NFL: The consummate coach, Belichick rewards Patriots' patience
INDIANAPOLIS—A man with coaching in his blood and an intense commitment to detail, Bill Belichick could secure his place in National Football League record books if he can lead the New England Patriots to their fourth Super Bowl title on Sunday.
A victory over the New York Giants would mean Belichick joins former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll with four Lombardi Trophy wins.
Like so many of the most successful coaches in sport, Belichick was not much of a player. However, his shortcomings meant he turned to coaching young.
In this Super Bowl week, the man who has gained a reputation as grumpy, dour and monosyllabic, an obsessive who is often seen scowling on the sideline in his hoodie, has talked at length and with warmth and humour about the game and his own development in it.
While others were happy to just play, Belichick was involved in the nitty-gritty of game-planning even while at school, informally helping his late father Steve at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he coached.
"He had a huge impact on my childhood, my love for the game and my involvement in the game as a coach, even though I played poorly. It was still a good experience to play, but coaching, really, has always been the love," Belichick said this week.
"I think a lot of little things he did in terms of work ethic and teamwork (influenced me)," he added.
Belichick was even involved in analysing film footage of games for his father and that is something he still values highly.
A fascinating fly on the wall documentary broadcast by the NFL Network last year showed the coach, who later gained valuable experience as an assistant to two-times Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells at the Giants, spending hours in his office going over every detail on game plans.
It was in no way a show for the cameras.
"Honestly, as a head coach of a professional football team, you make hundreds of decisions every day," said the 59-year-old.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is involved in a good share of those decisions and said that the coach's dedication makes the difference.
"He's extremely prepared. Nobody works harder than he does. I don't think there's ever been a time that I've shown up at the stadium and he's not there," Brady said.
"He sees everything. He evaluates everything. He watches every bit of film that he can get. Over the course of the season, our teams have always seemed to improve. I think that's through our preparation."
Take risks
Belichick is reluctant to share in detail the key elements that guide his recruitment strategy but Brady suggests that he looks for players who can handle his own level of intensity.
"He prepares us day in and day out. Every day that we walk in he has a game plan for us. I think that he finds players who are able to tolerate that coaching.
"He always says that it's not an easy program to play for and that's the truth. If you do, you stay committed and you stay selfless and committed to the team, it pays off," he said.
The success Belichick has enjoyed with New England in the past decade came after some leaner years. In his first spell as a head coach at the Cleveland Browns he had one winning season in five and he also began with a losing season with the Patriots.
But New England owner Robert Kraft kept faith in his choice and has reaped the rewards for that stance.
"I remember when I hired Bill the first year we went 5-11. The second year we were 1-3. So we were 6-14, and people were calling me an idiot and that I didn't know how to hire people and that I should fire him," said Kraft.
"We were 6-14, and then the team in '01 went on to go to the Super Bowl and win. You have to pick people you believe in, you have to support them, encourage them to be bold and take risks and then be patient."
Kraft, who never tires of talking about the Patriots as family, said he knew from the outset that Belichick was the right fit for his franchise.
"I know what's right for me. He was right for me. There's no prescribed formula. Think about it. The NFL is geared to parity and everyone being 8-8.
"If you do well, you draft higher and you have a tougher schedule. So you want to get managers that you can empower to be bold, do different things. When they take those risks and they don't work out, you back them."
The gamble may yet yield another prize. — Reuters
A victory over the New York Giants would mean Belichick joins former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll with four Lombardi Trophy wins.
Like so many of the most successful coaches in sport, Belichick was not much of a player. However, his shortcomings meant he turned to coaching young.
In this Super Bowl week, the man who has gained a reputation as grumpy, dour and monosyllabic, an obsessive who is often seen scowling on the sideline in his hoodie, has talked at length and with warmth and humour about the game and his own development in it.
While others were happy to just play, Belichick was involved in the nitty-gritty of game-planning even while at school, informally helping his late father Steve at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he coached.
"He had a huge impact on my childhood, my love for the game and my involvement in the game as a coach, even though I played poorly. It was still a good experience to play, but coaching, really, has always been the love," Belichick said this week.
"I think a lot of little things he did in terms of work ethic and teamwork (influenced me)," he added.
Belichick was even involved in analysing film footage of games for his father and that is something he still values highly.
A fascinating fly on the wall documentary broadcast by the NFL Network last year showed the coach, who later gained valuable experience as an assistant to two-times Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells at the Giants, spending hours in his office going over every detail on game plans.
It was in no way a show for the cameras.
"Honestly, as a head coach of a professional football team, you make hundreds of decisions every day," said the 59-year-old.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is involved in a good share of those decisions and said that the coach's dedication makes the difference.
"He's extremely prepared. Nobody works harder than he does. I don't think there's ever been a time that I've shown up at the stadium and he's not there," Brady said.
"He sees everything. He evaluates everything. He watches every bit of film that he can get. Over the course of the season, our teams have always seemed to improve. I think that's through our preparation."
Take risks
Belichick is reluctant to share in detail the key elements that guide his recruitment strategy but Brady suggests that he looks for players who can handle his own level of intensity.
"He prepares us day in and day out. Every day that we walk in he has a game plan for us. I think that he finds players who are able to tolerate that coaching.
"He always says that it's not an easy program to play for and that's the truth. If you do, you stay committed and you stay selfless and committed to the team, it pays off," he said.
The success Belichick has enjoyed with New England in the past decade came after some leaner years. In his first spell as a head coach at the Cleveland Browns he had one winning season in five and he also began with a losing season with the Patriots.
But New England owner Robert Kraft kept faith in his choice and has reaped the rewards for that stance.
"I remember when I hired Bill the first year we went 5-11. The second year we were 1-3. So we were 6-14, and people were calling me an idiot and that I didn't know how to hire people and that I should fire him," said Kraft.
"We were 6-14, and then the team in '01 went on to go to the Super Bowl and win. You have to pick people you believe in, you have to support them, encourage them to be bold and take risks and then be patient."
Kraft, who never tires of talking about the Patriots as family, said he knew from the outset that Belichick was the right fit for his franchise.
"I know what's right for me. He was right for me. There's no prescribed formula. Think about it. The NFL is geared to parity and everyone being 8-8.
"If you do well, you draft higher and you have a tougher schedule. So you want to get managers that you can empower to be bold, do different things. When they take those risks and they don't work out, you back them."
The gamble may yet yield another prize. — Reuters
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