Tag Archives: #GOAT

The Brady Difference-Part 2

This is one of the most ignorant theories used to discredit Brady’s greatness. Another lazy and tired take. Here’s my rebuttal to the haters who claim Brady’s only good against bad teams.

“Well Brady’s Success is due to the AFC East”

The AFC “Least”- Not quite true

The AFC East is thought to be the worst and most dysfunctional division in the NFL. Believed by many as the reason Brady and the Patriots are any good. My question is, are these teams really that awful and dysfunctional, or do the Patriots make them look that way? Using stats it shows that if you remove each division winner from each division, the AFC “Least” has the highest win percentage in the NFL (.457). Looks like that theory holds no weight.

“But Brady wouldn’t thrive in ANY other division!”

Once again the Tom Brady difference shows otherwise. Brady’s win % in every division proves the haters wrong. Let’s take a look.

Here’s the AFC win percentages. AFCE: 79% AFCN: 81% AFCS: 79% and 65% in the AFCW.

Here’s the NFC win percentages. NFCE: 81% NFCN: 85% NFCS: 75% and the NFCW: 67%

So Brady Vs NFC teams is 76% and 77% against the AFC. Another theory debunked, Tom Brady would be a dominant QB anywhere he played. Case closed.

“Yeah But he Needs to Deflate Footballs to win!”

The proof that Deflategate never happened will be In part 3 of this ‘Brady Difference’ Article. Science, math and evidence will be used, along with studies from the top scientists in the country. They’ve debunked the witch hunt called “Deflategate”

That being said, let’s see what’s happened since the second half of the famous AFC championship game. The footballs were inflated to regulation regarding PSI, and Tom Brady went off on the Colts in route to SB49 against the Seahawks. Two weeks of insanity ensued and the NFL had the game balls under lock and key.

Since The Second half Tom Brady has played the best football of his career, weird huh? With regulation footballs all Brady has done is Win three Super Bowls, two SB MVPs, broke the passing record and then broke his own twice! He was also League MVP, selected to two All Pro’s, 4x Pro Bowl selections, and led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. His record since then is 47-13 with 125 TDs, four SB appearances and three straight trips to the big game. The haters will say he gained an unfair advantage, his stats show he’s only gotten better while being under a microscope.

Ajc.com

How about a couple HOF QBs having Brady’s back. Joe Montana’ “It’s a stupid thing to even be talking about because they shouldn’t have the rule anyway.”

Dan Marino said “Every quarterback that has ever played the position understands that getting the footballs the way you like them before a game is part of the game. I mean I did it for years, Jim Kelly up in Buffalo did it, Tom’s doing it, Peyton Manning did it.” There was no unfair advantage at any point.

“Brady Doesn’t Have Any Individual records”

This is the Strangest thing I’ve seen from Brady Haters, so here’s a short list, just to show how nuts people get when talking about the GOAT.

Don’t forget about the 25 point comeback

“Brady Is the check down king”

There is this misconception that Brady doesn’t throw passes further than 5 yards. The problem with this theory is that Brady is 19th in the NFL throwing short passes. His 35.28% of short pass plays is better than quarterbacks like Big Ben, Luck, Ryan, Mahomes and the “Greatest” ever Aaron Rodgers.

The quarterback with the “most talent” Aaron Rodgers, who’s compared to Brady for reasons I don’t understand, throws short more than Tom.

Part 3 will include “Rodgers is better than Brady”, “The science behind Deflategate”, and much more. Feel free to give me any nonsense you’ve heard about Brady and we can put it on the list for the Haters.

He just likes Winning

Tom Brady- The Greatest Leader in Sports History

The Greatest Leader in sports-Tom Brady is going back to his 9th Super Bowl. Brady’s gone from the 199th pick in the draft, to arguably the greatest Athlete of all time. Brady’s play on the field is well documented, and his numbers are historic. The country has watched him grow as a player since 2001 and he’s gotten even better with age. Tom Brady could have 2 HOF careers, 2001-2007 and 2007-2018. It’s incredible what he has accomplished, and he has this team hungry to atone for last years’ Super Bowl loss.

