ESPN Year of the QB Initiative - The Brady 6 documentary airing April 12th

[convertedpatsfan]

Really looking forward to this. Drew Henson also makes a cameo. Henson was the golden boy many wanted to see replace Brady at Michigan.

Two other points from the Herald on this piece:

BostonHerald.com - Blogs: Rap Sheet Blog Archive First impressions after watching an advanced screening of the ESPN’s documentary, “The Brady 6″

– You guys will love it. It’s not a career retrospective, and it’s narrow focus tells a really nuanced story about why Brady was overlooked so badly in the draft. Weiner’s thought from talking to experts who passed on him is that it was a once in a lifetime gaffe that no one can explain. Would they pass on him again? Probably.
...
– OK, one more tidbit before I start writing. In the pre-draft process, UM coach Lloyd Carr got just one call from a pro team. It was from Pats VP of player personnel Bobby Grier. Carr told him, “Bobby, I guarantee you’ll never regret drafting Tom Brady.”

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Wiki " Grier was fired shortly after the 2000 NFL Draft with then-assistant director of player personnel Scott Pioli taking over Grier's responsibilities." Good thing Bobby got that call in!

 

[upstater1]

Wow....he cried.

Wow, first time ever that I've been like, WTF Tom!!! All the other BS I thought was total arsehattery from fans, but come on Tom, that wasn't deserving of a cry. Well maybe back then, but certainly not now. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ.

I'd rather he roll around a field full of goats wearing only a speedo!

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Wiki " Grier was fired shortly after the 2000 NFL Draft with then-assistant director of player personnel Scott Pioli taking over Grier's responsibilities." Good thing Bobby got that call in!

Not sure who made what decisions back then, but whoever it was, thank goodness for that.

Wow, first time ever that I've been like, WTF Tom!!! All the other BS I thought was total arsehattery from fans, but come on Tom, that wasn't deserving of a cry. Well maybe back then, but certainly not now. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ.

I'd rather he roll around a field full of goats wearing only a speedo!

I'm sure a lot of people feel that way.

But it's a part of him, and it always has been. It's the part that drove a frustrated QB from 7th on the depth chart to starting at Michigan, even while many fans and boosters are calling for him to be benched. It's the part that constantly pushed an unknown 6th-rounder to greatness, past a Pro Bowl QB and a nervous fan base to lead a dynasty.

You can pick at whatever little point you want. Just know it's all a part of what has made Brady the best QB in the game.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Wow, first time ever that I've been like, WTF Tom!!! All the other BS I thought was total arsehattery from fans, but come on Tom, that wasn't deserving of a cry. Well maybe back then, but certainly not now. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ.

I'd rather he roll around a field full of goats wearing only a speedo!

Sadly, you are not alone!

 

[Mike the Brit]

Wow, first time ever that I've been like, WTF Tom!!! All the other BS I thought was total arsehattery from fans, but come on Tom, that wasn't deserving of a cry. Well maybe back then, but certainly not now. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ.

I'd rather he roll around a field full of goats wearing only a speedo!

My first reaction too -- and well put! Looked like that over-entitled handsome sports star had never had a setback. How dare the world not give him everything he wants? But, on second thoughts, I think it's because he's remembering his folks. He's very fragile, they look after him, he's remembering how grateful he is to them. Nothing unmanly there.

 

[JMarr]

My first reaction too -- and well put! Looked like that over-entitled handsome sports star had never had a setback. How dare the world not give him everything he wants? But, on second thoughts, I think it's because he's remembering his folks. He's very fragile, they look after him, he's remembering how grateful he is to them. Nothing unmanly there.

Same here. Didn't sit well with me because he's seeming entitled and soft these days--in other words, completely the opposite of the Brady who won three Super Bowls and should have won a fourth in the 2006 season, but for Reche Caldwell.

Another poster said something about Brady obviously being an intelligent guy, thus reflective and able to articulate his feelings. Frankly, after seeing numerous interviews and PC's, plus watching his SNL and 60 minutes appearances, I've never thought of him as being an overly intelligent guy (which is OK, but I think a more intelligent person wouldn't have [unknowingly] insulted working people everywhere by his "insurance salesman" comment, especially with a labor dispute going on in the NFL, the economy in the crapper, and working people hurting everywhere).

