Question:
Tom Brady was born on August 3, 1977 in San Mateo, California. He went
to high school at San Mateo's Serra High where he earned Blue Chip
Illustrated and Prep Football Report All-American selections. He also
added all-state and All-Far West honors, as well as the Team's Most
Valuable player award.
He was a two sport letterman, earning two letters in both football and
baseball. He completed 236 of 447 passes (52,8%) for 3,702 yards and
31 touchdowns during his high school career.
Brady was drafted in the 18th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball
Draft as a catcher by the Montreal Expos, but went on to college at
the University of Michigan where he played football and recorded a
20-5 record as a two-year starter and majored in organizational
studies.
In his first season at Michigan he was a redshirt freshman, and was
also a redshirt as a sophmore where he served as Brian Griese's
back-up during the Wolverines National Championship season.
But in his junior season he earned All-Big Ten Conference honorable
mention, as well as Academic All-Big Ten Pick. In his first year as
the full-time starter he completed 214 of 350 passes (61.1%) for 2,636
yards and 15 touchdowns. Only Jim Harbaugh threw for more yards in a
season for the Wolverines. Brady also set a school record for most
attempts (350) and completions (214) in a season.
In 1999 he earned All-Big Ten Conference second-team selection honors
and completed 214-of-341 passes (62.8%) for 2,586 yards, 20
touchdowns, an only six interceptions. Only Elvis Grbac (21 in '90, 25
in '91) had more touchdowns in a season for the Wolverines. His 2,586
yards rank third on the school's season-record list. Brady closed out
his college career completing 34-of-46 throws for 369-yards, with
touchdowns of 27,57, and 20 yards including a game-winning 25-yard
scoring strike in overtime as the Wolverines rallied for a 35-24
decision over Alabama in the Orange bowl.
Following his senior season Brady was drafted by the New England
Patriots in the 6th round (199th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He is
currently the starting quarterback after replacing franchise QB Drew
Bledsoe who sustained a serious injury that resulted in internal
bleeding in week 2 of the 2001 season.
Vital Stats
Full Name: Thomas Edward Brady, Jr.
Date of Birth: August 3, 1977
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 220 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Parents: Tom, Sr. and Galynn
Siblings: Maureen, Julie, Nancy
Residence: Franklin, Massachusetts
Off-Season Residence: San Mateo, California
High School Attended: Serra High School
College Attended: University of Michigan
College Major: Organizational Studies (GPA 3.3)
NFL Draft: Sixth round (199th overall) - 2000
Marital Status: Single
Residence: Franklin, MA; Portola Drive-San Mateo, CA
Car of choice: Dodge Ram, Dogde Dart, Cadillac Escalade (new MVP car)
First football experience: 9th Grade linebacker
Favorite book: Along Came A Spider
Nickname: Tommy
Most impressive person he's met: Gerald Ford
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Lefty or Righty: Lefty
Favorite food: Onion Rings
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Musical group: U2
Person he would most like to meet is: Heidi Klum
Favorite quote: Lead me, follow me or get the heck out of the way.
Motto is: JUST WIN
Autobiography Title: Here's a story....of a man named Brady
Toughest NFL opponent: Charles Woodson
Craziest Ambition: Become U.S. Senator
Football hero: Joe Montana
Pre-game superstitions/rituals: Singing Songs
Greatest Player: Joe Montana (without a doubt)
Hobbies: Golfing, reading, sleeping
If he lost all his possessions except one: his lucky coin
Trip to: Italy
Did You Know?
* Pompous circumstance
It's fast times at Serra High. The San Mateo, Calif., parochial school
has this alumni update, just in the past six months:
Â. Tom Brady (Class of '95) quarterbacked New England to an upset Super
Bowl victory and was voted game MVP;
Â. Barry Bonds (Class of '82) of the San Francisco Giants broke Mark
McGwire's season home-run record with 73 and was voted National League
MVP for a record fourth time; and
Â. Lynn Swann (Class of '70), the former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver
and a former Super Bowl MVP, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall
of Fame.
"I think that it would be safe to say that (Serra) has had the most
prolific year for alumni ever," Serra football coach Patrick Walsh
wrote in a letter to Sports Illustrated. "Not bad for a little school
in a sleepy suburb like San Mateo."
