Because Delfategate is the gift that improbably keeps on giving, New England Patriots head coach and sentient hooded sweater Bill Belichick held a press conference on Wednesday as a part of the start of training camp during which he was berated with questions about Tom Brady’s four game suspension.
To be fair to Belichick, the man did preface his press conference by saying that he had nothing to add when it came to Tom Brady’s litigious dance with Roger Goodell:
I think Robert [Kraft] took care of the other situation. Tom [Brady] has already had a statement. So, [there’s] nothing really to talk about there. I won’t really be dealing with that at all, just trying to get the team ready and prepare for the regular season as we always do and as we did all spring.
That didn’t stop the press from trying (why do they still try?) to get Belichick to open up on his franchise quarterback. This pretty much sums up the exchange.
Q: Do you believe Tom Brady when he says that neither he nor anyone in the Patriots organization did anything wrong?
BB: We start training camp today. We’ll get ready for the 2015 season starting today.
Q: Is there something flawed about the system here in the organization that you keep ending up in these cheating controversies? Can you explain why?
BB: It’s already been addressed.
Q: Could you elaborate a little?
BB: No.
Q: Why not?
BB: Because it’s already been addressed.
Q: Well, people have a lot of questions – the public, fans.
BB: You heard what Robert just said. It’s already been addressed. Maybe you ought to go back and look at your notes.
Q: I want your opinion.
BB: It’s already been addressed.
Belichick was then asked about his plans for Jimmy Garoppolo if Tom Brady would be unavailable for the first quarter of the season. That went predictably well:
Q: How much confidence do you have in Jimmy Garoppolo if Tom Brady is unable to start the season?
BB: It’s a new season for everyone. We all have to reestablish our level of performance whether it’s a coach – starting with me – player, assistant coach, anybody else. That’s what training camp is for. It’s a new start of the year and we all have a lot of work to do, a lot of preparation. [It’s] a long time before we play a game, but we all have a lot of ground to cover between now and then and that includes everybody – players, coaches, assistant coaches – everyone.
Q: Have you spoken at all to Tom Brady since the decision?
BB: I talk to the team every day.
Q: Have you spoken to Tom Brady?
BB: I talk to the team every day.
Q: Is your message to the team about maintaining focus and taking everything day by day any different at the start of this training camp compared to other seasons?
BB: Nope.
Q: What is your essential message?
BB: I just gave it.
Never change, Bill. Never change.
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