Shutdown Corner - NFL

If you missed the end of the Bills/Patriots game last night, you not only missed the conclusion of a thrilling football contest, but also a compelling little foot race between Tom Brady(notes) and Suzy Kolber.

Watch as the great Suzy goes stride for stride with a reluctant Brady, all in an effort to pry just one very non-newsworthy postgame quote out of him.

So what's the call here? Was Tom being a jerk, or was Suzy pestering him?

On one hand, I feel like if a guy doesn't want to talk, he shouldn't be made to talk. Not every football game is a fun football game, and everyone has those days at work where they just want to go home, be left alone and not say one damn word to anyone.

On the other hand, if you're Tom Brady, you're the face of the Patriots and of the NFL. That comes with certain responsibilities. Tom is rich and famous because of the attention given to him by television networks like ESPN. In return, it wouldn't kill him to cooperate when our heroine Suzy wants some meaningless little quote.

He was going to have to talk to the media at some point anyway, so why not stop and give the persistent lady 20 seconds of his precious Tom-time? If you're that attention-shy, Tom, you can always quit your job and go find work as a stock boy at a shoe store or something.

He tried ignoring her at first, and then, a couple of times, said to her, "I'm going in." Suzy persisted, though, and eventually crowbarred Tom's lips open. Most people would've probably given up.

I like Tom Brady, but I think I'm going to have to go with him being a jerk on this one. He knows Suzy, he knows her job, and he knows all he has to do is spit out some ridiculous cliché, and that would be the end of it. Why blow her off so publicly like that?

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  1. BSchu
    1. Posted by BSchu Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:10 am EDT

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    who really cares about Tom Brady not giving a quote to some woman? it's not like he HAS to. Just like when people tell you to quit your job MJD, do you? Obviously not.
  2. anonymous
    2. Posted by anonymous Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:14 am EDT

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    they just need a supermodel reporter next time.
  3. Jay R
    3. Posted by Jay R Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:18 am EDT

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    owned
  4. PleaseFireMJD
    4. Posted by PleaseFireMJD Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:27 am EDT

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    i hate tom brady, but if the media (like you) knows that he will always give a cliche cuz he's from the patriots, then why bother asking him anymore. Darth Belichick's gonna say the same thing every time and he's taught his apprentice well. as far as being the face of the NFL, he's still a person, not a robot.
    now if it were adrian peterson that wouldn't qualify because we all know he's a machine
  5. BSchu
    5. Posted by BSchu Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:42 am EDT

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    lol jay r
  6. freeforever
    6. Posted by freeforever Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:26 am EDT

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    MJD hates another QB becuase he didnt kiss Kolber butt. Where is the Farve dig??
  7. soxfaninchina
    7. Posted by soxfaninchina Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:58 am EDT

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    Listen to it again. Tom says "What did you say?" and then he says, "I can't hear a word you are saying; it is too loud in here." Give him a break... he wasn't blowing her off.
  8. Steely Mcbeam
    8. Posted by Steely Mcbeam Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:29 am EDT

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    I too am not a Brady fan, but if it was any other player I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to play media lapdog after a close game like that.
  9. Dan S
    9. Posted by Dan S Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:39 am EDT

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    He would've stopped for Erin Andrews
  10. justafan
    10. Posted by justafan Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:45 am EDT

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    why not? hate those interviews right after a game, especially a game that turned from disaster to victory. what's he going to say?
  11. Patrick H
    11. Posted by Patrick H Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:50 am EDT

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    Soxfan, he only did the "what did you say?" after Kolber ran his dumb ass down. As much as he is getting paid, he has a responsibility to stay there for 30 seconds and give a sound byte. If it were anyone else, Goodell would fine them, but since its Tom Brady and rules get made specifically for him, nothing will occur.
  12. Patrick H
    12. Posted by Patrick H Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:52 am EDT

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    Soxfan, he only did the "what did you say?" after Kolber ran his dumb ass down. As much as he is getting paid, he has a responsibility to stay there for 30 seconds and give a sound byte. If it were anyone else, Goodell would fine them, but since its Tom Brady and rules get made specifically for him, nothing will occur.
  13. G-MAN
    13. Posted by G-MAN Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:53 am EDT

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    She should of been slapped down....dude was obviously in no mood to talk because he was pissed at himself and his teams crappy play on the field....those GD reporters can wait until the press conf.They shouldn't be allowed on the field...the field is for the team...period!
  14. Michael
    14. Posted by Michael Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:02 am EDT

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    He should have told her that he loved her and wanted to kiss her.......
  15. Seth C
    15. Posted by Seth C Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:12 am EDT

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    Maybe oh maybe because he is a dooshebag, I don't know? Pats are going to have problems this year with that soft D, they're in New Orleans Saints status now.
  16. John
    16. Posted by John Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:20 am EDT

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    Who cares if Tom Brady was in a bad mood, hes in the entertainment business, not a random joe walking home from a long day at the factory. The only reason he gets payed is because of the fans fueling his industry, so either hes a no class bum, or too much of a wuss to do his job.
  17. STRANGLE HOLD
    17. Posted by STRANGLE HOLD Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:29 am EDT

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    Suzy should have dove into his knee when he was running to the locker room! Or horse collard his ass!
  18. Max_Powers
    18. Posted by Max_Powers Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:36 am EDT

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    He gives a news conference after the game, he doesn't have to feed the sideline troll if he doesn't feel like it. . . they should be talking to the other players and leave the coach and qb alone until their conference.
  19. G-MAN
    19. Posted by G-MAN Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:41 am EDT

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    #19..even as a Pats fan...i have to say that's funny.....
    #18..Ya ...you got a point there...i hate those frigging reporters and their stupid questions but dealing with the media is part of the gig....
  20. Patrick B
    20. Posted by Patrick B Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:41 am EDT

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    Patrick H, He has no responsibility to give a quote to a reporter. He can't get fined for not talking to reporters, his coach actually trains the team to not talk to them. It's been that way for years now (since 01). The media hates bellichick because he doesn't let his players say much, and he says the most cliche things during post game interviews. Brady's job is to play football, not to dance like a monkey for the crowd. Kudos for Suzy for getting her job done, but it's not Tom's job to make it easy for her.
  21. Ray
    21. Posted by Ray Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:46 am EDT

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    Tom's in a no-win situation. If a guy had grabbed Brady like Suzy did, just to ask the usual stupid "how did it feel" question, Brady could have shook him off. But if he does anything to a woman, no matter how grabby she is, Brady loses.
  22. sam spade
    22. Posted by sam spade Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:56 am EDT

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    Her fake veneer was about to come off. If Tom had kept running just a little more or a little faster her wig would have come off. And that would have been real entertaining.
  23. ROBERTR
    23. Posted by ROBERTR Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:03 am EDT

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    Good game to watch. Bills underrated? Pats overrated? Maybe alittle of both. I can't wait til they each face a pounding team. Lose they will.
  24. j c
    24. Posted by j c Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:08 am EDT

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    Where's Joe Willie when you need him!!!
  25. Jason
    25. Posted by Jason Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:08 am EDT

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    Brady's a tool. You can't play the goody two shoes role when it's convenient and then run off like this when things don't go your way. Part of his millions (y'all seem eager to forget he's being paid millions to play a game) is based on his reputation and persona, and if he's not up to living up to his job responsibilities he can certainly give some of that back. Oh, he wouldn't ever do that. Just be a jerk and then apologize later like the rest of the league instead of trying to slink out under the guise of "I can't hear you".

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