Now it's supposedly big news that Tom Brady took the "fifth" when asked whether he thought he was appreciated enough by the New England Patriots?
He needs to shut up and "appreciate" the good fortune that has come his way over the years.
Yes, I get it. #12 has been to eight Super Bowls, winning five of them, and MVP of four of them. A lock first ballot future Hall of Famer to be sure. Maybe the best QB ever.
But let's not forget back in the day he was a sixth-round draft choice -- almost an afterthought.
In the meantime, dear Tom has made about $200,000,000 playing football, and that's not counting the various endorsements he reaped the rewards of over the years -- probably at least that much again.
And most likely none of this happens if he doesn't fall into a system -- and coach like Bill Bellichick running it. Had he been with the Lions, Browns, Bills, Dolphins, Bears, Chargers, and a few other perennially sad-sack teams, he'd have probably been used up and forgotten long ago. It just so happened he landed in the right place, at the right time, in an organization in which he could prosper -- be great even.
So as much as I admire him for what he's accomplished, I don't want to hear him even semi-insinuating he doesn't get enough respect. That bit belonged to the late Rodney Dangerfield.
Shut up Tom, and be grateful for what you have. You wouldn't have that bulging bank account and drop-dead gorgeous trophy wife if you'd been picked by Cleveland or Detroit. More like super-sizing orders at a drive-thru window, begging for dates, and living in a trailer. The question isn't whether HE'S been appreciated enough by the team, but rather whether he sufficiently appreciates what the team made possible for HIM.
Draymond Green, he of the reigning world champion Golden State Warriors, is a wonderfully talented player.
He's also quite the thug and loud mouth. The NBA's version of Ndamukong (the stomper) Suh when it comes to dirty play.
We've seen him deliver several thunderous kicks to the groins of opposing players. Elbows to the faces, and other mayhem. But like Suh, he not only appears to have no conscience about it, but rather revels in his misdeeds.
And Green has never seen a camera or microphone he won't gravitate to either when it comes to talking trash.
He needs to shut up too. Not just any team would tolerate such goonish behavior. If he had been on a loser -- like the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, Michael Jordan's abomination in Carolina, or whatever the Chicago Bulls have cobbled together in recent years -- dear Draymond would likely be cooking the stuff Tom was dishing out at the drive-thru. It just so happened he landed in the right spot at the right time as well.
For this, these guys get paid obscene amounts of money. More so than all but a handful of CEOs of highly successful corporations. For playing a game. For a few months a year only.
Like him or hate him, the President of the United States gets paid $400,000 a year. Tough job, packed with pressure 24/7/365. That same 400K is less than two game checks (out of 82 regular-season -- the playoffs kick in more mega-bucks) for Draymond.
And Brady has to play maybe a single quarter of any particular game to ring up the same cha-ching.
You wonder how and why the average "family of four" has to skip a house payment to attend a game these days, what with parking, exorbitant ticket prices, concessions marked up 1000% for food and drink they'd consider inedible (slop not worthy of giving to the NEIGHBOR'S dog) at home?
Guys like these are the poster children for how this has come about.
Yet they whine, or don't feel appreciated, or talk and talk some more, as if they're some sort of cult heroes, with legions of fans hanging on their every word.
Sad thing is -- they are. And THAT, is a testament to mass ignorance.
P.T. Barnum was absolutely right. There's one born every minute. Worse, they seem to be multiplying faster than rabbits fed a steady diet of chow laced with sexual stimulants. They're everywhere.
But OK. Enough is enough. I've ripped on the, ahem, all-American boy in the east and the, ahem, heart -- or is that groin -- throb in the west.
Time to follow my own advice and.....
Shut up. At least for a day or two.
But show me four hundred grand and I could probably be persuaded to stay mum a little longer.
How do I know my boss -- sometimes known as an editor -- truly appreciates me? Because he hasn't chewed me out in recent weeks.
Make it an even million, and I'd find a way to give myself a couple kicks in the groin. I'm not sure that's humanly possible, but I'd at least try. Can't be any worse than divorce court -- right?
No comments:
Post a Comment