Brady

Tom Brady wasn’t the best player on the field this past Sunday when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 30–20. In fact, despite his 40 touchdown passes during the regular season, one could see that the 43 year old struggled at times, showed glimpses of his brilliance, and mostly played a the role of solid NFL quarterback. The Bucs defense was the reason they won this past Sunday, just like it has been one of the best units in the league this year.

The Greatest

We’ve longed lived in the sports age of hyperbole. Every game we see is the best. Every young player is the next coming of Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, Joe Montana, and Ricky Henderson. As social media demands quicker, hotter takes, there are many who want to be first when it comes to identifying the next greatest. Maybe that isn’t just limited to this time period. Sports fans have long debated the notion of which sports era was greatest. It’s what we, as fans, do. It’s the opportunity to get lost in a debate that is essentially meaningless, even if we are emotionally invested in winning that argument.

The problem with this argument has always been our unwillingness to acknowledge present greatness. We are either looking to the past or the future; few of us live in the present. But, Sunday’s game was more or less an intersection of the two. The present met past and present and finally, at least in this one very small context, answered the question of who is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. The answer has been largely written in the past, as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had entered the game with four titles, a bunch of MVP Awards, and his name towards the top of almost every single statistical category. After the game, his future looks set. With his fifth ring and  no sign of retirement coming, the immediate future of Tom Brady seems just as promising. In other words, there is going to be even more statistics, more accomplishments, and possibly more championships. And, obviously, the present was pretty damn good.

It didn’t look to good at the start of Sunday’s game. Brady looked uneasy. He was battered as the Falcons continue to hit him on seemingly every play. Even when they couldn’t quite get a sack, Brady was hit. The usually precise Brady was a step off. Passes weren’t put where they needed to be. Receivers dropped passes that were on target. And, of course, Brady threw the pick-six, which seemed to put the Patriots in a hole that looked insurmountable. Even as Lady Gaga performed at Half Time there was a feeling that the Patriots weren’t done. Brady’s first possession of the second half didn’t go anywhere though. Then, it started to shift.

Even as most were wondering why the Patriots weren’t rushing, Brady looked calm as he methodically took the Patriots down the field for a long scoring drive. But, he and his team knew exactly what they were doing. The Falcons’ defense was slowing. Brady knew it. With better protection, Brady became that precision passer. Pass after pass, drive after drive, the score continued to shrink until Brady hit the two point conversion to tie the game with less than one minute left. Then, he drove them down the field to win the first overtime game in Superbowl history. A fifth ring, a fourth MVP, and one had-to-be-gratifying handshake with Roger Goodell–the culmination of a long debate ended as well as one could possibly want.

We shouldn’t have needed a reminder, but Sunday served as one nonetheless. We’ve never seen a quarterback who has been more dominant than Tom Brady. Sure, he isn’t the strongest passer of all-time. He isn’t the all-time fastest quarterback. He doesn’t have plus athleticism. There have been other great quarterbacks before him. Joe Montana, long regarded as the best of all-time, is still one of the all-time greats. Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Warren Moon, Dan Fouts, and so many others are still elite quarterbacks. And, truthfully, when many of their skills are lined up next to Tom Brady’s skill set, Brady comes in second place. But, when one takes into account everything, from regular season success, post season success, titles, awards, and even controversy, Tom Brady’s resume is better.

We may not like the controversies. He was, after all, suspended for four games to start the season. He has been on a team that was fined by the NFL for illegally taping opponents practices. He has been on a team that has been accused of “pushing the limits” of good sportsmanship. But, all of that doesn’t negate his success. And, that success is quite unprecedented.

All sports debates really don’t have definitive answers. That’s fine. It’s one of the reasons why we love sports so much. So, if someone says Peyton Manning is better than Brady, it’s a great discussion. Manning has unbelievable regular season numbers and a couple of titles. It’s a legitimate discussion. But, there are people who will deny Brady into the conversation or be afraid to say that he is the best of all-time for another reason. It’s this attitude that today’s players can’t possibly be better than those who came before them. While we are always quick to find the “next great”, sports culture never really allows for a present day great to be placed into proper perspective. Talk radio and social media has already been littered with comments like that.

