As promised, the following are the second list of ten excerpts from Christopher Price’s book The Blueprint on how the New England Patriots built the NFL’s team of the decade. To read Part 1, click here. These lessons are applicable to any organization.
- “Scott (Pioli) is very detailed. He knows how to build a consensus in the room. He’s not stubborn. He and Bill make such a good match. But the biggest thing is that unbelievable trust between them.” – Ozzie Newsome
- Few owners had the guts to sign on to revolutionary new ideas.
- “A lot of coaching has to do with how good your players are.” -Â Belichick
- Ben Coates and the Patriots did not see eye to eye on a contract, and he was cut loose. It was a shocking move, and showed fans and players alike that things were going to be different.
- There are players who control the tempo of the way practices go. Fighting can be a very positive thing, and if you don’t have it, sometimes you need to create it.
- Belichick discovered that the quickest way to change a team was with smart, fast, and flexible linebackers.
- David Patten later said he signed with New England because of the spiritual element offered by the franchise.
- Using a carefully crafted series of core beliefs in the fifteen months since they’d taken control of the franchise – valuing team above individual, putting a premium on economic efficiency, and using nontraditional methods of evaluating talent – they had radically overhauled the personnel.
- The scout team role was one QB Tom Brady took to with zeal, using it as his opportunity to show Belichick he had bought into the system.
- There are only wins and losses, a final, unforgiving register that measures the success or failure of a head coach.
Leaders, what are your thoughts on this list, especially the last one? Tomorrow will be the list of the final ten lessons.
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