Why I don't like Tom Brady

I still don’t like him.

It was 2001 when the low-drafted Brady — a Serra High School alum no less — replaced the injured Drew Bledsoe on the Patriots squad, then led them to the 2002 Super Bowl victory over the Rams. That was exciting. It was a Cinderella story, with Brady beating the infamous "tuck” against the Raiders with a cool-as-ice persona. He may be the second coming of Montana. What if?

Fast forward a few years and you have a cocky "Golden Boy” in a great system, some might call it a flawless system created by Bill Belichick. And did you hear he was from San Mateo?

I am from San Francisco, but I don’t cheer Robin Williams every time he is on television. I certainly never rooted for Joe DiMaggio and I wouldn’t necessarily vote for Gavin Newsom. I most certainly won’t pull for O.J. Simpson even though he is a very famous San Franciscan.

So why should we pull for Tom Brady?

Because he is cool under pressure? Because he set a record 50 touchdown passes this year? Because he might win his fourth Super Bowl this Sunday? Because he is from San Mateo?

Or should we not pull for him because he left his girlfriend for a supermodel only to find out later she was pregnant? Or when after the Patriots lost to the Colts last season in the playoffs Brady left the field without a word because he is a sore loser? Or that he didn’t play well against the Chargers (with three interceptions) and still came out victorious because of his great supporting cast? How many other quarterbacks could throw three picks in a playoff game and still come out on top? Plug five other current quarterbacks in place of Brady, and the Patriots don’t miss a beat. Or maybe we shouldn’t pull for him because he is too good-looking but in a kind of a weird way? Maybe because he is too perfect? And what about those weird Stetson ads? Does anyone actually wear Stetson?

We shouldn’t pull for him simply because he is from San Mateo. I know he donated his Super Bowl MVP Cadillac to Serra High School, but what has he done for San Mateo? Is winning Super Bowls a good enough example that we can forget he is a sore loser or left his girlfriend for a supermodel?

Besides, he is the quarterback for the New England Patriots and what Bay Area sports fan could like them? I’d rather see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do well with Jeff Garcia and his happy feet behind center. Garcia at least wanted to stay a Niner. As a 49er fan, I don’t like Brady being compared to Montana. After all, Montana didn’t need a kicker to win two of his Super Bowls. If it wasn’t for Adam Vinatieri and the infamous "tuck,” there would be no New England dynasty. Brady is one of many great players on the Patriots and I loathe the fact that many may say he is as good as Montana. I only like one quarterback being compared to Montana and that’s Steve Young. Maybe Brett Favre. At least Favre seems like he has a soul.

Besides, there are at least 10 — make that 11 — other quarterbacks who rank higher than Brady. Here is the list:

1. Joe Montana;

2. John Elway;

3. Dan Marino;

4. Bart Starr;

5. Otto Graham;

6. Johnny Unitas;

7. Peyton Manning;

8. Roger Staubach;

9. Fran Tarkenton;

10. Brett Favre.

And make Steve Young number 11.

I am not convinced about Brady. Are you?

If you buy into the Brady hype, so be it. I understand. He’s a great quarterback on a great team about to make history. But I will be one happy man if Eli Manning comes into his own Sunday and beats Brady back to earth.

At least then he might remember where the hell he came from.

***

I have had some issues with state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco/San Mateo, over the years. Not many, mind you. Overall, he has been a responsive and responsible legislator with a keen and firm grasp on issues both statewide and local. But he grandstands a lot, with his recent curb painting press event to celebrate a law prohibiting car sales on certain Peninsula roads or his press conference announcing his support for Barack Obama. Some politicians just do things and people notice on their own. Leland tends to want everyone to know at as many decibels as possible.

But I have to give him props for his bold move this week in torpedoing the governor’s ill-thought health care plan that would have stuck the state with at least $14 billion in new expenses.

It wasn’t the money that bothered the liberal Yee, it was the fact that the plan did not guarantee everyone coverage. "It doesn’t provide care, but rather just requires individuals to purchase insurance without specifics on how to contain costs. ... It is unethical to garnish someone’s wages or place a lien on their mortgage because they can’t afford to purchase insurance,” Yee said in a statement explaining his opposition to the proposal. Yee, who is on the Senate Health Committee, was one of several votes which stopped the governor’s expensive plan.

So kudos to Yee for stopping a health plan the indebted state can ill afford.

***

Redwood City Mayor Rosanne Foust deserves some credit for telling like it is with her "State of the City” address in Redwood City this week. Most such addresses focus on what is good with the city and how well the city government is doing. Foust, who is in her first turn as mayor decided to stick with some straight talk. Foust talked about how the city is going through some rapid change with some people seeing home remodels and new ethnic groups as positive while others see it as monster homes and illegal immigration. She also said the community is divided among geographic lines and socio-economics in addition to strong polar stances when it comes to development. Basically, Foust said she is interested in getting rid of the "us versus them” mentality that divides the city and finding a way to unite the city’s divergent interests.

There is much going on in the city and Foust showed some optimism. However, it is always bold to temper such optimism with a taste of reality and a call to action.

It’s also refreshing.

Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com.