When it comes down to comparing the great players in the NBA today, Kobe Bryant is someone that i've always kept as the gold standard because of his ability to compete, desire to win, and proven track record.
Boston Celtics great Larry Bird saw the Los Angeles Lakers as the enemy during his playing days, but sees Bryant as the one current player he'd like on his side if he were playing today.
Bill Simmons talks to Celtics legend and current Pacers GM Larry Bird about the NBA then and now.
Appearing on "The B.S. Report" with Grantland.com's Bill Simmons, Bird said that LeBron James is one of the greatest players and we should all sit back and enjoy what he can do on the basketball court. He even calls him the best player in the league, but he's not the player he would go into battle with.
If he could choose any current player that he'd like to play a season with, who would it be, Bird was asked.
"Well, probably Kobe, because of the fact that ... well, of course he wouldn't have been shooting as much as he does now ... but his desire to win, his dedication, to always get better, uh, and he's just, he's just tough," Bird said. "He's just a tough cat.
"But, if you want to have fun, like I did with Bill Walton, play with LeBron. It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it's Kobe. Not that LeBron's not a winner, just that [Kobe's] mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better."
Bryant has won five championships with the Lakers, one short of the legend he's most often compared to, Michael Jordan. James joined the Miami Heat last season and fell short in the NBA Finals, leaving him searching for his first title.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Harry Keough (1927-2012)
Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America writes of the legacy of US soccer pioneer Harry Keough, who passed away yesterday.
The first time I talked with Harry Keough about the 1950 World Cup defeat of England, three and a half decades had passed, yet the details still swirled in his mind. Sights and sounds and smells of the stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; the numbing boredom of a long boat trip from New York to Brazil that took the team to the competition; the joking rivalry between the St. Louis and East Coast players; and, of that game itself, a humble pride in accomplishing what he'd believed as a player and preached as a coach: "You always have to believe you have a chance to win, because you do."
I had called Harry in advance of a USA-England friendly to be played June 16, 1985, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the fourth meeting between the countries since the 1-0 defeat inflicted by a Joe Gaetjens goal, some robust defending, and a goal-line clearance. After continuing his playing career with semi-pro teams into the late 1950s, he’d coached 15 seasons and won five NCAA Division I titles at St. Louis University before leaving the college game in 1982.
In three post-World Cup meetings England had thumped the USA 6-3, 8-1, and 10-0. “None of those scores would have surprised anybody when we played them,” laughed Keough when reminded of the results posted in 1953, 1959, and 1964, the first of which he’d played in. “I hope we can do better this time.”
The USA couldn’t: England romped, 5-0, in a match remembered mostly for Gary Lineker, who would become his country’s all-time leading scorer with 48, netting twice. The state of the game in the U.S. was grim; 17 days earlier, on May 31, I had watched the USA lose a World Cup qualifier to Costa Rica, 1-0, to fall out of contention for the 1986 tournament and extend a run of exclusion that dated back to the days of Keough and Gaetjens and Walter Bahr and Frank Borghi, men who had stunned the world while their own nation failed to take note.
Months before had come confirmation the NASL had folded. Instead, the Major Indoor Soccer League, a mutation of crashing bodies and wild scoring, was nearing the peak of its popularity. It seemed sadly fitting to talk with Harry and Bahr and Borghi of an amazing triumph that their head coach, Scotsman Bill Jeffrey, proclaimed would rocket the sport to prominence in the United States but instead nudged only a tiny ripple that quickly dissipated.
It would be corny, and false, to say talking with Harry had renewed my faith in the game as dark clouds descended. But Harry’s spirit, forged by decades playing and coaching and working and raising three children, captivated and inspired you. In our occasional meetings and conversations over the years – at U.S. Soccer events, the NSCAA Convention, at the Soccer Hall of Fame – he always had a good story or a treasured memory or absurd anecdote to share.
The Brazilian soccer federation brought Keough and Bahr and former England international Wilf Mannion back to Belo Horizonte in 1987 to commemorate the match, but it took a little bit longer for the USA itself to catch up.
When World Cup qualification was attained, for the 1990 tournament, Keough and his former teammates bounced back into the spotlight. They basked in the glow during the lead-up to World Cup USA 1994, of course, and once again in 1996 upon release of a book, “The Game of Their Lives,” that detailed their exploits in Brazil. A film version, released in 2005, thrust them into yet another very public forum. He got the celebrity treatment again in 2010, when a USA-England World Cup match brought the game back again 60 years later.
Yet Keough loved to remind interviewers he had to take time off from his mail route to play for the USA, and got back on the job the same day he returned to St. Louis from Brazil. One of the players, Ben McLaughlin, couldn’t get time off to play in the World Cup. One was a meat packer, another drove a hearse. They came back not to acclaim and riches, but to their families and responsibilities.
More than anything, they knew that one game didn’t define them as players, nor as men. He much rather talk about his kids, one of which, Ty, played pro soccer and for the USA. Harry always spoke of his teammates, and had to be prodded to mention anything of himself, though Bahr insisted just about any time a dribbler or cross came into Keough’s vicinity, Harry would win the battle.
Early Tuesday morning Harry lost the battle that eventually claims all of us. We’ll all press on, as Harry would insist.
Harry was a true American soccer legend, and was someone who I was able to meet through his work as a member of the 'red aprons' - the icons who built the foundation of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He will surely be missed.
The first time I talked with Harry Keough about the 1950 World Cup defeat of England, three and a half decades had passed, yet the details still swirled in his mind. Sights and sounds and smells of the stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; the numbing boredom of a long boat trip from New York to Brazil that took the team to the competition; the joking rivalry between the St. Louis and East Coast players; and, of that game itself, a humble pride in accomplishing what he'd believed as a player and preached as a coach: "You always have to believe you have a chance to win, because you do."
I had called Harry in advance of a USA-England friendly to be played June 16, 1985, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the fourth meeting between the countries since the 1-0 defeat inflicted by a Joe Gaetjens goal, some robust defending, and a goal-line clearance. After continuing his playing career with semi-pro teams into the late 1950s, he’d coached 15 seasons and won five NCAA Division I titles at St. Louis University before leaving the college game in 1982.
In three post-World Cup meetings England had thumped the USA 6-3, 8-1, and 10-0. “None of those scores would have surprised anybody when we played them,” laughed Keough when reminded of the results posted in 1953, 1959, and 1964, the first of which he’d played in. “I hope we can do better this time.”
The USA couldn’t: England romped, 5-0, in a match remembered mostly for Gary Lineker, who would become his country’s all-time leading scorer with 48, netting twice. The state of the game in the U.S. was grim; 17 days earlier, on May 31, I had watched the USA lose a World Cup qualifier to Costa Rica, 1-0, to fall out of contention for the 1986 tournament and extend a run of exclusion that dated back to the days of Keough and Gaetjens and Walter Bahr and Frank Borghi, men who had stunned the world while their own nation failed to take note.
Months before had come confirmation the NASL had folded. Instead, the Major Indoor Soccer League, a mutation of crashing bodies and wild scoring, was nearing the peak of its popularity. It seemed sadly fitting to talk with Harry and Bahr and Borghi of an amazing triumph that their head coach, Scotsman Bill Jeffrey, proclaimed would rocket the sport to prominence in the United States but instead nudged only a tiny ripple that quickly dissipated.
It would be corny, and false, to say talking with Harry had renewed my faith in the game as dark clouds descended. But Harry’s spirit, forged by decades playing and coaching and working and raising three children, captivated and inspired you. In our occasional meetings and conversations over the years – at U.S. Soccer events, the NSCAA Convention, at the Soccer Hall of Fame – he always had a good story or a treasured memory or absurd anecdote to share.
