Patriots Belichick Respects Ravens

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 18, 2012 7:00 PM EST

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 14: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during warm ups against the Denver Broncos during their AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 14, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is considered one of, if not the top coach in the NFL right now. He has led his team to the post season virtually every year, or at least has them in contention ever since he and QB Tom Brady hooked up almost by accident over a decade ago.

Belichick was questioned recently about the Patriots blowout win over the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round of the 2012 NFL playoffs and the tough match-up his team will be facing this Sunday afternoon when the Baltimore Ravens come to town. The story was posted on Sports Radio Interviews and gives a solid insight into how much he respects Baltimore and specifically one of the Ravens defensive players.

As an example, here is what he said about the Ravens defense:

"They’re pretty good. Statistically, they’re right at the top of the league in just about everything and they’ve been there for a long time. Certainly, their rushing stats are as good as anybody’s in the league. They do what they need to win, and that’s the bottom line."

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He is, indeed one of the greatest coaches of all time. 3 Super Bowl rings don’t happen by luck or accident. He’s also one of the most loathsome characters in the history of professional sports, all the more reason to root for the Ravens this Sunday!

by JasonM71 on Jan 18, 2012 7:21 PM EST reply actions

5 rings, actually.

2 from his time with the Giants.

It is what it is

by Middlesex on Jan 18, 2012 7:25 PM EST up reply actions

Interesting though, if he had not been fired by Art Moddell, he might have carried over to the Ravens.

by Revenge of the Fallen on Jan 18, 2012 11:41 PM EST up reply actions

He wishes he could've coached Ed Reed,

and Ray Lewis for that matter. Belichick’s roots are in defense.

It is what it is

by Middlesex on Jan 18, 2012 7:26 PM EST reply actions

There is a part

of his story on TV where he and Ed talk before the game and along the sideline during plays. PRetty interesting. obviously fans of each other.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 18, 2012 7:53 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah that was a great piece

Very interesting man
And the respect he has for the Ravens D was very genuine IMO

by RavensfaninTX on Jan 19, 2012 8:18 AM EST up reply actions

As a Pats and Belichick fan perhaps you can answer a question for me.

Was there any reason the Patriots would have McDaniels join their coaching staff to replace an OC that hasn’t left yet other than to gain an advantage since it’s not against the rules to do so? Honestly? That’s the only reason I could come up with. Again, it’s not technically against the rules so no harm no foul, but the actual practice of such a tactic just continues to show how petty and desperate the Patriots franchise can be IMHO.

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by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 8:42 PM EST up reply actions

Um, yes

Was there any reason the Patriots would have McDaniels join their coaching staff to replace an OC that hasn’t left yet other than to gain an advantage since it’s not against the rules to do so? Honestly? That’s the only reason I could come up with. Again, it’s not technically against the rules so no harm no foul, but the actual practice of such a tactic just continues to show how petty and desperate the Patriots franchise can be IMHO.

First, the Broncos were massive underdogs, and everyone was surprised to see them advance.

Second, Bill O’Brien is currently tasked with assembling a coaching staff and trying to salvage the wreckage of Penn State’s coaching staff. He is about to start the most important phase of his career, while still trying to do his old job. Like it or not, he is going to be distracted.

Third, Belichick trusts McDaniels, and he had a lot of success when he was here earlier. If McDaniels hadn’t played against any team on the playoffs, Belichick would still have wanted him here.

Fourth, This is an amazing opportunity to get McDaniels back into the swing of things prior to next year. O’Brien can work with McDaniels, giving him insight into the large numbers of players who have come since he left (basically every skill position player outside of Brady, Faulk and Welker, Branch, techinically, but he was gone for a few years before McDaniels left)

The Patriots have been savaged by coordinator hires more than any other team in the past decade. Weiss was hired well before the end of the season in 2004 by Notre Dame. Romeo was pursued endlessly, the distractions it caused for NE be damned. The shenanagins after Mangini’s hire (tampering, et al.) New England is not perfect, but they have done nothing wrong, and this of all things is not an example of how “petty” and “desperate” the franchise is.

Oklahoma State will beat LSU in the National Title game by more than 7 points.

by No Pity on Jan 18, 2012 9:00 PM EST up reply actions

I just realized that this looks harsher than it was meant to be

Just a reply. The conspiracy theories that have been circulating have been frustrating. Sorry if the tone seems excessive.

