Brady's Good, But He's Not The Best
Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes in the long and lustrous history of Boston sports but anointing him the “Greatest Ever” makes Jerry Thornton a lot like the girls I went to junior high with. Look back at the Class Prophecy section of my 8th grade yearbook and every girl was going to marry one of the New Kids on the Block in the near future. And it made perfect sense. If you were a 14-year old girl in 1990 there was no reason to think that Jordan, Joey and Donnie weren’t going to be a major part of your adult life. At the time, NKOTB had won Grammy’s, played to sold out shows, had millions of fans and seemed headed for decades of success.
And then no one cared about them anymore. In the span of a year, New Kids on the Block went from the biggest musical attraction on the planet to a late night punch line. Now, Tom Brady isn’t the athletic version of NKOTB- he has a bit more staying power than “Hangin’ Tough”- but naming him Boston’s best ever athlete after just six seasons assumes that the present Brady is the forever Brady. And it does a great disservice to the four indomitable standards of Boston sporting greatness. Bill Russell. Bobby Orr. Ted Williams. Larry Bird.
Five Years Doesn’t Make A Career
There is a reason that athletes aren’t elected to their respective Hall of Fames after just one season. Great players have great careers. Tom Brady has had several great seasons but so did Tony Conigliaro. And Drew Bledsoe. And Nomar Garciaparra. Certainly, three Super Bowl titles in his first six professional seasons is a ridiculously impressive accomplishment. But if Brady’s career ended tomorrow (knocking on wood, knocking on wood, knocking on wood until knuckles bleed), could any Boston sports fan truly say that in just six professional careers Brady has accomplished more than Russell, Orr, Williams or Bird? Russell with his 11 NBA Championships. Orr with his dominance of hockey and his Stanley Cup heroics. Bird with his MVP’s and NBA titles or Williams, title-less but a first ballot Hall of Famer who lost several seasons to World War II and Korea.
Brady Is Great But So Was Montana…And Unitas…And Elway…And Graham…
As much as I love Brady, it’s hard to make a case that he is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Would the Patriots had been any worse with Joe Montana under center? Or Steve Young. Or Johnny Unitas. Brady has had a remarkable career but no one makes the claim that Brady is the standard by which all future quarterbacks will be measured. Brady could emerge as one of the no-questions asked all-time greats if his current quality of play and the Patriots’ success continues for the next five to ten years but even then his career would only match- and not surpass- the legendary careers of Montana or Otto Graham.
But ask any hockey fan to name the game’s best ever defensemen and Orr’s name is coming up. And if someone doesn’t mention Orr, their credibility is ruined. It is virtually accepted as fact that Orr is hockey’s greatest ever defenseman. Making the argument that Bird is basketball’s greatest ever forward or Russell the game’s greatest ever center is also reasonable. And Williams’ name is firmly planted on the list of baseball’s ten greatest hitters, a list determined over a century of baseball history, and inclusive of every, single position player, rather than just left fielders or third basemen or quarterbacks in the case of Brady.
Life Is Good
Brady is a stand-up guy, a tireless worker and the ultimate teammate but life in the NFL in 2006 isn’t exactly a personally taxing experience. Brady makes millions upon millions of dollars each year. His every want and need is met. He has agents, managers, lawyers, chauffeurs, personal chefs, trainers, masseuses and publicists. Certainly, Brady plays in an incredibly physical sport and his well-being is at risk every time he takes the field but off the field his life could not be much better.
Compared to the professional and personal experiences of Russell, Orr, Williams and Bird, Brady’s time as an NFL superstar has been a cakewalk. Russell dealt with sickening racism in a town that should have worshipped him. Orr was swindled by his agent and lost millions. Williams had to serve in two wars. And was under enemy fire in both. Brady’s dating an actress and goes to the ESPY’s.
Brady Only Plays Half The Game
It’s a fact of life in the NFL. Brady, as good as he is, can only impact one part of the game. For half the game, Brady is on the sidelines, watching the Patriots’ defense work. I’m not suggesting that Brady doesn’t work as hard as a baseball player or hockey player- his time on the field is obviously physically demanding- but the fact remains that Brady doesn’t stop Peyton Manning or Donovan McNabb. The Patriots’ defense does.
But Russell, Orr, Bird and Williams played offense and defense. The sports are different- Williams’ time in the outfield was certainly no more punishing than one half of one of Brady’s games- but Brady has the advantage of downtime. Russell, Orr and Bird rarely if ever left the game. Timeouts were their only opportunity to get a break, grab a drink and formulate strategy with their coaching staff.
Someone Got To Ease Into The Position
For all of Brady’s current status as one of the NFL’s best- if not the best- player, he was lightly regarded coming out of Michigan. We all know the story so I’m going to save us all the trouble of hearing about his low draft number for the 11,000,000th time. But Brady had a season to learn, to adjust, to settle into the life of a professional athlete.
Russell came to the Celtics and started from day one. Bird did the same. As did Orr and Williams. There was no opportunity for any of those players to grow into their roles. Orr was the future of the Bruins from the time he was 14. Red Auerbach anointed Bird as the next great Celtic. Russell came in with a pedigree that included two NCAA titles and an Olympic gold medal. Williams was a can’t miss prospect, hounded by a relentless Boston sports media. Brady had the opportunity to learn as he went along. But the pressure placed on Russell, Orr, Williams and Bird- and the fact that they exceeded those ridiculous expectations- makes their early success even more impressive.
Bill, Where Are You Going?
As impressive as Brady’s success has been, it’s hard to argue that Bill Belichick doesn’t deserve a large percentage of the credit. Belichick built a team and a system that Brady could excel in. That’s what smart coaches do. Orr, Russell and Bird all enjoyed similar success under coaches who understood how to best use their unique skill sets.
But what happens if Belichick retires after this season or next? What if Scott Pioli follows him out the door? Brady plays in a team sport. For him to be successful, the players around him need to perform. Sure, Russell, Orr, Williams and Bird played with more Hall of Famers but that has as much to do with the fact that Brady is still active as it does the quality of the players. If Jerry is ready to bump Brady up to #1 on his list of Boston’s best then I’m ready to declare some of Brady’s teammates Hall of Famers right now. Richard Seymour. Adam Vinatieri. Ty Law. Hall of Famers. Tedy Bruschi. Corey Dillon. Rodney Harrison. Willie McGinest. Borderline Hall of Famers. Not to mention Belichick, who’s destined for Canton. Brady has played with some great players, in fact, that’s what we love about the Patriots- they’re a great team, not simply a good team surrounding a great player.
Brady could become Boston’s best ever athlete. He could improve. But Jerry can’t predict the future and can’t guarantee that the Brady we know now will be the same Brady we know in five years. Brady is a great but Russell, Orr, Williams and Bird are simply greater.