12/21/24
December 17, 2010
Tom Brady Sees Super Bowl as His 'Divine Right': Tom Brady Sr., the father of the New England Patriots quarterback, said in a USA Today interview that his son takes a monarchial view of the NFL's championship game. "Tommy had a lot of success early on. [In 2006] he flipped the coin before the Super Bowl, walked off the field, through the tunnel and flew home. He said, 'I can't watch a Super Bowl I'm not playing in.' He feels the Super Bowl is his divine right. If he can get his team to another Super Bowl, that will be five in nine years. It darned near feels like your divine right."
I'm more offended by his choice of footwear.
posted by Ufez Jones at 08:17 PM on December 17, 2010
I thought I couldn't dislike Brady more. I was wrong.
posted by kirkaracha at 08:25 PM on December 17, 2010
I agree, kirkaracha.
posted by bperk at 09:35 PM on December 17, 2010
I admire that attitude.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:40 PM on December 17, 2010
As much as I want to slam Tom Brady for being a grade-A douchebag, isn't this an extension of the "I am only here to be a champion" attitude that we (we as a sports watching community, not necessarily SpoFites) encourage and desire from our champions? Or in other words, nothing more than an outgrowth of the "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" ideal we place on sports? I'm not saying I agree with it, but there seems to be a huge emphasis on winning as the ultimate goal.
Oh, and get a haircut, Tom.
posted by Bonkers at 10:58 PM on December 17, 2010
I think that I'm with Bonkers on this one. Also remember, his dad used the monarchial/divine right language, not him.
Brady's attitude is Jordanesque. I think that every fan wants their quarterback to demand this level of performance & achievement. You could hope they wouldn't come across as arrogant, but does nicer language really change what a winner thinks like & believes?
posted by brainofdtrain at 02:32 AM on December 18, 2010
I disagree with both of you, I'm afraid.
Maybe it's where I come from, but I prefer less of Brady, and more of this guy.
Best Bit: Miller's wartime exploits were to give him a greater sense of perspective when he returned to the sports field. When asked many years later by Michael Parkinson, about pressure in cricket, Miller responded with the famous quote: "pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse, playing cricket is not"
posted by owlhouse at 03:45 AM on December 18, 2010
Also remember, his dad used the monarchial/divine right language, not him.
That, and also, I don't get the sports public's insistence on false humility. It's just dumb.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:11 AM on December 18, 2010
In public, I want champions to be gracious in defeat. But when they are in private, I have no problem with it if they feel like Tom does. It's the ones who publicly disrespect their peers in defeat that bother me. I haven't watched Brady enough to notice if he's that way or not. (I'm in NFC Norris country.)
posted by TheQatarian at 11:03 AM on December 18, 2010
I'd be pissed about the framing of this post since "divine right" is a single bit of purple prose his father uses and nothing religious comes up in the rest of the article, except no prophet is respected in his time or country. Tom Brady is the Son of God and the represents the Second Coming and it's no surprise at all so many goats cannot see this. You will be condemned for not accepting his love and works. The hair should be a tipoff. C'mon guys: jump on the bandwagon before it's too late. You might have great hopes for a world without New England sports fans, but it will be a cold and lonely place. Until Satan claims you all. Accept the Living Brady into your hearts.
posted by yerfatma at 11:45 AM on December 18, 2010
It's impossible to tell whether "divine right" is Tom's ego or just his dad's, but I thought it was an interesting character detail. Brady sounds like he's as driven as Belichick.
posted by rcade at 12:12 PM on December 18, 2010
At the other end of the spectrum, we have Tony Romo, who seems happier watching the game from the stands with a blonde rather than being suited up and on the field.
(And, thanks to the article and Deion Branch, I have now found out that to "locker" is a verb. As in, "I locker next to Brady...").
posted by beaverboard at 01:24 PM on December 18, 2010
I'd be happy too if I was sitting next to her.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:51 PM on December 18, 2010
I'd be pissed about the framing of this post since "divine right"
Yep, I feel trolled.
I'm more offended by his choice of footwear.
And why do they need Brady as a spokesman? I was at one of the biggest malls in the nation yesterday, and Uggs were freaking everywhere, young girls, college girls, wives, mothers, grandma... and Uggs are generally pretty polarizing. So who is Brady appealing to? Who isn't in Uggs that will suddenly rush to the store because of Brady's endorsement? Maybe he is god.
posted by justgary at 04:08 PM on December 18, 2010
Plus, everything that Uggs gives you, Brady's already got -- in something other than a shoe.
posted by beaverboard at 04:54 PM on December 18, 2010
Speaking of footwear, have any of you Pats watchers noticed Shayne Graham's feet? They look like he went through an old-fashioned foot binding. A friend recently called my attention to them -- she calls him "Barbie-Feet".
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:10 PM on December 18, 2010
Funny, the divine right to the Super Bowl was not part of my liturgy in the religion I have built. In it, Brady is not God, Bill Belichick is, and Brady is his Son. I will have to put the Super Bowl part into the creed, right after the part about the immaculate draft choice. As religious holidays we have Bledsoe's Injury Day, Miraculous Tuck Rule Day, Festival of the Rings (a 2-week-long holiday period in the late January, early February time frame), and the biggest of them -- 199th Pick Day. Our services are held weekly from August through February, except on bye weeks. Services are outdoors when the weather is cold and snowy. I am still trying to put together a hymnal, but simple chants, such as "Let's go Pats" suffice for now. All are welcome to come and worship the "Flying Elvis".
posted by Howard_T at 03:51 PM on December 19, 2010
Howard_T, don't forget the black powder incense.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:46 PM on December 19, 2010
Brady must be haunted by the past if that's the way he feels.
If the Pats don't let the horse out of the barn in the second half against the Colts in the AFC title game, they go to the SB to play the Bears, which would most likely not be competitive.
Then they take their Armageddon team to the SB and lose to the Giants in surreal fashion.
Tom knows that he probably ought to have five rings at this point. Which would put him in uncharted territory for SB glory among QB's.