Belichick and Brady: Two Men, the Patriots, and How They Revolutionized Football

by Michael Holley

New York Times bestselling sportswriter Michael Holley takes readers behind the scenes of the relationship that transformed the Patriots from a middling franchise to the envy of the NFL.

No head coach-quarterback pair has been more successful in NFL history than Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. They have won four Super Bowls, six AFC championships, and thirteen division titles. And now Holley takes us inside their relationship, dissecting how these men and their team came to dominate football.

Belichick, a genius as a defensive coordinator, had been a five-year flop as head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Upon his controversial arrival in Foxboro, though, he quickly began to remake the team at every level--scouts, coaches, and players. His bold, calculated approach had fans up in arms, sportswriters questioning his intelligence, and players wondering how long they would last on the team.

Meanwhile, buried down in the 2000 NFL draft, the 199th overall pick was a skinny kid from the University of Michigan named Tom Brady who many scouts thought would never succeed at a professional level. The lowest of the four quarterbacks on the team's depth chart, he appeard to be just one of the guys. Like Belichick, though, he lived for football, and he knew the playbook as well as Drew Bledsoe, the franchise quarterback. And when Bledsoe was injured in 2001, Brady took the job and vowed to never give it back.

The handsome Brady became a star, wearing hand-tailored suits, appearing in movies and on magazine covers, and marrying a supermodel. Belichick, with his trademark cut-off hoodies, was the opposite of a fashion plate. Together, the odd couple somehow rose above controversies and tragedies. Draft picks were lost, suspensions given, lawsuits filed. As their legends have grown, so have their critics, with some of those critics operating from NFL headquarters. Despite that, with Belichick's deft and brilliant strategy in the draft year in year out and Brady's exacting decision-making on the field, the Patriots cultivated an atmosphere of success and won a stunning 75 percent of their games together. Respected and reviled, Belichick and Brady have set the bar high for excellence in a league designed for parity. They have rarely been understood. Until now. Based on dozens of interviews with former and current players, coaches, and executives, Belichick and Brady is an eye-opening look at the minds, motives, and wild ambitions of two men who have left an indelible mark on the game of football.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Football, Biography, Audiobook, History

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*'s

All he did was regurgite things already public knowledge. I found myself annoyed.

[John of Canada · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have trouble believing that this is the same guy that wrote War Room. I'm guessing that Holley asked Belichick a stupid question, Belichick did what Belichick does and Holley's nose was out of joint.
Hence the hatcheting. Holley called Spygate a "catchy moniker". No Michael. "gate' is the most overused descriptive in journalism: Watergate, Irangate, Bridgegate, of course Spygate and Deflategate. And a host of others. The book was far too long. Perhaps the next time Holley will consider using an editor. 2.5 stars.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a patriots fan enjoyed this book🏈

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Holley's third entry in his Patriot book trilogy serves as a case study of the relationship between human error and rate of success. While New England's first dynastic Super Bowl run served as a post 9/11 rallying cry, today's "Patriot Way" is viewed far more negatively by the American whole.

Winning and success over long periods of time makes people jealous. The social media lens only magnifies these feelings and clouds facts among fiction.

"ESPN and every other media outlet in the country, and world, had a statement from the Patriots and an apology from the Herald Reporter John Tomase, who wrote the errant story about the Rams walk-through, apologized in print and on television. Yet Spygate, not even a year old, was embedded in the culture. There was no delineation between what the Patriots actually did, what they were accused of doing, and what analysts and writers imagined they could be doing." (190)

Holley writes, "If there is a problem with winning (imagine that), this is it: The ability to earnestly listen becomes difficult." (143)

The constant variables throughout an incredibly consistent competitive Patriots organization include Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady. The Patriot organization can be viewed as an amalgamation of business, sports entertainment, and even religious sect. A pilgrimage to Gillette Stadium to see Tommy Terrific and Coach B. should be a New Englander's birthright.

