Belichick: Outcoached, and a sore loser
FROM THE PHOENIX AIRPORT — Some final comments on Super Bowl 42:
– No surprise that Bill Belichick walked off the field with one second remaining in the game. Belichick is a known cheater, which means he doesn’t respect the game or the spirit of competition. So of course he would be a sore loser. Of course he would disrespect the game once more. Of course he lacked the guts to stand with his team until the end, to watch it all go down.
– That said, it was pathetic the way Belichick ran off on his team, to leave the old guys on the defense to go out there and stand for one final snap. Whatever happened to the idea of a coach and players being in it together, win or lose? Not Belichick. They lost and he was outta there.
– Belichick’s aging defense couldn’t stop Eli Manning and the Giants on two crucial fourth-quarter possessions. They didn’t have the legs to keep up. I can’t help but think that all the blowouts., all the times that Belichick ran up the score, played a role in this. So many times this season, the Patriots kept their starters on the field much longer than they needed to, as Belichick tried to humiliate other coaches in some bizarre act of revenge for being fined for his cheating. Well, on Sunday night in the Valley, the age and the arrogance finally caught up to Belichick and his defense.
– Belichick and staff were outcoached. The Giants had better tactics on both sides of the ball. The Pats never adjusted to the Giants’ decision to go after Tom Brady, who was sacked five times and smacked around all night. And the Patriots were surprisingly flat, considering that they had a perfect season and a another Super Bowl championship on the line. “The Giants had a better game plan than we did, they came ready to play four quarters,” Patriots wideout Randy Moss said. “I think their intensity from the beginning to the end was higher than ours. It surprised me, because of all the work we put in the last two weeks.“It’s hard to explain. I don’t really have words for it.”
– The New York media is already mythologizing the Giants victory. Here’s the truth: it wasn’t the best Super Bowl ever. It was a clunky, sluggish game for three quarters. It was a tremendous fourth quarter, as good as any. But overall, this wasn’t a great game. Just a great, scintillating finish.
– Eli wasn’t Joe Namath in Super Bowl 3. He was better than Namath. The New York media keeps framing this as Manning shocked the world the way Namath shocked the world. No, this isn’t so. Yeah, Namath guaranteed a Jets win over the Colts, who were favored by 17. And that was shockling. But Namath did not play a major role in the game. The Jets won because their defense feasted on turnovers, and they won on the strength of Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer and a bruising running game. Eli Manning did something that Joe Willie didn’t do in Super Bowl 3: Manning brought his team back twice in the fourth quarter to win the biggest game of his life.
– That Manning scramble and the pass to David Tyree … Yeah, it realy was one of the great plays, and most memorable plays, in Super Bowl history. We’ll be talking about that one forever.
– I know they are overexposed with the commercials and nonstop interviews and everything, but the Mannings really are nice people, and gracious people. I am happy for their success.
– I dont know if the Giants put on the best defensive performance in Supe history; I tend to doubt it, given that all of those unbelievably intimidating Steelers defenses won four of these games. But for one night only, what the Giants did to the Patriots - who scored a record 589 points in the regular season - ranks right near the top.
– Rams coach Scott Linehan can learn something from Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Give Coughlin credit for improving his player relations by empowering the players to state their views and have a voice in how the team was being run. Coughlin’s “Player Council” was a good idea and Linny should do the same.
– Patriots fans, including ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons, are saying now they know how Rams fans felt after Super Bowl 36. NO YOU DON’T. The Rams may have been cheated out of that win. I don’t think the Giants cheated to beat the Patriots. So spare me this nonsense.
That’s all for now. Time to fly and make my way back to the STL …
Thanks for reading.
-B
By “caught” of course I am referring to how these players, past and present, caught the attention of fans with bigger than life style of play. Please note that the chemical listed to each player’s name is not intended to imply use of said chemical, but is rather intended to stimulate (no pun intended) conversation regarding the direction the Cardinals are taking in rebuilding their team. As Mr. McGuire made clear (okay, that pun was intended), we are not here to talk about the past.
