Maybe I should save this for the end of the series, but ...
The series is called "Tom vs Time". If they show 3 hours of footage of him lifting weights, running rocky style, sitting in an ice bath, and watching film the critique would likely be "he's just doing what everyone else is doing, he thinks he's something special". Instead he is showing the kinds of things he actually does (which is a lot of what other athletes do). He watches a ton of film, he eats what he considers right for him, he not only uses a personal trainer - but takes him along on a guys weekend for treatment, schedules in workouts with the guys during the weekend away. It shows him making whatever magical smoothie concoction it is, and sharing it around. A little ball busting with Edelman over the weights versus pliability, etc. This is basically "this is how I roll" or maybe more accurately "this is how I roll to the extent I'm going to let you see it". I'm betting whatever powder was in that smoothie mix was an official TB12 product - but it wasn't shown. This biggest AG statement is "I'm not against weights, I'm for training your body for what you need to get out of it". Look at his body at 40 and what his combine photos looked at 20 - and Brady's right. His body at 40 is better than it was at 20 - and more importantly *to him* it feels better and allows him to do more of the things he needs to do.
I see nothing in this thing that is grossly commercial, or any claim of him doing anything dramatically special here - other than to say that the entirety of how he approaches his career is calculated to squeeze every ounce of results from his efforts. One episode called the "physical game", one called the "mental game", and this one called the "social game". These are the approaches in his life - from someone who took a nothing special physical structure of a body to being what is viewed by most to be the GOAT at his job. I see nothing where he is saying that his way is the only way - or the best way, but carefully that this is what is working for him.
Where I get annoyed is how this is perceived and ran with by the koolaid drinkers. I've already seen posts of "Brady is so far ahead of everyone else, he's taking his buddies out to train - no one else does that, he's the greatest ever!1!". He watches more film than anyone. He does this or that. By all accounts Payton Manning watched as much film as Brady. Many other great team athletes bonded with their teammates, hell the 70's Bruins team broke a teammate out of the hospital to take him drinking. If that isn't bonding I don't know what is. Everything that he does isn't itself a differentiator for Brady. Every smart/mature pro athlete is watching their nutrition, he gets no prize for that - hell Ray Allen's wife either is or became a nutritionist to help him be his best. Brady may believe his diet is perfect for HIS needs and be right or wrong, but there are a lot of athletes pursuing nutrition advantages. Lot's of athletes have pursued alternative physical training methods to assist their sport performances. Hyperbaric treatments, oxygen beds, etc. Andre Tippet studied martial arts for what it gave him in technique and clearly for what it gave him in general. Robert Parish practiced yoga (and I think martial arts) and was fedex-ed various herbal remedies in order to maintain his approach to longevity and played into his 40s. Hershell Walker studied and performed with the Ft Worth Ballet in order to stay flexible and pliable - for someone who believes flexibility and pliability is important for their profession it's a reasonable approach.
What this series is showing me is that in each and every facet of his life that he can control he is doing everything he can to maximize his efforts, and leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of every single scrap of achievement. The totality of what he does is the secret sauce to me - not any single thing. A doctor may say that X or Y is a placebo or can't be proven. That's fine, but the totality of what he does is key. Every rep, every moment matters. That is what I want kids to see. Here's the GOAT. He isn't sitting on his butt 24/7 playing video games, or eating poorly, or cheating the reps, or skimping the film sessions. But he isn't perfect. He enjoys hanging out with the boys - when the work is done and not to the detriment of what he has worked for. And it isn't just him. Other athletes achieving the most of themselves are often doing their versions of these same things. A single minded pursuit of everything they thought they could reach. A few hours after throwing one of his no-hitters Nolan Ryan was seen by a media guy while working out. He was asking why he wasn't out celebrating. His response was basically I'll celebrate when I'm done. There is no staples button for this kind of achievement - not for a musician, a dancer, an athlete, anyone.
It is cool watching Brady show us a portion of his approach. I already thought highly of his approach. This series doesn't raise or lower my perception of his professional preparation or approach to extending his career. I think the scariest thing about the series so far is confirmation that in the off season he does things that he enjoys - be it cliff diving, skiing, riding the off road vehicles, or whatever next months activity is. I'll be less shocked in the future if we here that he has hurt some part of his body doing one of these activities.