Coach Belichick is not God, though is portrayed as a writer. One of the most impressive things he believes in during the interview process is being honest. It's OK not to know the answer to the million dollar questions, as long as you are able to work hard for it and follow the written rules. "Belichick preached that the past was no predictor of things to come. He gave that message to his team and to the media." (151)

Experiential learning is just as important as hitting the books. "His family had San Francisco 49ers season tickets, and no sports fan his age could have asked for a better deal. From preschool to senior year, Brady watched his Niners go to five Super Bowls and win them all." (10)

Tom Brady used to drive a canary-yellow Jeep, but got a Cadillac Escalade for being the Super Bowl's MVP. On national television, Brady said it "belonged to the team." This mentality shows just how polarizing and special the GOAT was and continues to be.

Brady suffered at least one documented concussion against Washington in 2003, throwing four interceptions. Brady was invited to the State of the Union Address by First Lady Laura Bush the same year, though the events were not connected.

"Brady had not only spent time at the State of the Union address, clapping knowingly and compassionately; he had knelt before and presumably been blessed by the pope at the Vatican." (146)

"Good quarterbacks were hard to find. Great quarterbacks were untouchable. Quarterbacks who understood the cap game and how to motivate their teammates were perhaps one of a kind." (134)

While shooting a Visa commercial with his lineman, Brady's greenroom rider requested Gatorade and Skittles. He also has had meaningful conversations with Christian Fauria's wife about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Two days after the 2004 draft, Richard Seymour's fifty-one-year-old father fatally shot his thirty-six-year-old girlfriend and then shot himself. Years later, Seymour and his wife Tanya went to Israel with Robert Kraft and his wife, Myra. "The Seymours had been baptized in the Jordan River, an incredible experience for both of them." (208) In 2009, Seymour was traded to the Oakland Raiders at the request of Raider's owner, Al Davis.

Kraft's wife, Myra helped unite people. At her funeral, "Conservatives such as Donald Trump and Rush Limbaugh were there, along with many liberal Massachusetts politicians such as Senator John Kerry and Governor Decal Patrick." (251)

Nobody is perfect and sometimes people make bad decisions, but it is hard to deny the power of the written word. "Hernandez and his agents were tipped that New England had questions about him, so his agents drafted a letter that he signed." (222) Aaron Hernandez also relied on therapy as a teenager after his father's death. After the birth of his daughter, "The word that stood out, distinctively, when he talked about his life now was 'reckless.'" (275)

"Gronk dancing topless was ice cream and cookies compared to this." (280)

Julian Edelman also had off-field issues (albeit, he didn't kill anyone, thank goodness), but later kissed the rings of Mr. Kraft and converted to Judaism.

The good graces of coach and ownership will ultimately decide one's fate in New England where even heroes are mortal.

"Once, Light was even bold enough to sneak into Belichick's office and replace his computer mouse with a gag one; each time it was touched, it provided an electric shock. Belichick recalled, at Light's retirement tribute, how that little stun went horribly wrong and erased some notes that the coach had written." (264)

"When Gronk was being drafted by the Patriots in 2010, Butler was working the drive-through at a Popeye's Chicken in Mississippi. He had been kicked out of Hinds Community College near Jackson" (340)

Belichick met Adalius Thomas while coaching the Pro Bowl and was an integral reason why he was initially signed. However, Thomas was once nine minutes late to practice and coach sent him home. "The linebacker protested the move and Belichick shelved him for the rest of the season. Amazingly, he'd never play in the league again." (214)

To the best of my knowledge, Patriots fans do not eat horse feces to celebrate Super Bowl wins and post videos of it on social media.

"Overtime unofficially, was won when one of the Patriots captains, Matthew Slater, called heads on the coin toss." (404)

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really more of a history of the Patriots from 2000-2016 than a review of how Belichick and Brady "revolutionized football." The interviews with players past and present were interesting (though, oddly, there didn't seem to be any direct interviews with either B or B), as was the insight into Belichick's drafting process and the team's game preparations.

As a Patriots fan, I have to admit that I enjoyed it, but it is obvious that the author is flagrantly biased in favor of my team.

[Gareth Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t a bad book, it’s just not really about Belichick and Brady but rather a history of the New England Patriots from 2000-2015. Most of it I’d already read in other sources. This was a disappointment as they are undoubtedly the best QB/coach tandem in NFL history. Especially when the book purports to show how they revolutionised the NFL.

The book also feels dated now as it finishes at the end of the 2015 season.

[Ben Sirois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book: found out some many things about the two as well as the Patriots. I'm a Pats fan and I'll say I was shocked when I heard Belichick's humor. I recommend the book to Atlanta Falcons fans; there might be some things about how we beat them... Great book!!

