The game between the Patriots and the Colts is being billed as on of Good v.s Evil. It is the evil hooded Darth Vader (Bill Belichick) against the good Luke Skywalker (Tony Dungy). The frenzy surrounding this game is greater than any I have ever seen including the Superbowls. Fans have polarized into two factions, Pats fans, and everyone else.
But is Belichick really evil? Is he really the classless cheater that the media and anti-pats fans alike make him out to be?
Since Spygate, with all that has been written and said about Belichick in the media he has said nothing. He has not defended himself, he has not tried to explain or rationalize his actions nor has he tried to pass the buck or point out other indiscretions he may be aware of by other coaches. Instead, he has continued to do exactly as he has over the last 6 ½ years. Every day he goes to work and does everything he can to try and make his team better. Even when opposing coaches (Dungy included) make inaccurate and slanderous statements every time a microphone is placed in their direction and the subject comes up, Belichick says nothing in return.
THAT is what class is.
Sure, it’s hard to like Bill Belichick if you are not from New England or you are not a Patriots fans. He is short with the media, never gives a good soundbite. He dresses in the hoodie that Pat’s fans have come to love and the rest of the nation has come to loathe. He just is not likeable on many different levels, however that has nothing at all to do with class. Belichick was convicted in the media of Spygate long before the NFL even finished their investigation, sounds like a classy thing for the media to do. Even when the fine was handed down the NFL never stated that Belichick had been guilty of anything more than violating a league policy. Not once did Goodell ever state anything to the effect that Belichick had cheated. Apparently, in this country we are innocent until the media says otherwise.
You can say what you want about the Patriots and Belichick, because they are just going to continue what they do best… win football games. And you can argue that they run up the score, but the untold side of that argument is they ran a score on a defense that had talked trash all week long. And you can criticize for the quiet mocking of Terrel Owens by eating popcorn in their locker room after a game, as long as you don’t mention that TO should have just kept his mouth shut all along. The truth is you will not hear the Patriots trash talk other teams, players and coaches, it just is not tolerated in Foxboro. And whenever incidents emerge it is always omitted that the Patriots have never instigated any such conduct. Their actions speak volumes on their own.
THAT is what class is.
So the upcoming battle of Good vs. Evil is really the good (The Patriots and Bill Belichick) and the Evil (the sports media). I like the Patriots chances against the Colts on Sunday, it should be a good game to watch. Sadly, I do not think that they fair so will against the media.
There us nothing evil or wrong about the Patriots or Bill Belichik. Success breeds contempt. That iss the only reason people hate Bill and his Patriots. They are theat damn good.
Hey Torch
I agree with you. But you know what, I like the way Coach dresses. When I go to games, I don't wear a 3 piece suit or dress to impress. To me, he represents a working man's coach. He does not care what the media has to say about him or write about him. He knows deep down who and what he is. I'm sure that he will be Canton bound.
As a Jets fan is my biggest reason I dont like the pats. Thats a simple reason, as I'm sure your not a fan favorite of us as well besides if you put a beating on us.
But what most people are talking about is how they run the score up. Thats what class is not. I could see if this was like college rankings yes, but in the NFL its only wins and losses. I cant say the pats are bad or they do anything wrong on how they play. But the class issue is hard to fight. Seriously, Bilichick is a good coach, New England is unfortunately a good team. But class and respect is something they are losing week by week.
Re-SPYGATE! - You ask yourself this question: What
does the word "SPY" entail? My version of SPY is
best described as a hidden entity conducting
surveillance over another without detection. Whoever was doing the filming was doing so in the
presence of others within the same area. It was being done in the open and not in a secretive mode.
Why then the tumultous harassment toward the N.E.
Patriots and Bill Belichick? This situation has been blown way out of proportion by the media and
done so in the poorest of tastes. Let it be said
here and now that the Pat's never needed extra
advantages to be successful as they have been now
or in the past. they were never known to kick a dog
while he's down. They are a classic and classy football team envied by many and if you can't accept that then I feel sorry for you and the company you associate with. If you can't tolerate
a WINNER cause its not your team then perhaps you
should spend more of your time playing with dolls.
Last edited by plddre_2 on October 31st at 12:04 PM.
