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Saturday, Oct. 20, 2001
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Brady won’t last
Patriots fans shouldn’t get too excited about new QB
By Andy Hanacek, Associate editor
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| While I’m not a Patriots fan, I have a bad
feeling about this whole emergence of QB Tom Brady, and I think true-blue Patriots fans
should as well. We all know the story of how franchise QB Drew Bledsoe was hurt in the
Jets game and lost all kinds of fluids because of a sheared blood vessel in the lining of
his lung. In stepped Brady, who wasn’t anything more than average in his first two
outings. But last week, when called upon to lead the Patriots to victory and have the
passing game take over on offense, Brady worked wonders.
That’s certainly an exciting prospect for Patriots fans, but it does put them in a
predicament. I think many Pats fans are loyal, especially to a guy like Bledsoe — a
good guy who has stuck with the team and did lead them to a Super Bowl. Bledsoe really
hasn’t done anything to tick fans off, unlike teammate WR Terry Glenn.
But it’s clear that Bledsoe’s on the downside of his career. Prior to getting
hurt, Bledsoe wasn’t playing very well at all. But I think with the Patriots and
their fans, it’s like the old fella at work who just won’t retire —
they’re so loyal that despite his diminished skills, they feel somewhat comfortable
sticking with him. Plus, up until now, there’s been no better replacement for
Bledsoe.
But now this Brady kid comes in and creates a QB controversy. I think they should give
Brady the starting job over Bledsoe if Brady continues to play as he did last week. But
they won’t. They won’t because of the loyalty thing, but mostly because Bledsoe
signed a 10-year contract. Talk about a high-priced backup.
Unfortunately, the Patriots will likely trade away Brady in the offseason, hopefully
(for the fans’ sake) for draft picks. But as Pats fans know, not even that is a
given.
It would be the ultimate coup and a spectacular move if the team installed Brady as the
permanent starter and somehow reworked Bledsoe’s contract. But that would be nearly
impossible, I think. Patriots fans should simply prepare to stick it out with Bledsoe and
whatever draft picks the Patriots get for Brady and then watch Tom Brady playing for
another team. It’s bound to happen. |
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