With each passing week, the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast from Meadowlark Media continues uncovering more and more weirdness from the most talked about relationship in America - Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson.
Earlier this year, host Pablo Torre made a passing mention on his podcast that Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of the 73-year-old six-time Super Bowl champion, was acting as his “manager,” of sorts, with Belichick empowering his inexperienced partner to run point on matters she was underqualified to handle.
Earlier this month, Torre followed up this reporting with an extended podcast about their relationship, coming in the wake of a disastrous appearance by both Belichick and Hudson on CBS News Sunday Morning to promote the North Carolina head football coach’s new book, The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.
In this episode, Torre reported on the actual age of Hudson when her and Belichick first met, and spoke about the unpleasant work environment she has created for those in the media that have had to deal with her as Belichick’s press liaison. Making the most waves, though, was Torre’s report that Hudson had been banned from UNC’s football facilities by the athletic department. This report elicited a denial from the university, which Torre summarily categorized as favorable window dressing for an institution at its wit’s end with the situation.
And on Friday, Torre released an episode entitled “The Bill Belichick Ring Video: Pablo Torre Found a New Tape — and Finally Solved the Mystery.” This episode is loaded with details about the now infamous shirtless Ring doorbell video, painting the picture of a distracted Belichick during his final season manning the sidelines in New England.
As I’ve said before and I’ll say again - I encourage you to give this a watch/listen:
On Tuesday, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran made his weekly appearance on Jones and Keefe, and was asked his weekly question about the former head coach of the Patriots.
“Tom - pretty much every week we ask you about the ongoing Bill Belichick saga,” said WEEI’s Adam Jones. “The latest - and I'm curious your thoughts on this - really does characterize Bill as distracted at the tail end of his tenure in New England. Red pants at training camp. Hotel rooms leading up to games. Never mind [appearing] on Ring cam videos, etc, etc. Do you think Bill was distracted in 2023?”
“I don't think it had the same intensity of attention that Bill Belichick from 2000 through 2019 had, no,” said Curran. “So the level of attention to detail probably was not the same. So distracted to you and me? I mean, I'm a distracted guy, I don’t know if it’s that level. But no, his level of intensity was not the same.
“I think that that was born out in the drafting, the free agent signings, the coaching and succession plans, the easy outs in terms of hiring - whether it be offensive coordinator or scouting or whatever. I think Bill very much got to a point where, when he articulated that, ‘Why should fans have an expectation of success this year?’ posed to him by Mike Reiss at the 2023 owners meetings. And Bill said, ‘The last 25 years.’ There was very much a kind of resting on his laurels and his reputation and, ‘What's the worst that could happen here? I’m Bill Belichick.’”
“I think it's going to be one-and-done at North Carolina,” said WEEI’s Rich Keefe. “I know some are speculating whether he even makes it to the season. There's like a buyout coming up on June 1, where there's a potential there. I think he coaches this season, but I think it's one-and-done. Do you have any prediction on how long he lasts with North Carolina?”
“I would tend to agree with you,” said Curran. “But it would be a percentage-type thing with the likelihood. I mean, are they going to be good? I just don't think they're going to - and what do I know about ACC friggin’ football - but I just don't think that they're going to be, you know, landmark [improved], because they're totally different kinds of players that you're dealing with.
“I mean, kids who [were] just getting off a bus last year, some of them, to go to school. They're not adults. So how is that going to go? I would imagine it probably is more likely one-and-done than a five year tenure.”
As Keefe mentioned, June 1 looms large for the North Carolina football program. Is Tar Heel brass sick of being in the news for all the wrong reasons?
Stay locked in to WEEI and WEEI.com for all the latest on Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson.