I am getting so sick of deflategate and we are on the brink of starting a new NFL season.
Baseball never had a more prolific hitter than Pete Rose but he is remembered most for his gambling scandal and there is a black spot on his record that even a Hall of Fame membership in the future will never erase. It's never Pete Rose who hit the most, but Pete Rose who gambled. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...-on-baseball-games-as-a-player-171119955.html
You have the Chicago White Sox of 1919 dubbed the "black sox" who were ruined for all time by throwing the 1919 World Series and were banned for life in baseball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sox_Scandal
Now you have Tom Brady who won four Super Bowl rings as a starting quarterback like Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw but will never be put in the same sentence (outside of Boston) as those two for having achieved the most in the biggest football game. His legacy as a player is ruined and in the same category as Pete Rose and the tainted black sox of 1919.
What can he do to repair that?
I wasn't sure about his salvation in the record books but then I heard a few suggest a fix for this which would mean returning ring in order to save coming NFL season for Pats (and also personal reputation as a great QB).
And even today, I think he's not doomed like Pete Rose and the black sox even though he was penalized like those two and vilified by most of the press. Even though I don't find the "cheating" facts conclusive in any way and find the punishment ridiculous in that it punishes the entire Patriots team of this season by denying them of their starting quarterback, I think he can still completely right his image.
It's obvious (and sad) he wasn't put in the same sentence once he got his 4th ring as Montana and Bradshaw because of deflategate. It wasn't just a passing thing and the scandal stuck. And that scandal will follow him all of his life and after and become a joke like the 1919 black sox.
But imho there's two things he can do to get his clean slate back. If I were him I would right my reputation and help the current Patriots by:
1) returning the 4th Super Bowl ring, and my record of having been on the Patriots last season (all yards and TDs gained regular and postseason) but ask in return then to be able to start this regular NFL season with a clean slate (and honestly, without him for four games, the Pats could miss the playoffs).
2) not complaining and putting my money where my mouth is and winning a 4th ring totally uncontested without controversy this season or before retirement
I think this would work to make things right in everybody's mind and even gain respect from fans of the other AFC East teams.
I still think Brady is one of the greats like Jordan in basketball and Jeter in baseball and should retire with that type of adoration among fans of home team and entire sport in general (like any true great) and I think he still has that chance.
Baseball never had a more prolific hitter than Pete Rose but he is remembered most for his gambling scandal and there is a black spot on his record that even a Hall of Fame membership in the future will never erase. It's never Pete Rose who hit the most, but Pete Rose who gambled. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...-on-baseball-games-as-a-player-171119955.html
You have the Chicago White Sox of 1919 dubbed the "black sox" who were ruined for all time by throwing the 1919 World Series and were banned for life in baseball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sox_Scandal
Now you have Tom Brady who won four Super Bowl rings as a starting quarterback like Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw but will never be put in the same sentence (outside of Boston) as those two for having achieved the most in the biggest football game. His legacy as a player is ruined and in the same category as Pete Rose and the tainted black sox of 1919.
What can he do to repair that?
I wasn't sure about his salvation in the record books but then I heard a few suggest a fix for this which would mean returning ring in order to save coming NFL season for Pats (and also personal reputation as a great QB).
And even today, I think he's not doomed like Pete Rose and the black sox even though he was penalized like those two and vilified by most of the press. Even though I don't find the "cheating" facts conclusive in any way and find the punishment ridiculous in that it punishes the entire Patriots team of this season by denying them of their starting quarterback, I think he can still completely right his image.
It's obvious (and sad) he wasn't put in the same sentence once he got his 4th ring as Montana and Bradshaw because of deflategate. It wasn't just a passing thing and the scandal stuck. And that scandal will follow him all of his life and after and become a joke like the 1919 black sox.
But imho there's two things he can do to get his clean slate back. If I were him I would right my reputation and help the current Patriots by:
1) returning the 4th Super Bowl ring, and my record of having been on the Patriots last season (all yards and TDs gained regular and postseason) but ask in return then to be able to start this regular NFL season with a clean slate (and honestly, without him for four games, the Pats could miss the playoffs).
2) not complaining and putting my money where my mouth is and winning a 4th ring totally uncontested without controversy this season or before retirement
I think this would work to make things right in everybody's mind and even gain respect from fans of the other AFC East teams.
I still think Brady is one of the greats like Jordan in basketball and Jeter in baseball and should retire with that type of adoration among fans of home team and entire sport in general (like any true great) and I think he still has that chance.
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