The New England Patriots are as accurate as a Swiss watch. They have won 17 of the last 22 AFC EAST titles and nine in a row. There is rarely any drama coming out of Patriots land. They just go about their business, collecting chip after chip and making the rest of the NFL look buffoonish in the process. That could soon change. According to the New York Daily News ESPN is about to report a bombshell that Tom Brady and Patriots owner Robert Kraft stabbed Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback in the wings, in the back:
The story focuses on how the rift among the trio — which appeared to reach new heights following the Jimmy Garoppolo trade — has become so severe that some Patriots personnel believe this may be the final year all three remain in New England.
According to ESPN, as the trade deadline neared, Brady met with both Kraft and Belichick several times in October to discuss his desire to play longer. Belichick, however, was reportedly skeptical of giving a 40-year-old quarterback a long-term contract extension.
Brady has frequently aired his desire to play until he’s 45 and finish his career as a Patriot. The fact that Brady didn’t appear ready to retire any time soon led to the Patriots having to make a decision on Garoppolo’s future with the team, as the backup quarterback was set to be a free agent after the season. The meeting between Brady and Belichick ended in a “little blowup,” according to ESPN.
The Patriots reportedly offered Garoppolo a four year contract extension in the $17-$18 million range. The pay could go higher if he succeeded Tom Brady. What’s the odds of that? Brady is “Mr. Patriot” and there would have been a mutiny in Foxboro had Brady been discarded for Garoppolo. In effect, the Patriots wanted Garoppolo to carry a clipboard for the next five years and waste away on the sidelines.
Garoppolo rejected the offer, which prompted the Patriots to trade him to the San Francisco 49’ers for a second-round pick. The trade caused many to question Belichick’s decision-making. However, it wasn’t Belichick’s doing. It was Brady’s. Belichick has been reticent to hold onto players beyond their prime, and after their value has started dropping. Before Belichick could get rid of Brady, Brady ran to Kraft to pre-empt him. It confirmed what we always knew – Brady gets special treatment in Foxboro. It also makes it appear he has more power than Belichick who comes across as a control-freak. Remember, Brady is partially beholden to Belichick who made the controversial move to replace Drew Bledsoe with Brady, a 6th round draft choice, many moons ago.
Garoppolo Is A Star In The Making
Garoppolo is a star, and apparently everybody in the Patriots organization knew it. The 49ers started out 1-10. They traded for Garoppolo in October. He got his shot and went 4-0 as the starter:
Since the deal Garoppolo has started four games for the Niners. The results have been astonishing. Among quarterbacks with four or more starts, the best adjusted yards-per-attempt figure belongs to Alex Smith who is having a career year with the Kansas City Chiefs. Second is Brady. Third is Garoppolo.
More importantly, Garoppolo has taken a terrible team and made it suddenly unbeatable, With four wins in four starts, including victories over playoff-quality teams, the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If Drew Bledsoe had done to Brady what Brady did to Garoppolo it would not have been allowed. The fans would not have stood for. The media would not have stood for it. Belichick would have discarded Bledsoe quicker than he actually did. Brady just “punked” Belichick in front of the entire team … in front of the entire NFL. Belichick must be furious right now. Like the Oakland Raiders who had to suffer the “tuck rule” afforded Brady in that AFC playoff game – another example of special treatment for Brady – Belichick will just have to get over it. It’s never a winning strategy to take on the “teacher’s pet.”
On Trump And The Global Economy
Trump And The Global Economy Town Hall took place October 24th in Fort Greene. It Featured Professor Lance Brofman, Coconut Rob (Coconut Rob Smoothies), Wuyi Jacobs (AfroBeats Radio) and Ralph Baker, author of Shock Exchange: How Inner-City Kids From Brooklyn Predicted the Great Recession and the Pain Ahead.
The event was well-received by the community. We parsed through President Trump’s proposed tax plan and [i] how it was pure economic folly and [ii] high net worth individuals could potentially game the system by shifting income around. Apparently, Kansas Coach Bill Self did this when the state of Kansas cut taxes in the past. We discussed the pros and cons of technology on workers and the economy. How will the economy and country prosper under Trump’s leadership vis-a-vis Obama? What’s behind the verbal sparring with black athletes, ESPN’s Jemele Hill and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un?
