Man in the Arena on ESPN Plus

McBride11

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Part way, I just enjoyed TB12 and Gronk saying about the inconsistent reffing on Gronk (his body slam of White was good of course). But I'm glad TB12 and Gronk saw what we saw in the gamethreads. But wow Gronk sounds completely burned out.

Also glad this didn't devolve into a TB12 Method infomercial, I was a little worried in first 10 min.
 

biff_hardbody

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Apr 27, 2016
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I thought they could have highlighted just how dramatic that KC AFC Championship game was a little more. They completely ignored Brady's int at the 1 yard line and blew past the three 3rd and long conversions on the last touchdown drive of regulation.

Jules is a great guest though. He had probably my favorite quote in the series about Belichick towards the end.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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That was amazing television on a number of levels. I know its him telling his story but the editorial choices as well as some the candor makes Brady even more likable.

We have more to discuss when others have seen the episode.
 

johnmd20

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I am now muting the starts of the episodes so I can avoid that ridiculous voice and I'll tell ya, it makes this show significantly better not having that voice rattling in your brain.

Hey voice guy, you had ONE job.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Sep 21, 2007
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I am now muting the starts of the episodes so I can avoid that ridiculous voice and I'll tell ya, it makes this show significantly better not having that voice rattling in your brain.

Hey voice guy, you had ONE job.
You said it.

His inflection on ‘MAN IN THE ARENA’ is really strange, especially how he pronounces ‘AREEENA.’ He sounds drunk. I’m thinking it may have been messed up in production? But, yeah, shut the fuck up, dude.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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I am now muting the starts of the episodes so I can avoid that ridiculous voice and I'll tell ya, it makes this show significantly better not having that voice rattling in your brain.

Hey voice guy, you had ONE job.
I started this after the 1st episode. It’s a 1000x improvement.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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It really is amazing how different the starts of the episodes are without that disaster of a voice intro stuck in your brain. 1000x is fair.
The main issue now is I have it stuck back in my head for your post! Will take a solid 3 hours to get out.
 

McBride11

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Ninth episode gives us the kind of Patriots love we haven't really gotten from Tom since his departure.
Great episode. Maybe somewhat more emotional knowing the future outcome. Saving Jules for his SB mvp was great even with his roles vs Sea and Atl.

Tb12 waxing poetic about the Pats and complimentary of BB makes me happy.

I presume the next and final ep is TB run. But my goodness if they somehow got BB in there... one can dream.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Great episode. Maybe somewhat more emotional knowing the future outcome. Saving Jules for his SB mvp was great even with his roles vs Sea and Atl.

Tb12 waxing poetic about the Pats and complimentary of BB makes me happy.

I presume the next and final ep is TB run. But my goodness if they somehow got BB in there... one can dream.
Every episode is organized around the Super Bowl seasons. You will not see Bill talking about Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run. Shit, I think Bill saw Tom in person for the first time since his departure after the Bucs-Pats game in October.

I would love to see them shoot the shit again akin to what we saw on the NFL100 program, but this ain’t gonna be the forum where we hear Bill talk about him.
 

rodderick

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Every episode is organized around the Super Bowl seasons. You will not see Bill talking about Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run. Shit, I think Bill saw Tom in person for the first time since his departure after the Bucs-Pats game in October.

I would love to see them shoot the shit again akin to what we saw on the NFL100 program, but this ain’t gonna be the forum where we hear Bill talk about him.
Yeah, the next guest will either be Evans or Arians.
 

McBride11

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Every episode is organized around the Super Bowl seasons. You will not see Bill talking about Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run. Shit, I think Bill saw Tom in person for the first time since his departure after the Bucs-Pats game in October.

I would love to see them shoot the shit again akin to what we saw on the NFL100 program, but this ain’t gonna be the forum where we hear Bill talk about him.
Oh I don't think it will be BB. Just a dream. I mean how good would it be BB opining on TB12 and the TB run. Like really opening up. I know it won't happen.

Some TB teammates are the clear (and likely) choice.
 

RG33

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I dunno, I was a bit bummed with how they seemingly skipped over the final season and appear headed straight to the TB years. I know this is not a Patriots special, but it feels like they should do more about the last year — and some of the Kraft relationship. I mean, they hinted in the last two episodes that he knew it was coming to an end and he was going to leave, I hope they give us more into the decision and emotions behind it.

