Bill Belichick is a “Ken.”
So is Robert Kraft.
“Barbie” took in additional than $1 billion this summer season. The “girl power” flick was powered by a script recycled from pick-your-favorite-1970-something episode of “Maude.” It portrayed the struggles of girls struggling beneath the iron-fist of a male-dominated patriarchy with enjoyable, aptitude, shade, a luxurious wardrobe, and nifty visuals.
Having been married for 34 years come November, the idea of a patriarchy carries as a lot relevance to me as the newest eating developments in Kyrgyzstan. Yet “Barbie” was immensely standard and packed theatres. Nicole Kidman can go dwelling now.
“Ken,” performed by a really chiseled Ryan Gosling, was a clueless type who thought the world revolved round his whims and desires.
“Ken” is the kind of man born on 1st-and-goal on the 1 and thinks he drove the primary 99 yards himself.
“Ken” would imagine he received 6 Super Bowls due to teaching acumen. He would deem his skillful stewardship of the Patriots franchise as the important thing issue that delivered a Score of Success © in New England. “Ken’s” pernicious methods with the NFL’s wage cap and “cash spending” could be – in his thoughts – essentially the most important ingredient in stitching these six banners that adorn Gillette Stadium’s north finish zone.
The delusion of “Ken” has dominated Foxboro since Tom Brady – our Margot Robbie – left Massachusetts for Hurricane Alley and different factors West and South.
Bill Belichick reached peak “Ken” throughout his weekly sponsored look on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” the opposite day. The coach/GM/Hoodie/genius was requested in regards to the Patriots being ranked thirty first in NFL in money spending and their total spending habits. For 2024, the Pats rank useless final in money spending, additionally in response to OverTheCap.
“Are the Patriots cheap?” was the query, no less than in concept.
“Ken’s” reply, to summarize, was “no.”
“Cash spending isn’t really that relevant. It’s cap spending,” Belichick stated. “We spend to the salary cap. That’s what’s important.”
Belichick takes the arrows for the destiny of the Patriots. But he doesn’t management the checkbook. That duty belongs to Kraft. In the identical approach that John Henry has put {the handcuffs} on the Red Sox in the case of spending on authentic beginning pitching.
The wage cap is fluid. According to the NFL collective bargaining settlement, wage cap penalties are assessed towards a three-year common. Money will be moved within the second to satisfy a direct want.
Belichick admits groups can spend aggressively by way of money, for now.
“You can’t sustain the 20 years of success that we sustained by overspending every year without having to eventually pay those bills and play with a lesser team. So I think if you look at the teams that have done that, that’s kinda where some of them ended up. Jacksonville back in ‘14, the Rams are going through it, Tampa is going through it now. So, I’m not saying there’s anything right or wrong with it. It’s just a different way of doing things and there’s the results for doing that.”
That’s no excuse for why the staff is $16 million beneath the cap this season with a roster bereft of offensive ability, energy, and expertise.
Did anybody else discover the important thing factor lacking right here?
Brady was one of the best wage cap defend within the historical past of organized sports activities. Any “Ken” may work wage cap magic with Brady at quarterback. Especially when Brady was prepared to restructure his deal at any time when it was essential to accommodate one other request.
Yes, Brady obtained paid. But not almost in addition to others at his place. And the timing of his checks by no means mattered.
We nonetheless don’t know the complete scale of what the Patriots misplaced by not holding Brady within the fold till he “sucked.” In a lot the identical approach we’re nonetheless studying the long-term results of COVID-lockdowns that needlessly curtailed medical care, schooling, and commerce.
It can also be laughable for Belichick to quote the Rams and Buccaneers as “lesser” groups.
Once upon a time, profitable Super Bowls mattered on Route 1.
The Buccaneers received a Super Bowl by going “all-in” with Brady. Not together with the Super Bowl, the Buccaneers have performed host to 3 playoff video games previously three years.
Kraft has by no means met a house playoff recreation, or a house playoff gate, he didn’t like.
The Rams additionally received a Super Bowl by going “all-in.” They even beat Brady (within the playoffs) to do it. Neither Belichick nor Kraft has executed that.
Both the Bucs and Rams received Super Bowls of their dwelling stadiums.
The Patriots haven’t received a playoff recreation dwelling or away in almost 5 years.
It stays their longest run with out a postseason victory since 1996.
The most popular narrative is that the Rams and Bucs are past redemption, however the Patriots are in a cheerful place.
The 2023 projected over/beneath win complete for every staff is 6.5. Prices range by sportsbook.
All three are ridiculous longshots to win the Super Bowl. The Patriots odds to make the playoffs (+245) are marginally higher than the Rams’ (+310). The Patriots are +800 to win the AFC East, whereas the Rams are +1000 for the NFC West and the Buccaneers are +1000 within the NFC South.
In phrases of quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Matthew Stafford are a push on Mac’s greatest day. Baker Mayfield may do in addition to Mac beneath Bill O’Brien’s tutelage. The Rams (Cooper Kupp, Cam Akers, Demarcus Robinson) and the Bucs (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin) are deeper on the key offensive ability positions than New England.
To counsel that the Patriots have executed it “better” with out Brady, after which to quote two groups which have received Super Bowls since Brady left New England, is “Ken” stage clueless.
Even for the Patriots’ resident genius.
Bill Speros (@RealOBF and @BillSperos) will be reached at [email protected].
Source: www.bostonherald.com