Is Tom Brady or was Larry Bird more popular during their runs?

[borg]

Brady took a team that was nowhere on the pecking order and made Boston a football town - unthinkable from the time when I was young. Bird and Magic was great TV though. Williams was a no doubter Hall of Famer - Ortiz has a borderline/better than borderline case.

What does "most popular" mean?

Larry God was a myth, long before he ever arrived in Boston. Fans had to wait one year after Bird was drafted and during that time he CARRIED nobody Indiana State to the NCAA championship game (Highest rated NCAA game ever broadcast). Bird was so confidant in his ability he was ready to reenter the NBA draft a 2nd time if he didn't get the highest rookie contract ever. Red Aurbach caved and paid the man....best decision he ever made. Bird's impact on the Celtics was instant.....+32 wins the first year, rookie of the year, conference finals.....and then the championship run began....and lasted for years. Celtics broadcasts were nightly events....a chance to watch a white guy dominate a game performing mind boggling feats in scoring, passing.....willing his team to victory nightly....about 100 games a year including playoffs and the Celtics were the National TV games almost every weekend. Along with Magic and the Lakers, Bird and the Celtics lifted the NBA into the stratosphere and the result was the Golden Era of the NBA.......teams were stacked, teams played "team" basketball, the greatest rivalry in sports IMO was played out on National TV every May...year after year ....and Bird represented so many people...racially, socioeconomically ....he was their guy...the Hick from French Lick...the blue collar white guy.
The Bird Era was the greatest sports era that I have lived through...I just wish Larry's body could have lasted for more years.

Tom Brady arrived in NE differently. Zero fanfare. No expectations. A game manager in 2001. An important piece in 'o3 and '04 on incredibly balanced teams. It is my personal opinion that the Brady Legend did not truly materialize until 2007 , despite 3 SB rings. The perfect season, the incredible stats, the singular focus, doing all the heavy lifting....actually carrying a team....and he has carried that team ever since.

Regarding popularity. We now live in an era where social media can make ball boys famous so comparing popularity during different eras is impossible. Factor in that Bird left Boston to get on with his life and has zero presence in our current consciousness except amazing memories.

The NBA and the NFL are different beasts. 82 games verses 16....5 starters verses 22, 26 playoff games verses 4, 48 minutes of real contest verses 11. For those that missed the Bird era....it was a lot like what is going on in Golden State right now. Nightly displays of amazement, watching Curry launch impossible shots from all over the arena, elevating his team to near perfection....3-4 nights a week for 8 months. Bird did it nightly for almost a decade. It was special.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Bird... By a good margin...not saying it's justified, but no one ever questioned anything Bird did...Bird was the best player in the league in his prime...no one argued that Magic Johnson was better, Julius Erving was better, etc, like people/media did w Manning... There was never anyone in the local media clamoring for the Celtics to trade Bird in favor of starting Rick Robey...sports radio at the time was more cheer leading for the local teams and it was a Bird love in every show

Unless they were Laker fans

 

[RobertWeathers]

Orr belongs in this conversation.

I agree. Orr's North American popularity was insane

 

[RobertWeathers]

Can't really compare the two. Even if we could, Brady still isn't done.

TV was God then (Bird days), it was all the media you saw/heard other than the newspaper and radio. Everything else was REAL LIFE! Gasp...........imagine!!!! I miss that Sh*t really. I remember watching Bird live once as a kid and thinking it was like a paranormal experience, and my foam finger was my magic wand.

As far as heart and passion for the game, I can't really separate the two honestly.

Brady has been way more durable already. He deals with way more scrutiny media wise than Bird ever did and still shrugs it off.

Apples and Oranges. I would hate to live in a world where I didn't get to taste both.

Legend was quite deft at handling the media.

At the end of the day Larry didn't give a **** about what you thought about him but if you crossed him....look out.

He would get cozy with Ryan and MacMullin but would be a hybrid of Tuna and BB with others. He'd manipulate the media to get his teammates or opponants ticked off. It was a thing of beauty.

I think he would have handled the Deflategate presser differently than Tom did. I seriously think Larry would have got on that podium and called Goody and all those chumps lying sacks of **** and dared them to prove it.

Larry had a very thick skin. I think Tom does too but but hes a bit more polished and synthetic than Larry was with the press and with his image. Times were different then. The world is obviously much more PC and that sure as hell isn't Larry Legend.

