-81- McMichael
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Page from NE's history book.
A lot is made of the comparisons between Belichick and Saban. Well I guess another thread on the subject won't hurt. Sorry for the length.
To start off, check out the regular season record of the New England Patriots for the following years:
'97 10-6 ... decline... one year remov'd from SB loss, 1-1 in playoffs.
'98 9-7 ... further decline... 0-1 in plaoyffs.
'99 8-8 .... mo' further decline... NO playoffs... (Tuna finally melts).
'00 5-11 (Belicheck era begins.)
'01 11-5 ***** SB victory.
'02 9-7 still competitive - couple bad breaks that yr.
'03 14-2 SB victory.
'04 14-2 SB victory.
***** NOTABLE: Started the 2001 season 1-3, were 4-4 at mid-season, but their defense allowed 20 points only twice all season. Also, Drew Bleedso's immobile behind got hurt after only week 2, opening the way for... Tom Brady. And this was truly addition via subtraction, folks (Drew sucked then and he stick sucks today - sorry, Cowboys fans - you'll soon find out.).
Now look (if you dare) at the last few Miami Dolphin years:
'00 11-5 ... already in decline w/Wanny at the helm... 1-1 in playoffs.
'01 11-5 ... further decline... 0-1 in playoffs.
'02 9-7 ... mo' further decline... NO playoffs (Still unbelievable with all we had going that year - anybody else remember just how good we look after beating Denver on Sunday night? Just goes to show you how much injuries as well as poor depth really can hurt a team [Lucas, wherever you are today, you f***ing SUCK like no QB has ever sucked... EVER! :fire: ].) Also, this last loss, ironically, against NE at the end of the season was the last straw for me - I absolutely knew then and there that with Wanny as coach we were NEVER getting to a SB... ever.
'03 10-6 ... but no playoffs - only second time in NFL history for 10+ win team.
'04 4-12 ... enough said, though I will add that I think we looked remarkably like a 'first year' Belichick team while under Bates there at the end of the season - tuff D, workmanlike O.
Based on all this, I see a lot of similarities in the "general direction" the team is heading in... especially in regard to our team's success starting with the defense. The main difference, to me, is that the Patsies found a solid QB and then acquired a featured RB, whereas we have perhaps TWO excellent backs (for the moment) and are still searching for a solid QB.
Now, finally, here's a quote from the Patsies web site:
"Once he became Patriots head coach, Belichick needed just one season to successfully implement his plan for success. In 2001, his second season in charge, he rebounded from a 5-11 record in 2000 to improve to 11-5, tying the franchise regular season record for wins. With a 20-17 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots tied the franchise's then-record of 14 overall wins."
I say we all just chill and enjoy watching the team be competitive, go through it's inevitable learning curve and then, by year's end and into next year, start watching the fun really begin. It will come. You can just tell in almost everything the team is doing. It's all in the works. But everyone has to be a little more patient. Also, everyone has to believe and remain positive, whatever the score - whatever the record. Saban is here for a reason (long term, people). And it ain't for "playing not to lose". We already know where that got us.
Here's to winning! GO 'PHINS!!!
A lot is made of the comparisons between Belichick and Saban. Well I guess another thread on the subject won't hurt. Sorry for the length.
To start off, check out the regular season record of the New England Patriots for the following years:
'97 10-6 ... decline... one year remov'd from SB loss, 1-1 in playoffs.
'98 9-7 ... further decline... 0-1 in plaoyffs.
'99 8-8 .... mo' further decline... NO playoffs... (Tuna finally melts).
'00 5-11 (Belicheck era begins.)
'01 11-5 ***** SB victory.
'02 9-7 still competitive - couple bad breaks that yr.
'03 14-2 SB victory.
'04 14-2 SB victory.
***** NOTABLE: Started the 2001 season 1-3, were 4-4 at mid-season, but their defense allowed 20 points only twice all season. Also, Drew Bleedso's immobile behind got hurt after only week 2, opening the way for... Tom Brady. And this was truly addition via subtraction, folks (Drew sucked then and he stick sucks today - sorry, Cowboys fans - you'll soon find out.).
Now look (if you dare) at the last few Miami Dolphin years:
'00 11-5 ... already in decline w/Wanny at the helm... 1-1 in playoffs.
'01 11-5 ... further decline... 0-1 in playoffs.
'02 9-7 ... mo' further decline... NO playoffs (Still unbelievable with all we had going that year - anybody else remember just how good we look after beating Denver on Sunday night? Just goes to show you how much injuries as well as poor depth really can hurt a team [Lucas, wherever you are today, you f***ing SUCK like no QB has ever sucked... EVER! :fire: ].) Also, this last loss, ironically, against NE at the end of the season was the last straw for me - I absolutely knew then and there that with Wanny as coach we were NEVER getting to a SB... ever.
'03 10-6 ... but no playoffs - only second time in NFL history for 10+ win team.
'04 4-12 ... enough said, though I will add that I think we looked remarkably like a 'first year' Belichick team while under Bates there at the end of the season - tuff D, workmanlike O.
Based on all this, I see a lot of similarities in the "general direction" the team is heading in... especially in regard to our team's success starting with the defense. The main difference, to me, is that the Patsies found a solid QB and then acquired a featured RB, whereas we have perhaps TWO excellent backs (for the moment) and are still searching for a solid QB.
Now, finally, here's a quote from the Patsies web site:
"Once he became Patriots head coach, Belichick needed just one season to successfully implement his plan for success. In 2001, his second season in charge, he rebounded from a 5-11 record in 2000 to improve to 11-5, tying the franchise regular season record for wins. With a 20-17 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots tied the franchise's then-record of 14 overall wins."
I say we all just chill and enjoy watching the team be competitive, go through it's inevitable learning curve and then, by year's end and into next year, start watching the fun really begin. It will come. You can just tell in almost everything the team is doing. It's all in the works. But everyone has to be a little more patient. Also, everyone has to believe and remain positive, whatever the score - whatever the record. Saban is here for a reason (long term, people). And it ain't for "playing not to lose". We already know where that got us.
Here's to winning! GO 'PHINS!!!
