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Report: Brady behind schedule
Tom E. Curran, of NBCsports.com, reports today that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is behind schedule in his recovery.
From the piece:
Brady, who had the ACL and MCL in his left knee ripped in the first quarter of the season’s first game, is well behind schedule in coming back from the surgery performed in early October, the source said.The problem began with the infection that set in soon after the Oct. 6 surgery performed by Los Angeles-based doctor Neil ElAttrache.
After the infection was detected, Brady went through six weeks of antibiotics and surgical irrigation of the infected area. The infection finally cleared but as it currently stands, both the ACL and MCL remain “loose,” the league source said. Meanwhile, scar tissue that built up in the knee as Brady’s body battled the infection is still present and might need to be surgically removed.
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If accurate, then the Pats would be foolish not to place the franchise tag on Cassel.
Seasonal wishes to all Pats fans.
GO PATS!!!
Wonderful news. First he is getting married and will have less time to devout to the team and now his choice of surgeons will delay the healing process. I guess this news means that the pats will have no choice but to waste salary cap space and franchise cassel. This means less money for potential free agents that could help the defense. Hopefully he will be ready by the middle of next season but I am not counting on it. Such depressing news.
Yeah, the post op infection stuff is very nasty, and can compromise the repair if it's bad enough. Hopefully it's just set back the recovery and nothing more.
The proof will be in how the Pats handle Cassel. If they don't think that Brady will be ready next fall, it makes sense to try and keep Cassel for at least another year.
Franchise Cassel........IMMEDIATELY!
Phil in Germany...you're completely right
Who is considered the premiere knee surgeon in the country? I know there were some rumblings that the Patriots would rather have seen Brady meet with another Doctor. Regardless, isn't there a well known knee surgeon on the east coast, such a Dr. James Andrews?
Ughh... can we get more substantiation on these claims... this will ruin my day!
Even if he comes back on time, I don't think he'll be the same, and I don't think he has the same motivation
I'd keep Cassell and also work hard on O'Connell
Not what people want to hear but with all we see from Brady these days and with the success of Cassel it may be time for Pats fans to come to the realization that the Brady era is over and the Cassel era has begun.
Our sources tells us that it'll be be a LONG time before he'll be back...if ever.
yes. Franchise Cassel. Can always trade. There will be a market for him.
Didn't Jonanthan Kraft deny this report on the WBCN pregame show?
To the guy who said marriage will affect Brady's play: Go root for another team. You're a complete idiot and reactionary fan. That has to be the single most foolish comment made about an athlete.
To the guy who said the Brady era is over: What does "with all we see from Brady these days" mean? We don't see ANYTHING. So you're basing your opinion on the occasional photos that pop up of Brady with his girlfriend and coming to the conclusion that he isn't working hard? What do you think he's doing during the other 23.5 hours of the day? You're also a moronic sportsfan.
ya i also heard that kraft denied this report...even though im stationed on a submarine out of hawaii and its 930 Am i am still up early watching my boys..one hting is for sure...we are new englanders sports run through our veins but everyone you got to understand....A REPORT IS A REPORT
CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG OUR BELOVED RED SOX SUPPOSED HAD MARK TEXIERA...THAT WAS ALSO A REPORT AND LOOK WHERE THAT CLOWN ENDED UP...until Brady steps onto the field i agree....think about the future..hard..but until otherwise..a report is a report
This report is false.
How ethical is it to report on someone's health to the media, I know doctor's can't talk about it without permission.
It is ironic that Brady may lose his starting QB job with the Pats the same way that Bledsoe did...history repeats itself. Cassel is younger, stronger, more mobile, and can run the ball as well as any QB in the league. Brady obviously has the better leadership and intangibles, but Cassel will obtain those qualities with time. The Pats have found Brady's replacement and they will let him walk? Doubtful. The Brady era will be cherished by New England fans forever...but that era is likely over. Accept and embrace the change....
Mike Reiss,
I think you are by far the best source for Pats news, but i find it frustrating that you put this report up from a "league insider" yet say nothing about the Krafts refuting the report. It's now been 3 hours of posting but nothing more about this. Given the Pats secrecy about injuries and rehab of it's players, exactly what kind of information is this "league insider" privy to? With all the Patriot bashing that has been prevalent in the national media & around the league as a whole i find this may just be a case of wishfull thinking from this "insider".
