John Elway Interview: "Tom Brady is a Better QB Than Me"

[maverick4]

This grammatical epic debate is fascinating, but can we get back to praising Brady some more? =D

 

[zarakotas5]

You have a point, but only if you consider "than" a conjugation between clauses and not as a preposition. Still, you were not incorrect.

I still think it is inaccurate to imply Elway was wrong using "me."

I is correct. .

 

[maverick4]

I always considered Elway the #2 all time QB after Montana, so hearing him, an all time great, say this confirms for me that the debate is Brady vs Montana instead of Brady vs Manning

 

[VJCPatriot]

You have a point, but only if you consider "than" a conjugation between clauses and not as a preposition. Still, you were not incorrect.

I still think it is inaccurate to imply Elway was wrong using "me."

"Tom Brady is a better QB than me" is correct. This is because the pronoun me is the object of a preposition, in this case than.

 

[PatriotsReign]

That link led to a Moose Is Loose (on the Cowboys) video.

But I do believe that John Elway has always been generous with his praise. The sign of a confident guy is that he can call somebody else better than him, and leave it to other people to figure out whether they agree or not.

I sorta wish some Pats fans would get that hint and not be so damned thin skinned about some other QBs getting a little praise. As soon as one analyst gives a little praise to some other QB, he's announced to be "insane" or an "a-hole" here as if he doesn't get how good Tom is. They get it. Don't worry about that - they get it.

When you have guys like Marino, Montana, Boomer Esiason, and Elway calling you great does it really matter what Doctor Z calls you?

I must admit, you make a very good point!

 

[ChoWZa]

Great video

 

[Fencer]

Support for the debatable choice to use "than" as a preposition:

http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=82

Wikipedia also has citations from both Shakespeare and Samuel Johnson. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Than The latter is probably closer to being dispositive than the former, actually.

 

[Fencer]

As for Brady's exact rank in the QB pantheon, let's see how long he plays at what level.

I don't think it would take much more to prove he was the best ever overall, and I think he'll get there, but I could be wrong. Also, while I don't think Manning will leapfrog Brady yet again, I guess I could be wrong about that too.

Certainly I'd agree that Brady has surpassed anybody who was ever a significantly greater rushing threat than -- er, than him. This includes Young and Elway.

 

[apricissimus]

You have a point, but only if you consider "than" a conjugation between clauses and not as a preposition. Still, you were not incorrect.

I still think it is inaccurate to imply Elway was wrong using "me."

What you meant was "conjunction", but what you really meant was "preposition".

 

[Joker]

I speak Ro-di-lanese...so I'm out of this convo

 

[maverick4]

Wow I didn't realize this thread title would start a grammar debate.

 

[ClevTrev]

Actually you are incorrect.
The phraseology is "Brady is a better QB than I (am). I is proper usage. The present day vernacular accepts me as common usage, but it is not correct.

I love this, we are now debating grammar, as the Pats are so freakin' good, there is nothing else about which to argue. (Notice that I did not end that sentence in a preposition.)

PatsWickedPissah is correct in his grammar analysis.

 

[maverick4]

Has anyone else's writing ability and grammar/spelling sense completely deteriorated over the past 10 years due to computers?

 

[ClevTrev]

Has anyone else's writing ability and grammar/spelling sense completely deteriorated over the past 10 years due to computers?

It's nothing to be embarrassed about. With email, IM, texting, and everything else related to techno-communication, many have lost the ability to construct a complete sentence.

However, the day we get into discussing grammar on this forum is the day the Pats are so overwhelmingly good, there's nothing else to discuss. I call that a good day! Suggest we make sure to etch this in our memories, as these times don't last forever. It's important to enjoy it while it's happening.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Support for the debatable choice to use "than" as a preposition:

http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=82

Wikipedia also has citations from both Shakespeare and Samuel Johnson. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Than The latter is probably closer to being dispositive than the former, actually.

And to quote:

If you check the US and British dictionaries (including the OED) you will find that “than” is accepted as both a preposition and conjunction and, as a preposition, it requires the objective case. The OED says that it is only a conjunction but is used with the objective case of pronouns, an odd conclusion at odds with English grammar.

The British try to keep than as a pure conjunction but the examples in the OED, drawn from various sources over the centuries, show, not even they can resist this fairly recent change. Nor do conjunctions govern cases like the objective. I see nothing wrong with using than as a preposition, given motley origins and histories of prepositions in English.

We are in agreement. Since me is the object of the preposition, than, the title of this thread is grammatically correct.

I love this, we are now debating grammar, as the Pats are so freakin' good, there is nothing else about which to argue. (Notice that I did not end that sentence in a preposition.)

PatsWickedPissah is correct in his grammar analysis.

His grammar is technically correct, if he was a writer of the 19th century.
In point of fact, a good writer these days would avoid ending a sentence with "than I am" because it is an awkward sounding and archaic construction.

 

[ClevTrev]

His grammar is technically correct, if he was a writer of the 19th century.

VJC, if he were a writer of the 19th century, he be either be dead or the oldest man in history. All grammar-related comments including this one were made with a large dose of sarcasm.

What a ride this season!!!!!:cool2:

 

[TruthSeeker]

His grammar is technically correct, if he was a writer of the 19th century.

Shouldn't it read "if he were a writer..."

 

[VJCPatriot]

VJC, if he were a writer of the 19th century, he be either be dead or the oldest man in history. All grammar-related comments including this one were made with a large dose of sarcasm.

What a ride this season!!!!!:cool2:

LOL. Yes. It's pretty funny when the most you have to worry about is grammar and fending off the hack media trying to denigrate the Patriots' accomplishments.

Shouldn't it read "if he were a writer..."

"he was" should be correct. Check the chart below.

http://www.verb2verbe.com/conjugation/english-verb/be.aspx

If the pronoun had been they, "they were" would then be correct.
But the pronoun was he, so "he was" is correct.

 

[vyrago]

Has anyone else's writing ability and grammar/spelling sense completely deteriorated over the past 10 years due to computers?

No. My grammatical demise was due to teaching it for 30 years. As I used to say before I retired, you don't teach them anything, but they can unteach you everything.

However, don't not get the most wrongest idea, I truely loved teaching.

 

[unoriginal]

Ha, I actually learned something useful on this board! Like the "clutch" thread, I think both sides have acceptable reasons supporting I/me in grammatical comparisons.

I would also like to use this post to apologize to PatsWickedPissah for being presumptuous in my earlier correction.