The Draw Play

Well it was nice knowing Jamie Collins, he’s dead now. RIP. Don’t cross Billy 5 Aces.

I kind of love it when Billy Boy does one of his out of nowhere trades of a good player for a random draft pick because the response is pretty much always the same. First people are kind of just shocked, because it’s so out of left field. Then we have two different responses. Pats fans are angry, and everyone else starts laughing because the Pats just traded away a good player. Then the details of the trade begin to come to light, and it turns into a sort of murder investigation with everyone trying to pinpoint the motive. Why was he released? Why exactly would they do it now? Who has behind it? Who stands to gain? Was it with the lead pipe in the library?

Then the best phase happens, the rationalization and the public thrashing by Patriots fans as they jump over themselves to explain how this was actually calculated brilliance and that the player was actually always kind of shit. This rationalization is always a pleasure and it’s certainly not limited to Patriots fans, it’s pretty much the de-facto response from everyone when their team lets a loved free agent walk. But it remains hilarious just the same. By the time this blog post is read by you, I’m sure hundreds of defenses of the action have already been written praising Billy’s insight.

Billy 5 Aces has turned enough shit to gold that honestly, its hard to not give him the benefit of the doubt even when things feel highly questionable. But really, he’s in Cleveland now, RIP Jamie Collins. I think one of the reasons Billy actually does get all the blind faith credit is that the Patriots are still the best team in the league at maximizing talent level in their system and culture, and that’s why so many players who leave New England end up sucking. So yeah, Jamie was a good player (was, RIP) but Billy has been a savage to so many players before I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt. As a side note, it’s kind of amusing to me that outside Brady, Gronk, or Edelman, Pats fans really can’t get attached to anyone because every other player on that team feels one loud fart from being dumped in a move that will eventually be called brilliant.

Also congrats to Gronk on his 69th touchdown, may he have a 6th grader’s sense of humor forever.

And lastly, in the interest of starting another comment flame war on a Patriots comic, Dogs > Cats. Dogs are the GOAT companion. Cats are good, but Dogs man, Dogs are the best.