Oklahoma State will beat LSU in the National Title game by more than 7 points.

by No Pity on Jan 18, 2012 9:02 PM EST up reply actions

It's fairly obvious

that there needs to be a rule that if a coach is fired from one team, he can’t be added to another team that year.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 18, 2012 9:36 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah But

The problem is, if a guy gets fired in the middle of the regular season, you would greatly hamper his ability to latch on somewhere else.

The problem is, players/rosters are all governed by explicit CBA rules so there are clear cut rules in terms of player movement for before, during, and after a season. Coaches are considered “management” so they are governed by a different set of rules. Outside of some anti-tampering exceptions/rules, management & staff are free to come and go as they please – “At will” is the proper labor term -for both sides.

I don’t know how you get around this as St. Louis and Denver both fired Josh of their own volition. Belichick just swooped in and grabbed someone who he thought would be an asset. I guess you could add an anti-tampering rule about hiring staff right before/during the playoffs…

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by vlad755 on Jan 19, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

The reply is fine.

But I still have a hard time understanding how the hire and subsequent addition to the team before their playoff game against the team that McDaniels used to coach could be construed as anything other than attempting to gain an edge? All the examples you’ve stated prove nothing as far as why he joined them prior to that game.

1) Yes, the Pats were huge favorites, McDaniels doesn’t change that.
2) O’Brien is assembling the staff? Not the head coach or GM? Perhaps the owner?
3) Belichick and McDaniels have a history, no argument there. No real reason to have or not have him there based on his success when he was the OC previously.
4) This is the only possible reason but it’s flimsy at best. Get him in there as early as possible to get back in the swing of things. Because being the OC at St. Louis has somehow damaged his ability?

Look, I can’t help but point out the flaws that I perceive of the opponent of my team. When it comes to the Patriots, for me, it starts with their willingness to skirt the rules and gain any advantage that they can, no matter what. IMO it makes them unscrupulous at best and deceitful at worst.

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by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 9:37 PM EST up reply actions

My mistake about your second point.

I thought you were saying that O’Brien was responsible for hiring the Pats coaching staff. However, since when has a professional football team worried about how an outgoing member of the club will adjust to their new position?

You like Thai? Tie good. You like shirt?

by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

Sorry for not being clearer

I don’t think they are, though Belichick likes O’Brien, and when coaches/scouts leave with his blessing, he has been known to help them out (See the Cassel trade). The real concern is that O’Brien will be distracted working on two jobs at once. There options were to gamble on someone like Ferentz being ready to handle it, or bringing in a more experienced guy, who they were going to hire anyway.

Oklahoma State will beat LSU in the National Title game by more than 7 points.

by No Pity on Jan 18, 2012 10:14 PM EST up reply actions

McDaniels used to coach could be construed as anything other than attempting to gain an edge

The only problem with this, is that McDaniels has been gone from Denver since the middle of 2010 season. He knew nothing about Tebow then, things have changed drastically between regime changes, and I’d be willing to be that there is absolutely nothing about the 2011 Broncos that is the same as the when McDouche was there.
I understand the New England hatred, but just because they bent the rules for an advantage before, doesn’t mean everything they do is in that vain (vein?)

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Jan 18, 2012 10:21 PM EST up reply actions

Certainly not everything

but a leopard doesn’t change it’s spots.

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by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

maybe so, but they are just the ones that got caught. I hope you don’t really believe that every coach in the NFL isn’t bending, twisting, or just straight up breaking any rule they can get away with for an advantage.
You’re not like one of those Alabama fans that look down on Auburn for buying players, when really you should just be thankful that Alabama wasn’t caught yet, are you?

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Jan 19, 2012 12:40 AM EST up reply actions

I totally agree that every organization out there

would do whatever they could to reach the ultimate goal, which is a championship. As far as who was caught and who wasn’t, I’m a firm believer in karma. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean it’s to be done. And yes, I’m well aware of the morally corrupt individuals on the Ravens, but thankfully I don’t have to defend the entire organization.

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by Dynamo38 on Jan 19, 2012 8:39 AM EST up reply actions

That's like asking the Jets not to use Tony Sparano in 2012..

…because he was with the Dolphins in 2011.

McD was with the Broncos in 2010 and the Patriots hired him for the end of the 2011 season. Similar impact-which is little. And if there is, that’s the fault of the old team. It’s like how the Jets, Dolphins, Bills, and Patriots will all pick-up a former player of the opposing team prior to the game. Anything to get an advantage and it’s all within the rules.