The series is called "Tom vs Time". If they show 3 hours of footage of him lifting weights, running rocky style, sitting in an ice bath, and watching film the critique would likely be "he's just doing what everyone else is doing, he thinks he's something special". Instead he is showing the kinds of things he actually does (which is a lot of what other athletes do). He watches a ton of film, he eats what he considers right for him, he not only uses a personal trainer - but takes him along on a guys weekend for treatment, schedules in workouts with the guys during the weekend away. It shows him making whatever magical smoothie concoction it is, and sharing it around. A little ball busting with Edelman over the weights versus pliability, etc. This is basically "this is how I roll" or maybe more accurately "this is how I roll to the extent I'm going to let you see it". I'm betting whatever powder was in that smoothie mix was an official TB12 product - but it wasn't shown. This biggest AG statement is "I'm not against weights, I'm for training your body for what you need to get out of it". Look at his body at 40 and what his combine photos looked at 20 - and Brady's right. His body at 40 is better than it was at 20 - and more importantly *to him* it feels better and allows him to do more of the things he needs to do.
I see nothing in this thing that is grossly commercial, or any claim of him doing anything dramatically special here - other than to say that the entirety of how he approaches his career is calculated to squeeze every ounce of results from his efforts. One episode called the "physical game", one called the "mental game", and this one called the "social game". These are the approaches in his life - from someone who took a nothing special physical structure of a body to being what is viewed by most to be the GOAT at his job. I see nothing where he is saying that his way is the only way - or the best way, but carefully that this is what is working for him.
Where I get annoyed is how this is perceived and ran with by the koolaid drinkers. I've already seen posts of "Brady is so far ahead of everyone else, he's taking his buddies out to train - no one else does that, he's the greatest ever!1!". He watches more film than anyone. He does this or that. By all accounts Payton Manning watched as much film as Brady. Many other great team athletes bonded with their teammates, hell the 70's Bruins team broke a teammate out of the hospital to take him drinking. If that isn't bonding I don't know what is. Everything that he does isn't itself a differentiator for Brady. Every smart/mature pro athlete is watching their nutrition, he gets no prize for that - hell Ray Allen's wife either is or became a nutritionist to help him be his best. Brady may believe his diet is perfect for HIS needs and be right or wrong, but there are a lot of athletes pursuing nutrition advantages. Lot's of athletes have pursued alternative physical training methods to assist their sport performances. Hyperbaric treatments, oxygen beds, etc. Andre Tippet studied martial arts for what it gave him in technique and clearly for what it gave him in general. Robert Parish practiced yoga (and I think martial arts) and was fedex-ed various herbal remedies in order to maintain his approach to longevity and played into his 40s. Hershell Walker studied and performed with the Ft Worth Ballet in order to stay flexible and pliable - for someone who believes flexibility and pliability is important for their profession it's a reasonable approach.
What this series is showing me is that in each and every facet of his life that he can control he is doing everything he can to maximize his efforts, and leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of every single scrap of achievement. The totality of what he does is the secret sauce to me - not any single thing. A doctor may say that X or Y is a placebo or can't be proven. That's fine, but the totality of what he does is key. Every rep, every moment matters. That is what I want kids to see. Here's the GOAT. He isn't sitting on his butt 24/7 playing video games, or eating poorly, or cheating the reps, or skimping the film sessions. But he isn't perfect. He enjoys hanging out with the boys - when the work is done and not to the detriment of what he has worked for. And it isn't just him. Other athletes achieving the most of themselves are often doing their versions of these same things. A single minded pursuit of everything they thought they could reach. A few hours after throwing one of his no-hitters Nolan Ryan was seen by a media guy while working out. He was asking why he wasn't out celebrating. His response was basically I'll celebrate when I'm done. There is no staples button for this kind of achievement - not for a musician, a dancer, an athlete, anyone.
It is cool watching Brady show us a portion of his approach. I already thought highly of his approach. This series doesn't raise or lower my perception of his professional preparation or approach to extending his career. I think the scariest thing about the series so far is confirmation that in the off season he does things that he enjoys - be it cliff diving, skiing, riding the off road vehicles, or whatever next months activity is. I'll be less shocked in the future if we here that he has hurt some part of his body doing one of these activities.
