Belichick is insane!

[ForeverRoyalKC]

Seriously?! Deadly conditions, deadly temps, 70mph winds and 2 feet of snow. Practice will go on as usual?!?! He's not taking ANY excuses if you can't make it!

He's out of his mind!

Doesn't have anything to do with getting there early or sleeping at the stadium. I'm not leaving my family behind in THIS!

[rudel.dietrich]

Insane? Possibly
Insensitive? Yeah probably


But it works


I would think a professional sports team would have a car service or bus service that would pick up it's players. And staying overnight (or two) would be a good team building exercise.


I would have to find the story and it may be in German but Felix Magath who is a German football manager and is notorious for driving down his players in training and being a strong enforcer of team rules.
The year before or after he won the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg it was a hard winter in Germany and German football takes an almost month long break from games but most teams still practice.
His team still practiced outside twice a day over the break and the story goes that one player for the reserve side got frostbite and had to have two toes removed and another player fell onto the rock hard pitch and chipped two teeth and broke his jaw going after a loose ball.




Hopefully no one on New England is injured. But however harsh the results are there and he does seem to hold every player accountable from Brady down to the practice squad players.

[rudel.dietrich]

And NFL.com ran the story and said they practiced inside and it was mostly film session and many players elected to go in early for treatment from the teams medical staff.
So they were not exactly operating in Gulag type conditions.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

And NFL.com ran the story and said they practiced inside and it was mostly film session and many players elected to go in early for treatment from the teams medical staff.
So they were not exactly operating in Gulag type conditions.

They could possibly be playing in similar conditions. It's not that big of a deal anyway. Up until I was around 30 me and a group of friends played football in just about every snow storm, preferably at night and in any conditions. We considered it fun.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

They could possibly be playing in similar conditions. It's not that big of a deal anyway. Up until I was around 30 me and a group of friends played football in just about every snow storm, preferably at night and in any conditions. We considered it fun.

I did that in the 1980's. We started after the Grey Cup and played most every Sunday from December-March, snow, ice rain, no matter. Might have been the most fun I had over a 6-7 year run. Some of my current back issues and arthritis are surely related to that time.

I still have team sweaters from it.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

And NFL.com ran the story and said they practiced inside and it was mostly film session and many players elected to go in early for treatment from the teams medical staff.
So they were not exactly operating in Gulag type conditions.

LOOK: Wicked blizzard forces Patriots to practice indoors as snow blankets field

[Cobra Mgr]

The Pats aren't playing this week. It's an ******* move. Ends don't justify the means. I'd rather be a decent caring human being than heartless winning coach.

[cephasjames]

Sticking with a "No Days Off" mindset and moving practice inside is an ******* move? Hmmm. 15 first places, 7 AFC titles, and 5 Super Bowl titles in 23 years seems to show that "No Days Off" might actually be working.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

Sticking with a "No Days Off" mindset and moving practice inside is an ******* move? Hmmm. 15 first places, 7 AFC titles, and 5 Super Bowl titles in 23 years seems to show that "No Days Off" might actually be working.

It might show a way to win. It doesn't show a man concerned about the lives of his players. Boston had a blizzard AND flooding AND hurricane force winds. No one should be risking their lives for a film session during a bye week when you've got frikkin' internet for Pete's sake.

[ForeverRoyalKC]

...and there's families, wives, kids, etc., that could have damage or no electricity back home.

Hey, I've played football in -5*, downpour rain and mud, 6 inches of snow, 105* heat while pouring water over my head, but what they're going thru is a LOT different! If something happened to a player, say severe injury or worse in a car wreck or pile-up, what do you think the conversation would be then?!

[Mariner and Giants Fan]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

Sticking with a "No Days Off" mindset and moving practice inside is an ******* move? Hmmm. 15 first places, 7 AFC titles, and 5 Super Bowl titles in 23 years seems to show that "No Days Off" might actually be working.

Where do you get 23 years? he has only been there since 2000.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Mariner and Giants Fan

Where do you get 23 years? he has only been there since 2000.

This is his 23rd year in the coaching ranks - that's where he gets it from.



Don't see what the big deal is at all here. It's called planning and preparation - just like you prepare for the next opponent ahead of time, you game plan ahead of time. You practice ahead of time.

There's 2 hotels at Patriot Place - arrive before the snow starts and you won't have any worries.

I swear - this world is filling up with people that are afraid of their own shadow and haven't a clue how to do anything for themselves except complain.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

This is his 23rd year in the coaching ranks - that's where he gets it from.



Don't see what the big deal is at all here. It's called planning and preparation - just like you prepare for the next opponent ahead of time, you game plan ahead of time. You practice ahead of time.

There's 2 hotels at Patriot Place - arrive before the snow starts and you won't have any worries.

I swear - this world is filling up with people that are afraid of their own shadow and haven't a clue how to do anything for themselves except complain.

I think the world is filling up w/a bunch of hardheads that don't know how to empathize with people who have different opinions & priorities than them. Have you ever been in a natural disaster separated from your family? I have.


I did the hotel thing. Went to work. & had to stay there three days because hurricane flooding had cut me off from home. Last report I heard was the creek behind my aged parents house had flooded and was washing homes away. Their phone lines had been cut off. I had no way of contacting them to know if they were all right. No way to reach them because every small creek had turned into a lake. Can you imagine the kind of anguish I had those 72 hrs? You think my mind was on the job??? One co worker I was with heard her family home was floating down the river & her family barely got out in time. She was separated from them like I was. Another called her brother to come to pick her up from work. He never made it. They found his drowned body in the car after the waters receded. What kind of trauma do you think she has gone thru since then??? Keep in mind, we were all working at a hospital. Essential personel. We weren't planning for strategy for an opponent we don't know yet for a game more than 10 days away.


