Jones then sites the case(s) of Assante Samuels, Richard Seymore, Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law. These guys were good players BUT, they were traded for a very good reason that doesn't even come close to applying to Tom Brady.
Belichick, and a handful of other GREAT coaches in sports, subscribe to the RED AUERBACH school of coaching----Red had some simple TEAM rules....nobody criticizes the team or any of its players, coaches or ownership in the media ...ALSO, nobody negotiates their salary in the media, ALSO everybody stays in shape, AND follows Red's rules on dress and curfews. Now that seems pretty simple, as all the GREAT coaches agree. LOMBARDI, CHUCK KNOLL, BILL PARCELLS and BILL BELICHICK....The word is---If you can't play for Auerbach you can't play for me. Its called TEAM discipline and, as Red said, you can't have a winning team unless you first have...a TEAM.
Celtics example---in the early 70's third year man Paul Westphal demanded (in the media)HE should replace the starting point guard and Red promptly traded him to Phoenix for Charlie Scott who then helped the Celtics win the world championship. Oh, who was the guard Westphal wanted to replace? (hold onto your hats) it was John Havlicek. Years later I had a private sit-down with Westphal and he admitted that's what happened. I might add, he even blushed a little bit and called it the biggest career blunder anybody had ever made.
Another Celtic example...Cedric Maxwell had been injured the previous year and, when camp started, he held out for more money. Red tried to work with him and finally asked if he was in game shape. Max said he was so Red gave him his money. Then, when Max played real badly he told the media he shouldn't have been playing so much because he wasn't---in shape yet. Red promptly traded him for BILL WALTON.....and won another world Championship.
Back to the Pats "bad-boys." and why they were traded. Samuels held out for most of the year even thought he had a valid contract...Seymore held out, cried to the media and actually got his raise. Next year he was traded to the Raiders...Ty Law cried to the media about his salary (even though the Pats kept him out of jail for carrying grass,or some other substance into canada.) That's why HE got dumped. Lawyer Milloy was just outright released after bad mouthing the team.
So you see MR. JONES...these guys, who YOU claim were dumped by Belichick, in an exhibition of disloyalty to his players, DO NOT fir into the same category as TOM BRADY.
And further, MR.JONES, there is no possibility of a rift between Brady and Belichick and, if Brady ever does leave the Patriots it will be on the best of terms.
So why don't YOU, MR. JONES, learn a little something about the sports, go to some of the practices and games, talk to the players and maybe present some kind of REAL sports talk to the callers of your show. AND, maybe think of some questions to ask Belichick that will not be nothing more than "leading" questions designed to get some controversy going. How about asking him about these two new players he just traded for..cornerback, Eric Rowe and linebacker Barkevious Mingo. Yes, that's his real name. Belichick saw something real special in him but nobody in the media has bothered to ask him about it...How about it MR. JONES??
FYI...Garoppolo is not trying to win the starting QB job. He knows he's the backup and,as soon as Brady's suspension is up HE will be the starting QB. Even if the Pats are 4-0. Tom Brady is the leader of the team and THAT'S the most important quality for the starting QB. Why is Brady the leader?---Because he earned it.
ALSO, remember most of his teammates were in grammar school when Brady was winning super bowls. He's a legend to them. They KNOW, because Brady's already done it a few times....that no matter how grim things look on the field Brady has shown that he can still come back and win the game. AND, he's always just one of the guys with them. You have to have played the game yourself in order to fully realize how important that is......Stay tuned for my Patriots prediction.....