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RIGHT OF WAY

Tom Brady navigates the fast lane on the sports highway by staying grounded in family values, heeding an insecurity that leaves him with an insatiable drive to succeed—and refusing to get caught up in his own celebrity

So in November he finally agrees to appear on their show, and they supply a limo to drive him from his suburban Boston home to New York. But before you start thinking "another spoiled athlete" and conjure up images of handlers and glittery hangers-on, consider who accompanies him: two of his three sisters and two California buddies he has known since he was 11. And consider this, too: He never tells his parents about the Letterman gig because he thinks he'd be making a big deal about himself. So they find out through a website devoted solely to news about their son, run by a woman with no ties to the family.

Welcome to the wonderful, crazy grounded and always intriguing life of Tom Brady, twice Super Bowl MVP, one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful folks. boyfriend of a Hollywood starlet and poster boy for everything that is hip and good and right about sports amid a troubling era that leaves us wondering too often whether either athletes or fans have a clue regarding acceptable behavior and priorities.

Brady somehow has figured all of this out--how to be famous and chic and still be the most popular, admired guy in his locker room, loved by his head coach and owner, a winner whose insatiable drive to succeed remains unquenched. He understands his triumphs and his charisma have knocked open wide doors unavailable to almost all of us--an audience with the Pope, White House visits, judge of a national beauty pageant, rides in Donald Trump's private jet, celebrity dates, first pitches at Red Sox games, invitations to A-list events and golf tournaments. Who among us at 27 would say no? But as hard as the gossip writers have tried, they've not unearthed one bit of scandal.

It has to be tempting, this fast lane; other athletes have succumbed, courting trouble instead of their roots, alienating friends, becoming world-class jerks. And because there is no manual to follow when you make the transition from a sixth-round draft pick to the athletic equivalent of a rock star, where girls cry just because they are in your presence, how do you know the proper steps to follow, to go about enjoying the rewards and still remain one of the guys?

For Brady, you fall back to what you understand best and what motivates you the most. Stability comes from a family that provides assurance and values and advice; two sisters live three houses down from him, and his father is the first person he calls after every game. And he continues to heed the insecurity that has always kept him from enjoying successes for long. This insecurity--in his mind, he always will be the not-very-good 199th choice in the 2000 draft--prods him relentlessly to study more tape and do more lifting and conditioning than ever, to remain the most obsessed among a roster of driven athletes and still wonder if it is enough.

"My life ultimately is about the relationships I have with my family and my friends, and those are the things that are important." he says. "As long as those things are in place, all the other things, including football, take care of themselves. But any time you let things get in the way, the distractions--I guess fame is the word--if that starts getting in the way, then you start losing your relationships and it starts affecting lots of other things, the way you play football and then your career. I can't let that happen."

This is the modern-day athletic star doing it the right way--a perfect choice for 2004 SPORTING NEWS Sportsman of the Year.

"The thing about Tom Brady that always impresses me is his maturity as a player." says NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. "There have been many drives where he was as masterful as Johnny Unitas, and he has great maturity in how he handles himself as he interacts in the community. Yet on the other hand, he is a young man who's enjoying life and sees this as a game and sees it for what it is, an opportunity and a challenge."

Tom Brady is standing at his locker last week, talking to a mass of media. While he is distracted, offensive linemen Joe Andruzzi and Dan Koppen slink into position on each side of him. On cue, they spray him with silly string. Brady howls with delight as he wipes away the stuff from the one-day growth of beard he fancies during the season. "Good one." he says, laughing. "You got me."

From these silly pranks to his unshaven face to his unruly hair, he's anything but a glamorous superstar in this setting. With his teammates, he's still an energetic, enthusiastic schoolboy. "He's not phony, and they know it." says owner Robert Kraft. "What you see of Tom Brady is what he is really is. He is about team, not me-me-me. He personifies what we want our brand to be about."

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Teaming Up With the Bible   By Theresa S. Halzle author of Spirit of Play book series. Ready, set go!  We are off and running…to soccer practice, baseball games and dance recitals.   The American family spends many afternoons and most weekends traveling to and participating in youth sports.  The majority of our children begins organized sports such as t-ball, soccer and hockey as early as kindergarten and continues to participate at some level through the high school years. Satellite and cable television make available to viewers countless athletic events each week.  What’s the deal with our love affair with sports?  Let’s be honest, sports are fun.  We love watching and cheering on our little Babe Ruths.  We like to rehash Saturday’s pop-warner football game and keep our fingers crossed when the All-Star team is picked. Sports and athletes are gaining more and more prominence in the lives of our youth.  We are a nation consumed with sports, but that can work in our spiritual favor.  Let’s work with our youngsters to merge this interest in sports with the Word of the Lord.   We can use sports as a faith-building exercise and, in turn, make faith-building more fun!  It’s a win-win for our kids! Sport is entering a unique time in which the concept of winning at all costs is thankfully being questioned thus providing an excellent opportunity to teach Christian values. Look to challenge young athletes to use the power that is seen in sports today to teach about the strength that is found through Jesus Christ and give honor to that fact.  Before a game, or even a practice, nerves can overcome a young athlete.  He or she may feel so much pressure to succeed that the thought of failing can be overwhelming. Remind him of this verse:  “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”     Philippians 4:13         or: “You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.”  Proverbs 16:9  After a brilliant save in soccer, hitting a homerun or winning a race, the accolades pour in from coaches, teammates and even newspapers. A child can maintain humility when offered this verse to think about and discuss:  “The power and the Glory are His…”  Matthew 6:14 Offer a Christian view of athletic strength as found in bible verses.   This will help your child to gain and understand the true spiritual strength needed to be successful. Many Bible verses give a spiritual understanding to the successes, failures, frustrations and teamwork that are all a part of sport.   This perspective also is useful for the over-zealous fan…like yourself or Dad, perhaps?  Go Team!  Contact us here at Christian Sport Zone to re-publish this article and other work found on our site.

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