Appreciating the greatness of Tom Brady
I'm sure there will be a few negs, as there are more than a few Brady haters out there. Was very interested how Brady's skills and leadership would translate, without the "genius" of Bellichek backing him up. Sure hope JJ gives us a repeat - 25 years later. All HAIL the GOAT.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:15 AM ^
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/12/29/tom-brady-bucs-playoffs/
Man, I'm an idiot in trying to upload the Washington Post story link. Apologies. MODS delete if necessary
December 29th, 2020 at 9:16 AM ^
He is the GOAT plain and simple. Nothing more needs to be said!
December 29th, 2020 at 9:16 AM ^
Yeah - he is amazing. What he has done at Tampa Bay helps debunk the haters who inaccurately labeled him as a system quarterback who owes all of his success to belichick. Coach B has a losing record without Brady. Brady has triumphantly led Tampa Bay to their first playoff appearance in 13 years.
Your loose connection to JJ was not very clear or well articulated, but here’s hoping JJ has some of that Tom Brady greatness!
December 29th, 2020 at 10:31 AM ^
Man, thanks for clarifying the JJ thing. I was really lost. I am not on a first two initials name basis with Mr. McCarthy.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:44 AM ^
Neither is 99%+ of this blog, despite the fact that loads of board regulars would have you believe they're close friends with the entire team.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:58 PM ^
I believe the NE Patriots are about -5 wins and the Bucs about +5 wins with Brady moving. That is pretty damning evidence with no coaching changes on either side going into this year.
December 29th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
I'm not a hardcore NFL fan, but just looking at Belichick's record before Brady and with him seemed to make it clear to me that Brady was a lot more than a cog in his system. Belichick went 36-44 in Cleveland and then 5-11 in his first year in New England. He's had one career winning season in years when Brady is not his starting quarterback.
December 30th, 2020 at 5:44 PM ^
Belichick is Brady's Scottie Pippen - made great by the GOAT.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:30 AM ^
You the Bruce learned anything on how to keep this up when Brady leaves?
December 29th, 2020 at 9:31 AM ^
Took most of the season but it looks like Brady is finally gelling with all that fire power he has. If their defense can hold up, more so the secondary, they have the potential go deep into the playoffs. I'm not sure they can beat the Saints or Green Bay in the NFC, but they have a chance.
Since his first full season as a starter, other than 2008 when he was injured and out for the season in game 1, he's only failed to make the playoffs in 2002 (which was his first full season starting). That's 18 straight seasons he's made the playoffs.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:29 AM ^
And he went to the Super Bowl in half of them.
OMG, what a record.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:17 AM ^
TB has already beaten GB once this year so.....
December 29th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
They did, but GB has really come on since that game and is really hot right now, plus it would be @ GB instead of Tampa. GB is incredibly tough to beat in the playoffs at home... of course no fans negates a lot of the GB home field advantage, but GB would still be favored by a decent amount.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:32 AM ^
I already appreciate Tommy more than he'll ever know. Unless he's read my letters. But that can't be true, b/c then he would have written me back, or called, or invited me over to his house for a long weekend. Of course, not eheheheehAHHAAHHAHAHAHHAAhhahahhh ... ahem.
anyway +1
December 29th, 2020 at 9:33 AM ^
It will be very interesting to see what New England does at quarterback next season.
I also hope we get to see a TB-GB conference championship.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
The Battle of the Bays would be fun. Especially cuz I've got young relatives in Green Bay.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:33 AM ^
Not sure you're actually talking to many (if ANY) Brady haters on this site, OP... LOL!!!
You're point is valid, though - TB12 has proved himself beyond any reasonable doubt. G.O.A.T.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
It's amazing to see what he's doing at his age. I still think their defense is going to prevent them from going to the Super Bowl, but TB did a good job of surrounding TB with possibly the best supporting cast he's ever had.
