Patriots Links 7/14/09 - don't overspend, Patriots have it right

by MaPatsFan on Jul 14, 2009 7:49 AM EDT in New England Patriots News

Mike Reiss (Globe) discusses winning factors with an organization, specifically not overspending:

Reviewing some NFL-related content from the last two weeks, this piece by Andrew Brandt of the National Football Post caught my eye. I thought the article was excellent and could be applied directly to the New England Patriots in describing part of what makes them a successful organization.

Brandt, a former front-office executive for the Green Bay Packers who currently consults for the Philadelphia Eagles, makes the point that spending doesn't necessarily result in winning in the NFL. He uses specific examples from his time with the Packers to reinforce the thought.

John P. Lopez (SI.com) talks about what made Steve McNair one of the greats:

But as he had done virtually every day on the way to draft day and as he did every day until his death Saturday, McNair touched people and gave them confidence by just being Steve McNair.

It was the greatest of all of McNair's qualities. He didn't just make players around him play better. He made everyone around him feel better. Former Oilers scout Glenn Cumbee once said of McNair, "He's charismatic. When you're around him, you like being around him. You want to be around him more. I can't remember one better than him. He is unique."

LOCAL SHOTS

Mike Reiss (Globe) RB snapshot leading into training camp. How will the load be split?
Mike Reiss (Globe) QB snapshot as training camp approaches. Questions about the knee, state of the backups.
(Globe) As a primer for upcoming training camp battles, meet the Patriots' draft class.

LONG SHOTS

The Patriots Exchange offers their impressions of Tedy Bruschi, Jonathan Wilhite, and others.
Andrew Brandt (NFP) writes an excellent series on rookie contracts: Part 1 and Part 2.
Edgar Thompson (Palm Beach Post) ponders 10 questions as the season approaches.
(AP) Rookie Head Coach Jim Caldwell assures Peyton Manning he has a plan.
Ron Borges (PFW) believes Plaxico Burress and Michael Vick deserve different fates.

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Wow. The bar is sooo low these days.

But as he had done virtually every day on the way to draft day and as he did every day until his death Saturday, McNair touched people and gave them confidence by just being Steve McNair.

He sure did. I imagine he gave all kinds of confidence to his wife and their two sons. He certainly touched a lot of people — including a 20 year old with who he cheated on his wife. Regularly. Who in turn suspected him of cheating again (is that cheating?) with yet another woman.

It was the greatest of all of McNair’s qualities. He didn’t just make players around him play better. He made everyone around him feel better.

I imagine this all made his family feel great. No word on what his two sons from a prior relationship are feeling these days. One would think “better” isn’t it.

Former Oilers scout Glenn Cumbee once said of McNair, “He’s charismatic. When you’re around him, you like being around him. You want to be around him more. I can’t remember one better than him. He is unique.”

“Unique” certainly is one word for it. I’m baffled by the free pass he seems to have gotten from the media in all this. Can you imagine if Brady got offed this way? Do you think the blogosphere would be over-running with paeans to his “warmth,” his charisma?

Here’s a guy who had children by at least 2 different women, was cheating on his wife with a 20-year-old (he even bought her a nice car to cheat with), and potentially cheating on that woman. He may have been a great player. He may have been a nice guy (heck, he was a nice enough guy that his friends who found him apparently knew about the affair and apparently had no problem with it).

But his character sucked.

Yet here’s Lopez, waxing rhapsodic about what an inspiring presence this warm, charismatic man had, and how that’s what his legacy should be.

No. His legacy should be that of yet one more sports superstar who thought the rules didn’t apply to him, who was brought up short by his self-belief when it blinded him to the insanity he was breeding around him. And one more American black man succumbing to a bullet in a culture that just can’t seem to do without its handguns. And one more douchebag who ran out on his wife and kids to chase young strange.

But hey — what a great quarterback, right?

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Jul 14, 2009 11:51 PM EDT reply actions

Just to be clear

That’s American culture that can’t do without its handguns, not black American culture. You could make that case, but I’m not. Though I am lamenting the fact that far too many black American men die before their time, and far too many of those die from bullets.

As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead

by JohnHannahRules on Jul 14, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions