Song: Boogie Wonderland (1979) Artist: Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions Album: I Am It's a special SUPER WILD CARD SATURDAY SOD! Throw out the regular season records...the dance starts today! I cannot wait to overdose on playoff football this long weekend. (R.I.P. MLK) Fingies crossed I'm not Glansurging it and it's a profitable Super Wild Card Weekend for all!
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***to the tune of "Candle in the Wind*** "Goodbye, Billy B. Though I never knew you at allll."
Well, it's officially over. Bill Belichick is out as HC and GM of the NE Patriots after 24 seasons and SIX Super Bowl rings.
I love that he dropped a Tebow reference in his final presser.
In the upcoming days, we'll see plenty of articles and videos of people debating whether or not this is the right decision for the Patriots, and the truth is we won't know for a couple of years. That's not the purpose of this blog. This post is about appreciating what Bill Belichick meant to the New England Patriots.
On second thought, we miiiight know within a couple of weeks if the next coach has "it." Still, the point remains....outside of me saying right now that I want the Pats to hire Mike Vrabel as their next head coach (it looks like they're going with Mayo); this post is not about speculating who will replace Bill Belichick. I'm paying respect to the best head coach in NFL history. Over the life of DOL, I've been critical of Belichick and some his decisions, but I also know he's one of, if not THE greatest coach in the history of the National Football League. He won games in every way imaginable and accomplished feats (6 Super Bowls, 9 Conference Championships, 24 years with one organization) that will likely never happen again. Of course, having Tom Brady helped, but only a fool would say that it was all him. It wasn't. I hate these debates. Why does it have to be who's more responsible? That's such simplistic bullshit. Tom Brady passed for a whopping 145 yards in Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady didn't have the 2014 Patriots' defense prepared for a goal-line pass in the closing minutes of Super Bowl XLIX with altered NFL history. Brady didn't hold the Rams to 3 (three) points in Super Bowl LIII. I love TB12 and know he's the goat, but despite the importance a quarterback, football is a team game. And who gets the team prepared? The head coach. While I disagreed with a bulk of his personnel decisions in the latter half of his tenure (I'll never get over benching Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl), I know Bill Belichick acted in what he thought was best for the New England Patriots going forward. He earned the right to do it his way. Yes, BB drafted bums like Tavon Wilson, Chad Jackson, Derek Rivers, Jordan Richards, Ras-I Dowling and N'Keal Harry far too high, but he also selected Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Logan Mankins, Devin McCourty, Dont'a Hightower, Patrick Chung, Matt Light, Julian Edelman, Stephen Gostkowski, Jerod Mayo, and Matthew Slater. The Brady-Belichick era truly ended when Brady left us for scuzzy Tampa, Florida, but with Bill gone (and this way), it truly is the end of "the Patriot Way." For the first time in my conscious life, the Patriots don't have a coach..and that's just kinda weird. 24 years. 6 Super Bowls. Millions of memories. I know many of you, like me, are feeling a mix of sadness, nostalgia, and perhaps even a bit of anger. I'm like mad and sad it came to this, but "it's a bUsIneSs." It's tough to see such an iconic figure in not just sports but American history leave, especially with all we've been through together (two-BS-gates). It's just heartbreaking to see it end this way. Even in an 4-13 year, there were still gimples of his old greatness. The Bills win was awesome and unexpected AF. There was like a month stretch were a no name defense allowed 10 points or fewer. The Pats beat more teams with a winning record than the Dolphins this year (technically, they could surpass them if they go on a playoff run...but idk with that weather report in KC). Brady might've broken the all-time passing yardage in Foxboro, but he was playing for Tampa. Now Bill is going to break the all-time win record with another team. That sucks. It's a major bummer that all parties couldn't work something out that had them finish their careers in New England. IMO that falls on the shoulders of Mr. Kraft, although all three played a role in the triumvirate falling. Sports no longer dominate my life like they once did, but being a Patriots fan certainly shaped who I am. Coach Belichick is partly responsible for some of my favorite memories. There is no dozonlife.com without him (and many others...but BB played a significant role in my love of sports). I've learned so much from him and regard BB as one of the greatest football minds ever. He taught us the importance of sacrifice for the greater good, blocking out the noise, and simply doing our job. He pissed a lot of people off but couldn't give a shit. He did it his way, and it worked for decades. He was an innovator....the intentional safety vs. Denver in '03. He was crazy for 4th & 2 in '09, but now that type of decision is low key common place. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the incredible ride it was. I feel bad that I'm writing this while mentally and emotionally exhausted; thus, it's not my best work...I'm just tryna get something out in a timely fashion. Bill deserves better! This man helped turn the Patriots from a team that didn't matter to a premiere organization in the North American Big Four. From the time I was in 4th grade until I was 28, the Patriots were the best team in the NFL and a model organization in all professional sports (even with the BS-gates and a TE who murdered people). They made you proud to be from New England. One bad year doesn't erase six Super Bowls and all our fantastic times together. Before Bill Belichick, the Patriots NEVER had a 12+ win season; under him they had a baker's dozen. I'm sad the run is officially it's over, but I also understand it may be for the best. Bill's 72 and we have the 3rd overall pick in a supposedly loaded draft. This pick could alter the Pats' next decade. I hope he doesn't end up coaching a team I hate, but then again...our democracy is on the ropes, the world is on fire and the Celtics are undefeated at home. There are more significant issues to worry about. Unless BB ends up with a New York team or a rival, I'm gonna root for him to get the win record. TBH, even if he ended up with the bum-ass Jets (congrats on your first win against us since Obama was President), I'd wanna see him do well. He's a historian of the game and that with be legendary narrative. Imagine if Belichick led the Jets to their first Super Bowl since man walked on the moon. Last night, I watched this video of Belichick's most savage moments and it made me go down memory-lane biiiig time. It's such a cliche at this point, but Bill can be pretty funny. I'd definitely rather see him calling games or doing more NFL history-type content like he did with the NFL 100 show, but knowing the competitor he is and how close he is to Halas' record..he's gonna coach another team next season. When it comes to who was more important to the Patriots' success, Brady or Belichick, I ask you this. Which wheel is more important for a motorcycle? It only works with the other. Yes, Brady won a Super Bowl with a loaded Bucs roster..but let's see what Bill does elsewhere. It's clear that his players recognize how great he was. Seeing these posts hit ya boi in the feels! Thank you Coach Belichick for everything you did for this organization and region. You are the Paul Brown of the 21st century.
