SI | King | MMQ | Brady Interview

[rick34125]

Posted: Monday May 10, 2010 12:03AM;

Updated: Monday May 10, 2010 8:18AM

Peter King>MONDAY MORNING QB

The disgrace of two former New Jersey heroes and one from LSU headlined the week -- and yes, I believe any award or postseason honor, including rookie of the year, should be stripped if a player tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance, as apparently is the case with defensive rookie of the year Brian Cushing of the Houston Texans.But I'm not leading with bad news. I'm leading with Tom Brady breaking his offseason silence to discuss his bi-coastal life, hopes for his team, a charity he is very bullish on and how much his world has spun in the past few years.

"Life changes,'' he said from California Saturday morning -- at a very dad-like time of 8 a.m. Pacific -- while watching his sons. "You've got to be able to change with it.''

Brady tries to disappear in the offseason, which is difficult given his own star power and that of his wife, model Gisele Bundchen. He's bi-coastal now, living part-time in the Boston area and in Los Angeles, and we don't see him much other than through the prying eyes of the paparazzi. But he surfaced Saturday to talk for a half-hour because he wanted to promote a passion of his -- the 11th annual Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port, a flag-football game (he'll be quarterbacking) at Harvard on June 4 and a bike ride from Boston to Cape Cod the next day.

Best Buddies is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit, now with 1,500 chapters nationwide, founded to encourage friendship and create employment opportunities for mentally handicapped people. The group helps to mainstream those with intellectual and developmental disabilities while helping them develop friendships that are often rare in their lives. Brady got involved from friendships with agent Brad Blank, who lived in his Boston neighborhood, and the group's founder, Anthony Shriver.

"I first did the ride nine years ago,'' Brady said. "I rode 40 miles with my sisters, and it was a great family event. I really liked the premise -- trying to build friendships for those less fortunate than we are. That was the premise, the importance of friendship. I think of the value of my friends in my life, and that's something some of these [mentally challenged] people don't have, based on something that was out of their control when they were born. It's just unfair. And this group does so much for them that I just wanted to do my part.''

This year his part will be the football game at Harvard and riding the next day, hoping to encourage people to donate to the cause. Brady is halfway toward his goal of getting supporters to donate $100,000 to Best Buddies through Team TB12 and hopes, obviously, to surpass his goal. To learn about the organization, and for ticket information for the Friday night flag football game, go to www.bestbuddies.org. I've gotten to know Brad Blank well over the years, and rarely do we have a conversation that doesn't include his passion for this organization. I wish them the best.

The Brady football headlines:

[Klecko73isGod]

Ahh, Peter King spends a whole column fellating Tom Brady - the offseason is now official.

[PatriotReign37]

What a class act that Tom Brady is.

Thanks for posting that article Rick.

[slats]

I probably like the fact that Tom Brady is focusing more on his family now than your average Patriot fan. He sounds like a guy whose career is winding down.

[rick34125]

I probably like the fact that Tom Brady is focusing more on his family now than your average Patriot fan. He sounds like a guy whose career is winding down.

lol. i thought the same thing. with brady away from the team so much I hope team chemistry won't be a problem. poor tom.

[PatriotReign37]

I probably like the fact that Tom Brady is focusing more on his family now than your average Patriot fan. He sounds like a guy whose career is winding down.

"It's easy to forget that Brady threw for his second-highest yardage total (4,398) and touchdown passes (28, tied with two other seasons) last year."

IIRC, Brady led the league in completion % too.

[124]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

[Klecko73isGod]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

This just keeps getting sadder and sadder.

Why do you insist on embarrassing your uncle like this?

[rillo]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

Sad for Pats fans I guess, ****'em

[Jbro22]

So essentially what Brady is saying is that Belichick lost the locker room last year, and that the young guys have to listen to him more. Oh and that he won't be around a lot like he used to be so he can take care of his kids.

Sounds pretty awesome to me.

And if you're listen to Cowherd right now, feel free to call me out on stealing his bit.

[SenorGato]

Lol...bi-coastal...Brady's bi-alotofthings.

Alot of those young pass catchers are going to play up because of this guy...

[Thai Jet]

What a class act that Tom Brady is.

Thanks for posting that article Rick.

The total opposite of Beliprick.

[Thai Jet]

"It's easy to forget that Brady threw for his second-highest yardage total (4,398) and touchdown passes (28, tied with two other seasons) last year."

IIRC, Brady led the league in completion % too.

Yeah he looked great in that home playoff game against the Ravens. BTW when fdid he change his uni number to 52 ?

[Thai Jet]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

Spoken like a true closet Pats fan, Joe.

[KSJets]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

You'll be sad, but I'll be celebrating by hooking up a Tom Brady pi

[abyzmul]

"It's easy to forget that Brady threw for his second-highest yardage total (4,398) and touchdown passes (28, tied with two other seasons) last year."

IIRC, Brady led the league in completion % too.

