Curran (again) - Are these Tom Brady's final days with the Patriots?

[Hyped]

Sports fandom is a fickle thing.

I used to be like, "If you weren't on the bandwagon from the beginning....you are a fair weather fan".... and get annoyed by training camp being SWAMPED in the summer of 2002 at Bryant College when I saw less than 100 people at TC the year before....

But over the years, I started to realize that EVERYBODY is a fan in equal standing. It doesn't matter if you started rooting for the Pats this week or if you were an original hard core fan since the team's inception in 1960. Yes, there will always be fans who only like "winners" or fans that only like one player and so forth.... or even gamblers for a single game.

To me...if you have ever sat on the edge of your seat and rooted for the Patriots/Brady ONCE...you earned your fan badge. There's no such thing as a "Super Fan"...some people are more serious about it than others...it doesn't matter...all that matter is the collective excitement and happiness we all experienced in unison watching Tom lead the Patriots to victory.

When I go to watch NFL games at bars...I like to watch different people and figure out their rooting interests in the games...some people are FFL fans, some like all NFL teams, some are gamblers, some are die hard loyalists to a team, some like specific players, and even some just like to gather around people/booze... it is what it is...

I am never going to rip someone's fandom...it doesn't matter....I'll high five you if you root for Brady or the Patriots...hell I even enjoy high fiving Niner fans when Garopollo makes a big play...same with Rams fans with Cookie....Seahawk fans with Hollister...etc...etc... but yeah...usually ex-Patriots on NFC teams not playing the Pats though....

 

[Jangles]

Regardless, if you are rooting for him to beat NE should he end up on another team you are declaring yourself to be a Brady fan, not a Patriots fan.

Boy - I remember when this board would viciously mock Colts and Broncos “fans” who acted just like that re: Goober. It’s sure sad to see people here turn into (or reveal that they were all along) “fans” like those.

Some pats fans are young enough that Tom Brady is the only QB they’ve ever known. In my case, he’s been my favorite player on my favorite team almost as long as I’ve been watching football.

Players come and go, but there’s never been a Tom Brady before. If he were to go to another team, and play the Pats. I truly don’t know how I’d root.

 

[luuked]

What’s the difference? Aren’t all Brady fans also Patriots fans and vice versa?

A Patriots fan isn't necessarily a Brady fan and a Brady fan not necessarily a Patriots fan.

Some will just follow Brady to a potential different team or stop following the team once he retires.

 

[Pape]

This system is MADE for AB. He would be flying.

modified version of what the stealers run ... lot of familiar parts for AB to pick up on

 

[TruthSeeker]

I thought the article was pretty balanced with a fair recitation of history and frustrations and without the mindless speculation.

That being said, the best team fit for Tom Brady as a QB is the New England Patriots. It has a good owner, a great coach, great defense and good special teams. It has some weaknesses on offense, but there's hope that these can be fixed. It has a great track record. He knows the offense and executes it well. They have a really good offensive coordinator.

It's not about the money; it never has been. It's about winning - and enjoying life. Yes, there are frustrations in New England. Guess what - there are frustrations everywhere. Unless the frustrations are so bad as to overcome the obvious advantages that the NE Patriots have over every other team, he'll stay. I'm betting he stays despite the frustration factor; the Patriots are by far the best fit for TB.

 

[Pape]

would tom brady leave? not if he had a choice in the matter... so for 20 years he's been making deals, and now all of a sudden he's going to hold the team hostage for the Brinks truck? Thats so far out of character .... its hardly plausible... Tom Curran should know better ... he's being "gaslighted" ...

as for Brady... He just wouldn't look good in a new uni...

 

[ViperGTS]

If he leaves I hope Wino gets his dream and plants TB12 multiple times. BB will have TB on the ropes.

Edit: 10 years after he retires, IF he leaves you will hear lamenting about how he never should have left just like every single other Pat that shot themselves out of town.

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

It must be a slow week...for him to start this up....

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

There are still plenty of times that Brady is making the play. Dropped balls & poor protection have hurt the team.

To dismiss that Brady is part of the problem is blind faith.

The people blaming Brady for virtually everything are too lazy to look at the evidence, though.

Case in point: Brady's throw missed Dorsett by a mile in the end zone. Live, we all asked WTF was Brady seeing? How could he miss him by 10 feet on a key 3rd down? Then you look at the replay from all-22, you see Dorsett running the route, you see Dorsett hesitate almost to a full stop, and then you clearly see that Brady's throw would have hit him perfectly in stride for a TD if Dorsett hadn't broken off the route. What seemed 100% on Brady was 100% on the WR.

