Bill Belichick's departure added intrigue to an otherwise dull Patriots season

Thinking out loud … while wondering if some people cause happiness wherever they go, do they also cause happiness whenever they go away?

I don’t know about you, but the Bill Belichick saga has been way more interesting than at any point during the actual, you know, football season in Foxboro. Just sayin’.

It’s hard to encapsulate a 24-year run of mostly brilliance. Belichick’s legacy will stand the test of time, if only because few, if any, other coaches will last long enough or win enough to meet or beat his accomplishments.

More: Here's a look back at some of the highlights of Bill Belichick's incredible career

So, let’s say this: Thanks, coach. You not only made a one-time moribund franchise relevant and successful, but you also brought pride into a region, and a nation of Patriots fans. In many ways, as Robert Kraft has said, we are all Patriots.

It sounded as if the decision this week was excruciating for Kraft. But he is a businessman, after all. Belichick helped, in a major way, to turn an original $170-million investment into a $7-billion organization.

But a 24-year relationship was summarized in a simple, short and slightly awkward and unspectacular 10-minute photo op on Thursday.

Our relationship was limited, somewhat, to my introductions of Bill before speaking engagements, and occasional passes in the corridors of Gillette Stadium. He mostly just passed me by, focused intently on whatever task was in his immediate sight.

But he always smiled, said, “Thanks, John” (he knew my name!), when we were together publicly, and was first to offer a handshake in nonprofessional moments. Maybe it is time to move on, as strange as this still seems. Nothing lasts forever.

But we’ve had the good fortune to live through a nice slice of history with his nearly quarter-century tenure.

The term “G.O.A.T.,” for Greatest of All Time, is trite and clichéd. But if it is ever appropriate, it is in reference to William Stephen Belichick, NFL head coach.

• The last time New England had a pick this high for an upcoming draft — 1994, when they selected Willie McGinest third overall — 30 years ago! C’mon, man.

• X post of the week I, from @RealAlexBarth: “Can the Patriots just draft the entire Michigan offensive line 3rd overall?”

• The free agents-to-be I’d like to see return in New England: Kendrick Bourne, either Hunter Henry or Pharoah Brown, Ezekiel Elliott, Mike Onwenu, Kyle Dugger, Mack Wilson — if the new staff approves, of course.

• Matthew Slater is also a free agent, but he’s all-but-certain to announce his retirement soon. Slate, you were great. Hall-of-Fame-caliber great. If there is a “Patriot Way,” he leads it.

• X post of the Week II, from @BostonSportsInf: “Bill Belichick’s 1st game as HC of the Patriots was September 3, 2000. Other managers/coaches at the time: Jimy Williams, Red Sox, Rick Pitino, Celtics, Pat Burns, Bruins. So it’s been a while.”

• What a week for moving vans. Nick Saban at Alabama. One-time Patriots coach Pete Carroll in Seattle. And BB? Coincidence? A by-product of the aging process?

• Or maybe old friends Saban and Belichick blow us all away and decide to work together before they ride off into the sunset?

• When Taylor Swift utilized a RI State Police escort to get from T.F. Green to Gillette Stadium recently, that was cool and all. But the Patriots were sent a $1,600 bill to pay for it, too. So now you know what you’ll be charged when you need one of those.

• The term “Black Monday” usually refers to NFL head coaches getting fired on the first day after the regular season ends. It turns out it was Black Monday for about 200 employees in New York, too, who all received pink slips.

• Author Jeff Benedict’s “The Dynasty” will be a 10-part docuseries on Apple TV beginning Feb. 16. Look for the trailer online. Could be a winner.

• Hope you can find that. The trailer and Apple TV, too. And the playoff game this weekend on Peacock cost six bucks for a months’ subscription, the first time for an NFL game to be completely behind a “pay wall.” Better get used to it.

• My buddy “Big E” says, in a text this week: “Well. What a [bleeping] year this has been this week.” Couldn’t agree more.

• Candy I miss eating: Circus peanuts, Jujubes and Dots. Don’t judge me.

• I agree with Jimmy Kimmel. Aaron Rodgers has a hamster brain. But hamsters aren’t as arrogant.

• ESPN and the College Football Playoff must love each other — they’re negotiating for another eight years. And because the field is expanding from four to 12 teams beginning next year. If you’re a TV, you’re salivating over that.

