Top 5: Takeaways from the Jerod Mayo press conference
Jerod Mayo was introduced as the 15th head coach of the New England Patriots franchise. Here are the top take ways from the press conference:
He received a standing ovation. Why? It was the media not fans or the team. Sit down.
How many buses can Belichick be thrown under?
The vailed and not so vailed shot at Belichick were abundant. "I don’t want this to be an Echo Chamber” “Titles are important” “I don’t know everything” “I needed a break from Bill” - All quotes from Mayo as direct shots at Bill in a clear effort to distance themselves from the culture Bill created.
I guess it was all Bill's fault
Oh ya, that culture. The one that harbored the greatest professional athlete of all time, squeezing out every drop of greatness for 20 years? That one, the “greatest coach of all time” according to Robert Kraft, just not anymore?
Jerod Mayo hates Mac Jones
Plain and simple. No pointing fingers, making excuses, get in the weight room, aka don’t be a winey bitch throwing INT’s in the Red Zone. Poor Mac keeps putting himself in the line of fire too. He was front and center at this press conference for that shellacking
Thunder claps
I hate the fact that Jerod Mayo calls Robert Kraft “Thunder”. It’s so hokey. He is an 80 year old billioniare. And your boss. It’s Mr. Kraft, ya dope. Thunder for sure claps though.
How did Mayo climb his way to VP of business development with no practical experience?
The Kraft management training program. He has been hand picked and groomed for years to take this position over. The Kraft’s have a firm policy to keep business in the family. They are treating their Football team with the same philosophy. It’s a bold strategy Cotton. We’ll see if it pays off.
It's a black name, I'll teach you.
Mayo did not shy away from the fact that he is the first black coach in Patriots history and he’s proud of it. I think he spoke well on the subject. He could be funny, he could be series speaking about racism and the optics and importance of him in the position “I see color or else you can't see racism.” If you can’t get down with that, you’ve got bigger problems. When it comes to the football team, I don’t think it’s wrong to say because of his experience in the league, back ground, and over all demeanor as a professional he is more appealing to players then Belichick is at this stage of his career. We have heard overwhelming support from current Patriots for Mayo. That will only go so far, and the fact that he is African American one matter a lick if they continue to suck.
The quarterback is as important to the coach as the coach is to the owner. Which is to say, you can't do it without the other guy.
It’s interesting to watch Kraft potentially make the same mistake as Belichick and underestimate the importance of the man they deem to be beneath them. Or is it a case over overestimating their own capabilities and ambitions? Either way, clearly Belichick suffered with out Brady. It would not be surprising to see Kraft and his Patriots lose their footing a bit here in the transition from Belichick if the Kraft’s do indeed take on a larger role in the day to day football operations.
Overall, I am a little annoyed with the general sentiment and first impressions of Mayo. The jovial behavior with the media is either that of an excited puppy taken aback by the moment or a calculated disingenuous attempt to distance themselves from the grumpy contentious culture Belichick had cultivated with the media here over 24 years. Either way, not great. The only specific football answer I’ve heard is a not so vailed hint that they are drafting a QB. Can I get a little more “act like you’ve been there” opposed to “just happy to be here”.
It’s all speculation and judgement hoopla until the football starts. If they play well the jovial shit will play. If they blow, it won’t. We’ll learn what kind of coach Mayo is fairly quickly. It’s a tough business, Head Coach in the NFL. So, maybe keep that in mind the next time you decided to toss a guy under the bus that excelled at it for longer and did it better than anyone in history?