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45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Enlightening Look into the World of Pro Football, September 27, 2004
I am neither a Patriots fan nor a Bill Belichick fan. But, because of this book, I have an immense amount of respect for the organization and the man. My favorite parts of the book are when Michael Holley, the author, goes into detail about game plan and scouting strategy. Here's one example.
When the Patriots played the Rams in the 2002 SuperBowl, they were expected to get steam-rolled, especially since the Rams had blown them out earlier in the season. As Holley explains, Belichick's strategy in the first game had been to do everything possible to pressure the Rams QB, Kurt Warner. It didn't work, and Warner picked the Patriots defense apart rather easily. Before the SuperBowl, Belichick began thinking that maybe the real key to containing the "greatest show on turf" was to disrupt Faulk, not Warner. So, instead of having his d-linemen and linebackers go all out after Warner, Belichick instructed them (over and over again) to first hit Faulk (if he was in the vicinity) in the backfield and then rush. Also, Belichick and his staff told them never to assume that Faulk was staying home to block--it was always a decoy. The Patriots were also taught that the Rams never run the same play out of the same formation. Even if it looks like the same play they saw 15 minutes ago, it's not. The strategy worked, and Belichick's defensive genius trumped the offensive genius of Mike Martz as the Pats won their first SuperBowl.
Holley also does a good job of describing Belichick's desire and tendency to challenge commonly held (but not well though-out) football assumptions. During the 2002 post-Championship season, the Patriots were right around .500 and playing poorly. At one point, one of the Patriot players told a reporter that the team's problem was that they had lost their swagger. When Belichick read about this, he went berserk. In an intense, profanity-filled speech (common with Belichick) given during a team meeting, he let them know that the reason they won so much last season was not because of any swagger, but because they played smart, disciplined football, and did not deviate from the assignments they had been given. Belichick challenges the goofy cliches that you hear from the ESPN, Fox and CBS pre-game guys.
One word of warning to unsuspecting dads or moms: I wouldn't let my kids read this because it is filled with profanity. It is difficult for Belichick (and many of his coaches and players) to get through a sentence without using the f-word, and Holley doesn't edit their words.
With regard to the substance of the book, my only complaint is that I wish Holley had devoted even more time to specific plays, coverages, schemes, etc. But that's a minor gripe. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I suspect that anyone who is football fan will also find it to be an enlightening and entertaining read.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, should've have been better, October 1, 2004
I liked the book, I thought Michael Holley did a decent job, but it should've been better. He said on a couple of occasions that No one from the Patriots interfered with the book, So I expected him to go deeper. For instance, The combine section, the stuff he wrote about was great (about Brandon Lloyd and the overall process)but giving us examples from the interview of players that the Pats actually did draft and the things they liked about them would've been a logical and more meaningful addition to the section. I felt that the sections of the book that dealt with the 2002 and 2003 seasons were filled with generalities. Other than in 2002 they were old and not focused and in 2003 they were more prepared, I didn't get that much out of it. Instead of just telling us a quick blurb on the scouting of Brady, and how much they loved him, maybe enlight us as to why they didn't draft him sooner. It may sound like I'm nitpicking, but as I was reading I was expecting to read some of these things as natural extensions of what I was already reading and time and time again it didn't happen. There are other examples of this, but it might unfaily portray this as a bad book which it absolutley isn't. Belicheck's issue with Tom Jackson, his relationship with Parcells, Pioli, His coaches, Lessons he learned, his playeer evaluation process the stuff on the 2001 Super Bowl, Belichecks relationship with the media in general, all great stuff, but it just should've been better.
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Inside Look at the Champs, November 11, 2004
Michael Holly, a former sports writer for the Boston Herald, followed the New England Patriots through the 2002-2003 National Football League seasons. He describes himself as a "fly on the wall" in team meetings, coaches meetings, and seems to have been literally everywhere with the Patriots for those two years. The result is a well done, inside look at the inner workings of what is now considered one of the preeminent sports organizations and teams.
New England Patriots fans have suffered a lot of losing seasons over the years. Painful losing seasons. The organization, the players, and coaches were just atrocious and there was no hope in sight during stretches of the 1980's and early 1990's. That is why the 2001 Super Bowl victory over the St. Louis Rams was so gratifying to Patriots fans. The team's failure to reach the playoffs in 2002 was a big disappointment because it appeared maybe the Patriots where just a lucky underdog with a good run. Michael Holly actually started following the team at the start of the 2002 season and decided to continue on in 2003. He was rewarded with another Super Bowl run that not only legitimized the Patriots as an elite team in the NFL but legitimized the 2001 championship season as well.
So how did the Patriots do it? Holley tells us. It's through a very well organized sports team from the top down. And it all centers around coach Bill Belichick, who sets the goals and responsibilities of all parts of the organization and then, as a team, working toward that goal, which is of course winning championships. It relies on team work from the owner, the scouts, the trainers, the coaches, the administrative staff, and of course, the players. And it's important to note the importance of owner Robert Kraft. He has given Belichick the authority to run the football operation as he sees fit and Belichick responds by keeping Kraft fully in the loop and the communication channels open with the owner - something Bill Parcels refused to do.
Probably the two most important functions that are necessary to win championships is finding players in the draft and free agency that fit the system and managing the salary cap. Belichick and the Scott Pioli, Vice President of Player Personnel, and of course the coaches and scouts, have had outstanding drafts and free agent acquisitions since Belichick's reign. And Belichick and Pioli have done a fabulous job managing the salary cap - a task that led to the release of fan favorite Strong Safety Lawyer Milloy prior to the 2003 season. Belichick and his staff have found players with the character to fulfill their roles on the team with a winning attitude and play team ball. Being introduced as a team instead of individually prior to Super Bowl XXXVI was not a gimmick - they really do play that way.
Holley's book also includes a lot biographical information about Belichick and how grew up in a football family, his father being an assistance coach for Navy, and his intense study of the game and what it takes to win. He explores Belichick's decision to leave the New York Jets after being hired as head coach to get out of the shadow of Bill Parcels and run his own show. And we discover that the team won, despite the drama and negative feelings surrounding the trade of Drew Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills and the release of Lawyer Milloy.
While most of the book focuses on the coach and the organization, Holley does provide the players' perspective. While Belichick is a bit aloof with his players, the players themselves understand that the system works and winning (and losing) as a team is what they are all about. Of course it's easy to buy into the system with two Super Bowl rings on their fingers.
This is a very short book and a quick read but is full of insight into the Patriots organization. This is a must read for Patriots fans. Avid football fans probably would also enjoy the book to see how a winning team operates.
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