Two years ago I attended a New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots game at the Super Dome in New Orleans. It was during the Saints Superbowl run and the dome was rocking. The dome is always a tough place to play. It could be deafening in there and on this night it was exceptionally loud. It was my first game to see the Bless You Boys play since I was about 10 years old. Me and the Kenilworth Krew (all of my childhood buddies) were there and it was a special night. The Saints were undefeated and the Pats were coming in to the lions den. This game would be the Saints big test. The football world wanted to know if they could play against the big boys and their field general Tom Brady. This was the mighty Patriots.They were 2001-2003-2004 Superbowl Champions. They have a genius as a head coach and the dynasty label.
The Pats took the early lead and it looked like Brady was well....Brady. Boom boom boom score. Looked like two outcomes were going to happen in my mind. Either the game was going to be an all out shoot out because Brady looked very sharp, or it was going to be an embarrassing blowout for the Saints and it would start a downward spiral. The kind of loss that sends a team like the saints in to a 5 game losing streak, a playoff loss and a total let down.
What actually happened was Drew Brees was perfect, the crowd stood up and got crunked and I learned something about the leader of the Pats - Tom Brady.
Our seats were in the club level of the dome behind the Pats Bench and I saw some things that stuck with me that night. What I really took away was that Tom Brady was a total Punk. It wasn't one particular play but his whole game. This dude had happy feet. He was such a punk when it came to sitting in the pocket. He panicked like a you know what when Greg Williams started sending the pressure on him and once they began to knock him around, the punk just went in to hiding. I had seen it during the their Super Bowl game against the Giants. He just can't handle pressure and will even take a fall if the pocket collapses. I am talking about a guy who is considered one of the best QB's ever and he is a punk in the pocket. Yes, he is smart, talented, and when he is on, he will eat you alive. I am also aware that no QB likes to be hit, but I would expect him to Man Up. He reminds me of Dan Marino who I got to see up close first hand. As great a passer as Marino was he was a little whining baby and as that game progressed against the Saints, I saw how he just went in to a shell. That night I realized who he was - a front runner on an extremely great team in the early 2000's. Do you realize how awful the Pats have been in the playoffs in the past 4 years. One and done baby. They've lost to teams who put pressure on Brady and have no respect for him - specifically the Ravens, Jets and Steelers.
Looking at him play the Buffalo Bills today, I realized just how 'fragile' his mindset is and how he gets rattled.
He is way too Hollywood now and maybe he feels he should not be hit, or he is above being touched. Either way, I think his Super Bowl run is OVER and only he is to blame. He will continue to put up numbers because that is the nature of the watered down NFL we are seeing now but he will not have the guts to man up, sit in the pocket, and lead his team when the pressure is on. He benefited from a great team in the early 2000's and yes he is talented but when it's all said and done, at the end of the day, TOM BRADY IS A PUNK
No comments:
Post a Comment