"Older Might Be Better"

mayoclinic · Dec 11, 2014

Nice read from Greg Bishop at SI.com on Brady's longevity and physical conditioning:

http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/12/10/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-age-fitness

Very interesting read. Personally, I think Brady's going to be effective for at least another 3-4 years. I don't want him to have to carry the team, especially with the defense that we've assembled. I want him to go back to being the efficient QB who won 3 SBs in 4 years.

Mike the Brit · Dec 11, 2014

Excellent article.

nabwong · Dec 11, 2014

Like in 2005, when a vicious hit to his left shin in Week 14 against the Bills left Brady unable to walk. He played the next week, against the Buccaneers, and suffered a sports hernia that left his testicles at least three times their normal size. He played four more games, including the playoffs, with a bad shin and awful swelling down below. His backup at the time, Matt Cassel, tells this story, setting up the easiest of punch lines. "So, yeah," he says, "Tom Brady has big balls."

I.M. Fletcher · Dec 11, 2014

I mean, is there any response to an article like that?

Is there a greater athlete/ambassador of sport alive?

The idea that I could watch Brady play in a 3rd decade, I mean, there are no words.

Rob0729 · Dec 11, 2014

If I remember correctly, Greg Bishop was on 98.5 earlier this year trashing Brady and the Pats. He went way overboard talking about how Brady is done. He used to be a Jets beat writer for the Times who used to go on the DA show before he left a lot and trash the Pats.

Patsfanin Philly · Dec 11, 2014

All I know is that I don't want him to retire the same year as Peyton because when they are both inducted to the HOF, if it's at the same time, you know who the media will fawn over........

Rob0729 · Dec 11, 2014

Patsfanin Philly said:
All I know is that I don't want him to retire the same year as Peyton because when they are both inducted to the HOF, if it's at the same time, you know who the media will fawn over........

From the looks of it, Manning will be retiring fairly soon. I think his arm is dying right now which is not good for his future.

mayoclinic · Dec 11, 2014

Rob0729 said:
If I remember correctly, Greg Bishop was on 98.5 earlier this year trashing Brady and the Pats. He went way overboard talking about how Brady is done. He used to be a Jets beat writer for the Times who used to go on the DA show before he left a lot and trash the Pats.

That's interesting, and I wasn't aware. But I'm not sure it changes anything about the article re Brady.

Brady's intensity, work ethic, competitiveness and desire for longevity are all well-documented. But the article raised some things about which I wasn't aware:

1. That Brady has a "business partner" who is a sports therapist (who he met through Willie McG), and that he co-owns a sports rehab center. Or that about half the Pats players have used his company. The idea that this could contribute to a decrease in injuries is interesting.

2. The extent of Brady's "management team". His work with Tom House has been well documented. But a sports therapist, and a neuropsychologist. No.

3. The extent of Brady's interest in "preventative maintenance". This seems to have become a real passion of his, and given Brady's intensity and drive, that can only be a good thing.

4. Some of his technical work with Tom House, particular his footwork. I've noticed this year that Brady seems to be better throwing on the run, more adept and moving in the pocket to buy time, and a bit quicker with some of his scrambles. He's not Aaron Rodgers in those areas, but he's noticeably better than he has been.

It's good stuff, regardless of the writer's pedigree.

Saint Pat · Dec 11, 2014

2 more rings. You heard it here first.

mayoclinic · Dec 11, 2014

Saint Pat said:
2 more rings. You heard it here first.

John Elway won 2 rings with Denver when he was 37 and 38. I think Brady can keep playing at that level or above for another 3-4 years. With an actual complete team around him, I don't see any reason why the Pats can't compete very seriously over that period, and potentially come away with another couple of rings. And if that happens, the Manning comparisons will go away.

ctpatsfan77 · Dec 11, 2014

until [Rodney] Harrison finally said, "Screw you, Tom. I'm not coming in any earlier."

I'm thinking Rodney's language was, ahem, slightly more ornate than "Screw you."

Saint Pat · Dec 11, 2014

mayoclinic said:
John Elway won 2 rings with Denver when he was 37 and 38. I think Brady can keep playing at that level or above for another 3-4 years. With an actual complete team around him, I don't see any reason why the Pats can't compete very seriously over that period, and potentially come away with another couple of rings. And if that happens, the Manning comparisons will go away.

Bro, I like to be as optimistic as you are but even if the Pats make it to the Super Bowl for those 3-4 years do you really think they can win all of them? We miraculously lost two Super Bowls to the Giants on an improbable catch by Tyree and an epic drop by Welker. Things inexplicably get weird at the Super Bowls. So I will be happy if Tom can win two more to make him the QB with the most Super Bowl rings and the most Super Bowl appearances.

mayoclinic · Dec 11, 2014

Saint Pat said:
Bro, I like to be as optimistic as you are but even if the Pats make it to the Super Bowl for those 3-4 years do you really think they can win all of them? We miraculously lost two Super Bowls to the Giants on an improbable catch by Tyree and an epic drop by Welker. Things inexplicably get weird at the Super Bowls. So I will be happy if Tom can win two more to make him the QB with the most Super Bowl rings and the most Super Bowl appearances.