And following their coach’s example, Brady and Moss drop out of the Pro Bowl. Does anyone really believe they would have missed it if they had won the Super Bowl. Pass up all the interviews and pictures and fawning? Right.
This is the end of the Pat’s dynasty. There’s going to be lots of finger pointing, coaches fired to cover Bellichick, free agents bailing and of course spygate (for awhile anyway).
mike jones tackle on the 1 is the best play in superbowl history
#47 Excellent point…I’ve been making that point for years.As improbable as it would have been for the Rams to run it back,they were purposely denied that chance.
Hey Bernie.. Funny how you and Randy were ripping on Eli just a couple months ago on your radio program. If you recall you guys said he was only drafted so high because of his name blah blah blah…now you compare him to Broadway Joe…oh brother.
And one more thing…Perhaps you could learn from the Tom Coughlin saga too. Looking at your track record here, you rip on coaches when they lose and give them over the top praise when they win..If it were up to you, Dickie V never would have been around in 2000, and although I’m not a huge Linnehan fan, you gotta give him third year. 2007 was all about the injuries, especially to the O line. In 2006 Linnehan coached a .500 team to a .500 record. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Here’s my prediction for the upcoming year.. the Rams will make the playoffs after getting healthy and you’ll jump on the bandwagon and praise Linnehan for changing.. oh brother.
I live in NE (In VT.) and in 2001-2002, I was living just out side of and working in downtown Boston. As a Lifelong Rams fan, that loss was very hard to swallow….especially being surrounded by the “classy” NE fans that just loved to yap it up in my face. Monday following that game, I took the Commuter Rail into the city, sporting the same Rams hat I proudly wore all year long. ANd I took the abuse like a man. It sucked, but what can you do? I STILL loved that 2001 Rams Team. Top to bottom.
And logic be damned, I STILL consider them to be a better squad than the 1999 Rams team that won the SB and the Patriots team that beat them in SB 36. You know Patriots fans want to argue that this 18-1 Team STILL deserves to be mentioned as one of the greatest teams ever despite losing in the big game. I argue that if THAT logic is accepted, than Mine, re Martz’s squad in 2001 is also acceptable.
Guess we don’t have to hear the following agian:
“You can’t give Bill Belicheck two weeks to prepare for a game.” Classy move by Bill walking towards the tunnel prior to Eli taking the final kneel down. What a sport.
Mike Martz was supposedly an idiot for getting “out coached” by Belicheck in the Rams 3 point loss won on a game ending field goal (*cough* Spaygate! *cough*). What does that make Uncle Bill? “The Greatest Team EVER”, lost to a 10-6 regular season wildcard team? Wow. Greatness.
BTW, I believe this is the first 6 loss Super Bowl champion. Way to put an exclamation point on the Season New England!
And Is the Boston Globe still honoring those advanced purchase sales for the book they made avaialble on Amazon.com Last week?
“19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots: Books: The Boston Globe”
http://ballhype.com/story/19_0_the_h…w_engla nd_s/
Cart before the horse, much?
Schaedenfreud. I’m Living it Baby!
Go Arlen Specter!
Oh, And Kurt Warner STILL is the Only QB to throw for 40 or more Touchdowns in the regular season AND win the Superbowl, in the same season!
Marino, Manning, Brady…..Nope!
Way to go Kurt!
Teams that scored 500 or more points in the regular season and win the SB? Population: 1!
Way to go 1999 Rams!
I wonder, Does this mean the end of those obnoxious tools at Cold Hard Facts Football? $20.00 says they fold thier site within a year.
Re Bernies points on spygate and the SB Patriots SB agianst the Rams, I haven’t commented too much on this becuase as of right now, there isn’t a whole lot to weed through as far as evidence or proof. So far it’s simply a nameless source.
And while I agree that Washington has enough to do rather than worry about the taping habits of Bill Belichick, I also think it was necessary for Arlen Specter to open his mouth or Goodell simply was going to let things slide.
I mean honestly, did you hear the response from the Commish’s office about the accusations of Fliming the Rams final walk through prior to the SB with the Patriots?