I remember making stat arguments for Chad Pennington when he had a passing decent year and got embarrassed in the playoffs, too.

[KSJets]

My favorite part:

To win the division, we'll really have to earn it this year.

What an arrogant prick. This is one of the reasons why I can't stand the guy.

[Boozer76]

Sounds to me like Tom is starting to look towards family life after football. Good for him. Maybe the Pats can snag Jamarcus Russell at a bargain.

[rick34125]

My favorite part:

What an arrogant prick. This is one of the reasons why I can't stand the guy.

It sounds like it. It's probably the reason they lost the superbowl to the Giants after mocking Plaxico's superbowl prediction. These things have a way of coming back to bite.

[SenorGato]

My favorite part:

What an arrogant prick. This is one of the reasons why I can't stand the guy.

I still have some faith in mankind so I'm thinking...hoping...sarcasm. If not, do you know what arrogant means?

[124]

I want a TB hat.

[PatriotReign37]

It will be a sad day when Tom retires in 5+ years. Fact is he is still one of the best in the game and when it comes to winning, he is the best. As long as Tom is under center, New England will never "die".

Word.

Props to you Joe.

[PatriotReign37]

I want a TB hat.

Whens your birthday?

[PatriotReign37]

I remember making stat arguments for Chad Pennington when he had a passing decent year and got embarrassed in the playoffs, too.

Chad Pennington was a good player, but he was never the same after hurting his shoulder.

Brady was never a mobile QB and his shoulders are okie - dokie.

[PatriotReign37]

Sounds to me like Tom is starting to look towards family life after football. Good for him. Maybe the Pats can snag Jamarcus Russell at a bargain.

Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the Raiders 4th pick in the 2011 draft.

The next Elway.

[Garb]

My favorite part:

What an arrogant prick. This is one of the reasons why I can't stand the guy.

eh?

"To win the division, we really have to earn it this year."

He is saying that in order to win the division they will have to work really, really hard. This is an arrogant statement? Eh? Meanwhile your blowhard coach talks all sorts of sheet and that would be??? Not arrogant?

Jets fans.

[abyzmul]

Chad Pennington was a good player, but he was never the same after hurting his shoulder.

Brady was never a mobile QB and his shoulders are okie - dokie.

Who said anything about shoulder injuries?

[Matt39]

As a Jets fan, I'm loving that Brady isnt as into football as he once was.

That eye of the tiger is gone ala Rocky 3.

[Mentos]

I still have some faith in mankind so I'm thinking...hoping...sarcasm. If not, do you know what arrogant means?

The word worked in that guy's post.

He was pointing out that Brady was arrogant for saying the Patriots will have to actually earn the division title this year. Brady implied they didn't earn it in past years because they were so damn good and the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins were pansies. In other words, the Patriots put on their jock straps and won the division.

[Garb]

The word worked in that guy's post.

He was pointing out that Brady was arrogant for saying the Patriots will have to actually earn the division title this year. Brady implied they didn't earn it in past years because they were so damn good and the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins were pansies. In other words, the Patriots put on their jock straps and won the division.

Oh lord! You guys make mountains out of molehills. What is wrong with you people?

[Mentos]

Oh lord! You guys make mountains out of molehills. What is wrong with you people?

I cannot care less as to what Brady says. I was merely trying to help out that KSJets guy. I saw a couple people rag on him. I then examined the Brady comment that KSJets was responding to and explained what I felt he was driving at. And for good measure, kindly enjoy the old Lions logo.

[rick34125]

eh?

"To win the division, we really have to earn it this year."

He is saying that in order to win the division they will have to work really, really hard. This is an arrogant statement? Eh? Meanwhile your blowhard coach talks all sorts of sheet and that would be??? Not arrogant?

Jets fans.

Rex Ryan is confident. Tom Brady is arrogant. It's statements like these that give him away.

[KSJets]

The word worked in that guy's post.

He was pointing out that Brady was arrogant for saying the Patriots will have to actually earn the division title this year. Brady implied they didn't earn it in past years because they were so damn good and the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins were pansies. In other words, the Patriots put on their jock straps and won the division.

You interpreted what I wrote 100%. That's exactly the way I took his statement. I wouldn't expect Garb to understand because she doesn't think anything those two *******s do or say is wrong. She's just a blind, and dumb, Pats' lemming.

[KSJets]

I cannot care less as to what Brady says. I was merely trying to help out that KSJets guy. I saw a couple people rag on him. I then examined the Brady comment that KSJets was responding to and explained what I felt he was driving at. And for good measure, kindly enjoy the old Lions logo.

Considering one of those people was Garb, I didn't really care. I don't take anything she says seriously since all she does all day long is defend the Belli/TB/Pats no matter what they do. Hell, it could've been Brady instead of Lawrence Taylor in trouble and she would still defend him so I don't take any of her comments seriously.

[124]

Whens your birthday?

June 14th.