How Tom Brady is like Muhammad Ali

[Diehardblues]

The only comparison Id draw to Ali courageous comebacks is Tiger Woods who overcame not only potentially career ending injuries and multiple surgeries but public humiliation.

And while he will never be at the same level he was his competitive fire is unmatched by his peers and can still be a contender performing at a professional competitive level.

And I think this is the drive these highly talented competitive athletes have that perhaps the ordinary athlete or fan can’t relate to or else their selfish fandom doesn’t allow them a better perspective.

 

[Diehardblues]

The greatest boxer of all time has to be Muhammad Ali. The self proclaimed “greatest” was the absolute GOAT in boxing. I won’t waste time here discussing his resume. But sadly, Ali continued to box long after his great left jab had left him. At the end of his career he was the saddest thing to watch in boxing.

Tom Brady with his 6 SB rings and innumerable playoff wins and other impressive records has to be the GOAT at QB. Like Ali, he’s earned incredible respect. He’s the best to ever play QB. But he’s almost 43.

And sadly like Muhammad Ali, Tom Brady doesn’t know when it’s over. He’s the GOAT but he’s no longer “the greatest” QB currently playing. Brady can add his name to the many great athletes over the years who don’t know when their greatness has ended. Like Michael Jordan, who played into his 40s. Like Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath who ended their HOF careers in cringe worthy fashion.

Brady should wise up and just retire. Few athletes are as wise as Jim Brown, Barry Sanders or Megatron. All great and all went out at their peak. All the Tom Brady to Dallas talk IMO is a sad joke. The future of the Dallas Cowboys should not be vested in the formerly great but now noodle armed Tom Brady. All this talk is nothing more than negotiating fodder for Dak and Brady.

I’d argue Sanders and Megatron quit their careers early cause on losing teams which suked out their competitive fire.

And Jim Brown basically left over his contract disputes with Browns and NFL to earn more money in Hollywood. A horrible comparison Bob.

Im not sure your intent in this thread but these comparisons appear to be an attempt to garner support for bashing Brady for wanting to continue playing.

 

[Diehardblues]

Otto Graham won 7 championships. Starr also won 6 or 7, several before it was called the super bowl.

Montana played better than Brady did in big games, and would've lasted much longer if he hadn't been in the league when defenders beat up the QB regularly.

Brady is tied for GOAT w/ 4 other guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bart Starr won 3 NFL titles before the first 2 Super Bowls. Total of 5 championships and still only QB to win 3 straight NFL titles.

And I agree not calling Brady GOAT. I think all you can be is the greatest of your era.

And Brady certainly has been that. Brady and the Pats unlike some other eras really have had no peers.

 

[Diehardblues]

Instead of bashing Brady for his competitive fire to continue playing at age 43 despite his ability dwindling , I think we should be more in awe he can still perform at such a high level.

He’s just two years removed from winning his 6th SB after his 9th appearance. And last year led Pats to 12-4 record with one of his worst offensive weapons of his career. But his critics or in this case appears to be haters simply looking for material to bash him on.

 

[Diehardblues]

I grew up idolizing some of the greats that were mentioned in the opening post thread while never rooting for their teams.

It’s really sad this era of fans can’t appreciate the Elite talent of these eras unless they’re on their team.

I recall as a kid in the front yard or school yards pretending we were Johnny U or Broadway. They were Cultural Icons much like Ali was. And Tiger and Tom are today.

We were more fans of the game than just our individual teams and I’m still the same today. My team winning makes it more fun but I’d be a fan of the game regardless. I want to watch the greatest play.

It appears we’re losing that in this era of instant gratification , 24-7 access, Fantasy , bandwagon fans, social media , etc. I just don’t recall this hate and divisive mentalities over opponents and their players.

We hated losing to the Packers, Steelers and 49ers along with our division rivals but I don’t recall hating their great players personally with such vitriolic passions.

Did we root against them ? Of course. Did we call them names? Sure, but we didn’t attempt to demoralize their talent and ability.

As a matter of fact I recall admiring the Packers and Steelers in those early championships as playing greater games and performances . That while we had the ability and enough talent to win they had better teams. There’s really no shame in losing to a better team or performance.

 

[Diehardblues]

Personally I’d enjoy watching Brady attempt to make it to a 10th Super Bowl and 7th championship.

He doesn’t have to be at the height of his ability which was so far ahead of anyone else this era. Call him noodle arm or whatever you want the guy has become a freak of nature performing at this level for so long.

And the fact he’s played for less money than he could have demanded extending his career while continuing to allow his team a greater opportunity is even more to marvel at in a Me society and personal indulgences we see in professional sports.

 

[Diehardblues]

I’m old enough to be Brady’s father and many of the players grandfather but I’m grateful we had a great talent like Brady and team like the Pats to marvel over in this era of watered down talent and mediocre teams. I want to watch the best perform . And none were greater to watch this era than Brady and the Pats.

