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It's Friday morning, so the regulars around these parts know what time it is - rival bashing time. Yes, we are cramming a full-featured Around the AFC East into the morning this Friday so that we may focus on Bills news from training camp this afternoon. First up: those lovely New England Patriots.
Buffalo Rumblings: The coverage the Pats are getting (especially from ESPN, who might as well buy the diamond ring now) is absolutely ridiculous. Have you ever been around a Patriots team with this much hype? Does it worry you at all? Do you believe the hype, or is there work to be done?
Tommasse, Pats Pulpit: "Even after the Super Bowls, no Patriots team that I remember has enjoyed this much hype. Even after the third title, when people started freely using the word "dynasty," many people still said they were overachievers, beneficiaries of a system, a team with no superstars, blah, blah, blah. They trade for Randy Moss, a name the fantasy players recognize, and suddenly they're prohibitive favorites.
I can't speak for all of New England (yet), but I never much listened to the "experts." Oh, I listened to what they had to say, but I've been doing this analysis stuff myself for a while, and I always felt pretty comfortable with my evaluation.
Yeah, it's absolutely ridiculous in the same way it's ridiculous the way the mainstream media beats any popular conception to death. Paris Hilton won her Super Bowl .. whoops .. did I say Paris? I meant Peyton. Anyway, they're on to something else. (Lindsay Lohan?)
Whatever. It bothers me, because I can't stand that kind of superlative adoration in regard to anything, but it doesn't "worry" me. It doesn't worry me because I think the guys who are doing the work know what it takes to attain goals.
Within my own circles, I've been a Belichickian personality long before Bill Belichick became a household name, so, no, I don't believe the "hype," because I never buy into hype. I do believe the Patriots are among the favorite, because that's what I believe, not because some talking head says so.
But there is work to be done. There always is. That's why Belichick went to work the day after the AFC Championship loss. That's why Tom Brady, even after winning three Super Bowls, is still known as one of the hardest workers in the league. That's why even Randy Moss forewent his normal routine of working out solo in Florida and attended voluntary minicamp in Foxboro.
It's a long way to February 3. I can all but guarantee that date has not been mentioned by a single Patriots employee. There's only one thing they're worried about, and that's today: the opening of training camp, the day they begin earning their jobs and preparing for a very long season."
Tommasse is probably right - Belichick and the Pats don't listen to this stuff. But I do - and I think it's crap, to be honest. New England hasn't won anything this season, yet everyone wants to anoint them champs already. I get about as mad in regards to the Pats-loving as Dennis Green did last season after his loss to the Bears. Which gives me an excuse to show this video:
Anyways... yeah. The Pats aren't as good as everyone says they are. Their defense has been depleted, and it's going to cost them. The end.
We'll be back with Jets and Dolphins installments ASAP.