Image Credit: NESN.COM
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Brady Is A Born Leader

Tom Brady has been a leader for the Patriots since his first start. Troy Brown was asked when he knew Brady was going to be great: “When Tom came to the huddle in Super Bowl 36.” Brown says “He was calm and said let’s go win this, I could see it in his eyes and I knew we were going to win.”

The Pats did drive down the field to win, just as Brown thought after seeing Brady’s leadership in the huddle. Tom was young back then, trying to lead players older than him. Brady recently has been dealt a new challenge. Leading players who are much younger than himself, and he’s done it for years now. This year in particular is amazing, with no teammates being over 15 years old when Brady won his first ring. Brady is just a born leader, and he’s found a way to reach every teammate, young or old.

Players Talking Tom Terrific

As New England is preparing for another Super Bowl, players are raving about Brady. Jason McCourty puts it best on why Brady is such a great leader: “After the game, you see Tom’s excited to celebrate with the offense, with the defense, with the special teams guys.” McCourty continues, “Obviously for a guy like Tom, this guy is the GOAT, you’ve seen him do it so many times that sometimes you take it for granted.”

The way Brady knows everyone from Gronk to practice squad players is truly amazing. Brady’s leadership quality is overlooked nationally, but not by his teammates.

One player who’s spent the least amount of time with Brady is Obi Melifonwu, who grew up a Patriots fan and is now a teammate of Tom’s, describes his quarterback: “He’s such a great leader. I can’t even say enough about his character and the type of guy he is, on and off the field. He’s the type of guy you want to play for.”

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Leading New Players, Young Players Or Vets…No Problem

Another new teammate Trent Brown: “He’s a great leader and it trickles down to the rest of the team.” Brown also said there’s one word that sums up all of Brady’s accomplishments: “There’s one word, GOAT, that’s it.”

Josh McDaniels said: “Brady is the first guy in the building to know a persons name.” Tom Brady is a living legend, yet somehow finds a way to connect with every player. Phillip Dorsett said: “We all know he’s much older than everyone in the locker room, but we do what we can to keep him young.”

The living legend was asked how he connects with every player so well: “I just play the role I can given the person and what I think they need at the moment.” Brady added: “It could be a rookie. It could be a veteran.”

The age gap this year is as big as it’s ever been, and Brady has mastered the art of relating to different generations.

Being a leader isn’t just about winning, it’s about being relatable, taking time to get to know your teammates, and no ones ever done it better than Tom Brady.

By Mike Quilty

Edited by Thomas Howland

Brady Passes Peyton For Another All-Time Record

Tom Brady Breaks Another Record

Tom Brady continues to solidify himself as the GOAT. The 41 year old quarterback is breaking records on a regular basis, last Sunday he added his name to another one.

Brady took over as the All Time leader in passing yards in (regular season and postseason games.) The MVP passed Peyton Manning for the top spot in Sunday’s win over the Jets.

The record breaking pass went to Sony Michel, a running back who is still working on his pass catching. Brady got that out of the way in the second quarter, finishing the game with 283 yards. The Patriots quarterback now sits alone with 79,416 total yards, but Tom just cares about the win. After the game Brady was asked about the newest record.

“Just wins” Brady said, “ I mean that’s what we are here for, to win games. I’m trying to be a part of as many of these as I can.” No surprise Brady deflected questions about his own record, He ended his answer saying, “I’m just here to win.”

Brady Passes Manning as the All Time Passing leader

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Every Week Another Record is in Trouble

Brady also tied Peyton Manning on Sunday as he reached 3,000 passing yards for the 16th time. He is now second in NFL history, behind Brett Favre who reached 3,000 yards 18 times. Tom will easily break that record too, as long as he can stay on the field for three more years.

Tom can pass Peyton Manning again this Sunday, as another regular/postseason stat is up for grabs. One touchdown pass from Brady on Sunday will make him the All Time leader in combined TD passes.

