Outside of the Giants/NFC East rivals, the team I follow the closest is the Pats due to having a ton of cousins from NH who were Patriot fans before it was cool to be one, i.e. prior to Parcells landing there. Also, I respect the hell out of BB & I think he deserves a lion share of the first two Lombardis. And, most importantly, two of our Super Bowl wins came against them so it is hard for me to hate them like a Jets or 'Fins would. We beat them not once, but twice when it mattered most.
That said, a couple of things stood out to me when Kraft & Bill met the media this week:
1) Kraft didn't seem gaga over Bill's coaching these last 3 seasons, where the Pats went 25-25 & had 2 losing campaigns. The thought of Kraft canning Bill still seems farfetched, but it's no longer a 'Is that your 15th or 16th beer this evening?' crazy.
2) Bill seemed lukewarm on Mac as the franchise QB. Last year he was all in on Jones, but this year declared 'We'll play the best players'. I'm in a group thread with my aforementioned cousins & one of them said during the season that it was well known to be whispered that Kraft favored Zappe at QB.. I don't know if that's true, but it does seem like Mac is going to have to earn the job this summer. And in fairness to Mac, he'll have Bill O'Brien as his OC, not Patricia & our old pal Joe Judge.
3) Bill said it is up in the air if Patricia will be on the staff this fall. And said he'll address at a later date Judge's role on the staff. I know Joe got "promoted" to assistant HC a couple of weeks back, but I guess we'll hear more on that later.
4) Kraft spoke very highly of Jerod Mayo possibly succeeding BB when Belichick calls it quits or-& again, it's very unlikely-Kraft fires BB or BB 'retires' like TC 'retired'. I remember Mayo from his playing days & he was a damn good pro. That said, following BB in New England? No thanks. That'd be like following John Wooden in Westwood or Saban eventually in 'Bama. You wanna be the guy who follows the guy who replaced the legend.
Sorta wild to think that the Pats might be the dregs of the AFC East in 2023. And I think the Pats-especially their defense-can be good, but that's one loaded division, especially after AR probably becomes a Jet.
still the best coach of all time but the more his coaching tree implodes the more you cant help but wonder where things go if mo lewis just pulls up.
Urban Meyer is a good friend of BB and he has said BB is most interested these days in coaching players he really likes and enjoys being around. Not suggesting BB doesn't want to win, but that could be a factor in building the very best roster.
Further, it's well-known Kraft has given BB incredible decision-making power. IMV, he has more power in making football decisions than any person ever in the SB era.
But Kraft is about to turn 82 and wants another crack at the big prize. So, if he wants to speed up winning and likes the idea of adding LJax, I could see him pulling rank on BB to make that move...
Old news but Mara Shoving TC out and not Reese at the same time was the really dumb move. BB isn't going anywhere. But putting his two guys in on offense was just nuts. Bill O may have fucked up in Houston as HC eventually but he's a more than solid OC and will do a lot better regardless of who is QB
So, you seriously believe that great coaches have no sell-by date? They can just go on coaching forever and the success will continue?
Because it simply doesn't work like that. In just about any team sport.
Brady owes his success to BB and a stacked Tampa Bay team.