Running On Up
Bilichek won't do it because it goes against his everything in his being to cop to anything... but I wish anyone on the Patriots would just come right out and gleefully say "goddamn right we're running up the score! And if you don't like it, then blow me!" Cause personally... not only don't I have a problem with it, I'm glad they're doing it.
Lots of people have problems with the whole "un-sportsmanlike conduct" things that happen in sports... like endzone dances, defensive players smacking their chests after sacks, showing off, etc. etc. etc. And yeah, when you are on the losing end of it, it riles you up and pisses you off. And despite the old adage "if you don't want it to happen, just stop them from accomplishing it", folks still think it's the utmost in cheese.
But by my way of thinking... all these actions are nothing more than a gift to the other team. They are things the head coach can tape up to the wall of the locker room and use to inspire his players to play better. And that is one thing Belichek is great at... finding obscure quotes or little events from years earlier and creating these huge stories behind them to make the Patriots feel they aren't being respected. Then the team goes out and utterly destroys people.
By running up the score, all Bill is doing is tying a cute little pink bow around that metaphorical videotape that is given to the other coaches in the league, with a little note saying "here's your way of motivating your team... have at it!". He's being extremely generous on the one hand while he's slapping their faces with the other. And he just doesn't care. I'm sure it really hurt his pride when even the Boston sports talk people were saying that his image will forever be tainted by Spygate... and as a result he's lashing back by putting together quite possibly the greatest season ever by a professional football team. And he's just DARING other people to put up or shut up about his work as a football coach. Now granted... it'll eventually bite us in the ass... the same people you step on on your way up and the ones kicking you on your way down... but I for one am quite happy to enjoy the ride up as it goes.
So to all of you across the country who are getting royally pissed off that the Patriots will not stop until they have gone 19-0 and have broken the record for the most points scored in a single season... just bide your time. Your time is coming. One helmet-to-helmet sack and Brady goes out for a bunch of weeks, and they the sharks can return to feast on the body. It'll happen. It always does.
(And as a last little comment about "running up the score"... just remember this: as long as there is a tie-breaker in our playoff seeding system that is based on "Total Points"... you CAN'T run up the score. All you are doing is guaranteeing your position in the tie-breaker formula. It's the same reason why a team doesn't just forfeit their games at the end of a season after they've already clinched their divisions... they need those extra wins for tie-breaking purposes.)
Lots of people have problems with the whole "un-sportsmanlike conduct" things that happen in sports... like endzone dances, defensive players smacking their chests after sacks, showing off, etc. etc. etc. And yeah, when you are on the losing end of it, it riles you up and pisses you off. And despite the old adage "if you don't want it to happen, just stop them from accomplishing it", folks still think it's the utmost in cheese.
But by my way of thinking... all these actions are nothing more than a gift to the other team. They are things the head coach can tape up to the wall of the locker room and use to inspire his players to play better. And that is one thing Belichek is great at... finding obscure quotes or little events from years earlier and creating these huge stories behind them to make the Patriots feel they aren't being respected. Then the team goes out and utterly destroys people.
By running up the score, all Bill is doing is tying a cute little pink bow around that metaphorical videotape that is given to the other coaches in the league, with a little note saying "here's your way of motivating your team... have at it!". He's being extremely generous on the one hand while he's slapping their faces with the other. And he just doesn't care. I'm sure it really hurt his pride when even the Boston sports talk people were saying that his image will forever be tainted by Spygate... and as a result he's lashing back by putting together quite possibly the greatest season ever by a professional football team. And he's just DARING other people to put up or shut up about his work as a football coach. Now granted... it'll eventually bite us in the ass... the same people you step on on your way up and the ones kicking you on your way down... but I for one am quite happy to enjoy the ride up as it goes.
So to all of you across the country who are getting royally pissed off that the Patriots will not stop until they have gone 19-0 and have broken the record for the most points scored in a single season... just bide your time. Your time is coming. One helmet-to-helmet sack and Brady goes out for a bunch of weeks, and they the sharks can return to feast on the body. It'll happen. It always does.
(And as a last little comment about "running up the score"... just remember this: as long as there is a tie-breaker in our playoff seeding system that is based on "Total Points"... you CAN'T run up the score. All you are doing is guaranteeing your position in the tie-breaker formula. It's the same reason why a team doesn't just forfeit their games at the end of a season after they've already clinched their divisions... they need those extra wins for tie-breaking purposes.)