[Nolan Kimball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Belichick and Brady by Michael Holley is a very good book to read if you are interested in sports. It goes beyond the field with football's greatest and winningest coach and quarterback duo. This book also contains deflate gate, and I highly recommend it if you like football or even history.

[Jack Strangie]

good

[Rebecca Lavallee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holley, Michael. Belichick and Brady: two men, the Patriots and how they revolutionized football. New York: Hachette Books, 2016.
Before I begin this review, I need to issue a couple of disclaimers:
1. I am a diehard. I love my New England Patriots and have loved my New England Patriots since I started watching football in the mid-nineties. I am that person that you wish would leave the bar because I am so passionate and loud when I watch a game. I also just enjoy the NFL. I will watch a game even if it isn’t the Patriots. I am also extremely critical of my team. I have no problem stating that they played horrible and didn’t deserve a win. But, that being said, I also feel like the entire country outside of New England despises my team, the media is unfair and Roger Goodell is an absolute asshole. And most importantly, Bill Belichick is in fact the greatest coach ever. Not the greatest coach in NFL History, but the greatest coach in all sports...ever.
2. I love Michael Holley. I began listening to Michael Holley back in 2006. He was on the midday show with Dale Arnold on WEEI and they were my usual lunchtime companion. I was upset when WEEI disbanded the duo and placed Holley with Glenn Ordway, not that I don’t like Ordway, I just loved Dale & Holley. And I was probably one of the happiest listeners when Dale & Holley were reunited for the afternoon show. I listen to them as much as I can and often find myself agreeing with Holley often. I feel that due to this fact, it is almost as if I have read books one and two in a trilogy and already know the backstory.
3. I truly believe that Deflategate was yet another witch-hunt that took place in New England. I think that the manner in which the NFL, the media, and other franchises treated the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft and Tom Brady was absolutely horrible. There have been some horrible instances in the NFL of cheating. There have been some horrible cases of domestic/child abuse, substance abuse, murder throughout the NFL. Yet, whether or not Tom Brady did or did not or had general, probable knowledge/awareness of the deflation of footballs became a bigger story than any of them. This was what the NFL deemed to be important in its policies and disciplinary actions.
And now onto the actual book review. Once again, please keep in mind I am a total homer about this team and Michael Holley.
The title of the book, Belichick and Brady: Two Men, the Patriots and How They Revolutionized Football summarizes the main plot points of this book quite well. Holley does not go into the expansive history of the National Football League or of the New England Patriots. If this is a book on your bookshelf, you most likely have at least a rudimentary understanding of one or both of these topics. Instead, Holley looks at the make-up of the team and the NFL just as Bill Belichick took over as head coach and just before Tom Brady becomes the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots.
Holley only briefly touches on Belichick’s pedigree, instead relying on references to David Halberstam’s Education of a Coach, which is an in-depth study at the history, education and mindset of Belichick. Instead, Holley chooses to focus on how Belichick’s tenure as the head coach of the Patriots and what aspects Belichick finds essential to create a winning franchise for more than a decade in a sport which is tailored to prevent dynasties. Holley states that, “[i]n a sense, the National Football League has a multi-billion dollar system built on a participation trophy premise” (pg. 1).
Much like Belichick, Holley does not delve too deeply into Brady’s past. Instead, mentions of Brady growing up in California and his time at Michigan State are used to show the progression, mentality and, ultimately, the longevity of Brady as a NFL quarterback. From just one of the lowest level guys in the locker room, to one of the guys, and finally to the exception to one of the greatest rule of the New England Patriots, “…everyone is expendable.”
As I was reading this book, I took a glimpse at some of the reviews that I had seen on Goodreads. A couple of the criticisms that I saw that really stood out to me as I continued reading where that Holley didn’t always explain who he was talking about outside of a vague sense and that the book didn’t really talk about how these two changed the game but instead it was about fans reliving various moments throughout the last 16 years.
I feel that these two criticisms need to be addressed because they are contrary to what some of my favorite parts of the book were. First, if you were to look at the Sports section of my bookshelf, you will primarily find Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots represented. I read this book because it was about the New England Patriots during a time period that I have followed meticulously over the last 16 years. Holley’s vague mention of a certain player wasn’t vague at all because I knew exactly who he was talking about. As stated above in my disclaimer, for me this book was a part of trilogy because I know the history of this team and I know Michael Holley as a sports commentator. Both of these facts made what others would see as vague flow seamlessly, primarily because I understand the language being used.
