Rip's thoughts on TB12/Patriots' training controversy

[Charles Jenkins]

Very true. This shouldn't be taken to mean that most males are better athletes than Tom Brady though. a 24.5" vertical and a 5.2 second 40 yard dash time are very good for the athletic public. Most males, even those with some athleticism, could not beat those numbers. The average vertical jump at the NBA combine is right at 28".

My 12" vertical says hello.

[George Christiansen]

Very true. This shouldn't be taken to mean that most males are better athletes than Tom Brady though. a 24.5" vertical and a 5.2 second 40 yard dash time are very good for the athletic public. Most males, even those with some athleticism, could not beat those numbers. The average vertical jump at the NBA combine is right at 28".

Yup.

Being one of the worst of the best is still pretty damned amazing.

I still have no idea why we don't have events set up where you pull someone out of the crowd during each event in the Olympics in order to give people some perspective.

I bet people would actually watch something like this.

[cabranch]

If only he was more pliable... he might've reached the ball.

[DeanT]

Put Tom Brady behind the United States Military Academy (West Point) offensive line, and it wouldn't matter how pliable his muscles are.

Hey now...they were good enough to beat Navy (2 times in a row). Let's just forget about the past 2 decades and focus on the last 2 years! Go Army!

[TommyGun]

Hello from Boston. Unfortunately for me it is the epicenter of this BS about Brady and his strange health/ fitness routine and his guru.
Here's what burns me. Brady credits his routine with his longevity, and lectures other players (receivers, tight ends, etc) who must be strong to hit and be hit (which Brady is not required to do) to not worry about being strong. And then when a receiver (Edelman) gets injured running a crossing pattern between two inside line backers, a true death wish, it is because Edelman focused too much on weights.

i have not watched the NFL in years. College football, that's a different story, All day Saturday.

[Will Morris]

Hello from Boston. Unfortunately for me it is the epicenter of this BS about Brady and his strange health/ fitness routine and his guru.
Here's what burns me. Brady credits his routine with his longevity, and lectures other players (receivers, tight ends, etc) who must be strong to hit and be hit (which Brady is not required to do) to not worry about being strong. And then when a receiver (Edelman) gets injured running a crossing pattern between two inside line backers, a true death wish, it is because Edelman focused too much on weights.

i have not watched the NFL in years. College football, that's a different story, All day Saturday.

This. But, Brady cannot guarantee a lucrative post-football career peddling strength and conditioning. The market is too flooded at this point. He can, however, market a diet and training program that the vast majority of people could never, or would never, be able to abide by. Taking advantage of his sensationally good offensive line keeping him relatively unscathed, taking advantage of playing for arguably the greatest football mind ever as his head coach, and taking advantage of his football intellect, he can craft a narrative that his success and durability is less about what's around him and more about what he has control over. There will never be another Tom Brady, but, that won't stop people from paying $200 for his nasty cook book or paying thousands per day to attend his TB12 facility seminars.

[poser]

For the record, I watched a couple of those 20 minute Tom Brady episodes on Facebook awhile back where cameras follow his day to day routine. At one point, I recall Brady’s “guru” stating, “everyone thinks I am against bench pressing, but I’m not.”

Take that for whatever it’s worth.

[David Lee]

My 12" vertical says hello.

If you move to Europe, it’ll be 30cm—much more impressive.

[gregpall603]

I'm a lifelong Patriots fan, and I have been a fan of Brady's since he was quarterbacking the Michigan Wolverines.

Tom Brady's level of success in the NFL can essentially be traced to a couple characteristics:
#1 - the guy actually gives a shit about being good (5 x Super Bowl wins and 3 x MVP awards and he still works with a throwing coach almost daily during the off-season)
#2 - the guy is maniacally competitive
#3 - the guy has sacrificed almost all forms of enjoyment in this world in pursuit of excellence on the football field. I don't agree one bit with his diet, but, if it is these pseudo-bro-science beliefs that keep him from doing lines of blow off urinals at a strip club during the off-season, then all is well.
#4 - his performance on the field differs from most because he is not a very gifted athlete, nor is he exceptionally gifted as a passer. His performance on the field is transcendent due to his ability to read a defense, capitalize on a defense's mistakes, and his consistency when throwing the ball (his technique for throwing rarely deviates, much in the same way Steph Curry's shot does not deviate almost at all)

Of course, playing a protected position, being surrounded by a greatly above average to stellar offensive line, a once in a lifetime talent at Tight End, arguably the most gifted wide receiver to ever play the game, and a cast of characters that work themselves into the ground on a daily basis helps maintain his durability. Put Tom Brady behind the United States Military Academy (West Point) offensive line, and it wouldn't matter how pliable his muscles are.

Agree on 1-4, but none of which really describe how/why he's been so unbelievably durable throughout his career. Besides the 2008 ACL injury and 2016 Deflategate penalty, Brady has played all 16 games in 14 seasons. He would argue his TB12 method and longevity are inextricably linked.

Most Patriots fans like myself fashion Guerrero a kind of cult leader, Tom a true believer. Peyton Manning did 16 x 16 on Papa John's and Budweiser. But nobody locally has given a sophisticated response as to why Brady's methods make no sense. Which is what I'm curious to hear.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Peyton Manning did 16 x 16 on Papa John's and Budweiser. But nobody locally has given a sophisticated response as to why Brady's methods make no sense. Which is what I'm curious to hear.

And this is why "Functional Training" is transcendent. Hey, if the Best QB in the world does it, it must be the reason why he's the best. Hard to argue with that.