Thank you Tom Brady

[Harry Yelreh]

I've been watching football a long time now, and in all objectivity, he's the best I've ever seen play the position. Bar none. No apologies to Manning, Brees, Rodgers - certainly no QB of this generation. From what I've known and seen about the game, the only QBs I would certainly put on his level are Montana, Unitas, and Starr.

It's not just the stats, it's not just the wins. It's also about watching him play and having some understanding & appreciation - even if only as a fan - of what it means to play QB at that level. His competitiveness, drive, accuracy, mechanics, awareness in the pocket, elusiveness in the pocket, ability to read defenses, ability to make all the throws, clutchness, leadership, inspiration to teammates to make them better, etc., etc., etc. - I've never seen anyone better. Never. Maybe I can't seriously at this point make the argument that Tom is better than Montana, but I'll tell you this: I also can't make the argument that anyone is better than Tom.

No, he's not perfect or invincible. Duh. The thing is: he almost never plays poorly (Tom's own standards of playing "poorly" are on a different level from almost everyone else's). And in the Super Bowl, if you're going to beat him, you'd better plan on 1) just about playing perfect yourself, 2) having your team give a complete team effort, 3) get a fair amount of breaks, and 4) have at least one miraculous play the likes of which the Super Bowl has rarely if ever seen.

I really don't think most people understand the kind of game Tom played Sunday - most of that is because his team lost, and that's too bad. And, no, I'm not trying to knock his teammates. Great team that never gave up and played with a lot of heart. However, the simple fact is that Tom painted over a lot of their collective weaknesses all year; I would dare anyone to try to seriously argue otherwise.

Other than Brady getting injured, the Gronk injury was about the worst thing that could have happened to the Patriots. It essentially allowed the Giants to cover him with a lumberlack like Blackburn and thus simultaneously double-team Welker and double-team Hernandez. And yet, even with the drops and going up against one of the best pass rushes in NFL playoff/Super Bowl history, Brady STILL went 27/41 and set the Super Bowl record for consecutive completions. The idea of him not playing well or just playing "ordinary" is pure crap, plain and simple.

What really kills me - and this has been pointed out - is that if Brady had had less great stats on the year (say, a 95 passer rating), led the team to a 10-6 record, and somehow the Pats had missed the playoffs, there'd be fewer "questions" out there among fans and media regarding his "legacy" than there are right now. That's just stupid.

The guy has been the starter for all or the majority of just 10 (was injured in all of '08, which might well have been another Super Bowl season if he had played) full seasons, and the Patriots have gone to the Super Bowl in half of those seasons. Are you freaking kidding me??? This without even mentioning that he had maybe the greatest season ever by a QB in '07, led his team to the only 16-0 regular season in NFL history, has won the only unanimous MVP ('10), etc., etc., etc. I could go on and on and on.

The guy is nothing less than the Michael Jordan of the NFL QB position, in my honest opinion. No, I'm not kidding. Patriots fans had better enjoy him while he's still playing, because I guarantee they'll miss him - and appreciate him and understand what they had - when he's gone.

For the record, I hope he wins at least two more Super Bowls. Heck, I hope he plays till he's 40 and wins six more. The scary part is that he's so good that, as long as he's playing, the Patriots will always have a chance to win it all - the rest of the teams and fans in the NFL know that's not an exaggeration.

 

[PATS16N0]

He's the greatest ever. He's done far more with far less.
That's just the honest truth.

And like Tom says, "My favorite Superbowl is the next one."
I don't think we've seen the last chapter in the Tom Brady saga just yet.

 

[happyfoosball]

Hi, I don't plan on staying, just after the super bowl I felt like somebody who wasn't a Patriots fan needed to come over and echo some of the positive things some of the reasonable Patriot fans are saying. I'm a Giants fan, been a Giants fan all my life. I come in peace. I wanted to point out that since the super bowl against the Rams I have been watching Brady. Four times, sometimes six or seven times each season. Because for a lot of those years when you guys were winning super bowls the Giants were not even making the playoffs. He's one of the best QB's I have ever seen play. In the super bowl he got hurt, Tuck hurt him in the third quarter. You saw him rolling his shoulder on the side line. He had what 16 straight completions before that? He was playing with an injured Gronk, probably his best match up against the Giants, and to be totally up front and honest the Pats defense isn't very good. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick got the Pats to 13 wins and an AFC Title. You guys have 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks this year right? You will be right back in the thick of things next year, and with Brady at QB, and arguably the best coach of all time you will be right back in it. If the Pats go to the super bowl next year and they are not playing the Giants I will root for them. The Patriots are a classy organization.

Anywho, I just wanted to come by and say to the Pats fans turning on Brady, get off his back. You will miss him when he's gone.