I called him Money cause when the game was on the line he was pure clutch. Even as we watched his skills diminished in his last SB he still was Money in the 4th qtr leading his team to a championship.

I used to always think with 2 minutes left only Montana and Staubach I’d want but I’d add Brady to that list and maybe put him him at the top.

 

[Diehardblues]

The biggest difference this era is Brady and the Pats never really had a sustaining peer on similar level.

Yea, there were the Steelers, Colts and Ravens for a couple years and now the Chiefs (and the Giants upsetting them or he’d have 8 Rings).

But in Cap era teams come and go with only their Elite QB’s sustaining their competitiveness over time and why the Pats have been on top so long as a result of Brady’s longevity which should immortalized not looked down on.

 

[Ghost12]

The only comparison Id draw to Ali courageous comebacks is Tiger Woods who overcame not only potentially career ending injuries and multiple surgeries but public humiliation.

I give Woods credit for coming back from injuries, but he gets no credit from me for coming back from public humiliation considering it was all self inflicted by virtue of his extreme marital infidelity.

The guy should’ve never gotten married since he clearly wasn’t fit for the married life, and the media doesn’t care how much sex single guys have.

 

[Ghost12]

Instead of bashing Brady for his competitive fire to continue playing at age 43 despite his ability dwindling , I think we should be more in awe he can still perform at such a high level.

He’s just two years removed from winning his 6th SB after his 9th appearance. And last year led Pats to 12-4 record with one of his worst offensive weapons of his career. But his critics or in this case appears to be haters simply looking for material to bash him on.

It only speaks to how big a standard he and his team have set. The guy threw for 4,000 yards and 24-8 TD-INT with arguably the worst receiving corps of his career, and some people consider that a drop off so great that he should retire.

 

[Diehardblues]

I give Woods credit for coming back from injuries, but he gets no credit from me for coming back from public humiliation considering it was all self inflicted by virtue of his extreme marital infidelity.

The guy should’ve never gotten married since he clearly wasn’t fit for the married life, and the media doesn’t care how much sex single guys have.

I was defending his infidelity or saying it wasn’t of his own doing simply stating it was another hurdle to overcome the public humiliation.

 

[kskboys]

It only speaks to how big a standard he and his team have set. The guy threw for 4,000 yards and 24-8 TD-INT with arguably the worst receiving corps of his career, and some people consider that a drop off so great that he should retire.

Well, we've been told all these years that Brady didn't need good players around him.

 

[kskboys]

The biggest difference this era is Brady and the Pats never really had a sustaining peer on similar level.

Yea, there were the Steelers, Colts and Ravens for a couple years and now the Chiefs (and the Giants upsetting them or he’d have 8 Rings).

But in Cap era teams come and go with only their Elite QB’s sustaining their competitiveness over time and why the Pats have been on top so long as a result of Brady’s longevity which should immortalized not looked down on.

Brady and Belly. Both. Can't put their winning ways on just Brady.

 

[Diehardblues]

Well, we've been told all these years that Brady didn't need good players around him.

He didn’t need as much offensive supporting cast as most did.

And look what he did when he did have enough. That’s what separates the great ones.

 

[Diehardblues]

Brady and Belly. Both. Can't put their winning ways on just Brady.

I wasn’t attempting to. They are the greatest HC/ QB combo .

Belichick the greatest defensive guru and Brady the most clutch QB this era.

We know what Bill is without Brady. We’ve never seen Tom without Bill.

 

[kskboys]

Instead of bashing Brady for his competitive fire to continue playing at age 43 despite his ability dwindling , I think we should be more in awe he can still perform at such a high level.

He’s just two years removed from winning his 6th SB after his 9th appearance. And last year led Pats to 12-4 record with one of his worst offensive weapons of his career. But his critics or in this case appears to be haters simply looking for material to bash him on.

And his lovers are striving to believe that he's still the same despite massive evidence to the contrary!!!

 

[kskboys]

I wasn’t attempting to. They are the greatest HC/ QB combo .

Belichick the defensive guru and Brady the most clutch QB this era and arguable all time.

We know what Bill is without Brady. We’ve never seen Tom without Bill.

You pretty much did!!!!!

 

[Diehardblues]

You pretty much did!!!!!

We were discussing Brady’s impact and players overall.

 

[Diehardblues]

And his lovers are striving to believe that he's still the same despite massive evidence to the contrary!!!

That’s ridiculous to believe he’s still the same level as he once was. He obviously isn’t. Which I noted as his deteriorating ability.

And it sounds like we might have some Brady haters too? Not sure why football purist wouldn’t all acknowledge his greatness this era despite declining performances?

 

[Diehardblues]

NFL and football fans were blessed to witness Brady’s greatness this era much like we have the Unitas, Staubachs , Montana’s and Elways in previous eras for example.

Fans who can’t appreciate and or at least acknowledge the accomplishments and greatness to not only the game but this era have some personal agendas or preferences influencing their better judgements I’m not really interested in. History will be on his side.