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I agree that AD was flipping Belichick the bird with his comment. And since Belichick needs someone to make an example of, he will probably will do so. Belichick has run out of ways to improve the team with improving the quality of work by his coaching staff and he has failed to find other ways to motivate players. He has a team that cannot protect leads, cannot score in the second half, is ineffectivew in the red zone, and cannot win road games played in the US. He has run out of options. Making an example of Thomas might work. I think that Belichick is grasping at straws with his tactics this week, but I do understand his frustration and desparation.
Belichick KNOWS (or thinks he knows) that if this team were more motivated, and if his staff's coaching were bit better, then we might have won a couple of more games. Bewlichick KNOWS (or thinks he knows) that this team is talented enough to not only have won a couple of more game, but also to be competing for the playoff bye.
And the sad, sad thing is that I also believe that the issue has been coaching and finding ways to motivate the players (with 60% of you in a recent (poll) and I also believe that better coaching and leadership would have us competiting for the bye at this point. ANd leadership does start in the front office.
That, unfortunately, is the pure speculation the national media reps like Tom Jackson thrive on. Somehow, after being touted as a great coach a season after the loss of a franchise QB for an entire season and somehow finishing 11-5, the team is careening over the edge without brakes to stop it. That argument was wrong in 2003 after the loss to the Bills, and there is nothing to suggest it has suddenly become correct.
We, as fans, see a small fraction of what happens in the Patriots organization. Belichick is a tough coach and there are plenty of articles to support that conclusion, and Bruschi in his chat two days ago, as one who spent a long time with Belichick, said this response is not a surprise given his past responses. If that is true, Thomas broke the rules and was disciplined, not as some desperate need to find a sacrificial lamb, but as a response to an infraction. The only reason this is being discussed is Thomas's need to "clear the air" about the situation, the result of which we have a one-sided view of the situation as Belichick will not talk about it, a characteristic that is the hallmark of a good manager (praise publicly, punish privately).
It could well be that Belichick, without a strong veteran leadership core on the team and specifically because veterans are involved in the incident, has to do more himself in the way of a response. Never underestimate what Harrison, Bruschi or Vrabel did for player management. I suspect nobody would need a follow-up discussion when those three performed attitude adjustments. And, from Vrabel's comments when asked about playing on offense, it appears the three units are competitive and distinct, thus Brady cannot tell the defense how to behave with any success. And the defensive side does not have a huge coaching turnover from last season, so I would be surprised if the other defensive coaches have suddenly lost control.
The fact remains the defensive unit is losing games right now. Three TDs a game from the offense should get a win if the defense does its job. Winners would take that fact seriously. Belichick gives players the information needed to win, but he cannot win games for them, nor can he give players a winning attitude. That is an individual characteristic arising from personal pride and commitment to getting the job done. The defensive unit as a whole should be embarrassed by its performance on the field, and that should make it play angry and take the situation seriously. As such, the only tactic I see in sending players home is "after the way you played Sunday, you had better get here early and prepare adequately to avoid a repeat performance." If you find the response harsh, I would ask for an alternative approach. I do not think a group hug or Dr. Phil session is really going to get the desired result of increased focus or intensity.
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