TRADE BRADY!
So, the NFL league office is lying?
Hi Dave S. I asked the WBCN folks here about Kraft's comments because I did not hear them and was told that what he said is something like "All I can say is that he is rehabbing." I did not think that was refuting the report.
--MIke
There is no reason to waste salary cap money on Cassel by placing the franchise tag on him. Have to let Cassel go and O'connel will be the back up and start in the beginning of the season if necessary. Coach Bill will have O'connel ready to start. Is there anyone out there who doubts Coach Bill?
"anyone who doubts Coach Bill?"....the ex-Mrs. Bill.
I've recovered from 4 ACL repairs...Understand this ...your first is the most mental recovery process ever. The befief in your legs is the most important thing as an athlete...I do think TB will be ready but with that said I don't think he will be 100% until WK17 of next year....it is a very long mental process...TB can as proven make it a shorter curve but ...there needs to be a plan B
Mike, worst case scenario. Brady is going to miss 2009 as well - do the Pats release Brady? What would be the 2009 salary cap savings if he's released after June 1st?
Any three stooges fan remember the episode where "Chopper" the fighter who had the girl who made him eat to many creme puffs
It has been a bad 2008 for the Patriots
Regardless of how hard Brady's working at rehab, he should be with the team at every game, coaching Cassel, the same way Bledsoe coached Brady back in 2001.
I would take Brady with a bum knee over Cassel any day of the week. Brady might never put up numbers like he did before, but he knows how to win games. Cassel can't seem to get it done when things are tight.
Definitely franchise Cassel if the reports are true. When Brady wouldn't comment about his knee during a recent Patriot's charity event, that definitely didn't seem like a good sign to me.
When Cassel proves he can play at a high level for more than one season then I'll start to believe the Brady era is over.
The fact remains that Cassel has two pretty darned good WRs to throw at in his 1st year. Who did Brady have? Stop comparing Brady's 1st season to Cassel's.
PUP at the beginning of 09 (not unusual for a serious injury such as this), mid-year back at earliest. If that's a 50% or greater probability, Matt stays.
"Regardless of how hard Brady's working at rehab, he should be with the team at every game, coaching Cassel, the same way Bledsoe coached Brady back in 2001."
The difference there was Bledsoe was not on IR, we was still an active member of the team. There may be rules about IR players being on the sidelines.
anyone who has any faith in brady returning as brady next year is out of their mind. this type of injury is one where the player almost NEVER comes back anywhere near to what they once were. aside from that sobering fact, brady has had a variety of problems with the healing... about as bad a sign as there can be.
idc if they franchise cassel... but brady is not going to last long as a starter - if he comes back at all.
in closing and to guarantee a flame... brady is overrated anyway. yes, a great quarterback - but not the team nor the best. this season should have made that clear. the patriots live and die by their coaching.
"Regardless of how hard Brady's working at rehab, he should be with the team at every game, coaching Cassel, the same way Bledsoe coached Brady back in 2001."
And you were in the locker room everyday?
Gee, you would never know it the way he runs errands for his girlfriend and jet sets around the world with her.
Surely this report must be wrong........[yeah that was sarcasm].
You are right PatriotFan, we shouldn't compare Cassel to Brady. I haven't seen any pictures of Matt shlepping Barney's and Nordstrom's bag for his wife, or walk her rat dog when he should be resting.... they aren't the same at all are they?
Wait for it.........
Wait for it........ anytime now there will be yet another look-at-me article about Brady's private life while his team played the biggest game of the season today. Nice of him to keep us so informed. God forbid the attention be focused on his team for more than a week at a stretch.
Brady should have been operated on by Drs. Gill & Zarins from the get go.
Under the collective bargaining agreement he had the right to choose his own Dr. He got one from way out of leftfield. A celebrity Doctor. Hmmmmmm. I wonder who talked him into that one?
franchise cassel and hope brady is 100% by the 2010 season.
