by Craig Colby
Despite my best efforts, I can’t hate Tom Brady.
By almost every sports fan metric, I should. He’s trashed my favourite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, beating them 12 times in 15 games, including eliminating them from the playoffs 3 times. He’s won 6 Super Bowls in his career, the same amount the Steelers have won in their team history.
Then there’s the supermodel wife, the $212 million in career earnings and the general handsomeness. To top it off, you can throw in the MAGA hat that was in his locker, the whining about his receivers, the stink around deflategate, and generally being the Greatest of All Time. Tom Brady is easy for football fans to hate.
But…. I just can’t do it. I can’t.
Upon Further Review
First of all, when you examine some of the reasons people hate Tom Brady, they fall apart. He didn’t wear the MAGA hat or even ask for it. Donald Trump sent it to him, like a fan throwing her panties at Tom Jones. Deflate gate was a sham. There’s no proof that Brady asked for footballs to be deflated, but even if he did, the NFL agreed that quarterbacks could pick the footballs they preferred before each game. That’s on the NFL, not Tom Brady. Also, the Patriots won that game 45-7. Explain how the pounds per square inch inside those footballs had any effect on that game. As for his relationship with his receivers, It turns out that the ones who can catch the ball actually love the guy.
How am I supposed to hate that guy?
Digging In
Look at the way Tom Brady became the Greatest of All Time. He wasn’t a sure fire, number one overall draft pick, blessed with peak physical gifts. At the University of Michigan he shared time as a starter with Drew Henson, whom everyone considered a much better athlete. All Tom Brady did was outwork and outcompete Henson. Brady was drafted in the 6th round of the 2000 draft. 198 players were taken ahead of him, including 6 quarterbacks. Teams thought signal callers Giovanni Carmazzi (49ers), Tee Martin (Steelers) and Spergon Wynn (Browns) had more upside than Brady. The Patriots already had Drew Bledsoe, a number one overall draft choice in 1993, as their starter. Brady seemed destined for the bench, if he managed to stay in the league.
What did Brady do? He introduced himself to Robert Kraft, the owner of the team, and said “I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.” Then he proved it. Tom Brady studied like crazy and worked his ass off to become the Greatest of All Time. Brady did what everyone is supposed to do. He turned adversity into motivation. He believed in himself. He worked hard.
How am I supposed to hate that guy?
As he’s aged, Tom Brady’s done what I sure haven’t been able to do – tame his diet to stay in peak form. Even with that discipline, he can still chug a beer like a champ. Respect.
Two Toppers
If his determination, hard-work, and discipline aren’t enough reasons to stop resenting Tom Brady, let me tell you two stories that should do the trick. Before Super Bowl LIII against the Rams in 2019, Brady was asked by a young boy how he handles the haters. Brady gave the greatest answer I’ve ever heard from an athlete at a press conference. He said, “what do we do about the haters? We love ‘em. We love ‘em. We love ‘em back because we don’t hate back. We appreciate it and we love ‘em and we wish them the best in their life.”
How am I supposed to hate that guy?
Then there was last weekend, when Brady’s Buccaneers beat Drew Brees’s Saints, in what was likely the last game of the Louisiana Legend’s career. After the game, Brady came back out on the field, hugged Brees, talked to his wife, threw a pass to Brees’s son in the end zone and told him to be nice to his sister.
How am I supposed to hate that guy?
Nope
I can’t. I won’t. I refuse to hate someone for being successful. When someone earns that success by doing everything right, I’m going to tip my cap to him. If they’re kind while they’re on top, then I will respect him. If anyone deserves a wonderful family, tons of money, great looks and success, it’s Tom Brady.
In the Super Bowl, when Tom Brady’s Buccaneers take the field against Kansas City and his heir apparent, Pat Mahomes, I’ll be cheering for… Kansas City. Brady may have my respect, but he’s also got 6 Super Bowl Championships. Let somebody else have some fun, okay?
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Craig Colby is a television executive producer, producer, director, writer and story editor. He runs a storytelling consulting and production service for businesses.
This post has been updated to reflect Tom Brady’s participation in the Super Bowl. It was originally written and published before the NFC Championship Game.