Don't You Dare Talk to Bill Belichick About There Being 'Thin' Times Around Here

We're not used to losing in New England, obviously. And having the season end before the first week in January is over is just surreal. It's disorienting. Like starting school in the middle of July or something. But even under the most tolerable circumstances, it takes weeks or even months to start feeling like we're back on track to winning the next ring. To get some semblance of normalcy around here.

Which is why I needed this exchange: 

Q: "Your fans, Pats Nation, have stuck with you through thick and thin. Social media. They still love you. Do you have any message for the fans who have been so supportive of you and the team?"

Belchick: "Yeah, we appreciate our fans. I wouldn't say it's been all that 'thin' around here, personally. Maybe you feel differently. But, I haven't heard too many fans say that. Yeah, we have a great relationship with our fans. They're always here for us. We always try to perform our best so they can be proud of the way we perform."

Does this solve all our problems? No. Does this make all the bad thoughts go away? Not really. Will it make me stop drinking bourbon until the sun comes up? Don't bet on it. 

But does it help? A little.

I mean, the little reach-around toward Pats loyalists is nice and all. But in the long run it's just fan service. More sincere than JJ Abrams giving Chewbacca a medal. But not all that substantial in the big picture. 

What does matter is him reminding what I'm assuming is this regular news journalist in the crowd looking for some outpouring of treacly, mauldin emotion from The Hooded One of what this team is actually built on. And what it's accomplished. Sustained, relentless pursuit of excellence, with no let up. There are no down years. There's no swim to the bottom for the prize draft picks with some 4-12 season or dumping payroll to "load up" for next year. The worst kind of year in New England is going 12-4 with a blown save in Week 17 that costs you the playoff bye and a one & done in the postseason. That's the kind of season that dreams are made of elsewhere. But is unacceptable here. In case you haven't been paying attention in between all your reporting about house fires and winter storms and some old geezer's 100th birthday, news lady. 

I guess what brings me some kind of solace is the idea that mere minutes after a gigantic, cosmic, full sprint kick in the nads with steel-toed boots, Belichick is still defiant. Petulant. Even rude. And proud of what his franchise has been accomplishing on his watch. It's not enough right now. But it's a good sign that he's on top of things. And that this setback is only temporary. 

Thanks. I needed this tonight.