 

[upstater1]

Hi, I don't plan on staying, just after the super bowl I felt like somebody who wasn't a Patriots fan needed to come over and echo some of the positive things some of the reasonable Patriot fans are saying. I'm a Giants fan, been a Giants fan all my life. I come in peace. I wanted to point out that since the super bowl against the Rams I have been watching Brady. Four times, sometimes six or seven times each season. Because for a lot of those years when you guys were winning super bowls the Giants were not even making the playoffs. He's one of the best QB's I have ever seen play. In the super bowl he got hurt, Tuck hurt him in the third quarter. You saw him rolling his shoulder on the side line. He had what 16 straight completions before that? He was playing with an injured Gronk, probably his best match up against the Giants, and to be totally up front and honest the Pats defense isn't very good. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick got the Pats to 13 wins and an AFC Title. You guys have 2 first round picks and 2 second round picks this year right? You will be right back in the thick of things next year, and with Brady at QB, and arguably the best coach of all time you will be right back in it. If the Pats go to the super bowl next year and they are not playing the Giants I will root for them. The Patriots are a classy organization.

Anywho, I just wanted to come by and say to the Pats fans turning on Brady, get off his back. You will miss him when he's gone.

Honestly, I've never hated the Giants even growing up in Conn. It's a hard team to really dislike. Yeah, I think people like Rolle and Jacobs are crazy (and probably should not even be on the Giants team) but the rest of the players seem respectful. Eli is hard to dislike. I admit to having problems with Coughlin only because he complains way too much to the refs, he's like DelRio and Fischer in that regard. I just hate coaches who do that, but the Giants are a really good Super Bowl champion, and I find it disgusting that all this drama over the Patriots (Brady sucks, Gisele popped off, Jacobs tells her to shut up, Welker choked, etc.) would take the emphasis off the Giants victory.

People don't seem to realize this but the biggest factor in the Giants victory is that they did not make major mistakes on the biggest stage (and the fumbles bounced the right way). That's hard to do. And as Bill Parcells always said: show me the team that made the fewest mistakes, and I'll show you the winner.

 

[midpack]

There's no other quarterback I'd rather see play on the Patriots period!
TB12 has taken the team to a level unimaginable before he came.

I'll be the one cheering loudest at his HOF induction!!

 

[Harry Yelreh]

People don't seem to realize this but the biggest factor in the Giants victory is that they did not make major mistakes on the biggest stage (and the fumbles bounced the right way). That's hard to do. And as Bill Parcells always said: show me the team that made the fewest mistakes, and I'll show you the winner.

That and the Gronkowski injury, honestly. If he's healthy, in retrospect I'm convinced the Patriots win - even with zero turnovers coughed up by the Giants - and Brady's INT never happens.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I've been watching football a long time now, and in all objectivity, he's the best I've ever seen play the position. Bar none. No apologies to Manning, Brees, Rodgers - certainly no QB of this generation. From what I've known and seen about the game, the only QBs I would certainly put on his level are Montana, Unitas, and Starr.

...Maybe I can't seriously at this point make the argument that Tom is better than Montana, but I'll tell you this: I also can't make the argument that anyone is better than Tom.

... The scary part is that he's so good that, as long as he's playing, the Patriots will always have a chance to win it all - the rest of the teams and fans in the NFL know that's not an exaggeration.

Terrific post, top to bottom. Much better thought out and written than a lot of what I'm seeing from people who get paid to analyze and write.

On the Montana comparison: Again, well said. Right now, you cannot say absolutely that one is better. That's one frustrating thing with the loss, a chance to put the debate to an end was lost (sorry Peyton, you're waaay in the rear view mirror on this now). People knock Brady for being 16-6 and now losing two Super Bowls, while Montana didn't lose any SBs. BUT, Montana was 15-7 career in the playoffs, and my math says 16-6>15-7. My common sense also says that winning five conference titles > winning four. Can't discount Montana's losses because they came in earlier rounds of playoffs; probably just the opposite.

 

[Parkthecarinharvardyard]

Thank you Tom Brady

 

[jsho]

Brady has played in 10 seasons. He has been to 5 Super Bowls
In his career, 50% of the time hes played in the Super Bowl

In is 3 Super Bowl wins he had _______ the future hall of famer on his offense. Take that into consideration for the "best ever."

After what many considered a career ending injury hes won an MVP, and been to a Super Bowl in different seasons.

Majority of fans are spoiled because of the Pats success the last 11 years. Im one of those people given my age. His success shouldnt be taken for granted because we will never see this ever again for the Patriots....let alone in the NFL.

 

[pheenix11]

You know whats funny, when we wins the Super Bowl next year there will be the turds who say he's only 4-2, he's still not as good as Montana, he was 4-0.

As if not making the playoffs or getting knocked off in the first round is BETTER than making the Super Bowl and losing.

Where the hell is the logic in that?

Brady will be the GOAT by the time he retires, if he is not already.

 

[Sparetire]

Life after tom brady will not be the same, it bet we will never succeed like we did with him.

Best QB in the past decade by a mile.

