NFL 'Deflategate' taints 'Tom Terrific'
The suggestion that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was aware of a plot to deflate balls in a vital playoff game is a hard hit to the reputation of a US sports icon who bucked the odds to become a four-time Super Bowl winner. "Tom Terrific" was taken by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft -- with the 199th selection overall. It was an inauspicious start to what has become a glittering NFL career -- complemented by Brady's off-field rise as a style maven in the mold of English footballer David Beckham. Brady's blond locks and chiseled chin for years made him the man women want, while his marriage to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen only enhanced his status as the man men want to be. Until he wed Bundchen, the inevitable first question Brady faced at the circus of Super Bowl media day was a marriage proposal. His cross-over appeal brought such high-end endorsements as Movado watches, while his all-American appeal made him a perfect pitchman for such wholesome products as Wheaties cereal and milk. On Saturday, Brady was in the news, jetting from the Kentucky Derby in Louisville to the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas -- where he sat ringside as the Patriots team-mates who made the trip with him filled less visible seats at the "Fight of the Century. Underpinning the glamorous lifestyle is Brady's gritty determination on the field and a work ethic lauded by teammates and admired by even the most old-school NFL fans. In 2001, he seized his NFL chance, taking over from injured Patriots starter Drew Bledsoe and proving himself a strong leader with a powerful arm. Brady ended up leading the Patriots to a Super Bowl title that season, a triumph that was followed by victories in the NFL's championship spectacular after the 2003 and 2004 campaigns. He's the only starting quarterback with six Super Bowl appearances, cementing his claim to greatness by guiding the Patriots to victory over the Seattle Seahawks in February's Super Bowl in Phoenix. Brady holds the records for most post-season passing yards and most post-season passing touchdowns. That sporting legacy won't be undone by the report that found he was "at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities" of Patriots equipment personnel who it was "more probable than not" had conspired to tamper with the air pressure of New England game balls. Attorney Ted Wells, who led the investigation of "Deflategate", acknowledged there was no "smoking gun". But his report's description of Brady's failure to surrender potentially incriminating evidence was another black mark on a formerly squeaky clean reputation. The report immediately sparked recollections of Brady's awkward press conference in January, three days after the scandal broke, in which the normally suave speaker insisted he would never break the rules. Now his legion of fans are left to wonder. Brady will still go down as one of the greats of the NFL, but his legacy won't be complete without a reference to "Deflategate."
