The New England Patriots Operate as the Ultimate Business

Anyone who has followed the New England Patriots over the last six years has to be impressed with how the team operates like a well-oiled business.  Yes, it's football, but the team uses many principles from business to ensure its continued success.  Here are some of my thoughts on what makes the Patriots so consistently good.

1. They have figured out the underlying financial system.  Like a good investor, they have figured out how to play in the new salary cap era.  They understand how much money they have, how much they can spend, and what they can get for it. 
2. They don't over invest in one asset that will damage their balance sheet into the future.  When a player gets too expensive, even if he is a solid contributor, they let him go.  Lawyer Milloy,  Deon Branch, and Adam Vinateri are examples of this.
3. They make painful decisions that are ultimately beneficial.  This is related to point #2.  The cutting and trading of many key players often shocked the team and its fans but the Patriots sucked it up.
4. They value team over individual.
5. They value production over hype.  If you don't perform on the Patriots, you don't play.  Drew Bledsoe, one of the most popular players on the team lost his job to newcomer Tom Brady.
6. Flexibility is key.  The Patriots value players, especially on defense, that can play different roles and different styles.
7. They determine an opponents weaknesses and exploit them.  The Pats were two-TD underdogs to the Rams leading up to Super Bowl XXXVI but realizes the Rams were not physical and could be pushed around.  The Pats safeties and cornerbacks played physical and pushed them off their routes.  As a result, they were able to significantly slow the air attack and focus on stopping Marshall Faulk.
8. They pick up talent inexpensively.  Their recent acquisition of Randy Moss is an example.  They have 1 year contract with the All-Star receiver in which they only pay him only $3 million and gave up a fourth round pick.
9. They take measured risks.  The Patriots gambled on Corey Dillon and won big.  They are now gambling on Randy Moss and the expectations are that he has a reformed attitude and is ready to play.
10. They focus on the present.  The Patriots focus each week on the game at hand.  Their philosophy is that each season is brand new, regardless of what happened in the previous season.  They, like everyone else, are starting in the dog-house until they prove themselves.