Question for Boston fans

stown · January 22, 2008 11:50PM

Hypothetically, say NE wins another Super Bowl and goes undefeated.

Where would you put Brady with other Boston greats?

Yaz?

Bird?

Williams?

Papi?

Schilling?

Orr?

TomGshotput · January 23, 2008 12:17AM

Williams
Russell
Bird
Brady
Marciano

In that order

Brian48 · January 23, 2008 12:18AM

He would be the key representative or face of that specific sport in the city. Right now it's Orr for Hockey, Bird for Basketball (although many feel it should be Russell), and Williams for Baseball. Although the Patriots have had many great players in the past, it has never had a real icon.

This superbowl is somewhat of a weird situation. Very few people outside of the NE area realized that many of the older, diehard Pats fans started out as Giant fans. Prior to the Pats coming into the league, The NY Giants were the most local team that Boston football fans could root for.

perkdog · January 23, 2008 1:12AM

1-Tom Brady
2-Williams
3-Bird
4-Orr

OnlyThe10s · January 23, 2008 1:16AM

Using just the ones you listed, I'd say it's this order:

-Williams
-Yastrzemski
-Brady
-Bird
-Orr
-Ortiz
-Schill

Edited to add: p.s. This list is NOT dependent on weather or not we win the Bowl. That's where he would stand (in my mind) either way.

stown · January 23, 2008 1:48AM

Doesn't have to be my list since obviously I forgot to mention a couple of icons (ie Russell).

Just curious where you would put Brady with the other Boston greats of years gone by...

perkdog · January 23, 2008 3:36AM

<< Doesn't have to be my list since obviously I forgot to mention a couple of icons (ie Russell).

Just curious where you would put Brady with the other Boston greats of years gone by... >>

My Choice is Tom Brady-hands down! Cool thread B!

stown · January 23, 2008 4:11AM

I know how much y'all love Ted and Bird.. So was curious to see if Brady could ever overtake them in Baahstan lore.

Barndog · January 23, 2008 5:42AM

Ted Williams will likely always be #1 in Boston even if Brady wins five consecutive Superbowls. Boston (New England) is a "baseball first" region. Remember when Schilling was announced as a new member of the Red Sox? That topped the news of the day in New England despite the fact that the Patriots were headed to the Superbowl. Brady has a chance for number two in the hearts and minds of New Englanders.

OnlyThe10s · January 23, 2008 6:07AM

<< I know how much y'all love Ted and Bird.. So was curious to see if Brady could ever overtake them in Baahstan lore.

>>

Honestly, the Pats will never top Teddy. And in my book, they'll never top Yaz, Fisk, Doerr or Pesky either. Maybe that's because I'm just more of a baseball guy than a football guy.

But "Big pitcure-wise"... I'd say that NE will always love Tom Brady, and he'll be in the top 10 fave's for any new England sports fan.

I DO, however, put him OVER Manny, Papi, Schill, Tek, etc. Even though those guys have been a round for a while, and done really well for us, Bradys probably going to be looked at as "over" them..... if there must be a list.

Also, you have to remember that Brady's now going for his 3rd SB win in 5 years (again, I'm not a huge football guy, so those numbers might ne off) and that's great.. but it's not "epic" like, for instance, Teddy's lifetime numbers. The 19-0 is going to be absolutley humungous for the Patriots and to Tom Brady's Career, but it's just a few good years... give him some more time... if he keeps it up, maybe he'll "jump up a notch or two"... until then, it's those baseball legends that are in the forefront of my mind.

Thanks for the thread man, good stuff.

Cool thread man.. it gets us NE people thinking!

Connecticoin · January 23, 2008 6:19AM

Williams
Russell
Bird
Brady
Yaz
Schilling
Orr
Papi

perkdog · January 23, 2008 6:42AM

I share equal love between the Sox and Patriots so for me there HAS to be two seperate lists...

Patriots- 1-Tom Brady
2-Bill Belichek

Sox- 1-ScHilling - I have to put Schill on the top of my list just because he helped ( in a major way ) bring a World Series to Beantown which I really did not think I would ever see, let alone 2!

2-Ted Williams

Bosox1976 · January 23, 2008 9:33AM

Russell
Brady
Orr
Bird
Teddy Ballgame

It's all about championships. Teddy was one of the all time best, but no rings. Need to bring home the bacon to top the list.

