Mangini Asks Belichick For Help

Eric Mangini Asks Bill Belichick for Help Developing a Gameplan for New England
From: The Sports Pickle

Faced with a tough game this Sunday against the reigning AFC East division champions, rookie New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini called his former boss, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, this morning for some pointers on developing a gameplan for New England.

"I respect Coach Belichick so much," said Mangini. "He is my hero and I owe my whole career to him. Everything I try to do as a head coach is modeled exactly after Coach Belichick, and I want to continue to use him and his vast football knowledge as a resource."

Mangini, one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history at age 35, came to the Jets in the offseason after six seasons under Belichick in New England and three with him on the Jets’ staff from 1997-1999.

"I’m not going to pretend that the Jets would have hired me without my close association to Bill Belichick," said Mangini. "They’re dying for a coach like him, a virtual clone, and I’m the closest thing available. How I dress, how I talk, how I structure practices, how I conduct press conferences – I try to be just like him in each and everything I do. In fact, the first thing I say when I wake up each morning is: ‘What can I do today to be more like the great Bill Belichick?’

And today I answered: ‘Find out how he would take on the New England Patriots this Sunday.’"

Belichick said he was more than happy to help out his former assistant.

"The guy totally creeps me out. He’s practically a stalker," Belichick said. "I don’t think he has had an original thought or idea in his entire life. If he wasn’t in football and trying to be exactly like me, I’m sure he would be in some cult somewhere with his testicles in a jar on a shelf. After I promoted him to defensive coordinator last year, he got even creepier and started referring to me all the time as ‘Master Bill’ with a wide-eyed, insane look on his face. I started to worry he was going to come into my office naked one night and make a pass at me. He probably would have if I hadn’t started locking my office door behind me."

Mangini says Belichick gave him some outstanding advice on facing the Patriots.

"Gold. What he gave me is pure gold," said Mangini. "He told me to double and triple team their receivers because they have tons of good ones and will try to pass the ball the whole game. And he also suggested I should have Chad Pennington pass a lot because he says there’s no way his great game in Week 1 was a fluke. With that advice, I don’t see how we can lose."