 

[Uncle Meat]

The Patriots wouldn't have even sniffed the Super Bowl without Tom Brady this year...they wouldn't have even been in it, barring anything that happened in the Baltimore playoff game. People need to remember this.

The bashing coming from some places is so over the top it's incredible. Tom Brady has played so WELL in the past that it's unbelievable. I mean, the expectations are insane because he HAS looked perfect at time. Well, nobody is perfect.

...and I'm a Bills fan saying this. I don't like Tom Brady, but I've been put in the strange position of defending him this week. The guy basically carried the team this year. The defense wasn't good, and the running game certainly wasn't the reason for the Patriots' success...no, it was the passing game, particularly Tom Brady. That's just obvious.

The Pats don't win the Super Bowl in a tight game, and all of a sudden people are proclaiming Brady has had it or something....I've read it. The notion is ridiculous. He brought the team to the Super Bowl, basically.

 

[sevengables_2207]

IMO, Brady was playing as well as I had seen him this year in the Super Bowl until he appears to get hurt on one of the hits/sacks. After that, his accuracy and pocket presence were off a bit, but he still hung in there and gave his team a shot down to the final seconds.

Barring the safety on the first possession and the interception, he was seemingly on top of his game. I too do not agree with the "marring of his legacy" rubbish and look forward to him leading the Patriots behind center each and every Sunday this upcoming fall.

 

[condon84]

Top 3 in the pantheon of Boston sports athletes.

 

[Harry Yelreh]

Terrific post, top to bottom. Much better thought out and written than a lot of what I'm seeing from people who get paid to analyze and write.

On the Montana comparison: Again, well said. Right now, you cannot say absolutely that one is better. That's one frustrating thing with the loss, a chance to put the debate to an end was lost (sorry Peyton, you're waaay in the rear view mirror on this now). People knock Brady for being 16-6 and now losing two Super Bowls, while Montana didn't lose any SBs. BUT, Montana was 15-7 career in the playoffs, and my math says 16-6>15-7. My common sense also says that winning five conference titles > winning four. Can't discount Montana's losses because they came in earlier rounds of playoffs; probably just the opposite.

Thanks, Rico.

I agree about the Montana thing. Exactly right re: early-round playoff losses. I really hope that someday Tom gets that 4th ring - the reasons are obvious, but in part it would be the crowning achievement that would do so much to cement his legacy. Collectively in our culture, we seem to have this idea that having a good season and not getting to the Super Bowl is better than having a good season, getting to the Super Bowl, and not winning. That's just silly. When Tom said afterward that he'd rather get there and lose than not get there at all, I was thinking "D**n right!" It's like that Theodore Roosevelt quote: the credit belongs to the man who is in the arena ... .

It should be pointed out - and I've been doing so numerous times over the last couple years - that in Montana's day, the NFC was so dominant that the NFC championship game was really the de facto Super Bowl. Well, as many people know, Montana - gasp - actually lost an NFL championship game (a game in which, coincidentally, he got hurt and his team blew a lead to the Giants). This cost him a shot at a feat - winning 3 straight Super Bowls - that ranks right up there with going 19-0. Is Montana belittled for this? For his team coming up short? For leading his team to so few points even though he had a great individual performance? No, of course not, and good for him. People really like that 4-0 Super Bowl record. And that's great - they should. But being unbeaten in the Super Bowl - against teams that were completely outclassed at least half the time - doesn't equate to zero failure elsewhere during the season or in the playoffs on attempted journey to the Super Bowl. In short, it always helps to be thoughtful and and to consider things like circumstance and context.

 

[tobias funke]

I would say that fans will appreciate this period once Brady and Belichick have gone.

No they won't. By that time it will be too late to appreciate it.

Yeah, the loss hurt. But what if Lee Evans holds onto that pass and they don't even go to the game? It's sports. Someone has to lose. Most of us still spent 4 months cheering the team on, and I bet most of us plan on doing it again.

If a couple of close Super Bowl losses are the worst thing you have to endure as a fan of a team, you've got it way better than plenty of other diehard fans around the country.

Brady gave it his all. So did everyone else on the team. The Giants were better that day. I started looking forward to next season the minute the game was over. Hopefully I'm not alone.

 

[Harry Yelreh]

No they won't. By that time it will be too late to appreciate it.

Too late for what, I don't exactly know, but I guarantee they will appreciate it.

I'm a fan of a certain team that not all that long ago went 11-2 and the fans were mad after the team had gone unbeaten the previous two seasons; after the 11-2 season, the coach said, "I suspect there will be a time when 11-2 looks pretty good around here." A half-decade later, the team was getting pummeled by record scores and having seven-loss seasons. Suddenly that 11-2 year was looked at as being in the middle of the team's "glory days." Funny how that works. Fans DO get spoiled by their team's own success, there is no question.

 

[tobias funke]

My point is that if you're not appreciating it at the time it happens, by the time you realize you should have, the moments will be gone and you can't get them back.