pinball wizard

Our family group chat was like a pinball machine this weekend. I launched the first ball when I pulled back the lever and let fly a copy of ESPN’s Twitter post announcing Tom Brady’s retirement.

Ping – came the thumbs down emoji from one of our sons.

A few minutes later, another exclaimed – wait - he is not retiring - ping ping - exclamation mark, exclamation mark.

Ping - he hasn’t decided yet…the Bucs have not received any word of his retirement…has ESPN retracted, question mark emoji… he wants to make a statement on his own terms - sources say.

I think he will announce on the last episode of Man in the Arena. Thumbs up emoji.

Ping ping ping.

And so the speculation on our family text and in the world of football dragged into the afternoon, the ball being propelled from one bumper to the next, setting off flashing lights and beeping sounds until it was temporarily suspended at the start of the first of the two conference championships (neither of which would highlight Tom Brady this year, but instead a newer group of young bucks which included the very talented Joe Burrow).

We raised our three boys while Tom Brady was becoming the GOAT. And, as an aside, until only a few years ago, I didn’t know what “GOAT” stood for. I was writing a piece about a goat path and a friend asked if it was about Tom Brady. You know - the Greatest Of All Time. It wasn’t.

Growing up, I had no interest in football; I was raised in a family of girls. I was engrossed in sports like squash and tennis and field hockey - all sports I played – and the boys I knew in high school were soccer players. It wasn’t until our eldest joined a neighborhood team, the Putman Generals, and we invested in the necessary pads and protective gear and began spending our Sundays on the sidelines that the game of football found its way onto my radar.

Our other two boys, once old enough, followed their big brother onto the field in their practice jerseys during the week in preparation for their Sunday game when they dressed in a uniform that mimicked the New England Patriots.

I am not sure of the exact moment when we all became Patriots fans, or if the boys’ red, white, and blue Putman Generals uniforms had anything to do with it, or the fact that the Patriots, starting in the early 2000’s, were winning games - or that their new young quarterback was easy on the eyes - but once we were in, we were all in.

Sure, there were others who were born into this elite community long before us, but when we found it, we were about as loyal as you could get.

Years later our boys would name their unborn sibling, Brady. And when she was born, we would receive a signed picture from her namesake with these words:

To Brady – Love your name. Tom Brady

While the boys were young, during the months of September to January, an ideal Sunday would include wins for the Putnam Generals, followed by a win for the New England Patriots.

And with the new appreciation for the game - and a devotion to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots – we entered into some fun competitive banter.

Every week, our neighbors proudly hung their green and white NY Jets flag with great hope. And when they took on the Patriots, we often gathered to cheer together what usually turned out be a win for Tom.

My husband’s great college friend lives in Maryland, and they would email obsessively whenever the Ravens and Patriots met.

A history teacher - and a fan of the New York Giants - would give his students, sometimes our boys, a pop quiz when the Giants lost. We mused that there would be a lot fewer of those if only he was a Patriots fan.

We hosted Super Bowl parties, purchased Patriots jerseys for the entire family - including the dogs – and were gifted a life size bobblehead of Brady that we would pull out on special occasions. We used our football-shaped platters and New England Patriots glassware, and my husband perfected his very own bean dip.

And the number 12, Tom Brady’s number, was chosen by our children for their own jerseys not only on the football field, but also the lacrosse field and basketball court, and that number 12 is in many of our secret passwords - shh.

And while football is just a game, there was also some serious teaching and learning involved when Tom Brady is your family hero and you choose to share your living room with him throughout the season. He is clearly a superior athlete, and we love him for that, but for me, it’s his other attributes that set him apart.

At Michigan, Brady’s freshman and sophomore years were spent on the bench. He was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL draft. And while these challenges could have changed the trajectory of his life and career, they actually motivated him to work harder. He became more determined, more disciplined.

And because of that, every time one of our children experienced a setback, we didn’t need to look far to find inspiration.

We listened when Brady was interviewed at the end of each win (of which there were many), and we heard him give credit to his team and compliment his opponents, even after a brutal contest.

We watched his interactions with coaches and teammates, many of whom are close friends. We saw how devoted he is to his wife, children, and family, and even his most steadfast critic would have been moved by his dedication to and love for his mother when she was going through cancer treatment.

Here is this confident and poised competitor who knows what is truly important in life.

And as he rose to stardom and became a household name, his work ethic never wavered. He never took his position or his responsibility for granted.

But maybe we had begun to take Tom Brady for granted. For over 22 years, his talent was featured every week, almost always well into the postseason, and even at the very young age of 44. Remember...still here!

And maybe saying goodbye to this legend would remind us how much we already miss watching our own children sporting the number 12 out on an athletic field; how much we miss our own family gatherings to cheer on the GOAT.

Then just like that, this morning, Tom Brady shared his decision. After such an unprecedented career, he deserved to have his say and to make whatever announcement he wanted to make when he was ready to make it. And how Tom Brady to wait until the two conference championships were completed. He did not want to steal the thunder; he has humbly passed the torch.

Brady gave his fans a lifetime of excitement and athletic showmanship. He provided families someone to root for and to believe in; a role model to guide young athletes in their own endeavors. And like the pinball, he lit up the NFL world, hitting targets, scoring points, and breaking records.

Our group text quieted, and now I have just one thing left to say, from our family to the one they call the GOAT.

Thank you. Heart emoji.

Ping.