The Kool-Aid is losing its punch. Three Super Bowl championships in five years bought head coach Bill Belichick and vice president Scott Pioli not only a ton of good will, but ample latitude in making personnel decisions from a New England Patriots fan base that had experienced only heartbreak or mediocrity during its first four decades.

But suddenly there are signs of a crack in that lovefest, a crack brought on by the significant kick in the face that was Adam Vinatieri’s decision to leave the Patriots this week after 10 seasons and sign with the Indianapolis Colts.

In an unscientific poll conducted by Boston.com, more than half of the respondents said they were backing away from the “in Bill I trust” attitude that has pervaded the region since Vinatieri kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots a 20-17 victory in Super Bowl XXXVI.

For Patriots fans, this is much worse than Johnny Damon leaving the Red Sox for the Yankees after four years.

Vinatieri is one of the pre-eminent faces of the Patriots’ three championship runs, his clutch field-goal kicking providing the decisive points in Super Bowls and Snow Bowls that led to Super Bowls.

Maybe he’s gotten a little older (33) and experienced some back woes, but the descendant of Gen. George Custer and third cousin of Evel Knievel also has kicked his way toward certain entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame while still ranking among the league’s elite.

But when the Patriots wouldn’t pay Vinatieri essentially the same $3.5 million in guaranteed money they were willing to guarantee last year to free-agent cornerback bust Duane Starks, the kicker hit the bricks, specifically to the RCA Dome where it never snows.

It wasn’t solely about money for the Patriots, who are $19 million under the NFL’s salary cap, or for Robert Kraft, who ranks among the league’s richest owners.

Belichick and Pioli have become notorious for searching for “value” while low-balling their own players, expecting them to take a hometown discount in exchange for a chance at glory.

That glory having been achieved, many Patriots now are opting to cash the big paycheck, so David Givens, Willie McGinest and Vinatieri are gone, and others may follow.

And the team’s record of not paying top dollar for any player at a specific position – Vinatieri being the exception the last two years as the Patriots’ franchise player – doesn’t bode well for the long-term Patriots future of All-Pro defensive lineman Richard Seymour, or even former Super Bowl MVP wide receiver Deion Branch.

Oh, the Patriots still will be good next fall. There’s Brady and Branch, talented tight ends Ben Watson and Daniel Graham, a decent offensive line, and a strong defensive front seven – even without McGinest – led by Seymour, Vince Woolfork, Tedy Bruschi and Rosevelt Colvin.

But for how much longer? Even under Belichick and Pioli, the Patriots’ explorations into free agency have had mixed results – the 2005 class of Starks, Tim Dwight, Monty Beisel, Chad Brown and David Terrell certainly was a net negative.

Perhaps the draft, where the team has been largely successful, will produce the replacements, particularly if coach Charlie Weis’ Notre Dame Fighting Irish becomes the Patriots’ farm club.

But replacing Vinatieri is another story, one that shouldn’t have had to be written yet.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net