Black eye for the league: Belichick wins 2007 Coach of the Year

by BigBlueShoe on Jan 3, 2008 4:07 PM EST in NFL General

Bill Belichick was completely unapologetic when standing before the press after getting caught cheating back in September. Today, that same press voted him 2007 Coach of the Year.

Listen, there is no debating Bill Belichick's coaching talent. Look at the solid job he did in Cleveland and the amazing job he has done in New England, and the results speak for themselves. However, for a league that is very particular about it's image, allowing AP to give Bill Belichick the 2007 Coach of the Year award is a serious black eye to the credibility to the NFL as a truly competitive, fair league.

Now before you write me off as a Belichick hater and a biased Colts fan, hear me out: Last season the uproar over Chargers LBer Shawne Merriman being a strong Defensive Player of the Year candidate was fierce. Merriman had a dominant season. His team was 14-2. He had a gazillion sacks. His defense was one of the best in the league.

However, Shawne was caught, and suspended, mid-season for using steroids.

For many, this should have disqualified Merriman from being considered for the award. I agreed with this notion, as did many Patriots fans, I recall. We all felt that a cheater should not get rewarded for, you know, cheating. If his team goes on to win a Super Bowl or something (thankfully, they didn't), then that's fine. That's a team award, not an individual one.

It is both humorous and incredibly hypocritical that writers now do not apply the same standard to Smilin' Bill that they seemed to do for Shawne Merriman.

A debate on whether or not videotaping teams gave Belichick a competitive advantage is a red herring, distracting everyone from the cold, hard, undeniable truth that Bill Belichick got caught cheating (just like Merriman), got fined for it (just like Merriman), and cost his team something valuable along the way (Merriman was suspended 4 games; Belichick cost his team $500,000 and a first round draft pick in 2008). Not included in this mix is the damage done to their reputations. Merriman is now, and will continue to be, a suspected doper. Meanwhile, Bill Belichick is universally hated by everyone outside Chowda Land.

I don't think the writers who voted for this award took the time to think of the fan reaction to it. This sends a very clear signal that writers feel that it is OK to cheat as long as you win.

You can debate particulars with me all you want. It will get you nowhere. I've traveled all over this country the last few months. Everywhere I've gone (West Coast, down South, Michigan, Ohio, East Coast) the opinion of Belichick is he is a gutless cheater who should have been suspended for his actions, and I have a pretty strong feeling that these same fans are none to happy that Bill won this award, especially when other candidates (Mike McCarthy, for example) were just as deserving.

I really think the NFL needed to step in and assert itself. This league has now created the impression that cheating can win you awards. I don't think they, or the writers, quite understand just how devastating this is to the NFL's credibility. In the short term, it completely discredits a once valuable award. In the long term, it sends a damning message to fans that their opinions don't matter.

One thing is clear: The sports writers are now completely detached from the readers they are supposed to be "the pulse of." It's likely this award is payback to Bill for playing his starters against the Giants. That game, which gave New England a 16-0 regular season record, gave sports writers something to write about other than those dull, boring NFL playoffs coming up. It gave them ratings on their crappy cable shows and hits on their boring websites. I'm interested in hearing what you say, but it's my general impression, speaking to several people, that Bill Belichick should not have won this award. It's got nothing to do with the job he did this year coaching the Patriots during the regular season. Many feel that a cheater should not be rewarded with an individual award, a sentiment I also agree with.

The NFL took a black eye today, and I don't think they have the slightest clue how bad this really is.

Update [2008-1-3 16:16:50 by BigBlueShoe]: Important note from shake n bake: A steroid suspension now disqualifies you from the Pro Bowl. It's known as the Merriman Rule. Steroids is cheating, just like videotaping against league rules. Why would Belichick be eligible for this award with a standard like the Merriman Rule is on the books?

0 recs | Comment 23 comments

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

A steriod suspention

keeps a player out of the Pro Bowl now (The Shaun Merriman rule) so why should someone caught cheating be eligible for any postseason award.

my blog http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com/

by shake n bake on Jan 3, 2008 4:10 PM EST 0 recs

Welll..

