Criticism of Patriots can’t be ignored

This isn’t a case of the media belittling the New England Patriots, or some loose-cannon coach like Jerry Glanville sounding off for the fun of needling. Sometimes the messenger is so respected that the criticism has greater legitimacy, and such was the case when former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula said that, if the Patriots remain undefeated, their perfect record should carry an asterisk in the NFL record books.

The worst you can say about Shula, who has won more games than any coach in NFL history, is that his criticism of the Patriots could be interpreted as self-serving, since it’s his 1972 Dolphins who would be replaced in the record book by the Patriots. Even considering that, criticism from Shula is, and should be, a conversation starter, and it has certainly done that in New England, where the Patriots predictably fired back Wednesday.

In case you missed it, Shula told the New York Daily News the other day, “The Spygate thing has diminished what (the Patriots) have accomplished. You would hate to have that attached to your accomplishments. They’ve got it. Belichick was fined $500,000, the team was fined $250,000 and they lost a first-round draft choice. That tells you the seriousness or significance of what they found (through spying). I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds’ home run record. ... The sad thing is Tom Brady looks so good, it doesn’t look like he needs any help.”

Asked if he was upset by Shula’s comments Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, “If someone questions your integrity ... if someone questions the organization you’ve been a part of ever since you walked into the league, would it upset you? So, yes, it does upset me. ... If they want to keep saying those things, maybe we just need to play a little bit harder.”

You know what team is going to be affected most by the Patriots’ reaction to Shula? The Dolphins. Not the ’72 Dolphins, but today’s winless Dolphins, who have to travel to New England on the next-to-last week of the season to face an already bloodthirsty Patriots team enraged even more by Shula. Put me down for 62 points for the Patriots that afternoon.

The bigger story here, though, is that there are those in the coaching fraternity who think Spygate is a stain on Belichick’s record. Shula apparently thinks the stain is indelible. Tony Dungy also made the comparison to Barry Bonds. These aren’t C-list coaches. Dungy, whose Indianapolis Colts won the last Super Bowl, is beloved by his peers. Shula is revered. If there were a Mount Rushmore of NFL coaches, Shula would be on it (probably with George Halas, Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown).

More important to this latest flap is that Shula’s long career has rarely involved petty disputes. OK, there are those who’ll suggest he sounds like a bitter old man in criticizing Belichick. But Shula has been gracious beyond fault, certainly more so than Belichick. And Shula has a certain authority, even integrity, that gives what he says gravity. So, while I do not think a 19-0 record should carry an asterisk, I do find Shula’s statements worth hearing. There’s a resentment directed at the Patriots from within the profession that is impossible to ignore.

Of course, this is directed at Belichick specifically more than the Patriots as a team. And Belichick seems to know it, which is the primary reason he is intent on pounding every single opponent into the ground. It’s become an irresistible story line, the biggest and perhaps even the only important one in the NFL this season, from the first mention of Spygate in Week 1.

Most recently, we’ve seen Belichick barely clasp Dungy’s hand at the end of the Patriots’ victory Sunday in Indianapolis. Rosevelt Colvin, the Patriots’ veteran linebacker, says these little mini-dramas have prevented people from knowing the real Belichick. And to a great degree, Colvin is right.

I’ve had two social interactions with Belichick, one lengthy. And away from the field he comes off as funny, opinionated, literate, interested, curious, and somewhat charming. He even looks different away from football, dressing in Armani or other tailored garments that are 180 degrees opposite to what we see on Sunday or when he’s addressing the media.

Who knows if Belichick needs to adopt that personality to be successful? What we’re finding out is that his fraternity brothers, men incredibly reluctant to criticize one of their own, find Spygate objectionable.