TB12

Via Nj.com

Tom Brady already has the Super Bowls, the postseason records, and now is finishing off the rest of the regular season records. Of course he won’t play forever, but in the meantime no record is safe. Brady isn’t in it for these records though, right now his focus is all about his favorite ring. “The next one” number six!

 

 

Max Kellerman – “Tom Brady has a wet noodle for an arm right now”

Tom Brady’s Camped out On Max Kellerman’s Cliff Watching Game Film

Tom Brady has been the focal point of Max Kellerman’s ridiculous career. Kellerman started out with a bang, saying “Tom Brady would be a bum in short order.” I’m not sure what his issue is with Brady, maybe Tom didn’t shake his hand at an event? Who can forget Max’s prediction that Brady will fall off a cliff. I’d like to remind Max Kellerman that those ignorant claims came on July 25th, 2016. Yes July of 2016. Max made two predictions. One was just ignorant, while the “cliff” comment was just not smart. Tom Brady has made him look foolish and ignorant.

Patriot fans all know that the days of Tom Brady dominating won’t last forever. He hasn’t played great in a couple games, but we’ve seen this movie before. Brady’s been part of a 6 game winning streak in 2018. He’s led this offense by scoring over 30 points per game for four weeks straight, tying an NFL record. I’m not a quarterback guru or a boxing commentator like Max so what do I know? Here is Max getting schooled by everyone on First Take. He actually said, “Brady finally did something,” speaking about the first game of 2018 and quickly got ripped apart.

After the first game of the 2018 season, Kellerman was laughed at by Steven A Smith, Damien Woody, and Molly Querim for not owning up to being wrong about the “cliff.” It’s quite apparent to everyone Brady has performed better at his age than anyone before him. It’s clear Kellerman the “TV personality” was way off, but enough about the cliff. After a couple subpar games and a single loss, let’s see where Max takes it now.

“A Wet Noodle For An Arm”

Kellerman’s latest hot take is now going after Brady’s arm. I don’t remember hearing much about this during the Pats win streak, but I’ll play along. Sure the last three weeks Brady hasn’t played like his usual self. He has 1 TD in 3 games. Two wins and a loss, and the loss is why this annual “Brady’s Done” take circulates through ESPN.

Brady’s arm is fine

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

As I watched the Patriots lose to Tennessee, I didn’t see the MVP, Tom Brady. I did, however, see that Marcus Cannon was out, the offensive line was banged up. I saw Brady trying to work with what he had, or didn’t have. Max Kellerman said, “Tom Brady has a wet noodle for an arm.” Max has been waiting for Brady’s demise since he started on ESPN’s morning show First Take. Max saw a “wet noodle arm” but completely ignored Tom Brady’s surroundings. Brady and the offense against Tennessee was a bad matchup from the start. Brady didn’t have his best game, but his arm strength was no concern.

Look At What TB12 Is Working With MAX

Max has no leg to stand on now that Brady has played well past his “expiration date.” I watched every snap of the Tennessee game, and I’d bet my house that Max did not. Like I said Brady didn’t play great, but instead of claiming he’s washed up, take a look around him.  I remember numerous passes hitting receivers in the hands, his arm wasn’t the problem.

Rob Gronkowski did not play, he is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. Brady had no protection as the offensive line was missing its best players. Dwayne Allen was in and out of the game which hurt the line even more. Brady’s weapons were not healthy, Sony Michel was limited coming back from a knee injury. Josh Gordon was targeted 12 times and had 2 receptions and multiple drops. Brady didn’t play well, I’ll admit that, but I’m not blind. With no tight ends, no protection, and a limited running back, who could’ve played well in that game?

New England had a bad day, it happens to everyone. Sorry, Max, it’s not the defense winning these games, that’s obvious. Kellerman’s latest hot take is nothing more than another ridiculous comment from a boxing commentator, who maybe should stick to boxing. Sunday, the Patriots will be back from their bye week. Tom Brady is going to come out on fire for the rest of the season, and Kellerman will be eating his words again.