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Apples and Oranges. I would hate to live in a world where I didn't get to taste both.

Well said, Geezer!

IMO: Russell and Orr changed the very Game each played!

Russell completely intimidated opposing players. He actually BLOCKED their shots and seemed to collect EVERY rebound. With strong outlet passes off the rebound, he was the linchpin of the innovative fast break. It was WTFO in the world of basketball.

Orr was the fastest, smoothest skater on the ice, a defense-man who could take the puck, streak the length of the ice, and score! Another WTFO.

Williams is still considered by most as a greatest pure hitter in the Game.

And we all know what Brady does (and has done) for the Pats.

===

But popularity is the question:

IMO: In New England, it is Brady, Orr, Bird, and Ortiz. Russell was never popular here, nor was the Celtics Dynasty: 8 in a row, 11/13 and a half filled Boston Garden. But Bird (with Magic) actually saved the NBA! Williams was ornery (as was Yaz). Orr and Bird will be forever loved. But Brady is GOAT, still playing, and yet "hated" throughout the rest of the nation. F&*K the NFL* for what they did to Tom.

 

[Family]

It was a different world between Bird & Brady, but as several have mentioned Orr's popularity was insane. I remember people waiting in line for days and a line around causeway street to get obstructed view seats for the Bruins games.

There's just too much else going on in the world for people to be as obsessed about Brady greatness as they were about Bird & Orr. Not his fault. Just is what it is.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

It was a different world between Bird & Brady, but as several have mentioned Orr's popularity was insane. I remember people waiting in line for days and a line around causeway street to get obstructed view seats for the Bruins games.

There's just too much else going on in the world for people to be as obsessed about Brady greatness as they were about Bird & Orr. Not his fault. Just is what it is.

And as someone else mentioned, Brady is far more polarizing of an athlete nationally than either Orr or Bird, for reasons larger than himself (24 hr news cycle, internet and social media)

 

[RobertWeathers]

Well said, Geezer!

IMO: Russell and Orr changed the very Game each played!

Russell completely intimidated opposing players. He actually BLOCKED their shots and seemed to collect EVERY rebound. With strong outlet passes off the rebound, he was the linchpin of the innovative fast break. It was WTFO in the world of basketball.

Orr was the fastest, smoothest skater on the ice, a defense-man who could take the puck, streak the length of the ice, and score! Another WTFO.

Williams is still considered by most as a greatest pure hitter in the Game.

And we all know what Brady does (and has done) for the Pats.

===

But popularity is the question:

IMO: In New England, it is Brady, Orr, Bird, and Ortiz. Russell was never popular here, nor was the Celtics Dynasty: 8 in a row, 11/13 and a half filled Boston Garden. But Bird (with Magic) actually saved the NBA! Williams was ornery (as was Yaz). Orr and Bird will be forever loved. But Brady is GOAT, still playing, and yet "hated" throughout the rest of the nation. F&*K the NFL* for what they did to Tom.

Ortiz is not in the same class as Brady, Bird, Orr and Russell. Ted Williams is.

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Ortiz is not in the same class as Bird, Orr and Russell. Ted Williams is.

I agree with you, Robert. But I think Big Papi is more popular. Williams pissed off a lot of fans and I remember him being booed on occasion at Fenway late in his career (after a strike out). If not for his military service, who knows what his records would be. Truly a great American to put baseball on hold and volunteer to go BACK IN and fight in Korea!

 

[Bruins29]

Regarding the popularity of Orr VS Brady I think that Orr might take one. When Orr played there were 5 channels on TV and nothing else but a newspaper. Orr changed the game and the communities. Skating rinks were literally built in every community because of him.

Worldwide popularity I would probably give to Brady since again he benefits from several other factors.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I agree with you, Robert. But I think Big Papi is more popular. Williams pissed off a lot of fans and I remember him being booed on occasion at Fenway late in his career (after a strike out). If not for his military service, who knows what his records would be. Truly a great American to put baseball on hold and volunteer to go BACK IN and fight in Korea!

No question. Ortiz was beloved. Williams....not so much during his playing days. Because he hit, his attitude was overlooked. Check out Leigh Montville's book on TW. Great read. I've read "The Science of Hitting" a couple of times. Great read.