The second criticism is harder to address, because Belichick and Brady is a book that relives the last 16 years, good and bad. I’m not going to lie, I wanted to skip over the 2007 Superbowl. As my husband says, “It’s too fresh. It will always be too fresh.” There were parts I remembered fondly, parts that’s I remember being upset and there were parts I did forget. But it was these different parts, put together as a whole that allow for the reader to get the bigger picture and an idea of how Belichick changed the game. Maybe he didn’t change the game for 31 other teams, but he certainly changed the game for one team, a team that has raised four banners in his time when the system created forbids it. Belichick managed to find a way to work around that system. The “stories” about the locker room and Belichick’s responses and actions to certain players shows that. The importance of not valuing a player for what he meant to the team but valuing a player for what he can do the present team. Sentimentality has no place on this team and neither does personal achievements. That is revolutionary.
With all that said and as much as I enjoyed this book, there are some criticisms that need to be addressed. Michael Holley’s writing at certain points was choppy. There were times when he began to make a certain point but by the end had covered two or three other areas and never completed his initial thought. At different points in time, I found that he veered too far into the pop culture sphere when it wasn’t necessary. There are other times when I thought that there was more to a story or a situation than he presented. A couple of specific areas are Myra Kraft and her impact on the attitudes of the New England Patriots, or Junior Seau and the impact of his suicide. And occasionally he focused too much on a situation, such as Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez was important because it showed that the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick despite all of their homework and preparation can fail. It was also important to see how the franchise bounced back from such a failure. However, it was unnecessary to delve into the specifics of the case as much as Holley did. Where certain aspects of his work are ambiguous to the point where it is difficult for a non-diehard to follow along, this is one section where he could afforded a little more vagueness in his work. Let’s be honest, Hernandez’s story could be full work of its own, either in fiction or non-fiction.
One final criticism. This book is supposed to be about Belichick and Brady and how they revolutionized football, with a little help from the New England Patriots. I feel that the book is more about how Belichick revolutionized the game and how Brady revolutionized himself. Many of the things that Belichick executed at the beginning of the 16 years is now being copied by other coaches, GMs and owners. However, there are not many other quarterbacks who have undertaken the Brady method of being a quarterback, on the field or off. It does not seem that there is much more about Brady than there is about other players if you were to take the amount of information provided in relation to their longevity on the field. I honestly think that if you wanted to talk about revolutionizing the game, Robert Kraft would have been a far better compliment to Belichick than Brady. However, I don’t think Belichick and Kraft would have quite the audience as Belichick and Brady.
And I cannot finish this review without at least commenting on the entire Deflategate issue. The last 88 pages of a 388 page book is dedicated to these lovely time in New England Patriots history. In fact, when this book was completed the 2016 and Brady’s four-game suspension had not even started yet. As I write this, the 2016 AFC Championship is a little over 24 hours away. As stated earlier, I am a diehard Patriots fan and support my team. Holley is a diehard and often times can be called a “homer” on his radio show. And people might think that these last 88 pages are to defend the New England Patriots and whine that the entire country is against use. After all, his last chapter is entitled “The Nation versus Patriots Nation.” However, instead I (a self-proclaimed homer) look at this chapter as glimpse into how a system that does not allow dynasties chooses to fight back. The Patriots and Belichick managed to “Beat the System” and now the system is finding any way that it can to beat the Patriots. As a listener of Holley, I know that he read the Wells Report cover to cover, multiple times. He has read everything and anything to do with this debacle. He does not write 88 pages of drivel based solely on feelings and rhetoric from the NFL, ESPN and other news outlets. He writes it as a fan that has immersed himself in the facts.
Overall, as a Patriots fan, as a Holley fan, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed seeing the history of my team, from when it was considered America’s Team to the devolution of the Cheaters. Like anything, there were positives and negatives, but overall I found the book to be a positive. At least, if you are a Belichickian disciple like me.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

finished the audiobook , avoiding the presuperbowl hype.
overall was good.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice reliving the glory days thought a chapter needs to be added about the sixth Super Bowl win

[Aidan McKenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was coming into this book ecstatic. My brother bought this for me for Christmas a few years ago, and I was excited to read it. It disappointed me. The book goes on and on about statistics and numbers. The book is nonfiction so I’m not shocked that it’s boring to me, as I don’t like nonfiction. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys nonfiction and sports. To anyone that enjoys story and plot however, not so much.

