On Saturday night, North Carolina coach Bill Belichick confirmed that Patriots scouts aren’t welcome in Chapel Hill. His reasoning doesn’t hold water.
“It’s clear that I’m not welcome around their facility,” Belichick told reporters after the UNC win over the Charlotte 49ers. “And so they’re not welcome at ours. Pretty simple.”
It’s not quite that simple, because his premise is flawed. The Patriots have done nothing to demonstrate he’s not welcome at their facility. Sure, they fired him. But that doesn’t mean he can’t go there, if for some reason his current job necessitated a visit to Gillette Stadium.
Indeed, only months after Belichick’s employment ended, the Patriots invited him to speak at the Tom Brady Hall of Fame enshrinement, before a packed house. He had a table on the floor for himself and family/friends, next to owner Robert Kraft’s table.
And Kraft recently said that, yes, a statue will be erected outside the stadium after Belichick’s coaching career ends.
While it’s obvious that there’s animosity between Belichick and the Patriots, he can’t claim that he wouldn’t be welcome if, for some reason, his current job required him to go there.
For Patriots scouts, there’s obviously a need to visit UNC. They need to do their jobs. And the North Carolina players need to be able to best posture themselves for their pro careers.
Ultimately, the kids are the ones caught in this bizarre crossfire. Allowing the Patriots into the building helps the players. Not letting them in hurts the players.
