Only Bill Belichick could silence the gaggling masses who have responded with everything from fair criticism all the way to accusations that none of the 3 Superbowl championships or the playoff games that got them there were legitimate. One could see the lack of restraint in television commentators like Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, NBC and HBO's Chris Collingsworth and ESPN's Tom Jackson who felt Belichick should have been the recipient of a far worse punishment than he got. Even the #1 round draft pick plucked from the Patriots didn't spill enough blood for many. My biggest concern was based on the nation's perception of my beloved team. How could we convince them that what BB did was extremely inconsequential compared to what the players and coach do to prepare for the opponents week to week?

However, as it happens, the powerhouse San Diego Chargers, with what is the consensus "best roster in the NFL", came to town immediately following the largest fine in NFL history ($500,000) paid by Bill Belichick and ($250,000) by the Patriots organization. In front of some 70 million viewers, the Patriots beat the Chargers to a pulp as if they weren't in the same league.  I'm sure it didn't hurt that the Charger's including LaDanian Tomlinson ran his mouth all week  (actually since New England knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs last year on their own turf). "We'd beat them nine times out of ten if we played them ten times", he said in an interview this past Saturday. Can anyone say Bulletin material?

The team and fans rallied behind a man who is still a genius in my mind. So did the owner Bob Kraft who is alleged to have quietly re-signed Belichick to a contract through 2013. I guess that means Mr. Kraft decided Bill would be less effected by th half million dollar fine. There's a lot of love in Foxboro.