This reunion still worth chasing however unlikely
IT IS, for now, a pipe dream that Giants fans can’t help but smoke: Bill Belichick in a blue hoodie standing on the sidelines at MetLife Stadium, chants of “Dee-Fense” erupting everywhere, reminding him of the way it was at Giants Stadium when Harry Carson owned the point of attack and Lawrence Taylor roared around the edge to terrify quarterbacks, providing cover for Eli Manning or Davis Webb or rookie Josh Rosen. It is a Hail Mary. But if you are the Giants … you damn well should throw it.
The three kings of the Patriots dynasty — Belichick, Tom Brady and owner Bob Kraft — released a statement Friday swearing they “stand united” in the wake of a bombshell ESPN story alleging dysfunction and a marriage that appears to be on the rocks.
Maybe it will help calm the nerves of a fan base that will soon be expecting a sixth Super Bowl championship.
What it has done is titillate a fan base that suddenly dares to dream The Impossible Dream: A Belichick homecoming. To the only place he would come home to, the place where he assisted Bill Parcells to a pair of Super Bowl championships. The place where eight years ago he held back tears touring Giants Stadium for the last time in an NFL Films special on him: “I was just trying to establish my coaching career. Be a good coach. Win some games. It’s hard not to get choked up about it.”
The Giants happen to have a head-coaching vacancy, and as coincidence would have it, general manager Dave Gettleman and coowner John Mara trekked up to Foxborough on Friday to interview Belichick’s offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, and his defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia.
It would still leave more than enough time before the trek back to East Rutherford to treat Belichick to a bowl of chowder, no?
Just to ask whether there is a growing rift with Brady over the coach limiting player access in the building to Alex Guerrero, the 40year-old quarterback’s trainer, and over Brady growing weary of the Belichick’s negativity.
Just to ask whether he was truly “furious and demoralized” by Kraft ordering him to trade Jimmy Garoppolo.
Stranger things have happened — Vince Lombardi left the Packers because the Redskins offered him more power.
Oh — Belichick resigned as HC of the NYJ one day after succeeding Parcells.
Jon Gruden was traded in 2002 by the Raiders to the Bucs for a No. 1 draft pick and a No. 2 in 2002, a No. 1 in 2003 and a No. 2 in 2004, plus $8 million.
The Jets sent four draft picks, including a 1999 No. 1, to Kraft for Parcells.
To hire Belichick as HC of the NEP, Kraft sent the Jets the 16th pick of the 2000 draft and fourthand seventh-rounders in 2001 for a 2001 fifthrounder, and a 2002 seventh-rounder.
One can only imagine what Kraft would demand for Belichick now, starting with the second pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Which would be a deal-breaker. No way should the Giants surrender a chance to draft Eli Manning’s successor. Belichick will turn 66 years old 10 days before the draft. (Hey, the Pats could use a cornerback … would Kraft bite on Eli Apple?)
The Giants love Gettleman, who just had a happy homecoming himself, and it is not in their DNA to shove him aside and let Belichick have the power he has in New England.
It’s a Mt. Everest to climb to imagine Belichick coaching the 2018 New York Football Giants.
But you never know what you might find at the top of the football mountain if you don’t at least try to climb it.
Just because the kings of the Patriots kingdom tell us they “stand united” doesn’t mean they aren’t standing on wobbly legs. There is no “Til death do us part” missive. Where there’s a Bill there’s a way.