Non-Pats fan living in New England. This past weekend I moved from awe and jealousy to hatred of the Patriots. They clearly ran the score up on the defeated Redskins in a way I haven't seen since highschool.
Bill Belichick is classless, just ask his wife. He walked out on the Jets in a classless act and it all went down hill from there. Bill's an ####, plain and simple, who doesn't care about respecting his opponents.
Oh, I forgot to mention Ted Johnson. He was a hero in New England years ago until Belichick concussed him into early Alzheimer's.
It is a battle of good versus evil. Evil looks too powerful to overcome though, and it may take all the prayers of the faithful for good to emerge victorious.
Last edited by rusirious13 on October 31st at 12:41 PM.
Hey Torch- bravo, once again. WHen I came onto Fox Sports this morning I couldn't beleive that pic of Dungy and Coach. What absurdity! EVERY TIME (except last year) the Pats have played the Colts they've been the underdogs- even the years they won the Superbowl. And now, we're not, and its because of evil-kanevil. And so many people wishing injuries on Brady! And they say COACH is classless! What an awful attitude.
There is my spout. I haven't made a blog this week because it seems pointless- eveyone has made up their minds. I'm glad you are still representing the sane fans, and the Pats, with some dignity.
Let me say this everyone of you Pat's fans sound just like the ones hateing on you... lil ####es whinning because someone is picking on you. The haters are whinning because they can't beat you and you fans of the Pat's are whinning because they are picking on your team. Please all of you grow up? The only thing that is wrong with the Pat's as a team is your coaches arrogance. that's it. Is he classless? I don't know never met the man. Is the team running up the score, probably so but if your coaches say run this play, well you run the play. If you score then that's the other teams fault for giving up. Another thing if you Pat's fans quit entertaining the people who say these things about your team then they'll quit themselves. Oh and I doubt the Organazation is classless to. Seems to me Mr. Kraft is one of the most classy owners they have. You want to see a classless owner look at my Saints owner Tom Benson. He was ready to move the SAINTS when Katrina struck here in New Orleans. Now that's classless and kicking a man why he is down.
Last edited by gambitxxx on October 31st at 1:47 PM.
Sports Media and all football fans. Pay attention
to what I have to say because its TRUE! Colts vs Pat's. Why the Patriots will win hands down!
We'll start with the 2006 AFC Championship game.
Patriots 21, Colts 3. Any of you who witnessed the San Diego Chargers game against the Pat's the previous week had to have taken a toll on them
playing away from their home field. It was a hard fought game from start to finish and took a great deal of moxie out of the Pat's winning efforts
against the Colts. Thats the main reason for re-
linquishing the 21-3 lead. However,from a reality point of view the concluding score should have read Patriots 41, Colts 38. Why do I claim this to be true is because considered to be the Pat's #1
receiver, Reche Caldwell dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone that a high school kid would have caught. He also dropped another pass that would have led to more points. In all candidness, Reche Caldwell won the Championship for the Colts which confirms the fact that the Patriots actually did beat their opponents, the Colts that day and not the other way around. Why the sports media never
mentioned this fact is astounding to us all. The Patriots will be well reasted for this up-coming
contest and win by 17 or more points. Just wait and see if I'm not right.
I agree with you completly, and also too i say if you do not want the score to be so called run up, then have the highly paid defences to stop them from scoring, or maybee Brady should just take a knee in the 3rd and 4th quater
I think you have a pretty good point - the media needs stories to feed the 24-hour sports-news monster, and an easy storyline is even better. What could be easier than a grumpy, vaguely sociopathic-homeless looking, uncommunicative purveyor of scoreboard pain as the villain to the quiet, unassuming, humble Dungy's hero? The reality most likely is that Bill is not as much of a chump, nor is Tony quite so nice a guy, as they are made out to be in the press. But it's easy copy. Roll camera, cut, let's go have a beer.
But I think you're missing two things here: first, Belichick has offered (spectacularly lame) rationalizations of the spying ("misinterpretation?" Come on.), which adds to the feeling that he's getting away with it anyway. But the scoreboard thing is going to be the larger issue that makes every fan base besides New England's think that they are the Evil Empire, and that's not a media creation. It's just poor sportsmanship, and people remember it. You don't gratuitously kick a man when he's down, after he knows he's beaten. Any kid knows it; apparently not so for Bill. That's the bad taste that will create a lot of Pats-haters for years to come, not the spying thing (which was more of a blown-out-of-proportion excuse for existing Pats-haters to vent).
