The way I see it: Tom Brady is so compelling because he's a moderately talented man of a large stature, but most of all he is a focused, ceaselessly driven individual. He is the consummate professional (a lawyer, for example) playing a game that is preoccupied (perhaps less and less) by people who are essentially teens or even younger children in terms of their mental development. Tom Brady carries a briefcase to work while most others carry a football. (Of course, Tom has footballs at the arena, so why would he need to carry one there?)

I could be way off-base, but I tend to find the most successful athletes are the ones who take the game the most seriously, like Tom and Bill do with their jobs. There is no room for bullshit, no room for rogue 'mistakes,' no room for celebrity in the locker room or around coaches or in front of the press. Some light banter between coaches and staff is allowed, but you have to earn it on the field.

I listen to WEEI so much more than I should. I used to commute to and from Durham every day, and I often drive long distances to get to where I need to go since I'm on the edge of the middle of nowhere. I love football and the Patriots culture. I love the rivalries Brady adopts as his own. I'm not a fanboy or anything, just sort of absorbed by it since I've grown up here my entire life. I'm always pessimistic when it comes to big games. I figured they would lose against Seattle and they probably will again if they play them in the Super Bowl. They should have lost the last one, anyways.