Saturday, June 26, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sam Bam, thank you man
Sam "Bam" Cunningham will join the likes of Steve Grogan, Ben Coates, and Gino Cappelletti in the Patriots Hall of Fame. The team announced today that Cunningham was the winner of the online poll by the fans. A deserving choice.
Sam Bam was the workhorse for the college champion USC Trojans when he was drafted in the first round in 1973. He became the plow horse for the Patriots offense just as I started watching football. He was a fullback and me along with every other Patriot fa
n of that time loved watching him pound through would-be tacklers to become the team's all-time leading rusher.
Cunningham's style of play is largely responsible for my love of fullbacks. Kevin Turner. Mosi Tatupu. Heath Evans. Marc Edwards. Keith Byars. Sam Gash. Oh. Sam Gash. And they are just some of my favorite Patriots fullbacks. Some of my favorite NFL players are also fullbacks. Alstott. Bleier. Csonka. Love fullbacks. The Pats haven't won a Super Bowl since they decided they didn't really need one. And that with an NFL historian like Belichick as coach. He of all people should know you don't play NFL football without a fullback.
Sam Bam was not your typical fullback, bringing a combination of power and speed rarely seen. He finished his career in 1982 with 5,543 yards rushing, still a team record. Cunningham was part of the 1978 Patriots team that totalled 3,165 yards rushing. That is still the single season NFL record. Watching defenses trying to stop the '78 Patriots was like watching a bunch of children trying to stop a locomotive. It couldn't be done. I still can't believe that team didn't win a Super Bowl. They had been building towards it since 1973 with Grogan, Hannah, Morgan, Nelson, Clayborn, Haynes, and of course, Sam Bam. But that's a heartbreaking story for another day.
Cunningham was one of three first round picks the Patriots had in '73. The first one was John Hannah. The greatest offensive lineman to play the game. The last one was Darryl Stingley. The greatest tragedy the game has ever seen. In the middle of those picks the Pats took Sam Cunningham. In my book, the greatest fullback the NFL has even seen.
Sam Bam was the workhorse for the college champion USC Trojans when he was drafted in the first round in 1973. He became the plow horse for the Patriots offense just as I started watching football. He was a fullback and me along with every other Patriot fa
n of that time loved watching him pound through would-be tacklers to become the team's all-time leading rusher.Cunningham's style of play is largely responsible for my love of fullbacks. Kevin Turner. Mosi Tatupu. Heath Evans. Marc Edwards. Keith Byars. Sam Gash. Oh. Sam Gash. And they are just some of my favorite Patriots fullbacks. Some of my favorite NFL players are also fullbacks. Alstott. Bleier. Csonka. Love fullbacks. The Pats haven't won a Super Bowl since they decided they didn't really need one. And that with an NFL historian like Belichick as coach. He of all people should know you don't play NFL football without a fullback.
Sam Bam was not your typical fullback, bringing a combination of power and speed rarely seen. He finished his career in 1982 with 5,543 yards rushing, still a team record. Cunningham was part of the 1978 Patriots team that totalled 3,165 yards rushing. That is still the single season NFL record. Watching defenses trying to stop the '78 Patriots was like watching a bunch of children trying to stop a locomotive. It couldn't be done. I still can't believe that team didn't win a Super Bowl. They had been building towards it since 1973 with Grogan, Hannah, Morgan, Nelson, Clayborn, Haynes, and of course, Sam Bam. But that's a heartbreaking story for another day.
Cunningham was one of three first round picks the Patriots had in '73. The first one was John Hannah. The greatest offensive lineman to play the game. The last one was Darryl Stingley. The greatest tragedy the game has ever seen. In the middle of those picks the Pats took Sam Cunningham. In my book, the greatest fullback the NFL has even seen.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sight for sore eyes ... and knees
The Pats held some OTAs (that's organized team activity) in the past few days. It was good to see most of the players in uniform together for the first time since the season ended. Brady was present and I enjoyed watching video of him throwing to Moss, Holt, Edelman, Welker... Welker?
There was #83 cutting across the middle of the field -- his office -- and hauling in Brady passes. Then, more importantly, there was #83 turning on his surgically-repaired knee and picking up some yards-after-catch. It's only the first week of June and Welker, wearing a knee brace, is way ahead of schedule. When he went down in the last game of the regular season I figured he would miss most if not all of 2010. A year recovery is the norm for a major knee blow out. Wes Welker has proven he is not the norm.