The Brazilian soccer federation brought Keough and Bahr and former England international Wilf Mannion back to Belo Horizonte in 1987 to commemorate the match, but it took a little bit longer for the USA itself to catch up.
When World Cup qualification was attained, for the 1990 tournament, Keough and his former teammates bounced back into the spotlight. They basked in the glow during the lead-up to World Cup USA 1994, of course, and once again in 1996 upon release of a book, “The Game of Their Lives,” that detailed their exploits in Brazil. A film version, released in 2005, thrust them into yet another very public forum. He got the celebrity treatment again in 2010, when a USA-England World Cup match brought the game back again 60 years later.
Yet Keough loved to remind interviewers he had to take time off from his mail route to play for the USA, and got back on the job the same day he returned to St. Louis from Brazil. One of the players, Ben McLaughlin, couldn’t get time off to play in the World Cup. One was a meat packer, another drove a hearse. They came back not to acclaim and riches, but to their families and responsibilities.
More than anything, they knew that one game didn’t define them as players, nor as men. He much rather talk about his kids, one of which, Ty, played pro soccer and for the USA. Harry always spoke of his teammates, and had to be prodded to mention anything of himself, though Bahr insisted just about any time a dribbler or cross came into Keough’s vicinity, Harry would win the battle.
Early Tuesday morning Harry lost the battle that eventually claims all of us. We’ll all press on, as Harry would insist.
Harry was a true American soccer legend, and was someone who I was able to meet through his work as a member of the 'red aprons' - the icons who built the foundation of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). He will surely be missed.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Bradley serves as model of strength during tragedy in Egypt
Bob Bradley has always been a tremendous example for his players and leader as a soccer coach. Now, in the wake of a terrible tragedy, he is asked to do the same for a nation.Bradley insisted Monday that he is “totally committed” to coaching Egypt’s national soccer team despite the turmoil in the country following the riot at a game last week that left more than 70 dead.
The soccer federation president who hired Bradley last year resigned last weekend along with his board after they had already been dismissed by the prime minister in the aftermath of Wednesday’s rampage.
But Bradley, the former U.S. national team coach, is sure that he will lead Egypt into African Cup of Nations qualifying.
“I’m totally committed,” Bradley told broadcaster Al-Jazeera according to an e-mailed transcript. “When a tragedy like this occurs it’s important that people can come together and can be strong and in my role as coach of the national team I want to do whatever I can in my responsibilities to help with this process.”
The deadliest soccer stadium disaster since 1996 unfolded in the Mediterranean city of Port Said following Al-Masry’s league match against Cairo-based Al-Ahly, with fans crushed to death while others were fatally stabbed or suffocated in a stampede.
The soccer federation president who hired Bradley last year resigned last weekend along with his board after they had already been dismissed by the prime minister in the aftermath of Wednesday’s rampage.
But Bradley, the former U.S. national team coach, is sure that he will lead Egypt into African Cup of Nations qualifying.
“I’m totally committed,” Bradley told broadcaster Al-Jazeera according to an e-mailed transcript. “When a tragedy like this occurs it’s important that people can come together and can be strong and in my role as coach of the national team I want to do whatever I can in my responsibilities to help with this process.”
The deadliest soccer stadium disaster since 1996 unfolded in the Mediterranean city of Port Said following Al-Masry’s league match against Cairo-based Al-Ahly, with fans crushed to death while others were fatally stabbed or suffocated in a stampede.
Giants provide reference point for success
The New York Giants' Super Bowl victory can serve as a tremendous reference point for what a team has to be focused on to win a championship.The Bleacher Report created a list of what teams (and specifically, the New York Knicks) can learn from the New York Giants:
* Defense wins Championships - Contrary to what everyone expected, Super Bowl XLVI was a low-scoring game.
All of the so-called expert analyses predicted anywhere between a 25- to 35-point shootout, but in the end, the Giants were able to come away with a win by only scoring two touchdowns.
How did they manage to do that?
One word: defense.
