The latter, who spends his days managing the Tampa Bay Rays, called for the support of the former a couple of weeks ago. Maddon needed some hoodie guidance when Major League Baseball ordered him to stop wearing his Rays hooded sweatshirt.
"Being as we're in the same neck of the woods right now … [Belichick]'s probably a little busy right now, although I really could use the support," Maddon said from Fenway Park.
Well, when you call Bill's name, the coach answers. Belichick sent Maddon a Patriots hoodie, and it arrived in the manager's office on Wednesday. As tampabay.com reports, Belichick included a letter with the package, and Maddon plans to keep both in a safe place. The sweatshirt also has the initials "JM" where the trademark "BB" is typically printed. Maddon also likely found some happiness in the fact that Belichick didn't chop off the sleeves — a process that Maddon disapproved of, calling it "the bastardization of the hoodie." A photo of the hoodie can be seen here.
Of course, when you're a resident in Red Sox country, it's generally frowned upon to fraternize with the enemy, but in the case of Bill Belichick and Joe Maddon, it's simply a matter of one man keeping another warm. If Belichick did want to offer a subtle poison pill in the package, he'd have sent Maddon the red sweatshirt that may or may not have cost the Patriots an undefeated season, but that one's likely been burned.
