OFF-TOPIC Tom Brady

[Sid23]

Love him or hate him, it's pretty hard not to respect the guy after reading this. I had no idea how many obstacles he's overcome. And having the understanding to hire a quarterbacks coach in high school and then being man enough to see a psychologist (I think most men are not comfortable enough to do so) in college...good stuff. Shows no matter who you are, great things can be achieved with hard work.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/lee_jenkins/01/30/tombrady/index.html?bcnn=yes

 

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[FT1]

I respect Brandy's work ethic, his intensity and his leadership skills. The guy has earned everything he now enjoys. I live in Ann Arbor, and I'm married to a U of M Alum, so I naturally have respect for Brady. But, the obstacles he went through are tiny bumps on the road compared to what many athletes have endured on the road to success.

Brady's parents had the financial means to hire him a personal trainer and a QB coach. He also was in a position to work with a sports psychologist to help him through issues that the majority of high school & college athletes have to handle on their own.

Take a guy like Kurt Warner who went from bagging groceries to support his family, to winning a super bowl. He was undrafted, living in near poverty and worked his way up from that situation, through the Arena league to the NFL. In college, Willie Parker, was a bench warmer on a horrible North Carolina football team. He was undrafted and given no shot of making an NFL practice squad, yet he worked his way into a starting position and a Super Bowl victory with the Pittsburgh Steelers. To me, those are examples of overcoming huge obstacles.

Again, nothing against Brady, but his path is consistent with many athletes in the NFL. Starting out as a backup in high school, splitting time in college then being taken on the 2nd day of the draft is common for many NFL'ers. But, given Brady's success his story is more newsworthy..

 

[tchandy]

I have to agree with FT1. Brady had the opportunity to go to college and have his parents support him as he tried out for football. There are plenty of superstars out there today who have come from nothing to be superstars. Brady is good but he has a good supporting cast to back him up.

Tom

 

[andviv]

There are millions out there that had the backup and the genes to make it in many aspects of life. However they have not accomplished anything.

Granted, he may have started with some advantage, but he did something with the opportunity. It was pretty simple to just relax and live a mediocre life thanks to the "opportunities" he had in life.