Super Bowl Notebook: Belichick Has Them Laughing
Monday, January 30, 2012
-The day started Sunday morning at Gillette Stadium. After some brief meetings, the AFC Champion New England Patriots stepped out onto their home field where they were greeted by approximately 25,000 fans for a Super Bowl rally send off to Indianapolis.
Patriots owner Bob Kraft addressed the crowd, as did head coach Bill Belichick. Some of the players did as well including Tom Brady who said, “we’re going down there for one reason. We’re going to give it our best and hopefully we’ll have a lot more people at our party next weekend.” And, just like that, they were off to Indy for Super Bowl week. Their buses departed Foxboro at 1:30pm for their flight to Indianapolis where they arrived just before 5pm.
-Once in Indianapolis, Belichick and a few players held press conferences for the assembled media where, believe it or not, Belichick stole the show with his humor. That’s not a misprint. Bill Belichick demonstrated a sense of humor.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhen asked by a reporter to comment on what type of hospitality he expected to receive from people in the host city, Belichick quipped, “I never had too much hospitality here until I went for it on 4th and 2. Since then I’ve been greeted a lot more friendly.”
Belichick seemed very relaxed and happy to be at the podium which is in stark contrast to his usual demeanor at his weekly press conferences during the season.
Belichick talked about how his father, his high school coach and Bill Parcells all had a tremendous influence on his life and his career as a football coach. He also talked about what an honor it was to be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl and what an honor it would be for his name to be mentioned with former Steelers coach Chuck Knoll if he were to win his 4th Super Bowl ring next Sunday.
-Weather has already been an issue in Indianapolis one week prior to the big game. According to the Associated Press, winds of over 50 miles per hour forced the NFL to close two tents at the NFL Experience which is an interactive fan exhibit downtown.
-Much will be said and written about former Giants and Patriots coach Bill Parcells this week. Start with the fact that Parcells coached both of these franchises to the Super Bowl winning two with New York and losing Super Bowl 31 to the Green Bay Packers while with the Patriots.
In addition, both Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick are former Parcells’ assistants. They are both members of the Parcells coaching tree which has borne much fruit over the years. Other former Parcells assistants who went on to become head coaches in the league include Sean Payton, Romeo Crennel, Chris Palmer, Tony Sporano, Eric Mangini, Al Groh, Ray Handley, Mike Nolan and Todd Haley. Charlie Weiss also became the head coach at Notre Dame and is currently the head coach at Kansas.
Lastly, Parcells is one of the 17 finalists for consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame which will be released at the end of this week. Anyone who knows football knows that The Tuna is more than deserving of induction but the list of candidates up for induction is impressive and a maximum of 7 of the 17 can get in this year. Among those on the list are former Patriots and Jets running back Curtis Martin who did not make it in last year despite being the NFL’s 4th all-time leading rusher with 14,101 yards. Martin was drafted by Parcells in New England and played for him in both Foxboro and as a member of the NY Jets.
