[LOCKED] Tom Brady respects teammate's personal decisions on going/not going to White House
Tom Brady was very tactful today in comments regarding going to the White House. He feels that going to the White House (as the Super Bowl victors) is a great experience, and personally chooses to put politics aside. However, at the same time, he respects that time away from the team is precious, and believes that each of his teammates has the right to choose to go or not go to the White House, regardless of the reasons they have.
Personally, Tom has been to the White House when a Democrat held office (Clinton, after Michigan's national championship), and when a Republican held office (Bush, Patriot's super bowl victories). He missed a couple years ago while Obama held office, because of short notice, and a conflict with a family commitment.
LINK: Tom Brady in favor of "putting politics aside" when it comes to White House Visit
Several observations:
- This is a news story, reported in several MSM outlets.
- As a news story, this is a great example, imhe, of something that tangentially intersects with politics, and also with Michigan. As such, it is reasonable to post about this kind of thing at MGoBlog.
- Having said that, in the same way that Tom suggests "setting politics aside" when going to the White House, obv. readers have to "set politics aside" with this kind of post. Regardless of the political party and position of the current office holder, you go to the White House as a reward/honor.
- Both USA Today and the Chicago Tribune didn't have anything to report regarding Brady and where he stands as regards Trump.
So far, six Patriots players have said they will skip the yet-to-be announced meeting with President Trump. Players skipping the White House celebration is nothing new, of course, and many absences have been rooted in politics, although Brady told Pro Football Talk Live on Tuesday his 2015 no-show had nothing to do with former President Obama.
“It really is a great experience,” Brady told PFT. “Putting politics aside, it never was a political thing. At least, it never was to me. It as something that was a privilege to do. It meant you won a championship and you got to experience something cool with your team, with your teammates. Everyone has their own choice.”
Brady said the 2015 visit he missed was due to a relatively last-minute notice the ceremony would take place.
“Everybody has their own choice,” Brady said. “There are certain years, like a couple years ago, I wanted to go and didn’t get the opportunity based on the schedule. We didn’t get told until I think like 10 days before we were going, and at that point I had something I’d been planning for months and couldn’t get there.
"If people don’t want to go they don’t want to go and that’s their choice.”
OP EDIT: My thanks to the Mod LSA. It rapidly became obvious to me with comments that something in the news about a Michigan sports personality intersecting with politics is a topic that is difficult for many posters to comment on without their personal views coming to the fore. - SRK
MOD EDIT - Tom Brady, so we can let the OP sit so people know what he said, but locking this since it is difficult for this one NOT to get political (and indeed, it did very quickly). - LSA
February 14th, 2017 at 5:00 PM ^
Good for Tom
February 14th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
readers have to "set politics aside" with this kind of postand yet I predict this thread goes south in a hurry
February 14th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
Let me settle the terms that will be used.
SJW,
Cuck,
Alt-Right,
Fascism,
#notmypresident,
neo-con,
regressive left,
/pol,
drumpf.
Everyone can carry on
February 14th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
You're a great guy, SRK, but the subject of this post is inextricably linked with politics. I saw a headline on espn.com discussing Tom Brady's position on teammates going to the WH and I was annoyed that it was posted there. I don't think his opinion about it really matters.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 5:12 PM ^
You're an 8 year member of this board. You know that even the most harmless political topics turn into a shitshow and get blown up. This one didn't make it to 10 comments.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:16 PM ^
I feel like if you have to write a paragraph and make several different qualifiers why this should stay, it probably shouldn't stay...
February 14th, 2017 at 5:18 PM ^
My cat's breath smeels like cat food.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:20 PM ^
I'm asking for a friend.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:19 PM ^
you could mention one of the boycotters is Alan Branch, but... I'd have probably gone with "there is no way this is going to go well" and avoided posting altogether.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:20 PM ^
I approve of the news. Not the appropriate place to disseminate it.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 5:32 PM ^
meeting choice. Vive la difference.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
Else chaos and diminished lives. Tom Brady is an American. I am an American. Our politics may align or be antipodal or somewhere in-between. Regardless, when you are invited to the seat of our national executive, you go. And when our anthem plays, you stand. Good men have laid down their lives for all of us. Honor THEM.
I personally and absolutely despised President Obama and, yet, when asked to support his Administration's policies at the State level (Illinois) I held my nose privately and did what was asked of me as a citizen and attorney to further his policies without public protest.
We need to get the job done for all citizens.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:27 PM ^
I see we're using that term loosely.
Looks like Tom Brady showed up at the Apple Store in NYC to check out the Apple Watch (H/T @katjasherlock) pic.twitter.com/CHvMfRjyVn
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 24, 2015
...in the end, who the fuck cares what Tom Brady thinks about this topic?
This is like that Dave Chappelle's skit on 9/11 when they interviewed Ja Rule. "WHERE IS JA?!"
February 14th, 2017 at 5:27 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 5:33 PM ^
You never have nothing to say!
February 14th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
This is a difficult subject. The blog has spoken. I'm now waiting to be banished to Bolivia. Or for Seth or one of the mods to bring down the banhammer. C'est la vie. Should that happen, I'll gladly read the content, and just lose the ability to comment or to post.
FTR, I don't watch news on TV. I don't have cable TV. I don't go to any political websites. Never have, and have no desire to start now. I read the local paper (Chicago Tribune) and occasionally links to things in the Washington Post or NY Times. That's it for political content.
I do believe in respect for the office of the president, regardless of the officeholder.
I do like to read about news involving well known Michigan sports alumni. I would gladly read about anything having to do with Tom Brady, or Alan Branch, or Jim Harbaugh. I'd gladly read about things involving the Fab 5, or Denard Robinson, or Graham Glasgow, and on and on and on. I have always thought that posts with the intersection of Michigan sports personalities and other topics were fair game, particularly in the off season.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
I definitely do not think you had any ill intent or did anything to would allow a trip to bolivia. However, it is important to acknowledge the political culture and landscape in our culture today. Although you may not be particularly into politics, other individuals on the blog have strong opinions (one side or another). Thus, seemingly harmless posts or subjects that center around the subject often leads to one political joke made at the expense of the other and then a shit storm brews up on the board. It is generally in good will to avoid topics in relation to government. I myself is quite a politically involved person and has strong beliefs and I can put those aside on Mgoblog. Sadly, a large number of posters are not mature enough yet to keep politics aside. Therefore, it is best to leave any mention of politics away and for another website.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 5:48 PM ^
What do you do if the person occupying said office does not respect it?
February 14th, 2017 at 5:52 PM ^
I hope you don't go to Bolivia, SRK, because you're a good and valued poster here. But this thread was a mistake.
I appeal to the mods to retain SRK's thread posting privileges despite the error.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
I hate pretty much all politicians but if I was invited to the white house I would go.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
Whoa, who knew Tom Brady was Hitler?
February 14th, 2017 at 5:43 PM ^
And you knew full well just exactly what you were doing by posting it.
Stop it. You people are ruining the blog. And fwiw, I hestitated about lumping you in with those "people". But you knew what you were doing. You've made your politics well known here over the years. Until now, it has never really bothered me (although you had another similar comment recently).
February 14th, 2017 at 5:44 PM ^
The real question is: Will Tom Brady visit Vladimir Putin?
February 14th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^
I don't buy this at all. I wouldn't go and I wouldn't consider going. This isn't about politics. This is about noting willing to put myself in the same room that I don't believe shares the same moral values that I have. For most, when it comes to Trump, it is not about politics.
February 14th, 2017 at 5:47 PM ^
Let me know if you need anymore