As far as I can tell, there are three camps when it comes to Tom Brady.
There are those who consider him the best football quarterback of all time and revere him.
And then there are those who can’t stand him, for whatever reason.
Finally, there’s another group, people who know just enough about him to be annoying. That would be me.
I’m not into football in the least and spend most weekends trying to avoid any sight of it on television. Games are everywhere endlessly!
I will tell you what I do know about him.
He is referred to as the GOAT, as in the greatest of all time.
I know he's most famous as a New England Patriot, but ended his career as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. I know his team lost what was his final game 31-14 to the Dallas Cowboys.
I remember a giant controversy in 2015. Wikipedia explains that Brady was accused of the deliberate deflation of footballs, which somehow gave his team an advantage over Indianapolis. There was a big cheating scandal. Someone will have to explain that to me, but I know it led to endless jokes about deflated balls.
There’s nobody who could miss the fact that Brady is incredibly handsome and fit. That’s likely a big reason by some people detest him.
As we all heard last week, he retired from professional football ... for the second time and "for good."
Here’s where my women’s intuition kicks in. My gut feeling is that a family decision was made the first time he retired. Women everywhere know Brady had been married to supermodel Gisele Bundchen and has three children.
I think his now-ex-wife had finally had her fill of living her husband’s dream. Imagine the missed events or those that had to be adjusted to his schedule. Every single New Year’s Day given up for a game or practice.
She had virtually given up her modelling career and likely other opportunities to fully support her husband’s career. My guess (yes, just a guess) is that she said she had basically done more than her fair share of supporting him and wanted more family time and also time to pursue her own dreams.
I think he agreed to that and called it a career, but then he threw a flag on his own play. Something happened and 40 days later he reneged on the agreement. Essentially, he made his choice and it wasn’t her. That may have also been the final straw for her and the marriage.
Looking past the fact he’s a hunk and they are incredibly rich with lots of prestige, there is still the basic day-to-day stuff. I can’t imagine he was a real treat to live with. Perfectionists rarely are.
Can you imagine a Brady brunch? The thought of trying to enjoy a meal with him sends me into high anxiety. Apparently, his diet has included non-organic, grain-fed dairy, refined carbs and specific fats and no bread!
My point is that he was so incredibly focused and dedicated to his craft that his personal life would have had to follow suit. After his comeback, even a casual observer could see the glint had gone out of his eyes. He wasn’t playing that great. Then came retirement announcement number two.
Someone that dedicated deserved to go out on a winning note and with a team that likely meant the most to him, which would I assume be the Patriots.
I still root for love and I think it's sad they couldn’t keep their family together.
So much good stuff still to come, I know.
Media reports suggest there’s a $375-million deal over 10 years from Fox as a television analyst.
Brady has a podcast, a clothing line and offers to do an in-depth documentary.
He’s makes a bit of a foray into acting in the new comedy Eighty For Brady.
So, yes, he has seven Super Bowl rings, but now no wedding ring.
Call me a bleeding heart. I wanted a happier ending.
I feel a bit deflated.
