February 6, 2012

Is Tom Brady's Legacy Now Tarnished?

By - Kris Fletcher

Following another loss at the hands of Eli Manning and the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, the question currently being tossed around the sports world is if Tom Brady's legacy is now tarnished after a second Super Sunday defeat?

Photo by: Getty Images
If you ask me, the fact that this question is even being posed is absolutely ridiculous.

The New England Patriots had one of the worst defenses in the National Football League this season, yet they still managed a 13-3 record and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

The primary reason they were able to do this? Tom Brady.

Even with a lousy defense, Brady managed to make his fifth career trip to the Super Bowl, and arguably would have won his fourth ring had his receivers not let him down in the fourth quarter.

And while Brady has come up short in his last two Super Bowl appearances, the Patriots actually led both times with under a minute remaining. So his Super Bowl record sits at 3-2, but could just as easily be 5-0.

But now his legacy is tarnished?

Please.

Being a huge Brady supporter, I'm well aware of the fact that the majority of NFL fans loathe him and get some form of sick pleasure out of seeing him fail. What I don't get, is why?

Is it because he won three Super Bowls in his first four years as a starter? Is it because of the whole "Spygate" thing? Because he's married to a model? Why? What possible reason could so many people have to despise the guy?

The answer is fairly simple.

You see, for as much as the general public loves to pull for the underdog, they equally enjoy to root against the consistent winner. Who better to detest than the quarterback that has done more winning over the last decade than anyone else?

The problem I have with this is that Brady has earned everything he's ever accomplished on the football field. Nothing has ever been handed to him. He's a self-made man and genuinely good guy. Despite the "pretty boy" label people want to pin on him, no one cares more about not letting his team or city down than Tom Brady.

No one.

For all the jubilation his second Super Bowl loss brought to the masses, I'm sure it killed Brady even more than that on the inside. He hates to lose because he genuinely cares so much. About all his teammates. About head coach Bill Belichick. About owner Robert Kraft. About all the New England fans. About the franchise that took a chance on him with pick No. 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft. About the legacy that he's fought so hard to attain.

A legacy, that is now in question.

But again, why? Because he didn't march the Patriots to a win in the final minute of his fifth Super Bowl?

Seriously?

Don't get me wrong, I don't expect Tom Brady to be some kind of sympathetic figure now. It would be hard to feel sorry for anyone that's led the life he's led. Still, for his lasting legacy to be in question is a pretty sad thing.

The outcome of last night's contest hasn't swayed my opinion of No. 12 in the least, nor should it have swayed anyone else's. To me, Brady is still the greatest signal caller in the history of the sport. You bring your all-time greatest quarterback to the gun fight and I'll bring mine, and as far as I'm concerned, the deck is significantly stacked in my favor.

Regardless, Tom Brady now finds himself in a can't-win situation. No matter what he does the remainder of his career, he'll never live this down.

If he wins another Super Bowl, he'll hear, "Well you lost two to the Giants." If he doesn't win another one, he'll hear, "Well you won three, but lost the last two to the Giants." And if he happens to win another against a team other than New York, he'll hear, "Well you won four, but the Giants beat you twice."

He can't win.

Ironic isn't it? The quarterback with the best winning percentage in NFL history can't win.

And the crowd goes wild.

25 comments:

  1. Absolutely not. Like you said, Brady could easily be 5-0 in the Super Bowl. He's one of the best ever. Nothing will ever change that. Nice post.

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  2. To me Brady isn't on the hook for either loss to the Giants. They should have won Super Bowl XLII after he led them to the go-ahead touchdown with just over two minutes left, and his receivers cost him the game this past weekend with multiple drops in the 4th quarter. His legacy shouldn't be damaged in any way shape or form. Still one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.

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  3. The fact of the matter is Tom Brady is now just 6-6 in his last 12 postseason starts, including 0-2 in the Super Bowl. You throw out his first 10 postseason games, and he's basically Peyton Manning. It looks like the reason he won three Super Bowls was because he had a solid defense carrying the team. When he has to carry it by himself (like Peyton has with Indy), Brady has a hard time getting the job done (same as Peyton). His legacy is definitely affected by the loss Sunday.

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    1. Yeah, cause the defense led those two game-winning drives in the first two Super Bowls.

      Plus, had the defenses been able to HOLD THE LEADS that Brady got them in the last two, they would have won both of those games as well.

      And "throw out" his first 10 postseason games huh? Yeah. Just don't count 3 seasons worth of playoff games just so you can sink Brady down to Manning's level.

      Even if you do that, Brady's record is STILL better. 6-6 to 9-10.

      Nice try though.

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  4. I've been reading Kris' crap on here long enough now to know that no matter what Brady does he can never do any wrong in his eyes. But for all the actual sane people out there, how does this NOT affect his legacy? Like the person that commented before me said, he's now just 6-6 in his last 12 playoff games and has lost 2 Super Bowls. Anyone that thinks Brady is the best quarterback of all-time is nuts. Especially after Sunday's game.

