9/23/2001 - When it all began: Happy Brady Day!

[tailgater]

Make that 2001...

Can't believe it's been so long. What a trip it's been.

Congrats Tom. Keep it up another few years!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

OK, I'll bite

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Yes I remember it vividly. The two days prior to the last time the Pats lost to Buffalo when they tried. That's where it all began...wait, what're we talking about again?

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Ah. Guess you meant 2001

 

[tailgater]

Dang! Can't edit the header?!

2001 of course.

 

[shmessy]

Dang! Can't edit the header?!

2001 of course.

No prob, I just did it for ya!

 

[dales804]

As we know, Mo Lewis Rocks.

 

[Bella*chick]

As we know, Mo Lewis Rocks.

I miss Mo.

 

[SVN]

It's Tom Brady Day

http://thebiglead.com/2015/09/23/it...er-about-the-week-brady-became-a-nfl-starter/

so kravitz was an ahole even 14 yrs ago.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Kravitz Quote:

The Patriots, who stunk when Drew Bledsoe still was in possession of all his internal organs, will be woeful with somebody named Tom Brady.

lol

 

[NashuaPats]

He's the greatest QB of all time and still going strong. He's worth over $100 million, he's married to a super model, and he has three beautful healthy kids. It's Tom Brady day every day.

 

[PATS16N0]

Happy Tom Brady Day!

 

[Tony2046]

So that's the day Kravitz became obsessed with the Pats. He knows more about the Pats than he does about the Colts.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

This is also a good place to point out that 2001 was near the beginning of the idea of "power rankings" and that likely the best NFL sportswriter of that era, "Dr. Z" of Sports Illustrated, had labeled the Patriots as the very worst team in the NFL after the Bledsoe injury.

In fact, that Tuesday column was likely published the same day that Tom Brady had his very first practice as an NFL starter.

"This is sad. Drew Bledsoe took a big hit and is out indefinitely. Honestly, I don't know what weapons they have with which to win a game"

The CNNSI link is now dead, but this is covered here: http://www.patspulpit.com/2015/2/24/8097471/patriots-ranked-dead-last-in-week-3-of-2001

It was not a crazy idea that we were that bad, either. Coming off a 5-11 season, losing a franchise QB, going to a total unknown, and without a lot of "buzz" about any big name draftees or big ticket free agent acquisitions.

I remember the WEEI "whiner line" after the Bledsoe injury. There were not many believers even imagining what was about to happen.

But we should all remember this when people are discussing Brady's unsurpassed career won/loss percentage and then some moron will chime in "Yeah, but he was lucky to step right on to a Super Bowl caliber team"

That's not the way it went.

 

[sb1]

September 30 2001. Pats 44 Colts 13. Brady's first win as a starter.

And Bryan Cox destroying Jerome Pathon. That hit served notice to the rest of the league that we were not the "Patsies" anymore and they better start taking us seriously.

 

[Mack Herron]

Nobody knew. As Belichick himself has said, if he had any idea how good Brady would become, he wouldn't have waited 198 picks and nearly 6 rounds (compensatory selection) before drafting him. Brady is writing his own history, and what a read it is. As we eagerly await Tom's next chapter, I'll hoist one for Tom tonight.

 

[PatsWSB47]

September 30 2001. Pats 44 Colts 13. Brady's first win as a starter.

And Bryan Cox destroying Jerome Pathon. That hit served notice to the rest of the league that we were not the "Patsies" anymore and they better start taking us seriously.

I'm so lucky to have been at that game. Brady didn't throw much but even then you could see he had the "it" factor. The Pats didn't get much respect all year. I remember the tv playoff promotion didn't even include the Pats even though they won the AFC East.

 

[letekro]

September 30 2001. Pats 44 Colts 13. Brady's first win as a starter.

And Bryan Cox destroying Jerome Pathon. That hit served notice to the rest of the league that we were not the "Patsies" anymore and they better start taking us seriously.

Easy to say now, but I can honestly say that I thought all those years ago that that Bryan Cox hit was a transformative moment for the team. It was almost as if black and white became color.

 

[Tony2046]

Happy Tom Brady Day!

That is a must see video. Classic Hopper. "Wait....I haven't told you about the sequel....every year....every year! " hahaha

 

[jmt57]

I can't recall who, but I distinctly remember some here - perhaps @PatsWickedPissah and/or @patfanken - who were at the training camps at Bryant College, talking about Brady and being thoroughly impressed with him back in 2000 and 2001.

I will have to admit though that when Bledsoe was injured against the Jets, at the time I too figured that it was going to be a rough year for fan of the Patriots. This was a team coming off a five-win season that was now without their three-time Pro Bowl starting quarterback on top of their top playmaker (Terry Glenn), who was already suspended for the season after producing over 2100 yards of offense in the previous two years.