I've seen some great pro football teams since I became interested in the sport in the late 1940's. And the New England Patriots certainly look like the belong right up there with the teams that I've considered to be dynasties over the years. Their 16-0 record so far this year and the way they have always been coached to really focus on playing football the right way demands that the world give them incredible respect.
Bill Belichick seems to have the ability to have all his players buy into the almost Zen concept that no one's really a star; that each guy, even Tom Brady, is just a cog in a well oiled machine. Belichick appears to be the modern day paradigm for the position of head coach.
Of course, the Patriots will look even better to historians if they win this year's Super Bowl but if they stumble, then the taking of their place in my pantheon of really great football teams will have to be put on hold.
The teams that the Pats look like they're going to join in Pro Football Valhalla are the Green Bay Packers of Vince Lombardi (who by the way, could, in my opinion, be winning Super Bowls if he were coaching today, instead of in the 1960's), the great 1970's Pittsburgh Steelers of Chuck Noll and the wonderfully talented 1980's San Francisco Forty Niner teams led by Bill Walsh.
I think the Pats will do it this year even though my heart is with the Steelers of the town where I was born. And if they don't do it this year, I can't imagine them them not doing it next year. It seems that as long as the Pats have Belichick and Brady they are capable of almost anything.
The next five weeks will tell us if the Pats will march to the Vince Lombardi Trophy and join my three Super Teams in Kurt's Hall of Pro Football Dynasties.
Go Steeler's, but you probably won't beat the Pats. They're too good this year for anyone to beat. Even Peyton Manning and his wonderful Colts. :)
2 comments:
The Pats put in a good year and with all the records set will have to be in the discussion with the best teams of all time; but one has to wonder, and I am sure this isn't a new thought, but would they have had this success if their coach wasn't a big cheater. I am sure he knows his stuff and can coach the game and he probably would not need to tape the other coaches and their signals, but he did and he is also a cheater. Which has to make you wonder why someone who is obviously so smart in regards to the game of football (and I am sure of other areas of life) would resort to such acts. I know winning is important, especially in professional sports, and as a coach myself, I preach the importance of winning and giving all you have. But as the figure-head of a team, at any level, how far do you go and at what cost do you push your team to go for the win. I am sure that some people rationalize and when the game is won, the "cheating" was worth the gamble they took and that in hind-site, they do not consider taping the coaching signals or other such acts as a form of cheating. However, with one (or multiple acts according to recent reports) you risk tarnishing all you have worked for and all you have accomplished. You can't tell me that with Tom Brady at the controls and with such skill players are Moss, Maroney, etc. and throw in a solid defense that you would not be able to win your fair share of games and challenge for a League Title or world championship. This team will go down as a team that did not win the "big" game and will always be questioned whether they accomplished the undefeated regular season because of their talent or because they cheated.
Cousy 35,
Didn't know that you had commented on my Patriots blog until today. Thank you and I agree that Belichick should never have gone close to the cheating issue. It will be a stain on his record.
Thanks again,
Uncle Kurt
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