I’m not a fan of the Patriots or a defender of Bellichick but I think that whole “Spygate” thing was way over blown. Not that I condone that behavior or that I think the NFL should not discourage it, but I think that all teams are constantly engaging in similar types of “espionage” on a regular basis. The entire “Evil Hoody” image thing that Bellichick has acquired is totally unfounded. Bellichick is one of the most successful coaches in the NFL and probably a nicer guy than a majority of the coaches in the NFL. I’m not fan of his and did not feel bad when the Giants beat them in two Super Bowls but just trying to be objective. The alternative is the fans generating a lot of bogus fictional perceptions just because they have associated a particular team’s fortunes with their own (and we all do that). Because winning and losing is so ingrained into the fans psyche I think it’s a good idea to cultivate an objective point of view as much as possible. For example, I can say I hate the Cowboys because my team lost to them so many times and I felt like crap for years afterwards, but I can also say objectively that the Cowboys have been one of the most successful NFL teams. Both are valid states of mind and no doubt occur simultaneously in most fans minds.

So I would definitely side with Jack on this one that Bellichick belongs in the top 10 greatest coaches of all time, not the top 20. Jimmy Johnson (another hated Cowboy!) belongs in the top 20 and would be in the top 10 if he had a longer NFL career that included more success than just 1992-93.

By the way, do you know that when Bill Walsh retired as head coach of the 49ers that Jimmy Johnson was considered as a possible replacement?

Rob, thanks for whipping up a great off season topic to keep our juices flowing while we languish in the throes of pre-camp doldrums.