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Carroll, Belichick press conference
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Bill Belichick’s place as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history is secure.
Deflategate and Spygate may tarnish Belichick’s legacy in the eyes of many who follow the NFL, but there’s no denying that he belongs on that Mount Rushmore of head coaches.
When New England plays Seattle on Sunday, the 62-year-old Belichick will make his sixth Super Bowl appearance as a head coach, tying Don Shula for the league record.
Super Bowl XLIX will be Belichick’s ninth appearance as a head coach or assistant coach, two more than Dan Reeves.
Belichick’s 21 playoff victories are the most in history. His 12 division titles are the most since 1970.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sidelines during a game against the New York Jets in December. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
If the Patriots beat the Seahawks, Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady will win their fourth Super Bowl together and break a two-game losing streak, both against the New York Giants.
Nobody knows the secret to Belichick’s success more than Brady. They’ve been together since Brady was a sixth-round pick in 2000.
“He’s very consistent with how he deals with us,” Brady said. “He has high expectations for our team. He has high expectations in the spring camps, and they travel all the way through the season up to this point.
“He’s always coaching. He wants us to be at our very best. It doesn’t stop. The meeting rooms are important. The walkthroughs are important. The pressure is always on with him, so that ultimately gets the best out of all of us.
“This team has really risen to the occasion. Whatever challenges he’s presented, the guys have always thought never back down to him, always fought through him, and it’s part of the reason we’re here. Whether it’s one win or one loss, you try to make improvements, and you’ve got to play your best at the end.”
Brady, who meets with Belichick once a week to go over the gameplan and the opposing defense, made an interesting observation about his coach.
“I don’t think there is much that’s changed from his personality or his coaching style,” Brady said.
Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork disagrees. Wilfork, an 11-year veteran, and Brady are the only players on the team who played in Super Bowl XXIX, the Patriots’ last victory after the 2004 season.
“I’ve seen the difference in Bill in the 11 years I’ve been here, and I tell him he’s getting soft,” Wilfork said. “Over the years, he got a soft heart. He’s more understanding now.
“When you get so used to having a certain quality of players and it changes, I think it’s hard for you to adapt to change. I think he had to try to find the identity in what works for that team. He’s done a great job over the years of doing that.
“At the end of the day, though, he’s still Bill. He coaches the same way. He demands everything the same way. But I think he’s got a little soft heart now.”
Despite Deflategate hovering over him – a subject Belichick wisely has refused to address this week – he’s seemed calm and confident as usual. He also has shown a sense of humor.
Belichick was asked about he and Pete Carroll presenting the first Super Bowl matchup of Croatian head coaches.
“The last big Croatian matchup I had was with coach (Nick) Saban when he was with the Dolphins, and that was within the division,” he said. “We kind of had the battle of Croatia.
“(I’m) very proud of my dad’s family tradition and history with Croatians. (I) had the opportunity to visit the beautiful country a couple of times, and I’m proud of that heritage.
“But, no, I didn’t realize we were breaking new ground here, so it looks like we’ll have a Croatian champion one way or the other, right?”
When a former NFL player, working as a member of the media, praised Belichick as a great coach while asking a question, Belichick responded by asking if he needed a job with the Patriots?
Last Saturday, two days before the Patriots came to Arizona, Belichick called a news conference at the team’s facility to explain New England’s side of Deflategate.
During an explanation, he used a reference to a character, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei) from the movie “My Cousin Vinny” that starred Joe Pesci.
“He’s going to be the greatest coach of all time,” said NBC studio analyst Rodney Harrison, who played six seasons for the Patriots. “He’s the greatest coach of all time right now by a lot of people’s accounts and standards.
“I love his personality. I love his approach. I have so much respect for Bill, and I hate to see anything take away from what he’s accomplished.”
Harrison was talking about Deflategate.
Harrison’s studio partner at NBC, Tony Dungy, was asked if Belichick’s legacy is tarnished when being interviewed by a group of reporters.
“I think so with the Spygate,” he said. “That was obviously a big situation. I don’t think we know what’s going on here (Spygate), and I’m one who believes you can’t jump to conclusions. You’ve got to get the facts.
“So we’ll wait and see what’s going on here and what happens. But Spygate was tough. They bounced back. If this turns out to be nothing, I don’t think it’ll be a long-lasting blemish, but we’ll see.”
After going 5-11 in Belichick’s first season in 2000, the Patriots haven’t experienced a losing season since Brady became the starting quarteback in 2001. In his 20 years as a head coach, the last 15 with New England, he’s got a record of 211-109.
For those who insist that Brady has made Belichick, pointing to his losing record as Cleveland’s head coach as a good example, remember that the Patriots finished 11-5 with Matt Cassel at quarterback when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury.
When Belichick is asked about himself, he’s humble. It’s obvious he’s uncomfortable, that he’d rather talk about his team.
This week, he was asked about his coaching style that has him in position to win his fourth Super Bowl.
“Try to give the players a good plan and an opportunity to play to put them in a position (where) they’re able to be competitive and aggressive, and let the players play,” he said. “I mean, they’re the ones that have won our games.
“That’s really what this game is about. It’s about players making the plays that your team needs to win, and they have a lot of them that have done that. I think, as a coach, you want to make sure you don’t screw that up.”
Author John McClain has covered the NFL for the Houston Chronicle for more than 30 years. Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at 206-448-8125, nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.