[Stephen Heiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't follow sports closely, much less American football, but Tom Brady's long history of excellence is something that is well-known enough to spread to the ears of the sporting-news-ignorant, like myself.

I think the book is very well-written: I'm only docking it a star because given the success that Brady and Belichick continued to have, it should have had a second edition with a few more chapters. In fact, now that Brady has left the Patriots (and won another Super Bowl on his own) the book could have a number of nice conclusions that are currently only open threads of thought in this edition.

If you, like me, were effectively living under a rock when it came to Super Bowls and the Patriots during the Tom Brady era, this book takes you through everything, from Belichick's hiring, to Brady getting drafted, to his replacement of Bledsoe, to the development of the "Patriot Way" (operating your football team like a business), Camera-gate, Deflate-gate, Super Bowl wins and losses, lawsuits with the NFL, Brady's personal life, etc.

Just a fascinating look under the hood at two very high performers, at the coaching level and at the player level, with lessons of leadership sprinkled throughout, without the "here's a life lesson" arrow pointing at them.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the title, it should not be surprising that this book is really a paean to the Patriots' long-time coach and his dutiful quarterback. Focusing mostly on the Superbowl and League champion years the two men have shared, the book also deals with the scandals surrounding the team, notably Deflategate, and the author defends his subjects with no pretense of impartiality.

The writing itself is rather choppy and lacks the sort of narrative flow I admire in good non-fiction. It's not unreadable though and the tale is interesting enough to sustain the attention of any NFL afficianado.

Thank you to Hachette Books who were kind enough to send me a free review copy which my father now seems to be enjoying more than I did.

[Robert S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belichick and Brady is a comprehensive look at the history of the New England Patriots from the time Belichick joined the team as Head Coach through the present.

The book bills itself as how the two revolutionized football but I feel that component is ultimately missing here. There's no real interviews with Brady or Belichick that hasn't been dissected thoroughly elsewhere or a deep look at how the NFL has changed by their absolute dominance.

Otherwise though, decent history of the team over the last almost two decades.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would rate this book 2.5 stars. I picked it up thinking it was about Brady and Belichick, but it was more about the Patriots team, which I was not interested in. It started off well, but then it got boring and long in the tooth. I started skimming the pages toward the end just to finish the book. As a whole, this book was very disappointing.

[Josh Hirsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never read any other book about a person after reading David Halberstam's take. I liked this book and presented some interesting new information, but it lacked depth. Instead of articulating how Brady and Belichick changed the game, it basically presented a summary of the patriots dynasty. However, as a pats fan, it was still a fun read.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win review. This is a very good book about the dynamics of football. It is a behind the scenes look at the relationship of the coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. They have won the the Super Bowl 4 times. This is a great book for a football fans.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first couple of chapters were great, but then it sort of bogged down. I thought it would have more about the coach-player relationship, and the psychology of coaching. Still, it was a good read to complete before the SuperBowl and the Patriot's unbelievable win!

[Terry Enright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must reading for Pats fans. Many anecdotes I'd never heard before. Very honest covering of Belichick, Brady, the team, and it's legacy. I couldn't put it down.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belichick and Brady
by Michael Holley
3.6 of 5.0 stars

Oh wow. I read this book because I so wanted to have a different view of these two. These two egotistical and so, so charmed humans. Who barely seem humans. Like they've sold their souls to ... to whatever it might be that will give you a lucky, easy path in life.

No, no, no. That is not fair. They work. And they CHEAT. I thought I'd learn that they were not cheaters. But the author is a fan it seems. And there was barely a negative word spoken in the book.

Here's the thing, they did work awfully hard. And Belichick does have some mean observational skills that has lead to the team he puts together. So props to him. But did they "revolutionize" the game of football? No. Why? Because they cheated. And no matter what Michael Holley writes about them, there needs to be a chapter that defines what they are - cheaters. I'm sorry, but how can I not concentrate on that?

