Waiting for 27 and 31

If judged by the commentariat in the Google Machine, one might think Bill Belichick had – with the exception of that flier on a certain Michigan QB – drafted nothing but busts as an NFL head coach.  This hardly seemed possible given the Patriots success during the Belichick era but other than a few, “I think if you look at other teams you’d find as many busts,” or “Nobody had a good draft in 2006” defenses of Belichick’s record (and saying you’re no worse than others is hardly a ringing endorsement), it seemed to be the consensus of the hive brain that Belichick sucked at drafting NFL-quality football players. 

So, it was with some interest that I perused this piece on Cleveland.com, asserting Bill Belichick’s mastery of the draft board. 

  

Belichick leads the league in All-Pro players drafted over the last 10 years with 15. Cleveland, of course, has the worst record of drafting All-Pro players with just 2 in the last decade.

It’s worth remembering here (again) that Bill Belichick is still the last Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns to win a playoff game.

It’s also worth noting that the odds favor at least one of this year’s draft picks making an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii during their NFL career.  Maybe two or three trips.

I was also reminded the citizens of Patriots’ Nation can be total asshats.  I picked up the link to the “New England Patriots best, Cleveland Browns worst at finding All-Pros in the NFL Draft” on the ESPNBoston.com Patriots blog.  Naturally, I read the comments.  Anecdotally, they seemed to be divided into drunken Bruins’ fans, knocking on doors, looking for a party and inexplicably bitter Patriots’ fans spitting, “Oh yeah? Well, Chad Jackson!” with the occasional “I really think Ron Brace is going to have a break out year this season” thrown in for good measure.

Look, if you’ve been carrying around a pathological bitterness over Chad Jackson, let it go. For every Chad Jackson there’s been a Vince Wilfork or a Matt Light.  Sure, it helps when you pull a quarterback out of you draft ass in the 6^th round named Tom Brady.  But every team has a Chad Jackson they’d like to forget about.  How about the Jets and Vernon Gholston?  Isn't it more fun thinking about Vernon Gholston than thinking about Chad Jackson? 

Oh, and seriously, stop with the “Ron Brace is going to break out this year,” talk.

Do it for the kids.

They need to let go. 

You need to let go.