December 29th, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
He holds everyone accountable in that locker room and that raises the level of play of everyone on the team. That is one one of his best attributes. They continue to get better each week and now with incorporating Antonio Brown into the offense, they are very dangerous. They have as good a chance to get to the SB this year as anyone in the NFC.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
Do you really feel it is a 50-50 chance ("as good a chance to get to the SB this year as anyone") that TB could beat Green Bay (in Green Bay) in January? If so, you should lay some money down now on a betting site that TB will reach Super Bowl. You will find some attractive odds. Vegas considers Green Bay the favorite in that discussion.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:25 AM ^
Lambeau? January? Tuck rule Part Deux? I hope they play the game in a snow storm.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
Of course GB is favored. They have home field advantage and get a bye. With that said and more to my point, there just isn't a dominant team in the NFC this year and that is why I give them a good chance. Brady, along with Rogers are both great shitty weather QB's. That would be a very fun game to watch.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
Because it’s “as good” a chance it’s not 50/50 to beat Green Bay. It’s actually the same chance that Green Bay has to make the super bowl which is not 50/50.
the straw man answer is 1/7 because there are 7 playoff teams. However Vegas has Gb at 2:1 right now so he more likely thinks that Tampa had 2:1 odds to make the super bowl
December 29th, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
I thought that Brady would end up this year like the other HOF QBs who left the the team of their glory years for another grasp at greatness, only to end up beaten and shellshocked playing for a shitty team.
Boy was I wrong.
From the WaPo article:
"Twelve times in playoff games, Brady led the Patriots on last-minute drives to win in the fourth quarter or overtime, somehow conjuring comeback victories out of what seemed like losing circumstances. That’s double the number of any other quarterback in NFL history."
December 29th, 2020 at 10:06 AM ^
It fascinates me that "goat" used to only mean a person blamed for a team's failure but now that meaning has been overtaken by the acronym GOAT.
Oh, yeah, on the field Brady's the GOAT.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^
My favorite is people who say that Patriots wouldn’t have made the playoffs with him and now he has all these weapons which is the only reason he is succeeding. Every good player needs other good players to succeed, so that is a poor argument. Peyton had Wayne and Harrison and multiple legit slot guys. As well as James at running back. That’s how it works. Before this year Tom had the worst supporting cast of any playoff team probably the last 3 years. Obviously the defense was very good, but the offense had no weapons. Basically a broken Gronk and some running backs that they utilized as “weapons”. Now he has a legit supporting cast at 43 and he is playing fantastic. Think of Tom with this offense over the last 5 years.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:27 AM ^
Think of Tom with this offense over the next 5 years. Anybody willing to bet against it?
December 29th, 2020 at 11:48 AM ^
Five years? I'm a fan and will only say good things but playing pro football at 48 years old feels a stretch. Heck, 40 & over is Senior softball, and at age 50 he could join the Senior tour of pro golf.
On the other hand, Tom Brady.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:18 AM ^
As much as I have enjoyed Tom Brady’s excellence I would prefer JJ giving us a repeat of Brian Griese’s career.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:18 AM ^
They should beat WFT in the wild card round. SEA should beat LAR and NO should beat CHI. So that puts TB in GB for the divisional round. That should be must watch TV.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:40 AM ^
Now that Tom Brady has changed which team he plays for:
Brady's reputation as the greatest QB of all time has been enhanced.
Belichick's reputation as the greatest Coach of all time has been diminished.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:54 AM ^
Belichick still impresses me as a coach. Maybe not GCOAT but a really good one, for the wins, but also for finding value in other teams' discarded players, and for switching players around for their greatest success.
Now as a person? I bet if I coached so many wins, I'd swagger, but he IS a diva. I don't mind the raggedy hoodies. What coaches wear don't bother me but he's dressing down to prove he's special.
December 29th, 2020 at 10:46 AM ^
Brady is 43, on a new team, elevated Tampa, and proved to be at least 3 games better than Belichick.
Obviously the reality is both parties were integral to the New England dynasty, but right now the vast majority of evidence with them separated shows Brady as the far superior part of the equation. The only reason this myth of Belichick being the genius and Brady being the generic plug-in existed was because one time Matt Cassel went 10-6 in NE (and missed the playoffs!).