On the Patriots' first drive, pressure from DE Justin Tuck forced an errant Tom Brady throw which was ruled as intentional grounding from inside of the end zone, thus ruled a safety.
Later in the game, faced with one-on-one coverage out on an island, matched up with injured Pro Bowl TE Rob Gronkowski, LB Chase Blackburn came away with a game-changing interception that stole any momentum the Patriots had left.
Those two turnovers, plus holding the usually stagnant New England rushing attack to only 83 yards, is merely a testament to how pivotal stingy defense is to success.
* When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going - It wasn't too long ago that the Giants were in a similar, if not worse predicament than the Knicks are right now.
At 7-7, facing relentless win-or-go-home situations, the Giants never faltered.
With their backs against the wall, the G-Men shined even brighter, notching convincing wins over their hometown rival New York Jets and their division rival Dallas Cowboys to earn a Wild Card playoff spot.
They then continued to defy the odds against the Atlanta Falcons, the red-hot Green Bay Packers and the stingy defense of the San Francisco 49ers, all leading up to their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
Even in the NFC Championship game, the 49ers hit Manning an appalling 18 times.
But did the future Hall of Fame QB give up?
No, Manning hung in there, sat in the pocket like a grown man and delivered accurate strikes to get his team to the Super Bowl.
* The Best Player on the Team Must Step Up and Fill His Role - Before the season began, Eli Manning's confidence was tested when he was asked whether he believed he was among the elite QBs in the NFL—i.e., Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and his oh-so heralded older brother, Peyton Manning.
While his pitch and tone lacked confidence, his answer was a resounding "yes," and he's proven to be everything and more than the critics believed he wasn't.
* Consistency Is Key - This isn't something for the entire team to learn, but for the superstars to learn from the superstar.
Eli Manning, since the Giants' win-or-go-home victory over the Dallas Cowboys, has been nothing short of phenomenal.
In his last five games, since it's mattered most, Manning has only thrown one interception—a barely visible blemish compared to his 11 touchdown passes and 1,565 passing yards.
Commitment to defense and hard work are staples for Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau has transitioned from being an outstanding assistant coach in the NBA to the 2010-11 NBA Coach of the Year as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun Times writes of what makes Thibodeau such a special coach.
‘‘Before we made the decision to hire him, we did an incredible amount of background work on all the candidates,’’ says Bulls general manager Gar Forman, who with executive vice president for basketball operations John Paxson signed Thibodeau as the 18th head coach in franchise history on June 23, 2010. ‘‘We talked to coaches, players, everyone. It was evident Tom was really a fit for us and the philosophy of the organization.’’
And what’s that philosophy? Defense, seriousness, teamwork, hard work and, as Forman says, ‘‘attention to detail.’’
From chairman Jerry Reinsdorf on down, the Bulls have this notion that defense wins championships.
The Bulls won six NBA titles with Michael Jordan on the floor. You think his offense had something to do with it?
Then again, if you saw Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and/or Dennis Rodman, arms splayed, twitching with glee, waiting for you to cross the halfcourt line with the ball, the defensive part does come to mind.
And defense is Thibodeau’s calling card. That’s what he specialized in as an assistant for coach Doc Rivers when the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship in 2008. And that’s what the Bulls want him to specialize in now. He does that and more.
Without sugar-coating any of this, let’s just state for the record that Thibodeau — the man with no known hobbies, pets, addictions, interests, disorders or distractions of any kind — is succeeding far beyond our wildest dreams.
After meeting with him during the Celtics’ playoff run in 2010, Forman and Paxson were amazed the then-52-year-old lifer was available. And to think he never had been an NBA head coach.
Indeed, that was why the public was underwhelmed by the hire. After all, how well did the Vinny Del Negro first-time-as-head-coach thing go?
But Thibodeau seemingly has put the cork in the Phil Jackson Era bottle, tightly and with emphasis, enabling the Bulls to see a new future at last.