“The NFL responded to the AP on Saturday saying that they investigated a rumor of such recording and were satisfied it had not occurred. “We were aware of the rumor months ago and looked into it,” spokesman Greg Aiello told the AP. “There was no evidence of it on the tapes or in the notes produced by the Patriots, and the Patriots told us it was not true.”
The Patriots told you it wasn’t true?!?!?!?!? Cool. “No need to look into the matter any further. Bill said he didn’t do it and the notes and tapes he gave us didn’t show anything. No sense in wasting any more time on this!”
You know I was watching Law and Order last night, and that was how Farina and Orbach handled their investigations.
Ask the suspect if he did it and if he said no, they moved on.
Detectiving 101.
I also loved Dick Vermiel’s response to the whole matter:
“Personally, I don’t think it had any effect on the game,” Vermeil said. “That stuff’s been going on forever and I don’t think you gain from it. It’s more of an integrity issue than anything else.”
Apparently “integrity” is not all that important now is it Dick? Wonder what your reaction would be if this was levied in a game you happened to have been coaching? What if say in 2002, questions came up that Bill supposedly taped the Sidelines of your coaches in the Patriots game with KC, in whihc NE won 41-38? Is it still “just” integrity, Dick? ANd what the hell is intergrity worth anywho?
Anyone recall Goodell’s response to questions about Cowboys Assitant coach Wade Wilson being suspended for 5 Games for “substance abuse” violations? Instead of 4 games which is what would have been given to a Player for the same infraction?
Goodell: “We hold the league’s coaches to a higher standard than the players.”
Yeah, I see that with how you made an example out of Belichick. For the allegations made by Jets Coach Mangini, that your office determined to be TRUE. And how when the “rumor” or allegation is brought up AGAIN, and this time for a Super Bowl, your investigation into the matter began with an ended with asking the Patriots organization if it was true or not. Brilliant.
Not suggesting that Billionaire Bob Kraft has you in his back pocket, commish, but if someone else were to see that…….
Sheesh.
Hawk
This is the biggest upset in the history of the NFL. It is because of Spygate, because of the way the Patriots wore 19-0 on their smug faces all season, because of the way Belichick has always treated the opposing team and their coaches. It was for that stupid bit during pre-game where the Patriot’s word that defined their season was Teamwork. There was no teamwork on the last 2 plays that Brady tried to force the ball to Moss. There was no teamwork when Belichick went for in on 4th and 13. Anyone that believes that he didn’t have faith in Gotskowski is an idiot. He went for it for the same reason he did it all season. He wanted to show the world that he was unstoppable. What a jerk.
The scramble by Manning wasn’t just to get away from the rush, it was to silence not only his critics but all of those in love with the Patriot’s perfection. Tyree’s catch was for everyone that had the Pats as champs in week 13, heck even before then. This was a win for everyone that had been pushed around by the Patriots for years. And maybe, because I’m a Rams fan, this win was for us. Because they played dirty in Superbowl 36. The Rams might be a bad team, but at least they have their integrity.
And for all the reasons I stated above, that is why the manning-tyree play are the greatest ever, and this superbowl the greatest upset ever. Sorry Mike Jones, “The Tackle” comes in second, although being a rams fan, i do have that picture as my wallpaper.
Love ya,nehville/Hawk5ins….Couldn’t have said it better myself
Ya gotta love it. In the pre-game interview BM described Belichick as a sort of frumpy guy who intentionally gave boring answers to reporters and made it sound like maybe he wasn’t as bad as everyone thought. Sort of weird but hey, he belongs to that group of geniuses so he’s a bit eccentric. Then post-game Belichick is a known cheater and sore loser. An ogre who leaves the field with one second remaining on the clock, leaving those poor “old guys” to fend for themselves. He abused those poor “old guys” all season long running up the score on opponenets by leaving them in the game too long. That’s a pretty quick turn around but hey there’s a witch hunt going on. And now we have our very own Rams Spygate, even though Dick Vermeil says that type of thing has been going on forever and he doesn’t think that’s the reason the Pats beat the Rams in 02. But what does DV know, he’s retired and out of the game now.