Belichick

When Bill Belichick walks up the steps toward the plush, green practice fields behind Gillette Stadium tomorrow morning, the sights and sounds will hardly resemble what he remembers about his first NFL training camp. Assuming the weather cooperates, he'll hear music blaring, see spectators packed into the bleachers, corporate sponsors being entertained in VIP areas, and players joined on the field by trainers, coaches, interns, equipment men, and ball boys. A lot of people.

Bobby Valentine's BBWAA PR team isn't going to like this. We're sort of just used to it with Bill Belichick by now. GQ Magazine recently named the Red Sox skipper and the Patriots coach two of the 12 worst coaches in sports , joining a list that includes Rex Ryan, Bobby Petrino, and Rick Pitino. Also today on GQ: "Newsflash: Allison Williams Has Arrived. " I have no idea. Here's what writer Brett Martin has to say about each: Valentine: "Loves to cast doubts about the talent/physical and emotional preparedness of his own roster/all of Western...

INDIANAPOLIS - Ghastly. This was as bad as anything the Red Sox ever did. Had it been a playoff game, it would be right up there with Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, Aaron Boone, and History Derailed in Glendale, Ariz. And Bill Belichick played the part of Grady Little. The Patriots lost to the undefeated Colts in unbelievable fashion last night. Leading, 31-14 in the fourth quarter, and 34-21 with 2:30 remaining, the Patriots took the choke and lost to their hated rivals, 35-34.

By Shalise Manza Young, Globe Staff Here's another ranking up for debate: NFL writer Clifton Brown of Sporting News has posted his ranking of NFL head coaches, 1-32, taking into consideration each coach's accomplishments, but also where he is now. Brown declares the Giants' Tom Coughlin as the league's top coach , with the Patriots' Bill Belichick second. Here's his explanation on the top two, plus where he ranked the rest of the coaches in the AFC East: 1. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants No present coach has a better knack for getting his...

For Bill Belichick, it's championships or nothing. In his eighth season as an assistant, the Giants won a Super Bowl, and another four years later. The longest title drought of Belichick's career followed next, over 11 seasons, as he was a head coach of the Browns, an assistant for the Patriots and Jets, then assumed command in New England for the 2000 season. Belichick won a title in his second, fourth, and fifth seasons. As Belichick and the Patriots embark on the 2011 season tonight in Miami, his and the team's title-less "drought" is now at six years.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's early assessment of new acquisition Albert Haynesworth is positive. Then again, it's only been one practice. "Albert has worked hard. I think that it's coming," Belichick said Tuesday. "We've got a long way to go, so just take it day-by-day, but I think he's doing fine. " Haynesworth practiced with the Patriots for the first time on Sunday. The team had Monday off, but was back on the practice field Tuesday. New England picked up Haynesworth in a trade with the Redskins last week.

He fishes, goes to wine festivals, even kisses his girlfriend in full view at a Boston Celtics game. He's Bill Belichick. Really. The New England Patriots coach, whose dour demeanor matches his gray hoodie and whose quotes make cliches seem original, actually has a colorful side rarely seen by football junkies. For some reason — and Belichick has a reason for everything — he's loosened up this Super Bowl week with a season's worth of smiles, jokes and fashionable attire.

FOXBOROUGH -- If Bill Belichick knew whom his team will take in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft, he surely wouldn't share that information with the public. So when the coach of the Patriots spoke to local media yesterday for the first time since his squad was bounced from the playoffs by the Denver Broncos, there was little expectation he would divulge inside information, and Belichick delivered. Or didn't. But he did touch on several subjects in the half-hour news conference, the first of what he described as a "normal offseason.

This is Bill Belichick's 37th season in the NFL, and in that time, he has seen thousands of players come and go. But having to tell them that they're out of a job hasn't gotten any easier, not since his first days with the Baltimore Colts, when Belichick became known as "Billy Bad News" because he was the Colts' Turk, the man who told players to grab their playbook and go see head coach Ted Marchibroda - essentially telling them they're being...

FOXBOROUGH -- Patriots safety Rodney Harrison was voted the dirtiest player in football in a recent poll conducted by Sports Illustrated of 354 current and former NFL players. Surprised? Harrison got 15 percent of the vote. Another player who made the list was Jets center Kevin Mawae. Both will be on the field Sunday in a battle of unbeaten teams at Gillette Stadium. Harrison is the most heavily fined player in NFL history, and that's why he believes he's been labeled a dirty player.