For years, there was chaos in the vacuum left by Phil and his six trophies. From 1998 until Thibodeau, the Bulls had this conga line of head coaches and interim head coaches: Tim Floyd, Bill Berry, Bill Cartwright, Pete Myers, Scott Skiles, Myers again, Jim Boylan and Del Negro.
Not one of them had a winning record. Del Negro, in fact, comes out as the star of the lame bunch at an even 82-82.
Maybe it was luck giving the Bulls the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft — and, thus, Derrick Rose — that deserves all the credit. But the Bulls never should be an average or worse team.
And here they are with a 21-6 record, with Thibodeau making do with a patched-up lineup seemingly every night.
Why, with Rip Hamilton and Luol Deng alternately down with injuries, virtual statue Kyle Korver has been forced into playing lots of minutes, which means he has had to do much more than fire up three-pointers. Which he has done.
‘‘I think he’s really improved defensively over the course of two seasons’’ is how Thibs, grim-faced as ever, doles out the slightest praise for Korver.
Thibodeau isn’t a sweetheart. But Forman says: ‘‘He does a terrific job of communicating. He gives great attention to details, he has a plan and he holds the players accountable. I think all of the guys like him. But, more important, they respect him.’’
They do. And it’s because Thibodeau wants what they want: to win.
Which is another reason the Bulls should be cautious before they go out and try to snag a big superstar, such as, say, talk-radio favorite Dwight Howard.
‘‘To play for Tom, it takes a certain type of player,’’ Forman says. ‘‘A player who is serious about the game, a professional, a guy with a great work ethic.’’
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Jeter proves to be worthy role model for Eli
Eli Manning's star has never shined brighter as he leads his New York Giants into their 2nd Super Bowl in the past 4 years.
As accomplished and appreciated as Manning is now, he was not always held in that regard. Playing professional sports in the largest fishbowl of a media market like New York is not easy, as there are very high expectations to manage and distractions to avoid.
Manning has several role models that he can use as reference points in his career - both his father (Archie) and brother (Peyton) have had stellar NFL careers themselves - but when it came to holding himself up to a specific standard, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was was used.
"Derek's a guy, from the time I first came here, that I definitely have paid a lot of attention to," Manning said last week after a Giants practice. "He's a great player, but he's also a guy who really shows you what you have to do to succeed in a place like New York. The way he's handled himself on the field, off the field. The way he's dealt with all of the attention without letting it affect the way he does his job. He's done that better than anybody."
As Manning prepares to play the New England Patriots on Sunday in his second Super Bowl, he's the focus of much attention and hype. There is an urge to rate him, to compare him, to discuss his place in the pantheon of quarterbacks -- both current and all time. He is compared to his brother, the great Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. He is compared to Tom Brady, the three-time Super Bowl winner he's trying to beat in the big game for the second time in five years. But the best comparison for Manning may actually be a guy who plays a different sport in the same town.
As Manning prepares to play the New England Patriots on Sunday in his second Super Bowl, he's the focus of much attention and hype. There is an urge to rate him, to compare him, to discuss his place in the pantheon of quarterbacks -- both current and all time. He is compared to his brother, the great Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. He is compared to Tom Brady, the three-time Super Bowl winner he's trying to beat in the big game for the second time in five years. But the best comparison for Manning may actually be a guy who plays a different sport in the same town.
Jeter has succeeded as a New York superstar without once saying anything to get himself in trouble or embarrass his organization. He is a quiet leader whose entire team respects and follows him without question. At a young age, he established himself as the kind of player who excels in clutch situations, and the way he does that is by remaining exactly the same regardless of the intensity of the situation. By refusing to let the game become too big or too important at times when it feels that way to many other players, he effectively raises his game at the critical moment. All of these same things can be said about Eli Manning, and it's no accident.
"Playing in this market, you learn quickly that you've got to be immune to the distractions," Manning said. "And watching Derek and seeing how he's kept his private life private and managed to keep the focus on the field and on the job he has to do, that's a big help for someone like me. That's what you've got to do, and he's the ultimate example."
