Agreed. What Mina Kimes said is really true---there literally are zero examples of teammates disliking the guy or saying anything bad about him. Some of that is halo effect, but guys like Jordan (as you note) and Peyton Manning have various teammates and stories about friction ("idiot kicker...") that simply don't exist for Brady.View: https://twitter.com/minakimes/status/1620844144804655106?s=20&t=7-r3_sS5UaYiIZuOOYYEpw
This is something I've thought about a couple of times over the last few years. Montana and Manning aren't really comps for Brady, the biggest modern comparison in American team sports is Jordan. There are countless stories about what an asshole Jordan was (not just to opponents, but to teammates), and while those stories are always framed from a "he was such an amazing competitor that it's almost inevitable that he be a miserable human being" perspective, it's a remarkable contrast to how literally involved in the NFL at any level (teammates, opponents, former players, coaches, analysts, announcers) has nothing but good things to say. It's not just the absence of bad things, everyone seems to have positive interactions with him. Even the stories about what a competitor he is are completely different from Jordan. For every Jordan story that involves him punching a teammate in practice, there's a story about how Brady beat his offensive line in a drinking contest. It's obviously not what made him the greatest player ever, but it undoubtedly contributed to him being the best leader since Russell.
I think he’s going to be a mediocre commentator because of this. Everyone loved Madden, at least once he gave up coaching, but Madden was a different sort of personality. I’m sure Brady is likable and funny in small groups, and you see some of that come through in public appearances, but part of why he’s almost universally liked in the high-ego world of professional football is because he takes care not to give offense. Which is an admirable trait, but not one that makes for compelling television.Agreed. What Mina Kimes said is really true---there literally are zero examples of teammates disliking the guy or saying anything bad about him. Some of that is halo effect, but guys like Jordan (as you note) and Peyton Manning have various teammates and stories about friction ("idiot kicker...") that simply don't exist for Brady.
While I guess you could put his two seemingly-amicable high profile divorces under the category of 'scandals' he has also pretty much avoided any off-field stuff of consequence. I say that because in the end virtually the entire world---even avowed pats haters--save Roger Goodell and ethicless-mouthpiece-for-hire Ted Wells recognized that Deflategate was a complete fraud.
Are you saying he’s a system commentator…?True, @mauf but I also think there's a way to be honest as a color commentator without offending people. I mean, I guess some people are thin-skinned and ANY "criticism" will offend, but you can say that wasn't the best throw without ripping a guy.
He's not going to be Romo, and I hope he doesn't even try. He's not funny like Peyton is, so I hope he doesn't try to be that either. I hope he just explains the game, gives his thoughts - even if a bit understated out of a desire to not offend - on what's happening, and sheds light on what's going on. That's all I really need. He has a likable and pleasant voice, so that part won't be a problem. He probably won't be great at it right away - broadcasting is a completely different thing than playing and he'll have a lot to learn. But obviously there are few people who know football better than him, and I just think he'll be able to explain stuff in a way that helps regular people understand what's happening.
A really good play by play guy will be able to get the best out of Brady. Pair him with a schlep and it will be problematic.
I wonder if he’d be good in a three man booth to start. Bring in a comic relief type that Brady can work off. Honestly Gronk would fit that bill, and he’s kind of wasted on the set. The downside is there may be lots of hooting and hollering.True, @mauf but I also think there's a way to be honest as a color commentator without offending people. I mean, I guess some people are thin-skinned and ANY "criticism" will offend, but you can say that wasn't the best throw without ripping a guy.
He's not going to be Romo, and I hope he doesn't even try. He's not funny like Peyton is, so I hope he doesn't try to be that either. I hope he just explains the game, gives his thoughts - even if a bit understated out of a desire to not offend - on what's happening, and sheds light on what's going on. That's all I really need. He has a likable and pleasant voice, so that part won't be a problem. He probably won't be great at it right away - broadcasting is a completely different thing than playing and he'll have a lot to learn. But obviously there are few people who know football better than him, and I just think he'll be able to explain stuff in a way that helps regular people understand what's happening.
A really good play by play guy will be able to get the best out of Brady. Pair him with a schlep and it will be problematic.
That's wild!The last Montreal Expos draft pick active in professional sports…
I suspect you’re right. In my fanboy dreams I want him to retire a patriot. One day contract. Kraft encourages BB to get Tom on the active roster so he can go out there in uniform to take a knee at the start of a Patriots home game (preferably the jets). BB agrees and Brady goes out there to thunderous applause. The only exception is Brady doesn’t take a knee and throws a bomb to a streaking (insert wr here) for a TD and then TB12 just runs down the tunnel.I'd love to see him do the one day contract thing but i suspect he's not into that
Man that has always bothered me, for two reasons.“Fuck that. Go out there and sling it”
I still don't know how he didn't fumble in the very first play of that drive. Just supernatural awareness.Man that has always bothered me, for two reasons.
