Pats first team to be flexed out of MNF

[CantKeepmedown]

Add me to the group having a hard time seeing what the big deal here is. I would have been more surprised had they not been flexed out. The Pats suck. We've known that for several weeks now.

It's like a few of my friends who are non-Pats fans that are upset that I'm not more annoyed at how bad the Pats are. I've literally used words like " awful, embarrassing, unwatchable, etc" But that's not enough for them? They are almost taking more joy out of the Pats being bad then they are their own teams being good (or less shitty).

I don't know. We had 20 years where we were guaranteed the playoffs every year, if not an appearance in an AFCC game. I find it difficult to be overly upset about them sucking this year. And certainly can't pretend that being demoted from playing on Monday night is some massive thing.

 

[E5 Yaz]

It's been 20 years of nonstop unqualified success. If this feels devastating to anyone it's likely time to step back and appreciate what we've had.

Our regular SJH has been replaced by Folger's Crystals. Let's see if anyone will notice.

 

[DJnVa]

Add me to the group having a hard time seeing what the big deal here is.

I don't think anyone thinks this is a big deal, it's just Patriots news--it was a post in one of the other Patriots threads that a mod broke out.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

This is kinda funny, though:

View attachment 74579

Would have been funnier if they'd included "Coach NE" instead of his name.

 

[Dogman]

I don't think anyone thinks this is a big deal, it's just Patriots news--it was a post in one of the other Patriots threads that a mod broke out.

Have you not read the thread?

Oh, I get it.

 

[Curt S Loew]

This is kinda funny, though:

View attachment 74579

I've seen similar before. Three years ago. I still have the pic from texting my brother. No love for Brian Hoyer. BTW, we lost 26-10.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202010050kan.htm

 

[Justthetippett]

I've seen similar before. Three years ago. I still have the pic from texting my brother. No love for Brian Hoyer. BTW, we lost 26-10.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202010050kan.htm

View attachment 74581

Who is our best active player right now? Owenu? Stevenson? Barmore? Dugger? Yeah...not great!

 

[E5 Yaz]

Would have been funnier if they'd included "Coach NE" instead of his name.

I was thinking just a silhouette with a question mark in the middle and the word "QUARTERBACK"

 

[joe dokes]

I was thinking just a silhouette with a question mark in the middle and the word "QUARTERBACK"

 

[cshea]

Who is our best active player right now? Owenu? Stevenson? Barmore? Dugger? Yeah...not great!

In terms of marketing for the game, it's probably Zeke. People know who he is.

 

[BusRaker]

I was thinking a faded image of circa 2019 Brady ... kinda like Yoda and Obi Wan in star wars after they passed.

 

[P'tucket rhymes with...]

I was thinking a faded image of circa 2019 Brady ... kinda like Yoda and Obi Wan in star wars after they passed.

Only a matter of time before BB joins them in that closing scene.

 

[tims4wins]

View: https://twitter.com/mikereiss/status/1730661623864406210?s=46

 

[Ferm Sheller]

I was thinking just a silhouette with a question mark in the middle and the word "QUARTERBACK"

Some would say that a silhouette with a question mark would be an upgrade over their current QBs.

 

[snowmanny]

No one better to show than the HC who everyone assumes will be fired by the end of the season, my goodness.

Does everyone assume that? I’ll be shocked if he is fired. And if he fired is I’ll be shocked if he isn’t hired elsewhere almost immediately. And if he is hired elsewhere I’ll be shocked if that team’s Super Bowl betting odds don’t improve.

But I will confess to not keeping up with the BB threads so perhaps I’m not with the consensus opinion on this one.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Does everyone assume that? I’ll be shocked if he is fired. And if he fired is I’ll be shocked if he isn’t hired elsewhere almost immediately. And if he is hired elsewhere I’ll be shocked if that team’s Super Bowl betting odds don’t improve.

But I will confess to not keeping up with the BB threads so perhaps I’m not with the consensus opinion on this one.

