Belichick Uses HugGate and the Browns-Lions Clip as Bulletin Board Fodder

 

Mike Reiss – When New England Patriots players gathered for their first team meeting of the week Wednesday, the message from coach Bill Belichick was that it was time to turn their focus to the next opponent, the Denver Broncos. But before doing so, Belichick wanted to show his team something to perhaps help provide closure from Monday night’s controversial 24-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers. It was film of a 2009 game between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions… So now let’s ask the question: Why would Belichick show his 2013 team that play? We have a few theories. First, to share with them his belief (we presume) that the Patriots got jobbed. While Belichick has repeated to media members the past two days that any officiating inquiries should be directed to the league office, it makes sense to think he’d strike a different tone with his own players, letting them know he believes in them and that they deserved better… Belichick highlighted the difference to his players on Wednesday. And now they move on.

I know when Dave posted this Lions video he said it’ll be his last blog on HugGate, but I made no such promise. Neither, obviously, did The Great Communicator, and God help me I love him for it.  This is classic Belichick.  Taking the negative that could tear the heart out of a lesser team, popping it into the motivational blender and pureeing it into a delicious energy shake of animosity and rage to fuel his guys the rest of the way.  He’s a man of many gifts, but this is his best.  Feeding the Us vs the World, everyone’s-against-us, no-one-believes-in-us paranoia that is the life’s blood of the Thirteen Year Reich.  Like I said after SpyGate and RefauxreeGate and PushGate before this, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean everyone’s not really out to get you.  Was this little talk yesterday as good as his great Super Bowl pregames?  We’ll have to wait for the championship DVD to find out.  But it sure gives me “closure.”  And now I move on.  At least until the next time the Patriots get porked by the league.  @JerryThornton1