2018 TB Off-Season Thread
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I give him 2 years max. Going to soak in this next season because it very well could be his last.
I’m convinced that they include a few omissions/controversial takes to increase presence on social media. A plausible but hotly debated list is more valuable to them than one that is strictly accurate.
"We ranked the top 20 most dominant athletes: You will TOTALLY BELIEVE who is #1!!!"
No doubt. That doesn't fully explain, much less excuse, the enormous disparity between Brady and a QB he should be ranked above. But yeah....
I was not even aware that ESPN had put together such a list, and would still not be aware of it if there wasn't discussion in this thread about Brady being 17 slots below Manning . . . so yeah.
It does, sort of. New England fans have a huge chip on their shoulder when it comes to Brady being underrated, especially when it comes in comparison to Manning. And when Pats fans start talking, fans of other teams start talking back. Some editor probably looked at a list that had Brady at #4 and Manning at #20 and said "You know what? Switch them. That will get Patriots fans chirping, and then fans of other teams will talk back about the Pats and Brady cheating, and our story is off to the races."
It's a well that will be drawn from for the next 20 years.
I hear what you’re saying but ESPN could have achieved the same objective and simultaneously maintained some plausible deniability had they simply ranked Manning ahead of Brady in any way.
Maybe I live in an unusually sane football fan bubble within the NY/NJ area but the non-Pats fans I interact with routinely say that the Brady-Manning debate is now a joke and that Brady has ended the discussion. So while I get that Pats fans are super sensitive in the wake of all the silly Gates, at the same time I think that many non-Pats fans would look at that disparity and immediately conclude that the relative ranking makes no sense. In short, ESPN didn’t need to reach this far to get the attention.
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I noticed that the URL shrinks to "...dy-to-retire"...first had to check the calendar, then read the blurb. Now I just need that blood pressure and heart rate to drop back to acceptable levels.
Kraft ok with TB12's contract
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23103977/new-england-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-comfortable-tom-brady-contract
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23103977/new-england-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-comfortable-tom-brady-contract
Not worth its own thread...
In Edelman's IG stories today, he is getting his thighs rubbed by Alex Guerrero. Has he always been on the TB12 plan?
In Edelman's IG stories today, he is getting his thighs rubbed by Alex Guerrero. Has he always been on the TB12 plan?
Pretty sure when they were at the Montana cabin in Tom vs Time, the two were debating it all and Edelman said something along the lines that he combines the two, AG and traditional weight training.
Hey guys... Brady will not be at the open of the Patriot workouts coming up. He's going to be at a Best Buddy event in Dubai.
Just be ready for all the "this is more dissension in the Patriotland" hot takes that will be rolling in and ignoring all the work Brady has already been doing at the team facility voluntarily.
Just be ready for all the "this is more dissension in the Patriotland" hot takes that will be rolling in and ignoring all the work Brady has already been doing at the team facility voluntarily.
I think we know why the real reason Tom isn't at Patriots practice.
He's trying to stay one step ahead of the law...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/sketch-man-threatened-stormy-daniels?utm_term=.ygb4Q02m3M&bftwnews#.egMWR87mKn
He's trying to stay one step ahead of the law...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/sketch-man-threatened-stormy-daniels?utm_term=.ygb4Q02m3M&bftwnews#.egMWR87mKn
Look, if you run the wrong routes, Brady is going to let you know about it.I think we know why the real reason Tom isn't at Patriots practice.
He's trying to stay one step ahead of the law...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/sketch-man-threatened-stormy-daniels?utm_term=.ygb4Q02m3M&bftwnews#.egMWR87mKn
Qatar a nice cover story for being in Vegas. Brady probably can find some expanse of sand in the desert that he can pretend is Qatar for Instagram photos.
Meanwhile he can check out his possible future home stadium for when Belichick trades him to the Raiders.