Do you mean that you’d be shocked if he’s not coaching the Pats next year, or that you’d be shocked if he’s outright fired (as opposed to a ‘mutual parting of ways’/move to another team, potentially with draft pick compensation to the Pats)? I think the general consensus among the local media is that Bill will not be the coach next year, to the point where it’s mentioned as almost a foregone conclusion. But I don’t think anyone expects Kraft to technically shitcan him.

 

[snowmanny]

Do you mean that you’d be shocked if he’s not coaching the Pats next year, or that you’d be shocked if he’s outright fired (as opposed to a ‘mutual parting of ways’/move to another team, potentially with draft pick compensation to the Pats)? I think the general consensus among the local media is that Bill will not be the coach next year, to the point where it’s mentioned as almost a foregone conclusion. But I don’t think anyone expects Kraft to technically shitcan him.

OK. I am legitimately surprised it is felt to be that settled that he isn’t coming back.

 

[RorschachsMask]

View: https://twitter.com/mikereiss/status/1730661623864406210?s=46

Peppers has been one of the very few bright spots, he can say whatever he wants lol.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

And he wasn't wrong.

 

[BigJimEd]

OK. I am legitimately surprised it is felt to be that settled that he isn’t coming back.

I think it is far from settled. Some media members have their own motivations to speculate and create narratives but I haven't seen any actual reports that he's likely gone.

And he wasn't wrong.

No, he was not.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

I think it is far from settled. Some media members have their own motivations to speculate and create narratives but I haven't seen any actual reports that he's likely gone.


No, he was not.

There have been no formal reports, yes, but I find it pretty hard to totally discount the tenor of the discussion by long-time local reporters. My instinct on this as someone who has been paying close attention to the discussion around him, and take it FWIW, which may not be much, is that at least some of them have a good sense of where this is going.

None of this thrills me. I just don’t think I’m putting money on Bill being here next year.

 

[steveluck7]

Peppers has been one of the very few bright spots, he can say whatever he wants lol.

I wonder if he’s conspicuously absent for the first quarter on Sunday

 

[Groovenstein]

Some would say that a silhouette with a question mark would be an upgrade over their current QBs.

Or a strange woman lying in a pond distributing swords.

 

[P'tucket rhymes with...]

Or a strange woman lying in a pond distributing swords.

Seems like a watery tart can't do any worse than our local wizards.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Watery Tart would be a pretty badass name for a QB1

 

[joe dokes]

Watery Tart would be a pretty badass name for a QB1

One of my earliest sports memories was giggling when I heard the name of ABA All-star (and Celtic draftee) Levern Tart.

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

One of my earliest sports memories was giggling when I heard the name of ABA All-star (and Celtic draftee) Levern Tart.

Jaquiski Tartt's name is about as good as it gets.

 

[Groovenstein]

Watery Tart would be a pretty badass name for a QB1

Throwing deep to Moistened Bint

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I just don’t think I’m putting money on Bill being here next year.

Jimmy Fund? I say he'll still be the HC week 5 2024. $50 to Jimmy Fund if not.

I'll pay my side either way if I lose, but, screw it, might as well have something good come out of this shitty situation no matter what, if someone wants to take the other side.

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

Jimmy Fund? I say he'll still be the HC week 5 2024. $50 to Jimmy Fund if not.

I'll pay my side either way if I lose, but, screw it, might as well have something good come out of this shitty situation no matter what, if someone wants to take the other side.

I’ll take this action!

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I’ll take this action!

Booked.

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

Booked.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Hehe. Excellent.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Jimmy Fund? I say he'll still be the HC week 5 2024. $50 to Jimmy Fund if not.

I'll pay my side either way if I lose, but, screw it, might as well have something good come out of this shitty situation no matter what, if someone wants to take the other side.

Sure, you’re on. I’ll be glad to pay up if I’m wrong.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Sure, you’re on. I’ll be glad to pay up if I’m wrong.

Alright -- I have you and George. You each pay $50 if he's there on week 5, and I pay $100 if he's not.

I've been kind of ambivalent about the whole thing, but now I have a reason to care.