Those are missing out. We rarely get to see unequivocal greatness in real time. In my lifetime, I’ve seen so many great baseball players—Hall of Famers—but I didn’t see the generally acknowledged greatest of all-time (Babe Ruth).  Basketball is a different story. I saw Michael Jordan, the all-time greatest basketball player ever. And, it may have taken a bit longer to realize it, but I am seeing the greatest quarterback of all-time. Tom Brady has checked off every box. We don’t have to wait until he retires to acknowledge his tremendous career. We still have time to see the best on the field. We are lucky. And, it’s ok to admit that, even if it is against every sports debate rule.

The Old Writing For Free Debate

Earlier today, ESPN’s Darren Rovell gave some advice to aspiring sports writers via Twitter. Rovell championed the idea of working for free in order to gain exposure and gain an audience. Rovell is one of the more polarizing figures in sports media. Without getting sidetracked into why he garners such a reaction, let’s just leave it as Rovell has a strong voice in sports media. He works for the (still) largest sports news distributor. He has been on the forefront of Social Media. In short, love him or hate him, he’s a man who has made it in the business. His series of Tweets were, of course, met with both strong support and even stronger animosity.

Many writers, including ESPN’s Matthew Berry, agreed with Rovell. Berry has first hand knowledge of the whole process. He was working in another profession while writing for his own site, The Talented Mr. Roto. Berry is almost seen as “one of us”, a guy who made it out of the regular way of life and is now making a living writing and podcasting about fantasy sports. When Berry agreed and tweeted his reasons why, it did give credence to Rovell’s point.

Maybe Sports Is A Microcosm of Us

The past week has been quite difficult for the National Football League. It began with the uncovering of video that proved what we all seemed to know without actually seeing that tape. Ray Rice knocked out his then fiancee and now wife. Unlike the first time the Rice case came before the Commissioner’s eyes, Roger Goodell acted swiftly. He suspended Rice indefinitely. The Ravens cut all ties with Rice. Rice’s high school took down his NFL jersey. It seemed like justice after the NFL spent the better part of the summer seeming wishing the story would go away after handing out a two game suspension.

But, those stories rarely go away. They linger for many reasons. For one, money tends to make things stick around. The NFL was trying to protect its brand rather than take a stand against men beating women. A cover up seems likely with each new report surfacing. Someone will pay for the fact that the NFL likely had the film and somehow botched the entire thing. It will linger because people will grandstand against the results and controversies rather than focus on the true issue at hand. Coming up with a campaign to help stop another generation of men from beating women just isn’t all that profitable for the league, nor does it sell copy or attract visitors to a website. So, instead, there are judgmental articles about the Rice’s, the Ravens, and camp Goodell.

Then, the week got worse as news broke that the Vikings star running back, Adrian Peterson is being indicted on charges that include beating a child with a switch. In case the term “switch” is unclear, think of any movie you saw with someone getting beat with some sort of thin branch. The tough guy running back from Minnesota needed something that creates excruciating pain to beat a child. Of course, there is the reaction to that as well. There is a segment of the world that believes in corporal punishment. “Kids need discipline” they will say or they will post something in a comments section about how glad they were that their parents beat them as it made them the fine, upstanding people they are today.

The world now waits to see how the NFL will handle this one. Child abuse is a pretty big crime. We’ll see if the NFL sees fit to give more of a punishment to it than it does for smoking marijuana or, sadly, beating a woman. 

Being Who You Want

An actual conversation that took place yesterday with my six year old daughter:

“Dad, why does your friend have an accent?”

That was the actual question. She was referring to a person I work with. She saw him a couple of weeks ago, but a six year old mind is a wondrous thing. Intelligent questions come out of it all the time, but, many times, from an issue that happened three or four months ago. You learn to navigate the six year old mind and realize that anything that’s happened in the last six years is fair game for questions.

After doing some background questioning as to what she was talking about, the conversation proceeded.

How Much Is Enough?

One of the best things about living in New York is the constant sports talk. It also happens to be one of the worst things about living in New York. Sports Radio is fueled by a rabid fan base and hosts who know exactly which button to push. The latter point cannot be expressed enough as eventually the host becomes a character, a heel-like presence on the radio.

