A DYNASTY WAS BORN
BY JACOB THOMPSON
SHORTS EOjT-OR
M ost NFL fa n s
w e re le s s th an
impressed to see
the New England
P atriots in the
Super
Bow l
again. I was not
one of those fans, I
was thrilled to see New
England back in the big game.
No, I am not a Patriots fa n p l’ m a
Cheesehead (Green Bay Packers fan)
through and through, but with the
Packers not even making the playoffs,
I needed a team to root for, and I
found it In the ‘ ole reliable Patriots.
S in c e th e tim e I
w as p la y in g “ h o u s e ”
and m akin g m acaroni art in
k in d erg a rten th ro u gh m y th ird
attem p t at fin a lly fin ish in g th is
A ssociate of A rts Oregon Transfer
Degree I’ m currently w orking on,
I have w atch ed Tom Brady, Bill
B elich ick and the New England
Patriots compete in eight Super Bowls
over a 17-year span.
Yes, that isn’t every year, although
they did attend back-to-back Super
Bowls, but I have found a little piece
o f m y life th at has been m issing
w ith the Pats;, and that is certain.
In th o se 17 years the Patriots have
made the AFC Championship game
II tim es. Growing up in the 2000s
and 2010s (yes, I w ill still need to
grow up in the 2020s and 2030s, but
I digress), I watched my nation fall
under attack on 9/11, go to war in the
Middle East, watched my stepbrother
go to fight in th at war, watched my
younger brother almost die after an
autom obile accident and lost four
grandparents. With life’ s unavoidable
variables, I feel comfort where most
fans find anger and angst in the
P atriots com petin g in the Super
Bowl. I also enjoy watching underdogs
defying the odds (sorry if that made
you spit out your drink.) With all of
Belichick and Brady’ s successes, it
may belong forgotten knowledge that
both these men were underdogs
early in their careers’.
Belichick began his first NFL
coaching job in 1975. Sixteen years
later, Belichick was finally named a
head coach by the Cleveland Browns.
Belichick struggled with the Browns,
but in 1994, he found a little bit
of m agic in Cleveland and led the
Browns to Cleveland’ s only playoff
win in the last 20 seasons (Cleveland
didn’ t have a team from 1996-1999).
After a subpar 5-11 record in 1995, the
Browns were moved to Baltimore by
owner Art Model and Belichick was
let go as head coach.
Finishing his time in Cleveland with
an overall record of 37-45, including
playoffs, Belichick was once again
an assistant coach until 2000 when
he was hired as head coach of th e
New England Patriots. One year after
his hiring and 5-11 record, Belichick
found himself in the Super Bowl with
now future Hall of Famer Tom Brady
but at the time, Brady was just a kid
from Michigan the Patriots took with
the 199 pick in the 2000 NFL draft.
After an average-at-best career at
the University of Michigan, throwing
30 touchdowns and 17 interceptions,
NFL scouts were less than kind about
Brady’s draft w orkout and future
career in the NFL. According to Brady’ s
p e r s o n a 1
In sta g ra m
a c c o u n t th e
scouts said, “ Poor
build, skinny, lacks
great physical stature
and s t r e n g t h , la c k s
mobility and ability to avoid
the rush, lacks, a really strong arm,
can’ t drive the ball downfield, does
not throw a really tight spiral, system-
type player who can get exposed if
forced to ad lib, gets knocked down
easily.”
Looking back, it’ s hard to believe
how little faith the seoiits had in
Brady. Brady would back up Drew
Bledsoe his first season in the league
only throwing three passes the entire
season, but early in the 2001 season
Brady would finally get his shot.
After Bledsoe was injured in the
second gam e of the 2001 season,
Brady became New England’ s starting
quarterback and led the Patriots to
the Super Bowl, where they would
face^quarterback Kurt W arner and
th e St. Louis Rams. A sT 4 ~ p o in t
underdogs, Bf ady threw for 187 yards
and one touchdown as the Patriots
stunned the Rams 20-17. Brady was
a jso
named Super Bowl MVP. ;It
was 3 great story, and the
beginning of a dynasty.
The Pats w ould return
to the Super Bowl in 2003,
2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016
and at last th is season. Brady
has won the Super Bowl’ s Most
Valuable Player award four times
and holds 14 Super Bowl records.
Belichick has won more Super Bowls
as a head coach than Bill W alsh,
V ince Lom bardi (who th e Super
Bowl troph y is nam ed after) and
Tom Landry.
Yes, the Patriots lost Super Bowl LII
to the Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, Tom
Brady turned 40 this season. And if the
rumors are true, Belichick and Brady
might not be together for much longer.
But even with that, I just wanted to
thank the New England Patriots, Tom
Brady and Bill Belichick for being the
constant in my life. Hopefully I’ll see
y ’ all in Super Bowl LIII.
photos courtesy of the NFL
These are the five Super Bowls won under Brady and Belichick over the past 16 years.
Clackamas Print
th e c la c k a m a s p r in t.n e t
----------- ---------------- ------------------ February 14, 2018