Tom Brady Receives the GOAT of Statues
The Statue of Liberty. Christ the Redeemer. Michelangelo's David. Rodin's The Thinker. The Venus de Milo. The Sphinx. All considered the greatest, most revered and iconic statues on Earth.
Until now. Until tonight. When the veil came off the Tom Brady statue at the base of the Gillette Stadium lighthouse, they all took a back seat. Barely more than some clay doll a toddler formed out of Play-Doh by comparison.
A six-sided base emblazoned with the scores of his six Super Bowl titles. A 12-foot bronze image of this superhuman man , for the obvious reason. In all, 17 feet high, symbolizing his AFC East titles. And as a work of art, 10 on a scale of 10, just like the transcendent figure it represents.
There are many layers to athletic achievement. The honors we bestow upon them are a pyramid. At the base, is All Star and Pro Bowl appearances. Above that, individual awards like MVP, OPTOY, Cy Young. Above that are team Halls of Fame. The league Halls of Fame. Then retiring their numbers. At the pinnacle of that pyramid is a statue. And it's only fitting that the most statue-worthy figure of all time would get one that stands above all others.
The ceremony was perfect. The highlight reel was perfect. Mr. Kraft's introductory remarks were perfect.
And yet Brady's acceptance speech still elevated the event to a whole other level. "The statue honors my 40-time"? "Jets fans will have something to throw their beers at when they're leaving the stadium. In the 2nd quarter..."? The comedy bit about taking a call from Coach Belichick who said the sculptor could've done a better job? Chef's kiss. No notes.
I'm not ashamed to say I shed a single, manly Spartacus tear tonight. And that I couldn't help but remember loved ones who enjoyed Brady's playing days with me but didn't live to see this unveiling. But now future generations will pass by this monument to greatness and see that now, in our lifetimes, we got to witness the heroics of such a man. Enjoy it while you can. Tom Brady's kind passes this way but once.