Ninkovich: Belichick is great, just don't ask him dumb questions

Photo via profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

A message we should all take to heart: don't ask dumb questions.

Rob Ninkovich is one of the many players on Bill's list of "no namers turned yes namers". He owes much of his NFL success to Belichick and isn't shy to admit that. He also isn't shy about squelching the common idea that Belichick is a jerk:

“The perception of Bill, they don’t really see Bill outside of his interviews. He’s a funny guy, he has a great sense of humor and he’s the best football coach ever for a reason. He knows what he’s talking about. He knows how to get the best and the most out of each individual person. So the way he speaks, you definitely listen to the things that he says. You try to write down and absorb as much as you can. He has a ton of knowledge of the game. Walking around the locker room, walking around the facility, he’ll talk to you. He’s the best football coach I’ve been around. There is a definitely difference in the perception of what he is from the media versus what he really is. He’s always available if you need to speak to him. That’s another thing he always says, ‘just come to me’ and he’ll tell you it like it is. He won’t sugarcoat anything for you. That’s what you want — honest answers. As a football player, that’s a great thing, to be able to go to your head coach and be able to ask him a question and have him give you a straight-up answer.”

This is why I really wish the Patriots would do Hard Knocks. The whole world would love to see what goes on behind closed doors in Foxboro, and we Patriots fans would love to see old Bill popping off and making jokes with the team. It would certainly be a weird site.

According to Nink, there is an easy way to not get stern, one word, at times angry Bill:

“A lot of people just see an interview, some media guy asking him a dumb question and he likes to give it back to those guys especially,”

So, don't ask Bill dumb questions. Seems like an easy solution. Yet he still has to deal with dumb questions. Such is life for an NFL head coach. But seriously Bob Kraft and Bill, think about Hard Knocks, it would easily be the most watched season ever.

- Pete Rogers
@ftcsports
@petahrahgas