April 30, 2011
Apr 30 08:14 Questioning The Patriots' Strategy Apr 30 19:36 Almanac Notes, 4/29 Edition
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Questioning The Patriots' Strategy
The commentary of the NFL entry draft has developed a predictable theme: that Bill Bellicheck is a draft genius who's continually stockpiling draft picks for years to come. I question the validity of that statement.
The goal of the NFL's elite teams must be to win Super Bowl titles. After the Saints traded with the Patriots to acquire the 28th pick, then taking Mark Ingram with that pick, retired Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said that the Saints were desperate and that the Patriots don't have to because they've already won a bunch of Super Bowl trophies.
Actually, I'd argue that the Saints understand that their window of opportunity to win more Super Bowl titles isn't getting bigger and that picking great players gives them the best shot at winning more Lombardi Trophies.
The Patriots' picks are good, solid picks but they aren't drafting difference-makers anymore. They're drafting replacement parts for their aging lineup. Additionally, they aren't using their picks to draft dominant defensive players for their front seven. Their pass rush isn't what it used to be. Their secondary has been exposed as a result of that. What's worse is that they aren't as stout against the run as they once were.
Their working the draft hasn't resulted in them winning more Super Bowls. It's just given them a sterling reputation in the media. Friday night's pick of Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett is really a reminder that Tom Brady isn't getting younger and that the Patriots' window of opportunity is closing.
The Patriots and Cowboys have similar draft strategies. Neither team has won a Super Bowl title recently. For all their 'working the draft', they haven't gotten closer to winning another Lombardi Trophy.
The Patriots and Cowboys apparently haven't figured out that the goal of the draft is to give them the best opportunity to win Super Bowl titles, not earn praise from the media.
Meanwhile, Sean Payton and the Saints seem to have learned that trading up to get a special player is important to winning more Super Bowl titles.
Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 8:14 AM
Comment 1 by walter hanson at 30-Apr-11 12:53 PM
Gary:
Keep in mind New England already had a first round pick where they picked an OT instead of Ingram and the first pick of the second round. They probably thought they were getting the players they wanted.
I think by making the trade they got a player they wanted at a much cheaper price because a first round pick demands much more money.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by eric z. at 30-Apr-11 04:56 PM
Strangely, you say nothing purple.
If you've nothing good to say, say nothing at all?
Response 2.1 by Gary Gross at 30-Apr-11 06:26 PM
Not at all, Eric. I just got tired of hearing how masterful the Patriots are at working the draft. A few years ago, I had it with the media following the same storyline with the Cowboys. If you're an elite team, then the goal must be winning the Super Bowl. If you're a competitive team that wins their division every other year type of thing, then the goal should be to use the draft to advance into that group of elite teams.
Right now, the Patriots are treading water at best. That isn't being masterful. That's proof that complacency has set in.
Comment 3 by eric z at 04-May-11 10:39 AM
I think Detroit is the team on the move. Solidifying the defensive middle up front, a franchise quarterback finally after much trying; and this past year they did NOT finish last in the division.
Almanac Notes, 4/29 Edition
The DFL's dishonest drumbeat continued Friday night, this time with Mike Hatch and Denise Cardinal as their dishonest mouthpieces.
Hatch distinguished himself by complaining about photo ID, saying that the economy hasn't been addressed, with 2 corporate takeovers underway and a litany of other things to whine about, before saying that there isn't a problem.
At best, you can't know that there isn't a problem if you aren't certain that the person getting the ballot is the person who's getting the ballot.
First, Hatch isn't paying attention or he's lying. The more people dig into Minnesota's election system, the more holes they're identifying. Washington County is intensifying its voter fraud investigation. Minnesota Majority is investigating voter fraud and filing affidavits attesting to irregularities that they've found.
That's before talking about the alleged manipulation from the Clark Lake Group Home.
If this lasts another month, the DFL won't have a viable argument that voter fraud a) doesn't exist or b) just isn't that prevalent. Arguing that isn't a matter of opinion anymore. It's a drumbeat.
Another thing that was brought up were the constitutional amendment bills. Fritz Knaak spoke directly to the gay marriage ban constitutional amendment, essentially saying that the DFL should blame President Obama for that. Sen. Knaak said that President Obama's announcement that he wouldn't defend DOMA triggered this constitutional amendment.
Finally, Denise Cardinal's contribution for the night was saying that none of the constitutional amendments will create a single job. That isn't true because one of the proposed constitutional amendments would require 60% of the House and 60% of the Senate to raise taxes.
Essentially taking tax increases off the plate would certainly ease businesspeople's minds, knowing that they wouldn't have to constantly worry about tax increases.
Cardinal's flippant line might play with like-minded liberals but I'm pretty certain that people understand that election integrity, while not as important as balancing the budget and getting the economy going, is still important, too.
Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 7:36 PM
Comment 1 by Greg Lang at 02-May-11 06:20 AM
I watched the Friday Almanac online. If nothing else "Mad Mike" Hatch makes the parroting of "talking points" extremely obvious!
