WAY BACK WHEN we first launched this publication — and prior to either of his two Super Bowl championships — I asked Bill Belichick for his No. 1 piece of advice for helping college, high school and youth coaches. Despite his vast knowledge of the X’s and O’s part of the game, the New England Patriots head coach pointed at character evaluation and the work ethic of players as the most critical aspect for building a winning program.
“When a player is first discussed, the most commonly asked questions our scouts and personnel people consider are: Is he tough? Is he smart? Is he dependable? Does he work hard?,” Belichick told Gridiron Strategies. “Of course, a player’s skill level is important, but if the players are similar in skill level, those other factors usually come into play at some point.”
Four years and two world championships later, Belichick’s words could not have been more prophetic. At a recent post-season press conference, the 2003 NFL Coach of the Year reflected on his championship team.
“The thing that stands out as much as anything about this season is not only the accomplishments, but the fact that nobody on this team wants to take credit for them,” he said. “My players complemented each other. They were unselfish as a team and each player spread credit to everyone but himself. This is a credit not only to the players, but to their attitude and the way that they see themselves as a unit.
“You put together a team and it’s interesting to watch their bonds form. You can’t tell 70 guys how to act with one another or how to respond to different situations together. It all must be genuine and it comes from each individual on the team.”
Even though Belichick credits his players and their moral fiber, deep down it is his philosophy for building a program that has brought two world titles to teams that the “experts” claimed lacked “star power.”