Mike Francesa of WFAN in New York has perfected the art of the heel role. If the listening audience seems to be tilting one way, you can bet Francesa is tilting the other way. It makes for “good” radio. 

Jason Collins And Cautious Hope

It took me awhile to gather my thoughts on the significance of Jason Collins’ announcement. It wasn’t that I was confused. I was happy for him and became an admirer of his courage. It was the reaction that got to me. There was so much positivity intertwined with ignorance being spewed. Sports television was talking religion. So, this piece has taken a few days as I sat back, watched, listened, read, and jotted down my thoughts. There have been a few moments in my life that have stuck with me. I’m not talking about personal events like the birth of my daughter. Those moments are my life. It’s more of the world events that bring me right back to where I was. I was at my grandparents house when Ronald Reagan was shot. I remember being in the back bedroom with a small television on. I was at one of my friends’ house when Magic Johnson announced he had HIV. I was teaching when news came of 9-11.

It was my daughter’s fifth birthday when the news of Jason Collins came out. On a personal level, April 29th is the best day of my life. I am hoping that it also turns out to be one of the great days for our society. I’m hoping we are ready.

Maybe there is hope for us as a society. Like everyone else in the free world, I witnessed Jason Collins take a courageous step in his life by telling the world that he is gay. I watched the outpouring of positivity and support through social media. Maybe, even as our elected officials lag behind in the dark ages holding on to ancient falsehoods, the world is ready to accept everyone. Maybe the world of sports can help point the way towards a more accepting society.

As much positivity and progress that was shown by members of the basketball community, as well as the sports community, the omnipresent ignorance and fear was evident throughout the day, from social media to the airwaves of ESPN. The ignorant machismo was only surpassed by people–including sports writers and analysts–using the Bible as a mechanism to justify their own ignorance and hatred. Suddenly, the world doesn’t look any different than it did two days ago, two years ago, or two decades ago.

Yet, when looking at everything, I see the juxtaposition that is Jason Collins. His announcement must be one that frees him, yet the fact that he had to make an announcement is one of the most restrictive feelings one can have. When does anyone have to make announcement about his personal life, sexual preference, or even what they had for dinner? Yet, Collins’ article in Sports Illustrated is the very definition of courageous. Many liken him to Jackie Robinson, perhaps more strongly because of the film that is in theatres. Some don’t see that comparison, which is fine. It’s actually irrelevant and just another sideshow topic to take attention away from the true issues. Even if he isn’t Jackie Robinson, that doesn’t downgrade Collins’ importance. Those looking to degrade him in terms of history are missing the bigger picture. Those don’t see the importance. Collins isn’t a star basketball player, but he will now be the most watched player in the NBA next season.

As much as the support from the likes of Kobe Bryant, David Stern, President Obama, and many others around sports and the world mean in terms of progress, I can’t help but think of the uncertainty Collins will now face. Will he simply be accepted? Will a team sign him? Will he be treated differently? In many circles, Jason Collins will be treated like a symbol or an icon. But, this isn’t a movie. This isn’t a Jackie Robinson film where only the moments that he overcame are presented. The majority of the time does not have the scripted ending. As monumental as his article is, Collins’ immediate future is unclear. Words of acceptance are one thing; acts of acceptance are much different. We all have words and intentions. Sometimes those don’t equal actions or feelings. Will there be chants of homosexual slurs chanted at away games? Will players, in the heat of battle, go there? There is no script for this, making Collins’ announcement even more bold.

Collins also faces a world in which fear mongers waive The Bible as a way to condemn his life and his soul. I do believe that Billy Joel said it best when he proclaimed, “I believe there is a time for meditation in cathedrals of our own.” There shouldn’t be a business to religion and it should never be made to justify personal beliefs. I am not what you would call religious. I was raised in the Catholic church, but I am not a person who is a devout Catholic. However, I’ve read The Bible a couple of times–one for religion, once for a college class. It doesn’t make me an expert, but it does give me some context without fear.