If Welker is able to return for the start of the season -- and last the whole year -- the Pats' offense goes from good to great. A healthy Welker added to Moss, Holt, Edelman, Faulk, and the rookie tight ends gives Brady lots of options in the passing game. The Jets will need more than Darrelle Revis to shut down all of those weapons.
Welker is the spiritual leader of the Pats. You could see it when he got hurt. Brady looked just like Moss looked back in the first week of '08. Like his girlfriend had just broke his heart. And you could see it a week later against the Ravens in the playoffs. Sure, Welker's absence wasn't the reason the Pats got pounded. But not having his gritty style of leadership sure made it worse.
I didn't expect to get to see #83 cutting across the middle of the field for a key catch on third down this year. Looks like I will. When's the home opener?
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Ride on, Dennis
Dennis Hopper was usually one of the last things I saw before I went to sleep each night when I was about 8 years old. It was 1970 and "Easy Rider," the seminal road film that Hopper co-wrote, co-starred in, and directed a year earlier, had left an impression on many people about to enter or already in college, including my 17-year-old brother Richard.
It also left an impression on me. I shared a room with him and my other older brother Jim. On the wall next to the shelf with the 8-track player was a long hor
izontal poster of Hopper and Peter Fonda gliding along the highway on their choppers with the Southwest landscape behind them. Fonda with his American Flag custom paint job, no helmet, hair in the wind. Hopper with his mustache, bushman hat, and buckskin pants and tassle-covered coat. I would lie in bed listening to the Stones, Doors or Jefferson Airplane coming from Richard's or Jim's headphones and stare at the poster. Fonda and Hopper. Both wearing sunglasses, leaning back, on the road. They were the picture of cool. I often fell asleep imagining where they were riding to. I could almost hear the engines.
It was several years until I actually got to see the movie. There were no R-rated DVDs for kids to watch when their parents were at work when I was 8. No On Demand. You either snuck into the theater or waited -- for years. I was a little too young for sneaking. But just looking at that poster every night slowly made me part of the "Easy Rider" faithful.
When I finally did watch it, Hopper's Billy was like no other character I had seen. Hopper was like no other actor. I would see many characters like Billy again from those who Hopper inspired to do their acting over the edge. Jack Nicholson was one of those actors. His drunken ACLU lawyer George attracted most of the attention (and Oscar nomination) and sparked a legendary career. But it was Hopper's Billy that I remembered after leaving the theater. The actor's most famous lines come from his roles in "Apocalypse Now" and "Blue Velvet,'' but it was Billy's line in the scene with George in the darkness of night -- only a campfire reflecting on their faces -- that I think of first.
Nicholson's George tells Billy the establishment is afraid of what he and his friends represent. Billy says "Hey man. All we represent to them, man, is just somebody who needs haircuts.'' Oh no, man, George tells him. What they represent to them is freedom. Billy answers with one of my favorite movie lines and one that captures the late '60s/early '70s as well as any lyric or line from that time.
"What the hell's wrong with freedom, man? That's what it's all about."
Hopper's death the other day had me watching bits of "Apocalypse Now" and "Heart of Darkness" for some of his best moments. It also had me watching another classic clip of his that many have probably not seen -- or at least don't remember seeing. And here is where this post fits in on a tailgating blog.
Hopper's career suffered at the hands of his over-the-edge style. He took his visions -- even the non-drug induced ones -- too far and became too big of a hassle to deal with. He was in exile most of the '70s. He returned in the '80s with "Rumblefish" and "Blue Velvet" and "Hoosiers" and then became the movie villain of the '90s starting with his role in "Speed." It was at this time that the NFL brought him in to do little promo videos for Monday Night Football and other big games. Some of them rank among the best in TV shorts. My favorite (attached below) is the one he did before the Patriots home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers in September of 2002. That was quite a night. One of the all-time greats in Foxborough: http://tjtailgatetales.blogspot.com/2009/11/we-are-champions.html The Pats were defending their first Super Bowl on a Thursday night in their new stadium. The banner was raised. The Steelers destroyed. I got home late that night and, as I often do, popped open a beer and popped in the video tape of the game.