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by Richard Hill on Jan 19, 2012 2:37 AM EST up reply actions

This example, while similar in merit

is lost in application to present circumstance. Sparano is not going to be coaching against his former team in this year’s playoffs. For what it’s worth this mule has been beaten to death and I’m not trying to continue the back and forth.

You like Thai? Tie good. You like shirt?

by Dynamo38 on Jan 19, 2012 8:58 AM EST up reply actions

The Steelers were huge favorites

The deal was made before the Broncos won the game. No one expected that, and not even Belichick is that good.

And O’Brien is going to Penn State, he is the owner/gm for all intents and purposes. He is responsible for every element of that mess now.

I agree that a rule about this is probably a good call, but there was never any malice in the move. The patriots would have made it regardless of the playoff field (unless St. Louis was in it). And that is, at least in my opinion, the only real thing that matters. This had nothing to do with getting an edge over a specific team, the opportunity to soften the loss of O’Brien presented itself, and they made the right move to do so. Giving McDaniels too much authority right now would hurt the Patriots more than help them, he just allows them to put a trusted guy in charge of some minor tasks while he reaquaints himself with the team. The primary advantage gained comes from having someone to help O’Brien install the weekly gameplan at practice. A benefit, sure, but not one that would have been necessary if the Pats hadn’t lost O’Brien in the first place.

I understand what you say about the flaws in other teams. I for one, can’t stand Suggs (I love Reed though, you guys are so lucky to be able to root for him), but I get why you guys would. I just think that this particular criticism never made sense in the first place. The Patriots made a personnel move with no prior knowledge of the outcome of the Denver-Pittsburgh game. Should they have fired McDaniels after Thomas scored the touchdown?

Oklahoma State will beat LSU in the National Title game by more than 7 points.

by No Pity on Jan 18, 2012 10:12 PM EST up reply actions

Not at all. Could they have brought him on board after the Denver game?

They were all but a lock to win that game. Maybe there was some pressure to win because thay hadn’t won in the post season since 2007, but there was no way that they could lose to Denver right?

You like Thai? Tie good. You like shirt?

by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 10:18 PM EST up reply actions

It's just a little more than puzzling to any fan that wants to look

at what’s happened since they were penalized for you know what. (That being they hadn’t won a post season game.) So then, as you said, O’Brien made the decision to take the PSU job. His role on the team is still filled by him seeing as how their season has not ended. Had Pittsburgh beat Denver and gone to New England instead obviously no one raises an eyebrow if McDaniels arrives as a “consultant”. But his former team? It lends itself to criticism.

You like Thai? Tie good. You like shirt?

by Dynamo38 on Jan 18, 2012 10:25 PM EST up reply actions

It should also be noted that the Chiefs were starting to look at McD for the OC position

so it probably added extra incentive to for the Pats to go ahead and pick him up before another team did.

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by JoeML on Jan 18, 2012 11:28 PM EST up reply actions

Mcdaniels significant was announced

Before the Denver-Pitt game. NE wasntmlooking for extra advantage.

by Crizzle12 on Jan 19, 2012 12:37 AM EST up reply actions

there is more to them not winning a post season game since being caught. It’s having a quarterback that makes 20 million dollars as opposed to a salary ranging from 200k in 2000, to 5 million in 04, the year before the mega contract. The also had a lot of dead money around that time from what I can see.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Jan 19, 2012 12:48 AM EST up reply actions

I'd say a bigger factor is the popularization of the 3-4 defense.

These days, there’s a lot more competition for the kind of players NE looks for, compared to 8-10 years ago. The talent is more diluted.

by Abrantes on Jan 19, 2012 12:57 AM EST up reply actions

Well, having one player make up 20% of your salary cap, as opposed to less than 5% is pretty significant.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Jan 19, 2012 1:18 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah...

…but Abrantes is right. The Patriots flourished on picking up free agent junk and turning them into gold. As soon as every team started switching to 3-4, everyone started looking to the same junk and the Patriots weren’t able to find what they wanted for a suitable price. Supply/Demand.

It’s all related. Big contracts for star players (Brady, Mankins, Wilfork, Mayo) all hurt the depth as the lost money trickles down through the roster. So instead of being able to spend $1m on a player and $500k on his back-up, the Patriots were left with $1m for both the starter and the back-up- and keep in mind that those players can now get more money from the growing number of 3-4 teams.

You’re both definitely correct.

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by Richard Hill on Jan 19, 2012 2:34 AM EST up reply actions