The Tom Brady Appreciation Thread

[revo]

I really don't like the guy, I don't. But what he has done in his career is nothing short of otherworldly. The guy is going to win the MVP Award this year at age 44. AGE 44!!!! He's having, arguably, the 2nd best season of his career at an age when most players have been retired for 10+ years. He'll throw for over 5,000 yards, eclipsing that even in 16 games.

Some other amazing stats that don't get noticed as much as the usual items:
- Brady's worst record as a starter in a single year was 9-7. Way back in 2002!
- with the exception of the 2008 season, where he missed all but one game, Brady has started every single game except for FOUR during the 2016 season. That's 293 out of a possible 297!
- taking out the 2008 & 2016 seasons where he missed time, he's thrown for >4,000 yards in all but two seasons since 2005!
- He's averaging the 2nd best Y/Gm of his career this season
- the only time a team missed the playoffs where Brady started more than half the team's games was way back in 2002

[chancellor]

Mike Evans and Antonio Brown might want to participate in this thread. I don't think I've seen Mike Evans not smiling this year, which is to be expected when a receiver of his talent actually has a quality QB throwing to him.

And it's not just the stats. He's taken less money and developed cap-friendly contracts for at least ten years running. Union leadership has to hate it, but they don't dare come out and challenge the GOAT, either.

[Redbirds Fan]

There are things you can dislike about Brady, but I strongly admire his work ethic and the way he appears to relate to his teammates, treating even the rookies with respect. Also, he appears to expect nothing from others that he is not willing to give.

I also admire his discipline, and wish I was more like him in that regard.

[umjewman]

QB at Michigan my freshman and sophomore year of college. And he’s still playing in the NFL, and I ache when I get out of bed sometimes. Unbelievable. His OC, Byron Leftwich, played 9 seasons in the NFL and started his career 3 years after Brady.

Was at his last game in a Michigan uniform, the Orange Bowl when he lit up Bama and we won in OT. And 90% of the university wanted Drew Henson to start over him (on another note, nobody threw like Henson - he would have been great if he didn’t go play baseball, I’m still convinced of this).

[revo]

To put Brady's remarkable durability into some perspective, Daniel Jones, in his less than 3-year career, has already missed five games with injury. Brady has missed only FOUR games in THIRTEEN seasons since 2009!

[Mithrandir]

Anybody who thinks that he isn't the greatest NFL player of all time is an idiot.

Greatest of the Big 4 sports? That's a great discussion.

[revo]

Anybody who thinks that he isn't the greatest NFL player of all time is an idiot.

Greatest of the Big 4 sports? That's a great discussion.

I would say yes, he is.

In baseball, you can be all-world great but still not lead your team to a title (i.e. Barry Bonds). Ever. I don't know enough about hockey but probably would include Gretzky in any conversation.

Arguably, any discussion like this would have to include Michael Jordan and, most likely, LeBron James. The problem I have with basketball is that it seems an All-Time Great can indeed carry his team for a long time, probably because there's only 5 opposing players on the court. But in football, to be this good AND win this much is just overwhelming. One guy should not matter that much in football, but yet it has.

[Bene Futuis]

1. Babe Ruth
2. Wayne Gretzky
3. Tom Brady
4. Michael Jordan
5. Lebron James

Others: Wilt Chamberlain, Gordie Howe, Walter Johnson, Jerry Rice, Bill Russell, Kareem, Jim Brown

We all know Rube Waddell is the greatest anything of all time but that just goes without saying.

[revo]

I can't include Ruth in the discussion. Definitely Top 10, but not top 5. He simply did not face the world's best at that time. He was the best among the players in MLB, and he revolutionized the game. But he never faced the best in the world. Ruth also had the luxury of having all-time great teammates. Brady, as we know, just walked onto a team and took them to a title.

[Bene Futuis]

I can't include Ruth in the discussion. Definitely Top 10, but not top 5. He simply did not face the world's best at that time. He was the best among the players in MLB, and he revolutionized the game. But he never faced the best in the world. Ruth also had the luxury of having all-time great teammates. Brady, as we know, just walked onto a team and took them to a title.

Lolwut? Ruth is far and away #1 and it ain't even close.


Edit: #1 among the big sports - other athletes in some "lesser" sports might have a better claim to the top spot

[Mithrandir]

Unfortunately injuries derailed his career, but Mario Lemieux was the most talented hockey player ever. Gretzky racked up points, but Mario was better

[Mithrandir]

Lolwut? Ruth is far and away #1 and it ain't even close.


Edit: #1 among the big sports - other athletes in some "lesser" sports might have a better claim to the top spot

Simone Biles is in that conversation.

[revo]

Lolwut? Ruth is far and away #1 and it ain't even close.


Edit: #1 among the big sports - other athletes in some "lesser" sports might have a better claim to the top spot

I’m not buying that, and many others likely feel the same. Not his fault, but how can he be considered the best athlete ever if he never faced black players? Or latinos? Or Asians?

Ruth may be the best American baseball player ever, but that’s not good enough for this convo.


If individual sports are considered, obviously Tiger Woods, Serena Williams and many others could be considered, but I’d think Brady tops them too.

[chancellor]

Ruth wasn’t even the best baseball player, much less the GOAT of GOATs.

[Bene Futuis]

Ruth wasn’t even the best baseball player, much less the GOAT of GOATs.

Easily the best baseball player (as well as the best baseball hitter) - again, not even close. And if we're punishing him for merely being miles better than his competition (a larger gap than any professional athlete in history, imo) based on the limits of his competition, then shouldn't we punish Brady for not actually playing against Latinos or Asians, too? Seems pretty arbitrary to just dismiss every baseball player out of hand who played before, what, the 1960s? 70s? 1947?


Edit: None of this should be construed as trying to diminish Brady, who I really think is clearly the best in NFL history. But to be on par with Ruth, he'd have to be twice as good (hell, 10x as good) as his competition on offense and also be an All-Star on defense. Oh, and he'd need to have a decent running game, too.

Edit 2: And also we are clearly arguing "best player" and not "best athlete" because neither Ruth nor Brady even comes close to the latter, lol. That would be Jim Thorpe? Michael Phelps? Simone Biles? Bo Jackson? Babe Didrickson? Joyner-Kersee?

Edit 3: I think I mistook what you were saying - obviously Brady hasn't been playing in a segregated league. Still, if we're going to base things on limited competition we're probably going to have to pick some goddamn soccer player as our #1 since they play a bunch internationally.