NFL Network's In Their Own Words: Bledsoe

[Tunescribe]

Pretty cool episode up close and personal with Drew. Lots of Patriots stuff, sideline talk with Tuna, candid sideline stuff in Buffalo, Mo Lewis/Brady episode, etc. Helped me remember why he was special here. Catch it if you can.

 

[Pats726]

I saw some of it...yes..it was pretty cool...Loved his funny story about peeing in FredB's sneakers when he was 2....I agree..very interesting..
"Next question..."

 

[Tunescribe]

I saw some of it...yes..it was pretty cool...Loved his funny story about peeing in FredB's sneakers when he was 2....I agree..very interesting..
"Next question..."

I understand how Drew's pride was hurt when Brady replaced him, but he had to see that Brady was the better choice at that point in time, especially since he was out of action for a while to heal and Tom was getting into a rhythm. Or maybe he really didn't. He was adamant that BB promised him his job back. I wonder what BB really said.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I watched it and it just reconfirmed for me that he never had IT and he still doesn't get it. He believes the path his career has taken rests on the Mo Lewis hit (no loyalty so you better stay on the field comment) and not on his performance prior to or since that hit.

It was a tough half hour to fill actually. And it jumped from getting to a Superbowl in 1997 with Tuna at the helm to...2002 Buffalo...to 2005 Dallas without delving into how that journey came to be or what transpired in the interims.

When they went back to the period in which the HC who remained nameless (no not Pete who remained nameless too) it was to touch on the quirk of fate hit that lost him his starting job. With no context about the missing years (1997-2000) that likely factored into the decision to not give him back his job when healthy - because healthy he had sucked whether playing for the nameless HC or facing him as a DC for 5 seasons.

The laid back attitude that was his enemy - if not a QB he'd like to be a ski bum and PT bartender (a decision made easy when you have some NFL owners millions in the bank I guess), his favorite place to be Montana grilling steaks on the deck and enjoying water sports, how teamates and others wanted him to be more foreceful but he perferred to lead by example (geez...), how football is only fun when your in a zone and can just go out and chuck it and it somehow works.....that's the Drew I remember.

He really felt he played well in the AFCC.....that's the problem in a nutshell. And he did touch on how his relationship with Tom became strained. Patted himself on the back for handling it all so well, though including his clipped responses in the pre game PC (next question...). Said it was nice to have the ring, but the one that would mean more to him would be the one he wins in Buffalo.... and of course he "decided" to go to Dallas because it gave him the best chance to win now.

It was Drew Bledsoe In His Own Words, but it could have been subtitled "12 Years of Denial".

 

[BelichickFan]

Did they show him overriding Weis' telling Tommy to be careful before the final drive of SB 36 when he said : "F*ck that, just wing it".

Bledsoe just never got it mentally and that line proved it forever to me.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I watched it and it just reconfirmed for me that he never had IT and he still doesn't get it. He believes the path his career has taken rests on the Mo Lewis hit (no loyalty so you better stay on the field comment) and not on his performance prior to or since that hit.

It was a tough half hour to fill actually. And it jumped from getting to a Superbowl in 1997 with Tuna at the helm to...2002 Buffalo...to 2005 Dallas without delving into how that journey came to be or what transpired in the interims.

When they went back to the period in which the HC who remained nameless (no not Pete who remained nameless too) it was to touch on the quirk of fate hit that lost him his starting job. With no context about the missing years (1997-2000) that likely factored into the decision to not give him back his job when healthy - because healthy he had sucked whether playing for the nameless HC or facing him as a DC for 5 seasons.

The laid back attitude that was his enemy - if not a QB he'd like to be a ski bum and PT bartender (a decision made easy when you have some NFL owners millions in the bank I guess), his favorite place to be Montana grilling steaks on the deck and enjoying water sports, how teamates and others wanted him to be more foreceful but he perferred to lead by example (geez...), how football is only fun when your in a zone and can just go out and chuck it and it somehow works.....that's the Drew I remember.

He really felt he played well in the AFCC.....that's the problem in a nutshell. And he did touch on how his relationship with Tom became strained. Patted himself on the back for handling it all so well, though including his clipped responses in the pre game PC (next question...). Said it was nice to have the ring, but the one that would mean more to him would be the one he wins in Buffalo.... and of course he "decided" to go to Dallas because it gave him the best chance to win now.

It was Drew Bledsoe In His Own Words, but it could have been subtitled "12 Years of Denial".