Franchise Matt, sign him to a long term contract, tell him he is the starter. Look at the history, Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Damien Woody, should I keep going? If there is one thing this team knows, its not to let sentiment get in the way of sense. Cassel is more than able, younger, unhurt, and can run for first downs. Sign him, see what happens with Tom, maybe trade him if he needs too much time. Salary cap will have to flex. This guy can NOT be let go, we dont have any idea what Tom's condition will be.
Mike - you have no clue what you are talking about. Phillip Rivers had a worse knee and came back better than he was. Carson Palmer is better since his knee was reconstructed. Tom Brady has never been a mobile quarterback. He needs leg strength but he does NOT need the ability to make quick changes of direction which is the biggest loss from ACL and MCL injuries,
there is allways hope
Franchise Cassel. Simple. Tom is done, he has other interests.
Keep Cassel - that's all I have to say. Yes he has goofed at times but he has also performed quite well the majority of the time
Got one Acronym for you...HIPAA.....There is no way this information got out...It is against Federal Law and the person whom did or purpotedly did leak this is subject to massive fines and possibly imprisonment.
I think it is highly premature to speculate on Brady's recovery at this point. As Peter King said on NBC tonight, we'll know if the Pats are worried about him if they franchise Cassel. My guess is that they won't do it because it would tie up a lot of money in two players, one of whom may only play a handful of games next year.
Brady's work ethic is unquestioned as is his devotion to the team. He cares about winning more than most athletes. Everyone made a lot of noise when his son was born; that he was less than enthusiastic about his off season workouts last year. How'd that work out for us?
With pending nupituals and surgery issues I wonder if Brady will have the desire to come back from this??? He has 3 SB rings and an MVP; his legacy is etched in stone.
I'm wondering if he goes and get's married and decides to retire rather than fight to come back without assurances he'll be as good as he was before the injury......I'd hate to see it but I wouldn't be shocked if this scenario played out.
The last thing Kraft wants in this economy is for bad Brady news to get out in December.
Calm down please. The Pats missed the playoffs with an 11-5 record, the first time in 20 plus years. They are still a great team, and will be for years. Cassel will go elsewhere, and Brady will be back in the playoffs next year. In the meantime, enjoy the Bruins and Celtics.
I've blogged this before. Brady is NEVER COMING BACK. He also isn't injured, he's just had enough and has a great life outside of football, and has done everything anyone could inside football. You will never see Brady in a Patriot uniform again.
I am looking forward to seeing #12 step back on the field opening day 2009! Cassel did great filling in.. He should be kept, we dont know how or when Brady returns.. The Patriots will not trade Brady or let him go, he is the face of the franchise! Brady, Cassel & The Patriots will be fine.. A team looking for revenge next season after going 11-5 and not getting in..
I am super proud of what this team did this year with all those injuries going 11-5 is pretty darn good. Any other team that would have won 11 games missing so many important players? I don't think so. Bill Belchick should get coach of the year.
Just when I thought my day could not get any worse.......
I do not feel that Brady has the same motivation and hunger, and remember the female "controls" a man if you know what I mean!!! Brady is great we all know that but I do not feel he will be motivated to work hard, he is more interested in his future wife, and no we cannot franchise Cassel, so let's get the rookie ready!
Hey Brian McNamara:
big stooges fan and yes I remember the episode....although as a Pats' fan I am NOT laughing about Brady that same way. It is more like what Yoko Ono did to break up the Beatles. I cannot STAND Giselle, she has ruined and torn apart a dynasty. Bridget is better looking, can't stand that schnozz on Gisele. "Silence, Foul Temptress!!! (from Monthy Python "Holy Grail")
I would sign Cassel long-term; trade Brady for future needs .... let Tom and Gisele get on with their lives. Brady will never return to what he once was ... yet he will never be forgotten in NE !! I wish him well .... his name is GOLD in New England Sports History !!
Maybe we don't see picture of Cassel and his wife out and about is because she is not a supermodel. We don't see pictures of Matt carrying her bags and I am sure he does or walking the dog (if they even have one) because TMZ could care less about him. Tom has been doing regular things that most married or in a relationship people and that include athletes do, the only reason we are bombarded by it is the stalkers at TMZ are all over him.