 

Patriots vs Packers: Week 9 takeaways

Can you believe it? Week 9 of the NFL season has come and gone (yes, Week 9!), and what a week it was. Whether you were locked in on the undefeated Rams going down to the Saints or you were anxiously waiting for Brady to prove yet again why he is and ALWAYS will be the GOAT, it was an action-packed week for sure.  Let’s take a look at my week 9 takeaways from our match-up with the Green Bay Packers.

The Offense:

Photo via the New York Post

Last night, the hype around the number 12 was REAL and the world saw firsthand why the number 12 in Foxboro is indeed the greatest of all time. With Gronk and Sony Michel out, many wondered where the scoring would come from and how much damage our offense could do with virtually one running back. The questions were answered with an “all hands on deck” type of approach to this game which saw Cordarrelle Patterson become a goal-line beast, carrying 11 times for 67 yards and a touchdown (5.5 yards per carry average).

Not only did CP turn in a great performance, we saw Josh Gordon GO OFF for 130 yards and TD (prior to the game I predicted a 140 yard game with 2 TD’s for Flash) and saw James White continue to dominate defense’s from out of the backfield whether he was running the ball or catching passes from Brady and making plays with his sweet feet.

White not only caught passes from Brady in the game, but we also saw offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels go into his bag of tricks with a WR pass from Julian Edelman to James White for a 33 yard gain that was stopped just short of the goal line.

As a whole, the offense got contributions from everyone involved in the game plan and came out successful as time expired in this epic match-up. Tom Brady is 41 and still looks as poised, determined, and hungry to win as he ever has, which means the rest of the NFL is officially on notice (per usual). With Gronk and Michel due back soon, watch for this offense to become more lethal down the final stretch of the season.

The Defense:

New England Patriots defensive end Adrian Clayborn (94) chases down Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

 

The biggest takeaway for me last night which probably surprised most was the play of the defense and how well they caused havoc for Rodgers in the pocket. While the team may have recorded only 1 total sack, they also hit Rodgers 6 times and forced him out of the pocket often.

Tom Brady was vocal after the game about how well the defense played and gave credit where it was due, check out what he had to say after the game:

“The defense played spectacular, and 17 points against that offense is great,” said Brady. “You know, that’s a tough offense to defend. I mean, he could fit the ball into a lot of tight spots. They got off the field on third down, they were great rushing – I mean, it just looked like they had to work for every yard, and I know when they’re working for every yard, it’s a good night for our defense. So, it was a great team win.”

(article via Tom E. Curran)

Two players that personally stood out to me more than anyone else last night were Adrian Clayborn and Stephon Gilmore.

Clayborn for the first time this season seemed comfortable in the Pats defense. Clayborn registered 3 total tackles (2 solo), 0.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 2 QB hits. Hopefully, this is the kind of game that will get him locked in for the remainder of the season and remind fans why we signed him away from the Falcons in free agency.

The other player I need to mention here is Stephon Gilmore. Earlier this week Davante Adams came out and said that he does not think ANYONE can guard/cover him. Well, Gilmore did just that and posted a RIDICULOUS defensive stat line which included:

Thrown at 4 times

Allowed 2 completed passes totaling 15 yards

Did not allow a touchdown

Gilly 1 / Adams 0

Make no mistake about it, Stephon Gilmore as of now is the best all-around cornerback in the NFL! Look for the defense to step it up and carry this momentum through the rest of the season and hopefully a deep playoff/super bowl run.

Wrap-up

With week 9 in the books, the Patriots defense appears to be coming into shape and should build a ton of momentum going into their week 10 match-up with the Tennessee Titans. As for the offense, expect the same big numbers from the Brady bunch with huge reinforcements coming in the form of Sony Michel and Rob Gronkowski (hopefully).

 

Additional notes: The Patriots have signed former Oakland Raider, Obi Melifonwu. Melifonwu is a former 2nd round pick out of UCONN who has great size as a safety (6’4) and also fantastic speed (ran a 4.40 / 40-yard dash at the combine). Obi should immediately add depth and athleticism to an already solid secondary.

