Bill Belichick

Isn’t it amusing that the reaction of practically everyone who learned that Bill Belichick was going to coach football at North Carolina next year was one of total surprise, even shock, when those same folks have no idea what he thinks and what makes him tick.

Everyone is so certain they know what he wants to do with his life they express amazement with whatever he does.

How many really know anything about the man?

Hey, even Tom Brady was taken by aback by the move.

“It blew me away”, said the quarterback who led Belichick’s Patriots to six Super Bowl titles.

But I bet Brady was also amazed when BB jumped in with both feet with countless media outlets this year.

Bill Belichick? The man who hates the media every which way going full blast everywhere you looked?

How about his new girlfriend?

The 24-year old lady now with the 72-year old coach.

The man appears happy. He’s seen everywhere. Even decked out in a tuxedo on a runway at a formal dinner.

That’s not the Bill Belichick we know. Or think we know. That’s not the greatest NFL coach ever who didn’t get a job this season. That’s not the guy who the Atlanta Falcons decided they didn’t want.

How’s that going, by the way?

The answer is we don’t know Bill Belichick.

So when he takes the college head coaching job at North Carolina we are stunned.

When he does, all we talk about is his buyout deal so he can leave and go back to the NFL. When he says, “I didn’t come here to leave”, no one believes him.

No one has any idea what’s in a man’s heart.  No one has a clue how this man thinks.

What has been apparent is this:  we used to rarely see him with a smile on his face. Now we rarely see him without one.

We know that there is a connection with the Tar Heels. Belichick’s dad, Steve, was an assistant coach at UNC.

We also know that before he accepted the post he reached out to the two greatest athletes in North Carolina school history, Lawrence Taylor and Michael Jordan.

He probably talked with an old friend and coaching colleague, Nick Saban, as well.

I believe BB loved talking football in the media this past season, but let’s face it, a coach is a coach. That’s what’s in his blood.’

One of his sons is an assistant at the University of Washington, the other who’s been on his staff at New England will join him at UNC.

Belichick brings along Mike Lombardi, a former NFL General Manager who worked with him at Cleveland, and currently in the media. Lombardi will be a de facto GM to assist in building a personnel department to evaluate talent in the transfer portal and scout high school players.

Their plan is to establish an NFL-style program to ready players for a pro career, and conduct a program that teaches and trains a team the way it was done with the Patriots.

Many of his former players claim BB will have to “change” to be successful at Carolina. I have a hunch Belichick is well aware of the adjustments he has to make personally in dealing with college players. He is not dumb.

No one knows what’s in his head concerning the difficult task of recruiting and visiting the homes of prospects and dealing with their parents.

I’m sure he has given it thought and it just might be he relishes that part of the deal.

Already the new coach has made an impact.

A 4-star quarterback named Bryce Baker had been recruited by the Tar Heels, but had not made a final commitment. Other powers, LSU and Penn State were putting on a full-court press.

Since the announcement of Belichick’s arrival, Baker has re-affirmed his decision to come to Chapel Hill.

Does anyone not think the new world of college sports will benefit the new coach?

Will they be smart with the NIL situation that pays out millions to some athletes?

Will they have an edge with transfers coming in and those going out?

What do you think?

I had to chuckle when an “unsubstantiated report” revealed that Belichick expressed interest in becoming the new head coach of the New York Jets.

In the late 80’s, Belichick was named head coach of the Jets after Bill Parcells decided to move upstairs to General Manager.
Belichick resigned the next day in an embarrassing scenario for the coach and the team.

Soon after Belichick signed with the Patriots, and the rest his history.

Recently, on one of his media shots, Belichick criticized the Jets ownership for how they ran the club.

Why would the coach reach out and expect Woody Johnson, the Jets owner to welcome him?

It looked to me like an anonymous report trying to make the Jets look good, and the coach look bad.

Nothing in recent history has made the Jets look good.

While no one can predict how this story will all work out.

Maybe Bill Belichick will realize this move is a mistake.

Perhaps he will jump back to the NFL sooner than later.

Or the opposite will be the case.

It could be that the coach will throughly enjoy taking young kids, teaching them what they need to know, and building a strong college football team.

I find it hard to believe that going to a school where his father coached, and discussing the matter with the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Michael Jordan, and  making a commitment to others to join him in his mission, Bill Belichick will disappoint.

The only thing I can see, is that the man has had plenty of time to think about his future. He seems to know what he wants.

And yes, there is another thing I can see.

That smile that wasn’t always there.