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Guess how long it took for a reporter to ask Bill Belichick about his inexplicable decision to bench Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII during his last press conference before training camp opens? If you guessed no time at all, congratulations.
Now guess how long it took Bill Belichick to get agitated and make things awkward with the press during his last media session before training camp opens? Same answer. Thank you, Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe.
Here’s a transcript of exactly how it went down…
Shaughnessy: “Bill, I know you’re all about this year and we all understand that. You’re about this year.”
Belichick: “That’s right.”
Shaughnessy: “And I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask about last year.”
Belichick: “Last year is last year. I’m not focused on last year.”
Shaughnessy: “What about the fact that everywhere we go, folks want to ask about Malcolm Butler? Sports coaches, players, universally. You’re a sports fan.”
Belichick: “We talked about that. That’s multiple months ago.”
Shaughnessy: “Is there going to be any more explanation about why he didn’t play?”
Belichick: “Focused on training camp.”
Shaughnessy: “Would you do it any differently?”
Belichick: “Training camp? Well, we’re getting started. We’ll work on that right now. We’ll do the best we can.”
Shaughnessy: “Does it matter to you, do you care that the fans want to know more about this?”
Belichick: “I’m focused on doing the best I can for the 2018 New England Patriots. That’s my job. That’s what I’m going to do. That’s what I’ve always done in the past. Every day I’ve coached here, I’ve done the best that I could for this football team. I’ll continue to do that. Right now my focus is on the 2018 season. Not 2017, not 2014, 2007, not 2004, not 2001, not 2000. I’m not focused on any of those seasons. They’re done.”
Shaughnessy: “For this season’s team, is it important for you to address the Malcolm Butler thing with your team?”
Belichick: “It’s important for me to have a good season in 2018. I’m going to do everything I can to do that. Do the best that I can for our football team. That’s my job and that’s my responsibility. That’s what I’m going to try to do. Hopefully you can respect that, but maybe not.”
And here’s video of Shaughnessy’s interaction with “NE Coach” (as he is known in Madden because, natch, Belichick is the only head coach in the entire NFL not in the game) in all of its cringey glory…
https://twitter.com/IanSteeleABC6/status/1022105314252996608
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