As the NFL launches its annual exportation of American football, it’s important for everyone to sell the product to a growing European audience.
Pats coach Bill Belichick didn’t get the memo. Or, if he did, he tore it up. Or ignored it. Or both.
In his first meeting with the media in London since his team played there three years ago, Belichick displayed his usual bad ventriloquist routine, saying as little as possible behind a mouth that was barely moving.
Here’s a sample.
Question: How does this year compare to a few years ago?
Answer: I don’t know, just got here. It’s London. A little overcast, some traffic – it’s like everybody is up and at it this morning.
Question: How much of a disruption is it playing a game in London?
Answer: We played in Seattle a couple weeks ago We’ve played here, we’ve traveled before.
Question: The NBA has done a great job translating itself internationally. Do you think football translates as well? Can you see it reaching that level?
Answer: I have no idea.
Question: There have been some issues with racism in English soccer. Can you describe how that’s changed the NFL?
Answer: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Belichick is one of the all-time great coaches. But he’s definitely not the guy to be selling the NFL to a potential customer base that has to date been as ambivalent as Belichick is when meeting with the media.