Posted on 01/30/2002 6:27:43 PM PST by Libloather
Belichick Tabs Brady to Start Super Bowl for Patriots
By HOWARD ULMAN
c. The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 30) -- Tom Brady wins again.
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick picked Brady as the starting quarterback for Sunday's Super Bowl, choosing the former backup over three-time Pro Bowl player Drew Bledsoe.
Brady led New England to seven consecutive wins before spraining his left ankle Sunday in the AFC championship game. Bledsoe took over and led the Patriots into the Super Bowl against the St. Louis Rams.
That raised the question of who would start in the Patriots' most important game.
Brady was confident he'd be ready, and Belichick decided after viewing tapes of Wednesday's practice that the second-year pro was his choice.
"Tom Brady demonstrated in practice today that he is fit to play," Belichick said. "He will be our starting quarterback on Sunday."
Neither quarterback was available for comment after being informed of the decision by Belichick.
So Brady, who hasn't lost in two months, will start the NFL title game instead of the nine-year veteran, a $103 million player who sparked the latest victory.
Brady, the AFC's third-rated passer, was 12-3 in his previous 15 starts after the Patriots lost the first two games of the season with Bledsoe at quarterback. Now the 24-year-old player from Michigan, who has shown outstanding poise in big games, will start in the biggest game of his life after being a fourth-stringer as a rookie.
Belichick delayed naming his starter until he and his assistant coaches watched tapes of the afternoon workout at Tulane University. He went so far as to ask a pool reporter not to identify who took the most snaps in practice; the starter usually takes almost all off the practice snaps with the offense.
Bledsoe was the starter until a crunching hit sheared a blood vessel in his chest in the second game of the season. Brady helped lead New England to the AFC East title and to a 16-13 overtime victory over Oakland in the playoffs.
Bledsoe's relief performance in the 24-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday sparked the big question of Super Bowl week: Who would start?
Bledsoe, the first player drafted in 1993? Or Brady, the No. 199 pick two years ago who threw just three passes last year but jumped from fourth on the depth chart to bring New England back to New Orleans, where the Patriots made their only other two Super Bowl appearances?
Belichick's decision, though, might not settle the quarterback controversy for long.
There's always next season.
Questions could linger long into the offseason as coaches and club officials consider their options: Dump Bledsoe's big salary, explore a deal for the younger Brady, or keep both.
Earlier, Patriots owner Robert Kraft had some ideas about keeping the NFL's deepest quarterback corps together.
"If I have a vote, I would not be against both of them playing for us next year unless someone comes with a blockbuster offer for either one," Kraft said. "He's the prototype of the kind of player anyone would want on their team."
Asked how he would feel if he were told in the offseason that Brady would be the quarterback next year, Bledsoe said, "The future's the future and, right now, we're focused on this game, this week, and whatever happens after that happens. Right now, we're not going to even address that."
Bledsoe, who will turn 30 on Feb. 14, doesn't want to remain a backup after being the Patriots' signature player for most of his career. Chicago, Seattle and Washington all are possible destinations - good teams who could use a better quarterback.
AP-NY-01-30-02 2143EST
Strange, a ton of Steeler fans said the very same thing last week...
Warner's going to shred your secondary.
Nice sentiment starting Brady but the Pat's fans I know say their only chance in this high scoring contest would be with Bledsloe.
Go, Patriots!
As for the game, I actually think the Pats might do something. Rams defense still soft, offense has not been that impressive in the playoffs (lot of turnovers to points against Green Bay; Eagles and that awful offense kept it close). Don't get me wrong, I like Warner and those receivers. They had better pick it up, though.
...and Superbowl trophy?
My only question is, once the Patriots beat the Rams for the NFL Championship, how many of these ignorant, self-absorbed stuffed shirts do you think will publicize their apology to the Patriots for having been so unrepentently insulting?
My guess is that they'll stick out their hairless chests, wipe the piles of egg from their vapid faces, and make some feeble excuse like, "Well, sometimes the best team doesn't win..."
Clearly, these imbeciles are still P-O'ed at New England for making them look like morons in Pittsburgh last week.
Just as you and your precious Rams are about to find out the hard way. The last time your powder-puffs played the Pats, you had 5 starters carried off the field. The Ram body count on Sunday is gonna make that look like a mid-season picnic.
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