 

[BaseballJones]

There seems like real momentum among the fan base and media that BB will be gone after this year. But....has ownership contributed at ALL to this momentum? It all seems like each passing week the fans and media get more frustrated and critical of BB, but what if after the Germany game BB and ownership got together and were like, look, this isn't our year, so let's just verify what we have in Mac, try to win, but begin the process of moving forward to 2024, and they all agreed on that? What if ownership is like, yeah this sucks, but long term it's still our best interest to have BB running the show? Have THEY given ANY indication that this is not the case, that with each successive loss they're losing more trust in Belichick? Isn't it entirely possible that they agree that this isn't the year and while they don't LIKE losing, they're ok with it as part of the rebuild, and they're good with BB overseeing the rebuild?

 

[rodderick]

There seems like real momentum among the fan base and media that BB will be gone after this year. But....has ownership contributed at ALL to this momentum? It all seems like each passing week the fans and media get more frustrated and critical of BB, but what if after the Germany game BB and ownership got together and were like, look, this isn't our year, so let's just verify what we have in Mac, try to win, but begin the process of moving forward to 2024, and they all agreed on that? What if ownership is like, yeah this sucks, but long term it's still our best interest to have BB running the show? Have THEY given ANY indication that this is not the case, that with each successive loss they're losing more trust in Belichick? Isn't it entirely possible that they agree that this isn't the year and while they don't LIKE losing, they're ok with it as part of the rebuild, and they're good with BB overseeing the rebuild?

Does any ownership of any team in any sport usually say anything or give outward indications before they fire coaches? Did Tepper indicate he was losing faith in Frank Reich? It's not like Kraft is constantly putting statements out, or giving interviews or whatever.

 

[BaseballJones]

Does any ownership of any team in any sport usually say anything or give outward indications before they fire coaches? Did Tepper indicate he was losing faith in Frank Reich? It's not like Kraft is constantly putting statements out, or giving interviews or whatever.

Not that I know of. But my question still stands. Has there been ANY indication from ownership whatsoever that there's momentum building towards BB being fired? Or is it just media/fan speculation and/or wish casting? Because THAT is what it seems like - pundits, etc., just voicing their own opinion with nothing solid to back it up. Unless I'm missing something, which is why I'm asking if there's something I'm missing.

 

[cornwalls@6]

If only we had a thread about BB's future with the team. We could probably take this one out behind the barn.

 

[8slim]

Does any ownership of any team in any sport usually say anything or give outward indications before they fire coaches? Did Tepper indicate he was losing faith in Frank Reich? It's not like Kraft is constantly putting statements out, or giving interviews or whatever.

There used to be the dreaded "vote of confidence" that owners seem to shy away from these days, because of how often it was followed by a firing.

My gut tells me Bill will be back. I just can't see Kraft not giving him one last shot to fix this thing, assuming he wants that.

 

[rodderick]

Not that I know of. But my question still stands. Has there been ANY indication from ownership whatsoever that there's momentum building towards BB being fired? Or is it just media/fan speculation and/or wish casting? Because THAT is what it seems like - pundits, etc., just voicing their own opinion with nothing solid to back it up. Unless I'm missing something, which is why I'm asking if there's something I'm missing.

I mean, I would say there have been plenty of indications Robert hasn't been satisfied with the team's performance over the past fours years. He has expressly mentioned the drafts not being good enough, has talked about how the lack of playoff wins bothers him, there was the whole letter he penned to season ticket holders assuring them changes would be made and the team would hire a proper offensive coordinator. So no, we have had no indications from ownership that they want to fire Bill (which, again, we wouldn't have in any case), but I think there have been tons of showings of dissatisfaction. And those were before the current trainwreck of a season.

 

[8slim]

Related to this flex... I'm very curious to see what happens to the size and passion of the Pats fan base now that we're awful.

Once upon a time, the Pats were among the least popular franchises in the NFL. When I used to do fan research for a living, I had access to a pretty great annual survey that measured fan avidity. It was fascinating to see the Pats climb the ranks during the 00s and 10s. When Brady left the Pats were a top 3 "most popular" NFL team.