I fast-forwarded through the pre-game talk till I saw a blurry Dennis Hopper going by. I stopped and hit rewind. Then play. I still laugh when I watch it. It captures just how amazing it was that the Patriots really won the Super Bowl. And note the very end. Hopper predicts the Patriots dynasty. "Every year, man! Every year!"
izontal poster of Hopper and Peter Fonda gliding along the highway on their choppers with the Southwest landscape behind them. Fonda with his American Flag custom paint job, no helmet, hair in the wind. Hopper with his mustache, bushman hat, and buckskin pants and tassle-covered coat. I would lie in bed listening to the Stones, Doors or Jefferson Airplane coming from Richard's or Jim's headphones and stare at the poster. Fonda and Hopper. Both wearing sunglasses, leaning back, on the road. They were the picture of cool. I often fell asleep imagining where they were riding to. I could almost hear the engines.It was several years until I actually got to see the movie. There were no R-rated DVDs for kids to watch when their parents were at work when I was 8. No On Demand. You either snuck into the theater or waited -- for years. I was a little too young for sneaking. But just looking at that poster every night slowly made me part of the "Easy Rider" faithful.
When I finally did watch it, Hopper's Billy was like no other character I had seen. Hopper was like no other actor. I would see many characters like Billy again from those who Hopper inspired to do their acting over the edge. Jack Nicholson was one of those actors. His drunken ACLU lawyer George attracted most of the attention (and Oscar nomination) and sparked a legendary career. But it was Hopper's Billy that I remembered after leaving the theater. The actor's most famous lines come from his roles in "Apocalypse Now" and "Blue Velvet,'' but it was Billy's line in the scene with George in the darkness of night -- only a campfire reflecting on their faces -- that I think of first.
Nicholson's George tells Billy the establishment is afraid of what he and his friends represent. Billy says "Hey man. All we represent to them, man, is just somebody who needs haircuts.'' Oh no, man, George tells him. What they represent to them is freedom. Billy answers with one of my favorite movie lines and one that captures the late '60s/early '70s as well as any lyric or line from that time.
"What the hell's wrong with freedom, man? That's what it's all about."
Hopper's death the other day had me watching bits of "Apocalypse Now" and "Heart of Darkness" for some of his best moments. It also had me watching another classic clip of his that many have probably not seen -- or at least don't remember seeing. And here is where this post fits in on a tailgating blog.
Hopper's career suffered at the hands of his over-the-edge style. He took his visions -- even the non-drug induced ones -- too far and became too big of a hassle to deal with. He was in exile most of the '70s. He returned in the '80s with "Rumblefish" and "Blue Velvet" and "Hoosiers" and then became the movie villain of the '90s starting with his role in "Speed." It was at this time that the NFL brought him in to do little promo videos for Monday Night Football and other big games. Some of them rank among the best in TV shorts. My favorite (attached below) is the one he did before the Patriots home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers in September of 2002. That was quite a night. One of the all-time greats in Foxborough: http://tjtailgatetales.blogspot.com/2009/11/we-are-champions.html The Pats were defending their first Super Bowl on a Thursday night in their new stadium. The banner was raised. The Steelers destroyed. I got home late that night and, as I often do, popped open a beer and popped in the video tape of the game.
I fast-forwarded through the pre-game talk till I saw a blurry Dennis Hopper going by. I stopped and hit rewind. Then play. I still laugh when I watch it. It captures just how amazing it was that the Patriots really won the Super Bowl. And note the very end. Hopper predicts the Patriots dynasty. "Every year, man! Every year!"
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
This one goes to 16
The NFL owners have had a busy off-season so far. First they changed the rules for overtime games in the playoffs. (Yesterday they decided not to change the rules in the regular season as well). They decided to play a Super Bowl in New Jersey in 2014. They continued to move towards labor talks with the players to see what they can do about this "Final League Year" thing. And they spent a lot of time talking about expanding the regular season from 16 games to 18.
A Super Bowl next to Manhattan, a fairer OT system, a plan for labor peace. They all seem like very sound decisions by the league that leads pro sports in very sound decisions. But when they starting talking about playing two more regular season games, as a nearly 20-year season ticket holder I have to say, simply, DON"T DO IT!!
The dreaded 18-game regular season continues to gain momentum. Funny thing is I have yet to meet a fan who thinks it's a good idea. The players seem to be against. So do the coaches. Even Roger Goodell, when he's pro
moting the concept, has a hard time coming up with positives. I've yet to read a story that explains why it would be good and the few I have read, well let's just say the writers didn't sound like they have done much tailgating.