Brady has been seen limping in the Back Bay. Should he still be limping?
Brady is not a team player. Have you seen him on the sideline since his injury??? Do you know f any other TEAM LEADERS who did not at least attend the games??
Even if he sat with the Kraft's, but NOOOO he is too busy running around new York running errands.
GIVE ME A BREAK. This team needed his support and he just didn't have the time of day for them. Force him to attend the games next year so he can help further develope Cassel. Sound familar.
Brady has been my #1 athlete for several years, but his days in New England are numbered. We should franchise Cassel and trade Brady to the 49ers, his favorite team as a boy....and he'll be closer to his new LA home and his son Jack.
In return, we'll receive a couple terrific young 49er players plus a couple #1 draft picks. Now's the time to make a deal, as difficult as it may seem. Let's begin to prepare for our future while continuing our winning ways with Cassel at the helm.
TixMan
To SeasonTickets1990......you are a complete moron. I don't even know why I am wasting my time replying to your idiocy. Take your 3rd grade education and go back to your trailer.
The Pats need to be/ probably are/ moving on as if Brady is done. If he comes back as the the old Tom, then it is a bonus, but it seems childish to hope on his return to his former player self.
Cassel developed alot this season. I'd draft another qb and stick with Cassel. 11-5 was real good this year.
Let's keep Cassel. I hope Brady comes back strong -- he's an amazing QB -- but Cassel's proven that he can help us win. The strength of the Pats is that they are a real team, not a work group. If Brady is healthy, wonderful. If he's not fully healed, we need Cassel.
Sign Cassel long term under the condition Giselle marries him instead
if Cassel keeps this up then you shouldn't give brady his job back immediately
Maybe Pats fans are starting to realize how amazing a feat it was that the Yankees won 4 out of 5 in the free agency era. Sorry little sallies.
Brady is the or was the best NFL Q.B but if Brady is not 100% the Pats need to resign Cassel cause even if Brady comes back he probably won't be like the Brady the Patriots know I think Brady is the Best but if he needs another surgery Patriots will need to resign Cassel
Come to think of it, I have never seen the extremely over-exposed Peyton Manning out shopping with his wife either, of course no one cares about him either right?
Reality time -- the only time we should see Tom Brady photographed is his entering and leaving Gillette stadium before and after rehab sessions. He should not be in NYC doing "boyfriend things", and while we are at it he sure as he%% shouldn't have been shopping in Italy or Spain with Yoko Ono (perfect comparison) last February when he was supposed to be in conditioning camp. I guess we should have seen the writing on the wall back then what was coming. I would love to have the old Tom Brady back, but I think that Brady is long gone, never to be seen again.
Hey GARY, the truth hurts but blogger Season Ticket1990 is probably right. Get over it and lets move on. Cassel is the future and Tom feels he made his mark and is moving on. So should you.
As a Redskins fanatic who is also a fan of the Patriots, I'm amazed at how the fans of the Pats are so willing toss Tom Brady under the bus. Cassel has done a great job this year...BUT...Brady is probably the greatest QB of all time and has many years of great play ahead of him.
These comparisons of the two QB's in their first season is a joke. Brady took over a team who had a losing record in the previous 16 games and led them to a championship.. Cassel took over a team that was 18-1. If the Pats get rid of Brady, they will spend the next 6 or 7 years just missing the playoffs or losing in the playoffs. Whoever gets Brady will will win 2 or 3 Super Bowls. He's that good. It's a shame that the Pats home fans don't appreciate a guy who has been the model of an all-time great in every way, especially as a team leader. Brady is special and it's shocking to me that so many don't appreciate him.
I have been a Pats fan since their inception and my emotions swing with their successes and defeats. Having witnessed the Brady phenomenon and been so disappointed he did not add last years super bowl to his resume, I resolved myself to the fact that his career may be over.
P.S. Brady put the team ahead in the last super bowl. The defense only had to kill three minutes. Brady is truely a super star!
