I have no idea when Tom Brady and some assorted (white) Patriots will make their way to the White House. I would assume it will be in the next few days, maybe, if Brady’s BFF Donald Trump isn’t too bogged down with his rigorous tweeting schedule. As we discussed over the weekend, there are six Patriots athletes refusing to go to Baby Fists’ White House. Five of the athletes are African-American and one is white. Some people believe that the Patriots, as an organization, should refuse to visit the White House. Some people believe that it should just be up to the individuals. But what does Tom Brady think of his protesting teammates?
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he respects his teammates’ decision to skip the White House visit, although he prefers “putting politics aside.” So far, six Patriots players have said they will skip the yet-to-be announced meeting with President Trump. Players skipping the White House celebration is nothing new, of course, and many absences have been rooted in politics, although Brady told Pro Football Talk Live on Tuesday his 2015 no-show had nothing to do with former President Obama.
“It really is a great experience,” Brady told PFT. “Putting politics aside, it never was a political thing. At least, it never was to me. It as something that was a privilege to do. It meant you won a championship and you got to experience something cool with your team, with your teammates. Everyone has their own choice.”
Brady said the 2015 visit he missed was due to a relatively last-minute notice the ceremony would take place.
“Everybody has their own choice,” Brady said. “There are certain years, like a couple years ago, I wanted to go and didn’t get the opportunity based on the schedule. We didn’t get told until I think like 10 days before we were going, and at that point I had something I’d been planning for months and couldn’t get there. If people don’t want to go they don’t want to go and that’s their choice.”
Well, some people actually did think that Tom Brady refused to go to the Obama White House for political reasons rather than family reasons, but whatever. At least he’s not slamming his teammates. But I just want to point out again that Brady absolutely lives in a oblivious bubble of white privilege. Because he’s a rich white guy, he gets to “put politics aside.” His black teammates don’t get to do that.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said something similar, that every time they’ve gone to the White House, some people don’t go for various reasons, sometimes political and sometimes not, but this is the first time the visit has gotten so much coverage. Kraft said of the protesting Patriots: “But this is America. We’re all free to do whatever’s best for us. We’re just privileged to be in a position to be going.” This is America… sort of. It’s more like a Russia-America hybrid right now. Rusmerica. And our president is Vladimir Baby Fists.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Oh, Tommy. Your privilege is showing.
Some of us don’t get to put ‘politics aside’.
He’s like a kid in high school whose political consciousness hasn’t dawned yet and thinks politics is stuff that doesn’t affect him. I think he’s operating at that level. I doubt he’s given it much thought. He’s … simple.
Brady’s months-planned thing that he skipped going to Obama’s White House for? Wandering around a shopping mall by himself. He’s a liar.
yeah, THIS.
he was photographed in the Apple store. THAT was what he had been “planning for months”? but he’s so dumb that he thinks people don’t remember.
No launch of a new apple watch to take up his schedule…
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25165546/did-tom-brady-skip-visit-with-obama-because-hes-mad-at-the-white-house
His defenders are as bad as he is. If Trump or some other Caucasian bigot had been in the White House that year, you’d best believe Brady would have rearranged his schedule so he could be there. But Obama? Nah, he’s BUSY that day.
People conveniently look the other way (or worse, make excuses) when their fave shows his true self.
Was with lawyers trying to work on the Deflategate case. Working on this, which could have ruined his career is more important than going to the White House!
Ssh, Beth! He was at the Apple Store all day! Except when he was seen stretching on the field at Gillette in 3 feet of snow! And numerous other sightings at the time. Yes, at the time, sports writers did report that he was meeting with lawyers about Deflategate, which might have allowed some time in the day to replace the phone that we know was replaced around that time, resulting in the 4 game suspension, but none of that matters apparently
Come on @lightpurple and @Mousyb! How could that be true? ! He’s a cheating Patriot! Lol
Nobody likes our Tom because he’s the best. Patriots are the best!
Hate to defend Brady but that was one photo – as Beth says, Deflategate was going on at the time and that was way more important than a White House trip.
You can defend what you like but he was not defending Deflat Gate. He was deflecting working out at the gym and shopping for watches. Honestly this is a dismal excuse. If he wanted to go, he could have went and met with his lawyers later. The investigation did not begin until the spring of 2015 so you need a better one. He is just being hypocritical with this
Don’t defend him on this one – he doesn’t deserve it. He’s a coward. If he supports Trump, he should just come out and say it. He evades and lies because he knows he works with a ton of black people in a very blue state.