1) Of course Bledsoe would say that. If he was QB on that last drive, he'd have been sacked on first down, or would have eventually thrown a pick.
2) Brady did the exact opposite of slinging it. He took multiple check downs and was highly protective of the ball.
Very true. He talks about it in one of the videos. America's Game, or Tom vs. Time, or Man in the Arena. So many videos. We are blessed.I still don't know how he didn't fumble in the very first play of that drive. Just supernatural awareness.
It's even funnier if you phrase it as the only meaningless regular season games he ever played were the last week of the season when his team already had their seed wrapped up.Never played a game where there was nothing to play for… always for a playoff spot/position. Incredible.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told CNN on Thursday that he wants Tom Brady to sign a one-day contract and officially retire as a Patriot.
“Not only do I want it, our fans are clamoring for it,” Kraft said. “To us, he is always has been and always will be a Patriot.
“We will do everything in our power to bring him back, have him sign off as a Patriot and find ways to honor him for many years to come.”
Bucs fans sure will. But then again...who cares about them?I don't understand the one-day contract thing. Seems kind of silly and I'm not sure why it matters. I'd rather they have him back for some official retirement press conference and announce a date for a future Tom Brady day at Gillette. Yeah he didn't retire as a Patriot, who cares? Nobody is going to remember him as a Buc, he's a Patriot and always will be.
I think not too many people will associate Brady with the Bucs, but his time with the Bucs has done a lot to separate his image and legacy from the Pats too. It's almost as if he exists independent from any organization as his own institution. I feel like something similar happened to Peyton after his retirement: I don't view him as a Bronco, but the Colts aren't what comes immediately to mind either. He's just Peyton Manning.I don't understand the one-day contract thing. Seems kind of silly and I'm not sure why it matters. I'd rather they have him back for some official retirement press conference and announce a date for a future Tom Brady day at Gillette. Yeah he didn't retire as a Patriot, who cares? Nobody is going to remember him as a Buc, he's a Patriot and always will be.
Especially since one day contracts aren’t even contracts. They’re just PR events. Personally, I don’t need a pretend signing to know what we had. If they want to hold a press conference or something, I'd love that. Build him a statue, add a wing to the HOF, rename the Stadium if you want to. Plenty of ways to celebrate him without pretending that he retired as a member of this organization. He's also still signed to TB, and is likely going to restructure to help them spread the dead cap, making it even sillier.I don't understand the one-day contract thing. Seems kind of silly and I'm not sure why it matters. I'd rather they have him back for some official retirement press conference and announce a date for a future Tom Brady day at Gillette. Yeah he didn't retire as a Patriot, who cares? Nobody is going to remember him as a Buc, he's a Patriot and always will be.
Well Tom Brady has more Super Bowl championships than any other franchise. And he has more playoff wins than any franchise but like NE and Pit or something bonkers like that.I think not too many people will associate Brady with the Bucs, but his time with the Bucs has done a lot to separate his image and legacy from the Pats too. It's almost as if he exists independent from any organization as his own institution. I feel like something similar happened to Peyton after his retirement: I don't view him as a Bronco, but the Colts aren't what comes immediately to mind either. He's just Peyton Manning.
It would be all kinds of awesome =if this takes place in a week, but I know that's unrealistic. Just as unrealistic of someone in the future with 7 Lombardis as a QB.Greg Olsen just heard footsteps.
Because I want him back. Even if it's brief. Even if it's entirely ceremonial. Come home, Tommy.I don't understand the one-day contract thing. Seems kind of silly and I'm not sure why it matters. I'd rather they have him back for some official retirement press conference and announce a date for a future Tom Brady day at Gillette. Yeah he didn't retire as a Patriot, who cares? Nobody is going to remember him as a Buc, he's a Patriot and always will be.
It's no more than 14.3% of his legacy.Nobody is going to forget the Bucs years. Beating Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, without Belichick, is a significant part of his legacy.
I don’t want to pee in anyone’s Cheerios…but saying virtually the entire world recognizes Deflategate was a fraud is 1,000% wrong. Would that it weren’t…but outside New England, Tom being a cheater is taken as a given.Agreed. What Mina Kimes said is really true---there literally are zero examples of teammates disliking the guy or saying anything bad about him. Some of that is halo effect, but guys like Jordan (as you note) and Peyton Manning have various teammates and stories about friction ("idiot kicker...") that simply don't exist for Brady.
