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Will Deflategate sway Hall of Fame voters when considering Tom Brady? - More Sports - SI.com
Hall of Fame voters on if Deflategate will impact their vote for Brady
BY RICHARD DEITSCH
Twitter Facebook Email
Posted: Sun Jun. 28, 2015Updated: Mon Jun. 29, 2015
Legacy is a buzzword that gets trotted out often in the sports media these days—especially when the subject has Hall of Fame credentials—and when legacy meets scandal at the corner of Eyeballs Boulevard, you end up with headlines such as “Is Tom Brady's legacy on the line because of Deflategate?” (SI.com), “Whatever Happens With Appeal, Brady's Legacy Will Survive' (ESPN.com) and “Deflategate May Wind Up Mere Footnote To Tom Brady's Legacy” (USA Today).
I initially planned to lead this column with a piece on whether the findings of the Wells Report (and the still-to-be-determined suspension length) would impact how longtime NFL media members covered Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the upcoming years. I was curious whether sports media staffers would judge Brady’s future actions and words differently in the wake of significant circumstantial evidence in the 243-page report released in May, which found that it was “more probable than not” that the Patriots deliberately circumvented the league’s rules of play before the 2015 AFC Championship game, and that the four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback was at least “generally aware” of these activities.
But extending that thought further and given the fervor that exists for Hall of Fame voting, I wondered if Brady (a first-ballot lock for Canton based on his play) would suffer at all in the minds of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. So last week I contacted eight of the 46 Pro Football Hall of Fame voters (SI voters can speak for themselves in their own columns) to ask if their evaluation of Brady for the Hall had changed at all with the Wells Report. As you might have predicted, based on this sample, Brady appears to be in little trouble as a first ballot Hall of Famer if nothing new comes to light. Here’s how the group answered:
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: I’ve always said that’s why they give us five years, because you can put things in perspective. But I don’t think there is a lot to put into perspective here. I don’t think it has changed my opinion. I think he is a great quarterback and while he might have had what he perceived as an advantage if it’s true, I don’t think it's that big a deal.
Jason Cole, Bleacher Report:I still think Brady is a first-ballot Hall of Famer even if this accusation is true. I realize that throwing a slightly under-inflated ball is an advantage. I remember doing the same thing in intramural football in college so many decades ago. However, to say that the main reason Brady has been so great over the course of 15 years is that he has occasionally thrown an under-inflated [ball] ... well, that's just idiotic. From accuracy to decision-making to toughness to all the other qualities that go into being a great quarterback, Brady is at the top of any list. The conversation about his candidacy for the Hall of Fame should take about 30 seconds.
Bob Glauber, Newsday: I don't think the Wells Report will ultimately stand in the way of Brady being selected as a first ballot Hall of Famer. I'm sure the subject will be discussed, although the intensity of the argument will certainly be lessened by the time that has passed before he's eligible five years from the end of his career. Because the focus of the Wells Report was so narrow, we're not going to get any answers about how long this might have been going on, or if there was more definitive proof that it was happening. Brady's accomplishments on the field will carry the day with the Hall of Fame selectors, and I believe he will be—and ultimately should be—voted in the first time his candidacy is discussed.
Rick Gosselin, The Dallas Morning News: "Brady is still going into the Hall of Fame. He won his first three Super Bowls before the NFL turned over control of the game balls to the quarterbacks in 2006. But I think his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer could be in jeopardy. If he misses any games from this suspension, he's been deemed a cheater in the eyes of his league. That said, there will still be a bust for him in Canton regardless whether he goes in on the first, second or any ballot thereafter. His career accomplishments match those of any quarterback already in the Hall of Fame. That makes him Canton worthy."
