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On the positive side for the Pats, success breeds success. Players like AB are willing to sign there because of their record. Players like AB have a decent shot at actually thriving there because the locker room culture can deal with a guy like him and he will likely win and get the ball often. And the team can take a risk on a guy like AB because the front office and Belichik and Brady are not worried about their jobs, and will drop a guy immediately if he doesn't shape up.
As much as this type of thing stinks for the rest of the league, the rest of the league saw it coming simply because there's not really any other place that can and will handle a guy like this. Most locker rooms have someone else in it who won't put up with a new hothead like AB, or have a coach who doesn't have the job security to stand firm against the talent, or can't be sure enough about winning to keep a guy like AB happy. Until the team starts slipping in its locker room culture or its ability to win consistently, the Pats can always afford to take on one guy like this.
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