Another example: Brady throws an easy pick targeting Harry. Live, we all asked WTF was Brady seeing? How could you throw it right to the defender? Then you look at the replay from all-22, you see Harry half-assing the route, rounding it off, and not coming back to the ball at all, and in fact ducking contact. What seemed 100% on Brady was 100% on the WR.

Brady made some bad throws. He's human. But film review shows that his targets were the ones, more often than not, failing to do their job.

 

[borg]

Brady made some bad throws. He's human. But film review shows that his targets were the ones, more often than not, failing to do their job.

You know the play calls to definitively come to this conclusion?

 

[Oswlek]

Case in point: Brady's throw missed Dorsett by a mile in the end zone. Live, we all asked WTF was Brady seeing? How could he miss him by 10 feet on a key 3rd down? Then you look at the replay from all-22, you see Dorsett running the route, you see Dorsett hesitate almost to a full stop, and then you clearly see that Brady's throw would have hit him perfectly in stride for a TD if Dorsett hadn't broken off the route. What seemed 100% on Brady was 100% on the WR.

Interesting, because this was one of the plays Matt Chatham touched on in his podcast. He put it on Brady not because of the throw being off, but because he felt Tom should have been more patient against a 3 man pass rush and work back to the single covered wide receivers, of which Dorsett was not.

Then again, he freely admits he was limited to the TV copy, so maybe he would change his mind if he saw the all-22.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

What’s the difference? Aren’t all Brady fans also Patriots fans and vice versa?

No, since you have people in this very thread saying that they’ll be rooting for Brady to beat NE should Brady end up on another team.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

You know the play calls to definitively come to this conclusion?

I have seen the same plays executed often enough to make an educated guess as to what was supposed to happen. Stopping a route when the QB is already delivering the ball is not part of the plan.

 

[farn]

The people blaming Brady for virtually everything are too lazy to look at the evidence, though.

Case in point: Brady's throw missed Dorsett by a mile in the end zone. Live, we all asked WTF was Brady seeing? How could he miss him by 10 feet on a key 3rd down? Then you look at the replay from all-22, you see Dorsett running the route, you see Dorsett hesitate almost to a full stop, and then you clearly see that Brady's throw would have hit him perfectly in stride for a TD if Dorsett hadn't broken off the route. What seemed 100% on Brady was 100% on the WR.

Another example: Brady throws an easy pick targeting Harry. Live, we all asked WTF was Brady seeing? How could you throw it right to the defender? Then you look at the replay from all-22, you see Harry half-assing the route, rounding it off, and not coming back to the ball at all, and in fact ducking contact. What seemed 100% on Brady was 100% on the WR.

Brady made some bad throws. He's human. But film review shows that his targets were the ones, more often than not, failing to do their job.

I agree with what you are saying. I’m also not saying that the offense’s woes are all on Brady.
I do think some posters go too far in absolving Brady of any responsibility. Brady has been good enough for the team to win (as evidenced by the 10-2 record). I also think he’s missed open targets in key spots (or was too locked in to #11).

 

[venecol]

My belief is that this is it. The end

The end of what? Are you moving to Ohio?

 

[LJRomanoff]

LA
Dec 5
68 degrees and Sunny
No Brookline residents sucking the joy out of life

50,000 homeless downtown
Everything is on fire
State government more oppressive than North Korea

 

[LJRomanoff]

which is why I want him to go to the Vikings, because he can win a Super Bowl there

Again, the Vikings are not in the QB market, and won't be swapping a 31 year old averaging a 112 QB rating per game for a 43 year old - even if that 43 year old's grandma's cousin's pet beagle once lived in Minnesota.

 

[LJRomanoff]

What’s the difference? Aren’t all Brady fans also Patriots fans and vice versa?

Not if he's on another team.

 

[Tony2046]

I just scanned through the last 5 pages and I can't help asking.....

Is there any actual news around this topic?

A cure's been found for the good old rocket lag.

 

[XLIX]

Some pats fans are young enough that Tom Brady is the only QB they’ve ever known.

The amazing thing is that it isn’t like it is only 12 year olds who can say that. Basically, if you are in your mid-20’s or younger, all you’ve ever known is Tom Brady (not counting injuries/suspensions).