Ira Kaufman, Tampa Tribune: In terms of Brady’s credentials for Canton, Deflategate will not substantially alter my view of him as a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer. If he retired tomorrow, his body of work would stand with the iconic quarterbacks of the modern era. Whatever role Brady may have played in this controversy is not a game-changer for me in terms of his Hall of Fame resume. While I believe it’s fair to consider Deflategate in assessing Brady’s NFL legacy, his place among the all-time greats is not tarnished from my standpoint.
Jim Trotter, ESPN: My evaluation of Brady for the Hall of Fame hasn’t changed at all. If he were listed on the ballot today, he’d get my vote without hesitation. It’s arguable whether any quarterback has consistently done more with less than Brady. Hall of Fame-caliber QBs typically are connected to, or associated with, at least one Hall of Fame-caliber wide receiver for much of his career. That hasn’t been the case for Brady, who had Randy Moss (a future Hall of Famer) for just four seasons. The argument that he had a competitive advantage by playing with an under-inflated footballs is specious considering he was more efficient and productive in last season’s AFC Championship Game AFTER officials brought in properly-inflated game balls. Bottom line: Brady’s greatness isn’t about the air pressure in a football; it’s about the competitive drive in his heart. It’s about never forgetting he was the 199th player — and seventh quarterback — selected in his draft class. It’s about hard work and football intelligence. It’s about elevating the play of those around him and consistently coming through when the clock is winding down and a play needs to be made. Few have done it as well as Brady.
Mike Sando, ESPN: For HoF purposes, I think the report would work against Brady's candidacy if it showed he relied on illegally deflated footballs in order to be a HoF-caliber QB. I don't think the report even tried to address that. Note that HoF bylaws ask selectors to consider on-field performance. The Wells Report could fall outside the scope of that. Fortunately, there is no rush to form lasting judgments as selectors. We'll have five years following Brady's eventual retirement to figure out what it all means.
Charean Williams, Fort-Worth Star Telegram: What Brady has done on the field far outweighs "Deflategate." He is not a borderline candidate. We are talking about a no-brainer, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Four titles. 21 postseason wins. 53,000 career passing yards. Almost 400 touchdowns. That makes him one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, regardless. PSI isn't responsible for all of that.
Hall of Fame voters on if Deflategate will impact their vote for Brady
BY RICHARD DEITSCH
Twitter Facebook Email
Posted: Sun Jun. 28, 2015Updated: Mon Jun. 29, 2015
Legacy is a buzzword that gets trotted out often in the sports media these days—especially when the subject has Hall of Fame credentials—and when legacy meets scandal at the corner of Eyeballs Boulevard, you end up with headlines such as “Is Tom Brady's legacy on the line because of Deflategate?” (SI.com), “Whatever Happens With Appeal, Brady's Legacy Will Survive' (ESPN.com) and “Deflategate May Wind Up Mere Footnote To Tom Brady's Legacy” (USA Today).
I initially planned to lead this column with a piece on whether the findings of the Wells Report (and the still-to-be-determined suspension length) would impact how longtime NFL media members covered Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the upcoming years. I was curious whether sports media staffers would judge Brady’s future actions and words differently in the wake of significant circumstantial evidence in the 243-page report released in May, which found that it was “more probable than not” that the Patriots deliberately circumvented the league’s rules of play before the 2015 AFC Championship game, and that the four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback was at least “generally aware” of these activities.
But extending that thought further and given the fervor that exists for Hall of Fame voting, I wondered if Brady (a first-ballot lock for Canton based on his play) would suffer at all in the minds of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. So last week I contacted eight of the 46 Pro Football Hall of Fame voters (SI voters can speak for themselves in their own columns) to ask if their evaluation of Brady for the Hall had changed at all with the Wells Report. As you might have predicted, based on this sample, Brady appears to be in little trouble as a first ballot Hall of Famer if nothing new comes to light. Here’s how the group answered:
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: I’ve always said that’s why they give us five years, because you can put things in perspective. But I don’t think there is a lot to put into perspective here. I don’t think it has changed my opinion. I think he is a great quarterback and while he might have had what he perceived as an advantage if it’s true, I don’t think it's that big a deal.