It's hard for the NFL to sanction awards that they don't issue themselves. They control who goes to the pro-bowl. They don't control idiot AP Writers who shouldn't be allowed to vote.

Coaching a team that was "predestined" to go undefeated is not a challenge. Getting 13 wins out of the Packers, that's a different story. Getting 13 wins out of the injury riddled Colts is much more of an accomplishment. Hell, getting 1 win out of the Dolphins may be more impressive as far as i'm concerned.

by the21eraser on Jan 3, 2008 4:17 PM EST 0 recs

Link for Merriman rule

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2754079

my blog http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com/

by shake n bake on Jan 3, 2008 4:30 PM EST 0 recs

even though an undefeated season is

as rare as they come, they did get caught cheating and belichick took the wrap. whether he authorized it or not, he was the one fined and punished which puts the guilty verdict on HIM. i personally, after taking that into account, would have voted mccarthy. who seriously thought that the packers would get 9 wins, let alone 13! everyone thought favre was done and the packers were going to start rebuilding, but lo and behold the packers are a legit prospect for NFC champions and SB champs (for whoever is a blind homer cough*terry*cough). the record itself with such a young core of players gives mccarthy the nod in my book. but just slightly over dungy ;)

by biosBSOD on Jan 3, 2008 5:14 PM EST 0 recs

I agree

And what gets me about the whole Belichick mess is his utter lack of humility throughout. If he had taken his punishment, offered a sincere apology to the league and the fans, and moved forward with grace and good humor, then I wouldn't mind so much him being voted COY (even though I still wouldn't agree).

But instead he made excuses (I never did hear what his own personal interpretation of the rules was), and then -- and this is the kicker -- then USED THE WHOLE FIASCO AS MOTIVATION FOR HIS TEAM! This may be a subtle point that does not resonate with the average fan or media-type, but I think it speaks volumes about what a classless jerk Belichick is. Basically what that behavior is saying is: "How dare they catch us cheating?!? How dare they question whether cheating may have helped us in the past? How dare they question what I do? Well, we'll show them... go get 'em boys! And we won't stop until we humiliate everyone we can! That'll show them!"

I couldn't believe nobody seemed to be bothered by that, but then I heard a talking head on one of the godawful pregame shows (I think it was Ditka) make this very point.

If Belichick wants his players to rally around getting caught breaking the rules, that's his business. But I certainly hope fans (especially kids) understand that the travesty here is the cheating -- not the getting caught.

by ctnyc on Jan 3, 2008 5:37 PM EST up 0 recs

hey, I'm just happy you're

recognizing a NFC team as possible SB Champs.

by Terry on Jan 3, 2008 10:13 PM EST up 0 recs

Best Coach

Maybe so but...

Belichick guided his team to an undefeated, 16 game, regular season - no coach has ever accomplished this. It may never be done again. I can see why the press rewarded him for it. The effort, the preparation, the motivation that it takes to grind out a perfect season is no small feat. The vast majority of the voters felt that the video snafu of game-one had no effect on the Patriot's superior play this year. Yes, the team is full of talent but they may have realized that Belichick had something to do with bringing in the likes of Moss, Welker, Stallworth, Morris & Thomas.

I'll tell you what, the next coach that does it, will also win the AP Coach of the Year.

The arguement that a stand-out player who does steroids is no different than a coach who uses videotape to gain an edge, doesn't ring true to me. Even if the taping had not been curtailed during the first quarter of the first game this year, the advantage gained by viewing tape of the opposition can't be all that great, since all teams partake of this tactic (in one way or another) and all teams don't go undefeated. The stand-out player who abuses his body to get bigger & stronger than those who don't, may very well not be a stand-out in his un-juiced state.

The NFL may not be overly pleased that the AP rewarded the Patriot's coach for his success this season but, I doubt they'll lose any sleep over it. Belichick's team has orchestrated some of the most entertaining & popular (read huge T.V. ratings) football games this year. Believe me, this is not lost on the folks that run the NFL.

by horseofadifferentcolor on Jan 3, 2008 5:41 PM EST 0 recs

One more reason

I have been hoping for the Patriots to lose all season, now I have one more reason for them to lose their next game against Jacksonville:

The coach of the losing team for each conference championship gets a trip to the pro bowl to coach that conference's team. Last year Belicheat lost the AFC Championship, so he went to Hawaii.

