FOXBOROUGH — I define the Bill Belichick Era with four – both amusing to the outside world and frustrating to the media – words.
We’re on to Cincinnati.
Amusing, in that it defines Belichick’s responses about some past event, almost always about something bad.
But those four words define 20-plus years of military-type control and outlook.
The past? While past performance does matter – see Belichick’s memory recall – dwelling and obsessing about it doesn’t matter.
Win. Lose. Or draw. It’s the next game, really the next film session, the next practice, the next meeting.
That, for us those in the media, isn’t sexy enough.
As much as many talents were on display, particularly during the nine Super Bowls trips in 18 seasons, the common denominator to Belichick’s success revolved around consistency.
Sure, there is “The Tom Brady Factor,” Belichick’s equal at the most important position on the football field, but this was bigger than that.
There are bus stations of all-time greats who won little to nothing, none bigger or better than the greatest linebacker of them all, recently deceased Dick Butkus, who had two winning seasons and never won a playoff game.
One of the most uncomfortable periods for Belichick was the period between winning the Super Bowl and the Kraft ring party, a party of parties.
Internally, Belichick has always moved on into the next season, as in scouting, draft, mini-camps, meetings, etc. But human nature is to celebrate the big victories for as long as possible, because life is short, which probably was a Belichick fault.
But it was also a strength.
Have you looked at the recent back-to-back champions in the NFL lately?
Over the last 20 years one team has repeated as champions, your New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.
Even harder, apparently, over the last 28 seasons only one team has lost a Super Bowl and returned the next year. and that was, again, your Patriots in 2017 and 2018.
The point is it’s been next to impossible to motivate athletes, multi-millionaire athletes, to ramp it up again and again and again.
Another year. Another 12 wins.
Belichick was the best at it, even near the end of his run, with three straight Super Bowl berths from 2016 through 2018, and four in six years if you add in 2014.
This is more than “the quarterback.”
One of my most memorable discussions was one I had with former Patriots offensive coach Dave DeGuglielmo, a local guy, who replaced legendary Dante Scarnecchia in 2014 and was fired after two seasons. He told me this at Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Arizona, three days before the Patriots beat the Seahawks in the Malcolm Butler Game.
“I’ve been around a lot of head coaches and a lot of assistant coaches, most of whom I’ve liked a lot,” DeGuglielmo said. “But I’ve never been around anyone like Bill. He sets the tone and we follow. We get our plan every week; this is how we’re going to approach the week and how we’re going to go about winning. and by the time the game comes, there are no questions. Everyone in the organization is on the same page. It’s amazing.”
That’s over 100 football operations people, all on the same page.
That may have been commonplace in the 1960s and 1970s, but it hasn’t been in the 2000s.
Among the many things Bob Kraft said on Thursday about Belichick, one under-the-radar comment was that his former coach’s success occurred in a different era than the Vince Lombardis, Tom Landrys, Papa Bear Halases and Don Shulas.
Belichick’s greatest work was that his teams won in the “one-and-done” era.
“The fact that it was done in the salary cap and free agent era makes it even more extraordinary,” said Kraft in his prepared statement.
Other than the Kansas City Chiefs troika, which could be the Patriots-in-diapers – with owner Clark Hunt, coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes – competing for championships nearly every year is more of a dream than reality for the rest of pro football.
In an unprepared statement, Belichick, appearing to get a bit emotional when he discussed the fan support, implored that his relationship with the Patriots will never wane.
“I will always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here. But at this time we’re moving on. I’m excited about the future.”
Then he walked away.
His whereabouts, as of today, remain uncertain.
It won’t be Cincinnati. But in a lot of ways it might as well be.
You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.