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I get a hoot out of message board tough guys questioning stones or the intelligence of a HOF'er who made his mark QB'ing Belichick's team.

You guys are comical...

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Another poster said something about Brady obviously being an intelligent guy, thus reflective and able to articulate his feelings. Frankly, after seeing numerous interviews and PC's, plus watching his SNL and 60 minutes appearances, I've never thought of him as being an overly intelligent guy (which is OK, but I think a more intelligent person wouldn't have [unknowingly] insulted working people everywhere by his "insurance salesman" comment, especially with a labor dispute going on in the NFL, the economy in the crapper, and working people hurting everywhere).

Unknowingly insulted working people everywhere by his "insurance salesman" comment? Give me a break.

Honestly, if you found that offensive, I hardly think you're in a position to question Brady's (or anyone's) mental toughness.

Oh, and let's not forget that Brady's dad owns an insurance firm. Feel free to continue to overreact.

So go ahead and cry for those offended insurance agents, all while questioning the toughness of a guy who dragged a rebuilding team to a 14-2 record with an MVP performance while playing with a stress fracture for half the season.

 

[Calciumee]

wouldn't have [unknowingly] insulted working people everywhere by his "insurance salesman" comment

How is that offensive?

He simply wanted to play football for a career, and I am sure he wasn't attacking insurance salesmen!

 

[Mike the Brit]

How is that offensive?

He simply wanted to play football for a career, and I am sure he wasn't attacking insurance salesmen!

Remember, folks, that Brady's Dad is an insurance salesman. He was just saying that he didn't want to have the career his dad had -- nothing wrong with that.

 

[PaulThePat]

I get a hoot out of message board tough guys questioning stones or the intelligence of a HOF'er who made his mark QB'ing Belichick's team.

Spot on.

Can't believe the pathetic whinners on here who criticise Brady time after time after time. Yes he has long hair, yes he gets emotional...WHO CARES !! What gives people on here the right to come out with the crap they do. Tom Brady is a one of the best QB's of all time and a top quality human being to boot.

Some of you lot on here would be better off supporting the Jets.

 

[Garbanza]

I get a hoot out of message board tough guys questioning stones or the intelligence of a HOF'er who made his mark QB'ing Belichick's team.

You guys are comical...

Thank you Mo. I can't believe some posters here question the greatest player in Patriots history...my guess is that many of these young, messageboard tough guys wouldn't even be Pats fans if it weren't for Brady. They call him spoiled - they should look in the mirror.

As a LONG time Patriots fan and supporter, I will never disparage the man that finally paid on my fandom note.

 

[Calciumee]

Remember, folks, that Brady's Dad is an insurance salesman. He was just saying that he didn't want to have the career his dad had -- nothing wrong with that.

Just backs up my point!

Brady really wasn't being insulting! It's called desire!

 

[RayClay]

Dunno

But you JETS fans can watch too!

Did they have videotape the last time the Jets were in the Super Bowl? I think it was in color, but I'm not sure.

 

[jmt57]

Does anyone have a DVR that they can export to the computer on?

I obviously won't be able to watch it, and don't know if I will find it online anywhere

Anybody with a DVR that can burn a copy for a fellow Pats fan tonight?

 

[Calciumee]

Anybody with a DVR that can burn a copy for a fellow Pats fan tonight?

I'll be happy with a digital version

 

[PatsFan24]

I dug it. Replay on ESPN Classic right now

 

[RayClay]

Great show, very well done. Why no mention of **** Rehbein though? They make passing mention in the website companion article while giving props to Grier for relaying the phone message from Carr (perhaps receptionist was his true calling.

Anyway, I found a damn article and it's pretty amazing. Rehbein was new and probably had little pull, but he was a scout and QB coach, so...

In his years as an assistant coach for the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and New England Patriots, **** Rehbein got used to the routine: the grind of the long NFL season followed by hitting the road soon afterward to scout draft prospects...

Pam would ask how it went. And many times, she laughs, "**** would just go, 'Eh.' "

Except this time.