I sincerely hope that the Jaguars beat them. As much as I don't want Jack Del Rio to go (moron), I don't want Belicheat to get a trip either.

Check it to pancakes! Pancakes!

by Picky on Jan 3, 2008 9:02 PM EST 0 recs

nfl.com NOT thrilled about this

Look at the article from nfl.com. it's very clear that they believe that a cheater shouldnt be able to win the award.
Here is the intro from the official article from nfl.com:

"NEW YORK -- Spygate be damned! Bill Belichick of the unbeaten New England Patriots is The Associated Press 2007 NFL Coach of the Year.

With the Patriots motivated by a spying scandal -and owning the deepest talent base in football - Belichick guided his team to the first 16-0 regular season in league history.

That was enough to offset the major blemish on Belichick's resume: a $500,000 personal fine, $250,000 fine for the team and the loss of a first-round pick in the upcoming draft after the Patriots were caught videotaping New York Jets coaches during the season opener.

Spygate didn't stop 29 of the 50 voters on a nationwide panel of media members who cover the NFL from voting for Belichick on Thursday. In a season highlighted by many strong coaching performances, Belichick beat out Green Bay's Mike McCarthy, who received 15 votes for leading the Packers to a 13-3 record and the NFC North title"

by Aquabats on Jan 4, 2008 9:16 AM EST 0 recs

I want to pull my hair out

I agree totally with the Merriman comparison. Writers crucify players for their indiscretions and follies, but they will overwhelmingly elect a known cheater to the highest personal honor he can receive in THE SAME FREAKING SEASON HE GOT CAUGHT CHEATING. Sounds like a double standard to me.

I swear to God, if someone doesn't beat this team and put them in their place, I am going to lose all faith in humanity. Come on karma, show yourself!

The Shogun of Harlem

by shonuff on Jan 4, 2008 9:32 AM EST 0 recs

It's the media...

What's pathetic is Dungy got a whopping 1 vote out of 50 despite what he did. All you read before the year was how Indy would struggle because of the players they lost and then with all the injuries any sane person would figure the team would be worse than in the past but nope, Indy was the best they have been. If being in position to be 16-0 despite having 4-7 starters out pretty much every week isn't a sign of the best coach then I don't know what is. What's funny is that while it can't be fully compared, Bill got 2 votes in 05 when the Pats got hit by the injury deal and did WORSE than the Colts did. So Bill gets 2 because he dealt with injuries and his team did decent and Dungy gets 1 vote despite having what is perhaps the best team in the NFL even with the injuries and more than the Pats have ever had to deal with? Yep, logical.

Sickening but hey, it's the media...what does one expect? These are societal rejects we're talking about who couldn't hack it in real professions.

It is not a surprise to me they would criticize Bill early on and then award him this...the media flips on EVERYTHING. All season they can say something (ie stats aren't the most telling sign of a player's value) then when it comes to award time they go for the guy with the most TDs or tackles or sacks or in the case of coaching, often wins or biggest turnaround. Look at college ball. They do their rankings then when a team they ranked low wins vs a high ranked team they suddenly flip it like they knew all along the lower ranked team was as good/better. The sports media is full of retards that I wish would vanish...

I don't think this is a black eye for the league because they have nothing to do with the AP. If moron writers want to do this then wtf should the NFL care? Especially since it is clear the AP awards are losing more value each season as more pathetic choices are picked. Alexander for 05 MVP? Taylor for 06 defensive POY? Young for 06 rookie of the year? Now Bill for COY? Please...I have been losing any care for these awards the last 2 years and now with Dungy getting ONE FOCKING VOTE (even if one argues he shouldn't win he should have got more than ONE VOTE) I have zero care for these things. Watch Bob not get DPOY for some insane reason.

Morons....

by Rob L on Jan 4, 2008 9:58 AM EST 0 recs

He should have gotten suspended...