@msimmonsva22 and the White House visit was in April 2015, which is spring. The investigation was underway. And speaking as an attorney, no, you can’t just meet with us whenever you want.
Obama made jokes about Deflatgate that upset Tom. That’s why he didn’t go.
“Putting politics aside” is fine when you fit into the thin category of what the leader loves. Otherwise, it’s complicated. Recently, I heard some folks are refusing to pay their taxes until so-called president Trump shows HIS taxes. Interesting strategy for getting at the truth. Resist!
My mother’s actually doing something similar. She’s setting aside what she has to for bills and the like, but the rest she’s directing into her 401K funds where it won’t get taxed until she retires.
Well, that’s a generally useful approach to retirement saving anyway. It’s what a lot of upper middle class people have been doing since the advent of IRAs and 401ks, which advantage people who have money left over. No shade – have used them maximally ourselves.
Refusing to pay their taxes is like a Tea Party tactic that is not going to get them anywhere but penalized, unfortunately. Use that energy to pressure Congress about tax “reform” and about saving the ACA (repeal gives tax $$ back to billionnaires).
Backpfeifengesicht.
Brady proved he’s a great quarterback and an idiotic human being. He didn’t attend when President Obama was in the WH because it didn’t suit him but is defending visiting baby fists because he loves this repulsive treasonous monster. I can’t stand Brady because he is just as much a liar and mental midget as baby fists.
Well now it’s political and the chance is there for you or anyone to make a stand against clearcut misogyny, lies and treason. But I guess we know where you stand already.
Tom Brady is the poster child for privilege. He is a garbage human. Just remember he once cried over the handful of hours where he thought he might have to get a normal person job.
Just like it wasn’t political when you refused to go to the Obama White House, right Tom?
Idiot.
Sports have always been political. Example: US boycotting Russian Olympics, 1980.
Example: Israeli team slaughtered in 1972
That’s just off the top of my head. Sports and politics are always intertwined, perhaps not by the plebes but the rich white men who own the teams.
This guy, I cant with this guy. I know some here love him and his team, but seriously. Give your heads many shakes. Good shakes. The best shakes ever. The best planned shakes of head ever, it will be great.
We don’t know who he voted for. He’s been friendly with Trump for years, but doesn’t mean he voted for him. His wasn’t the only red hat in the locker room. If I held it against someone who voted for Trump, I’d not be talking to my parents or many of my friends! He’s an athlete. One of the best ever. I’m glad some of my Patriots aren’t going, hopefully there will be more added to the list.
Of course he voted for Trump. Duh. Don’t be so naive.
He’s a great QB but he’s a coward afraid to stand for anything. Which it easy for him to have blinders on because rich good looking heterosexual white guy who doesn’t have the concerns the rest of us have.
+ 10000000
Completely agree. He is a coward. If he “wants to make America great again” he needs to say it rather than lying and evading whenever asked any real question.
“If people don’t want to go..”
Your teammates, man…
At least, say you support their decision… oh wait, it is too political for you…
Frankly at this point I don’t know why people have to brand all the protests and issues being highlighted as being political. Put aside politics per se, aren’t you going to say anything or have an opinion about your country, your people, your minorities, the perception of your country, the impact of Russia on your elections, the conflict of interests, the accountability of your tax dollars, your schools and basically the interests of your fellow Americans? It’s no longer politics as usual when it’s people’s lives in America and abroad, being played around with. Average people who don’t have your means especially.
Tom Brady doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
I would go to the white house, because the house is not Trumps house- it belongs to America. I would LOVE the opportunity to not shake Trump’s hand and tell him FACE TO FACE what an asshole he is. I can’t believe these team mates are passing on the opportunity to tell that idiot right off.
I know, but that the same time they’re denying him a photo opp and they’re taking a personal stand about being used for that photo opp. It’s their bodies, they can put them where they want. Tough call for them.
The Atlanta Zoo named a cockroach after Brady. BEST.THING.EVER.
http://nypost.com/2017/02/14/atlanta-zoo-names-cockroach-after-tom-brady/
Jaded – you made my day. Thank you.
Does eveyone remember that Putin stole a Super Bowl ring from the Patriots owner? Putin asked to try it on, and then walked off with it ahead of his armed thugs. The owner is still pissed and wants his ring back. Think Trump will get it?
Alternative admission = bull sh!#…..
Obviously Brady didn’t make it to the White House to see Obama cause he couldn’t get out of that darn Genius Bar appointment. 🙄
Regardless of the president national championship teams go to the White House. It wasn’t political all of those times. Doesn’t need to be this time unless you want to make this visit political.