Patriots Legend Offers Perfect Analogy On Playing For Bill Belichick
If there’s one thing that became clear across Bill Belichick’s multi-decade stint with the New England Patriots, it’s the fact that not everyone can play for him. Belichick has built a list of detractors for multiple reasons, but some of those guys are actually his former players. Asante Samuel is as big a hater as […]
If there’s one thing that became clear across Bill Belichick’s multi-decade stint with the New England Patriots, it’s the fact that not everyone can play for him.
Belichick has built a list of detractors for multiple reasons, but some of those guys are actually his former players. Asante Samuel is as big a hater as you’ll find, while guys like Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski have thrown shots in the direction of the eight-time Super Bowl champion over the years.
It’s important to take whatever complaints we hear with a grain of salt, however, because for every Asante Samuel who hated playing for the hoodie, there’s a Tedy Bruschi who loved it.
Bruschi, speaking about Belichick’s coaching style in Ep. 5 of “The Dynasty,” dropped an analogy that perfectly sums up playing in New England during the mid-2000s.
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“It’s a hard life to live. It’s hard, man,” Bruschi said. “Sometimes, the young guys just don’t get it. I always tell players, you gotta be outside to look outside the box and realize why he’s doing it. Have you ever had a wet towel? A wet towel, and you wring it out to get all of the water out of it until it’s dry. I’m the wet towel and Bill’s the hands.
“I want you to wring the talent out of me any way you possibly can. Do it! I’m gonna get upset, I’m gonna get pissed off, but I still know it’s the best for me, and I know it’s how we’re going to win and consistently win.”
It wasn’t the cleanest analogy, but it makes sense the more you think of it.
Amendola and Gronkowski, for all their jabs, have no problem crediting Belichick for his greatness. Samuel? He’s a tough nut to crack, but their beef stretches beyond his few seasons playing for the Patriots.