While I guess you could put his two seemingly-amicable high profile divorces under the category of 'scandals' he has also pretty much avoided any off-field stuff of consequence. I say that because in the end virtually the entire world---even avowed pats haters--save Roger Goodell and ethicless-mouthpiece-for-hire Ted Wells recognized that Deflategate was a complete fraud.
I have plenty of friends outside of Boston who hate the Pats and every single one of them said, by the end, it was a fraud (of course, none of them started that way!)I don’t want to pee in anyone’s Cheerios…but saying virtually the entire world recognizes Deflategate was a fraud is 1,000% wrong. Would that it weren’t…but outside New England, Tom being a cheater is taken as a given.
Factor that in and complete the red-hat-shaped hole in the “no off-field scandals” discussion, and the picture gets a little muddier.
Not that it matters. Fuck the haters and all that. Just saying that he may be almost universally loved in the league, but that’s not true in the wider NFL fandom.
You shouldn’t joke about thisBreaking News: "The New England Patriots have been fined $1M and suffered the loss of their 2024 1st Rd draft pick after being found to have publicly tampered with Tom Brady. Brady, still under contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, claimed to retire, only to sign a 1-day contract with the Patriots after Pats owner Bob Kraft went on national cable tv and made wild overtures to Brady, imploring him to rejoin the team that drafted him in 2000. An anonymous source tells ESPN's Adam Schefter that the original complaint came from Indianapolis Colt owner Jim Irsay, who was hoping to sign Brady to a 1 Day contract so Brady could retire a Colt." ~George Santos, New York Giants Assistant to the Assistant General Manager
The good news is that it's muddy only if you live in a sty.I don’t want to pee in anyone’s Cheerios…but saying virtually the entire world recognizes Deflategate was a fraud is 1,000% wrong. Would that it weren’t…but outside New England, Tom being a cheater is taken as a given.
Factor that in and complete the red-hat-shaped hole in the “no off-field scandals” discussion, and the picture gets a little muddier.
Not that it matters. Fuck the haters and all that. Just saying that he may be almost universally loved in the league, but that’s not true in the wider NFL fandom.
I’ll leave the red hat stuff for V & N, but the rest of your post is spot on. He’s a cheater, he’s a whiner, he’s soft, they changed the rules to protect him, he gets all the calls………. And on and on. I hear all this stuff from friends in rival fan bases. They’re all shitting in their hats, and I laugh at their petty bitterness, but it’s absolutely out there.I don’t want to pee in anyone’s Cheerios…but saying virtually the entire world recognizes Deflategate was a fraud is 1,000% wrong. Would that it weren’t…but outside New England, Tom being a cheater is taken as a given.
Factor that in and complete the red-hat-shaped hole in the “no off-field scandals” discussion, and the picture gets a little muddier.
Not that it matters. Fuck the haters and all that. Just saying that he may be almost universally loved in the league, but that’s not true in the wider NFL fandom.
Same as Mac Jones.Never played a game where there was nothing to play for… always for a playoff spot/position. Incredible.
True. Let’s circle back to this when he does it for 20 more years.Same as Mac Jones.![]()
Oh you.True. Let’s circle back to this when he does it for 20 more years.
I think people hate Brady the same way NEP fans hate Manning or Mahomes: out of fan competiveness and jealousy that he didn’t play for the team they root for. When you go in with that mindset, it’s easy to find things to hang your hat on.I don’t want to pee in anyone’s Cheerios…but saying virtually the entire world recognizes Deflategate was a fraud is 1,000% wrong. Would that it weren’t…but outside New England, Tom being a cheater is taken as a given.
Factor that in and complete the red-hat-shaped hole in the “no off-field scandals” discussion, and the picture gets a little muddier.
Not that it matters. Fuck the haters and all that. Just saying that he may be almost universally loved in the league, but that’s not true in the wider NFL fandom.
Similarly, I think most/all Pats fans would acknowledge that Manning was an incredible QB, and Sox fans would acknowledge that Jeter was an incredible SS (at least offensively).Most guys I know who aren't Pats fans "sports hate" Brady and Belichick for how they tortured them for 20 years. But if I ask them who's the GOAT QB and Head Coach, the answer is Brady and Belichick. Deflategate and Spygate are things they rib me about, but they know both are kinda BS.
Of course I don't associate much with knuckle-dragging morons, so my experience may not be representative.
I believe someone on SoSH wrote this, but for 20 years, it felt like Brady was a part of the Patriots story. But the last 3 years have made it clear that it was the opposite; the Patriots were a part of Tom Brady’s story.Well Tom Brady has more Super Bowl championships than any other franchise. And he has more playoff wins than any franchise but like NE and Pit or something bonkers like that.
So Brady essentially is a franchise unto himself.