Bill Belichick never hides his disdain for the media, typically approaching the process of answering questions like a bad ventriloquist. Even at times when perhaps it would be a good idea to curry the favor of the folks who are in position to heap criticism on the man who has presided over the erosion of the New England roster, Belichick continues to display condescension and irritation when dealing with reporters.
To his credit, Belichick is consistent. He’s unwilling to cooperate when things are going well, and he’s unwilling to cooperate when they aren’t.
Case in point: His Wednesday press conference, with memories still fresh of Monday night’s debacle at Arrowhead Stadium. Here’s the relevant exchange, from the transcript provided by the team.
Q: Your team has been successful for so long. How difficult is it to adjust to the adversity of Monday night’s game and get back on track? This team and organization hasn’t had these sort of issues in the past.
Belichick: We’re on to Cincinnati.
Q: You mentioned Tom Brady’s age at the draft --
Belichick: We’re on to Cincinnati.
Q: Do you think having a 37-year old --
Belichick: We’re on to Cincinnati. It’s nothing about the past, nothing about the future. Right now we’re preparing for Cincinnati.
Q: Do you think the talent you have here is good?
BB: We’re getting ready for Cincinnati.
Q: Do you think you’ve done enough to help Tom Brady?
Belichick: We’re getting ready for Cincinnati. That’s what we’re doing.
It was ultimately a useless exchange. The answers suggest that the reporters were trying to get Belichick to focus on what went wrong against the Chiefs. The questions actually focused more on the future, with a 37-year-old quarterback, real concerns about the quality of the roster, and real questions about Belichick’s personnel decision.
At least he didn’t say, “I’m trying to be a good teammate.”