I’m kinda starting to like old Tom Brady
I have a confession to make.
I’m kinda starting to enjoy old Tom Brady.
Don’t get me wrong. Last week's “reunion” embodied everything I hate about over-hyped grudge matches, and typical of such things, it did not fail to disappoint. But since escaping Bill Belichick’s “evil empire,” I’ve been surprised to see my anti-Brady stance softening.
I freely admit my bias when it comes to New England. I hate domination. Too much success, interchangeable parts that seem stripped of their personality subservient to leadership that we’ll generously say has... a loose relationship with the rulebook.
Pile on being from the wrong Big Ten school, Gisele, the whole “TB12 Method” thing, Philadelphia’s devastating loss in Super Bowl XXXIX and the equally joyful revenge of Super Bowl LII to make it personal and the arrogance (albeit far better supported by recent success than some — are you listening, Dallas?)
Finally, I simply like underdogs. Granted, I’d feel differently about it if it was the Eagles dominating — I’m also a total homer — but if I don’t have skin in the game, I will always pull for the plucky underdog over dominance. I have a long history in that department.
Something happened on the way to Tampa Bay — being told after 20 years his services were no longer needed in Foxboro — a personality emerged, and maybe, just maybe, Brady became a bit of an underdog for me.
No longer surrounded by the New England juggernaut, Brady proved at even this ripe old age he could rally a team around him and win the big one — without Belichick’s help. Certainly, Tampa Bay didn’t come from nowhere. Many of those pieces were in place. Yet, it cannot be ignored how difficult it is, even for a superior team, to win it all. Brady helped make that happen, and I don’t think it would have without him.
More importantly, he seemed to be having fun. Fans will be quick to point out that this is the same old Brady, I’m sure, but to many of us, it was the first time he didn’t seem like some sort of alien automaton.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s because he’s 44. That’s Vince Evans territory. As an old guy, I can appreciate that. I enjoy old guys showing youngsters how its done.
I heard somewhere he wants to play to 50. I’m all for it. Still, this is a difficult confession to make. I’m not comfortable with it, but I’ll own it.