I've blow out both ACLs in both legs as a MX racer and I can tell you that Brady will be fine. I know he had the infection but he will play again and will be fine. This is no big deal. An ACL and MCL is no big deal. Just need time to recover even with the infection issues. Believe it.
know knees,
maybe you've had a bunch of surgeries, but have you had the complication Brady's had. I work with PT's and Docs and they've all told me that the complication Brady had is a very bad sign. Though he may be able to come back, his knee will likely never heal the way it should if the surgery had gone as planned.
In the cold world of sports, if this is true, the Pats should release TB and sign MC to a contract. No way the team can handle 28 million cap for two players and improve the defense, which is desperately needed if they want to make deep playoff runs.
Tom Curran is a strange guy. Am I the only one who thinks he is sometimes drunk on camera?
Mike,
Would the Pat's get salary cap relief if they placed Brady on IR prior to the season allowing them to lessen the hit of franchising Cassel?
Peter King said on Sunday Night Football that he talked to two people close to Brady and he was ahead of schedule not behind schedule. Who knows. This is going to be along off season.lol!
do you people who comment on his personal life and assume you know what he is thinking, know how ignorant you sound???!!! Because he has a life outside of football (as EVERY athlete does), he doesn't care about his team??? C'mon...you sound like a bunch of jealous, 17-year old little girls.
I could not have imagined wanting Cassell instead of Brady for most of the season, but as of now, I can see it more and more. Say what you want about how great Brady is (and that is certainly true), Cassell is healthy and younger. And from what I saw this year gives us everything Tom has given us. The leadership of Matt has been awe-inspiring. He can run better too.
I liked him better when he was with Bridget.
O CON NEL
O CON NEL
O CON NEL
If I hear one more loser fan say the Pats should sign Cassell and trade Brady I am going to throw up.. Cassel had the same, if not better surrounding offense this year then Brady last year,and look at the comparing numbers..... Cassel did not prove once all year he can throw accurately over 30 yards, Brady has. Brady is one of a handful of qbs to win more than one superbowl, and hes only 32 still! This embarasses me to be a Patriots fan.. Are all NE fans this naive? Little to cold there to think straight? Matt has plenty of potential, but he will NEVER be a Tom Brady. Everything Brady did for the Pats with average too no weapons, year in and out, and one injured year and now you want to trade him? I hope ignorance is a common theme among "bloggers" and not the rest of Patriots nation. Appreciate what you have in a "Joe Montana" qb and stop whining about the guys personal life. He will be back when hes ready and anyone who doesnt want him to be is probably still livig in their mothers basement.
The injuries Brady sustained are very difficult to recover from and he did himself a huge disservice by going with his own doctor, BUT let's not toss him aside like stale meat just yet. Until it is proven otherwise, Brady is still the greatest QB the Patriots have ever had by a million years.
Thank you Mike Pannell for voicing a reasonable opinion. Couldnt of said it better myself.
Some of these comments regarding Tom and Giselle are hysterical. How can you compare Peyton Manning and his wife and Tom and Giselle? Tom isn't asking to have his picture taken walking from a car to where he lives. It is done because of fame and looks. He and his gf are famous and gorgeous. How many people want to look at candid pics of Peyton Manning going into where he lives? You can see him in dozens of commercials on tv during sporting events. You can't see Tom except in certain print ads or during sports events or if paparazzi are following him. I'm sure he doesn't do much different things than Peyton Manning does, except Peyton is unfortunate looking, to be as kind as I can be. Tom isn't allowed to have a private life?
If most of you took the time to click the link to read the original report, it basically said that Brady would almost ASSUREDLY miss the entire 2009 season as well. Not 'maybe'. He will need a second surgery to tighten the MCL and ACL as both are 'loose'. If he doesn't, he'll wear a brace and will be vulnerable to another blowout. Read the writing on the wall -- soonest Brady is available is 2010 -- the Brady era is over. It was great. Buy those DVD's, get those baseball caps and sweatshirts declaring "3 time superbowl champs". Its more than most fans can cling to, but its OVER.....................................................
On NBC's Football Night in America, Peter King reported that sources close to Brady are saying that is rehab is actually progressing ahead of schedule, and that New England is floating the story to increase Cassel's value.