Don’t forget to visit BostonSportsExtra.com for more great coverage and articles surrounding our New England sports teams!

Tom Brady-200 WIN QB

200 WINS FOR THE 199th DRAFT PICK

Tom Brady is the only Quarterback in NFL History to win 200 regular season games. He has been a part of great teams throughout his career, which have contributed to this milestone. Brady would be the first one to deflect this achievement and speak about all the great players who have helped him get to this point.

On the other hand, Brady has put this team on his back many of times and won in spite of poor defensive play. That is something Tom would never say, so I’ll say it for him. He’s done more with less than any QB in history.

Brady reaches 200 wins

Via hubwav

Brady already held the record for most regular season wins for a quarterback. He passed Peyton Manning and Brett Favre last October, winning his 187th game, passing the previous record of 186 in a win against the Jets.

NUMBER 200 WAS A SHOOTOUT

Number 200 came against the hottest offense in the NFL through 5 games, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Because of Tom’s age, the media wanted this game to be a passing of the torch. A loss for Brady and a win for the young gun slinger.

Brady, just as he started his career, drove his offense down the field like he has, well 199 other times. His 39 yard strike to Rob Gronkowski set up Stephen Gostkowski’s game winning field goal. New England won 43-40 in this week 6 track meet, as the offense stepped up and traded punches with the Chiefs.

Tom Brady went 24 of 35 for 340 yards, with one TD and zero interceptions. He also got his team the lead back in the fourth quarter by scoring a rushing TD to add to his stat line.

THIS ISN’T OVER

For a quarterback to be able to achieve a record like this, it takes talent and longevity. Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback to have ever played in the NFL, and he’s not done yet. His relentless desire to win combined with the way he takes care of himself, has allowed him to be an extremely durable piece for the Patriots.

As Brady has said many times before, he plans to play until he is 45. But I can assure you it’s not for records like this. He is chasing that sixth Super Bowl Championship that New England fell short of last year.

Brady has his offense back

Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Tom is a walking Hall of Famer and he still isn’t satisfied. He is on a different level compared to other quarterbacks. Brady will look to win number 201 next week against a dominant Chicago Bears defense.

At the end of the day Brady has records stacked on top of records, but all he wants is more Super Bowl Rings. His dedication and love for the game makes everyone around him better. His Patriots are now 4-2, despite some writing this team off. Focusing on one game at a time, Brady is already studying the Bears defense to see where he can exploit them next week.

200 wins is quite the achievement, especially when he has 27 postseason wins on top of that. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are on to Chicago, trying to keep these wins coming.

 

Patriots Stock: Risers/Fallers

Patriots Stock Watch: Players rising and falling

photo cred- https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tom-brady-has-thrown-a-td-pass-to-an-nfl-record-71-players-and-heres-a-list-of-all-of-them/

 

Whats up #PatsNation?! I’m here to discuss the New England Patriots stock value on three rising players and three falling players who need to step it up as we continue to roll through this 2018 season. After a slow, frustrating start to the year the Patriots are finally getting in a groove which is a DISASTER for the rest of the NFL. Brady looks like Brady, the defense/secondary is improving, and Edleman is back and causing havoc for opposing team defenses.

Lets take a look at which three players I think have their stock on the rise and which three players stock is falling, shall we?

 

On the RISE:

  1. Julian Edelman:

Patriots fans rejoiced as JE11 finally made his way onto the field after a year-long absence. Not only was JE11 the shot of adrenaline this team needed, but he’s exactly what the doctor ordered for Brady. Julian’s impact showed INSTANTLY when guys like Patterson, Gronk, Hogan, Gordon and the guys in the backfield were able to get open with more frequency than prior weeks.

Look for this offense to get better and better each week with Julian back on the field

2. Jason McCourty:

After losing Malcolm Butler to the Titans, Patriots fans were left wondering what their secondary would look like. Sure, the Patriots had names like Stephon Gilmore, Devin McCourty, and Patrick Chung return but there still were questions that needed to be answered. It may be a blessing in disguise when the Patriots brought in a veteran presence and Devin McCourty’s identical twin, Jason McCourty (yet another Rutgers alum).