And the Patriots should have also been made to forfeit the game. Allowing them to keep the win says it's okay to cheat as much as giving Belichick this award does.

Just put an asterisk next to everything the Patriots accomplish this year.

by biddlet on Jan 4, 2008 10:36 AM EST 0 recs

Maybe we got it wrong....

We need to rationalize everything. Bill only cheated, err I mean got caught once. What's the big deal. Maybe we should all get the free pass if we violate our ethics 1 time. What a wonderful world it would be!

Cheat on your wife, you can still be husband of the year (or President of the U.S.)!

Your kids cheat on a test, they can still be class valedictorian!

Lie on the witness stand, put someone in jail.

Who cares? Morales and ethic. Who needs them?

by broadwayblue on Jan 4, 2008 11:48 AM EST 0 recs

COY

In the end, most of the press-people who closely follow the NFL decided that Belichick's ability to win every football game on the 2007 schedule was the most important criteria for the award.

If it was discovered that Belichick offered a bribe to the officials during the first quarter of the first game of the year, I'm pretty sure he'd miss out on the COY award. The moral haranguing over the video-taping incident makes me laugh.

If in fact the Patriots benefited from a different angle on their weekly video-taping of the opposition, it would have been reflected in a sub-par season. The assumption is that Belichick "cheated" to gain an advantage for his team, if that is so, I'd hate to see how much better this Patriot's team might be, because they clearly didn't benefit from any "cheating" this football season.

The truth is we don't like Belichick because he's not warm & fuzzy, he has no use for the fans or the press, and he wins football games on a regular basis. We hate him because he's very good at he does and he does it for our biggest rival.

by horseofadifferentcolor on Jan 4, 2008 12:50 PM EST 0 recs

Horse

Gotta completely disagree with you here.

The truth is we (or at least I -- I can really only speak for myself) hate Belichick because he has proven many times over many years to be a world-class jackass. From ignoring post game handshakes to acting like a petulant child in press conferences to how he handled Ted Johnson's concussions to Spygate to attempted waiver-wire collusion to running up scores -- this guy has proven time and again that he has no respect for fans, other teams, or the league. Belichick has zero integrity and zero moral standards and is willing to do anything to win, no matter how unethical. And these are just a few examples.

That's why I hate him.

by ctnyc on Jan 4, 2008 4:22 PM EST up 0 recs

Like I said..

Actually you do agree with me here -

Re-read my last two sentences...

I don't see the respect thing - he seems to show a lot of respect for other teams, players & coaches. I've never, ever heard him bad-mouth a soul and fifteen years ago nobody shook hands at the end of a game. As I said he's not a warm & fuzzy guy.

I can't comment on his moral standards, you must know him much better than I.

Unlike most, the video business doesn't get me all worked up. It clearly didn't aid his team this year (the Patriots went undefeated without any cheatin' video). He may be willing to do anything to win but, that's what I fear the most. It seems that Belichick lives his life to win football games. We call him names and besmirch him but he is without a doubt the best coach in the NFL. Like him or hate him.. he's the best.

by horseofadifferentcolor on Jan 4, 2008 5:31 PM EST 0 recs

I'm not sure

I understand your points. So now we're not allowed to judge a person's moral character unless we know them personally? That's certainly gonna take a lot of fun out of the presidential race;)

All of the examples that I mentioned demonstrate a lack of morals. A man with strong morals does not do these things. And whether or not his cheating gets you personally "all worked up" or not, I don't think it's a stretch to assume that someone who is willing to cheat despite repeated and specific warnings from the league is lacking in moral character.

As far as respect goes, he certainly did not respect the Jets when he ditched them one day after signing a contract because he got a better deal elsewhere. Why did he sign in the 1st place? And this season we see further examples: going for it on 4th and 1 on your opponent's 7-yd. line instead of kicking the FG when you're up by 28 pts with less than 10 minutes to play is a big "F*ck you" to one's opponent, IMHO. Further, he clearly does not respect the league when he continues to cheat despite repeated warnings.

You confidently assert that he is "without a doubt" the best; I say that's your opinion. I do have doubts. He certainly wasn't a genius when he coached the Browns. Dungy meanwhile has led two teams to greatness (although, unfortunately, the Bucs won their SB with his players and system the year after he left).

