SAN DIEGO _ For the first time in 20 years, Bill Belichick became irrelevant.
His irrelevance lasted about three months.
Which for the rest of the lily-livered NFL wasn't long enough.
Belichick plays first trumpet in this orchestra, and if you want to pull him out of that chair, you'd better be Miles Davis blowing some innovative notes, or stuff a wad of wet newspaper in the bell end of his instrument.
He is a complete hygienist and everyone else just brushes their front teeth.
Even if someone jumps the gun in his race, he manages to finish a step ahead. Anything for an edge. Getting busted for cheating, as the coach's Patriots just did? He simply scrubs off the grime with smart soap.
A few minutes before the NFL announced the Pats were going to be fined chump-change $1.1 million last week for their latest (needless, stupid) spying incident (on the Bengals?), what does Bill do?
He Bill Russell's the negative and brings in Cam Newton. More of his espionage becomes an afterthought.
The edge, again, belongs to him.
When Belichick enters a room, some people walk out, and all who remain suddenly get dumber.
On March 20, Tom Brady, who quarterbacked Bill's Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, divorced him for Tampa Bay, leaving Belichick with pencil pusher Jarrett Stidham.
Followers seem to feel Jarrett's the guy, but he's thrown four whole passes in anger. He's basically a rookie QB, and they weren't going to the Super Bowl _ if it happens _ with a freshman.
There may not be one with Newton, either, but he's 31 _ basically a kid now among NFL QBs _ has been a League MVP, and visited a Super Bowl. The big question is his health.
Doesn't matter. He's a steal if he never plays a snap and gets cut in camp.
Newton's contract is set for one year _ and will have a base salary of $1,050,000. Incentives could push it to $7.5 million. He gets a measly $550,000 guaranteed.
Richard Sherman called the deal "Just ridiculous. Disgusting."
Belichick isn't even gambling. Insider trading without fear of penalty.
Thirty-one other franchises didn't even consider multi-faceted Newton. That includes the NFL Team That Used To Be Here. They will go with Tyrod Taylor, who, while not without talent, isn't Cam, when Cam is Cam.
I said at draft time the Chargers shouldn't have used their sixth overall pick on Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. They should have signed Newton and used that pick on Clemson protean defender Isaiah Simmons.
Newton would have cost them nothing. And, if he could play, with their defense being as good as any in the game, they could have been major contenders. They still may be. They have offensive skill and have improved their O line. But can Taylor be the guy? He's won in The League, but not enough. And he'll be 31 next month.
Here's what ESPN's Rex Ryan had to say on the Cam deal: "My first thought was that the league can't be this dumb. He must really be hurt, because for 31 other teams to pass on him, I mean, it's just crazy.
"This guy is a star. There aren't that many stars in the league, and to me Cam is an absolute star. He's a face of the franchise as a person and player. I think if he's half the Cam I know, that team has a legitimate shot to go to the Super Bowl. You'd better be ready for Cam.
"I think we have to temper our expectations a bit. Let's see if he's healthy. But if he is, oh, my goodness. He's an absolute steal."
And one with no consequences. Cam gives them a chance, where before they had little or none.
Belichick is an outlaw in a league that has no idea how to arrest him physically or mentally.
The only thing the Chargers are good at stealing is out of town.
