Graham for typing these words: "Al Davis, still in his Battlestar Galactica outfit, had some choice words on many subjects after Wednesday's bizarre news conference to announce he had fired head coach Lane Kiffin."

It actually makes sense, Al being a Cylon, and it goes a long way in explaining his increasingly erratic/paranoid behavior.

In Graham's post on Human/Cylon relations, he points out that contrary to Davis' earlier comments, Bill Belichick denies that the Patriots tampered with Randy Moss. This morning, MDS mentioned that Davis referred to the New England head coach as "What's his name" (which is better than "Belicheat, I suppose) while leveling these accusations, but ultimately concluded that the Raiders owner is bitter that the team gave up the best receiver in football for a fourth-round pick.

Well, Whatshisname responds, via a conference call:
"I've told the story about Randy many, many times," Belichick said. "The first time I ever talked to Randy was the Sunday morning of the second day of the draft last year. That is the first time I met him, the first time I talked to him. No, there was no workout. There was no other contact with him."
So that's that. And even if it's not -- even if the Pats did tamper -- nobody's believing Davis because, well, he's obviously insane. And now that the resurrection ship has been destroyed, he's not even guaranteed everlasting life. Bummer.

Brett Favre, Listed as Questionable, Will Extend Games Played Streak to 257


Earlier in the week, Brett Favre, Hall of Fame quarterback, chronic flip-flopper, and NFL iron man, showed up on the Jets injury report. After suffering a twisted ankle in the Monday night loss to the Chargers, Favre was listed as questionable heading into today's matchup against the Cardinals.

Great news for suddenly skeptical fans, however: Favre will play! The NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports that Peter King's BFF will start his 257th consecutive regular-season game, despite some concerns about his ankle.
As Favre himself once said, the only way he will not play is if they carry him off the field. To this day, Favre remembers how he got his starting job –- when former Packers quarterback Don Majkowski got hurt –- and he is determined he will not allow anyone take his job the same way.

So Jets backup quarterbacks Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff can prepare for their usual roles. Not that there ever was any doubt, but Favre will be starting. Again.
A few days ago, Schefter pointed out that good things happen when Favre's name shows up on the injury report. In fact, in the six previous times he's been listed as questionable, the Packers were 5-1 (and he's 3-0 when the injury in, um, question was an ankle!) He's also completed almost 70 percent of his passes, averaged 274 yards in the air, and 14 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

Which makes you wonder why the Packers/Jets don't just do what Bill Belichick did with Tom Brady for two straight years: stick him on the injury report with "a shoulder." That worked out pretty well -- until Week 1, anyway.

Maybe Randy Moss Should've Taken More Money and Signed With the Eagles


Just over six months ago, Randy Moss was a free agent. There was speculation that the Patriots would slap him with the franchise tag after a record-setting 2007 season that saw him haul in 98 Tom Brady balls for 1,493 yards, including 23 touchdowns. Instead, they let him test the market and Moss was apparently very close to signing with the Eagles.

In fact, according to the Boston Herald, he took less money to stay in New England to rejoin forces with Brady and Belichick, take care of some unfinished business, and any other clichés that seem appropriate here.

At the time, I applauded Moss for keeping his word, taking less money, and returning to the Patriots. It wasn't necessarily a tough decision -- playing with Tom Brady has to be the highlight of his up-and-down NFL career -- but a few million bucks can go a long way in changing someone's mind.

Now, though, with the benefit of the ol' time machine, I have to wonder if Moss regrets his decision. Again, I'm not blaming him -- just wondering if he's played the "what if" game since Brady went down in a heap eight minutes into the season. Hardly original, I know, but just something that crossed my mind as I watched Asante Samuel -- along with his 10 teammates -- shutdown the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday afternoon.

Ronnie Brown Is Making Bill Belichick and the Patriots Look Like Fools!

One of the things we've been led to believe is that the New England Patriots' coaching staff is the best in football. I mean, they are pretty darn good.

But they are getting embarassed by the ... yes ... Miami Dolphins today.

Ronnie Brown has rushed for three four TDs for Miami. Normally, that wouldn't be something that is extremely out of the ordinary. However, Brown rushed for them all while getting a direct snap from the center and running it in.

Yes, QB Chad Pennington has been going wide to the right, Brown is in shotgun formation and Ricky Williams is split to his side. Brown takes the snap, fakes the hand-off to Ricky and then runs it in. Three Four times.

They did it again just now ... except the Patriots finally figured it out. Well, they thought they did until Brown reared back and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to TE Anthony Fasano.

Miami is up 28-6 in the middle of the third quarter 35-13 in the 4th quarter.

New England hasn't lost a regular season game since December 2006. Miami was the team that beat them on that day. The Phins have won one game since.

Ronnie Brown Is Making Bill Belichick and the Patriots Look Like Fools!

One of the things we've been led to believe is that the New England Patriots' coaching staff is the best in football. I mean, they are pretty darn good.

