Time for Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick to act like adults

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3 days ago

Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick don't have to like each other. They don't have to hang out, but their repeated attempts to prop themselves up while making the other appear smaller is making both men look pathetic.
Bill Belichick wouldn't have won six Super Bowls with the Jets. Robert Kraft wouldn't have hung six banners with Marty Mornhinweg as his head coach.
And both of them would be walking around with way less bravado if not for Tom Brady.
They were an odd mixture of personalities that were good for each other. But since parting company after the 2023 season, they've been sniping like the Real Housewives of Norfolk County.
The latest round of nonsense started when Kraft went on Julian Edelman's weekly plea for attention that doubles as a podcast. On it, Kraft called hiring Belichick the best decision he ever made.
That sounds really nice at first and could have been, but he took a dig at Belichick's coaching before getting to New England.
'I gave up a No. 1 draft pick for a coach that had only won a little over 40% of his games to get him out,' he said. 'I think getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk and I got hammered in the Boston media, but he was with us for 24 years and we did O.K.'
Was this a reaction to Belichick leaving Kraft out of his book? And was that exclusion Belichick's reaction to 'The Dynasty,' the documentary that glorified Kraft, often at Belichick's expense?
Could Kraft have worded it nicer? Of course.
Did Belichick overreact? Probably.
But at this point, who cares? They're both coming off looking needy and insecure.
Kraft didn't cover any new ground, and he said it on a podcast. Even in the offseason, it barely made a ripple.
Belichick used to ignore this stuff. Or at least he pretended to ignore it and came off as above the whole thing.
And it would have been especially easy to do that here, too. If Belichick, who is now the coach at North Carolina, gets asked about it when he speaks at ACC Media Day next week — and most likely he won't — he could have believably said he doesn't listen to podcasts and he's focused on preparing Carolina.
But with Jordon Hudson P.R. Inc. pulling the strings now, he didn't ignore it and proved there is such a thing as bad publicity. Belichick responded that it was he who was the big, brave risk-taker, not Kraft.
'I had been warned by multiple previous Patriots' coaches, as well as other members of other NFL organizations and the media, that the New England job was going to come with many internal obstacles,' Belichick said to ESPN. 'I made it clear that we would have to change the way the team was managed to regain the previously attained success.'
Someone should make it clear to him that he needs to change the way he handles his public image if he wants to regain his previously attained respect.
Even Belichick's staunchest defenders have to recognize the flaw in his strategy. By defending himself to ESPN, which has a much larger reach than the Edelmancast, Belichick gave Kraft's line far more attention.
Plus, every time he takes the bait, Belichick looks disengaged from his current task. Opposing college coaches are going to use this against him on the recruiting trail. It'll be some version of:
'Look, he's still obsessed with his NFL legacy. He's not committed to Carolina. You should come play for us, where all we care about is college football.'
If either guy really wanted to win this food fight, they'd jump to the high road. Kraft could post a video to the Patriots' social media with he and Drake Maye wearing UNC hats, wishing Belichick and the Tar Heels a great season.
Or Belichick could post a clip congratulating Bill Parcells on his Patriots Hall of Fame induction and wish Kraft and the Patriots good luck in the year ahead.
If one of them did that, they'd look classy and magnanimous and get tons of credit for it. As a bonus, they'd make the other one look petulant in the process.
Until then, Belichick and Kraft are both diminishing their shared legacy and kicking some dirt on the memories of New England football fans every time they go down this path.
Outtakes from a busy week...
Make sure Manfred doesn't over do it
The scariest thing about the positive response that baseball received from the 'Swing-Off' that ended the All-Star game is the potential synapses it fired off in Rob Manfred's head.
The mini home run derby was fun. Because the All-Star game result doesn't matter, it could be gimmicky and still work. If any other commissioner were in charge, it would be safe to assume that was obvious.
Adam Silver knows that a game of H.O.R.S.E. between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be an entertaining way to break an NBA All-Star tie, but he'd never decide a real game that way.
But with Manfred, there's reason for concern.
Manfred is a tinkerer. He likes to put his grubby little fingers all over the sport he presides over, but doesn't seem to actually enjoy. He'd be better suited to be the show runner of The Price is Right than the commissioner of baseball.
The pitch clock was a good idea and he deserves credit for it. But its success may have emboldened Manfred. This is the same guy who was considering adding a golden at-bat. Interleague play and the postseason have all been watered down on his watch.
Hopefully, the dopamine hit he gets from seeing a Swing Off praised in the All-Star Game doesn't prompt him to consider it in real games, or worse, the playoffs.
Speaking of surges
On July 1, Fangraphs gave the Red Sox an 18.6 percent chance of making the playoffs. Coming out of the All-Star break, they're at 55.4.
The 10-game winning streak has changed the team's trajectory and could make for a fun August and September.
QBs visiting Gillette Stadium in 2025
I think the Patriots will be better in 2025, but I need to see them in action before committing to real optimism.
That said, this is a list of the quarterbacks who will visit Gillette Stadium this season:
Geno Smith
Aaron Rodgers
Bryce Young
Whoever emerges from the battle of Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel
Michael Penix
Justin Fields,
Russell Wilson
Tua Tagovailoa
If they can't rack up some wins against those guy, they're in trouble.
Real Jeopardy! Clue
Sports clues from actual editions of America's favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date
CATEGORY: CAN HE HIT FOR THE CYCLE? $600 July 15, 2025 (or Tuesday):
The only cycle in MLB postseason history was by the Red Sox' Brock Holt in this enemy park where the Bosox love to get a victory
— Answer below
The Top 5
5 - Liam Doyle - There isn't a school system in Massachusetts that doesn't have at least three Liam Doyles (don't look it up)
4 - Ike Irish
3 - Boston Smith
2 - Bruin Agbayani
1 - Sam Horn Jr. - His father is a mailman, not the Sam Horn you're thinking of.
Today in Boston Sports History
July 18
From Red Sox Diehard
1998: Donnie Sadler's first major league home run is the first of Boston's record four two-out homers in a 9-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. In the seven-run fourth inning, Darren Lewis, Nomar Garciaparra and Mo Vaughn follow to break the AL record of three held by six teams.
Lightning round
ESPN's Jim Abbott mini-documentary was terrific.
If you like smoky beer, Jack's Abby is bringing back Fire in the Ham this weekend to its beer hall in Framingham. It's good and a nice find in a Beer Era that's oversaturated with IPAs.
If MLB is going to decide tied All-Star games with Home Run Derbitos, they need to call it something better than a 'Swing-Off.'
With all of the Superman hype, I'd totally watch a half-hour Clark Kent comedy about the Man of Steel using his powers (X-ray vision, super hearing etc.) to get scoops, make deadline.
Real Jeopardy! Question:
What is Yankee Stadium?
Finally...
Happy National Sour Candy Day to those who celebrate.
More Outtakes
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Only Aaron Rodgers could complain about attention to get attention
Enough empty promises, Red Sox need to prove commitment to winning
Ranking which team — Bruins, Celtics, Patriots or Red Sox — is closest to a title?
Bruins passed on safer choices to chase Marco Sturm's higher ceiling
Read the original article on MassLive.