It’s a cold and snowy night on January 19, 2002. Over 68,000 people braved the conditions and packed themselves into Gillete Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. There are 1:47 seconds left in the game, 2nd and 10 on the Raiders 42 yard line, Raiders leading by 3. Brady takes the snap out of shotgun. Before he can even get through his progressions he is hit on his blind side, and the ball is jarred lose. Raiders recover, game over… or is it? Officials convene and call it an incomplete pass based on the “Tuck Rule”. Patriots go on to tie the game in regulation and win in overtime.
Thus began the unwarranted hatred for Tom Brady. Did the Pats get a lucky call….Yes. Was it Brady’s fault…NO. It makes no sense for people to loathe Brady for this. He simply went with the call that was on the field and continued playing, just like anybody else would do. Was he supposed to go to the refs and tell them, “hey guys I think I fumbled it”. NO, nobody would. And if you would do something like that, remind me to never pick you for any sports team ever!
The year is 2008 and it is the 1st week of the NFL Regular Season. The Patriots first game is against the Kansas City Chiefs. On their first possession Brady drops back in the pocket. He eyes Randy Moss down the sideline and steps into his throw. As he releases Bernard Pollard of the Chiefs, in desperation, dives at Brady’s legs. Brady unable to protect himself takes a hit from a 224 pound man coming full speed at him. His legs buckle like a lawn chair. He has torn both his ACL and MCL and is out for the year. Before 2009 season the NFL adopts what’s known as the “Brady Rule” which means a defender on the ground cant lunge at the legs of a quarterback.
Thank Goodness somebody made this rule! It ticks me off to see these idiot defenders dive at a QB’s legs because they are too lazy or just suck too much to actually pressure the QB. These injuries can be DEVESTATING (see Carson Palmer vs. Steelers). The QB has absolutely no chance to protect himself because he is looking downfield and is usually planting and stepping into a throw. A lot of people were happy that Brady got hurt and I was like WTF? Are you kidding me? What is your deal? Brady produced the most exciting year of football I had ever watched the previous season with 50 TD passes and a perfect regular season. So let me get this straight. You’re happy the best and most exciting player in football is out for the year by some cheap shot from a lazy defender? I would like to see a 224-pound person smash into your legs when they are planted and watch as you roll on the ground in pain and realize that your way to make an income might have disintegrated along with your ligaments. It makes me SICK!! Anybody who is a real fan of football would not be happy.( However I don’t have the same sympathy for a player who causes injuries to other players and then gets hurt himself, just to clarify. cough cough Hines Ward I hope you never play another down again)
Another reason people dislike Brady is because he is a so-called “pretty boy” Haha jealous much. People who say that sound like they wish they had a hot wife and made millions, too bad you are still working at McDonalds like the rest of us. You don’t become one of the greatest Quarterbacks in NFL history by being a “Pretty Boy”.
Brady is one of the fiercest competitors in the NFL. You can see it in his face during games and in the preparation he puts in. I love seeing him butt helmets with his offensive line when he is jacked during games. Oh and not to mention that “Pretty Boy” is the Patriots defacto goal line running back now.
The final reason why people dislike Brady is because he is good…. Wait what? Whoa hold up…. People don’t like him because he is too good? Wow that’s sad, I guess people aren’t fans of watching good football.
These reasons listed above are why I believe there is a huge lack of support/ pure hatred for Tom Brady. Here are some reasons why he is one of my favorite athletes ever…
1. He has an unbelievable story of his rise to greatness. From being overlooked out of high school, to being 7th on the depth chart at Michigan* and having to fight for his job junior and senior year against a “more talented athlete” Drew Henson. He literally had to fight for every second of playing time. His senior season he would play the 1st qtr. Then Henson would play the 2nd qtr. And whichever QB played better would play the 2nd half. Then had to wait to be drafted until the 6th round, and started as a 4th string in New England, to taking over the starting job and leading his team to a Super Bowl Victory that same year, to win two more Super Bowls, to tear his knee ligaments and sit out for a whole year, then finally to return and lead his team to the brink of another Super Bowl is INCREDIBLE.
*http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1193473/index.htm
(Brady on left, Henson on right)
2. But what I love about Brady the most, his humbleness. Many people just assume because he is a rich quarterback with a hot wife that he must be a total arrogant jerk. Now I don’t know him personally, but from all the interviews and sound bites I have heard from Brady has shown me that he is confident in his abilities (you kinda have to be that way if you want to be an NFL QB) yet humble. He gives credit to his teammates, coaches and the opposing teams win or lose. He also always praises the next opponent. Watch one of his press conferences; you will see what I mean.
One last interesting story, which I think, really speaks to Brady’s character. He was asked to be in a Visa commercial in 2007, but he refused to be in it unless it included his offensive linemen. They obliged.
So….. when your rooting for a Super Bowl team this Sunday and you’re like most of America and are like (in a whiny voive), “I’m rooting for the Giants because I hate Brady and the Pats”. Think to yourself for a moment, would you either root for a guy like Brady or would you rather root for a guy like Eli Manning? The same Eli Manning who has had everything handed to him on a silver platter. The same Eli whose dad was an NFL QB and has coached him since birth. Not to mention a pretty good older brother who he can go to for help. The same Eli who refused to be drafted by the Chargers and had his DADDY tell the Chargers he would refuse to play for them. Are you kidding me? This kid hadn’t played a snap in the NFL and he is arrogant enough to think he can make those kinds of demands. And he isn’t even man enough to demand himself. He had to have DADDY do it. Listen Kid, and yes I’m calling you a kid even though I am only 19. You play for the team that picks you and earn your stripes. Then you can talk and complain. Just because your DADDY was a QB and your brother is a QB doesn’t mean you’re automatically better than everyone else. I don’t know how he can command veterans respect in the locker room after pulling a stunt like that. And people think Brady is the “Pretty Boy”. Unbelievable.
Now I know these are just the QB of both teams. There are other players, and coaches etc. But QB’s are the faces of franchises. So who do you think represents their franchise the best not only as a man, but also as a player? Yeah I’m going with Brady. And in the words of Grant Napier, “If you got a brain in your head” then you should too.
I would go into more detail about why I LOVE the organization of the Patriots and why Bill Belicheck is an excellent coach, but I will save that for another time. I believe this interview below of Robert Kraft (Owner of the Patriots) truly shows his character and the character of the Patriots. Kraft took over as the Patriots owner in 1994 and has been in 6 Super Bowls since. He has molded the Patriots organization into a model franchise and one that others should try and emulate and root for. Take a look. You might rethink why you are rooting against the Patriots this weekend. LETS GO PATS, WIN THIS ONE FOR MHK!!!!!!!!!!
