Tom Brady didn’t shower today. Didn’t eat. Didn’t put on his shoes. Didn’t brush his teeth, kiss his wife, change a diaper, call a friend, put gas in the car, tweet, email, facebook, or even position every hair on his head to make it look just like Justin Bieber’s. And he certainly won’t watch “Hard Knocks” tonight. Why? Because he’s apparently incapable of multi-tasking. Brady can’t do anything this week except prepare for the Bengals. The same is true for Bill Belichick. No showering, eating, diapering, or gassing up the car for him either. I know this to be true, because when they were both asked about Brady’s contract status, one said: “I’m just focusing on the Bengals”. And the other said, “All my focus this week is on the Bengals”.
It doesn’t really matter who said what. It’s either true or it isn’t. And since it isn’t, it must be a lie. Not the first one either will tell, and in the world of deceit, it’s pretty small and harmless. Still, it’s time to get a new lie, or better yet, it’s time to start telling the truth. Let’s start with the same question I ask my kids, “What’s the downside of being honest?”
When Brady was asked about his contract, he could have said, “It’s none of your business.” — which is true.
He could have said, “Nothing’s done yet. I’m sure you’ll know all about it when it is.” That’s also true.
He could have said, “Oh, we’re going to talk about how much money we all make? Why don’t you start?” — which would truly shut the media up.
He could have said, “I want to stay here, and I get a strong sense Mr. Kraft wants me here, and since both sides want the same thing, I feel very good it’ll happen. But these things take time, and I guess it’s going to take a little more time.” — and that’s not only true, it’s almost fifty words, and it contains more than one complete thought!
And really what’s the downside of admitting that negotiations are taking place, that you’re involved, that you’d like to have something done before Sunday, that of course you think about it, and that your entire focus isn’t on the Bengals. Nobody believes that anyway. Brady’s building a home in Los Angeles. He must be putting some thought in to that. Is that a distraction from his focus on the Bengals? He just threw a surprise birthday party for his wife. How could he have planned that while all his focus is on playing football?
The point is, the “singular focus excuse” is ridiculous. It’s just silly to hear a grown man pretend that he doesn’t think about anything else, because he’s got a job to do. When his wife asks him to take out the garbage, does he say, “Sorry, honey, focusing on the Bengals”? Does he call out the name of Bengals linebacker Ray Maualuga at inappropriate times? (That’s the nicest way I could write that joke, but you’re free to use your imagination and make it better).
One of the things that makes Brady a great quarterback is his decision making. He should decide on a different answer to the contract questions — something true, perhaps.
