I'm a dyed-in-the-wool fellow Pats fan, but Big Bang Clock's two Pro-Bowl appearances might have been the biggest sham in the history of that exhibition game! And if you consider the expectations that are usually applied to first-rounders, I'd say the fact that he was released means yes, he was a major disappointment, and probably qualifies as a bust.
Ummm, are you under the impression Tom Brady came out of Michigan and was instantly one of the best QBs to ever play the game? Like every player that has ever been drafted, he was far from a finished product and needed to be coached to improve. He wasn't a HOFer when he took over in 2001 either, at that point he wasn't much more than a role player. Over time, and with experience he got better and turned into the player he is today. If you think his coaching staff doesn't deserve any credit for his development you're just an oblivious moron. In fact, HE WOULD TELL YOU how important the coaching he received here is. Did Belichick get lucky drafting him in the 6th round? The answer is obviously yes. But you act like he did NOTHING after that to help turn Brady into what he is. It's delusional.
I never put much stock into the draft either, as mentioned you can never tell until at least two years later, but I am feeling cautiously optimistic about this year. I think Coples can turn out to be a force and I have good feelings about Hill. The rest of the picks are somewhat of a crap shoot but I don't recall anything I didn't like. I expect Mo Wilkerson to breakout this year and Im curious to see about Ellis.
Naturally they should have a higher "hit %" in the first round than in the second through fourth rounds. My point was that, given the fact that 2-4 round picks by definition are more risky picks, the Pats have basically done just as well in the first over the last 5 years as they've done in the 2-4. Also, the hit % is misleading for the 2-4 given the fact that, as I'm sure you already know, Belichick likes to use expendable picks on high-risk/luxury prospects.
Since the '03 draft, the WR's drafted by the Pats in the first 4 rounds have been: Chad Jackson, 2nd rd, 06 (bust) Brandon Tate, 3rd rd, 09 Taylor Price, 3rd rd, 10 (bust) I don't know if you can say "we can't draft an early round WR to save our lives" given the fact that you've only taken one in the first 2 rounds and given that not every single WR taken has been a bust (Tate been the one exception of the three). It's not as though they're the Detroit Lions drafting WR's left and right.
No doubt Charlie Weiss did a great job with Brady and it's not a coincidence that he has been far less steady in playoff clutch time since Weiss left the staff and isn't calling the plays. The other obvious fact is since BB has relied more on Brady and less on running the football and D he hasn't won a SB.
if that's what you want to think is great. And then last year, nothing. Nada, bupkis. So the Jets only sucked 1 out of the last 3 years... ok. And defining a franchise as great really should go back longer then 3 years, don't you think? We're not talking about going back 20 years but more then 3?
10 years from now Jets fans will still be pounding their chests that the Jets "went to back-to-back AFCCG's" like it was some type of significant accomplishment.
10 years from now Brady will be in the HOF and the 2007 Pats will be remebered as the biggest choke in SB history. It's been a long time since the Pats hoisted a Lombardi and the clock is ticking on Brady who looked like a decidely nervous player in his last game.
Of course he developed over time but was BB working w/ him developing him? of course not. Brady was ready to play right away, obviously he would never get that shot in '00 being a 6th rs pick but he got it in '01 and the team took off. No he wasn't '07 Brady but he turned that team around. You learn something new every day, not only is BB the greatest HC and DC of all time but now he develops QBs too. Is there anything this man cannot do? what's really strange is how his magical powers haven't seemed to work when Brady hasn't been his starting QB. at what point did I say the Jets were great? and Pats fans will be kicking themselves w/ their last 2 chances to win SBs when they lost to mediocre teams in '07 & '11.
Charlie Weis has won so much w/o Brady. It was clearly Charlie Weis that stuck the football to David Tyree's helmet and allowed the Giants to go almost 90 yds this season. The difference btw the first 2 SB wins and the last 2 SB losses is Brady had the ball in his hands for the last real possession of the game. The last 2 times thye left too much time for the overrated Pats Ds to choke, if they left too much time in '01 & '03 they'd have 2 less SB wins.
The difference between the SB 36&38 teams and SB's 42&46 teams were that the Patriots in 01 & 03 were built around a strong defense & rushing offense and the 07 & 11 Patriots were built around Brady.
again, the difference is that Brady had the last real possession so the D couldn't blow it like they did in the last 2 SBs. They won at the gun in the first 2, if they leave a couple of minutes they likely lose those games like they did the last 2 SBs.
Brady was the only reason they won SB 36&38 and the defense was the only reason they lost SBs 42&46. Got it.