So why is an idea that seems to be largely unpopular not only breathing but getting stronger? It all started because the media began complaining -- on behalf of the fans they said -- that charging season-ticket holders full-price for two preseason home games was an outrage. That's certainly an easy complaint to make. But as someone who's been paying for preseason games for many years it's not that big a deal. Ideally I think preseason games should not be force fed to season-ticket holders but made available to the rest of the fan base for between $35 and $65. That would be a great deal for people who don't usually get to go to the stadium and see a game. I think people would snap those tickets up. I know I would.
Yes, yes. That would be a loss of income for NFL teams so it won't happen. But it would be a worthwhile cost. A great PR move that would solve a perceived problem.
Why would people want to go to a preseason game if Tom Brady was going to only be in for four or seven or ten plays? Because it's fun. Different than a regular season game of course. But still fun. You get the spectacle of the stadium. The weather is usual very warm. (Football in shorts: the best). All the players are there whether they are playing or not so at least you can watch Tom and Randy hanging out with their helmets off. You get to check out rookies and free agents to see how they fit in. You get to watch players compete for key spots. You get to see the team try new formations and plays. If you enjoy pro football you can find lots of things to like about preseason games. I won't even get into fantasy football lovers getting a chance to do some scouting in person.
I've always thought four preseason games was a perfect number. For years it was. Now it seems it is two too many. "It's clear the fans don't want four preseason games," the commissioner said the other day. It is? Here's one fan that doesn't feel that way. Seems to me that four preseason games -- two at home, two on the road -- is just right.
Everyone knows how the preseason plays out. The first game is the warm-up game to get the rust off. Is that exciting to watch? Not usually. But whether you have four preseason games or two or eight the first one will always be the warm-up game. The second game is when players take what is happening in training camp and sharpening it at game speed. This is the game when a rookie or role player has a chance to step forward and stake a claim for a starting role. The third game is the simulated real game. The starters get most of the snaps. The action is close to regular season level. The teams want a victory to build some momentum for the season. The fourth game -- the one season-ticket holders have the hardest time moving -- is the extra game. Starters almost never play. The key is to get through it healthy. The fourth game is also the game in which the ten or so players battling for the last five or six spots on the team get a last chance to make an impression. For that reason it's actually one of the key moments in the preseason for the team. Depth is almost as important as talent in the NFL.
If you look at the first week of the NFL you will see some great games. Many players are already in regular season form. The pace is high right out of the gate. Why? Four preseason games. It gets the teams ready. Would I rather watch four preseason games and 16 very good regular season games or two preseason games, two mediocre regular season games, and then 16 very good games? What the heck's the difference? Just because you call a game in the middle of August a regular season game doesn't mean it is one.
The players worry about increased injury risk. They should be. The coaches worry about the longer season grinding their teams down. Another legitimate concern. I worry that what is currently a near-perfect sporting experience will begin to get watered down. Sixteen games works best for a 32-team league. It has created great division battles and rivalries. To dredge up one of the oldest cliches around: More is not always better.
A Super Bowl next to Manhattan, a fairer OT system, a plan for labor peace. They all seem like very sound decisions by the league that leads pro sports in very sound decisions. But when they starting talking about playing two more regular season games, as a nearly 20-year season ticket holder I have to say, simply, DON"T DO IT!!
The dreaded 18-game regular season continues to gain momentum. Funny thing is I have yet to meet a fan who thinks it's a good idea. The players seem to be against. So do the coaches. Even Roger Goodell, when he's pro
moting the concept, has a hard time coming up with positives. I've yet to read a story that explains why it would be good and the few I have read, well let's just say the writers didn't sound like they have done much tailgating.So why is an idea that seems to be largely unpopular not only breathing but getting stronger? It all started because the media began complaining -- on behalf of the fans they said -- that charging season-ticket holders full-price for two preseason home games was an outrage. That's certainly an easy complaint to make. But as someone who's been paying for preseason games for many years it's not that big a deal. Ideally I think preseason games should not be force fed to season-ticket holders but made available to the rest of the fan base for between $35 and $65. That would be a great deal for people who don't usually get to go to the stadium and see a game. I think people would snap those tickets up. I know I would.
Yes, yes. That would be a loss of income for NFL teams so it won't happen. But it would be a worthwhile cost. A great PR move that would solve a perceived problem.
