I find it unfortunate that I have to write on Gregg Easterbrook. Many columnists and sports talk show hosts have laughed him off in passing, but the man (and his fellow ESPN.com Page Two idiots) continue to dominate my effort to get sports news and commentary. And so I have to vent.
On the eve of what many commentators are calling the biggest regular season game in NFL history, I think it's worth revisiting Gregg Easterbrook and his description of the Colts-Patriots matchup of Good vs. Evil. My first entry on Gregg Easterbrook was quick and I'd really like to take some time to dissect what this venom-spewing "journalist" has said about the Patriots.
Easterbrook begins by stating that "The fact that I don't even need to tell you which team represents Good and which stands for Evil says a lot about how low New England has sunk. You knew instantly which was which, didn't you?" Any discerning reader would know which adjective applied to which team, but not because of reality; because of perception. Easterbrook, who is on the lunatic fringe of Patriots' hatred, has worked with other Patriot haters to create a perception of "how low New England has sunk." Leave it to Gregg Easterbrook to talk about the lows of the New England Patriots organization when they are off to their best start in franchise history - and one that without a doubt does not include any violations of the NFL's video taping rules.
Easterbrook depicts the Colts as good: "Although religious, Dungy said on the night he won the Super Bowl that God doesn't care about football games, which shows perspective. The team's star, Peyton Manning, stands for love of family, constantly appearing in public with his brothers, father and mother. Manning is happily married and a major donor to a children's hospital. Manning spends a lot of time at children's camps and events, and he constantly makes fun of himself. Ladies and gentlemen, representing Good, the Indianapolis Colts."
As noted in a previous post, Easterbrook takes Brady to task for not being charitable enough. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth - Brady is part of the ONE campaign to end poverty and recently visited Africa to bring awareness to the host of issues confronting the continent. (God, I can't believe I even have to write this, but I do.) Never mind, again, that the New England Patriots organization and its players continue to do excellent charity work within the greater Boston community. As Easterbrook writes, "Ladies and gentlemen, representing Evil, the New England Patriots." According to Easterbrook, "They run up the score to humiliate opponents -- more on that below -- thus mocking sportsmanship. Their coach snaps and snarls in public, seeming to feel contempt for the American public that has brought him wealth and celebrity." On Brady himself (and I know I'm repeating myself), Easterbrook viciously states that "The team's star, Tom Brady, is a smirking celebrity-chaser who dates actresses and supermodels but whose public charity appearances are infrequent."
Never mind that Tom Brady doesn't use his celebrity to advance himself, like someone we all know (Peyton Manning stars in a few commercials).
Never mind that Tom Brady tries to contribute to the community in a way that doesn't bring attention to himself - last time I checked, that was class.
And oh, never mind that Gregg Easterbrook doesn't work for a tabloid and shouldn't be reporting on his perspective of a "celebrity-chaser."
Here's the fatal flaw in Easterbrook's piece of trash: He believes, in the abscence of evidence, that the Patriots are a group of smug cheaters whose smiles - namely that of Tom Brady - indicate that they are all thinking to themselves, ""I'm hiding something."
That's the problem with sports writing. You don't need facts to develop an opinion and pass it off as news. In the real world of reporting (if there were one), you would look at facts to present a perspective on a given issue or occurrence. Easterbrook assumes that from the Patriots' silence on the issue that they are guilty. It's a vicious thing to do. It's unprofessional. It's flat out despicable.
The tragedy that gets lost in all of this - from Steve Young's diatribe about his respect for the Patriots and his disappointment in the video taping violation to the Page 2 of ESPN.com which now resembles a tabloid of anti-Patriot junk - is that the New England Patriots are about what America should be about.
The New England Patriots are about hard work, sacrifice, and above all, team work. In an age when rappers flaunt their wealth and sexism, when Alex Rodriguez demands $350 million to set up a meeting, and when Terrell Owens thrives on his me-first attitude, the Patriots offer something better - something that has been, unfortunately, elusive in our culture and amongst our sports teams.
You can be successful if you sacrifice, if you strive for greatness within the construct of something greater than yourself. The New England Patriots, from the time Bill Belichick took over, have always been about harnessing individual talent and hard work for the greater good. They've been about accomplishing special things without ego.
When has Tom Brady flaunted his accomplishments? Do you see him on every television commercial, racking up dollars due to his tremendous success in the NFL?
When has a Patriot player claimed that they were a better team in the week leading up to a game? Ask yourself this question. It's an important one.
Perhaps what the media sees as "running up the score" is merely playing a full 60 minutes of football and trying to get better.
Perhaps the Patriots are guilty of violating an NFL rule, but maybe there isn't much more to it than that. Dr. Z of CNNSI.com published two pages of rumors in the wake of the "scandal" seemingly in an effort to continue to push the story. Peter King wonders why it hasn't gotten "MORE" traction.
The Patriots use complex schemes, an elaborate player evaluation system, and a strict code of conduct as organizational tools to achieve success. They win because they play a complete team game - every week, it's not about "me," it's about the team and its success. That's where success is cherished. Tom Brady doesn't care about Peyton Manning's touchdown record; he wants another ring. He wants to be a part of something more special.
And the way the Patriots do it, the simplicity of the team-first concept - it's too much for the media. That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true. It's much easier to think the Colts offense was going to run over the Patriots defense in the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoff Game given the Patriots' supposed weakness in the secondary. No one bothered to contemplate a simple fact: What if New England played great TEAM defense? What if the lineman got enough rush and the linebackers enough push on the receivers to pick up any slack in the injured secondary?
That's what's great about football. "T-E-A-M," Belichick once said. "I make decisions given what I think is best for the team." The man made a mistake. He did. I'm not denying it. But he's done something for football that should never be lost on us. Eleven guys, when they play together on the field, can accomplish anything in a given play.
We should consider ourselves lucky. The New England Patriots are a special franchise. Tom Brady said it best: "I hope the fans know how lucky they are." He didn't mean it about him or in an arrogant way. He meant that we have a coach that has proven that the team can accomplish the greatest of feats, that can do innovative and intelligent things on the football field, and that can put aside ego in an age when the individual is celebrated.
A true New England fan knows that Tom Brady doesn't have 30 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions this season. Those belong to the offensive unit as a whole - from the lineman to the backs to the receivers, to Brady himself. All eleven guys contribute to something special. And anyone that takes the time to listen to Belichick and tries to understand what the man actually says - rather than blast him for what they see as arrogance and an unwillingness to talk - would know a little something about complimentary football. The Patriots defense and special teams also own a piece of those touchdown passes - and of course, it's more than a two-way street. The game is interrelated. That's why the individual is nothing unless he contributes to the whole. That's what the New England Patriots have taught us.
It's a shame that Gregg Easterbrook doesn't know what "Good" is when it's right in front of him. I hope it's not lost on the rest of us.
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1 comment:
Great post. One point, though, which probably is more semantics than anything else.
I would argue that Tom does have 30 TDs v. 2 INTs. However, I would argue that the only reason he has that record is because of the symbiotic nature of the offense: it is the first time I can honestly say that every aspect of the O makes the whole better: the O line, Tom, the running game, the passing game.
The scariest thought of all, though, is that the Patriots could be playing better.
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