Bill Burr Spoke for All Us Few, Remaining, Belichick Loyalists on Rich Eisen's Show

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When Bill Belichick got pantsed in front of the entire school assembly that is a nationally televised, prime time football game on Labor Day night, a well-meaning friend drew my attention to the comments section under Big Tennessee's excellent blog about it. 

"I can’t imagine what Jerry Thornton is going through right now."

"Plus he actually has to sleep next to someone his own age."

"I imagine him sitting on the floor of a dark room, rocking back and forth, and quietly murmuring "we're on to UNC Charlotte…we're on to UNC Charlotte…" as a single tear runs down his cheek."

The point being that these weren't mocking me so much as, well, entirely accurate. It's simply not easy to see one of your icons, as well as a close, personal friend:

… humbled. 

But if you're any sort of what Logan Roy would call "a serious person," it doesn't mean you tuck tail and run either. If you have any amount of integrity, character, and loyalty, you stand behind those who have done so much for you when they're down. 

Which is why it was so good to hear dedicated Belichick loyalist Bill Burr stand his ground on The Rich Eisen Show when he was asked about the game:

Bravo. 10/10. No notes. 

This is what the people saying this game will destroy Belichick's legacy are missing. Even if he fails at UNC - which is an insane thing to assume after one game. Especially, like Burr points out, those same people are saying that one bad game out of Arch Manning doesn't mean anything. 

(Even though the comparisons to Uncle Rico are unmistakable:)

Saying Belichick is destroying his legacy is an absurd argument to make. Like Burr said, this is Joe Namath with the Rams. Johnny Unitas on the Chargers. Emmitt Smith with the Cardinals. After 302 career NFL wins. Another 44 in the postseason. Eight rings. Twelve trips to the Super Bowl as a coordinator or head coach. 

But now the same world that trashed him the entire time he was setting new standards of winning, redefining the meaning of "success" in a league designed to prevent long term, sustained excellence, is now trying to wipe his legacy out over one game. 

And again here Burr makes a great point. This a Tar Heels football program that's been far from historically great. It produced Lawrence Taylor. And, I'll add, Drake Maye. But to argue that if he can't find success in Chapel Hill, it proves the GOAT of NFL coaches was a fraud the whole time he was harvesting souls on the biggest stage? That is pure fucking madness. 

That is, before he changed the topic to the Red Sox. 

I'm the furthest thing from abandoning the SS Belichick. I've been a first class passenger on this vessel since it set sail in 2000. And like the 67% of male first class passengers who chose to go down with HMS Titanic (females survived at a rate of 97%) I'd rather stay on board to my death than dishonor myself by scrambling for the lifeboats. And if I do, I'll go down with dignity, still believing this ship is unsinkable. 

Coach, it's been an honor playing with you.