So long, it's been good to know ya, Tom Brady!

Well, the long dark night of the soul for the average New England Patriots fan is over. Or has it just begun? Not quite sure how these long dark nights of the soul actually go, but Tom Brady, Our Time, The GOAT, TB12, has decided that his "football journey will take place elsewhere."

The will-he-or-won't-he narrative has consumed the written and spoken sports world in Boston since, like, forever. Or at least since the Super Bowl had the nerve to take place without the Patriots. And what was that all about?

For those who haven't been following the bouncing (foot)ball, the big question was whether Brady would end his brilliant football career in the same place he began it, as some felt God had ordained, with the Pats (i.e., dance with the one who brung ya). Or whether he would take off for parts unknown for bigger bucks, a longer contract, or whatever it was he was looking for.

Although he may have felt unappreciated by the Patriots - after all, quarterbacks with only a fraction of his talent and ability to win are paid a lot more - I'm with those who believes that Tom Brady wants to prove that he can win on a team that is not coached by Bill Belichick. And he wants to show the world that the TB12 diet and method - no eating white food (pasta, rice) or nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) - can keep his aging (43 years) body in peak performance prime shape.

Well, good luck with both of those.

We won't know until later today or tomorrow (as of this writing) just where Tom Brady will end up, but the signs are pointing to the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are hoping that with Brady they'll be hapless no more. But can just one guy turn around a completely lackluster team with little history of winning?

The signs are pointing to Tampa Bay because, at least according to the sports gossip mill, no one else would have him.

We are told that Tom wanted to end up with the San Francisco 49ers, which was his team as a kid and which plays not too far from where he grew up and where his parents still live. But the 49ers decided to stay with Jimmy Garoppolo. If this rumor were actually true, it would be poetic justice for Tommy Boy not to get the chance to play out his golden years in San Francisco, as Jimmy G was the Pats' backup quarterback, the one who was going to be mentored by Brady until he got good enough to replace him. That was the plan, Stan, but Brady wasn't interested in mentoring, or even giving up one minute of playing time to his understudy. Sort of a reverse All About Eve.

Brady, or so it is told, forced the Pats to get rid of Jimmy G. 

If it's true that Brady wanted to swan into San Francisco and replace Jimmy G, well, excellent story line, but FU, buddy. 

We were also told that Brady would go to the Tennessee Titans, which has a very good team and which was coached by ex-Patriot and Brady bro Mike Vrabel. Then the Titans up and resigned last year's not great but adequate QB for more money than Brady ever made. That must have hurt.

Gee, why wouldn't any team do whatever they could to get Tom Brady? Might it have something to do with his age?

Look, I've never really liked Tom Brady. I find him rather boring, his pronouncements completely banal. But I've always admired what Tom Brady can do on the field. And that's win. He is arguably the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) at his position. And, while I know that few if any athletes make it to the pros if they are lacking in mental toughness, Brady sets a new standard. The Super Bowl where he led the Pats to a come from behind - come from way behind - win over the Falcons was pretty much the greatest athletic performance I've ever seen. (Okay, other than the Red Sox beating the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS series after being down three games to zip. That was a thrill. Admittedly, I watched more of that great Super Bowl game than I did of the games in that ALCS series - other than Game 7, which I knew the Sox were going to win. I took to my bed during most of those games, and had my husband come in to update me periodically. Still, the Red Sox win was more thrilling, given that I'm a true and utter Red Sox fan, and only a meh fan of the Patriots.)

Anyway, I give Tom Brady his props. 

And he's certainly given New England football fnas plenty to be happy about over the years. 

But, hey, he's a grown-ass man, and if he wants his football journey to take place elsewhere, have at it. 

It must be very disappointing for his many fans, especially the kiddos. I'm guessing there'll be plenty of ritual burnings of the TB12 jersey for the next couple of days. And what terrible timing, while we're all sheltering in place without the distraction of sports. 

Plus, I always like to see an athlete spend his entire career with one team. It doesn't happen that often in these days of free agency, but when it does it is a thing of beauty. So we're now deprived of that.


And, let's face it, all the nightshade-avoidance in the world is not going to keep you from getting old. At 43, which is hod old Brady will be when the next season starts (if it starts), you just don't have as much speed on your fastball (to switch sports metaphors).When the aging great quarterback does this, it tends to end poorly - c.f., Joe Montana, Brett Favre. 

Meanwhile, I will not be rooting for him to have a boffo year with his new team. I'm actually sort of rooting for him to age, however ungracefully, like the rest of us. But it would be kind of/sort of interesting if he did keep playing at GOAT level and dragged a mediocre team across the goal line.

But if by some fluke, the Brady-less Patriots end up playing the Brady-full Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, I'm all in for the Pats.

So long, it's been good to know ya, Tom Brady! I'm glad our long night of the soul waiting for this news is over with.