As a career sportswriter-historian-journalist, I have had the privilege to observe-root for (quietly or otherwise)-admire-write about some of the greatest names in American sports annals.
Let’s start with Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski, followed by Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz; additionally Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Larry Bird. All amazing in their own right.
I include in this blog only stars of team sports. I will get to golfers and tennis players another time. I admire those professionals because they achieve on their own. The deliver or they starve — or at least don’t thrive.
But when you discuss team sports, especially around these parts, we’ve had some great ones. And after reading dispatches from sportswriters from all corners of this country, I have come to an obvious conclusion. None of them, including Bill Russell, winner of 11 titles in 13 years (though I did refer to him in glowing terms in a recent blog) measure up to Tom “Terrific” Brady when it comes to clutch performances on the biggest stage — the NFL, regular season, playoffs and, most significantly, Super Bowl.
No Boston professional athlete has carried the weight of a team’s fortunes like the northern Californian from the University of Michigan. He got the opportunity of a lifetime after being a sixth round draft choice (No. 199) and getting a chance to play when Drew Bledsoe got hurt; an unproven quantity who carried the Patriots to Super Bowl victories in 2001, 2003 and 2004, kept them a contender annually and carried them to the promised land an astounding fourth time last Sunday in Super Bowl LIX with a quarterback show for the ages. Thirteen-for-15 in the fourth quarter; 8-for-8 on the Pats’ final scoring drive against allegedly one of the great defenses in recent NFL times.
Simply put, no Boston athlete has delivered so often and so successfully (9 AFC title games, 4-2 in Super Bowls), with an immeasurable burden of pressure on his shoulders than the fearless Brady. And to deliver in such phenomenal fashion against the Seahawks, in the middle of Deflategate, with all kinds of history-making in the offing…….nothing short of astounding,
We can’t talk in these terms without the miraculous — nothing short of miraculous — defensive play Malcolm Butler made on the goal line. And no teammate has given the rookie from West Alabama more credit than Brady himself.
At 37, with three Super Bowl MVPs, four Super Bowl titles, NFL passing and winning records galore, a gorgeous wife and family, a dream home in Bro9kline abutting The Country Club (has he been invited to join yet???) and Hollywood looks to boot, Brady has no intention of retiring to his favorite rocking chair. He’s got more Super Bowls to win. My “bro-love” will continue.
My oh my. We are blessed beyond all of which we are worthy.