Remember this?

by guppy Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:28 am

Knowing that they were starting the season without the previous year's weapons Welker, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Lloyd and Woodhead for Tom to throw the ball to, raise your hand if you had the Patriots going 12-4, winning the division, in the playoffs, and getting a first round bye.

OK, I'll start. I did not.

Remember this from August? No Patriots logo to be found anywhere in the graphic.

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Now, what were we saying about expectations, and exceeding them vs. merely living up to them?

by George1963 Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:03 am

Now, what were we saying about expectations, and exceeding them vs. merely living up to them?

Wow, you finally found something that had the Pats out of the playoffs. Well done.
Don't notice the Colts, Panthers, Saints, or Eagles on that thing, but set that aside.
Going back to my degenerate gambler roots I discovered something kind of interesting.
The Patriots were 8-8 against the spread this year.
They were favored to win 12 times.

They won 12 times. Not the same 12 times but still.
So as the season progressed, week by week, with their current situation in mind, they pretty much performed exactly as people who do this stuff for a living thought they would.
The Panthers were favored 9 times and went 10-5-1 against the spread. 12 wins.
The Colts were favored 10 times and went 9-6-1 against the spread. 11 wins.
But I see your point. The Patriots did more (not quite) while facing greater obstacles (not really) than any other team. Ever.
Coach of the year. Bill Belichick.

What he manged to do with a Hall of Fame quarterback, a team full of NFL players, and an easy schedule will go down in history.
The best coaching job of his career for like the eighth straight season.

I mean, my GOD! Just yesterday he beat a 6-10 team playing with a back up QB.
IN THE RAIN!!!!
School children will sing of him.

by guppy Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:24 pm

George1963 wrote:Now, what were we saying about expectations, and exceeding them vs. merely living up to them?

Wow, you finally found something that had the Pats out of the playoffs. Well done.

I posted that graphic before the season. Just bringing it up again is all. When going forward its always good to look back on where you came from.

The Patriots were 8-8 against the spread this year.

This worries me. Too many close ones at the end. I like to be able to watch a 4th quarter actually sitting down for a change.

They were favored to win 12 times.

That's not because they are really, really good. They were favored to win 12 times only because, well, because they're THE PATRIOTS after all.

Weren't favored against the wild stampeding herd from Denver though (I always get confused, which is stronger and faster, a bronco or a colt? A topic for another time.) But just like the great General George Patton punked and owned the sly and powerful Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel (a/k/a P. Manning) and his Panzer Tank Division (a/k/a Welker, Decker, Moreno, Thomas), our great Gridiron General hailing from the hills just south of the Cradle of Liberty, outsmarted and outmaneuvered the forces of darkness previously thought to be invincible. That single signature victory brought joy and happiness to untold millions far and wide across the globe. That inspired overcoming of insurmountable obstacles reminded us all that we as everyday working people cheer for the underdog because while he may be a dog, we see ourselves in him. (Whoa, that was deep.)

Coach of the year. Bill Belichick.

As you say. Except that working against him is that it is expected that his teams win. Why?
History, that's why.

What he manged to do with a Hall of Fame quarterback, a team full of NFL players, and an easy schedule will go down in history.

"a team full of NFL players"?    I love that.   However, last time I checked, most, if not all (at least I think probably 'all') of the other head coaches in the league get to work with "a team full of NFL players" too.

The best coaching job of his career for like the eighth straight season.

Ninth.

I mean, my GOD! Just yesterday he beat a 6-10 team

ya, a team with the most QB sacks in the league.

playing with a back up QB.

Ah, dealing with the unknown factor, yet still finding a way to overcome. Amazing.

IN THE RAIN!!!!

Did you notice how the rain and wind always picked up to near hurricane force -- but only when Patriots had the ball on offense, thus making them play in effect with one hand tied behind their backs? I did.

School children will sing of him.

They already do.

Consider the following "fun fact".

Since Robert Kraft hired BB in 2000, 113 different men have served as head coaches in the NFL.   113!!

by George1963 Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:55 am

What he manged to do with a Hall of Fame quarterback, a team full of NFL players, and an easy schedule will go down in history.

"a team full of NFL players"? I love that. However, last time I checked, most, if not all (at least I think probably 'all') of the other head coaches in the league get to work with "a team full of NFL players" too.

Not if you listen to ESPN.
If the Pats have a player get injured, they can't replace him. They go into the playoffs dressing 27 guys and are only allowed to play with 7 on offense and 6 on defense.
It's amazing what they've been able to accomplish with all they've had to overcome.
Heroic, really.

by guppy Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:18 pm

George1963 wrote:
If the Pats have a player get injured, they can't replace him. They go into the playoffs dressing 27 guys and are only allowed to play with 7 on offense and 6 on defense.

Well, I don't think that's fair, do you? They should let the Pats replace injured players just like other teams do. Not saying this is going to happen, but it could. What if every Pats player on offense got injured -- except of course Tom Brady? What then smarty pants? Then Tom really will have to throw the ball to himself.
Well, if it does come to that, I still think the Pats win. The score will just be a little closer, that's all.

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