"Pam," Rehbein told his wife, "this kid I saw is going to be a household name that people mention in the same breath as Joe Montana, Bart Starr."

It was a crazy thing to say. Nobody thought a whole lot of Michigan quarterback Tom Brady back then, but Saturday night in an AFC divisional playoff game at Gillette Stadium, there was Brady playing one of the most unstoppable games of his career - 26 of 28 passes completed for 262 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on a night his star wideout, Randy Moss, was rendered invisible...

That Brady is playing for New England at all started with Rehbein's enthusiastic recommendation, then his arguing for Brady in the Patriots' draft day war room in 2000...

"**** was sweating it out - he was, he was," Pam recalled in a telephone interview, laughing again. "During the draft, **** would always go in the war room for each round, and then he'd come out when they made a decision and call me quickly to say, 'This is what we were doing.' This time, he just said, 'We got him! We got him!' And I knew who he meant."

Landing a legend | Concord Monitor

People don't spend a lot of time on 6th round picks, so let's not forget the one guy who went out on a limb, the late **** Rehbein.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Great show, very well done. Why no mention of **** Rehbein though? They make passing mention in the website companion article while giving props to Grier for relaying the phone message from Carr (perhaps receptionist was his true calling.

Anyway, I found a damn article and it's pretty amazing. Rehbein was new and probably had little pull, but he was a scout and QB coach, so...



Landing a legend | Concord Monitor

People don't spend a lot of time on 6th round picks, so let's not forget the one guy who went out on a limb, the late **** Rehbein.

That's on the ESPN producer. That said, the show was really as much about why Brady succeeded where the others didn't as it was about where he was selected vs. them and why. Everyone knows mistakes were made, truth is they're still making them a decade later. They focus on measurables in a vacuum and lose sight of the tape let alone it's context. Belichick himself acknowledged that given the lackluster way Tom presented in a shorts and tee shirt environment, few were motivated to spend time to probe what transpired at Michigan beyond acknowledging Carr seemed uncertain enough to keep seeking alternatives. Which in Carr's case you found if you dug a little deeper had less to do with his faith in Brady than it did with his own struggle to stand up to political pressure from potential alumni critics. Belichick eventually went back to the tape and concluded that despite the lack of support, Brady just kept competing and winning even when he was set up to fail. That's what intrigued him.

But all that intrigue gets you is a shot here, you still have to convince him you're a lot more than intriguing and that whatever it is you have translates under pressure at the next level. And by the time they got to TC in 2001, Brady had Belichick sold on his being a lot more than intriguing. That's why Bledsoe's days were numbered regardless and why he never had a shot once Mo sent him to the sidelines. And for all those who though he did after the AFCC game, they weren't really watching what transpired that day either because it just underscored what Bill already knew. Experience wasn't the only thing that seperated them - capacity and poised consistency under pressure was. Drew avoided disaster that day, but he flirted with it repeatedly.

And that's what seperates the great ones from even the very good ones. In nine seasons (not counting his 4th string rookie year and the lost season) he's had this team within spitting distance of a ring five times and won 3. Considering all the variables beyond their control (turnover, talent, chemistry, coaching, luck, injuries to himself and teamates, institutional fatigue) any QB has to deal with particularly in this era of caps and FA from season to season, that is flat out amazing. The urge to rest on your laurels and take time to smell the roses or engage in occasional excuse making is the enemy of most dynasties. That this guy remains so intensely competitive and determined to prove he's still the right guy for the job is his greatest intangible. You hear a lot of whining from the position even from the marginally successful guys about contracts and opportunities and situations impacting them. Those guys will never approach his success level for that reason.

In Tommy's world there are no excuses, just opportunities to elevate your own game and hopefully inspire your teamates to elevate theirs in the process. Sometimes that performance or inspiration won't be enough, but it won't be due to any lack of effort on his part. Which is also why when he sheds a tear, I usually end up joining him. I can hardly fathom all he invests in the goal we all as fans share with this organization, but I can damn well appreciate it...and him. He doesn't owe us a thing. But fortunately he's still driven and not done proving his critics remain knuckleheads who still just can't see it even when it's standing right in front of them.