I was interested in Aaron Fernandez and I don't think enough was written about that incident. Like how could that happen with a coach better than any dad and a QB better than any brother?

I think the best insight I received was knowing that there is a great possibility that Tom Brady's first son was given the initials JET on purpose. I mean I never guessed that John Edward Thomas (or similar) could have been a dig at Brady since the names are family names and of course, Thomas himself. But yeah. I did a little happy dance upon that knowledge.

So, thank you to Goodreads and Hachette and Michael Holley for the copy of the book. And from a Steelers fan, my 3.0 of 5.0 stars really should be a 3.6 since the book seemed well-researched and quite well written. So, almost 4.0. Bravo. I'm simply left confused. :)

[Zach Koenig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The National Football League is not set up to accommodate dynasties anymore. From the salary cap to free agency and just the general league-wide parity, few teams have a championship window of more than 3-4 years before needing to re-tool. Yet, somehow, the New England Patriots have consistently been winners in the NFL since 2001. How does this franchise continue to buck the trend? Author Michael Holley looks at that question through the lens of the team's most tenured employees: Bill Belichick & Tom Brady.

Right off the bat, let me say this about "Belichick & Brady": It isn't a deep-dive into either figure. If you are looking for personality analysis or biographical musings, you'll probably be disappointed. What this book does is give an overview of the Patriots franchise (roughly focusing on Belichick/Brady matters) from 2001 through the 2015 season. A fellow reviewer called it "a long Wikipedia article", and while I found the experience much more entertaining than that somewhat denigrating statement, it isn't exactly untrue, either. This is very much a conglomeration of Patriot history into one place...albeit a very concise and focused history lesson.

To me, I very much enjoyed the read because, frankly, I am not a die-hard Patriots fan (Skol Vikings!), but am somewhat of an NFL junkie. As such, it was both nostalgic and informative for me to reflect upon 15 years of NE dominance. I won't really think much more about the book now that the final page was turned, but it was a heck of a lot of fun to read while I was in it. A sort of "summer beach read" of sports books, if you will.

Bottom line: Don't expecting Pulitzer-level reporting here, but rather an overview of Belichick/Brady & NE Patriots history since the iconic duo teamed up.

[Mike Barat · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all in spite of the title of this book it mentions very little about the personal relationship Belichick and Brady. You might say this is a book of two tales. The first half of this book mostly is about how a bad team becomes a good team or in this case a great team, even when the team doesn't have good draft picks. As I was reading the first half of the book I'm thinking to myself this may turn out to be one few books that I will give five stars to. The second half of the book definitely took care of any of those thoughts I had about giving this book five stars. The problem with the second half of this book is the writer Michael holly didn't know which direction he wanted to go in. Some writers can write about legal problems and rules and regulations having to do with companies and the laws in society and court cases however Michael Holly showed in the second half of the book that he just doesn't have the ability to do that in a way the average person can read about it and not be bored almost tears. In the later stages of this book I don't know if Michael Holly was trying to make a point about the NFL rules and regulations or laws in society or the court system in the United States or strategy about how to win football games. The writer had to many irons in the fire to keep anything straight. If the book just would have stuck to writing about how a bad team becomes a team good enough to win championships I just might have given this book five stars. That's why children and writers should never wonder.

[Allen Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really not into pro football that much. The Patriots would have to be one of my least favorite teams. So, why would I read this book? Because I won it on Goodreads Giveaway and I love biographies of almost anyone who is successful. The late great philosopher Jerry Clower use to describe football as nothing more than 22 men fighting over a bag of zipped up air. Well, love them or hate them, Belichick and Brady are two of the GOATs in their own way of fighting over that bag of zipped up air. Well, a lot of fans love to watch their teams fight over that bag of zipped up air. To say it is highly competitive and passionate would be an understatement. No wonder their is so much suspicion when it appears someone has messed with the pressure of that bag to get an unfair advantage. If that player is not on your team he must be guilty. Right? Well, the author deals with that and so much more. Micheal Holly is a really, really good author. He does a great job of dealing with the whole of both of their careers and weaves in a lot of the important sports culture of Boston while he is at it. While he was unable to convert me into being a Patriot fan (that would be near impossible since I grew up being a Cowboy fan watching the game with my grandfather) I did come away with a much greater respect for both Bilichick and Brady. My hunch is that if you don't like them it is because they are not the coach or quarterback of your team. If they were, you'd love them.

