FOXBORO -- Bill Belichick was posed a colorful question midway through his press conference on Friday morning, focused on Belichick's relationship to the league and the perception that he may be looking forward to demoralizing every opponent on the Patriots schedule this season in response to the way the league has handled Deflategate.
In 2007, after after being penalized for illegal videotaping practices, Belichick and the Patriots went on to a perfect regular-season record in which it sent multiple offensive records, including touchdown passes by a single player.
"We know you like to focus on the day to day," a reporter asked, "but do you ever catch yourself driving home at night thinking, 'I'd love to win every game this year by 50 points and stick it to this commissioner and this league?' "
Belichick's response was firm, and consistent with his one-day-at-a-time approach.
"Right now I'm really focused on what we're doing today," he said. "I'm not thinking about the past, not last week, not last year, not some other year, I'm thinking about . . . I mean we have to prepare our team for the opener, for a 16-game regular-season schedule.
"Really can't do much of that right now. Not the time for it. It's not the time for it. I'm not going to worry about next month, next year, six years from now, six months from now. I know that's real important to everybody else, but that's not real important to me. I don't think it's very important to our football team.
"With all due respect, it's not something I think about or care about, even though that seems to be something that's really important to everybody else. It's just not on our radar."
New England Patriots
Belichick has held three press conferences in three days and has taken questions about Brady, Deflategate and the league in each one of his sessions. Taking orders from Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, who on Wednesday suggested that no one on the team discuss the case, Belichick has remained on message.
Earlier in his Friday press conference, Belichick was asked if he may use the adversity his team is facing to motivate Patriots players.
"We're in Day 2 of training camp," Belichick said. "That's where we are."
Asked if he had no feeling on the matter, Belichick replied, "My feeling is trying to get my team out there to have a good day of practice in the second day of training camp."
Pressed further on the issue and if he knew if Brady may speak to reporters some time soon, Belichick said, "I can't speak for 90 players and another dozen or so coaches. I speak for myself. I'm here trying to do my job. Everybody's trying to do theirs. That's what training camp is for."