You think worrying about that kind of stress is merely an irrational fear of shadows??? Bull! He's a flippin' butthole. Football ain't life or death. Natural disasters are. If football is all that gives Belichek purpose I cry for him, but that's his business. His, IMO, sad & pitiful existence. Most of the human race have their families as their priorities and that should be respected. No one should be forced to choose between the two.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I think the world is filling up w/a bunch of hardheads that don't know how to empathize with people who have different opinions & priorities than them. Have you ever been in a natural disaster separated from your family? I have.


I did the hotel thing. Went to work. & had to stay there three days because hurricane flooding had cut me off from home. Last report I heard was the creek behind my aged parents house had flooded and was washing homes away. Their phone lines had been cut off. I had no way of contacting them to know if they were all right. No way to reach them because every small creek had turned into a lake. Can you imagine the kind of anguish I had those 72 hrs? You think my mind was on the job??? One co worker I was with heard her family home was floating down the river & her family barely got out in time. She was separated from them like I was. Another called her brother to come to pick her up from work. He never made it. They found his drowned body in the car after the waters receded. What kind of trauma do you think she has gone thru since then??? Keep in mind, we were all working at a hospital. Essential personel. We weren't planning for strategy for an opponent we don't know yet for a game more than 10 days away.


You think worrying about that kind of stress is merely an irrational fear of shadows??? Bull! He's a flippin' butthole. Football ain't life or death. Natural disasters are. If football is all that gives Belichek purpose I cry for him, but that's his business. His, IMO, sad & pitiful existence. Most of the human race have their families as their priorities and that should be respected. No one should be forced to choose between the two.

Yes, I've been separated from my family in Natural Disasters, more than once. I also spent the majority of my career/life apart from my family, going around the World helping others in need.

Planning and preparation - it really does work - both in Natural Disasters and everyday life.


BTW - when did a snowstorm become a Natural Disaster?


Funny how playing the SB in freezing cold temperatures and snow in NY recently wasn't a big deal.

[Airdrop01]

Against my better judgement, I’ll weigh in here.

I don’t agree with OP at all on the hyperbolic stuff.

I agree with Bluenoser that people are way too afraid of things that don’t pose problems, or aren’t threats of significance, but I’ll also say that I agree with Cobra that this isn’t one of those instances.

This isn’t a natural disaster. But, it’s also not insignificant. It’s not game week. Its not even as important as what a lot of people do in running their business on a day to day basis. It’s entertainment. These are showmen.

My opinion is these coaches get in their heads that this is how it should be done and they just stick to it no matter what. It’s a lot like how doctors in residence are forced to work 100 hour weeks for $35,000 a year. No honest physician will tell you that was worth anything other than making them “part of the fraternity,”. In fact, they’ll tell you their abilities were substantially diminished during those times from pure exhaustion and human limitations.

Yes, they can get hotels. Yes, there is probably not a thing having Dion Lewis at home does to make his family more secure. But then again, if th eplayer thinks there is, then I’m not substituting my judgement for that. It isn’t life or death either way, but I just think in general these coaches do this because “that’s how it’s always been done.” I don’t think that even they believe there is a real benefit to it.

As an aside, I think you’d be surprised how many coaches like having the “at the office” 20 hours a Day excuse for reasons that have zero to do with football.

[TheMaus2]

Besides, there are 3 potential opponents to study up on.

[Bluenoser]

I think Belichick is getting soft - he held practice indoors for cripes sake.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Yes, I've been separated from my family in Natural Disasters, more than once. I also spent the majority of my career/life apart from my family, going around the World helping others in need.

Planning and preparation - it really does work - both in Natural Disasters and everyday life.


BTW - when did a snowstorm become a Natural Disaster?


Funny how playing the SB in freezing cold temperatures and snow in NY recently wasn't a big deal.

It wasn't a mere snowstorm. How many blizzards behave like hurricanes? This was nothing like NYC. People end up in car accidents, slide off overpasses & bridges, get trapped in snowdrifts & suffer hypothermia. There is a reason why the government gets on the airwaves to tell everyone to stay at home. To avoid risking your life & the lives of first responders. Have practice all he wants, but don't make people feel like their jobs are on the line. You don't circle your life around your job. You circle your job around your life. All you need is one person to lose their life to have it pounded into your head it ain't worth it.

[ForeverRoyalKC]

Here's another thought....what if you left in plenty of time and got caught behind a huge pileup? Belichick said he wasn't taking any excuses. I know these are "what ifs", but there is all sorts of dangerous, treacherous weather in the northeast at winter. Risks do have a way of catching you.

[ForeverRoyalKC]

I wonder......what if it had been 3 feet of snow, 90 MPH winds and heavy periods of sleet and ice to boot? Do you still push against nature? It's always possible for the playoffs in 2019.

And this has nothing to do with being afraid of your own shadow! Say Belichick does continue this kind of coaching and someone did get critically or fatally injured?? I don't hear any answers for that?!
And before you throw "Well, that can happen when you play the game itself!", the dangerous weather is an added risk of injury and/or death.