Belichick going soft?

An article from Dan Wetzel at Yahoo today noted that Belichick seems to have become a more chipper, carefree, and basically happy person this season (I exaggerate a bit, but not by much). Indeed, the signs have been coming for a while. In several press conferences this season, Bill has actually stated that he is proud of the team. Yes. Proud. And today he even handed out trick or treat candy to the press. Yes. Really. Bill Belichick. Candy. Press. Reiss reported it.

So what is happening hear? Last year the man was all doom and gloom despite the fact that he was coaching the greatest football team in the history of the game (I don't care what you naysayers think, the 2007 Pats were the greatest team ever because they not only went 18-1 which is still better than your team ever but also because they set the most single-season records). This year he seems happier. Chipper. Carefree.

I think that part of this new attitude stems from the fact that everything just got so darned serious last year. There was this ridiculously phenomenal offense and you expected every week that they would go out and do something ridiculously phenomenal, like a 98-yard pass to Randy Moss in quadruple coverage with the sun in his eyes and while completing a triple lutz. Any time we were close to being down by 10 points at the half last year I panicked (I don't think we ever were). This is no way to live life.

This year, in contrast, I breathe a sigh of relief any time Cassel completes a pass. And so we take pride in these achievements, especially since we've been overcoming the difficulties. It shows that even with two gigantic holes in our line-up (Brady, naturally, and now Harrison), we are still out there battling and doing a great job. Which makes me happy. And it all seems much less like we need to have these ridiculously phenomenal plays that need to be made all the time.

Reiss has Indy over the Pats 20-10 this week. Maybe then Bill will demand the candy back and return to normal. I was glad to see he cut his hair, it was getting to be a bit much with the headband during the Denver game.