Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK this morning explained the origins of a letter he sent to President-elect DONALD TRUMP, calling Trump a friend of his and saying his comments in the note were not "politically motivated," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Trump read the letter during one of his last campaign rallies on Monday night, and Belichick addressed the topic at his morning press conference. He said, "Our friendship goes back many [years]. And I think anybody who spends more than five minutes with me knows I'm not a political person. My comments are not politically motivated. It's friendship and loyalty to Donald. A couple weeks ago, we had Secretary of State (JOHN) KERRY in [the] locker room, a friend of mine. I can't imagine two people with different political views than those two. But to me friendship and loyalty is just about that, it's not about political views or religious views." Belichick went on to say he writes "hundreds of letters and notes every month" and he does not ideologically agree with all the recipients of those letters (TWITTER.com, 11/9). Belichick was asked several follow-up questions about Trump and the letter, to which he referenced the Patriots' opponent this week, repeatedly saying, "Seattle" (Mult., 11/9). CSN New England's Tom Curran prior to Belichick's presser said the coach's comments would be "interesting to hear." Curran said, "You can either say my vote and political leanings are private and I don’t discuss them with people and they’re not a topic of conversation because that’s the way I prefer it, and that’s fine. However, if you put a Trump or HILLARY bumper sticker on or a shirt or lend your endorsement somehow if you’re a person of high standing, then it’s fair game to ask you about that” ("PFT," NBCSN, 11/9).
INTERESTING MOVE: ESPN's Bomani Jones said it was "absolutely shocking" that Belichick would apparently align himself with Trump, as Belichick has "gone so far to avoid controversy." Jones: "You had to know if you wrote that letter to Donald Trump, he was going to tell everybody about it. Didn’t see that coming from Belichick because really he doesn’t talk about anything normally at all” (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 11/8). FS1’s Colin Cowherd asked, “Of all the things to keep out of the locker room, isn't politics No. 1? ... I don't understand it" ("Speak For Yourself," FS1, 11/8). But in Boston, Ron Borges asked, "What difference does it make and why is it anyone’s business just because Trump decided to make public a private conversation and a private note?" Borges: "Belichick doesn’t have to answer for that, and neither does TOM BRADY. It’s nobody’s business but their own" (BOSTON HERALD, 11/9).