SDSportsFan · January 23, 2008 9:52AM

Yea, but Aerosmith's better than all of those guys put together!!!!!

Steve

stown · January 23, 2008 12:46PM

<< Brady's now going for his 3rd SB win in 5 years >>

That is correct but 4th in 7 years sounds a lot better.

MAD · January 23, 2008 1:46PM

BE SERIOUS!

Bird, Orr, Williams always considered the Top 3

into the top 5

Brady would have 4 Super Bowl Titles and #? QB 0f All Time
Ortiz has 2 World Series and counting and Greatest Clutch hitter

Other greats (alphabetically):

Bob Cousy
John Havlicek
Cam Neely
Bill Russell
Curt Schilling
Carl Yastrzemski

WinPitcher · January 23, 2008 10:04PM

What about Johnny Pesky?

Steve

Connecticoin · January 24, 2008 12:11AM

<< BE SERIOUS!

Bird, Orr, Williams always considered the Top 3

into the top 5

Brady would have 4 Super Bowl Titles and #? QB 0f All Time
Ortiz has 2 World Series and counting and Greatest Clutch hitter

Other greats (alphabetically):

Bob Cousy
John Havlicek
Cam Neely
Bill Russell
Curt Schilling
Carl Yastrzemski >>

Cam Neely over Ray Bourque?

80sToyguy · January 24, 2008 2:48AM

Ahh, I am so glad a hockey fan finally came through on this one (I was going to chime in but because I don't live in Boston and I'm not American I figured I'd get roasted).
Williams will always be number 1, I think Brady could win 9 SB's and never be regarded as highly. Williams was the best player in his sport for years, and lost 4 prime years to the war. Before this year, there weren't many argueing Brady as the best QB in the league. He's very good, but growing up a Niners fan I would have traded Montana for Marino anyday, Montana just happened to play on the best TEAM, as does Brady. Not knocking either of them, but they've got themselves in great situations (talking Brady and Montana, who Brady is always compared to).
As for number 2, from an outsiders perspective it's interchangable between Bird and Orr, or Orr and Bird. Bird and Johnson were THE 2 best ballers in the 1980's, I don't think you can question their decade long dominance. But between 68/69 and 1975 Bobby Orr WAS THE GREATEST PLAYER in the NHL. Esposito might have gotten the MVP awards (I believe he got 3 while Orr got 2), there is little question that Esposito wouldn't have garnered nearly as many points without Orr. Without Esposito, Orr would have just made someone else famous.
Brady will always be # 4 in my mind.
Jay

BobaFett72 · January 24, 2008 3:19AM

as the older generation whithers and dies (not to be too grim lol)
the younger generation will embrace the new, more youthful icons. Brady and Papi might top that list amongst the kids of today/adults of tommorow.

Right now, Williams, Russell, Bird, et.al are still relatively fresh in the minds of 80-90% of a very rabid fan base.

perkdog · January 24, 2008 6:01AM

<< 
It's all about championships. Teddy was one of the all time best, but no rings. Need to bring home the bacon to top the list. >>

Agreed!!!!

MAD · January 24, 2008 8:31AM

While Ray Bourque was one of the greatest players in Boston history, no doubt about it. Cam Neely ended his career a Bruin and became a Hall of Famer as a Bruin. He does a lot of charity work locally in the area and had his career cut short by injury.

Orr was #1 and will always be held in the highest esteem because of the championships and his undeniable greatness.

Pesky is and will always be appreciated; he is after all the elder statesman of the Red Sox, but that 1946 World Series will never be forgotten.

Teddy Ballgame is the one player who never needed a championship to be part of the Boston elite.

By enlisting and serving in World War II and the Korean War, Ted Williams became an undeniable War Hero with his service to his country.

As for being replaced by Brady and Papi.

The young guys will move up and Brady could move all the way to #1 because how many Super Bowls could he win and maybe he could be the greatest QB of All Time.

Big maybes.

Papi has upside as wel, just have to wait and see.

But --

No one is going to surpass the Russell Championship count.

No one is going to revolutionize a sport the way Orr did.

Bird is forever linked with Magic as two of the three that brought basketball back from the abyss.

Williams will never be left out -- he is incomparable. No one has ever done what he did with his baseball years and his military service and his coming back to play.

By the way Red Auerbach is in the top tier (although not a player).

