9 ways Bill Belchick has avoided talking about Deflategate during training camp
Bill Belichick has the gift of speaking at length about absolutely nothing. When asked specific questions — usually questions he has no interest in answering — he speaks in broad terms, or tells the reporter someone else would be better equipped to answer, as if they’ve got the wrong guy.
So when Belichick was quizzed this week about Tom Brady’s suspension, subsequent appeal and the Deflategate scandal — topics which Patriots owner Robert Kraft advised the team not to speak about — Belichick displayed his unparalleled ability to dodge.
Here are some of the ways Belichick has avoided the Brady topic in the first few days of New England Patriots training camp. Disclaimer, this is will get repetitive.
1. ‘I’m just trying to do my job’
Q: We haven’t heard from your quarterback in a while. Do you anticipate him saying anything during camp?
BB: I can’t speak for 90 players and another dozen or so coaches. I can speak for myself. I’m here trying to do my job. Everybody is trying to do theirs. That’s what training camp is for.
2. Claiming ignorance
Q: Did you happen to notice the “Cheaters Look Up’’ banner yesterday and what was your reaction to it?
BB: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Q: Have you heard about that plane?
Q: Focused, huh?
BB: Just trying to coach the football team.
3. Subtly tweaking his first answer (this is masterful, if you really look at it)
Q: How do you prepare for a season where you don’t know if Tom Brady will be your quarterback for the first four games of the season?
BB: Right now we’re preparing for today, practice today.
Q: But you have to think ahead, right? How do you plan for that?
BB: Right now we’re practicing for today. That’s all I’m thinking about. I’m not thinking about a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now, six months from now. I’ll leave all that up to you guys and the experts. Just today.
4. Recyling old material
Q: Last year, the phrase was “On to Cincinnati.’’ This year, it sounds like it’s, “We’re focused on practice and we’re preparing for today.’’ Does the adversity you overcame last year help in dealing with it this year?
BB: I’ve coached in this league for a long time. I’ve been a head coach for a number of years. It’s the way we’ve gone about it every training camp, every practice in training camp.
Bill Belichick refuses to answer reporter’s questions concerning NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s action.
5. Pleading the Fifth.
Q: Clearly at this point you’re not making a lot of comments on the Brady situation. At what point do you think it will be appropriate for you to address those questions again?
BB: I think Robert [Kraft] addressed that yesterday.
Q: Is there a point in the future where you think you’ll want to talk about this ever again?
BB: I think Robert addressed that yesterday. You can go back and read the transcript. I think you can read what he said and that’s what we’re going to do.
Q: Do you agree with everything he said?
BB: You can go back and read what he said.
Q: But that doesn’t tell me whether you agree with everything he said.
BB: You go back and read the transcript of what Robert said, he advised everybody in the organization not to talk about it, and so we’re not talking about it. You can go back and read that yourself. It’s in the transcript.
Q: When you set your practices for the week, do you adjust for the weather?
BB: No, we don’t know what the weather is going to be. We were standing out there a couple days ago and it went from one type of weather to a very severe rain in a matter of minutes. You tell me what the weather is going to be. I don’t know. Whatever it is we’ve got to play in. Whatever we get, we’ll play through. If it snows, it snows. If it rains, it rains. If it’s hot, it’s hot. If it’s windy, it’s windy. If it’s not windy, it’s not windy. We can’t control any of those things.
7. “Going Jedi (“these are not the droids you’re looking for…’’)
Q: How will you split up the reps at quarterback with the first team offense?
BB: Training camp is where everybody gets reps. We evaluate the entire team.
8. Channeling a college professor
Q: Is there something flawed about the system here in the organization that you keep ending up in these cheating controversies? Can you explain why?
BB: It’s already been addressed.
Q: Could you elaborate a little?
BB: No.
Q: Why not?
BB: Because it’s already been addressed.
Q: Well, people have a lot of questions – the public, fans.
BB: You heard what Robert just said. It’s already been addressed. Maybe you ought to go back and look at your notes.
Q: I want your opinion.
BB: It’s already been addressed.
9. A little misdirection
Q: Have you spoken at all to Tom Brady since the decision?
BB: I talk to the team every day.
Q: Have you spoken to Tom Brady?
BB: I talk to the team every day.
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