December 29th, 2020 at 11:13 AM ^
If JJ is another Brady, I sure hope the coaches let him play and not randomly split time with someone else.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:31 AM ^
It is truly remarkable to see what he is still able to do at the ripe old age of 43. How he continues to hold off Father Time. He may not be the same player he was (physically) that he was ten years ago. Or even five years ago. But everything he brings to the table from a mental perspective, from leadership, experience, and just being able to will you to victory, all of that is just as good now as it's ever been. He's still able to play at a high level.
Its remarkable to see how much one guy can change an entire franchise like he has. The Bucs, despite having plenty of individual talent, were losers last year. They've been losers for the better part of 15 years, and they would've kept being losers this year had they opted to bring Winston back. Brady wasn't just responsible for trying to help this team win. He was there to help destroy a culture of being irrelevant, of being the forgotten, losing punching bag, which is what the Bucs had been for a long time until he got to town.
They're still far from a perfect team, and I'm not sure I can peg them getting past the divisional round based on what I've seen, but when you've got Brady at the helm and its January football, hey man, you've got as good a shot as anyone. He knows the postseason better than any player still in the league right now.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:07 PM ^
This is why culture matters and why ours needs an upgrade.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:07 PM ^
The WaPo article made the point of Brady setting an example:
It was always hard to sort out New England’s dynastic traits from Brady’s personal ones, but in Tampa, he has demonstrated that when the most prominent figure at the very top of an organization is the most exacting and hardest-practicing person in it, it’s tremendously influential.
“Players learn from players, and when you walk into that place and watch how Brady conducts his business, you know that’s how you do it in there,” Damon Huard, a backup from 2001 to 2003, once observed. As New York Giants Coach Joe Judge, who spent eight years in New England, said of Brady, “This guy, he set the tone of an entire organization.”
(snip)
Last year, the Buccaneers led the NFL in penalties. This year? They’re one of the cleanest teams in the league, drawing the 10th-fewest flags. With Brady under center in the past 10 games, the offense has been flagged just 13 times, with 37 overall for the season for 402 yards. Last year at this stage, their offense had been whistled 54 times. That’s roughly equivalent to an entire football field in yardage.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^
The phrase "it all starts at the top" could not be more relevant with Tom Brady coming to Tampa. The differences between how the team operates with Tom Brady, as opposed to Jameis Winston, are monumental.
Brady literally had to teach his teammates how to win. He had to blow up the entire culture, down to the foundation stones. Everything that made them irrelevant, laughable losers under Winston, he had to rip that out and start it over. Brady is far from being in his prime, but the culture he brings to Tampa, how to conduct yourself in practice and on Sundays, just the overall mindset, that is something that could last in Tampa a long, long time if they handle his succession correctly.
December 29th, 2020 at 11:31 AM ^
I unashamedly cling to Brady for my Wolverine football pride.
It would be great to see him at least make the NFC championship game this year.
The MSU loss is still too raw, but I certainly hope we can make some new memories.
The one thing we've lacked, besides a defensive line, is a quarterback. Maybe JJ gives us some hope by the end of next season.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:15 PM ^
It’s insane to see what he is doing at 43, though I think he is the first of the wave of new QBs who will play forever due to the rules on protecting QBs being around for much of their careers. I expect Rodgers to be in a similar position in a few years (wherever he lands).
Between Arians and Brady, the Bucs have made great choices over the past few years.
Hopefully, Brady can still play like this for another year or two. I don’t see Brees coming back next season, and even if he does, it will be his last IMO. Brady just needs 1 year without Brees to snatch the passing yards record.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
May the GOAT whisper in the ear of JJ. We need another great QB.
December 29th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
what else is there to say? He's the Goat plain and simple.
if he were to win it this year, i think that his career would be the best in all of sport, not just football...even now, i think you could make an argument for the greatest sports figure of all time another title with a new team at 42 would simply blow everyone else out of the water
December 29th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
The undisputed GOAT in America's most popular sport, and Brady played for the greatest athletics team in the history of the United States.
Good stuff.