"Playing in this market, you learn quickly that you've got to be immune to the distractions," Manning said. "And watching Derek and seeing how he's kept his private life private and managed to keep the focus on the field and on the job he has to do, that's a big help for someone like me. That's what you've got to do, and he's the ultimate example."
The examples set by both Manning and Jeter are tremendous models to follow - not only for athletes who are playing in the magnified setting of New York, but for any athlete that hold professionalism, commitment and focus in high regard.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Belichick is both film critic and tutor
Video analysis is an important piece of the evaluation process for a coaching staff, and is also an invaluable teaching tool.In relation to the use of video, I always tell our players that 'you have what I thought, what you thought, and the truth...because video NEVER lies.'
The ability to show critical analysis of what went wrong in the previous match or training session, as well as areas of improvement from the previous week, is an invaluable way to help your players grow and develop.
No coach in the National Football League is more renown for his use of video analysis than Bill Belichick,who is known as "The Belistrator" by his players.
Jackie MacMullen writes of Belichick's roles as both film critic and tutor.
New England Patriots safety James Ihedigbo crouched in his seat, attempting to make himself as tiny and as indistinguishable as possible.
He knew what was coming.
Coach Bill Belichick clicked off the lights and rolled the film.
James Ihedigbo looked bad in his matchup against Santana Moss in December ... and he's still hearing about it. "So now we're going to watch a double reverse," said Belichick, launching into his weekly film analysis, which former linebacker Mike Vrabel gleefully revealed earned the coach the nickname "The Belistrator."
The play on the screen was painfully familiar. Just one day earlier, the Patriots slipped past the Washington Redskins 34-27, but not before Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan suckered the Patriots by calling for a double reverse. Quarterback Rex Grossman handed off to running back Roy Helu, who pitched it to receiver Brandon Banks, who tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass to an untouched Santana Moss.
"As you can see clearly here," said Belichick, slowing the game action to an excruciating crawl, "this is where Ihedigbo gets beat."
Ihedigbo, slinking farther down in his chair, squirmed uncomfortably as his coach skewered his performance.
("They ran the double reverse in Cover 2. I bit on it, and got caught. I blew the coverage," Ihedigbo later lamented.)
"So this is how you DON'T defend the double reverse," Belichick said as he showed it again.
And again. And again and again.
"Well, at least that's over with," said Ihedigbo, in his first year with the Patriots, when Belichick finally moved on.
His friends in the secondary erupted with laughter.
"James," one of his teammates informed him, "it's just beginning."
"They were right," Ihedigbo later confirmed. "Bill ran that play for weeks. He kept bringing it up: 'Now see, this is where Ihedigbo got caught deep.'
"After a while, it became more generic. It was, 'Hey, we might see a double reverse this week like we did against Washington.' And there I am, up on the screen, in the wrong place all over again."
The Belistrator is an equal-opportunity humiliator. He doesn't care if you are a young safety or a first-ballot Hall of Famer; if you mess up, he's going to hold you accountable.
And then he's going to degrade you.
Former linebacker Don Davis was a popular and revered figure in New England's locker room. He was a pastor who coordinated Bible study groups for the players and proved to be a tireless worker on the field and in the weight room. He even earned the offseason conditioning award.
"So there's this one play that made Don look really bad," Vrabel recalled. "Bill showed it a few times then said, 'Offseason award winner, my ass. You look like a cow on ice.' Tedy [Bruschi] and I were in the back laughing our butts off.
Even superstars like Tom Brady can be frequent targets of Bill Belichick's film-room barbs."Of course, it's only funny until it happens to you."
Belichick's current and former players and coaches say his vicious film critiques have been part of his motivational arsenal for as long as they can remember. The roots of the tactic are murky -- Belichick declined a request to be interviewed for this story -- but the desired impact has been well documented.
"It was very, very effective," said Brad Seely, the former Patriots and current San Francisco 49ers special teams coach. "Just look at the former players who have been gone a few years and can still describe it in vivid detail."