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    1. Spoken like a true Peyton Manning fan.

      Which, you are, because you've said so in comments you've left on here in the past.

      Your attempted point is null and void just based on that fact alone.

      Yet I'M the insane one? Lol

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  5. Shows that Brady and the Patriots can't win without cheating! His legacy got tarnished with Spygate, not (another) Super Bowl loss.

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    1. They've still GOTTEN to TWO Super Bowls since then genius, and led both with less than a minute remaining.

      And if you actually believe that the Patriots are the ONLY TEAM to ever pull that "Spygate" stuff, then you need to leave your address on here so I can swing by and hit you upside the head with a tack hammer because YOU ARE A RETARD.

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  6. Everyone on here saying Brady's legacy took a hit would still take him over their teams current QB I'm sure! hahahaha I don't think his legacy is affected in the least by the loss. He was a legend going in, he's still a legend after the fact. Unchanged.

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    1. Yeah, other than Brees in New Orleans and Rodgers in Green Bay, every other team in the league would take Brady as their starter in a second.

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  7. Brady's legacy is fine, in the sports world we tend to overreact to what has just happened. 5 total Super Bowls, something he and only John Elway have done. He'll have the playoff record for most wins as a QB. He still has multiple single-season QB records. Also he led a team to a Super Bowl this year that had no deep threats, no true running game, and a defense that was ranked next to last.

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  8. As far as Brady's overall legacy goes, I don't think it has changed. But the whole greatest of all-time stuff actually went down the drain the first time he lost the Super Bowl. Until a quarterback goes to 4 Super Bowls, wins all 4, and doesn't throw any interceptions in the process, there's not even a debate as to who the best ever is. It's hands down Joe Montana. Brady {and everyone else} are just competing for 2nd place at best.

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    1. Well, at least if you are going to argue for someone else, you picked the right guy in Joe Montana.

      Can't disagree with that one.

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  9. I don't think any QB's legacy is built on one game even if it is the Super Bowl. We're not talking about Rex Grossman or Trent Dilfer here, Brady can control the game. Is he the greatest QB ever? Who cares? It's just something to argue about at the bar.

    I will say though, that Brady cost his team 5 points by taking the safety and by throwing a terrible ball (on what would've been at least a field goal) to Gronk that was picked. 2 points for the safety, plus (at least) 3 points for taking away a field goal opportunity = 5 points off the board and potentially even 9 points if you think the Pats could've scored on that drive.

    Nonetheless, Brady's taken his team farther than most ever have. Maybe his defense held him up for part of his career and maybe he held them up for part of his career. Either way, he's done a great job of taking advantage of opportunities - and that's all you can ask for from your QB.

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  10. Nice post Kris. As surprised as I was that Brady and the Patriots didn't get the job done against the Giants this time around, I still don't think it tarnishes Brady'd legacy. He didn't play his best game, but he played well enough to get them the win. They just came up a few plays short.

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  11. Brady was already a top-5 all-time quarterback going into the game. The outcome doesn't take away from that. It's not like he had a bad game or the Patriots got blown out or something. They had a chance to win right up to the very last play. His legacy isn't tarnished at all in my book.

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    1. I totally agree with you.

      Thanks for taking the time to read it.

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  12. Tom's Legacy I think will take a hit because the quote "Tom" led patriot teams have choked. Like Big Ben, I'm not sure how much credit tom gets for the first couple of superbowls. I think those can be argued that they were because of the defense and vinateiri more than tom. Also, losing to someone like Drew Brees wouldn't hurt your legacy because everybody loves him. But Eli Manning still doesn't get respect, so I think people see it as Tom choking these superbowls away to Eli Manning. I mean tom could easily be 0 for 5 in the superbowls as well as 5 and 0. I still think in the end his legacy will be fine, but we live in the moment and in the moment, the patriots are chokeartists, as much as it kills me to say.

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    1. I would argue the whole "Eli doesn't get respect" statement, because I think for the most part everyone thinks he's elite at this point. However, I definitely agree with the "live in the moment" aspect of what you said.

      Also don't think Brady could just as easily be 0-5 on Super Sunday. The Eagles never REALLY threatened to win Super Bowl XXXIX. Nor do I think the defense can be given credit for Super Bowl XXXVIII, considering they gave up 29 to the Panthers.

      I don't think Brady choked necessarily in this one, but I can't say the same about several other Patriots, who shall remain nameless.

      But hey, that's just me.

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  13. Along with Belichick the only legacy Brady had coming into the game to begin with was that of a cheater, so its not like he could have made it any worse. Glad they lost! ROFLMAO

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    1. Dude, seriously, let it go already. That Spygate crap was five years ago.

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