Adam SchefterVerified account @AdamSchefter 3m3 minutes ago
Patriots’ QB Tom Brady still has not committed to playing in 2018, even though people who know him believe he will back coming season, league sources told ESPN.
Patriots’ QB Tom Brady still has not committed to playing in 2018, even though people who know him believe he will back coming season, league sources told ESPN.
Wow talk about a worthless tweet. “Tom Brady isn’t coming back! But really Tom Brady is coming back!” Adam is better than this...
Man, what the heck is going on. Is Brady angling to get more access for Guerrero? I guess he's got the leverage here, he doesn't need to play to live his life. But after watching Tom vs. Time, I got the impression he needs to play.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-rumors-tom-brady-leading-‘pushback’-against-bill-belichick’s-culture/ar-AAvZNqT?ocid=ientp
And what does "along with the team's success" mean? It went "out the door"? The success is wearing on him?
God, I'm glad the Sox, Celtics, and Bruins are winning right now.
So, Brady doesn't like taking less so others can get more AND others not being paid? Okay.
And what does "along with the team's success" mean? It went "out the door"? The success is wearing on him?
God, I'm glad the Sox, Celtics, and Bruins are winning right now.
Actually, I don't blame him--he's getting asked over and over if Brady is coming back, so he's being very literal. "Tom has not said that he is, but I think he is"---now stop asking me.
I wish I could chalk this thread and the Gronk thread to people having too much time on their hands. But, honestly, I can’t. Something is different.
Best case, this is TB and Gronk rubbing BB’s nose in their discontent, and we move on. I am hoping for best case.
If this is a power play against B.B., it is ill timed and not likely to work.
If this is two guys honestly wrestling with retirement, they owed and owe the team a heads up.
Best case, this is TB and Gronk rubbing BB’s nose in their discontent, and we move on. I am hoping for best case.
If this is a power play against B.B., it is ill timed and not likely to work.
If this is two guys honestly wrestling with retirement, they owed and owe the team a heads up.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady still has not committed to playing in 2018, even though people who know him believe he will back for the coming season, league sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
The lack of any official word from Brady, either privately or publicly, has left some to admit that, while they do believe he will play in 2018, they cannot say that for sure.
"My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don't know," one source told ESPN. "I don't know."
There's no question that Brady wants to play football, but he turns 41 in August, wants to spend more time with his family, and there are people around him who would rather see him retire, sources told ESPN.
Even those who expect him to play know there are circumstances that do not make it automatic that he will return.
"I believe he's going to be there," another person who knows Brady told ESPN. "However, having said that, we're dealing with a human being. Things can change. But I do believe he will be playing."
A lack of clarity from Brady won't alter New England's need at the position, but it could affect how aggressive the Patriots will be in acquiring one. The Patriots have been examining options in next week's draft, and many around the league believe New England -- armed with two first-round picks and two second-round picks -- will use one of its high picks on a quarterback.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23228840/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-yet-commit-playing-2018-season
The lack of any official word from Brady, either privately or publicly, has left some to admit that, while they do believe he will play in 2018, they cannot say that for sure.
"My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don't know," one source told ESPN. "I don't know."
There's no question that Brady wants to play football, but he turns 41 in August, wants to spend more time with his family, and there are people around him who would rather see him retire, sources told ESPN.
Even those who expect him to play know there are circumstances that do not make it automatic that he will return.
"I believe he's going to be there," another person who knows Brady told ESPN. "However, having said that, we're dealing with a human being. Things can change. But I do believe he will be playing."
A lack of clarity from Brady won't alter New England's need at the position, but it could affect how aggressive the Patriots will be in acquiring one. The Patriots have been examining options in next week's draft, and many around the league believe New England -- armed with two first-round picks and two second-round picks -- will use one of its high picks on a quarterback.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23228840/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-yet-commit-playing-2018-season
Sounds like the media is trying to make a story about Brady's missing the opening of voluntary OTA's. But they need to do it carefully, so they thread the needle so to speak: Let's not talk about Brady's missing OTA's; instead, let's just do more empty speculation about the ending of Tom vs. Time, Guerrero vs. Bill, Gronk, etc.
