OT: Tom Brady in "Dynasty" documentary
Haven't seen this posted elsewhere, but there was a short discussion in the New England Patriots documentary "Dynasty" about Tom Brady at Michigan and, specifically, his return to Ann Arbor during his suspension. I thought the documentary's portrayal (described by Nora Princiotti (Boston sports writer) and Jay Flannelly (Brady's A2 roommate)) was more negative on Tom's relationship with the team than the reality. The documentary made him seem unappreciated. Of course the battle for playing time will be intense, but I think that he has always shown support for his alma mater, and vice versa.
Anyone else watch it? If so, what's your take on that portrayal?
March 16th, 2024 at 12:02 AM ^
It’s a Robert Kraft puff piece to get him into the HoF. Everyone from Brady to Belicheck get put down so he gets portrayed like this angel owner.
Thought the doc was pretty lame to be honest. The Pats teams deserved way better recognition than this Bobby Kraft love fest.
March 16th, 2024 at 12:23 AM ^
I thought Kraft's puff piece worked in a strip mall in Florida?
March 16th, 2024 at 10:12 AM ^
The documentary is the puff piece, his FL strip mall is called the fluff piece
Kraft "massaging" the truth?
March 16th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
https://nflpa.com/nfl-player-team-report-cards-2024
27th ranked owner with a D+ grade. The players know.
March 16th, 2024 at 12:28 AM ^
I don't really get the deal with Brady and Michigan. Haven't watched Dynasty but I remember this article:
It tries to act like Brady had bad feelings about Michigan. I guess he was bitter--and probably still is--about the Henson stuff, but beyond that I'm not sure what the beef is. As the article notes, he was one of the people who called Harbaugh to convince him to take the job at Michigan. Also, the article ignores that this happened in 2014 with Hoke as coach:
So, whatever issues Brady has with Michigan, they can't be that bad.
Sports writers like to dabble or focus on the negative. Sometimes it’s greatly exaggerated. They need clicks. Sadly, these stories become ‘truth’ to those that don’t know the whole story.
Tom Brady is competitive. Not vengeful.
March 16th, 2024 at 10:35 AM ^
I saw research that said most people are bad at putting others into a "box".
Meaning most people are just misunderstood. I think that is the case with Brady.
He may be equal parts private, focused, and stronger than average amygdala, meaning he does have an emotional blip more than others (which makes him competitive).
But after some moments, or as time goes by, his family upbringing and interest in community cracks through and he wants the best for most, including his alma mater. He does do fun things like act in "Entourage", but generally his crew is also private, not-in-the-spotlight people. Brady also has varied interests in business, nutrition, and prioritizes time with his kids and pets.
He knows Michigan helped build him. But if he hung around all the years 2000-2010 after graduating and was the perfect friendliness with the U, then it is so hard to maintain that chip on his shoulder to be good in the NFL and show he was always the better QB in college. Jordan and others did similar. Practiced and focused.
When Brady comes up for air and is more public, he has some interesting takes. I'm surprised he spends so much time podcasting and surprised by the efforts to join a network in the last few years. I think he will go back to in-person strategy/advising with QBs someday, work on his other businesses, spend time with kids and significant other, and not be even as (barely) public as he is now.
Of course, I may be misunderstanding him, too, but at least we can say that only Tom knows...not an easy guy to put into a box...don't see any true animosity toward anybody or anything. He'd help you if you were his neighbor. He grew up with a good family and several older sisters and that has always been grounding.
Perhaps the Henson stuff was irritating for Tom while he was in Ann Arbor, which makes sense, but I think it was a key part in driving him to push himself throughout his career. He's constantly felt he had to prove himself with the Bledsoe situation or Garropolo, Deflategate, etc.
The idea that Brady has some sort of strained relationship with Michigan is one of those baseless falsehoods that simply won't die.
I could totally believe that Tom Brady didn't have the perfect time at Michigan given what it took for him to earn the full time starting nob against the ultra hyped underclassman Drew Henson. The Brady Six documentary mentions that Brady had thought about transferring at some point when Griese was head of him and perhaps in a transfer portal era, that very well could have happened.
That being said, I think the Brady Six doc also underlined how this tenuous position at Michigan sharpened him, giving him a "I gotta earn it every single day in practice" mentality that defined him in the pros, from usurping Bledsoe after "The Hit", through the peak Patriots dynasty and then finally the Tampa Bay years, where his work ethic notably inspired his teammates to keep up and reach his bar of excellence. That chip on his shoulder was, if not established at Michigan, very much defined here.
And for what it's worth, Brady at a minimum seems good with his alma matter. He wouldn't be instilling one of his sons Michigan spirit otherwise (US Today fluff piece, 247 fluff piece if you're less into celebrity tabloid sites), doing the aformentioned return as an honorary captain, or ribbing winless against Michigan OSU alumni CJ Stroud without at least a little fondness. If he does have mixed feelings about his time at Michigan, he seems to have put enough of it behind him to embrace the school where he can.
At least that's what I'm choosing to believe. In an era where Michigan football was often a source of pain within my family, Tom Brady's success in the pros gave my alumni dad something to root for in those dour Rich Rod/Hoke years, and even the early "couldn't get past the hump" Harbaugh seasons. So sure I'll let my nostalgia tint things here, regardless of what one Patriots centered documentary puts forward.
Megumin, I think your synopsis is accurate,
I finished watching the series last night. I thought the depiction of Brady's trip to Michigan and his history was fairly accurate. From what I have heard, he almost left Michigan. There is the story with pictures about the episode relating to fan appreciation and how Brady had almost no one in his line while Drew Henson had a long line.
I also thought that the story of how Brady and Bill Belichick grew apart was likely an accurate depiction of what took place.
Accurate, from what I can see...
I can believe that he had a hard time here when Henson showed up, but it wasn't so bad that he actually transferred. As far as his feelings after graduation, I don't think it was strained at all. He's never been an overly demonstrative person, and fawning over his alma-mater doesn't seem like something he'd do regardless of where he went to school. Throughout his career he's been making UM-OSU bets with the NFL's OSU alumni. Just because he doesn't wear a lot of UM gear all the time, or doesn't fly back to Ann Arbor - a location ~2000 miles from where he actually grew up as a kid - doesn't mean he has a bad feeling about UM. It means he moved on in his life.
Since Harbaugh arrived and actively started lobbying him to return, I do think his feelings of fondness have increased a little. At least, he seems more willing to look back an enjoy what he had, and also enjoy the love he gets now.
I thought Brady did well in the series. His personality it more of a "pleaser" rather than confrontational.
Kraft was shown for who he is, a delusional self-important, take credit for what works, blame others (Belichick) for what goes wrong . He and his idiot and cheap ass son like to play with the facts.
A Belichick hit piece! I don't think Belichick will be back in Foxboro to kiss the ring and ass of the Kraft's as they expect. Closest he's coming to Foxboro is Nantucket. Bet on Parcells (if able), LT, Harry Carson or Saban inducting him into the HOF.
You’re absolutely right. Princiotti has no idea what she’s talking about. Seemed like they purposefully left out Brady’s positive interactions with the team and with Harbaugh on that visit.