Want to start a spirited discussion in any bar in the country? Simply ask who is the best quarterback to ever play the game.
Some names come to mind. Some are a bit back in history. Some great ones were only great for a short while others stayed in the business to dazzle and some stayed too long at the party. Who do you like for the title?
Historic? The game has changed a lot since Sammy Baugh played. John Unitas and Bart Starr were remarkable but things are different today. Elway, Staubach, Montana, Bradshaw, Marino could all make a short list.
But, if you want to check some records and count some rings, the number one contender in my mind showed up in Foxboro last night:
Brady and Friends Showcase Their Team
What a match-up. New York versus Boston! A long-standing rivalry in all major league sports. Two teams with identical league leading records of 9-2 for the season. It should have been in doubt with the outcome uncertain until the final seconds. It wasn't. It was done before it had gone half-way through the first quarter.
The pre-game interview was sheer class. Rex Ryan, son of one of my all-time favorite coaches, Buddy Ryan, was grace and humility as he showed respect for the Patriots. He acknowledged that Bill Belichick was the better coach. He said that Brady was the better quarterback. But he was ready to play and he had the better team. It's a team sport and his was better prepared, better trained and ready for the battle.
He was wrong. A great coach and a great quarterback are the motivators of a great team. Brady chalked up his 26th straight regular season home victory. He hasn't been intercepted in seven consecutive games!
And, he's still got miles to go before he sleeps.
Bret Favre went down the tunnel, an injured warrior on Sunday. He's cost the Vikings a coach and a couple of seasons. He's stayed too long at the dance.
Peyton Manning is a great QB, but he no longer has that great coach and his team is pathetically one dimensional.
Donovan McNabb will never be Hall-of-Fame and certainly not under Mike Shanahan's guidance.
Michael Vick is a thug and I can't get past that.
Kyle Orton continues to demonstrate why Chicago traded him. As his coach packs out his office, he offers no hope of a late season redemption for Denver.
Tony Romo is hopefully not going to come back for this season so that Jason Garrett can close out his argument for having the job of Dallas head coach. Maybe Jerry Jones could snag Cam Newton...ohhhhh, YEAH!
But for now the best playing the game is Tom Brady. The best of the decade is Tom Brady. Possibly the best QB to ever play the game might be Brady. Brady in Dallas in February? I think I'll check the odds on that investment.
4 comments:
As much as it hurts me to admit this (my son in law is a huge Patriots fan) yeah, Brady is that good and Bellichek (sp?) is a great coach. They're very comparable to the Montana/Walsh years in SF. In fact I'm often struck by how similar those teams are. That innovative coach and talented quarterback combo is hard to beat.
Back in my HS days (when you could still buy a ticket to any Jets game for $2.75), the AFL was so bad that we used to go, just to watch the Patriots get smeared.
(Giants games were closed to the public, even then. Only season tickets were sold.)
My choices? Simple - and as parochially predictable as Ed's - since all of their opponents were in the bush leagues!
1 - Y.A. Tittle
2 - Phil Simms
3 - Joe Namath
Parochially predictable? I grew up in Chicago. I don't pick any Bears or even Cardinals. I lived 20 years in Colorado, but only mention Elway briefly (2xSuper Bowls). I live in TX now and acknowledged Staubach, but also Marino (FL), Starr (GB), Manning (IN) and Montana (SF). I've always lived in NFL/NFC towns.
I pick Brady from MA, wrong conference and as far from TX as I could get (except for Seattle and I don't think they play any more.)
You pick three former NY QBs, and one who was an arguable flash in a small pan.
Parochial?
:-)
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