It was really well done, I’m definitely speaking as a Pats fan and TB12 fanboy and just want more.

I have always said it, and perhaps it is still my biases talking, but watching this just makes me even more amazed how much vitriol there has been for this guy. I get all the winning breeds it to an extent, but he just comes across as a pretty fucking great human being. The hate is still hard to fathom to me.
 

wilked

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Jul 17, 2005
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Just jumping in as I’ve been playing catch up

does anyone else HATE the director cuts where it’s nature (ocean/animals/rock/etc). Holy shit is that stuff ham handed. I am enjoying the series but cringing every time this stuff is shown.
 

cournoyer

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Just jumping in as I’ve been playing catch up

does anyone else HATE the director cuts where it’s nature (ocean/animals/rock/etc). Holy shit is that stuff ham handed. I am enjoying the series but cringing every time this stuff is shown.
Its fine as a B-roll type thing when Brady gives his inspirational quote in the beginning. I have no idea why they do it the entire episode when they could just have a clip of actual football playing in the backround
 

rodderick

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I dunno, I was a bit bummed with how they seemingly skipped over the final season and appear headed straight to the TB years. I know this is not a Patriots special, but it feels like they should do more about the last year — and some of the Kraft relationship. I mean, they hinted in the last two episodes that he knew it was coming to an end and he was going to leave, I hope they give us more into the decision and emotions behind it.

It was really well done, I’m definitely speaking as a Pats fan and TB12 fanboy and just want more.

I have always said it, and perhaps it is still my biases talking, but watching this just makes me even more amazed how much vitriol there has been for this guy. I get all the winning breeds it to an extent, but he just comes across as a pretty fucking great human being. The hate is still hard to fathom to me.
They'll probably get into the final season in the next episode. These don't go into the future, so past non-Super Bowl seasons are always analyzed retrospectively. Or at least they have been so far (i.e. the 2008-2010 years were talked about in the 2011 Super Bowl episode, and not the 2007 one).
 

RG33

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They'll probably get into the final season in the next episode. These don't go into the future, so past non-Super Bowl seasons are always analyzed retrospectively. Or at least they have been so far (i.e. the 2008-2010 years were talked about in the 2011 Super Bowl episode, and not the 2007 one).
I dunno, the foreshadow of him in the TB uniform feels like they are going to talk about his new team and the next Sb season
 

k-factory

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It’s 10 episodes. Brady has been to 10 Super Bowls. Each episode covers a Super Bowl season.
Each episode does spend lead up time talking about the past year and what big learning or driver emerged from that retrospective so I’m sure they will cover the New England exit a bit.
 

rodderick

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I think they're probably waiting to see if he wins another one. Capping this series with Episode 10 and then Brady winning his 8th title a month later would be kinda strange.
 

McBride11

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What if this delayed episode is first half TB SB journey (as the others have been) and second half career retrospective. Extra long episode and maybe getting BB on there (a man can cream)

edit - jesus 'dream' there but fuck it I laughed
 

grsharky7

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Jul 15, 2005
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Episode 1 is on ESPN tonight at 9:30 after the Tuck Rule 30 for 30. Not sure if it’s edited to bleep out the f-bombs or not. If you didn’t catch it on ESPN+ it’s worth your while to tune in.
 

MegaBiffHead

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Oct 23, 2019
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I have no real justifiable reason to think this, but I still feel like the Comeback Kid will still make a comeback. I think Gisele is pushing him to do this, and I totally get the part about traveling all the time.

My thought is he is sick of Bruce Arians and wants out of Tampa Bay. Completely inexplicable defensive play calling at the end of that game, he routinely blames players, and his vertical passing scheme is boom or bust IMO. End rant. (This probably won't age well but whatever)

Thank you Tom for all the moments I jumped up and down yelling in front the TV in excitement
 

worm0082

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Sep 19, 2002
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I would think that Tom would have the leverage to get Arians booted though. If he stays I go, if he leaves I’ll stay a few more years.
 

MegaBiffHead

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Oct 23, 2019
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I would think that Tom would have the leverage to get Arians booted though. If he stays I go, if he leaves I’ll stay a few more years.
Yeah, but I'm thinking Tom wouldn't want to stir up that much trouble or burn bridges.