Jason Cole, Bleacher Report:I still think Brady is a first-ballot Hall of Famer even if this accusation is true. I realize that throwing a slightly under-inflated ball is an advantage. I remember doing the same thing in intramural football in college so many decades ago. However, to say that the main reason Brady has been so great over the course of 15 years is that he has occasionally thrown an under-inflated [ball] ... well, that's just idiotic. From accuracy to decision-making to toughness to all the other qualities that go into being a great quarterback, Brady is at the top of any list. The conversation about his candidacy for the Hall of Fame should take about 30 seconds.
Bob Glauber, Newsday: I don't think the Wells Report will ultimately stand in the way of Brady being selected as a first ballot Hall of Famer. I'm sure the subject will be discussed, although the intensity of the argument will certainly be lessened by the time that has passed before he's eligible five years from the end of his career. Because the focus of the Wells Report was so narrow, we're not going to get any answers about how long this might have been going on, or if there was more definitive proof that it was happening. Brady's accomplishments on the field will carry the day with the Hall of Fame selectors, and I believe he will be—and ultimately should be—voted in the first time his candidacy is discussed.
Rick Gosselin, The Dallas Morning News: "Brady is still going into the Hall of Fame. He won his first three Super Bowls before the NFL turned over control of the game balls to the quarterbacks in 2006. But I think his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer could be in jeopardy. If he misses any games from this suspension, he's been deemed a cheater in the eyes of his league. That said, there will still be a bust for him in Canton regardless whether he goes in on the first, second or any ballot thereafter. His career accomplishments match those of any quarterback already in the Hall of Fame. That makes him Canton worthy."
Ira Kaufman, Tampa Tribune: In terms of Brady’s credentials for Canton, Deflategate will not substantially alter my view of him as a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer. If he retired tomorrow, his body of work would stand with the iconic quarterbacks of the modern era. Whatever role Brady may have played in this controversy is not a game-changer for me in terms of his Hall of Fame resume. While I believe it’s fair to consider Deflategate in assessing Brady’s NFL legacy, his place among the all-time greats is not tarnished from my standpoint.
Jim Trotter, ESPN: My evaluation of Brady for the Hall of Fame hasn’t changed at all. If he were listed on the ballot today, he’d get my vote without hesitation. It’s arguable whether any quarterback has consistently done more with less than Brady. Hall of Fame-caliber QBs typically are connected to, or associated with, at least one Hall of Fame-caliber wide receiver for much of his career. That hasn’t been the case for Brady, who had Randy Moss (a future Hall of Famer) for just four seasons. The argument that he had a competitive advantage by playing with an under-inflated footballs is specious considering he was more efficient and productive in last season’s AFC Championship Game AFTER officials brought in properly-inflated game balls. Bottom line: Brady’s greatness isn’t about the air pressure in a football; it’s about the competitive drive in his heart. It’s about never forgetting he was the 199th player — and seventh quarterback — selected in his draft class. It’s about hard work and football intelligence. It’s about elevating the play of those around him and consistently coming through when the clock is winding down and a play needs to be made. Few have done it as well as Brady.
Mike Sando, ESPN: For HoF purposes, I think the report would work against Brady's candidacy if it showed he relied on illegally deflated footballs in order to be a HoF-caliber QB. I don't think the report even tried to address that. Note that HoF bylaws ask selectors to consider on-field performance. The Wells Report could fall outside the scope of that. Fortunately, there is no rush to form lasting judgments as selectors. We'll have five years following Brady's eventual retirement to figure out what it all means.
Charean Williams, Fort-Worth Star Telegram: What Brady has done on the field far outweighs "Deflategate." He is not a borderline candidate. We are talking about a no-brainer, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Four titles. 21 postseason wins. 53,000 career passing yards. Almost 400 touchdowns. That makes him one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, regardless. PSI isn't responsible for all of that.
