It's so odd to see the Patriots and "built for regular season success" in the same sentence, but you're right. Until Belichick fixes the defense and they develop more of a power running game, that will be the case. I do think both of those areas could improve a lot this year, but we'll have to see. In order to be an "improvement" over another guy, you have to be replacing that guy. Ochocinco isn't replacing anyone. The Patriots did not lose any receivers to trades or free agency. He's simply an addition, and a guy with more inherent talent than most receivers who have come through New England. No one's expecting him to break records, but he should be a solid option for Brady, and something else for other teams to think about. As far as the "arrogance" goes... what makes that arrogant? Are you saying fans are arrogant for thinking that way, or that Belichick is arrogant for going out and getting the guy? It would be one thing if they traded an established player or a high draft pick on him, but a 5th rounder in 2012 does not convey arrogance. It conveys, "OK, if we can get this guy straightened out, that would be great... but I don't know if that will happen, so I'm only going to give up a low-round draft pick for 2013 for him." If anything, that's caution, not arrogance.
There is a perception in the media that every move Belichick does is brilliant. Any other team, including the Jets, bring in Haynesworth and Ochocinco, and it's a desperate grasping at straws for malcontents who are past their prime and only have a big name. The Pats do it, and it's considered a stroke of genius.
If the jets picked up AH and CO right now, I don't think it would be seen as desperate. It would be seen as "the jets adding more low-character malcontents" because of your team's other recent moves, bbut not desperate because you guys would not be counting on their performance for a successful season... same goes for the pats.
Well, by your logic Plax is equally useless. Moreso than Haynesworth who at least managed 6.5 sacks over the past 2 years. How many passes did Plax receive? Ocho certainly did not get Aso-level hype. That's ridiculous. When Aso signed with the Eagles everyone jumped in stating that this made the Eagles the SB favorites. Everyone was following the efforts to sign Aso very closely. Ocho? Not anywhere close to this level of hype. Also you state Ocho isn't any better than the Pats existing receivers, well that doesn't add up either. Ocho is a 6X pro bowl receiver, the only other current Patriot to be selected is Welker, and that was once. Clearly as Welker is a slot receiver it is very likely they won't compete for snaps. Then there is the Brady factor. Receivers do better when playing with him. What is Branch outside of a Patriots uniform? Nothing. Ocho was an All-Pro without Brady. The idea of BB being able to resurrect the careers of bad boys comes from prior successes. Dillion and Moss had down production and plenty of doubters before they came to NE, just like Haynesworth. Dillon went from 540 yards with Cinn to 1600 yards with NE. Moss? 3 to 23 TDs. Both of these years NE went to the SB. The reason that the press thinks BB can do it is because he did it before. Haynesworth is 30. Plenty of DL are productive at that age. If Patriots Kool-Aid can calm the demons in his head, he should be productive again.
Well, if that was the case, that would still be far more negative than how the media has treated the Pats acquiring both of them.
Maybe it's because the last two times BB did it (Dillon and Moss) New England went to the Super Bowl with their reclamation projects playing a major role in the team's success.
Therefore, it will always work for him, and never work for anyone else. That is my point. That's how it is perceived.
Those guys were much closer to the primes of thier careers than these 2 but I still worry they can be revived for a year. Remember, Dillon had one outstanding year but was mediocre the other 2 years.
Plus, neither of them refused to play the position that was the best fit for them, only to go to the Pats where they run the same scheme.
Well, it's reasonable to decide that it has a good chance of working again. This makes it a good move. As far as it working for others, the Raiders are well known for success at reclamation projects as this article describes: bleacherreport.com/articles/418978-raider-reclamation-2010-kamerion-wimbley So your statement that it won't work for anyone else doesn't seem to hold up.
Except for the fact that my argument was about media perception. Now, even a Pats fan wouldn't classify bleacherreport as legitimate media, would they?
I have a problem with the arrogance you are displaying in assuming that Haynesworth's slip in production is some irreversible process. You use the term "over-the-hill" as though his body physically can't perform for him anymore. I'm pretty sure you know this is not the case, and are just being an asshole for the fun of it. By any conventional standards, the guy is still in (or at least near) his prime. His performance sucked the past two years because he put forth no effort for a coach that he hated and a team that had no chance of winning, with or without him.
Oh hogwash. You know as well as I do Oakland is known for this sort of thing, and has been for decades. Here's an article in the NY Times about Gruden doing the same thing: nytimes.com/2001/11/23/sports/football-former-mystery-giant-has-thrived-in-oakland.html?ref=tyronewheatley It's time to dump the Patriots Derangement Syndrome.
Should I kiss the rings while I'm at it? Everything Patriots fans hate in the summer, they become in the fall. The New England Yankriots.
jets have won 4 of the last 6 games vs the pats let the national media suck belichicks dick and we will continue to beat there asses
The Pats have EARNED respect by being a model franchise for a decade, we are doing a great job lately and hopefully some day we'll have earned similar respect but we have a long way to go.
They were a model franchise for half a decade. Have they really set the standard above, say, the Steelers over the last five years?