Most notably, I saved Man in the Arena for after football season, so withdrawal hasn't been as bad. Just got through episode 1, which is great. Belichick sticks the sharpened pencil end into his mouth and sucks on it lol
 

djbayko

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Yeah, but I'm thinking Tom wouldn't want to stir up that much trouble or burn bridges.

Most notably, I saved Man in the Arena for after football season, so withdrawal hasn't been as bad. Just got through episode 1, which is great. Belichick sticks the sharpened pencil end into his mouth and sucks on it lol
So he wouldn't want to stir up that much trouble. But he is willing to fake retirement and...what? Say "Just kidding about the retirement thing. I actually want you to trade me to the team of my liking and take a $24M cap hit in the process." Why wouldn't he just say that in the first place?

With the final episode of Man in the Arena always planned post-'22 Super Bowl, the simple and likely answer is that he's known for a while that this was his last season. Everything else is media trying to drum up a story for clicks.
 

MegaBiffHead

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Oct 23, 2019
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Like my post above said, there's no real logical reason to think he'll un-retire or do any of those things. My take is simply that he's so competitive he may find retirement unsatisfactory once he's there.

Fully agree on the timing of the Man in the Arena completion timing, he's been planning this.
 

djbayko

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Like my post above said, there's no real logical reason to think he'll un-retire or do any of those things. My take is simply that he's so competitive he may find retirement unsatisfactory once he's there.

Fully agree on the timing of the Man in the Arena completion timing, he's been planning this.
Gotcha. I misread your intent.
 

MegaBiffHead

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Oct 23, 2019
32
I have no real justifiable reason to think this, but I still feel like the Comeback Kid will still make a comeback. I think Gisele is pushing him to do this, and I totally get the part about traveling all the time.

My thought is he is sick of Bruce Arians and wants out of Tampa Bay. Completely inexplicable defensive play calling at the end of that game, he routinely blames players, and his vertical passing scheme is boom or bust IMO. End rant. (This probably won't age well but whatever)

Thank you Tom for all the moments I jumped up and down yelling in front the TV in excitement
MegaBiffHead FTW here LOL
 

bsj

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I said I was not going to watch this until he retired.

I started watching when he retired. I watched 3 episodes.

Now he is not retired any longer.

I am stopping. To be continued. Maybe? I'm finding I dont really give a shit about finishing.
 

MegaBiffHead

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Oct 23, 2019
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Well, there we go. Tom un-retired and Bruce Arians got the boot, not gonna say I told you so, but I kinda did lol
 

Van Everyman

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Watched the first two last night. Enjoyed them a lot. There isn’t much about the 2001 season I don’t already know by know. The only real new information there was Bledsoe going on the record about how hard it was on him. Yea yea, $103M. But the story about him on the chairlift in tears the day after the Super Bowl was heartbreaking. It was a good choice by the filmmakers to feature him so heavily in that.

The 2002-03 one had a bit more new information to me – I had kind of hoped that they’d go a bit more into the 9-7 2002 season (the only season Brady hasn’t made the playoffs) but I understand why they didn’t.

It’s interesting that they seem to be using Brady as less the subject than kind of the common thread to all these other stories (which maybe doesn’t 100% jibe with the coach-killing Machiavelli we’ve seen the last few months). But Rodney breaking down about his mom was incredible (the line about the car choked me up). Hoping to catch more this weekend.
 

bankshot1

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Feb 12, 2003
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It showed up on Hulu a couple of days ago, so its reaching the audience that passed on ESPN+

I enjoyed the first two Eps, Ill probably watch another 2 on a rainy Sat afternoon.

I hope it has a happy ending.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Watched the first two last night. Enjoyed them a lot. There isn’t much about the 2001 season I don’t already know by know. The only real new information there was Bledsoe going on the record about how hard it was on him. Yea yea, $103M. But the story about him on the chairlift in tears the day after the Super Bowl was heartbreaking. It was a good choice by the filmmakers to feature him so heavily in that.
Yes, I have consumed a metric shit-ton of media related to the 2001 season, and while I knew it was tough on Drew I guess I hadn’t really thought about just how tough it was. I am glad he sat down for this, and glad that Brady or the producers or whoever chose to focus so much on him.