We are in the What-Were-They-Thinking business.  Last Sunday night, it seems that EVERYBODY was in the WWTT business.  Or, more specifically, the What-In-God’s-Name-Is-Bill-Belichick-Thinking business.   You all know the storyline by now – even if you were not watching the Patriots-Colts game and are not a football fan.  Patriots up 34-28 with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter, Patriots fourth-and-two on their own 29-yard line.  Belichick goes for it.  Kevin Faulk bobbles Tom Brady’s pass and the refs say he comes up short of the first down – a challengeable ruling…if the Patriots had a time out left to challenge with.   The Colts take over, score and win 35-34.

Bad call?  Fifty-five percent of those responding to an ESPN poll think so (with just 17% thinking it a “good call”). Yet a compelling statistical argument can be made that it was the right call.  Brian Burke of the New York Times “Fifth Down” blog makes just that case.

Far more authoratative football fans and experts than us have now weighed in on all sides of the call.  Joining that debate is not our purpose today.  What we wonder about is, “What happened to the Patriots brand?”   Why did it seem that so many football fans (mostly ourside of New England) took such delight in seeing Belichick and his team rediculed for their alleged bad judgement?  Is it just the “Yankee Syndrome” — those guys win too much?  Or, something deeper?

Not surprisingly, we think it’s deeper.  It starts with a taciturn and seemingly arrogant head coach.   Add to this a quarterback who went straight from Cinderlla Story to the kind of story you don’t want your kids to hear.  And, of course, there’s the cheating scandal.  After three Super Bowl victories, do you really need to try to cheat your way to a fourth?   Even the questionable fourth down call was seen by many as worse than just bad judgement.  No less a Patriots loyalist than Teddy Bruschi who played for the team for thirteen years sees the call as a very publc vote of no-confidence in the team’s defensive squad which Belichick obviously did not trust to stop the Colts had they punted to them.

The Patriots have become an object lesson in how to devalue a once stellar brand.  In sports more than most businesses, being loved is sometimes as important as winning.  Think Red Sox and Cubs.  Or, conversely, think George Steinbrenner.  The sad part is that there was a time, not so long ago, when the Patriots were both feared and loved.  They are still feared. The love will have to be re-earned and there’s no sign yet that they understand or care about that.