I'm not saying Belichick sucks. He's obviously an excellent coach. One of the best if not the best (although again, "without a doubt" is a big stretch). But he is a jerk. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

I must say I'm really rather surprised to see him so heartily defended on this site, but I remain unconvinced.

by ctnyc on Jan 4, 2008 6:31 PM EST up 0 recs

Belichick deserves COTY award

I'm a Pats fan...let's get that out of the way first. And I didn't think that the writers would vote for Bill Belichick to get the award; but he certainly deserves it. 16 and 0. You Colts Kool-Aid drinkers must be fuming.

For all those Pats haters out there, I want to make the point that the Pats violated an NFL rule; but there is no evidence that the public has seen that shows that they actually cheated. It's all speculation. That is the big difference between Bill Belichick and Shawn Merriman.

Colts are good...Pats are better

by SixteenAnd0 on Jan 4, 2008 10:09 PM EST 0 recs

Nothing to see here ...

move along you looky loos.

Oh come on! Did you see Shawn Merriman take steroids? I take it you experience everything in this world personally, rather than trusting reliable sources. Sure, that's possible.

Dumbass.

by PaytonMenning on Jan 5, 2008 3:56 AM EST up 0 recs

That's Mature

I will ignore the name calling.

My point is that the league received objective proof of Merriman's steroid use, from testing. Having steroids in Merriman's system gave him a strategic advantage during the game, which he benefited from.

Although it is a violation of the rules, nobody in the league is saying that there was actually a benefit that was derived from using a camera in the Jets game...nobody.

With Roger Goodell's heavy hand, my opinion is that if the league actually caught the Patriots cheating beforehand, there would have at least been a suspension.

Colts are good...Pats are better

by SixteenAnd0 on Jan 5, 2008 1:52 PM EST up 0 recs

What ... ?

So the basis of your argument is that you don't know something, so you make an assumption that you believe to be true?

So what's wrong with me making the opposite assumption?

Simple fact is, we don't know if Merriman gained an edge by using steroids. Is it likely? Damn straight.

Same goes for the cheating. While we don't know for sure the Pats had done this before, and we don't know for sure they gained an advantage, is it likely? Occam's razor, bub.

And that doesn't even mention the unsubtantiated reports, that this wasn't the first time NE had engaged in these activities. But, anyway, that's speculation.

Cheating is cheating. When it's your team, it's ok because "they couldn't have gained an advantage"? Again, I take it you know because you're Belichick's direct confidante.

by PaytonMenning on Jan 6, 2008 12:25 AM EST up 0 recs

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit

Man, I hope you're not a prosecutor; because you would be putting loads of innocent people behind bars with your outdated, 14th-century logic.

A violation of the rules does not necessarily make it cheating. Let's say Dwight Freeney (just as an example) makes an illegal horse collar tackle on someone. He would be breaking an NFL rule...but does that make him a cheater? The next time someone in your Colts secondary is called for pass interference are you going to call that person a cheater too?

Show me, beyond your yahoo assumptions, that Bill Belichick derived any benefit during the first Jets game...and I will apologize.

Colts are good...Pats are better

by SixteenAnd0 on Jan 7, 2008 5:25 AM EST up 0 recs

Objective proof?

Objective proof? You mean like the video library that Belichick turned in to Roger Goodell? I don't know what objective means in your dictionary, but a LIBRARY (not just one tape of one game...a whole LIBRARY) of videotape shows that Belicheck has been doing this for some time, not just a "slip up" or whatever. The man is a cheater. This award going to him is a disgrace to the NFL. As much as I dislike him, I would say yes, he deserves the award for going 16-0, if it weren't for the breaking of the rules that he committed.

Thank you for admitting it was a violation of the rules. I don't think I've gotten that much out of any other Pats fan. Usually its, "Yeah, well everybody does it." No. They don't. And if they did, they deserve punishment as well.

Check it to pancakes! Pancakes!

by Picky on Jan 6, 2008 8:47 PM EST up 0 recs