Yeah - there's really no question that Drew was in denial... I called the developing "QB Controversy" as of Brady's 2nd game and it was clear to EVERYONE approaching the playoffs what we had in Brady... everyone but Bledsoe.

Neither Bledsoe nor anyone else need interpret that as the fact that Bledsoe's a bum - it just speaks to how special Brady was and there's still a major disconnect if Bledsoe can't see that as of today.

I do however take great joy from watching the moves that Buffalo made to obtain him - then to obtain Lossman - and their trades with Dallas to make it happen - and the fact that Dallas now has Bledsoe AND the picks and Buffalo is more lost than ever in the QB situation.

His laid back attitude probably is a hinderance to his career... but I still think the guy is as tough as nails when you consider the hits that he and his OL have allowed and his willingness to play in pain.

 

[Tunescribe]

Did they show him overriding Weis' telling Tommy to be careful before the final drive of SB 36 when he said : "F*ck that, just wing it".

Bledsoe just never got it mentally and that line proved it forever to me.

I interpret what he said to Brady entirely differently. Weis had just told him to be very careful and conservative with the ball, no mistakes, etc., etc. What Bledsoe said was tongue in cheek meant to keep Brady loose. In other words: "Don't worry man, you can do it. Go out there and do your thing!"

 

[Tunescribe]

I watched it and it just reconfirmed for me that he never had IT and he still doesn't get it. He believes the path his career has taken rests on the Mo Lewis hit (no loyalty so you better stay on the field comment) and not on his performance prior to or since that hit.

It was a tough half hour to fill actually. And it jumped from getting to a Superbowl in 1997 with Tuna at the helm to...2002 Buffalo...to 2005 Dallas without delving into how that journey came to be or what transpired in the interims.

When they went back to the period in which the HC who remained nameless (no not Pete who remained nameless too) it was to touch on the quirk of fate hit that lost him his starting job. With no context about the missing years (1997-2000) that likely factored into the decision to not give him back his job when healthy - because healthy he had sucked whether playing for the nameless HC or facing him as a DC for 5 seasons.

The laid back attitude that was his enemy - if not a QB he'd like to be a ski bum and PT bartender (a decision made easy when you have some NFL owners millions in the bank I guess), his favorite place to be Montana grilling steaks on the deck and enjoying water sports, how teamates and others wanted him to be more foreceful but he perferred to lead by example (geez...), how football is only fun when your in a zone and can just go out and chuck it and it somehow works.....that's the Drew I remember.

He really felt he played well in the AFCC.....that's the problem in a nutshell. And he did touch on how his relationship with Tom became strained. Patted himself on the back for handling it all so well, though including his clipped responses in the pre game PC (next question...). Said it was nice to have the ring, but the one that would mean more to him would be the one he wins in Buffalo.... and of course he "decided" to go to Dallas because it gave him the best chance to win now.

It was Drew Bledsoe In His Own Words, but it could have been subtitled "12 Years of Denial".

I agree with most of what you say, although I remember many very special Drew Bledsoe moments when he was here. He's always been a class guy, very tough, and definitely had games "in the zone" where he threw rockets all over the field and succeeded on his sheer ability to throw well. But yes, I also get the sense that his heart was never fully in the game of football to the same level Brady's is. My sense is that Drew always has felt his strong arm could compensate for deficits in preparation or decision making, and has been very stubborn that way his whole career. I feel he was with the Patriots exactly as long as he should have been. His first few years here were especially important to the team while the franchise righted itself but beyond that, he just didn't pan out.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

He really felt he played well in the AFCC.....that's the problem in a nutshell.

There seems to be a big misconception that he played well in that game, when in reality he looked good only in that touchdown drive and damn near cost us the game on at least two occasions after that. I still can't get over that Larry Bird-like pass attempt with his back turned that almost got picked off........what the hell was he thinking there? I can't believe that there's still people out there who believe that the Pats would've been just as successful had he been given back his starting job when he got healthy...........NO WAY IN HELL!

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

My sense is that Drew always has felt his strong arm could compensate for deficits in preparation or decision making, and has been very stubborn that way his whole career.

And this mindset is confirmed by his telling of the story of how his father's friend had commented on him 'having a rocket for an arm', which led him to wanting to be a QB. Perhaps this comment went to his head................