Seely said he rarely knew in advance what Belichick had prepared for the dreaded Monday meeting.
"We all were as anxious as the players to see what Bill came up with," Seely said. "Those sessions were always quite enlightening."
Past Patriots veterans fondly remember the time Tom Brady uncharacteristically threw a weak, fluttering pass. As they left the stadium, Brady announced, "Bring the popcorn. I'll be the star of tomorrow's show." Sure enough, when the lights were dimmed and the film began rolling, there was Brady in technicolor, tossing a wounded duck up for grabs -- over and over again.
In that instance, the coach let the picture tell the story. Then he clicked on the lights and announced, "I've seen better passes thrown at Foxborough High School."
The Brady lowlights have been frequent and biting through the years. Belichick stresses the need to never leave points on the board and whenever his quarterback does, he's treated to his own personal film festival. The clips include bad reads, interceptions and poorly timed bombs, such as one in 2009, when Brady overthrew Randy Moss as he streaked toward the end zone.
"As you can see," the Belistrator pointed out, "Randy is wide open. The defense let him go. Not that we can hit him, though. Right, Tom?"
Picking on Ihedigbo is one thing; embarrassing the face of the franchise would seem to be another matter entirely.
It isn't.
"The message was always clear," Bruschi said. "No one was off limits. That's why you had to respect it."
"None of us are immune from his coaching," Stephen Gostkowski added.
Not even the kicker. In Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants, the Patriots had just scored on a Laurence Maroney 1-yard run when Gostkowski kicked off -- and the ball sailed out of bounds.
That critical error gave the Giants optimal field position at their own 40-yard line. Gostkowski had to sit through weeks and weeks of replays of his stray kick, as well as Eli Manning's ensuing 38-yard pass to Amani Toomer that placed the Giants inside New England's 20-yard line. New York did not score on that drive because Ellis Hobbs picked off a Manning pass, but footage of that play is never shown. The Belistrator always ends the clip with the Giants seemingly ready to cash in on Gostkowski's miscue.
For a split second, Gostkowski actually thought he might escape the humiliating film sessions, since his mistake occurred during the season finale.
Ah, no.
"Bill teed it up the first week the following season," Gostkowski said. "He reminded me of that kick almost every day. He has a way of putting pressure on you so you accept any challenge he puts out there.
"He never forgets anything. He still brings up plays from when he was a coach with the Giants and the Browns. Those meetings are like an NFL history lesson."
New England Patriots safety James Ihedigbo crouched in his seat, attempting to make himself as tiny and as indistinguishable as possible.
He knew what was coming.
Coach Bill Belichick clicked off the lights and rolled the film.
James Ihedigbo looked bad in his matchup against Santana Moss in December ... and he's still hearing about it. "So now we're going to watch a double reverse," said Belichick, launching into his weekly film analysis, which former linebacker Mike Vrabel gleefully revealed earned the coach the nickname "The Belistrator."
The play on the screen was painfully familiar. Just one day earlier, the Patriots slipped past the Washington Redskins 34-27, but not before Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan suckered the Patriots by calling for a double reverse. Quarterback Rex Grossman handed off to running back Roy Helu, who pitched it to receiver Brandon Banks, who tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass to an untouched Santana Moss.
"As you can see clearly here," said Belichick, slowing the game action to an excruciating crawl, "this is where Ihedigbo gets beat."
Ihedigbo, slinking farther down in his chair, squirmed uncomfortably as his coach skewered his performance.
("They ran the double reverse in Cover 2. I bit on it, and got caught. I blew the coverage," Ihedigbo later lamented.)
"So this is how you DON'T defend the double reverse," Belichick said as he showed it again.
And again. And again and again.
"Well, at least that's over with," said Ihedigbo, in his first year with the Patriots, when Belichick finally moved on.
His friends in the secondary erupted with laughter.
