From faceless to franchise

[convertedpatsfan]

From faceless backup to face of the franchise in 10 years - The Boston Globe

Interesting look back on TFB's start in New England.

It’s like thumbing through your high school yearbook and discovering that the wallflower you ignored in US History turned out to be Angelina Jolie.

Tom Brady was here 10 years ago and we barely noticed.

In the old Foxboro Stadium locker room, the kid from San Mateo, Calif., via the University of Michigan had a stall along the row where Drew Bledsoe dressed. Brady regularly had to make room for reporters who wanted to speak with Bledsoe.

Drew was the Patriots’ franchise quarterback. Drew was the three-time Pro Bowler who had led the Patriots to a Super Bowl in 1996. Drew was the guy with the 10-year, $103 million contract extension.

Brady was . . . in the way.

I was there, but I don’t remember Brady. (The soundtrack to this column is Joan Osborne’s “[What If God Was] One Of Us?’’) Who bothers to pay attention to a sixth-round pick who never plays? Like most of the other reporters, I was working to get words from big Drew. Tom Brady wasn’t even Brian Hoyer.
...
Longtime publicist Stacey James remembers rookie Brady in 2000, and says, “He used to overhear me arranging to take Drew upstairs for press conferences. Tom would tease me and say, ‘When’s my press conference?’ I told him to be careful what you wish for.’’

Globe multimedia producer Alan Miller was part of the Patriots “All-Access’’ crew in 2000, and remembers, “We profiled just about everybody that year, and by the end of the season, we were running out of guys, so we profiled Brady, about how he was drafted by the Montreal Expos and went to the same high school as Barry Bonds. He told us he loved watching ‘All-Access.’ ’’
...
“The broadcast production crew had a meeting with Belichick before the first 2001 preseason game,’’ said Miller. “We asked him who would improve the most, and he cited Stephen Neal and Tom Brady.

“He went on and on about Brady and what a leader he was, and at the end of that meeting, I walked out and said to the others, ‘Bledsoe’s not long for this job.’ ’’

 

[deroc5050]

I am very curious if Bill ever would have made the move in that season to go with Brady over Bledsoe. I am sure Brady eventually would have won the job but you never know.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I am very curious if Bill ever would have made the move in that season to go with Brady over Bledsoe. I am sure Brady eventually would have won the job but you never know.

I don't know if it would have been that season, or maybe he would have let Brady develop a bit more and then compete for the job next season. But I get the feeling BB would have given him a shot.

In his first HC job with Cleveland, BB ended up benching long-time starter and fan favourite Bernie Kosar for Vinnie Testaverde mid-season. It was an extremely unpopular move, but he made it, and a few weeks later had to cut Kosar because of the problems it caused within the team.

So I think he would have done it again if it came to it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I am very curious if Bill ever would have made the move in that season to go with Brady over Bledsoe. I am sure Brady eventually would have won the job but you never know.

Can't confirm but I thought I heard Willy McDonough say back in 01 that there was a strong indication that if DB lost to Indy that would have made them 0-3 in the div and 0-4 in the conference and overall and TB would gotten the start vs MIA.

 

[Fahrenhype]

Brady is one of the best stories in the history of the league. And he isn't done yet!

 

[363839]

Excellent read. Thanks for that link, convertedpatsfan.

 

[Willie55]

I'm surprised Shaughnessy didn't include in the piece the story of Brady meeting Kraft in the parking lot shortly after the draft, and saying, while holding a pizza box, "I'm the best decision this organization ever made".

 

[Patspsycho]

Why is there a Shanknancy link in here? That guy is a complete *******.

 

[IndianPat]

I despise Shaugnessey. Last year around this time, he was singing lofty praises of Manning (Bob Ryan, too) calling him the best quarterback of all time, very conveniently ignoring that our own QB had taken us to 4, I reapeat that, four superbowls. Which franchise has had that kind of success in the last twenty years? I understand he has to fill newspaper space, but at the cost of being a hypocritical jerk?

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Why is there a Shanknancy link in here? That guy is a complete *******.

I despise Shaugnessey. Last year around this time, he was singing lofty praises of Manning (Bob Ryan, too) calling him the best quarterback of all time, very conveniently ignoring that our own QB had taken us to 4, I reapeat that, four superbowls. Which franchise has had that kind of success in the last twenty years? I understand he has to fill newspaper space, but at the cost of being a hypocritical jerk?

Yeah, I hate the guy. I was shocked that he actually wrote this, didn't see the byline til afterwards. But even a broken clock is right twice a day...unless it's digital.

 

[Patspsycho]

Yeah, I hate the guy. I was shocked that he actually wrote this, didn't see the byline til afterwards. But even a broken clock is right twice a day...unless it's digital.

Even a broken clock has only one face.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Even a broken clock has only one face.

Good point.

 

[Patpartizan]

I am not fond of CHB but that was a good read. What I can't understand is why he still has a job at the Globe. I would think his small click totals like bad ratings should be enough evidence for the Globe to let Dan walk.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I am very curious if Bill ever would have made the move in that season to go with Brady over Bledsoe. I am sure Brady eventually would have won the job but you never know.

In the book Patriot Reign it was very clear that by a game or two BEFORE the Bledsoe injury Bill was getting fed up with Drew's decision-making and also his work ethic. Bill was filling in as QB coach since the Pats QB coach died unexpectedly and he got to see Tom outworking everyone.

