Bill Belichick follows Pete Carroll into history




The end of the Pete Carroll era in New England was 1999. The three year team records of: 10-6, 9-7 and 8-8 were trending in the wrong direction. Carroll was brought into an impossible situation, replacing head coach Bill Parcells. Following a legend is generally a recipe for short term employment. It didn't work in Green Bay for Phil Bengston after Vince Lombardi left. He didn't work out for Ray Handley for the New York Giants when Bill Parcells moved on. And it hasn't worked in Miami since Don Shula left in 1996.

Kerry Byrne, ColdHardFootballFacts:
Ron Borges is also a boxing writer who seems to fancy himself a tough guy – at least if his behavior as a reporter is any indication – and wants everyone to know he's a tough guy.

Former New England coach Pete Carroll often got the bully treatment from Borges, such as the time former linebacker Ted Johnson missed a tackle in a game that New England lost.

Borges berated the coach in the postgame press conference, demanding that Carroll mete out some punishment after – gasp! – a player missed a tackle.

Ron Borges mistakenly helped Pete Carroll and the New England Patriots. Pete's replacement, Bill Belichick is still at the helm for the Patriots while sportswriter Ron Borges has moved across town to the Boston Herald.

ESPN:
The Boston Globe has suspended veteran sports writer Ron Borges amid accusations he plagiarized part of a football column from another reporter.

The Globe's editor, Martin Baron, said Monday in a story posted on the newspaper's Web site that Borges had included in his football notes column last Sunday material written by Mike Sando, a reporter for The News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash. Globe sports editor Joe Sullivan said Borges was not aware the material had been published in the News Tribune on Feb. 25, 2007.

It is truly amazing how far Pete Carroll has traveled. Following the firing from the New England Patriots, Pete turned the University of Southern California football program into a powerhouse. They won two national titles, and lost the third title game to the University of Texas in a classic, 41-38.

Pete has resurrected the Seattle Seahawks franchise, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in 2014. They were not a one-hit wonder. The Seahawks are back in the spotlight again, facing Pete's old team, the New England Patriots.

It is strange how things all worked out. Bill Parcells preceded Pete Carroll, and Bill made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pete preceded Bill Belichick, and Bill is headed to the hall of fame. If Pete wins Super Bowl XLIX next Sunday, he's going to Canton, too.

Pete now works only 20 miles down the road from the News Tribune of Tacoma. And they are the ones who put Ron Borges in his place.



Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.

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