The Future Of Sports: The New England Way

[W_L]

I just thought of something:

 

Bill Belichick and Theo Epstein are now considered two of the best in sports management history, both have turned around broken down teams into extreme champion caliber power blocs: New England Patriots for Bill and Boston Red Sox/Chicago Cubs for Theo.

 

They both play long games with strategic acquisitions, re-organization of coaching staff, and there's a type of camaraderie in the bench within teams they managed.

 

Their style has worked, so is this the new era of Sports, dominated by New England-system?

 

Now don't boo me off stage, I am just saying my home managers have done some impressive work at turnaround of badly ranked teams, it just seems like instead of hating against our play style people could learn from it.

 

I could also mention Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics/LA Clippers as well, but there's some nuances to Doc that I wouldn't consider part of New England's coaching/management style that Theo and Bill holds.

[JamesSavik]

Free agency has wrecked the old order in the NFL. Coaches used to spend years building a playoff caliber team. Now every year he has to build a new team from last years leftovers.

 

Belichick has built a system that works under free agency. It is a better system than anyone else has managed so far. Every year he'll lose a few players but, he fills the holes with the draft and adds few strategic free agent.

 

Another thing that Belichick is brilliant at: half time adjustments. Most people didn't see this but when they came out in the 2nd half, the Patriot defense had a makeover. It wasn't done yet. They kept working on it until mid way through the third quarter when they shut down the team that had led the league in scoring.

 

Now Belicheck said he didn't make any half time adjustments. OK, sure. His defensive coordinator did. 

 

Will I say that Brady or the Pats are the best ever? By the stats and  the trophies, they earned it.

 

I won't say EVER because that's a long time. Somewhere there's a kid playing in a sand lot that no one has ever seen that's really going to light it up. We have to see him before we hand out the best ever trophy.

 

How about the best so far trophy?

[W_L]

Free agency has wrecked the old order in the NFL. Coaches used to spend years building a playoff caliber team. Now every year he has to build a new team from last years leftovers.

 

Belichick has built a system that works under free agency. It is a better system than anyone else has managed so far. Every year he'll lose a few players but, he fills the holes with the draft and adds few strategic free agent.

 

Another thing that Belichick is brilliant at: half time adjustments. Most people didn't see this but when they came out in the 2nd half, the Patriot defense had a makeover. It wasn't done yet. They kept working on it until mid way through the third quarter when they shut down the team that had led the league in scoring.

 

Now Belicheck said he didn't make any half time adjustments. OK, sure. His defensive coordinator did. 

 

Will I say that Brady or the Pats are the best ever? By the stats and  the trophies, they earned it.

 

I won't say EVER because that's a long time. Somewhere there's a kid playing in a sand lot that no one has ever seen that's really going to light it up. We have to see him before we hand out the best ever trophy.

 

How about the best so far trophy?

 

Do I hear the cat giving some praise

 

I think Theo's strategy at free agency/drafts in the MLB is a good mirror for Bill's in NFL. People hated Theo in Boston and Chicago for losing so badly, while he was preparing his teams with stronger drafts and new players in the wing.

 

Of course, Theo and Bill have had choice words for one another management style (Bill Belichick famously told Theo "You are Fucked" in a private message), they are both great sports managers with similar strategic ideas just different interpersonal tactics with their players. Bill Belichick is proving he's the better long term manager, but Theo is proving he's a better turnaround manager. I can't wait to see both butt heads if ESPN ever feels like inviting them both on, it would be an epic Boston Brawl

Edited February 9, 2017 by W_L

[Acid07]

Some might argue that Belichick has a tainted legacy, but it's hard to argue with longterm results.  Since 2001, he's had 5 Superbowl wins in 7 appearances.  14 of the last 16 AFC East titles, including 8 straight.  He has no issue cutting a player that is going to cost too much to keep, even if they're skilled, or parting with someone past their prime.  They maneuver well in the draft and free agency, making moves that work for the long run.  Love em or hate em, if there's a model to follow in the football world, it's Kraft/Belichick.  While other teams get bogged down in loyalty or just bad decisions, New England stays above it and will cut anyone that needs to be cut.  

 

That being said, I'm not confident that basketball will ever work the exact same way.  A couple of super stars can make a team, whereas football requires a much wider scope.  There's also a lot less control of movement in the NBA.  But for football..yeah.  The New England way is a proven model for the 21st century.