Many questioned if J-Mac would make the team out of preseason. I’m sure ALL of patriot nation is happy with the production from him thus far. J-Mac’s veteran ability has been noticed in the locker room and on the field as he has shut down nearly every WR who has lined up against him.

Be on the look out for the brothers McCourty to keep causing headaches for WR’s on a weekly basis.

 

3. Sony Michel / James White:

Yes, I know I said three guys but these two have been a dynamic duo in the backfield this season. Injuries have helped them become a force and both are succeeding quite nicely. Sony has come along nicely the past few weeks after fans were doubting his draft status, position and overall talent and capabilities at the NFL level.

James “sweetfeet” White on the other hand has always shown how great he can be for this team. It became more evident when Tom Brady himself called for more dosages of White in the offense. So far, all he has done is deliver.

Pending Rex Burkhead’s return, these two should continue to be monsters out of the backfield going forward.

 

Starting to FALL

  1. Dont’a Hightower:

Since returning from injury, the always reliable Hightower has just not looked like himself these first 5 weeks of the season. This has led him to be on the “fall” list.

Dont’a has not been recording the number of tackles that we would like to see these first few weeks. He has produced 9 solo tackles and 9 helpers for a total of 18 tackles in 5 games. This does include 1 forced fumble, but no recorded sacks. I would suggest moving him to defensive end here and there to help the pass rush. Unfortunately the linebacker core is so thin that unless a trade happens, a Hightower position switch isn’t in the foreseeable future.

If Hightower can remain healthy and get his legs back then look for him to make a HUGE impact for this defense and the run stop going forward.

 

2. Danny Shelton:

Danny Shelton was brought into New England to do one thing, and one thing only. STOP THE RUN! So far ,when watching the games live and in person, it seems like two guys have taken the starting DT jobs. Those guys are Lawrence Guy and Malcom Brown. They seem to have taken Shelton completely out of the picture when it comes to the run game. Hopefully it’s just a case where he needs more time to learn the defense, but we do need Shelton on the field in big games to plug the middle and disrupt the opposing team’s running game.

Look for Shelton to get some more playing time down the stretch and hopefully make a bigger impact on the field.

3. Eric Rowe:

Rowe is only 26 years old and a former second round talent, but good lord he has been ATROCIOUS in his time with the Pats dating back to last years Super Bowl loss to the Eagles. Also, he has been inactive a majority of the games thus far this season and is taking the form of a ghost.

Thankfully, guys like Gilmore, Devin and Jason McCourty, Pat Chung, Jon Jones, and Duron Harmon have stepped up and given this secondary/defense a HUGE BOOST when needed. It is now safe to say unless Rowe can turn it around, he is now more of a liability on the field than Ryan Gosling was in, “Remember The Titans”.

 

That ends this edition of stock up / stock down for your New England Patriots through the first 5 weeks of football.

Stay tuned for more great articles from myself and the other great contributors at Boston Sports Extra. Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @B_Murph1021 and visit https://bostonsportsextra.com/ to get more content on all your favorite New England teams!

Gronk spikes trade deal – No Brady, No Dice

TRADE TALK BEFORE THE 2018 DRAFT

Rob Gronkowski was almost traded to the Detroit Lions during the offseason, leading up to the Draft. After Sunday’s loss to Detroit, Rob Gronkowski was asked about all the rumblings of the trade. Gronk casually answered saying, “Yeah it happened, Tom Brady’s my quarterback, that’s all. Wasn’t going anywhere without Brady.”

Gronk and Brady

Staff photo by John Wilcox.

Before the 2018 NFL Draft, Bill Belichick was looking to deal Rob Gronkowski. Rumors of talks with the Lions and Titans were being thrown around. Bill was talking with his ex Patriot friends in an attempt to move the All World tight end. Adam Schefter went on WEEI’s morning show ‘Kirk and Callahan’ Monday for an interview about the situation. According to Schefter “It would’ve been a trade involving draft picks, that was the basic trade.” He continued on about Gronkowski, “He was the only player involved in the trade and it would’ve been a combination of picks.”

