With the signing of Stallworth, Merriweather and Moss the Patriots have revealed their true colors regarding their own self professed character standards and the comprimising of such standards when need becomes an issue. For years, we have had to listen to Bob Kraft, BB and Scott Pioli pontificate on how they are a family oriented team that sets the bar high for the quality of players they recruit. The local Boston media and most of the national media called them a model franchise because they did it the Patriot way. Too some extent they were correct, but now standards have changed and there is hardly a critic to be found. The issue should never be - can the Patriots keep these guys in line to become productive players? I'll say it right now - Randy Moss will play great and will not be a problem for the Patriots. It's almost a slam dunk. Moss (and the Patriots) know that this is his final chance to redeem himself and his checkered past and last opportunity to reach paydirt. Creating an environment filled with financial incentives and player peer pressure for him to succeed should not be the litmus test of Patriot organization character. The end result should never justify the means. The real issue is that the Patriots have violated their own self professed standards - the recruitment of character players. They have failed with all three of these players - whether it be drugs, packing a gun (legally) in public or stomping on a helpless and vulnerable individual or simply crapping on the NFL game and publicly abusing and disrespecting a fellow coach. Other teams passed on Moss probably because they feel he would be trouble, but other teams simply felt he didn't deserve another chance albeit even though a bargain could be had. It doesn't matter anymore with the Patriots because We the Patriots can control them and make them more productive - and they are right - they will. They have become Scared Straight of the NFL. The Patriots, in a time when character has become a front and center in the NFL, have enabled bad actors to get their way and have deftly exploited the situation. Because they can, they will. Taking bad actors and making them behave is easy for the Patriots. The standards of recruiting character people doesn't apply in this situation because the standard now is that if the Patriots control these individuals they are a quality character organization. Sorry fellas - you cannot have it both ways - at least not in my book. The lap dog national media is another story. Allowing Moss to have a tantrum, hold his breath and demand to be traded to ONLY the Patriots is a disgrace and Kraft should be called on it. Why should someone of his ilk be rewarded with this opportunity?The Patriots could have said no, but they didn't - the Jets would have and maybe they did. The Patriots had a choice to support the perception of rewarding character guys and rejecting the malcontents of the NFL, but they chose to look the other way. If the Patriots turned down the deal a very clear message would have been sent regarding who the Patriots are what they stand for and a resounding echo would have been heard throughout the NFL. The Patriots, however, have failed as the leading model franchise of the NFL - never again do I want to hear Mr Kraft's dribble about the high character of the Patriot organization.
The Patriots are "the leading model franchise of the NFL" because they have consistently won football games over the past 7 years. They do what they think gives them the best chance to win (something you hear Mangini say a lot), there is no scientific formula for that. These guys are pretty smart and know what they're doing - if they think they can bring in Moss and it will help them win, I don't doubt them. Do you think the Pats should have passed on the steal of the century to set an example? Examples don't win championships.
wow well written post. ANother gnaminito blackbird , kind of. J Miller, A dyson, D revis. Im not worried about moss. Baby
Nice post but this is the same organization that came to be so powerful because of tampering. Lets not forget how Belly ended up in the shithole we call New England. If they were willing to break the rules to get Belly why would they not pick up a POS like Merriweather or trade for Moss (who btw I think is a media creation). I personally like Moss and think he's a great football player when he wants to be. Lets be honest the Patriots aren't Randy Moss, or Belly or even Kraft, that franchise is a 6th rounder that somehow hit the jackpot and ended up in the right place at the right time.
I think if we signed Moss which we should of tryed to we would be in talks about lifting the Lombardi Trophy this year...
If you've got Miller covering Randy Moss you should be very, very worried... You're better off having your Aunt's French Poodle nip at Moss' ankles as he sprints down the sidelines.
excellent post my friend...only problem here is the incessant obsession from everyone with the Patriots organization...it ukrs me to much to have to read something about the Patriots everyday on this forum...this is a Jets forum still...isnt it?
Barrett plays tall recievers well for some reason. Or i'm just generalizing because he held Burress in check in the playoff game against Pittsburgh.
Barrett actually does a very good job against defending the deep ball- its the short routes where he suffers because he gives too much of a cushion. He did a great job against Pittsburgh in the playoffs, despite his height.
Never said they weren't smart or winners - in fact, I'll be shocked if they don't get back to the superbowl. It just they knocked themselves off their own high horse and should be called on it. If you feel that win at all costs no matter what the comprimise then so be it. I'll take what Curtis Martin said (paraphrasing)-"I'd rather play and retire with the Jets than be with any other organization even if it means not winning a superbowl". To you that may not be a winner - for me it is.
This thread seems a little bitter to me. I think The Patriots are confident that Meriweather and Moss can reign it in and behave themselves, and I do too. For better or for worse--and it's definitely for worse, from our perspective---the Pats rarely screw up. Let's just focus on the Jets winning, isntead of working about the Pats breaking rules. I have a hunch I'm going to get attacked for this one.
Nothing bitter. Again your judging their actions after the fact - "they can reign these guys in". As I said they can and they will. They are in a very unique and powerful position - they have won 3 SBs and are a razor's edge from another one. With power comes responsibility. If they want to go after bad actors and exploit the situation that's fine. My point is that the Patriots have been all about a self professed image of recruiting stand up characters - that simply is not the case. They could have passed on Randy Moss - they didn't. They are no different from most franchises in the NFL where talent and need overrides their standards. The fact that they "can reign" them in has nothing to do with the standards they claim to have.
Sorry - I should have posted it under the NFL news. I live outside Boston and have been listening to sports radio on the genius of BB and how this is not out of character for the Patriots,etc. etc. Just felt a need to articulate my issue about this move.
Boys and Girls.. Honestly do you think that years down the line when Billy Boy, Brady, Bruschi, and Seymour retire, and are being inducted into the HOF do you think for a second that these "perception", "character issues"..etc.. are even going to be in the conversation? I truly do not think so..
Great post, however, The Boston Globe's DAN SHAUGHNESSY is shining a light on the Pats new found philosophy and he agrees with you: "Say goodbye to that high moral ground, Bob. The Patriots this weekend put their standards on the shelf in the quest for victory. They might be the best team in football, but the Patriots are no longer "different" from all the other NFL organizations." http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...this_is_a_huge_change_from_their_usual_route/
And this is relevant to the point - how? I agree they won't be. Thus I guess since they are going to be in the HOF we shouldn't criticize or question what they do???