Bill Belichick is in a league of his own when it comes to getting paid. But Doc Rivers isn't far behind. According to Forbes magazine , the three-time Super Bowl winning Patriots head coach makes more money than any other coach in America. Belichick's estimated salary of $7.5 million puts him at the top of the Forbes list. NFL coaches dominate the top 10, with eight representatives. The two other top-10 paid coaches come from the NBA: Celtics coach Doc Rivers ($7 million)

Bill Belichick is the highest paid coach in America. (Bill Greene / Globe Staff) By Steve Silva, Globe Staff Bill Belichick is in a league of his own when it comes to getting paid. But Doc Rivers isn't far behind. According to Forbes magazine, the three-time Super Bowl winning Patriots head coach makes more money than any other coach in America. Belichick's estimated salary of $7.5 million puts him at the top of the Forbes list. NFL coaches dominate the top 10, with eight representatives.

How much longer might Tom Brady play? Turns out his wife is wondering that same thing. In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Peter King , Brady answers the question this way: "My wife [ Gisele Bundchen ] said to me, ‘When I met you [in 2006], you said you wanted to play 10 more years. How come that number never goes down?' " says Brady. "It's that I love the game. I love the game. I'm going to play until they tell me they don't want me anymore. " Brady, who turns 35 in August, has a contract through the 2014 season.

FOXBOROUGH - To hear Dont'a Hightower speak, it's easy to see why he did so well playing for Nick Saban at Alabama, and why he'll likely get along swimmingly with his new coach, Bill Belichick. The versatile linebacker, the second of the Patriots' two first-round picks in the draft, is all business when it comes to talking about football. It wasn't that he was gruff when he met with the media Friday before an on-field session at rookie minicamp, and he did crack a smile or two, but for the most part Hightower was matter-of-fact...

Darrelle Revis still is upset with Bill Belichick. The All-Pro cornerback said Thursday that the way the Patriots coach "disrespects" the New York Jets is uncalled for and not professional. "When you make it personal, when you say things that are personal, why go there?" Revis said of derogatory comments he believes Belichick made last season, particularly after a 37-16 home loss to New England. "When you are talking about having a better defense, OK. But when you say they can suck … or whatever.

The New England Patriots have hired Bill Belichick's son as a coaching assistant, making him the third generation of the family to try his hand as a football coach. The team said Thursday that Steve Belichick will join his father's staff. Bill Belichick's father, also named Steve, was a fullback who played for the Detroit Lions and coached in college, spending 33 years on the staff at Navy. The hire was among several New England coaching moves Thursday that included Matt Patricia being moved into the defensive coordinator slot.

FOXBOROUGH - It didn't take Jonathan Fanene long to feel he was in the right place at the right time. The 30-year-old defensive end finally had bolted from his home base with the Cincinnati Bengals after a seven-year career that had established him as a solid if not spectacular player. He also played a position where almost every NFL team is on a constant search for depth. "I guess they saw a need and felt I could fill it," said the new Patriot with a smile Tuesday after a workout that has been part of his routine since agreeing in March to a three-year, $12 million deal as a free agent.

FOXBOROUGH - It didn't take Jonathan Fanene long to feel he was in the right place at the right time. The 30-year-old defensive end finally had bolted from his home base with the Cincinnati Bengals after a seven-year career that had established him as a solid if not spectacular player. He also played a position where almost every NFL team is on a constant search for depth. "I guess they saw a need and felt I could fill it," said the new Patriot with a smile Tuesday after a workout that has been part of his routine since agreeing in March to a three-year, $12 million deal as a...

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff In what is almost becoming as predictable as a Super Bowl guarantee from Jets coach Rex Ryan, media covering the Jets and the team's players spent more of their time in the offseason talking about the Patriots today. All the media outlets in New York are covering the war of words (is it a war when it's one sided?), but I saw Manish Mehtra's quotes from the New York Daily News first . Here's a sampling. Cornerback Darrelle Revis on referring to Bill Belichick as a "jerk" on ESPN a few months ago: "I gave my honest opinion," Revis...

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady commented Thursday on Facebook on the passing of former Patriots linebacker Junior Seau. "Junior Seau was a great teammate and even better friend. His legacy will live on and the memories of his time here with us will never be forgotten. We love you 'buddy.'" was posted to Brady's Facebook page on Thursday . Patriots coach Bill Belichick and players Jerod Mayo and Rob Ninkovich also released statements through the team's media relations department.