 

[Jackson 2]

Admiring the (very) occasional good column by Shank is one thing. Trusting him is quite another. Yesterday on 98.5 he severely insulted the Patriots fanbase, as he does at every opportunity. He despises the Krafts, the Patriots and their followers. I have related this story before, but I have an acquaintence who was a media member in 2002 at the SB in New Orleans who was in the press box with Shank. He said that when Vinatieri's kick went through as time expired, Shank was so pissed off that for once in his life he (Shank) was speech-less. I guarantee that the next time the Patriots lose a game, whenever that may be, he will rip them from top-to-bottom and have an erection while doing so (if he's capable). Take it to the bank.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Admiring the (very) occasional good column by Shank is one thing. Trusting him is quite another. Yesterday on 98.5 he severely insulted the Patriots fanbase, as he does at every opportunity. He despises the Krafts, the Patriots and their followers. I have related this story before, but I have an acquaintence who was a media member in 2002 at the SB in New Orleans who was in the press box with Shank. He said that when Vinatieri's kick went through as time expired, Shank was so pissed off that for once in his life he (Shank) was speech-less. I guarantee that the next time the Patriots lose a game, whenever that may be, he will rip them from top-to-bottom and have an erection while doing so (if he's capable). Take it to the bank.

I am also friendly with people who know Shank and can vouch for what you are saying.

In short- he is an elitist. He caters to the Cambridge crowd. Plain and simple. Mazz did the same thing in an article a couple of years ago bashing "beer-swilling, Bruschi-jersey wearing buffoons".

The problem is that I don't get it. We is their readership- customers if you will. Why bash us and crap on what we enjoy? I know Mazz's father was a bricklayer so he didn't come from a high-society background. Same with Borges. I'd venture to say that Shank didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth either. Some of these guys think being a writer in this town is an ordainment and like to throw around their warped sense of superiority. Frankly it's a shame.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

They resent us for the same reason they resent Bill and Bob. They grew up in an age and a town where a reporter for the Globe knew more about all these sports than any of the guys running the teams or playing for them or cheering for them. That made him a god. They all thought one day they would be the Will McDonough of their generation. But **** happens, times change, leagues and in many cases ownerships evolve and fans get an education...while entrenched media get left behind. Turned out Bill wasn't egotistical pond sum and Kraft wasn't the village idiot fanboy businessman and winning meant neither needed them to help placate a restless unhappy fanbase in exchange for access. It was a crashing disappointment but one they still believed would be short lived and they warned us of that. That hasn't panned out either. Now their industry is dying and most of them are having to prostitute themselves on other media they used to castigate as beneath them just to afford a home in Wayland or Wellesley... While football fans in this region continue to bask in the glow of what Belichick and Kraft built around a 6th round draft pick QB few of them (Felger the cheesehead being the only one) recognized in part because they were so invested in touting Bill and Bob's impending failure and cultivating relationships with someone on the inside who harbored similar resentment they never noticed Brady inching him out...

 

[convertedpatsfan]

They resent us for the same reason they resent Bill and Bob. They grew up in an age and a town where a reporter for the Globe knew more about all these sports than any of the guys running the teams or playing for them or cheering for them. That made him a god. They all thought one day they would be the Will McDonough of their generation. But **** happens, times change, leagues and in many cases ownerships evolve and fans get an education...while entrenched media get left behind. Turned out Bill wasn't egotistical pond sum and Kraft wasn't the village idiot fanboy businessman and winning meant neither needed them to help placate a restless unhappy fanbase in exchange for access. It was a crashing disappointment but one they still believed would be short lived and they warned us of that. That hasn't panned out either. Now their industry is dying and most of them are having to prostitute themselves on other media they used to castigate as beneath them just to afford a home in Wayland or Wellesley... While football fans in this region continue to bask in the glow of what Belichick and Kraft built around a 6th round draft pick QB few of them (Felger the cheesehead being the only one) recognized in part because they were so invested in touting Bill and Bob's impending failure and cultivating relationships with someone on the inside who harbored similar resentment they never noticed Brady inching him out...

Sounds bang-on to me.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

They resent us for the same reason they resent Bill and Bob. They grew up in an age and a town where a reporter for the Globe knew more about all these sports than any of the guys running the teams or playing for them or cheering for them. That made him a god. They all thought one day they would be the Will McDonough of their generation. But **** happens, times change, leagues and in many cases ownerships evolve and fans get an education...while entrenched media get left behind. Turned out Bill wasn't egotistical pond sum and Kraft wasn't the village idiot fanboy businessman and winning meant neither needed them to help placate a restless unhappy fanbase in exchange for access. It was a crashing disappointment but one they still believed would be short lived and they warned us of that. That hasn't panned out either. Now their industry is dying and most of them are having to prostitute themselves on other media they used to castigate as beneath them just to afford a home in Wayland or Wellesley... While football fans in this region continue to bask in the glow of what Belichick and Kraft built around a 6th round draft pick QB few of them (Felger the cheesehead being the only one) recognized in part because they were so invested in touting Bill and Bob's impending failure and cultivating relationships with someone on the inside who harbored similar resentment they never noticed Brady inching him out...

Excellent post.

 

[BlueString94]

I don't know if it would have been that season, or maybe he would have let Brady develop a bit more and then compete for the job next season. But I get the feeling BB would have given him a shot.

In his first HC job with Cleveland, BB ended up benching long-time starter and fan favourite Bernie Kosar for Vinnie Testaverde mid-season. It was an extremely unpopular move, but he made it, and a few weeks later had to cut Kosar because of the problems it caused within the team.

So I think he would have done it again if it came to it.

Woah. BB knows how to teach his QBs not to throw interceptions!