Apples and oranges? To some degree, maybe they are, but in other ways, they are completely comparable.

Brady coming out of Michigan wasn’t expected to set the world on fire and was drafted as such, (199th overall | 2000 NFL Draft). Jordan, of course, had been a young phenom out of high school, chosen for the McDonalds High School All-America Team, and then committing to North Carolina and Dean Smith. No-one could have foreseen either reaching the greatness that was their reality. Each came out of nowhere, in that regard, to own the sport they played in. They both put forth the kind of drive, and intensity, as well as off-season regimens, to rise to the top of their sports worlds. Both will downplay, to some degree, the status they have obtained. Between them, they have 12 championships, Brady with six, and Jordan with two three-peats for six as well. The only major difference in the postseason between these two is that Jordan and the Bulls never lost a championship series, where Brady lost three Super Bowls out of the nine total the Patriots reached during his time there.

Both teams were the teams to beat during their dominant years

Should the three Super Bowl losses count against Brady when they are but one game, winner take all? As opposed to a series of games that define the NBA Finals? I think that it is a little different. For what it’s worth; by comparison, of Jordan’s 6 Series Finals, the Bulls lost the first game of the series twice. Both players led their teams to the apex. The Patriots and Bulls were both the teams to beat in their leagues most every year they competed.

“No-one could have foreseen either reaching the greatness that was their reality.”

Are they the G.O.A.T. of their sports?

Anytime you are looking to crown a player as the Greatest of All Time for their sport, you are going to find dissenters who swear their guy is the one. Whether it’s Joe Montana or Peyton Manning with Brady, LeBron James, or Koby Bryant with Jordan, there will always be an argument. The games are very different by comparison. There are 13 players with more NBA Titles than Jordan ever won; one of them, Bill Russell of Celtics fame has almost twice the titles as Jordan with 11. Brady, though, has no superior in the Titles dept. The Patriots are tied with the Steelers for the team lead in Titles, and Brady was leading the charge in all of them. The Steelers split them between Bradshaw with four and Big Ben with two for their total of 6.

Final analysis

In the final analysis, Brady is probably more solidly the G.O.A.T. in the NFL than Jordan is in the NBA. So are they comparable? Certainly, they are. Both were the absolute best player in their Leagues hands down. They both made it look easy to dominate and destroy the opposition on their way to an equal six championships. They are both held to a different level, and yet on the same level, they have both risen and fell. Jordan’s playing days have been in the rearview mirror for some time now, but Brady’s story is not yet complete. He has a pretty decent shot at another title before he hangs them up with the Buccaneers. Here’s hoping the Bucs can include themselves in Brady’s Championship Saga and add to our own!

Just a gifted, multi-talented athlete all the way around

The stat line from the 2016 season reads like this: 2,606 yards passing and 36 touchdowns through the air, 1,100 yards rushing, and 20 touchdowns rushing. Those are impressive stats, of course, belong to quarterback Tyler Johnson. All were accomplished in his Senior season at Minneapolis North High School, where he led that squad to the State Championship Game. It doesn’t stop there. Tyler also played defensive back on that team. Yep, you read that right; however, just for good measure, he was a big star on the basketball team as well, as that squad did win the state title that same Senior year. Rivals ranked Johnson as the number two athlete in Minnesota and the 36th ranked athlete in the nation. He is just a vastly gifted young man; vanilla he is not, one dimensional he is not. Forget about it.