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

There seems to be a big misconception that he played well in that game, when in reality he looked good only in that touchdown drive and damn near cost us the game on at least two occasions after that. I still can't get over that Larry Bird-like pass attempt with his back turned that almost got picked off........what the hell was he thinking there? I can't believe that there's still people out there who believe that the Pats would've been just as successful had he been given back his starting job when he got healthy...........NO WAY IN HELL!

There was yet another play when Drew in oh so typical fashion threw the ball striking the chest of a shocked Steelers linebacker. Hands of stone saved the day and 7 pts for us.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

There was yet another play when Drew in oh so typical fashion threw the ball striking the chest of a shocked Steelers linebacker. Hands of stone saved the day and 7 pts for us.

Yes, I remember that play though I don't remember the Steelers player. It seemed that after the adrenaline-induced TD drive Drew returned to his error-prone ways.

 

[tedster822]

Joey Porter

It was Joey Porter who dropped the pass....he would've scored easily too.

Bledsoe also got called for intentional grounding when he tried to flip a pass backwards to avoid a sack. If I recall correctly, he did that same thing in the Jacksonville AFC title game in '97.

ted

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

It was Joey Porter who dropped the pass....he would've scored easily too.

Bledsoe also got called for intentional grounding when he tried to flip a pass backwards to avoid a sack. If I recall correctly, he did that same thing in the Jacksonville AFC title game in '97.

ted

Yes the glorified nostalgic view of Drew in that game is at odds with the facts.
BB had no trouble deciding on who should be his QB.

 

[Drewwho]

Should we start a new debate?
Who had a better NFL In Their Own Words: Bledsoe or Brady

My vote goes to Bledsoe. Love Brady but that boy is pretty vanilla! Bledsoe has more charisma if you ask me...

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

Bledsoe also got called for intentional grounding when he tried to flip a pass backwards to avoid a sack.

Yes, this was the play that I was referring to in my previous post.

 

[PromisedLand]

I watched it and it just reconfirmed for me that he never had IT and he still doesn't get it. He believes the path his career has taken rests on the Mo Lewis hit (no loyalty so you better stay on the field comment) and not on his performance prior to or since that hit.

It was a tough half hour to fill actually. And it jumped from getting to a Superbowl in 1997 with Tuna at the helm to...2002 Buffalo...to 2005 Dallas without delving into how that journey came to be or what transpired in the interims.

When they went back to the period in which the HC who remained nameless (no not Pete who remained nameless too) it was to touch on the quirk of fate hit that lost him his starting job. With no context about the missing years (1997-2000) that likely factored into the decision to not give him back his job when healthy - because healthy he had sucked whether playing for the nameless HC or facing him as a DC for 5 seasons.

The laid back attitude that was his enemy - if not a QB he'd like to be a ski bum and PT bartender (a decision made easy when you have some NFL owners millions in the bank I guess), his favorite place to be Montana grilling steaks on the deck and enjoying water sports, how teamates and others wanted him to be more foreceful but he perferred to lead by example (geez...), how football is only fun when your in a zone and can just go out and chuck it and it somehow works.....that's the Drew I remember.

He really felt he played well in the AFCC.....that's the problem in a nutshell. And he did touch on how his relationship with Tom became strained. Patted himself on the back for handling it all so well, though including his clipped responses in the pre game PC (next question...). Said it was nice to have the ring, but the one that would mean more to him would be the one he wins in Buffalo.... and of course he "decided" to go to Dallas because it gave him the best chance to win now.

It was Drew Bledsoe In His Own Words, but it could have been subtitled "12 Years of Denial".

Good post. And reading the part that I boldfaced, it hit me, that is the essential difference between Bledsoe and Brady:

Bledsoe wants to be in Montana. Brady just wants to BE Montana!

 

[maverick4]

re

Books (like 'The Millionnaire Mind') have identified that the richest and most successful people have two fundamental criteria: intensity/desire, and a high work ethic.

We have read how Brady, since childhood, was one of the most competitive people alive, and hated losing. We have also read how he has been slighted since high school (not playing as a HS freshman, splitting time with Henson at Michigan, and being a 6th round draft pick), which has only fueled his motivation.

On the other hand, we have Bledsoe (of whom I was a huge supporter), who was told since he was a kid had a golden arm, was drafted #1, and has a laid back approach to the game of football.

This interview really demonstrated how different these two guys are. I still greatly appreciate everything Bledsoe did for us, but I am so glad Tom Brady is our QB.