The face of the faceless corporation

Bill Belichick can do little wrong in New England. Under his watch, the Patriots have been clearly the best team in the NFL (if not all of sports) over the last decade. In fact, I read the other day that the team has more wins in their last 100 games than any other NFL team in history.

That Belichick has been able to sustain this kind of success in a league with a salary cap is remarkable. He owes it not solely to his genius as a football coach, but also to the sharp personnel management of the organization as a whole. In short, they are a model corporation--they find and exploit efficiencies, and are ruthless in their execution (even stretching the rules cheating when necessary).

And just like other model corporations, they show no loyalty to their employees. If you produce you stay; if you don't, or if you can be replaced by someone more productive, cheaper, or with more potential, you're out. The latest example is Richard Seymour. A five time pro-bowler, Seymour anchored the defensive line for three Patriots super bowl teams. But last week Belichick abruptly traded Seymour to the Oakland Raiders.

As a football decision I'll defer to Belichick's judgment; he's earned it. But it's clear the move was made with little regard for Seymour himself. Seymour says he was "blindsided." His children had already started school in the Boston area, and he is also the legal guardian for a 15 year old cousin in the area. "[M]e and my family have never been separated. This was a difficult transition," he said.

Seymour's a millionaire, so I can't feel too bad for him. Certainly many would trade places with him without a second thought. But his story reflects the travails of working men and women all across the country, subject to transfer or termination without warning or care.