https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLCc9CPIip8
Forgive them, Tom, because they know not what they do.
That is the guy the NFL framed and vilified. That guy right there. Can you imagine how much hate he might elicit if he was actually the monster everyone seems to think he is? I don’t know if I could. I also don’t know if I can quantify in words his mental toughness. As frustrated and exasperated as he must have been with his name and image dragged through the mud over the last two seasons by vindictive owners and an empty suit commissioner, we found out this week he had more important things on his mind: the health of his mother.
Tom Curran (CSN) writes:
Brady’s decision to drop further appeals in the Deflategate saga was, in part, informed by his mother’s condition. There were much bigger fish to fry than battling all the way to the Supreme Court… It’s been interesting to watch Brady this season remain very positive and stoic about the “hand he was dealt” by the NFL in Deflategate. The serenity maybe was caused in part by the knowledge that there really were much more important things going on for him than lamenting his own situation in football. Much more important.
So no, Brady doesn’t want to (or have to, for that matter) answer all of the incessant questions on his friendship with the POTUS, or his role as mastermind in a fairy-tale deflation scheme, or respond to any and every envious baboon across the country questioning his place in NFL history. His concerns revolve around the people most important to him, his family and teammates. Staying in the family, Steve Buckley (Boston Herald) wrote a piece on Brady and his father, referencing the video above and the fact he lost his own father as a teenager. Powerful column. He pens:
For those few seconds he stopped being the G.O.A.T and this stopped being the run-up to the Super Bowl. For those few seconds he became some guy from California who loves his old man. He didn’t say anything profound. He didn’t cry. What he did was pause. What he did was shake, just a little, as he touched his knee, as he touched the microphone. Tell me you can’t identify with that. Go ahead. I can: my father died when I was 15.
I really recommend the read. Buck brings it. Staying with the same theme, Kevin Duffy (MassLive) wrote on Steve Belichick, Patriots’ safeties coach and the challenges of being son of Bill:
“I like to work for what I get,” he said. “I’ll always be Bill Belichick’s son to everybody in the media, but to the people who really matter — my friends and my family — I’m Steve. Those are the people I really care about. I couldn’t care less about everybody else.”
With all this father-son talk, I wanted to take this opportunity to share one of my favorite pictures ever, my brother, Dad, and I embracing after Malcolm Butler’s interception two seasons ago:
Here’s to hoping for a similar memory on Sunday night.
Coming into this season, we knew the Patriots were a good team. Yes, the Brady suspension would be a small blip in the road, but the team returned most of the impact players on defense, had some encouraging free agent signings/offseason trades, and a seemingly strong draft. Gronk and Bennett were going to be unstoppable, Scar was back to shore up the O-line, and Dion would be ready when it mattered. We didn’t know quite how good, until a 12 day stretch in December, when the team essentially manhandled the Ravens, Broncos, and Jets in consecutive weeks. Chris Price (WEEI) wrote about that defining stretch here:
While the challengers fell back, New England delivered a thunderous closing act, playing and winning three games in the span of 12 days. Through that stretch, the Patriots never trailed. They outscored their foes 87-29. They forced eight turnovers, and Tom Brady had a 60 percent completion rate, 808 yards, six touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 102.9 through that stretch. It was all in stark contrast to last year’s choke job.
As Chris opines, this was the (albeit extended) “Onto Cincinnati” moment the season. To eviscerate the tough talking Ravens, who have caused issues in the past, to exorcise the demons of Mile High, and to embarrass the Jets for the first time since the “butt-fumble” game brought an ear to ear smile to every player/coach/and fans face alike. Not only a physically tough ball club, this team proved they are a mentally tough one as well. They take after their QB. Now put all that crap that you have to deal with in the drawer, for one more week, and be at your best on Sunday. Let’s Go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeraSUrhpW4
Super Bowl Bonus Links:
- Matt Bowen (BSPN) illustrates the Falcons’ 15 “go-to” plays.
- PatsProp: Mike D writes on the future of Jimmy G, and Adam Magnacca provides an extensive Super Bowl LI Scouting Report.
- Tom Curran (CSN) continues to provide the most accurate and deservedly scathing Roger Goodell coverage, and certainly doesn’t change his tune in this one.
- Michael Lombardi (The Ringer) writes on what separates Bill Belichick from the rest of the coaches in the NFL.
- Michael Renner (Pro Football Focus) gives his two cents on how the Pats will defend Atlanta’s passing attack.
- Mark Daniels, who has had phenomenal coverage of Marty Bennett all season, comes with another winner of the 6’6 275 TE.
- Karen Guregian (Boston Herald) gives her all-time Patriots’ Super Bowl team.