Joe Judge explains Bill Belichick's ‘different feeling' about Giants

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Bill Belichick's favorite NFL team outside the New England Patriots is the same one that's handed him his two most crushing losses.

How can this be? Well, Belichick spent 12 years with the New York Giants from 1979 to 1990, beginning as a special teams coach/defensive assistant and rising to defensive coordinator under head coach Bill Parcells.

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As such, Belichick has a soft spot for the Giants, even after they beat his Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLIV. Just ask former Patriots assistant Joe Judge, who landed the Giants head coach job in part due to Belichick's strong recommendation and has heard the legendary head coach speak glowingly of the franchise.

"You could tell there was a different feeling talking about the Giants for him than other conversations about other teams an other topics along the way," Judge told NBC Sports' Mike Tirico on Wednesday's edition of "Lunch Talk Live."

"He was very complimentary of, first off, the fanbase, the passion of the city. He loved this town with Coach Parcells and the great players they had back then. Had a great relationship with the ownership, as well.

"So, when we talked through the entire process, everything was extremely positive, and you could just kind of tell ... he had more than just memories here. A lot connections and relationships that meant a lot to him."

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Some have speculated that if Belichick ever decides to leave New England and coach somewhere else, it would be in New York, where he won two Super Bowls with the Giants in 1986 and 1990. Based on Judge's comments, we can see why.

Fortunately, Belichick hasn't had many conflicts of interest lately. The Patriots play the Giants in their preseason finale every year as part of an annual tradition but have only seen the G-Men once in the last four seasons: a 35-14 cakewalk win over New York last year.

Judge will be tasked with turning the Giants' fortunes around, though, and it sounds like he has Belichick's full support -- as long as they don't meet in the Super Bowl a third time.

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