[Andrew Hawkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watching the Patriots on television right now is painful. I figured that this book would be a welcome distraction. In many ways it was. Holley chronicles the simultaneous rise of Brady and Belichick, from the first Super Bowl wins through to the Deflategate saga. The writing is generally solid and informative, and his hold on the narrative is sound. The most interesting part to me, was how Holley covered the earliest years of the dynasty, as that was the period of time that I knew the least about.

However, it would be inaccurate to say that this was a book that explained how Belichick and Brady revolutionized football. It wasn't nearly analytical, nor technical enough, to scratch the surface of how the Patriots dominated the league over the first twenty years of the 21st century. Instead, it is a general history of the Patriots from 2000 to 2015. So it doesn't exactly explain how Belichick and Brady have remained dominant, aside from the general platitudes (Patriot Way, students of the game, etc.) that you find in any article about them.

Overall, its a solid book but it isn't really what you expect it to be. If I had been expecting a general history, I would have enjoyed it more. As it was, I kept waiting for the explanation to happen. Holley is a solid writer though so if you want to know more about Patriots history, this is a great read.

[Wes F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read & insights into the depth chart & tactics of the "Patriot way" and the phenomenal success of the NE Patriots since all the magic started in the 2001 season. Yes, that's right, 18 years ago. Never been a dynasty quite like it...and, no, I don't believe it's over yet. Brady & Belichick are still going strong! Great & "mediocre" & bottom-wrung players on the Pats come & go--and the Pats have seeded/ceded countless players & coaches to other teams--but the magic just keeps on happening. Sorry, Patriots-haters in the 44 other states...you'll just have to read 'em and keep weeping. And shame on ESPN for their mistaken & un-retracted stories & tweets that fueled the so-called Deflategate--that's just wrong, as is the Commissioner, one too many times...maybe time for you to move on too?? Roger that?? Oh, you gotta love 18-1 season (!) after "Spygate" and then the sweet revenge & payback when Brady & Belichick & the Pats won their 5th Super Bowl (of 6 so far, don't forget) after the 4-game Brady suspension. Listened to audiobook, borrowed from the library.

[Scott Vout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes i am a Patriots fan. Yes i am a Brady fan. Yes i am a Belichick fan.
Am i biased? Probably.

this book was a wonderful behind the scenes look at the history i lived through. It reveals some information i did not know at the time it was happening. It is a great read for Patriots fans and football fans in general.

It shows how people jump to conclusions and dont want to do their full job when it comes to media sensationalism. I dont know how some of those reporters still have jobs.

It also shows Goodell as an egomanical ass. and with his repeated blunders as commissioner i think it paints a fairly accurate picture of the man. how he still has a job is beyond me.

if you hate the Patriots based solely on media reporting, give this a read. Maybe you will appreciate the other side of the story.

If you cant bring yourself to do that then Taylor Swift was right.

Haters gonna hate hate hate.

[Rylie Wareham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a book all about the dedication and hard work it takes to become a championship-caliber team. The message in this book was clear. Do Your Job. This being the most well-known slogan of the Patriots, it really shows up in this book. The team was a trash team in 2000. The hiring of then Jets coach Bill Belichick switched things around and made it so everyone had a role and a job that needed to be done. Through all the firings and the cuts on the team, They have won four Super Bowls (at the time). The conviction of Aaron Hernandez and the Tedy Bruschi stroke were major impacts to the team. Patriots kept rolling. AFC championship after championship were won. Rings and the most sought after Lombardi trophy earned. Through dedication and the willingness to proceed, players and coaches made a totally garbage team into a force to be reckoned with.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Holley has always covered Boston sports with a great deal of information. For those who know him this is a great example of why he has gotten so far. He does his homework and has his facts lined up. While that does make him both entertaining and enjoyable it doesn't always make him compelling. For those of us who know him a lot of this is stuff that we already know and, in fact, seems to come off as a rewrite of some of his previous articles. Granted it's very well written and Holley know his stuff that much is certain. But he doesn't offer anything new or eyeopening about the Patriots.

This is a good read if you want a top level review of the Patriots recent history. Just don't expect to have your eyes opened.