HOW GRONKOWSKI NIXED THE TRADE

During the offseason Rob Gronkowski was uncertain about things, he made that clear minutes after the Super Bowl. Since Gronk showed signs of uncertainty, Bill had to keep thinking about the team and its future. Bill has never been one to wait and see about a player, he makes the necessary moves for the team. Apparently, he did and the trade was pretty much done until Gronkowski caught wind of the situation. Schefter again noted, “Basically the deal was all but agreed to, he was going to go to Detroit, and when he found out he called the Patriots.”

Now, this is coming from an NFL insider, not the Patriots or Rob Gronkowski, yet it does seem to line up with the offseasons timeline of events. Gronk and the Patriots did have a meeting before the draft, which was newsworthy because it ended the trade speculation. As Rob Gronkowski said Sunday night, he wasn’t going anywhere without Tom Brady. So what was said during the meeting is unknown to the public, but the end result is clear. New England was the only team Rob Gronkowski would play for, it did not matter if it was the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. If Brady wasn’t throwing him the ball, he was ready to retire.

Gronkowski

Via USA Today

NO TRADE WITH A HAPPY ENDING

For Patriot fans, the meeting between the Patriots and Gronkowski’s camp, right before the draft worked out. Rob was adamant about what he wanted, which led to Bill Belichick and the Pats agreeing to keep the tight end. I’m sure Bill had his own demands for Gronkowski as well, in the end, it all worked out.

Rob Gronkowski wasn’t traded, his deal was reworked with incentives again. If he reaches those incentives he will receive $4.3 million this season. New England doesn’t have to worry about the cap hit because of Gronkowski’s new deal, it barely changes. So, in the end, both sides seem to have benefited from that meeting before the draft. For fans of the Patriots, everything turned out great. If it wasn’t for Gronk calling the team to have a meeting, a lot of things in New England could’ve changed not just the TE. Luckily this is in the past, everyone has one goal in 2018 and that’s bringing home the Lombardi.

Who Is the Greatest Footballer of All-Time: Lionel Messi

International championships or not, Lionel Messi is the greatest player to ever live. There is no one better. While some will argue Cristiano Ronaldo, or argue Diego Maradona is better. They are sadly mistaken. With Messi’s hat trick today, he has 48 career hat tricks and eight total in the Champions League, which gives him one more than Ronaldo’s seven. There is only one Messi and the world may never get someone quite like him ever again.

Messi’s Accolades

Let’s start with his club awards. Since 2004, Lionel Messi has brought nine La Liga championships in 14 years. That’s a 64% winning rate for him. In the five years, he didn’t win the league, Messi and Barcelona were the runner-ups four times. In Messi’s 14-year career with Barcelona, he has come in first or second place 13 out of 14 years. Messi has also helped bring Barcelona six Copa del Rey championships, two runner-ups, seven Spanish Super Cups, four UEFA Champions Leagues, UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. That is a total of 32 championships for club. In comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo only has 25 total championships, and he has played for four different teams over his 16-year career. All of that only makes up Messi’s club championships. For is individual honors he’s won five Ballon d’Or, been the runner-up five times and came in third once. He’s won FIFA World Player of the Year once came in second twice, Won the World Cup golden ball and the FIFA Club World Cup golden ball twice. In terms of championships, no one even comes close to what Messi has accomplished over his 14 years career.

