Tom Brady: Remover of obstacles, winner of Super Bowls
GLENDALE, Ariz. — When Tom Brady reached his locker, about an hour after victory and a series of interviews, he was done talking to the news media. But his locker spoke for him.
Prominently displayed was was a four-inch bronze elephant-headed statue — Ganesha, the Hindu God. Or as Brady quietly told a vistor, "The remover of obstacles.''
Two team officials shielded him from the news media with the same intensity that the New England Patriots offensive line protected him from the Seattle Seahawks. "Tom's done,'' one shouted as the MVP-winning quarterback arrived. But the locker spoke.
Ganesha, remover of obstacles, almost beckoned to the curious.
Brady knows obstacles better than most. A sixth-round pick out of Michigan. A season-ending injury that could have threatened his career. Two heart-breaking Super Bowl defeats, extending his Super Bowl title drought to a decade. And then the Deflategate controversy.
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Ganesha illustrates the spiritual side of his psyche developed with trainer and adviser Alex Guerrero. But the spiritual is coupled by mental commitment, evidence by more items in his locker.
Lying next to Ganesha were five note cards and handwritten notes that included: "Bend knees more on drop.''
And, perhaps most important, ''Be on toes.''
He was on his toes all night, shaking off two interceptions, throwing four touchdown passes and, in what was again Brady at his best, leading the Patriots back from a 10-point deficit. On his toes on a 20-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski on the game-winning drive.
"Tom made some nice throws,'' Gronkowski said. "Excellent drive. Excellent execution.''
He could have been speaking of Brady's career as much as the drive.
Brady, 37, can now rival Joe Montana as the greatest quarterback of all time. They are tied with Terry Bradshaw with four Super Bowl victories, and Brady has appeared in a record six Super Bowls with three MVPs. Brady also broke Montana's record for career touchdown passes in the Super Bowl on Sunday, throwing four against the Seahawks to increase his total to 13.
And Brady has the highest career playoff winning percentage among quarterbacks (.724), while Montana (.696) ranks second.
"He's the best quarterback to ever play this game, man,'' Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "And I feel like all the hard work pays off for Tom. ... I think it's really awesome. It puts another championship under his belt."
Brady celebrated with his teammates as if they were family.
"LG,'' he shouted.
Running back LeGarrette Blount lifted his head and looked at the quarterback.
"Great game,'' Brady exulted. "Slugged it out.''
Receiver Brian Tyms passed by. "BT, way to go,'' Brady gushed, and the two clasped hands.
Embracing well-wishers and posing for pictures — each time, holding four fingers in the air, representing his four Super Bowl victories — he looked like the proud father of a football family. But that's a significant distinction between Brady's first three Super Bowl titles and this latest — football family vs. real family.
On the side of his locker, someone had taped a poster with blue- and red-painted handprints and the following message: "Go Patriots. Love you Daddy.''
Clearly the work of his son, Benjamin, and daughter, Vivian. With perhaps a a little help from their mother, Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen.
But there was some vanity, too. Brady, unlike his teammates, got two lockers. In the second he had three suits and a sport coat that would match his ankle-high black boots. When the news media cleared out, he selected one of the black suits, a black-and-white checked shirt and, with obstacles removed, with the note cards stored and his kid's poster stored away, Brady walked into into the cool night air and toward the team bus with impeccable style.
At that point, Brady could not be lured in even by talk of the remover of obstacles.
"No Ganesha,'' he said with a grin.
It was an obstacle — one Brady's locker removed.