It is possible that the Pats could franchise Cassel and then trade him to the highest bidder; in 2003, New England franchised and then traded safety Tebucky Jones to New Orleans, receiving third-, fourth-, and seventh-round draft picks (over two years) from the Saints.
You ladies that act like you know about how BAD Brady's knee is or will be are a bunch wimps! You have no idea and are obviously not athletes. Go back to playing Warcraft and living in your mom's basement, pussies! Brady will be fine, he's a football player.
Hey, This is just the start of how the Pats will Franchise Cassel, then trade him for draft picks....read between the lines people. Calm down..don`t panic..Cassel proved that it just wasn`t Brady..it was part of the System that Bill incoroprates...this is the start of next year already....11-5 wasn`t a bad season...lets keep our heads on straight here.
Three points:
Brady will come back motivated.
Brady getting married is a good thing.
Cassel did well this season BUT needed to lead the pats to victory over one of the following teams: Steelers, Colts or Chargers. Those were the big games on the schedule! You need to win the big games. I know Brady would have delivered victories in two out of those three games! Cassel definetly was getting better as the season progressed but Brady is a hall of fame lock! He is extremely competitive
and will be back! As for Cassel, franchise him and trade him in April during the draft.
draft.
The talk about releasing Brady is absolutely ridiculous. It's way to early to justify whether or not Brady will be good to go for the regular season. The season does not start until early September. Curran only said that it was a possibility that Brady could miss the 2009 season. We cannot jump off the deep end this early.
BRADY SHOULD BE AT EVERTY GAME SUPPORTING HIS TEAMMATES! HIS HEART IS NOT IN IT! HE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! CASSELL IS THE MAN!
Until Tom Brady is 100% ready to take the helm the Patriots cannot afford to let Cassel walk. He will be signed or franchised and remain the starting QB until the situation is resolved one way or another. If Brady never returns to his old form than I have no problem handing over the reins to Cassel. He more than showed his ability to lead this team and win the big game. He will only get better next year.
Matt proved his spot this year and he should have it next year too, Let Tom go be G dog walker. Dont get me wrong I love Tom,. But was he every watching any ga,es
GO MATT
If what I just read is true, the Patriots need to retain Cassel and not let him leave to our hated J-E-T-S! I never liked the Jets but I hate them even more tonight and I am very upset with the NFL for moving the Jets game to 4:15 pm for a meaningless game. If the Jets played at 1:00 pm like scheduled they may have played harder and not folded in the 3rd quarter when they saw Ravens were winning by 21. Maybe, this is how the NFL is getting back at the Patriots for Spygate! We should get our #1 draft pick back!!!
BRADY SHOULD BE AT EVERY GAME! SHAME ON HIM! GET RID OF HIM!
Let the Matt Cassel era begin! Go Pats!
And let Tom Brady's new life as Giselle's b*tch begin! Already Giselle dresses him like her pet dog. Tom, when did you stop dressing like a man? You look like you're going on an easter egg hunt in Provincetown.
Brady hasn't played well since he's been with Gisele.
He was never mobile in the pocket. He won't recover 100% from this by next season.
People that can actually look at this objectively need to grow up? No, you blind idiots who are willing to probably blow a season because you have a hunch he can come back to what he was before need to grow up.
I enjoyed the three championships as much as the next guy, but those days are unfortunately over.
Love the folks that complain about Brady not being with the team at their games while he is injured. They proclaim to be long time fans too. Well most of them do. Yet they don't know that BB has a standing policy that NO injured players are allowed to be with the team on game days. Not in the locker room, unless by invitation, not on the field during warmups and not on the sidelines during the game.
Franchise Cassel=dumb
I would say Wilfork is more important
On NBC's Football Night in America, Peter King reported that sources close to Brady are saying that is rehab is actually progressing ahead of schedule, and that New England is floating the story to increase Cassel's value.
It is possible that the Pats could franchise Cassel and then trade him to the highest bidder; in 2003, New England franchised and then traded safety Tebucky Jones to New Orleans, receiving third-, fourth-, and seventh-round draft picks (over two years) from the Saints.
reading these posts... im so embarassed to be a Patriots fan right now.. Brady is the BEST thing that ever happened to NE.