Stats

Embed from Getty Images

Lionel Messi also has the stats to back up his accolades. Just for Barcelona, he has made 643 appearances scored 558 goals and registered 215 assists. That is only 17 goals less than Christiano Ronaldo, who has two years in hand on Messi. If you think Messi won’t score 17 goals in two years, you have never watched Lionel Messi play. Messi also has a higher goal per game average than Ronaldo with an outstanding 0.87 goals per game compared to Ronaldo’s 0.75 goals per game ratio. Now for internatonal play. Yes, Lionel Messi has never won any International competitions, but that doesn’t take away from his stats on the national team. In 128 caps he has scored 65 goals and tallied up 40 assists. Ronaldo might have better stats than Messi in some departments, but there is no doubt that Messi will eventually catch up to the majority of what Ronaldo has done. No matter where Messi plays, he dominates the field like no other athlete ever has. And that is why messi is the greatest footballer of all time

Tom Brady Will Be A Patriot in 2020 And Beyond

Don’t expect to see Tom Brady in anything else other than a flying Elvis Helmet

Tom Brady has said numerous times, in various ways, that he plans to play until he’s 45. He’s 41 now and the reigning NFL MVP, so what would stop him from playing barring injury? Many have speculated his relationship with Bill Belichick isn’t the Greatest, but this season things are getting back to normal. Tom’s contract is up after 2019, Some seem to think he will play for a different team if he doesn’t retire. I do not believe this is the case, neither retirement or relocation.

How long will Bill be around?

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After walking off the field last year under green and black confetti, Brady’s not done, not for a long time. As we know from Tom’s comments, he still feels like he has more to accomplish and more in the tank. Retiring after 2019 doesn’t add up with his attitude, not to mention his TB12 brand. Brady is different, he wants redemption after that Super Bowl loss. Tom also wants to do things nobody’s ever done before, winning more rings, and playing for the same team until he’s 45 goes perfectly with his attitude and his Brand.

Brady has said he always wants to be a Patriot until he cannot play anymore

Brady loves the Patriots

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Recently Patriot fans may have heard something they didn’t expect, or like about Tom Brady. NBC Sports Tom E. Curran went on WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe” radio show, saying if Brady doesn’t retire after 2019 he believes Brady will be in a different uniform. This is just Curran’s suspicion, so no need to panic.

Curran doubled down on NBC Sports Boston’s Early Edition, going as far as to include Gronkowski leaving with Brady. Now, Tom E Curran is and has been close to the organization for a long time. Let’s not forget he’s saying all of this, based on his observations and conversations. I respect his work, but unless it came from Tom E Brady himself, then I’m not buying it. Members of the media are fishing for clicks because of the lack of content, besides what’s happening on the field. Chalk it up to pure clickbait, the media just creates these stories.

My observation is a little different. Brady has now received his trainer back, Bill Belichick has seemed to have changed somewhat. The nickname “Chill Bill” has been used describing him this year. Also, the return of Josh McDaniels with a 5-year extension could mean Bill may be the one gone, not Brady. Basing what I’ve seen from Bill Belichick, and the newfound youthful spirit from Brady aligning with Josh McDaniels extension I see a completely different 5-year plan.

Five more years a Patriot, He’s not going anywhere

Tom Brady just a week ago told the world he wants to play 5 more years. His friend and offensive coordinator were stopped in his tracks from leaving for a head coaching job. Remaining with the Pats and a 5-year extension, I don’t think this is all a coincidence. Joe Montana left San Francisco at the end of his career, and Brady knows it’s not an uncommon situation. Seeing TB12 in another jersey would look very strange, fortunately, Patriot fans will never have to see it happen.

One thing about Brady is that he is a game changer, on and off the field. He’s shown that, with his training, diet, and performance. He doesn’t do anything unless it’s a calculated decision. Brady knows what he’s going to do already, he’s loyal to this organization to a fault. So when he didn’t get extended this summer, people started to believe the QB would be gone after 2019. As usual, Brady is the ultimate company man, took the deal knowing some things no one else is privy to.

I see a different 5-year plan from other media members. Sure the team may go year to year with Brady after next season. Or they could rework his contract again. Whether Bill is the coach or not, Tom Brady will be in the red white and blue for New England until he decides to hang up his cleats. Robert Kraft isn’t going anywhere, he’s already made his feelings clear through the Jimmy G saga, who his quarterback is going to be. Until Brady shows serious signs of decline, I believe he will be suiting up here every summer until 2023.