That, of course, was fueled by an astounding amount of winning (9 Super Bowl appearances in 18 years!) and having the GOAT (and a pop culture megastar) as the face of the franchise for nearly 2 decades.

Other franchises have such deep fan roots that they can withstand stretches of poor on field results. For example, the Cowboys are still the most popular NFL team, despite rarely being a SB contender for 3 decades.

I wonder if the Pats will hang around the top 5-to-10 despite their recent struggles, or if they'll fall further back in popularity.

 

[Montana Fan]

I’m thinking the Jimmy Fund should pay me $50 if the Pats win Sunday.

Yes, I am bitter that the Giants won last weekend.

 

[BaseballJones]

I mean, I would say there have been plenty of indications Robert hasn't been satisfied with the team's performance over the past fours years. He has expressly mentioned the drafts not being good enough, has talked about how the lack of playoff wins bothers him, there was the whole letter he penned to season ticket holders assuring them changes would be made and the team would hire a proper offensive coordinator. So no, we have had no indications from ownership that they want to fire Bill (which, again, we wouldn't have in any case), but I think there have been tons of showings of dissatisfaction. And those were before the current trainwreck of a season.

I mean, they did just give him a multi-year extension this offseason. I know that was before THIS season, but clearly what had happened the three previous years wasn't enough of a reason for them to fire him. To the contrary, they hired him to run the team for LONGER.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Related to this flex... I'm very curious to see what happens to the size and passion of the Pats fan base now that we're awful.

Once upon a time, the Pats were among the least popular franchises in the NFL. When I used to do fan research for a living, I had access to a pretty great annual survey that measured fan avidity. It was fascinating to see the Pats climb the ranks during the 00s and 10s. When Brady left the Pats were a top 3 "most popular" NFL team.

That, of course, was fueled by an astounding amount of winning (9 Super Bowl appearances in 18 years!) and having the GOAT (and a pop culture megastar) as the face of the franchise for nearly 2 decades.

Other franchises have such deep fan roots that they can withstand stretches of poor on field results. For example, the Cowboys are still the most popular NFL team, despite rarely being a SB contender for 3 decades.

I wonder if the Pats will hang around the top 5-to-10 despite their recent struggles, or if they'll fall further back in popularity.

Get in price is now $33 plus fees for Sunday and falling. It has to be with inflation etc the cheapest game to go to since they hired Parcells.

 

[Dogman]

I mean, they did just give him a multi-year extension this offseason. I know that was before THIS season, but clearly what had happened the three previous years wasn't enough of a reason for them to fire him. To the contrary, they hired him to run the team for LONGER.

Thank YOU for letting US know how YOU feel in this MATTER.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I mean, they did just give him a multi-year extension this offseason. I know that was before THIS season, but clearly what had happened the three previous years wasn't enough of a reason for them to fire him. To the contrary, they hired him to run the team for LONGER.

Bill’s camp most likely leaked this and there’s almost no details. This is the same team that extended Brady in a contract that ended his career here and allowed him to leave.

 

[8slim]

Get in price is now $33 plus fees for Sunday and falling. It has to be with inflation etc the cheapest game to go to since they hired Parcells.

Yikes.

When I write about fan bases much of that is outside the home region of a particular team. Obviously most New Englanders are going to remain fans of the Pats -- although clearly their motivation to watch them on TV and buy tickets will diminish then longer they suck. But the Pats have become a nationally popular team since Brady took the reigns in 2001. Curious to see who falls off that bandwagon.

 

[BaseballJones]

Thank YOU for letting US know how YOU feel in this MATTER.

It’s not really about how I feel. I just stated an objective fact.

 

[Dogman]

It’s not really about how I feel. I just stated an objective fact.

Oh, I agree with you. This is nothing more than idle fan speculation, mediot driven clickbait, their desires, etc. Some valid reasoning with the age component. Some not with the holes all over the roster BS hyperbole. The contract extension, as you mention, is there as well. Just giving you shit about the capitalization for effect. We do know how to read so it comes off as condescending.

Most of us know how to read, anyway.