@34
I guess Carson Palmer didn't pass for more than 4000 yards in 2006, did he?
Please spare us your medical "expertise".
Reconstructed ligaments are often stronger than the original ligaments. There is a risk of a new tear, but that could happen to any QB who was hit as Brady was hit by Pollard in week 1. There would be more reason to be concerned if Brady was playing basketball, or a sport where stress on the knee was a regular feature. But as a QB he should be fine once he's fully healed.
In all seriousness...I don't think I realized it until now, that I have a man-crush on Tom Brady. Seriously. And my 8-year old son--first the SB (7 at the time, he sobbed at the end of that game); Brady out; not making the play offs; Brady behind on recovery...how much can a little guy take?
Hi Mike Reiss,
I commented earlier stating that the Krafts refuted the report....I actually called WBCN myself later in the afternoon and they told me the comments were basically they don't comment on rehab.....so not quite refuting the comments as you stated in your reply. So, apparently it was me who was guilty of wishfull thinking, but could you please give some more insight to this report. I still stand by my comments of questioning how much this "insider" could know. How could someone with real knowledge be spilling it to the press?? Thanks a lot.
Season Tickets, what are you smoking? You're way way off base.
Let's take a deep breath here, I think a lot of you are reacting to the Pats not making the playoffs. As someone else said, Rivers and Palmer made it back, and I think Brady will too.
Another Redskins fan here who loves the Pats.. I agree with everything Mike said, you guys are so lucky to have such a great organization & I have no doubt Brady will be back as soon as he can possibly be. no doubt he would be on the sidelines at every game if BB thought that was best for the team. I don't know how you can't appreciate what he's done for this team and just write him off like this. also, what about trading Cassel to Washington? we could use him..
Everyone relax. Carson Palmer blew out his ACL in week one of teh PLAYOFFS a couple years ago. What happend with him? He came back and started week 1 for the Bengals. Brady will be back week 1 for teh Pats...I love Cassel, but he is gonna get his well deserved big pay day!
I think the Patriots leaked this rehab setback story intentionally to help 'justify' the impending franchising of Cassel - so as to avoid being accused of blatantly manipulating the process. In reality, they are franchising him so that they can steer Cassel to an NFC team of their choosing in a trade AND get value for him....as opposed to the Jets whose mishandling of the Pennington situation led to their own doom this evening. Kudo's to the Pats once again for being miles ahead of their competition. Meanwhile, you folks jumping off of the Brady bandwagon should be ashamed. He's done more for us as sports fans than any other pro athlete in our lifetimes. Get off the ledge and smarten up!
I can't believe what I'm reading, NE fans bailing on TFB so quickly? Do you NOT remember 3 SB wins? All the comeback victories? The feeling that we were ALWAYS in every game no matter how late or how much we were down? TFB will be back, mark it down, he WILL be back. Just relax, BB is in control of the situation.
18-1
Any orthopedic surgeon like myself will tell you Bradey will have another complete surgery and miss 2009. What a shame, atleast he will have time to wear his scarf collection.
Believe me, I've loved the run as much as anyone, having sat through Hugh Millen, Leonard Russell, Tommy Hodson, Missin' Sisson, etc, etc., etc. The Pats will be fine with Matt Cassell. Let Brady go off into the sunset and live the super life. This was a great season and who knows what might have happened had they made the playoffs. Besides, my faith in Belichek was totally renewed by the quick kick today! He is a genious!
If someone offered 3 first round picks for Brady, would you take it?
Brady, like Bird, will never be traded. He will be out to prove once again that he is the best QB in the NFL. Franchise Cassel then trade sounds like a winner.
If you think that Brady possibly getting married is going to distract him , think again. C'mon people, Last year he had a kid in the off season to a women he left right after he impregnated her. Then to find out he basically left her for an upgrade!! He then , as do all the patriots, have to deal with the whole nation and the NFL thinking they are cheaters and won everything (Superbowls) by cheating. So with the whole world watching and with the added stress of his baby out of wedlock he throws up rediculous numbers and takes his team to a 16-0 regular season and one "ball stuck to helmet play " from a perfect season.