P.S.
I love this from Rhode Island's own Joe Mazzulla.
Double P.S.
I CANNOT wait to watch this. I wonder if they'll do an update now that Bill is out as HC of NE.
Song: not strong enough (live on SNL) Artist: boygenius Album: The Record (2023) I haven't written nearly enough the last few months and when I eventually post my "Top 23 songs of 2023" this will be one (even though Phoebe Bridgers kinda annoys me).
I still don't know what direction I want the Patriots to take into 2024 and beyond. I guess it doesn't matter what I want because they aren't considering my opinion (despite being a key loss for a 1-7 football team and publishing thousands of good blogs read by approximately 47 people per post), but a blind man can see that things are crumbling at One Patriot Place.
Belichick has been on his Wes-Welker-in-Super Bowl-XLVI-swag the last two years because he's dropped the fucking ball. After a free agent-led rebuild and the drafting of Mac Jone and Christian Barmore, 2021 was a delight for Patriot fans (at least until after the Bills MNF game). Even though they got curb-stomped in the playoffs, it felt like they were building something. Then came 2022. Hiring Matt Patricia for Mac Jone's all-important second season was quite possibly the worst decision Bill's made in New England, and let me remind you, he once traded a 2nd rounder for Mohamed Sanu. The domino effect from poor personnel decisions is no joke.
The game's been passing/has passed Bill by for a minute, but the Pats defense was respectable if not flat out good in 2023. Believe me, I'm not super thrilled with Bill as of late, but he's still one of (if not) the best coaches in NFL history...even with his flaws. If you're gonna move on from Belichick, you need to have a solid replacement plan, and who better than one of the best linebackers from the first half of the double-dynasty who's also a pretty damn good coach?
Mike Vrabel has been the scapegoat for the Titan's past two seasons as if he wanted to trade A.J. Brown and personally injured all his players during 2022's from 7-3 to 7-10 disaster. Before a down two years, Vrabel was one of the league's best "young" coaches. He won coach of the year in 2021 after leading the Titans to a 12-5 record and the #1 seed in the AFC (I had Bengals ML in their playoff choke job).
I'm worried that by the time I finish this post, Vrabs will already be hired elsewhere; he will be the biggest name available (until Belichick and the Pats potentially decide to "part ways"). The Titans made a mistake firing Vrabel, and they're getting roasted online as they should. The front office blew up the team and blamed the coach when the team regressed...Sounds like a Republican congressperson.
I mean....look at the QBs this guy coached. Three playoff appearances is a miracle.
Dark, but funny and true.
The Titans are a lower-class organization when it comes to reputation and accomplishments. This team fired Bum Phillips after an 11-win season when they were still the Oilers. From 2009 to 2017, the Titans made the playoffs a whopping one time. Vrabel deserves better. I'd love to see him come home to Foxboro.
Bill Belichick is a coaching God, but all things eventually end. If Vrabel weren't available, I'd be more down with giving Billy one more chance like Biggie, but things have changed. Mike Vrabel is on the market. It's clear he still has a great relationship with the organization. Players love him and want to play for him. I'm as sentimental as they get, but you can't be in the business of sports. If the Patriots are gonna move on from Bill, now is the time. Their man is available (who knows for how much longer?).
GO GET HIM.
Song: What Is Life (1970) Artist: George Harrison Album: All Things Must Pass I've been away from the keys for far too long, but The Doz Man is back with one of my all-time favorite songs to kick off my 2024 blogging campaign. I've been on a huuuuuge George Harrison bender (listening to the same three songs) so far in the new year. Since the live options on YouTube kinda stink, we're going with this "official video" that came out 15 years after George Harrison passed. P.S. I'm giving the loyal DOL readers a little double-dip this Tuesday to compensate for lost time away from the keys. I found this Weird Al cover last week, and he fucking crushes it. tbh Weird Al should go by Regular Al when he plays a non-parody song to get the respect he deserves. |
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