I never said that. There's a lot of luck involved in winning the SB. My exact words were "I don't see any reason why the Pats can't compete very seriously over that period, and potentially come away with another couple of rings. How you read that into "win 4 consecutive SB's" is beyond me. But to be one of the top 2-3 teams in the NFL each year for 4 consecutive years (including this one) and win 2 SB's in that time is not out of the question, IMO. You were the one who said "2 more rings".

Mike the Brit · Dec 11, 2014

mayoclinic said:
That's interesting, and I wasn't aware. But I'm not sure it changes anything about the article re Brady.

Brady's intensity, work ethic, competitiveness and desire for longevity are all well-documented. But the article raised some things about which I wasn't aware:

1. That Brady has a "business partner" who is a sports therapist (who he met through Willie McG), and that he co-owns a sports rehab center. Or that about half the Pats players have used his company. The idea that this could contribute to a decrease in injuries is interesting.

2. The extent of Brady's "management team". His work with Tom House has been well documented. But a sports therapist, and a neuropsychologist. No.

3. The extent of Brady's interest in "preventative maintenance". This seems to have become a real passion of his, and given Brady's intensity and drive, that can only be a good thing.

4. Some of his technical work with Tom House, particular his footwork. I've noticed this year that Brady seems to be better throwing on the run, more adept and moving in the pocket to buy time, and a bit quicker with some of his scrambles. He's not Aaron Rodgers in those areas, but he's noticeably better than he has been.

It's good stuff, regardless of the writer's pedigree.

The relationship with Alex Guerrero has been fairly well documented, though this is the most detailed treatment I've seen about what the routine consists in.

http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...ex-guerrero-keeps-patriots-in-fine-fiddle.ece

Also, he's been seen doing yoga outdoors (I wonder if this was with Guerrero).

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-611/Tom-Brady-Practicing-Yoga-on-Rooftops-in-Paris.html

The general approach seems to be Chinese martial-artsy. Of course, it's hard to tell how much is the practical wisdom of ages and how much is mumbo-jumbo, but I'd guess much more of the former. The general point -- that sports stars need flexibility, balance, the ability to stay poised under stress and changing body position rather than just explosive strength -- seems to me to be so obviously right I don't understand why it's not more widely appreciated. Every time I see a Pats player pull up with a muscle strain I think: couldn't that have been avoided with better training?

Saint Pat · Dec 11, 2014

mayoclinic said:
I never said that. There's a lot of luck involved in winning the SB. My exact words were "I don't see any reason why the Pats can't compete very seriously over that period, and potentially come away with another couple of rings. How you read that into "win 4 consecutive SB's" is beyond me. But to be one of the top 2-3 teams in the NFL each year for 4 consecutive years (including this one) and win 2 SB's in that time is not out of the question, IMO. You were the one who said "2 more rings".

My bad... But still 2 more rings!

Rob0729 · Dec 11, 2014

Rob0729 said:
If I remember correctly, Greg Bishop was on 98.5 earlier this year trashing Brady and the Pats. He went way overboard talking about how Brady is done. He used to be a Jets beat writer for the Times who used to go on the DA show before he left a lot and trash the Pats.

Actually, we all remember Greg Bishop. I cannot believe how I forgot this moron. He was the a-hole who was Senator Comcast Arlene Specter's mouthpiece during the whole Spygate thing. He wrote a piece out of the blue in December of 2007 about questions still lingering about why the league would destroy the tapes that the Pats' turned over. Other than Specter and Thomase, he was probably the most disgusting figure of Spygate.

Screw him and screw this article.

ThatllMoveTheChains!!! · Dec 11, 2014

Second best QB in the league. No signs of age yet.

Hammer of Thor · Dec 11, 2014

He still remembers the doctor who told him his knee would never be the same after the ACL tear, that he wouldn't be able to run around with his kids. "Which was all bulls---," he says. "That knee feels as good as my other knee."

I don't know exactly why, but for some reason this is my favorite snippet from such a great article. I guess it makes me feel happy knowing that our QB thinks he's completely healthy, and secondly, it makes me think that the program really does work given that he's recovered way beyond what a doctor thought was possible. In fact, the whole article is actually kind of inspiring this 38 year old scrawny-yet-flabby, stressed-out weakling (with some neuromuscular issues for over 20 years) to possibly check out the place himself....

mayoclinic · Dec 11, 2014

Hammer of Thor said:
I don't know exactly why, but for some reason this is my favorite snippet from such a great article. I guess it makes me feel happy knowing that our QB thinks he's completely healthy, and secondly, it makes me think that the program really does work given that he's recovered way beyond what a doctor thought was possible. In fact, the whole article is actually kind of inspiring this 38 year old scrawny-yet-flabby, stressed-out weakling (with some neuromuscular issues for over 20 years) to possibly check out the place himself....

My personal favorite line:

Brady has refused to cede any reps in practice, even handoffs. He told Cassel and Brian Hoyer (a Patriot from 2009 to '11), "That's how I got my job."

everlong · Dec 11, 2014

"I played with a bunch of quarterbacks: Kurt Warner. Marc Bulger," a former teammate says. "They didn't match Tom's intensity. Not even close."

Torry Holt? Could be a lineman but if it were somebody like Holt that would make it that much better.

EDIT: Never mind later it says it was Cam Cleland.

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