Continue reading...
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Bill Belichick’s place as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history is secure.
Deflategate and Spygate may tarnish Belichick’s legacy in the eyes of many who follow the NFL, but there’s no denying that he belongs on that Mount Rushmore of head coaches.
When New England plays Seattle on Sunday, the 62-year-old Belichick will make his sixth Super Bowl appearance as a head coach, tying Don Shula for the league record.
Super Bowl XLIX will be Belichick’s ninth appearance as a head coach or assistant coach, two more than Dan Reeves.
Belichick’s 21 playoff victories are the most in history. His 12 division titles are the most since 1970.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sidelines during a game against the New York Jets in December. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
If the Patriots beat the Seahawks, Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady will win their fourth Super Bowl together and break a two-game losing streak, both against the New York Giants.
Nobody knows the secret to Belichick’s success more than Brady. They’ve been together since Brady was a sixth-round pick in 2000.
“He’s very consistent with how he deals with us,” Brady said. “He has high expectations for our team. He has high expectations in the spring camps, and they travel all the way through the season up to this point.
“He’s always coaching. He wants us to be at our very best. It doesn’t stop. The meeting rooms are important. The walkthroughs are important. The pressure is always on with him, so that ultimately gets the best out of all of us.
“This team has really risen to the occasion. Whatever challenges he’s presented, the guys have always thought never back down to him, always fought through him, and it’s part of the reason we’re here. Whether it’s one win or one loss, you try to make improvements, and you’ve got to play your best at the end.”
Brady, who meets with Belichick once a week to go over the gameplan and the opposing defense, made an interesting observation about his coach.
“I don’t think there is much that’s changed from his personality or his coaching style,” Brady said.
Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork disagrees. Wilfork, an 11-year veteran, and Brady are the only players on the team who played in Super Bowl XXIX, the Patriots’ last victory after the 2004 season.
“I’ve seen the difference in Bill in the 11 years I’ve been here, and I tell him he’s getting soft,” Wilfork said. “Over the years, he got a soft heart. He’s more understanding now.
“When you get so used to having a certain quality of players and it changes, I think it’s hard for you to adapt to change. I think he had to try to find the identity in what works for that team. He’s done a great job over the years of doing that.
“At the end of the day, though, he’s still Bill. He coaches the same way. He demands everything the same way. But I think he’s got a little soft heart now.”
Despite Deflategate hovering over him – a subject Belichick wisely has refused to address this week – he’s seemed calm and confident as usual. He also has shown a sense of humor.
Belichick was asked about he and Pete Carroll presenting the first Super Bowl matchup of Croatian head coaches.
“The last big Croatian matchup I had was with coach (Nick) Saban when he was with the Dolphins, and that was within the division,” he said. “We kind of had the battle of Croatia.
“(I’m) very proud of my dad’s family tradition and history with Croatians. (I) had the opportunity to visit the beautiful country a couple of times, and I’m proud of that heritage.
“But, no, I didn’t realize we were breaking new ground here, so it looks like we’ll have a Croatian champion one way or the other, right?”
When a former NFL player, working as a member of the media, praised Belichick as a great coach while asking a question, Belichick responded by asking if he needed a job with the Patriots?
Last Saturday, two days before the Patriots came to Arizona, Belichick called a news conference at the team’s facility to explain New England’s side of Deflategate.
During an explanation, he used a reference to a character, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei) from the movie “My Cousin Vinny” that starred Joe Pesci.
“He’s going to be the greatest coach of all time,” said NBC studio analyst Rodney Harrison, who played six seasons for the Patriots. “He’s the greatest coach of all time right now by a lot of people’s accounts and standards.
“I love his personality. I love his approach. I have so much respect for Bill, and I hate to see anything take away from what he’s accomplished.”
Harrison was talking about Deflategate.
Harrison’s studio partner at NBC, Tony Dungy, was asked if Belichick’s legacy is tarnished when being interviewed by a group of reporters.
“I think so with the Spygate,” he said. “That was obviously a big situation. I don’t think we know what’s going on here (Spygate), and I’m one who believes you can’t jump to conclusions. You’ve got to get the facts.
“So we’ll wait and see what’s going on here and what happens. But Spygate was tough. They bounced back. If this turns out to be nothing, I don’t think it’ll be a long-lasting blemish, but we’ll see.”
After going 5-11 in Belichick’s first season in 2000, the Patriots haven’t experienced a losing season since Brady became the starting quarteback in 2001. In his 20 years as a head coach, the last 15 with New England, he’s got a record of 211-109.
For those who insist that Brady has made Belichick, pointing to his losing record as Cleveland’s head coach as a good example, remember that the Patriots finished 11-5 with Matt Cassel at quarterback when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury.
When Belichick is asked about himself, he’s humble. It’s obvious he’s uncomfortable, that he’d rather talk about his team.
This week, he was asked about his coaching style that has him in position to win his fourth Super Bowl.
“Try to give the players a good plan and an opportunity to play to put them in a position (where) they’re able to be competitive and aggressive, and let the players play,” he said. “I mean, they’re the ones that have won our games.
“That’s really what this game is about. It’s about players making the plays that your team needs to win, and they have a lot of them that have done that. I think, as a coach, you want to make sure you don’t screw that up.”
Author John McClain has covered the NFL for the Houston Chronicle for more than 30 years. Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at 206-448-8125, nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.
Continue reading...