Br4dw4ySux is known for his objective opinions. All that's lacking from your reply is any actual evidence that such notions were actually planted, making his objective opinion look alot like objective fact.
Given the personalities at play here, this could become a yearly occurrence between these two teams until the league steps in...
Well, it's a fact that the Patriots lodged tampering charges against the Jets and those charges were investigated and refused. Like I said, I don't see any evidence that the Jets tampered at this point. I do think it is possible that Deion Branch's agent went a bit further than he was supposed to in terms of investigating opportunities. As to whether or not that can be laid at the Jet's doorstep I don't know, however the NFL said no so I have chosen to take the tack that no tampering occurred. The NFL hates tampering charges. They hate dealing with them they hate enforcing them and they really hate the teams that caused them if they are borne out. Both the Jets and New England lodged very successful tampering claims in the Parcells and Belichik movements. Both teams received excellent compensation for their lost coach as a result. My best guess based on what I know is that Jason Chayut really wanted to get Branch his big payday as soon as possible. Branch is not exactly injury prone but he sure does get hurt a lot and that fact had to be weighing both on Chayut and Branch as they approached the 2006 season. The Patriots do not happily renegotiate player contracts unless they get something out of the process and what they wanted was Branch locked in at 2nd receiver money. Enter the media, whom both Branch and Chayut manipulated to the point that it finally got under Belichik's skin. Pioli could have lived with this all year if he had too but Belichik was the one who was going to have to deal with a split clubhouse if he brought Branch back under the same contract. Who has not gotten paid in Belichik's 5 year stewardship? Woody, Milloy, Law, Smith, lots of african american players have been shown the door after making big contributions and asking for suitable compensation. Having Branch in the clubhouse not getting paid would have just added fuel to that fire. Of course letting him go would also do that, but he wouldn't be in the clubhouse at least. In the end I think Belichik blinked and decided to let Branch go. He couldn't pay him the amount of money he wanted because he just wasn't worth it. Well, except to Seattle and the Jets. Must have really pissed him off that two teams including the team he really hates validated Branch's opinion and dissed Belichik's. I think that's where the tampering charges came from. Just like Belichik could not let go of Mangini without making a federal case out of it he could not let go of Branch without having it be somebody else's fault. One other thing. No NFL coach is as hated in his own clubhouse as Belichik. Nobody even close. That worm turns and bites really hard when it's time comes.
What will probably save us here is that he's only going on 33. That's just a tad unseasoned. Next year he's going to get some serious looks and the year after he is gone.
O, I agree, I don't think he will get hired just yet. He is too young and inexperienced (sounds familiar :lol But the main thing is that although the offense is innovative and somewhat unpredictable, it still isn't ranked very high.
The season doesn't have to be over for assistants to interview for head coaching positions. Case in point, Lovie's staff in Chicago: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/198864,CST-SPT-bside05.article
