Can one move mean a man is both smart and vindictive?
The Richard Seymour trade says both about New England Patriots mastermind Bill Belichick.
The move is smart because Belichick stole a 2011 first-round pick from Oakland Raiders for Seymour. That pick, barring a drastic change in the Raiders, will be a top-15 pick -- bare minimum.
They get that for a 29-year-old defensive tackle who is entering the final year of his contract.
Good move.
Bad move for Seymour. And that's where the vindictive side comes into play. Seymour was one of the few players who would stand up to Belichick. He didn't hang on his every word. When Seymour wanted to stay home in South Carolina with his wife and kids and work out, Belichick balked.
Seymour stayed.
Now he's shipping him to one of the worst teams in the NFL.
Take that.
It also shows the Patriots way, which is no loyalty. Nor should there be. There never is on the team's side, so why should a player ever feel loyal? He shouldn't. The team will send you to Siberia, uh, Oakland, in a minute.
If you're in decline, you're done.
Seymour helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls. He helped earn Belichick a lot of money.
That mattered none on Sunday. Nor should it.
But couldn't Belichick have traded him to a team that had a chance?
This trade was a smart move, Bill -- as usual. But I bet Belichick's a little happy sending Seymour off to Oakland.