* He also became the fifth quarterback since 1970 to earn a trip to
the Pro Bowl in only his first year as a starter. And he is the only
QB in Patriots history to win 11 of his first 14 starts.
* He was the third-youngest quarterback (24 1/2 years old) to start in
a Super Bowl (behind Dan Marino and David Woodley)
* Weight aside, that's the same quarterback MacKenzie knew in San
Mateo. "That's the secret to his success. He hasn't really changed at
all," MacKenzie said. "Everything that he does well and that people
have talked about have just increased. His focus and concentration
have gotten better. His commitment has only gotten stronger. He's
always had that great heart. "Probably the biggest change, if I had to
say one thing, is that he's just a lot more patient with himself now."
Whereas pro scouts might have questioned Brady's durability, no one
doubted his intelligence. At Serra High, he carried a 3.5 grade-point
average and drew interest from 75 or more colleges. "When you talk to
most youth, they're there, but they're not listening. They don't apply
what you're telling them," said Tom Martinez, a quarterback guru who
has tutored Brady since the ninth grade. "My pleasure with him was
that he was all ears. He'd listen to what I said, would go off, then
come back improved a bunch." The arm strength, however, came out of
nowhere. Martinez thought back to Brady's junior year, when the chunky
kid had grown tall and thin. "All of a sudden the ball came in like a
man," Martinez said. "All of a sudden he wasn't little Tommy Brady."
Those who know Brady well, however, said he is still is the humble,
All-American guy he always has been. That image remained intact
despite the success and the media circus surrounding the sporting
world's biggest event. Brady has done and said all the right things
this week. "He is that guy that you'd want your daughter to marry,"
said Damon Huard, the Patriots' third-string quarterback. "He's got
that smile on his face, he's really, really easygoing, he's real
genuine." Martinez and MacKenzie doubt that ever will change. They
also expect the success to continue. "If he were a flash in the pan,
you wouldn't have the kind of games Tom Brady is having," Mackenzie
said of New England's playoff run. "He proved over the last 16 games
that he belonged in the NFL. And he's proved he and his team belong in
the Super Bowl."
* Cinderella by the Numbers
2 - Quarterbacks, other than Brady, who led their teams to the
Superbowl in their first year as starters. Vince Ferragamo took the LA
Rams to Superbowl XIV, against the Steelers, and Kurt Warner guided
the St. Louis Rams to a berth in Superbowl XXXIV, against the Titans.
6 - Quarterbacks who where picked ahead of Brady in the 2000 draft.
That group comprised Chad Pennington(Jets), Giovanni Carmazzi (49ers),
Chris Redman (Ravens), Tee Martin (Steelers), Marc Bulger (Saints),
and Spergon Wynn(Browns).
58 - Combined completions in 2001 of the six quarterbacks who were
drafted ahead of Brady in the 2000 draft.
264 - Completions by Brady in 2001
4 - Straight games -week 9 through week 12- in which Brady completed
at least 70% of his passes. Only Joe Montana (8) has completed at
least 70% of his passes in more consecutive games.
162 - Passes thrown by Brady in 2001 before he was intercepted for the
first time, an NFL record.
643,750 - Dollars, per game, that Drew Bledsoe makes as part of the
10-year, $103 million contract that he signed before the 2001 season.
298,000 - Dollars, this season, that Brady made in base salary.
* Drew Henson, Tom Brady's former competition and pal at Michigan, has
exposed Brady to Patriots fans. "Tom Brady is a huge Yankees fan,"
said Henson. "You can write that." Brady used to wear Yankee hats
around the Patriots locker room until someone told him not to. He now
wears Red Sox and SF Giants caps. Brady is sure to take grief for his
SI cover, in which he has his shirt off. "With that body, why would
you take your shirt off?" said one teammate.
* In 2000, Brady signed a three-year contract, with a signing bonus of
$38,500 -- less than the $49,250 sticker price of the Cadillac
Escalade EXT he got for being the Super Bowl MVP.
* Brady's base salary for 2001 was $298,000. Drew Bledsoe's base
salary for 2001 is $3.4 million. Third-stringer Damon Huard made
$525,000.
* The Patriots' 2001 media guide devotes 26 pages to Bledsoe. Brady
has three-quarters of one page.
Answer:
that must be the steroid connection to Tom Brady! (Barry Bonds)
no wonder he was at the State of the Union, it all makes sense!