Why would people want to go to a preseason game if Tom Brady was going to only be in for four or seven or ten plays? Because it's fun. Different than a regular season game of course. But still fun. You get the spectacle of the stadium. The weather is usual very warm. (Football in shorts: the best). All the players are there whether they are playing or not so at least you can watch Tom and Randy hanging out with their helmets off. You get to check out rookies and free agents to see how they fit in. You get to watch players compete for key spots. You get to see the team try new formations and plays. If you enjoy pro football you can find lots of things to like about preseason games. I won't even get into fantasy football lovers getting a chance to do some scouting in person.
I've always thought four preseason games was a perfect number. For years it was. Now it seems it is two too many. "It's clear the fans don't want four preseason games," the commissioner said the other day. It is? Here's one fan that doesn't feel that way. Seems to me that four preseason games -- two at home, two on the road -- is just right.
Everyone knows how the preseason plays out. The first game is the warm-up game to get the rust off. Is that exciting to watch? Not usually. But whether you have four preseason games or two or eight the first one will always be the warm-up game. The second game is when players take what is happening in training camp and sharpening it at game speed. This is the game when a rookie or role player has a chance to step forward and stake a claim for a starting role. The third game is the simulated real game. The starters get most of the snaps. The action is close to regular season level. The teams want a victory to build some momentum for the season. The fourth game -- the one season-ticket holders have the hardest time moving -- is the extra game. Starters almost never play. The key is to get through it healthy. The fourth game is also the game in which the ten or so players battling for the last five or six spots on the team get a last chance to make an impression. For that reason it's actually one of the key moments in the preseason for the team. Depth is almost as important as talent in the NFL.
If you look at the first week of the NFL you will see some great games. Many players are already in regular season form. The pace is high right out of the gate. Why? Four preseason games. It gets the teams ready. Would I rather watch four preseason games and 16 very good regular season games or two preseason games, two mediocre regular season games, and then 16 very good games? What the heck's the difference? Just because you call a game in the middle of August a regular season game doesn't mean it is one.
The players worry about increased injury risk. They should be. The coaches worry about the longer season grinding their teams down. Another legitimate concern. I worry that what is currently a near-perfect sporting experience will begin to get watered down. Sixteen games works best for a 32-team league. It has created great division battles and rivalries. To dredge up one of the oldest cliches around: More is not always better.
Screen play
At last! Mr. Kraft and the Patriots announced today that they are replacing the 1950s black and white televisions they have in the end zones at Gillette Stadium with state-of-the-art video screens. Welcome to 2010 Patriots fans. It's about time.
Gillette is a great stadium. I love it. There are bars, restaurants, and lingerie stores. Everything a football fan needs. When Shep and I took a tour of the half-finished structure back in 2000 -- Patriot Place was just a glimmer in Kraft's eye -- we looked at the end zones and tried to imagine how big the video screens would be. Would they wrap across the entire end zone? Would they rise above the stadium facade? They don't call them
Jumbotrons for nothing. The possibilities -- and dimensions -- seemed limitless. When we arrived for opening night the next fall we learned the possibilities were indeed very limited. You can't have a video screen wrap around the entire end zone if you have a McDonald's logo blocking the way. Or a giant ad for Bank of America. Why didn't we realize that?
Jumbotrons for nothing. The possibilities -- and dimensions -- seemed limitless. When we arrived for opening night the next fall we learned the possibilities were indeed very limited. You can't have a video screen wrap around the entire end zone if you have a McDonald's logo blocking the way. Or a giant ad for Bank of America. Why didn't we realize that?What's so important about a video screen you ask. Aren't we supposed to be watching the game on the field? Of course. But 1) not everyone sits as close as we do to the field and 2) watching replays and highlights from the Pats game and other games are part of the experience. For the price I'm paying to go to the games is it too much to ask that I get to see what fans sitting at home see? And in HD? It was too much too ask for years. In fact, Shep asked every year since 2001.
Every season ticket holder account gets to fill out a survey at the end of each year and gets to ask questions and make comments. Shep would ask Mr. Kraft for three things. 1) Keep parking prices the same (ha!), 2) Replace the video screens with ones big enough to see, and 3) Build scented misting tents that you could walk through after the post-game tailgate so you wouldn't arrive home smelling of beef and beer. He still hasn't heard back on that one. But finally our video screen prayers have been answered.
Here are the facts and figures: The screen on the South side will be 41-feet wide and 164-feet high. 164-feet high! Now that will make marching out into the cold and snow a little more worth it as I get older. The screen on the North side will be a tad smaller. There is a bridge and lighthouse on that end so that limits the available real estate.