Last edited by twashk on October 31st at 10:35 PM.
Bill really isnt a bad guy. Hes obviously a good coach and his players respond well to him. The problem everyone has with him is that he is just who he is. He wears his hoody and shorts and doesnt feel the need to dress up and keeps his comments to himself. His players respond better to the way he dresses and acts I think because they feel he is there brother and teammate rather than just a guy who screams at him. Not to mention Bill is smart with the media because they always find flaws in what is said and make big stories about it. As for the score thing, I came to realize that the situation was practicve for if they ever had to win a game on a fourth down like that and if the Redskins were worried about it, they would have stopped them. Thats why they get payed millions. I just dont like the Pats cuz im a steelers fan but Bill is a good coach.
Torch, Colts fan here. I've been reading your stuff all season and usually find your stuff mature and smart. I will be in the Dome for this one and to be completely honest I have no idea how the game will turn out...nor will I be surprised by any scores. I think this is for the ages.
On your coach...I wouldn't say he is evil. If I was a Pats fan I personally would be upset that he has kept Brady in the game so long. I'm not a whiner and not concerned about the points...I just think he is messing with your season if some DE gets a good shot at your QB.
The only thing that I take exception with in your blog is that Dungy has said anything negative about your coach. He said he was disappointed with the situation or any situation that takes away from the product the NFL puts on the field each week.
Come Monday we will know which team is the best in November but in reality the real game will come in the AFC playoffs when we meet again. Good Luck Pats. Welcome to the all-natural, earbusting noise of 55,000 colt fans!
The Patriots came into this season with an awesome lineup. The Jets and their whiney little maggot coach went way out of line with their silly spygate accusations-(I guess the Jets would have you beleive that the Patriots had to cheat to beat them)
The Patriots were doing nothing that every other coach in the league does (ever wonder why coaches put clipboards in front of their mouths when sending plays?) Everybody hates a winner- for years the Dallas Cowboys were the evil empire- now its the Patriots-and the latest charge is running up the score. In the Dallas game it is quite clear that the Cowbiys intent was to hurt the Patriot players with late hits and piling on that was never called. When Ben Watson went down Bellechek ran the lenght of the sideline to get a closer looke -it was clear he was annoyed by the cheap shots. So did he run up the score? Perhaps he did. Perhaps he is just showing the rest of the league that even without films he can take them apart. Curiously people will always find something to hate about The patriots coach. About the sillies comment n this string is that "He concussed Ted Johnson...." Please be realistic. This is a rough tough game, and unfortunately players get hurt. Personally it is my feeling if there was anything to the Ted Johnson story some Lawyer would have jumped all over that....as Bill always says "It is what it is......" Deal with it.
Right on Torchs-I agree with everything you say. The Patriots are masterfully destroying defenses designed specifiacally to handle teir offense by keeping them on the field to the point of exhaustion. Instead of lauding the coach for his ability to do this the whiners led by Mangini (Gee haven't the Jets done well since he started that spygate firestorm) chose instead to cry about running the score up. Perhaps the Patriots should spot each team two touchdowns a game jsut to make them stop fussing. Please the patriots themselves were up 21-3 in the AFC title game- and lost. No lead is safe.
you know, I caught the good and evil senario Sunday night and laughed. The Patriots don't need an excuse, all they need to do is win, and keep winning, history doesn't lie. That's why they do what they do, that's why they are doing it in the fashion they are doing it in. they will re-write the history books this year without an asteric. they will give a new meaning to total domination. when teams in the future are compared, they will be compared to the Patriots of this year. Thats how "spy-gate will be forgotten. Because all anyone will talk about when it comes to pro football. Is how great the 2007 New England Patriots were!
35 year old Bostonian and long time Boston sports fan.
Served 9 years in the US Army as an Airborne Pathfinder. Currently employed as a Graphic Artist for a medium sized specialty printing company.
MBUA Baseball Umpire and also a Little League coach. Besides being obsessed with Football and Baseball, I am a fanatical NASCAR and PBR fan. For some reason I also find Curling absolutly fascinating.
