Bill Belichick, head coach of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots traveled to Canton on Tuesday night for the premiere of the 2002 Championship Chase film in the Hall of Fame's spectacular GameDay Stadium theater. The film was updated to feature the Patriots' exciting victory in Super Bowl XXXVI.
The event, emceed by WTAM Radio's Casey Coleman and sponsored by The Whitacre-Greer Company, featured the Super Bowl coach and representatives from NFL Films who produced the one-of-a-kind film.
Belichick, who was accompanied by his wife Debby and 10-year-old son Brian, enjoyed a tour of the Hall of Fame before the event.
"I can't tell you how emotional a feeling it is as a coach," he commented on seeing the Patriots represented in the Hall of Fame's Super Bowl Experience exhibit. Belichick's shirt and pullover are in the display with a number of other game mementos from New England's 20-17 thrilling win over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Belichick then addressed an audience of invited guests before participating in a question and answer session with the group. He fielded a variety of questions ranging from his motivational skills to the similarities in two of the closest Super Bowls in history. Belichick was the defensive mastermind in the Giants' upset of the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. His game plan from that Super Bowl is on exhibit at the Hall of Fame. He then, of course, served as head coach in the Patriots exciting win in Super Bowl XXXVI this past February. That was the first Super Bowl in history whose outcome was determined on the final play of the game.
One of the questions posed to Belichick centered on the introduction of his entire team prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. He reflected on how league personnel and network people attempted to persuade him to have his players introduced individually because that it is the way it was always done.
He responded by telling them that his team was going to come out together. "Because I don't think you're going to stop them so you better plan accordingly," he responded. Sure enough, the Patriots ran onto the field all together. "I guess the networks adjusted accordingly," Belichick joked on Tuesday.
Phil Tuckett, Vice President of Special Projects at NFL Films, also addressed the audience on Tuesday. Tuckett has been involved in producing each of the films since the debut of the new format at the Hall of Fame in 1995.
"We come back every year to see (the film) big!," he stated.
The Hall of Fame's GameDay Stadium rotating theater, that features a 20'x42' screen, was the first venue in the world to show a sporting event in 35mm film format.
The 2002 Championship Chase is shown continuously throughout the day and is offered at no additional charge to Hall of Fame visitors.