The press release from the Patriots states that the new screens will allow more replays from the game to be shown in the stadium. Now that will be a huge change. Those who have been to games at Gillette know that there are almost no replays shown during the game. It is maddening. We always assumed the Krafts didn't want the fans to watch controversial plays over and over again and get them riled up. Turns out they didn't have the technology to show replays. I look forward to seeing a 164-foot Randy Moss hauling in TD catch after TD catch.
I can't wait till the first preseason game to get a look at the newest members of the Patriots. The two giant video screens.
Every season ticket holder account gets to fill out a survey at the end of each year and gets to ask questions and make comments. Shep would ask Mr. Kraft for three things. 1) Keep parking prices the same (ha!), 2) Replace the video screens with ones big enough to see, and 3) Build scented misting tents that you could walk through after the post-game tailgate so you wouldn't arrive home smelling of beef and beer. He still hasn't heard back on that one. But finally our video screen prayers have been answered.
Here are the facts and figures: The screen on the South side will be 41-feet wide and 164-feet high. 164-feet high! Now that will make marching out into the cold and snow a little more worth it as I get older. The screen on the North side will be a tad smaller. There is a bridge and lighthouse on that end so that limits the available real estate.
The press release from the Patriots states that the new screens will allow more replays from the game to be shown in the stadium. Now that will be a huge change. Those who have been to games at Gillette know that there are almost no replays shown during the game. It is maddening. We always assumed the Krafts didn't want the fans to watch controversial plays over and over again and get them riled up. Turns out they didn't have the technology to show replays. I look forward to seeing a 164-foot Randy Moss hauling in TD catch after TD catch.
I can't wait till the first preseason game to get a look at the newest members of the Patriots. The two giant video screens.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The veteran quarterback
A quote from Peter King's latest must-read column at SI.com: "This is the best I've felt in a long, long time." Who said it? Tom Brady.
Tom Brady will be 33 when the 2010 season begins in September. He's been the team's starter since 2001. His career record is 111-34. He has led the franchise to three championships and several very near misses for Lombardi number four. He is, for me, the greatest Boston athlete in my sports-watching lifetime. I was too young to appreciate Russell or Williams but I grew up on Orr, Cowens, Yaz and have marvelled at Bourque, B
ird, Clemens, Neely, Bledsoe, Pedro, Ortiz, and Rice. Brady tops them all mostly because he delivered what I never thought possible. Super Bowl parades.
But it isn't just that he lead the Pats to three championships. It was the way he did it. He was Bourque, Bird, Neely, Ortiz -- and a lot of Terry O'Reilly -- all wrapped in one. He is simply one of the all-time greatest sports stories. Don't let his posing with goats or hiding from the paparazzi make you forget just how amazing his career with the Patriots has been.
Drafted in the -- everyone -- sixth round in 2000, Brady was an interesting mix of raw talent and, as Kramer would say, unbridled enthusiasm. He had some great games at Michigan so he wasn't quite an unknown. But he was no Peyton Manning. He wasn't taken with the first pick and he wasn't able to dictate which team he would play for. I like Manning. He's a regular guy. His commercials are often very funny. Oh, and he's one of the best QBs to ever play the game. I've grown to enjoy watching him (when not playing the Pats) because he almost always does something impossible to turn a sure loss into a victory. Manning has carried the Colts on his back by almost sheer will these past few seasons. I get why he is loved.
I don't get why Brady is not. I know, I know. Giselle. Cover boy. The West Coast mansion. Bridget and the baby. That's the other side of Brady. Brady the football player hasn't changed from when he was headbutting Bledsoe before the Super Bowl in New Orleans. He may be a reluctant celebrity, but he still looks driven to me. He still plays like he is trying to earn his starting spot.
Manning was the sure thing. Brady was the underdog. Manning started out as NFL royalty. Brady started out as NFL working class. Today they are both future Hall of Famers. Who'd a thunk it back in 2001. The two now enter an interesting phase of their careers. The veteran quarterback. Actually, Manning entered it a few years ago while Brady was on the sideline rehabbing from knee surgery. The role starts in earnest this year for #12.
Brady joined a team that had a strong nucleus of veteran leaders. Some -- like Brian Cox and Roman Phifer -- were former Parcells/Belichick guys who were brought in to bring attitude. Others -- like Law, Malloy, Bruschi, McGinnest, Johnson, Brown -- were part of the '96 team that went to the Super Bowl and were entering the peak years of their careers. Brady quickly fit in with that group and almost always played with the poise of a veteran. It was a perfect marriage. Now all those veterans are gone. All of them. Brady is the link between what is quickly becoming the past and what is now the future.