This is what sets Orr, Bird, Russell and the newbies (Brady and Ortiz) apart from the other Boston greats. They won it all. In the case of these 5 players, they were all the straw that stirred the championship drink.

stown · January 24, 2008 8:36AM

Wow, thank you for the well thought out response.

Mercury10c · January 24, 2008 9:45AM

Williams, Yaz, Brady, Bird, Orr. Papi and Schilling, I don't think, should even be on this list. All the other guys played
for their teams for many many years.
By the time his career is over, it will be Brady, Williams, Yaz, Bird, Orr.

grote15 · January 24, 2008 11:15AM

That Yankees-cap-wearing Tom Brady sure does love hanging out in NYC doesn't he?

perkdog · January 24, 2008 11:26AM

<< That Yankees-cap-wearing Tom Brady sure does love hanging out in NYC doesn't he?

>>

I would too if Giselle asked me to...

Ichiro51fan · January 30, 2008 8:57AM

<< Ahh, I am so glad a hockey fan finally came through on this one (I was going to chime in but because I don't live in Boston and I'm not American I figured I'd get roasted).
Williams will always be number 1, I think Brady could win 9 SB's and never be regarded as highly. Williams was the best player in his sport for years, and lost 4 prime years to the war. Before this year, there weren't many argueing Brady as the best QB in the league. He's very good, but growing up a Niners fan I would have traded Montana for Marino anyday, Montana just happened to play on the best TEAM, as does Brady. Not knocking either of them, but they've got themselves in great situations (talking Brady and Montana, who Brady is always compared to).
As for number 2, from an outsiders perspective it's interchangable between Bird and Orr, or Orr and Bird. Bird and Johnson were THE 2 best ballers in the 1980's, I don't think you can question their decade long dominance. But between 68/69 and 1975 Bobby Orr WAS THE GREATEST PLAYER in the NHL. Esposito might have gotten the MVP awards (I believe he got 3 while Orr got 2), there is little question that Esposito wouldn't have garnered nearly as many points without Orr. Without Esposito, Orr would have just made someone else famous.
Brady will always be # 4 in my mind.
Jay >>

Hmmm, I agree totally with your Bird take... not only was he one of the 2 best in the 80's, but easily in the top 5 all-time on anybody's list, despite having his career shortened several years by injury. In addition he and Magic essentially "saved" basketball. It had several down years in the late 70's and interest was severely waning. But when Bird/Magic came in, that all changed. I think that every guy in the NBA should be giving a cut of their paychecks to these guys. True, they may still have had a job without their contributions, but there's no way they would have been making the kind of jack they are now without B&M's influences.

However, I really can't buy into what you're saying about the QB issue. And as a fellow 49er fan, I am shocked that you could even mention Montana and Marino in the same sentance, much less utter the sacrilige that you'd rather have DM than JM... shame on you!

Seriously though, I will admit that team makeup has something to do with a QB's success, but as the most important position on the field, I don't think you're giving the individual enough credit. You can't honestly think that the 49ers would have been better with Marino over Montana, and the Dolphins worse with Montana?!?! As proof, look at the fact that Montana's stats did not really drop off that much during his last 2 years after going to the Chiefs. He was able to pull a QB rating of 87.4 & 83.6, even though his health was very questionable both of those years. And, those 2 KC teams weren't exactly known for their other great offensive players. Marcus Allen was way past his prime and their receiver core was a joke compared to what JM had in SF. Yet, amazingly, despite all of this, Montana had very good years, leading KC into the playoffs both years (1 TD shy of the Superbowl in 1993). Is Marino one of the best QB's of all time?... sure. But I think that Montana is considered the top player in NFL history by many... and trust me, that's not just because he was on a great team... it's because he made a good team great!

MAD · February 2, 2008 1:48AM

<< Williams, Yaz, Brady, Bird, Orr. Papi and Schilling, I don't think, should even be on this list. All the other guys played
for their teams for many many years.
By the time his career is over, it will be Brady, Williams, Yaz, Bird, Orr. >>

Russell definitely ranks higher than Yaz.

MAD · February 4, 2008 2:42PM

Now what say everyone. I'm disappointed. But a reality check for everyone ready to annoint Brady #1.

bigreddog · February 4, 2008 4:42PM

Montana for Marino? Are you ABSOLUTELY insane!?

Question for Boston fans

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