Ranked higher, Johnson slips to the fifth round with much to prove

He was tied for 7th ranked in the nation coming into the draft. Johnson sat and watched as 16 receivers’ names were called before his. Call it bad luck, or maybe destiny, but whatever you call it, it certainly means big things for his future with the Bucs’ offense. Last season, the Bucs lost both top receivers in the second half of the season. Breshad Perriman stepped right into that void and shined brightly and turned it into a bigger contract with a new team. It didn’t look like the Bucs were going to be able to replace Perriman. They would have to have somebody step up. But there he was all six foot two inches and two hundred and ten pounds of pure athletic potential. He had slipped. He wasn’t supposed to still be around at that point. We may never know what the original plan for that fifth-round selection was supposed to be, and maybe the receiver position was the way they were going from the get-go and was delighted to see who was still available. Or maybe, they were looking at another position, but saw the value in Tyler and went with the best player available. It wouldn’t surprise me if Johnson were to place that chip on his shoulder and commence to proving all of those teams who passed on him, the fool. Let’s hope so.

Miller and Watson have something to prove in the wake of Johnson pick?

This could be a very telling season for the futures of receivers Justin Watson and Scotty Miller in Tampa Bay. Those two were originally considered candidates for the WR3 spot at some time sooner than later. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Watson move on to find better opportunities elsewhere. I say that, of course, because I believe Scotty Miller to be the better prospect of the two if only one were retained in a numbers game at the receiver position. Hot seat anyone?

Wrapping up

You can never have too many multi-faceted, all-around athletes on your team. The ones that are great at whatever sport they immerse themselves into; always rising to the top of the heap over other players around them because you know one can never tell. If Tom Brady were to go down with an injury, God forbid, players like Ryan Griffin with only four regular-season passes in going on six seasons in Tampa probably just aren’t going to get it done. Maybe a Wide Receiver from Minnesota could if push comes to shove help us out a little in the quarterback department. You never know; stranger things have happened. Beyond all that, the Bucs may have once again struck it rich in the receiver position. This season, if it happens, is going to be quite entertaining around the Bay area, Tyler Johnson is just another reason why. Go Bucs!!

Buccaneers’ records holder has something to prove in New Orleans

By year five, I’m pretty sure Jameis Winston figured he would be well entrenched as Tampa’s Franchise Quarterback. Working up to his sixth season, I’m sure he imagined himself with a shiny new five to a seven-year deal worth multiple Millions. It might have even big one of the biggest quarterback contracts ever. We all know what happened “along the way”, and It’s that “along the way” where things always get murky, and off track. After the Winston version of it, he was left as a man without a team out there floating away from the shore, drifting for deeper waters and away from all he knew and loved in the NFL.

Jameis chooses a destination

Winston reportedly had choices on where to land his Free Agency Man-O-War, but ultimately chose our inner divisional nemesis, Sean Peyton and the sure-fire Hall of Famer Drew Brees’s Saints. It was because of those two Saints, that made the decision a “Big Easy”. He would sign with New Orleans and learn from two of the best on the hiker’s side of the line of scrimmage. It’s no secret that when Brees left San Diego for New Orleans and Sean Peyton’s offense that he came into his own, and firmly established himself as one of the greatest to play the game. With the opportunity to study under these two, it was no decision at all. Winston will earn a base salary of $952,000 with a $148,000 signing bonus equalling $1,100,000 for next season. He could make upwards of $4.7 million in incentives.

Teddy Bridgewater turned his one year deal into a new start elsewhere

What Teddy was able to do in New Orleans last season, I’m sure was not lost on Jameis. Having had some success in his early years, Bridgwater was looking to get back on that horse and ride it to relevance again and a starting gig somewhere in 2020. That somewhere is in Carolina, to the tune of three years and 63 million dollars. Knowing Brees is advanced in age, the chance he could go down again this season to injury isn’t so far fetched. Winston could possibly put three to five games together of smart, mistake-free football as a starter, and maybe get that shot to lead a team again. Heaven knows he’s got the skills/tools to do it with if he can just avoid his everpresent flaw long enough to shine. You never know, maybe Brees goes ahead and starts that NBC job in the booth after this season, leaving the starting job wide open in 2021. Either way, no matter if Brees is healthy all year long, or goes down for a time. The ball is firmly in Jameis Winston’s hands, and if he was ever going to get another shot, this is his chance; maybe his last chance to become a team’s franchise guy and get the big contract he so dearly wants.

