BoomerGirl Diary

Upon hearing the news that my favorite quarterback, Tom Brady, had sustained a serious knee injury, and that he would be out for the entire season, I burst into tears. I sat there in the middle of my couch, my head bowed in a state of complete and utter disbelief as I bawled into a wad of Kleenexes. "This can't be. Say it ain't so!"

The only reason I watch the Patriots is to see this great (not to mention easy on the eyes) QB in action. Take away Tom Brady, and the Patriots are like an apple pie with just the crust, a TV set without a picture tube, a wheelbarrow without a wheel, a car without tires up on blocks, a surfer without a wave, a movie theater without a screen, a car without spark plugs, hell--a car without an engine, a sailboat without sails, a bird without wings. A bird without a song.

As I sat there feeling depressed at the prospect of a Tom Brady-less football season, I couldn't help but wonder, what are the odds that Tom Brady, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, the QB who won two NFL MVPs (Most Valuable Player awards), the man who led the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships since 2001, would take a hit during the first quarter of the first game of the '08 season that would result in a torn ACL and MCL (a serious knee injury) that was so severe, he's out of commission for the entire season? My God, I thought, the odds must be off the charts.

Undoubtedly, the rest of the teams in the AFC breathed a collective sigh of relief knowing that, in the absence of Tom Brady, they wouldn't have to endure a repeat of last season in which the Patriots had 16 wins and zero losses, and that the odds of beating the Patriots and making it to the playoffs had suddenly been ratcheted up in their favor, though they would never admit it.

I also feel badly for Randy Moss, another outstanding player who seemed like a brand new Randy after he began playing for the Patriots. He and Tom were a dynamic duo, synchronicity in motion, dazzling fans with their combined talent, making those big, beautiful plays look effortless. Hang in there, Randy! Keep your eye on the ball, and keep the faith.

That night, I sifted through one article after another on the Web reading about this sudden and unfortunate turn of events. Talk about a bad break.

For Tom Brady, who reportedly screamed when he was hit by The Chiefs, Bernard Pollack, the fact that he would have to undergo surgery and be out for the entire season must have been a devastating blow, and my thoughts and prayers are with him for a successful and speedy recovery.

As I read one comment after another on various blogs, I was shocked and saddened to read posts written by those who felt compelled to put their two cents in; posts that screamed hateful, cruel, callous remarks, and cheap shots, posts by people who were actually gloating, and even happy about Tom Brady's misfortune, simply because they do not like him, are not fans of his, and dislike the Patriots. But to revel in the wake of another human being's pain, misery, or misfortune goes beyond sour grapes, jealousy, or ignorance.

Regardless, naysayers can say what they will, but it's not going to change the fact that Tom Brady is a formidable competitor, an athlete with exceptional ability who has worked hard to achieve the level of skill and success that he possesses, and is one of the best damn quarterbacks that ever played the game.

Update: Earlier this week, I reflected on my aforementioned dire conclusions for the Pats in the absence of Tom Brady, having underestimated Matt Cassel's capabilities on the field. How was I to know that he'd exceed all my expectations? All things considered, he's done a helluva job. Godspeed, Matt. So I was optimistic that the Pats just might pull off a win against the Steelers, today, as they played in a cold rain up in Foxborough, making it 8 wins 4 losses, and not 7 wins 5 losses. But it was not to be; the Steelers prevailed, beating the Pats 33-10. I sat on the edge of the sofa watching anxiously, waiting for them to make what should've been a slam-dunk touchdown, but the ball kept slipping through Randy Moss's fingers. After that, it was just downhill from there as my optimism quickly waned. Oh well, better luck next time.