You can actually argue that while not as good of a player or as big of an impact on the history of baseball, Ortiz has had a greater impact on the success of the Red Sox than Williams did.

 

[Fencer]

There are debates about Brady as well....many of them although some of it is ending.

There is also a debate about Bill Russell being the greatest athlete in the history of team sports. Not anything you hear about any other Boston athlete. Now, if TB won in 2007, 11 and 2006 which he would have had they not choked away a huge lead to the Colts TB would have 7 rings and perhaps could have entered that discussion.

And yet my stepdaughter, who grew up in a Boston suburb with a mother who had crushed on Tommy Heinsohn, didn't know who Bill Russell is. Neither did my jockish son-in-law, who grew up in Seattle.

It came up when I noticed that they live about 2 blocks from the University of San Francisco. I mentioned that he played there, and they both asked who I was talking about ...

 

[FCB02062]

"Moses does eat schitt"

 

[Family]

Regarding the popularity of Orr VS Brady I think that Orr might take one. When Orr played there were 5 channels on TV and nothing else but a newspaper. Orr changed the game and the communities. Skating rinks were literally built in every community because of him.

Remember the 3 AM ice time? That's what Orr did for hockey.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Do you guys think superman would have kicked Mighty Mouse's arse?

 

[borg]

I agree. Orr's North American popularity was insane

Forgive me for taking your statement so literally.......but really? North America? Hockey was only a part of the fans conscience in 12 US cities at the time....all but one in the north....so essentially half of N. America gave two sh*ts about hockey. In the tiny sphere that was the hockey world, Orr was the chosen one (my all time sports hero) ...but lets not go overboard. Factor in the absence/lack of National telecasts....

 

[jimnance]

I feel sorry for you young guys that werent around for the Bird era-it was magic. All you need to know is that the Celtics were w/o question the #1 team in Boston-bigger than the red sox-who went to a world series, bigger than the Pats, who went to a SB and much bigger than the Bruins. I grew up in the Russell Era-the greatest dynasty in U.S.pro team sports-and the C's were almost never the most popular team in beantown. Larry was one of a kind. One of the coolest phenononoms was whenever the C's were televised-just about evryone in NE would mute the volume on their tv and listen to Johnny Most on the radio. Most entertaining broadcaster of anyone in any sport ive ever heard.

 

[upstater1]

Bird... By a good margin...not saying it's justified, but no one ever questioned anything Bird did...Bird was the best player in the league in his prime...no one argued that Magic Johnson was better, Julius Erving was better, etc, like people/media did w Manning... There was never anyone in the local media clamoring for the Celtics to trade Bird in favor of starting Rick Robey...sports radio at the time was more cheer leading for the local teams and it was a Bird love in every show

?????

I remember it differently, that's for sure. There was plenty of debate in Boston about Magic over Bird. I went to Celts games back then... it was a common discussion.

Bird also had a 10 year career, with the last 2 beset by back problems.

I will say that the adulation was even, but unlike Brady, Bird was not the best player in the league. I'd have to say that Magic was a hair better, and obviously Jordan.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Forgive me for taking your statement so literally.......but really? North America? Hockey was only a part of the fans conscience in 12 US cities at the time....all but one in the north....so essentially half of N. America gave two sh*ts about hockey. In the tiny sphere that was the hockey world, Orr was the chosen one (my all time sports hero) ...but lets not go overboard. Factor in the absence/lack of National telecasts....

Yea you are taking it a little to literally.

My point is if people lived in North America and followed sports and especially hockey in the 70s knew who Bobby Orr was. Certainly he was no as popular as Bird or TB12 but the fact that he was back then was amazing.

Just a quick point. In 1971, Stanley Cup national broadcasts started because of Bobby Orr.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I feel sorry for you young guys that werent around for the Bird era-it was magic. All you need to know is that the Celtics were w/o question the #1 team in Boston-bigger than the red sox-who went to a world series, bigger than the Pats, who went to a SB and much bigger than the Bruins. I grew up in the Russell Era-the greatest dynasty in U.S.pro team sports-and the C's were almost never the most popular team in beantown. Larry was one of a kind. One of the coolest phenononoms was whenever the C's were televised-just about evryone in NE would mute the volume on their tv and listen to Johnny Most on the radio. Most entertaining broadcaster of anyone in any sport ive ever heard.

God...what a shame I wasn't around to see that. I hear the Garden was electrifying back then.