Wrapping up

I don’t think that Winston ever saw himself anywhere but in Tampa; at least up until he wasn’t offered a new deal and the Bucs searched high and low for anyone that could throw a football to the right color jerseys. They didn’t even have to be “all that” just a good custodian of the football. I think that may have woken him up to his reality that Tampa just couldn’t keep waiting for him to get a handle on his problem. I’d like to wish him the best, maybe just the best he can be with two losses to the Bucs each season. That would work out just great. Go Bucs!!

By far Tom Brady’s biggest detractor is Terry Bradshaw

It’s certainly no secret that of Brady’s detractors, Bradshaw’s mouth has been the loudest. After taking in all that Mr. Bradshaw has had to say about Tom, I’m left a little confused. On a local Pittsburgh radio show 97.3 The Fan, Bradshaw again gave his feelings concerning Tom Brady, his move to Tampa, and his legacy. In this article, we will examine some of the things Bradshaw had to say about Brady and explore the amount of credence that should or shouldn’t be attached to his position on our new team leader.

If it is his ego or not, what’s the problem?

First off, let’s quantify one of Bradshaw’s hang-ups concerning Brady. When Bradshaw was in Pittsburgh during his playing days, free agency wasn’t an option. That facet of the game didn’t become a reality until after Terry retired. So in practice, Bradshaw never had that to consider because it wasn’t a factor in his playing days. Many times a person/player will often side with the conditions under which they lived/played. Those conditions are what is comfortable to them more times than not because that was their reality. Bradshaw has famously said that Tom Brady leaving the Patriots was all about “ego” and that it bothers him that a few weeks later, it is still such a thoroughly discussed topic.

“It’s just a lot of things. I’m a little bit tired of all this soap opera going on between him and [Bill] Belichick,” Terry Bradshaw per 97.3, The Fan interview in Pittsburgh

Before Brady burst onto the scene and started piling up Lombardi Trophies like cords of wood at a logging camp, it was probably Bradshaw that was at or near the top of the list for the GOAT moniker when it comes to Super-Bowl victories/losses. Let me say here that everyone’s list of who they think is the GOAT can vary. Some don’t believe Championships should be the defining stat. Dan Marino never won a single title but is still considered by many to be one of the greatest ever. Joe Montana only has half the titles that Brady has, but is considered by so many to be in the top few as the Goat at quarterback; Bradshaw included. When Brady blew by Bradshaw in the Titles stat, that lowered Bradshaw in validating the GOAT by championships won. That statement is a fact, not my opinion. It is also a fact that Bradshaw retired after playing 14 seasons. Brady is entering his 21st season playing and is contracted through his 22nd.

“Look, he left because he wanted to prove something, and he wants to prove to everyone that he can win without Bill Belichick. Between all that, you say all the wonderful things [about Belichick], but after twenty years, he’s leaving. You gotta be kidding me.”Terry Bradshaw per 97.3 The Fan interview in Pittsburgh

Let’s examine “ego” and the reality of it as assigned to professional athletes

Let’s take a look at the thing that Bradshaw is assailing here, the all-encompassing much-maligned self-ego. When kids are playing football in the yard, how many of those children are imagining in their minds that they just threw the greatest touchdown pass in the history of the world? Imagining that they are the greatest of all time? Whether you can admit it or not, the ego is the driving force behind most athletes. They want to be the best at what they do. They strive to be better than the next guy. It’s a very strong driving force in many, many athletes. Not just athletes either. 

You can’t tell me that there aren’t realtors on a team that doesn’t want to sell more houses than the rest of the team. It’s not just money that motivates, having that plaque on the wall stating you sold more houses than anyone else on the team or the city you’re in over the last ten years, is a source of pride, accomplishment, and yes, ego. 