But they are getting embarassed by the ... yes ... Miami Dolphins today.

Ronnie Brown has rushed for three TDs for Miami. Normally, that wouldn't be something that is extremely out of the ordinary. However, Brown rushed for them while getting a direct snap from the center and running it in.

Yes, QB Chad Pennington has been going wide to the right, Brown is in shotgun formation and Ricky Williams is split to his side. Brown takes the snap, fakes the hand-off to Ricky and then runs it in. Three times.

They did it again just now ... except the Patriots finally figured it out. Well, they thought they did until Brown reared back and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to TE Anthony Fasano.

Miami is up 28-6 in the middle of the third quarter.

New England hasn't lost a regular season game since December 2006. Miami was the team that beat them on that day. The Phins have won one game since.

Jason Whitlock Thinks Bill Belichick Should Sign Jeff George to Save Patriots Season


Jason Whitlock and Jeff George go way back. High school teammates at Warren Central in Indianapolis, they took separate paths after graduation (Whitlock to Ball State, and later sports journalism; George to the University of Illinois before being the first-overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft). But through it all, Whitlock has been one of George's loudest -- and most persistent -- supporters.

Take this Page 2 column from October 2002 that begins: "Being Jeff George's No. 1 fan is perhaps the most emotionally draining job in sports." There are other examples, of course, which help paint a portrait of a man who really loves George. So much, in fact, that in his most recent Kansas City Star column, Whitlock lobbied for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to sign his former high school teammate. And he wasn't kidding.
Bill, I'm not crazy. Yes, I'm in the tank for Jeff George. We grew up together on the east side of Indianapolis, and we take loyalty very, very seriously.

He's not perfect. He mishandled his career and talent. But the dude is 40 now and still wants to play. He can get the ball to Randy Moss and stretch a defense.

Matt Cassel can't carry you for a full season. You need a veteran backup who can fill in when Cassel struggles or carry the load for a game or two.

Peter King Was This Close to Having His Wildest Dreams Come True: Favre to the Pats


When Brett Favre announced that he was cutting short his 2008 Mississippi Summer Fishing Extravaganza to return to the NFL, it was hardly surprising. What was surprising, however, was the revelation that the Green Bay Packers were no longer interested in his services.

That ship had sailed, head coach Mike McCarthy explained; Aaron Rodgers was the future. Which meant that Favre would have to peddle his wares elsewhere. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sought to have closure on the issue before the start of the regular season -- and understandably so -- and he suggested that Favre remain semi-retired, wait to see which teams were in need of a starter after a few weeks, and proceed from there.

See where I'm going with this? Yeah, so does Peter King. From his MMQB - Tuesday Mailbag column:

Bill Belichick: Football Brainiac or Just Extremely Lucky?

I mentioned this in passing yesterday, but it's sure to be something we hear more about as the season progresses, especially if the Patriots suddenly become ordinary: is Bill Belichick a heartless, calculating, big-brained ROBO-COACH, or just some dude who sold his soul for the chance to watch arguably the NFL's best quarterback do all the heavy lifting on the way to three Super Bowl titles?

Sports fans casually throw around the "genius" label, when in reality, such lofty titles should be reserved for guys like Richard Feynman or Bertrand Russell, or the creators of Frisky Dingo. It's seldom the case that grown men who make their livings running around in funny outfits -- or coach those who do -- should be classified as such.

Right or wrong, Belichick, the proud owner of three hugongous rings, is often referred to as a genius. But that could change in the time it takes Matt Cassel to remind us why his unofficial nickname is "Rusher McFumbles." In today's Boston Herald, Gerry Callahan made an observation that undoubtedly went over well with a fan base already on mass suicide watch:

Sorting the Sunday Pile, Week 1: We Have Seen the Future and It Is Matt Cassel


Sorting the Sunday Pile looks back at the NFL weekend that was. It's also an unofficial Mittens blog.


Sunday was supposed to be a coronation of sorts; Tom Brady would take his first snap in seven months, the Patriots would resume their quest for perfection, and the rest of the football-watching world would have front-row seats for the awesomeness that was sure to ensue. And then, in the time it took New England running back Sammy Morris to block Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard to the turf -- and into Brady's knee -- the Patriots' season was over.

Obviously, they'll still play the remaining 15 games on their schedule, but as Peter King so somberly explained during "Football Night in America," "Tom Brady is football." That's a bit much, I think, but I take the point; the Patriots go as Brady goes, and without him, they're just a team and Bill Belichick is just a coach.

There's still much to sort through, especially in terms of tailoring the offense to highlight backup Matt Cassel's strong suits (more broken plays that result in awkward quarterback scrambles?), but one thing is certain: in no way was the hit on Brady dirty. Following the game, Randy Moss disagreed, but I suspect that had more to do with being in shock at the situation he currently finds himself. Brady saved Moss' career a year ago and the prospect of having to catch passes from a guy who spent his college career handing out water to Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart whenever they came to the sidelines has to be disconcerting.
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