Dan Joseph, the Detroit Sports Junkie, posted a comment about something he heard on a sports radio station last night. The conversation was regarding Belichick and if people thought he was the greatest coach ever. One even suggested renaming the Lombardi Trophy to the Belichick Trophy. I, like Dan, am not for it. I was just going to post a comment to him in return, but decided to make an actual post out of it instead because it got too long. Here it is.
I don't think it would be a good thing to rename the trophy after Belichick. Although I agree he is a great coach, and by far the best in the league right now, I am too much of a traditionalist to go for it. Lombardi was a hell of a coach in his own right, but who can honestly say who would get the best of the two if they could "virtually" go head to head. Each generation sees a new "great", that is what makes the game so fun. Gibbs was a great coach, Walsh was a great coach, Madden was a great coach, Don Shula - there is a laundry list of great coaches that you see evolving with each generation as the game naturally evolves. Renaming the trophy may be premature, let us see what Belichick does in two weeks and for years to come. But there is no doubt in my mind that he is the greatest coach in the game today and should remain that way for years to come. The thing to remember next year is he is, most likely, losing two key assistants on his staff - Charlie Weis to Notre Dame and Romeo Crennel, who is rumored to be a lock for the Cleveland Browns head coaching job. Will he be able to handle that? Will Brady be able to survive without Weis, who clearly has helped turn Brady into the QB he is? There are still questions to be answered and maybe a few seasons down the road the answers will be more clear. I mean, three out of four Super Bowls isn't too shabby, the dude is clearly the best of the best right now, and I am interested to see him there for years to come. But renaming the trophy, to me, even if Belichick continues this maddening success, would just be wrong. Lombardi started the whole damn thing and I think that is why you leave well enough alone.
As far as picking against the Patriots and Belichick, how could you? That is why I am going to take the next couples weeks and really look into it before I make a pick. Not that there is money or a life and death situation riding on it, but I just don't want to make a pick based on emotions. Brady is my guy, he was my guy at U of M and all that 2 quarterback stuff that happened in his senior year still burns me up inside. Henson had no right playing and I love all the success Brady has had in the pros while Henson continues to falter at everything he tries. Quite frankly, I don't think Henson will ever pan out, but that is just my opinion. See, based on emotions you would think I have a Brady tattoo and jersey, but I don't.
Right now, yes, the Patriots are my pick and with or without T.O. I feel the Eagles still don't have a chance. I truly think this will be the best Super Bowl in awhile and am excited to watch for more than just the commercials this year. What I think the keys are for the Patriots the nest couple weeks - not listening to the hype of the word "dynasty", not listening to everyone talking about how Brady and Belichick have never lost in the playoffs together, just not listening to all the "greatness" talk. To me, that is the problem with giving it that extra week - teams to often fall into that trap and listen to the hype and start believing it. But, that being said, I think that Belichick is the perfect coach for that - he is the anti-hype coach. He will take it and twist it, turn it and use it as a motivator for his team. The other key is this - Belichick has two weeks to sit and scheme his way up and down every play the Eagles run, which should be a scary thought for the Eagles. Giving Belichick that much time is like giving a normal coach months to prepare for one opponent. That being said, in the next two weeks, Belichick already has the upper hand over Andy Reid, and I would take Belichick anyday in that match up.
So, let the hype begin - I want my Super Bowl! I am off to order my keg, my party sub and to clean a spot off on the sofa for my butt to sit and watch the nipples, I mean commercials, wait I mean the game! Later - the sports dude.
Luke Waltons Forehead presented by the Sports Dude.
Monday, January 24, 2005 at 2:51 PM
The Belichick Trophy?
Dan Joseph said...
I haven't seen one person pick the Eagles yet. I've heard several label the Patroits the best team ever. I guess I'm just not at that point. I think they are the best since the 80s. I seem to remember a 49ers team that was dominant though.
Their biggest mistakes could be taking the mindset of Kurt Warner before he lost the Superbowl. "I want to win 5 of these!"
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