Bill Belichick was his usual candid self during his first pre-Super Bowl conference in Indianapolis on Sunday. The New England Patriots head coach was not in the mood for giving too much away with just seven days to go before the end of season showcase.

The veteran coach was in a relaxed mood as his team arrived in the Circle City, a day earlier than their opponents. The New York Giants flew into Indy on Monday, the more traditional arrival date for Super Bowl contenders.

Justifying the earlier arrival, Belichick said: “We practiced Thursday and Friday in New England and Saturday and Sunday we were off; on the field Monday, Tuesday off, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the week. This puts us on a normal schedule.”

It is difficult argue with the 59-year-old’s logic, as Sunday will be the eighth time he has been involved in a Super Bowl, his fifth as New England head coach. Having already set a new record for most Super Bowls reached by a head coach/quarterback combination with Tom Brady, Belichick will be looking to win with his team for the fourth time, which would tie the all-time record for Lombardi trophies won by a coach, held by ex-Pittsburgh Steelers’ coach Chuck Noll.

“It would make me feel pretty good [to tie the record]. It’s a great honour to be mentioned in the same conversation with Chuck. Chuck was the coach of the Steelers the first year I was coach of the Browns” he said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Chuck and the job he did with his team and the organisation. So, it is very flattering to be mentioned in the same sentence with Chuck Noll.”

As if that didn’t make the match-up enticing enough, there is the added incentive of revenge in the back of the minds of the Patriots, having had hopes of a perfect season dashed by Eli Manning and his underdog Giants in the 2007 Super Bowl. Belichick though stayed true to form and played down the influence that 2007’s shock result would have on this year’s contest.

“All of the games in the past don’t really matter that much at this point. This game is about this team this year. To take it back years and years before that, I don’t think it has too much bearing on anything. The team that wins on Sunday will be the team that performs the best. I don’t think the past has too much of a factor in this game.”

Victory won’t come easy for the Patriots this time either as they face a New York Giants outfit that is not only considered better than the one that won in 2007, but also one that appears to have hit form at just the right time. Since sneaking into the post-season with a week 17 do-or-die win against the Cowboys, Tom Coughlin’s men have proved themselves worthy contenders.  Having steam rolled the Falcons at the New Meadowlands, the Big Blue went into Green Bay and upset the Packers, before out-muscling San Francisco in overtime to finish the fairytale season at Candlestick and reach Indianapolis. So Belichick is under no illusion that his team will be in for a fight come Sunday.

“Tom and I are good friends, and we go back quite a ways. He and his staff have done a great job with his football team. They have a lot of good football players; they are well-coached, disciplined and tough. They have played well over the last five weeks and during the course of the season as well.”

He added: “I think our players are obviously excited to be here, looking forward to the challenge and we get to work tomorrow out on the field.”

One unwelcome worry for the AFC Champions ahead of Sunday’s showpiece is the health and fitness of productive tight end Rob Gronkowski. The second year pro has had a record-setting year, catching 90 passes for 1,327 yards and an impressive 17 touchdowns in the regular season.  However, the 22-year-old is facing a fight to be fit for the game having sustained an ankle injury as he was tackled by Baltimore Ravens Safety Bernard Pollard.

The affectionately named ‘Gronk’ arrived in Indianapolis yesterday wearing a protective boot on his left foot.  Belichick, though, was quick to brush off any questions regarding his star, simply saying his progress was something that was being looked at “day-to-day” further fuelling expectations that no announcement will be made on Number 87 until pregame on Sunday.

Belichick holds the youngster in high esteem though and will be hoping that he is able to take the field come Sunday.

“He’s big, fast and tough, and he brings a lot of qualities you like in that position.” “Those two guys (Gronkowski and fellow second year tight end Aaron Hernandez) complement each other well. They’ve done a great job for us over the past two seasons. I’m glad we have them.”

On a brighter note, this week will be a welcome change for Belichick, who is usually subjected to a hostile reception from the moment he arrives in Indianapolis; such is the intensity of the rivalry between his New England Patriots and the host city’s Colts franchise.

With a wry smile Belichick joked: “I never had too much hospitality here until I went for it on fourth and 2 (against the Colts in a 35-34 loss in 2009), and since then, I’ve been greeted in a lot more friendly manner than I have in the past.”

It remains to be seen how Belichick’s mood will be, come the end of play on Sunday, but until then he remains calm and collected ahead of what could well be a record setting week for the storied head coach.