"James," one of his teammates informed him, "it's just beginning."
"They were right," Ihedigbo later confirmed. "Bill ran that play for weeks. He kept bringing it up: 'Now see, this is where Ihedigbo got caught deep.'
"After a while, it became more generic. It was, 'Hey, we might see a double reverse this week like we did against Washington.' And there I am, up on the screen, in the wrong place all over again."
The Belistrator is an equal-opportunity humiliator. He doesn't care if you are a young safety or a first-ballot Hall of Famer; if you mess up, he's going to hold you accountable.
And then he's going to degrade you.
Former linebacker Don Davis was a popular and revered figure in New England's locker room. He was a pastor who coordinated Bible study groups for the players and proved to be a tireless worker on the field and in the weight room. He even earned the offseason conditioning award.
"So there's this one play that made Don look really bad," Vrabel recalled. "Bill showed it a few times then said, 'Offseason award winner, my ass. You look like a cow on ice.' Tedy [Bruschi] and I were in the back laughing our butts off.
Even superstars like Tom Brady can be frequent targets of Bill Belichick's film-room barbs."Of course, it's only funny until it happens to you."
Belichick's current and former players and coaches say his vicious film critiques have been part of his motivational arsenal for as long as they can remember. The roots of the tactic are murky -- Belichick declined a request to be interviewed for this story -- but the desired impact has been well documented.
"It was very, very effective," said Brad Seely, the former Patriots and current San Francisco 49ers special teams coach. "Just look at the former players who have been gone a few years and can still describe it in vivid detail."
Seely said he rarely knew in advance what Belichick had prepared for the dreaded Monday meeting.
"We all were as anxious as the players to see what Bill came up with," Seely said. "Those sessions were always quite enlightening."
Past Patriots veterans fondly remember the time Tom Brady uncharacteristically threw a weak, fluttering pass. As they left the stadium, Brady announced, "Bring the popcorn. I'll be the star of tomorrow's show." Sure enough, when the lights were dimmed and the film began rolling, there was Brady in technicolor, tossing a wounded duck up for grabs -- over and over again.
In that instance, the coach let the picture tell the story. Then he clicked on the lights and announced, "I've seen better passes thrown at Foxborough High School."
The Brady lowlights have been frequent and biting through the years. Belichick stresses the need to never leave points on the board and whenever his quarterback does, he's treated to his own personal film festival. The clips include bad reads, interceptions and poorly timed bombs, such as one in 2009, when Brady overthrew Randy Moss as he streaked toward the end zone.
"As you can see," the Belistrator pointed out, "Randy is wide open. The defense let him go. Not that we can hit him, though. Right, Tom?"
Picking on Ihedigbo is one thing; embarrassing the face of the franchise would seem to be another matter entirely.
It isn't.
"The message was always clear," Bruschi said. "No one was off limits. That's why you had to respect it."
"None of us are immune from his coaching," Stephen Gostkowski added.
Not even the kicker. In Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants, the Patriots had just scored on a Laurence Maroney 1-yard run when Gostkowski kicked off -- and the ball sailed out of bounds.
That critical error gave the Giants optimal field position at their own 40-yard line. Gostkowski had to sit through weeks and weeks of replays of his stray kick, as well as Eli Manning's ensuing 38-yard pass to Amani Toomer that placed the Giants inside New England's 20-yard line. New York did not score on that drive because Ellis Hobbs picked off a Manning pass, but footage of that play is never shown. The Belistrator always ends the clip with the Giants seemingly ready to cash in on Gostkowski's miscue.
For a split second, Gostkowski actually thought he might escape the humiliating film sessions, since his mistake occurred during the season finale.
Ah, no.
"Bill teed it up the first week the following season," Gostkowski said. "He reminded me of that kick almost every day. He has a way of putting pressure on you so you accept any challenge he puts out there.
"He never forgets anything. He still brings up plays from when he was a coach with the Giants and the Browns. Those meetings are like an NFL history lesson."
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