And let's not annoint Cassel just yet. The patriots were 11-5 because they beat the likes of San francisco, Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, Oakland. Brady threw up unheard of numbers and victories against all the best the NFL had to offer and he did it with out having any time to really get to know his 2 best receivers ( moss and welker)
I had a strong feeling Brady was going to be injured this year. It’s not that I have ESP it’s just that it was clear Brady’s priorities had changed. He didn’t even do his normal workout routine. It’s clear to me he has lost his competitive fire, and really who can blame him. He is rich, famous, has a supermodel girl friend and has nothing left to prove on the football field. If it was me in his position I would probably be the same way. Nobody was a bigger Brady fan that me, I think he WAS one of the best ever. However I think it’s time to admit the sad truth. The Brady era is probably over. The Patriots would be idiots to let Cassel go, he has demonstrated that he can be a great quarterback in this league. It’s absolutely amazing that twice in a row the Pats have found great quarterbacks off the garbage heap. I know sentimentally it’s a hard thing to do, but the Patriots are not a sentimental organization, the Pats should trade Brady and keep Cassel as the quarterback of the future.
To the people who think Tom will not be motivated because he may be getting married should wake up and remember how he was so unfocused after he got Bridget pregnant, dumped her to upgrade for a supermodel in the off season. Did having a son and "celebrity baby momma drama" make him lose focus. Throw on the weight of the whole NFL and all the general public who think he and the patriots cheated their way to 3 superbowl rings. How did he respond to that. Lets See........ How about a 16-0 regular season with 50 td's to 8 interceptions, 4800 passing yards all with 2 new wide receivers.
People. Players on IR are off the roster and not allowed with the team. Period. Brady in the skybox with Kraft would have been an unfair distraction to the team, especially Cassel. It's Cassel's team and Tom was smart enough to know that. Re Tom's personal life, he's been a gossip page target for years, long before Giselle. He's effen gorgeous and charming! I've always found his "feminine side" a bit strange, but it hasn't affected his competitive nature. Tom's edge has always come frome feeling he's got something to prove: and deserving to get his job back will be just the motivation he needs.
One more comment about Tom being content to walk off into the sunset: if he walks away from football at this point, he will become "Mr Giselle Bundchen." Sound fun to you?
With emotions running high licking fresh wounds from our beloved Pats being the Best Team To Not Make The Playoffs, any news less than "Tom is A-OK with a new bionic knee and has x-ray vision too" is likely to strike a nerve and cause panic. Personally, my confidence in the Patriots is not in any one player, but in the organization and the brilliant interchangability of players. I was sick to my stomach when they let Adam Vinatieri get away. But Stephen Gostkowski stepped up and has delivered admirably. When Deion Branch left, look what Wes Welker and others have done to step up.
When Brady went down in week 1, did any of us actually believe that Cassel would bring the team this far? I have faith that Belichick and the organization will continue to work the creative genius to keep the success going.
My buddy had the same injury Tom has, including infections. His (my buddy) knees are so royally screwed up he can only get around gingerly. He's been telling me it's the worst possible thing that Brady has had the infection. There is something causing it, and until they figure it out, it t might still be there, still screwing things up. . I am personally saddened by this and I feel like Brady's career may be over, i.e. he will not be nearly as effective as he was.
TB is the best thing that ever happened to the Pats, except for Bellichick. And mabye Kraft. Cassel is good, very good, but he has a long way to go before he can be compared with Brady. He has to win games in clutch situations.
Obviously, the Pats have to hang on Cassel.
I recall a news report saying that the infection was because the surgery was done too soon. I don't know what he was thinking, going with the doctor he chose.
My daughter had a similar injury and the docs said all the swelling and whatever natural healing was going to occur needed to happen before surgery.
Pats fans are not going to let go of Tom that easily. He has truly done amazing things for the team. I can't believe everyone that is commenting on here is a Pats fan, you could never throw away a player like Tom. I'm guessing these are fans from other teams that are trying to spread a concensus of mistrust. Screw all of you people who say to franchise Cassel, who I honk is amazing. I'd like to see Cassel on another team and we can root for him as he moves on. Brady is our guy, that's final!