When the videotaper and the whistleblower meet again tonight, a Boston snowstorm won't be the most bitter element in the air at Foxborough. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Jets helmsman Eric Mangini clashed most infamously over signal stealing during their last matchup in September, but the bad blood runs much deeper than that, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Since New York snatched away Patriots coach Bill Parcells in 1997, the rivals have seen a two-way flow of staff—and hard feelings. Belichick bailed on the Jets in 1999 along with Mangini, who ex-Patrioted last year. While the outcome of tonight's game may be inevitable, the mechanics of the coaches' handshake—or will it be a hug?—are under hot debate. (More NFL stories.)