The Bible says many things and much of it is open to interpretation. But, there is no interpretation needed when it comes to the intent of the book, the story of Jesus, and what the message to humanity is. The message is to love one another. That love equals acceptance. Even if you have the misguided notion that the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin, the lessons of acceptance, forgiveness, and love override all of that. There are passages of Jesus sleeping among the whores, the outcasts, and any other group that wasn’t accepted by society. He burned down temples that worshipped material things and didn’t take the word of love and acceptance seriously.

To be clear, I don’t believe that the Bible condemns homosexuality and I do not believe it is a sin. The Bible tells us to love everyone. If you hold the belief that being a homosexual is against Christianity, you don’t really know what being a Christian is.

These are the types of arguments that Jason Collins will have to endure for quite some time. His life will be in the spotlight. It is a courageous step and one that will have consequences. The world shouldn’t have needed him, but thankfully he is willing to take the role. Hopefully, all of that initial support will remain, society will see that sexual preference isn’t evil or define who a person is, and that more people who have felt oppressed can lift that burden.

My cynical side thinks it will be much more difficult than that. This isn’t a movie with cliched triumphs and a musical score in the background. It can get nasty; there are many who are ignorant. We are a society who likes to think we are advanced, but our reality is still held in the dark ages.

But, maybe, just maybe we are ready. Hopefully Jason Collins just opened the door that should’ve always been wide open.

 

Maddon Words

I get daily spring training reports from many teams in Major League Baseball. I glance at most of them, but they are usually filled with just statistics, team events, and transactions. The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams when it comes to their communications department. They are on the forefront when it comes to releasing information and make things really easy to access. They are not holding what appear to be state secrets like some teams in Major League Baseball act. I read their communications every day.

It is not because of the Rays, specifically. It is more because of their Manager Joe Maddon. I have had the good fortune to be in Joe Maddon’s presence twice, both in a press conference setting during Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings. I first spoke with him in 2010 and then this past November. The Manager’s press conferences come fast and furious at the Winter Meetings. There are two going on at the same time and usually the beat writers will sit in the front and be apart of an inside joke with the Manager as the outsiders ask their questions. For most Managers, these pressers are an annoyance. They’ll try to put on a good face about it, but you can just tell that most of them can’t wait to get back up to the team suite or wherever else they need to go. The media relations are definitely not the highlight of their three days.

But, Joe Maddon is different. Maddon talks to everyone. There is no snark to him at all. Every question asked is met with a detailed, genuine answer. Most Managers aren’t like that. Ask some other veteran Manager a question and you’ll get an answer after some sort of sarcasm along with it.  If you ask a particularly good question, he’ll tell you that and have a genuine conversation with you. I’ve been lucky enough to have that experience twice. Two years ago, he spoke with me about Desmond Jennings for about five minutes during the press conference as he allowed follow ups and gave such a great response. This year, we talked about Jose Molina, defensive statistics for catchers, and how long it takes for a catcher to get comfortable with a pitching staff. But, I wasn’t special or anything. He treated everyone like that , from the big National reporters to the lowly nobodies like me.

Joe Maddon is also different in the way he will answer questions. You actually believe him when he says that he still thinks his team can win despite losing some of its best players and have the rest of the division throw millions of dollars at players. He’s just different and until you are in his presence, it is difficult to really know just how different he is. His genuineness is what makes him a natural leader. He thinks differently. He expresses things differently. It’s why his teams have won at least 90 games in four of the last five seasons.

Today’s spring training report for the Rays came with the following quote from Maddon about whether there is a team slogan after he had his first full squad meeting.

“A soft slogan … It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being present—and if they can understand that, it really matters, because you’re going to make mistakes. When you make a mistake, to not make other mistakes based on that one where you’re constantly thinking about it, rehashing it, obsessively thinking about it, that’s where bad things happen. If you’re able to file it— because you’re going to do it, you’re going to screw up—if you’re able to file that rather quickly and move on to the next moment, we have a better chance of winning that night.”

It’s nothing earth shattering or new, but Managers talk about perfect execution and things like that all the time. Maddon just has a slightly different take on things that not only apply to baseball, but that can apply to just about anything in life. That quote is not only a baseball lesson, but a life lesson. It is interactions like this one that makes players want to play for him. It’s a reason why his teams are always competitive no matter what odds. And, it is why, he is my favorite person in Major League Baseball.