Players in general don't owe their teams anything beyond what's agreed to contractually. This applies in spades to Brady. If Brady feels after a couple of months away from the game that he wants to spend more time with this family, or that he has had enough unreported concussions, he owes it to himself first and foremost to walk away.
Guys, you can poo-poo this all you want and say it's nothing. I'm not saying he's definitely retiring, but there's been a lot of smoke from multiple sources that Brady is not happy and that retirement is on the table. Would retirement shock me now? Not at all.
This one definitely feels more real given the Gronk situation, Butler, etc. Really sucks that the Jimmy timing didn’t work out but they don’t come within a strip sack of #6 with him so still no ragrets.
The 2018 draft will be both exciting and horrifying.
The 2018 draft will be both exciting and horrifying.
If it’s a health thing, it will be forgiven. But if he just decides he’s done after all his “I want to play until I’m 45” talk, both his legacy and the team management will take a huge hit. Because this team dumped his successor in the middle of last season in part because it looked like they could count on Tom for another 2-3 years at least. And the guy they let go because of that has looked very much like he could have continued the team’s success for another decade.
I hope this isn’t true, for his sake as much as for the team’s. Tom’s been too unselfish throughout his career to let his legacy get dinged at the end.
I hope this isn’t true, for his sake as much as for the team’s. Tom’s been too unselfish throughout his career to let his legacy get dinged at the end.
100% agree with this...there was a report a month or so ago where Gronk indicated he would return if Brady returned, and everyone assumed that meant Gronk was returning...maybe Gronk knew Brady was wavering. Where is Kraft on this? If there is an issue here it is obviously between BB and Brady and goes back to 2017, perhaps also including the SB and Butler.
Curran's article is the weakest one I've seen from him by far. He brings up the quotes from Solder, Amendola, and Lewis, but forgets to add some important context in each case:
Solder: Nearly all of Solder's letter was about how well he was treated by both Belichick and the team while his son was undergoing treatments. Instead, Curran quotes a couple of the opening lines about New England sometimes being a difficult place to play. Guess what: most players on every team are in fear of getting cut; that's life in the NFL.
Amendola: Curran ignores the fact that Amendola was soon surpassed by Edelman in production after he arrived, and that Amendola willingly took less money rather than attempt to find another landing place when he had the chance in past seasons. Either he really liked it here, or his market value wasn't what he wanted to it to be until this past offseason. And no coach is going to explain a playing time decision of another player to a depth WR.
Lewis: I loved Dion as a player, but he doesn't seem to be the brightest bulb in his comments. He signed an extension here his first season, so he obviously didn't feel unappreciated then. And his comments about his playing time early this season and in the Super Bowl are beyond puzzling.
I guess Curran would prefer to see a team of happy but overpaid veteran players that are past their prime playing for a 5-11 team.
If Tom had told BB and Kraft behind closed doors that there were no promises, that while right now he'd like to play until he's 45, he will make that decision at the end of every season in consultation with his family, do you think the Pats would have done anything differently? Do you think they would have traded Tom because of his failure to guarantee? Because I don't. The Patriots made a calculated gamble, and Tom doesn't owe them 2-3 more years.
There's no chance TB12 hangs it up by the way, for 2 reasons:
1) TB12 method loses cred
2) He goes out on a really sour note in terms of how the fans would perceive him, saying he would play until mid-40s, watching the team trade away Jimmy, then calling it quits. Instead of being completely bulletproof for the rest of eternity in NE there would be mixed emotions from the fans
1) TB12 method loses cred
2) He goes out on a really sour note in terms of how the fans would perceive him, saying he would play until mid-40s, watching the team trade away Jimmy, then calling it quits. Instead of being completely bulletproof for the rest of eternity in NE there would be mixed emotions from the fans