• Hey, did you know that Houston’s NRG Stadium had something in common with the building formerly known as The Dunk in downtown Providence? Seems they had a roof leak during the national championship game this past Monday night, too. The leak near the Michigan end zone must’ve kept Washington out of it, am I right?

• Not for nothin’, but the NCAA has also renewed with ESPN for another eight years, with the network gaining the rights to 40 NCAA championships, including all rounds for the women’s basketball tournament, women’s volleyball, women’s gymnastics, softball, baseball, FCS football and expanded Division II and III championships as well.

• Ex-Hendricken Hawk offensive lineman Xavier Truss said last week he wants to run it back once more with Georgia’s Bulldogs. The NFL Draft will wait another year. Georgia is a likely preseason No. 1 next fall.

• PC’s week in the discovery phase ABH (after Bryce Hopkins) hasn’t turned out the way you or I would have liked. But road games at Creighton and St. John’s would have been a heavy task to tackle even with a healthy BHop on the floor.

• Plenty of fight. A lot of grit. Some good basketball. There needs to be more good basketball for these Friars to get where they hope to get. And free throws.

• Devin Carter’s game, right now, is at an elite level — a career high 31-point, 13-rebound double-double against St. John’s. But he needs a few teammates to step up into the breach of the current battle.

• X post of the Week III, from @TheAndyKatz: “The key thing on @PCFriarsMBB is that they have quality wins that will age well against @BadgerMBB and @MarquetteMBB. Those won’t go away. Of course, being .500 at least in @BigEastMBB will be key going forward. All doable.”

• TWITBE (This Week in the Big East) returns for a 10th season run this weekend on Sirius XM, on Westwood One radio stations and online podcast platforms across the country. Villanova’s Kyle Neptune, Seton Hall’s Kadary Richmond and Fox Sports’ Donny Marshall lead it off. Kevin McNamara joins me every week for the discussion.

• Laryn Edwards’ decision to play for Erin Batth’s Providence team is a cool one. A grad assistant with another year of playing eligibility remaining after four seasons at Loyola (Maryland) and a year away from the game, she came off the coaching bench to fill a need after injury hit the lineup. A point guard with experience is valuable, and these days a necessary ingredient.

• Rhody is beginning to show some of the toughness it has needed. A win on the road at Davidson last week proves one thing — the Rams know how to do it. Consistency is the key. Inside play is rapidly improving.

Two-and-oh in the Atlantic 10 to start, after a preseason 14th-place prediction (next to last), is also a nice thumb to the nose to the rest of the league.

• Speaking of thumbs-to-noses: Bryant’s Sherif Gross-Bullock was the Player of the Week in America East after torching Maryland Baltimore County for a career-best 41 points last Saturday.

• Lincoln High School’s Wayne McNamara topped the career 1,000-point mark last week (along with teammate Cam DiChiara) and also became Rhode Island’s only McDonald’s All-America basketball nominee for this year.

• URI football is trying, give ‘em credit. With so much talent available these days via the transfer portal, the Rams this week signed an ACC quarterback, Hunter Helms. Helms played at Clemson and backed up 2021 No. 1 NFL pick Trevor Lawrence. Ten transfers are a part of Rhody’s incoming recruiting class.

• Former Bryant QB Zevi Eckhaus announced last week he’ll play one more collegiate season and will move on to Washington State to do it. Eckhaus set the school record for career passing yards and won the Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Year honor for last season.

• The name Cindy Morgan may or may not mean much to you. But for those of a certain age, for those who love golf, for those who love comedy, movies and Caddyshack, you’ll know. Morgan played the role of vixen Lacey Underall in the iconic movie classic, and she passed away this week at age 69.

• Shota Imanaga? Barely had time to learn how to pronounce that name before taking it off my “Possible Red Sox Pitchers” list for the upcoming season.

• The National Sports Media Association announced its national award winners last week, and kudos to acquaintances Kevin Harlan, named National Sportscaster of the Year, and to Andrea Joyce and one-time Providence Journal sports writer and long-time baseball contributor Jayson Stark for winning Hall of Fame honors.

Interested in having your questions on Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Think out loud and send your questions, comments and local stories to jrbroadcaster@gmail.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/threads right here! Join me on Twitter/X, @JRbroadcaster…on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke and on Instagram and Threads @JRbroadcaster.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Belichick intrigue added spice to a bland Patriots season