Ego is what makes most of the great ones great. Now the way that you behave because of the results of that ego is what is really important. Do you look down your nose at those beneath you that have attained a lesser amount of accomplishments, are you a braggart concerning your records, championships? Or, are you humble about what you have accomplished? That is where the positives, and negatives are displayed in regard to ego. That is where the rubber hits the road on what kind of a person you are. Citing ego, itself as a negative thing, is a misplaced and obviously ignorant statement in my assessment. Ego is the drive, the drive is ego, and there is nothing wrong with either; it’s nothing that a person should be ashamed of.

Put yourself in Brady’s shoes for a moment

The very first meeting between Tom Brady and Rober Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, went like this: Brady was coming down the steps at Foxboro Stadium with a box of pizza under his arms, Kraft spotted him and waited for Tom to get to him, Brady began to introduce himself to Kraft, the owner interrupted Tom, and said, “I know who you are, you’re our sixth-round draft choice, Tom Brady.” Brady replied, looking Kraft straight in the eye, “I’m the best decision this franchise has ever made” Robert Kraft, and Tom Brady

So you can see from the very beginning that Tom has been confident in his abilities from the word go in Foxboro, even before the first snap in regulation. That is mostly due to a positive ego and belief in himself. Put yourself in Tom Brady’s shoes for just a moment. Tom went out and within the system, (which he was the driving force in, without Brady the system is just two words, the system was Brady) and his abilities accomplished what no other quarterback has accomplished in the history of the NFL. Bill Belichick and his ways of coaching and doing things indeed fit like a glove for Brady and his accomplishments, but it does not define him. I digress, now after all that he has proven, all the titles, all the awards. Tom’s accomplishments are being attacked and demeaned by people saying it was because of Belichick that Brady has been able to be so successful, meaning Tom could not have had that success without his former coach.

Welcome to Tampa Mr. Brady

After all the sacrifices in salary that Tom allowed, all the effort, all the rings, his accomplishments are being attributed by some to be that of his coach, and not mostly due to his own abilities. That would upset just about anyone in his shoes. Is that a fair assessment of his career so far? To a small degree, yes it is. It reflects the same on both sides. It has been said of Belichick that he wouldn’t be so highly regarded without Brady. In a team sport that is often hard to do. The only way to change that way of thinking is to be in a different situation and do the same things under a new coach and offensive system. Welcome to Tampa, Mr. Brady.

“So now he’s going to Tampa Bay, and he’s going to prove to us that he’s whatever he is. He’s already got ‘TB=TB’, and he’s filed for that. It’s like, golly geez Louise, get this over with, let’s move on.” Terry Bradshaw per 97.3 The Fan interview in Pittsburgh

Exactly whos ego is the one being hurt here?

Being completely fair about it, after reading all of what was said, it’s hard not to come away with the feeling that Mr. Bradshaw is the one with the problem. It rings awfully hard to refute that it isn’t a case of sour grapes on Bradshaw’s part. He comes across as envious and aggravated that Tom is getting so much attention over all this. I mean, the fact that Tom’s decision and subsequent move to Tampa have come in the middle of the COVID-19 situation. A time when all sports, and anything else, has been canceled. The NFL is the only thing really going on at the moment, though it is off-season things. There really isn’t anything else to talk about. Bradshaw’s reaction to that fact, really screams of jealousy, and animosity aimed at a player that has vastly outdistanced his own accomplishments, and place in history.

Truly pitiful

So what if Brady came to Tampa to cement his fixture in history? That doesn’t seem to me to be a negative thing. I can understand the motivation of Tom Brady to succeed elsewhere out from under Belichick’s shadow. After all, he’s already the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history. It’s because of people like Bradshaw that he felt inclined to make the move in the first place. In my opinion, Bradshaw’s statements concerning Brady are demeaning and a cheapening of his own stature in the world today, from his playing days to his place in the booth. You should be more self-aware, Terry Bradshaw, your true self is showing. To this writer, it comes off as pitiful. Go Bucs!