Will he have as much success in this phase of his career (which he says he hopes will last 10 more years)? Go to a training camp practice and watch Brady. He's still practicing like he's a 6th-round pick. One second he's yelling at the offense to pick it up, the next he's firing a bullet to Moss or Welker. He makes everyone around him better. He sets the tone. Veteran quarterback is a role Brady seems ready for.
Brady's contract will be a big topic of discussion during the preseason. And into the season if it is not taken care of by then. There's no doubt that Brady won't let the contract become a distraction for him. But Mr. Kraft and the Patriots can't let their QB's focus on the team make them lose focus of the most important moment in the franchise's history. Signing their Bobby Orr. They better get it done because we saw what can happen when you don't.
Tom Brady will be 33 when the 2010 season begins in September. He's been the team's starter since 2001. His career record is 111-34. He has led the franchise to three championships and several very near misses for Lombardi number four. He is, for me, the greatest Boston athlete in my sports-watching lifetime. I was too young to appreciate Russell or Williams but I grew up on Orr, Cowens, Yaz and have marvelled at Bourque, B
ird, Clemens, Neely, Bledsoe, Pedro, Ortiz, and Rice. Brady tops them all mostly because he delivered what I never thought possible. Super Bowl parades.But it isn't just that he lead the Pats to three championships. It was the way he did it. He was Bourque, Bird, Neely, Ortiz -- and a lot of Terry O'Reilly -- all wrapped in one. He is simply one of the all-time greatest sports stories. Don't let his posing with goats or hiding from the paparazzi make you forget just how amazing his career with the Patriots has been.
Drafted in the -- everyone -- sixth round in 2000, Brady was an interesting mix of raw talent and, as Kramer would say, unbridled enthusiasm. He had some great games at Michigan so he wasn't quite an unknown. But he was no Peyton Manning. He wasn't taken with the first pick and he wasn't able to dictate which team he would play for. I like Manning. He's a regular guy. His commercials are often very funny. Oh, and he's one of the best QBs to ever play the game. I've grown to enjoy watching him (when not playing the Pats) because he almost always does something impossible to turn a sure loss into a victory. Manning has carried the Colts on his back by almost sheer will these past few seasons. I get why he is loved.
I don't get why Brady is not. I know, I know. Giselle. Cover boy. The West Coast mansion. Bridget and the baby. That's the other side of Brady. Brady the football player hasn't changed from when he was headbutting Bledsoe before the Super Bowl in New Orleans. He may be a reluctant celebrity, but he still looks driven to me. He still plays like he is trying to earn his starting spot.
Manning was the sure thing. Brady was the underdog. Manning started out as NFL royalty. Brady started out as NFL working class. Today they are both future Hall of Famers. Who'd a thunk it back in 2001. The two now enter an interesting phase of their careers. The veteran quarterback. Actually, Manning entered it a few years ago while Brady was on the sideline rehabbing from knee surgery. The role starts in earnest this year for #12.
Brady joined a team that had a strong nucleus of veteran leaders. Some -- like Brian Cox and Roman Phifer -- were former Parcells/Belichick guys who were brought in to bring attitude. Others -- like Law, Malloy, Bruschi, McGinnest, Johnson, Brown -- were part of the '96 team that went to the Super Bowl and were entering the peak years of their careers. Brady quickly fit in with that group and almost always played with the poise of a veteran. It was a perfect marriage. Now all those veterans are gone. All of them. Brady is the link between what is quickly becoming the past and what is now the future.
Will he have as much success in this phase of his career (which he says he hopes will last 10 more years)? Go to a training camp practice and watch Brady. He's still practicing like he's a 6th-round pick. One second he's yelling at the offense to pick it up, the next he's firing a bullet to Moss or Welker. He makes everyone around him better. He sets the tone. Veteran quarterback is a role Brady seems ready for.
Brady's contract will be a big topic of discussion during the preseason. And into the season if it is not taken care of by then. There's no doubt that Brady won't let the contract become a distraction for him. But Mr. Kraft and the Patriots can't let their QB's focus on the team make them lose focus of the most important moment in the franchise's history. Signing their Bobby Orr. They better get it done because we saw what can happen when you don't.
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