Quarterback Brett Favre apparently is making it fashionable to engage in late-career angst.
Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, whose career has continued for several seasons after a stroke and surgery to repair the heart defect that caused it, said Monday that he might retire after the 2009 season.
Unless he doesn’t.
“I have to give them everything I have this year and only think about what’s next,” Bruschi said, according to Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe. “I’m going to prepare myself for this season, only think about this season, and when the season is over, which is a long ways away, then you think about delving into those decisions.’’
Every player has an absolute right to engage in those thought processes; few even get to walk away on their own terms. We tend to prefer it, however, when they do so privately, announcing the decision to leave once they finally have made it.
And then sticking to it.
If not the first time, at least the second.
Bruschi Undecided About The Future
Posted by Mike Florio on June 23, 2009, 8:55 AM EST
37 Responses to “Bruschi Undecided About The Future”
This isn’t really news, aside from how it illustrates how players with class contemplate their retirement and then live with their decision.
Bruschi was still a contributor for the Pats last year, and if he is this year, and feels he can be again in 2010, he’ll offer to come back.
It’s pretty simple. Whether he plays in the future is both a matter of whether the player and the team feel he can contribute and whether his salary is equal with that value. Bruschi’s smart enough not to hurt a team he loves and respects.
Come on Mike. They should do whatever the heck they want. They shouldn’t even give a thought as to whether or not the blogs feel like writing about it. For all I care Favre can do this for the next ten years. It’s really more the fault of the media that we’re sick of him.
Hard to walk away from those paychecks.
I’m starting to think you are jealous that these guys can retire before 40 and that some of them like their job so much, that they don’t want to retire……..
Teddy, you’re the man, but retire before your heart explodes
Mike have you ever thought about how many of those “thinking about retirement” stories are initiated not by the player but by the interviewer? Or about the fact that your cumulative season output might be cut in half if Favre weren’t a waffler?
Don’t drag it out like Favre and be a drama queen. I will give Bruschi props for battling back to play, and at least playing the game with passion.
But still, he plays for the cheaters, so his accomplishments will always be tarnished.
Ok Patriot bandwagoners, finally a Pats story, so come crawling out of the dark corners of your mothers’ basements and start posting your typical homerism crapola.
FLORIO you are unfreakinbelievable with this analogy
did you just use Tedy to make fun of Favre. I’m torn on this one, gimme a few.
Would you have posted this if you weren’t able to somehow link it to Favre? I doubt it.
So who then is responsible for making Favre’s indecision a bigger deal than it should have been/is? People like you Florio and the women of ESPN who camp out around his home to see what he’s gonna do next.
Florio…first the weak story about Chilly fishing with Reid now this….what the bleep is going on at PFT?
This is no story…the guy simply said he will focus on, and get through this season before even thinking about making decision about his future. I’d also like to know where you came up with “Late career angst” from this. BRuschi just said he won’t think about decisions regarding his future until after this season, becasue this season is what he needs to be focused on.
Drawing a connection to Favre’s waffling off of Bruschi’s statement is pathetic at best.
I’d like to say you’re trying to jump the shark again…but jumping the shark would be an improvement over the drivel you’re coming up with lately.
I am very appreciative to Tedy for his contributions over his career. That said, his skills have vastly eroded the last few years, and barring an All-Pro season this year, I think this will be his last season..
But comparing Bruschi’s statement to Favre is ridiculous. Seems to me he has the right approach…play as hard as you can this season, worry about everything else once the season is over. Whats wrong with that?
I love Bruschi, but what does it say about your level of play when you go down with an injury and a 40 year old Seau (who had no preseason or prior practice) comes in from surfing and elevates the play at that position? It’s time to call it a career for Tedy. Retire with some dignity, unlike Favre…
Every player has an absolute right to engage in those thought processes; few even get to walk away on their own terms. We tend to prefer it, however, when they do so privately, announcing the decision to leave once they finally have made it.*
Florio,
What are you talking about? All he said was he’s playing this season and will think about it in the offseason he hasn’t announced anything. you really hate the patriots don’t you? You can’t truly believe the things you say… you must be faking it to get responses…. which obviously worked so good job being FAKE and saying things to get responses. It’s what they do at CBS as well. Keep up the good work.
Cool story, hansel.
Late-career angst? Really?
How does this situation even compare to Brett Favre? Bruschi was asked what he thought about retiring and essentially said: “I’ll think about it after the season.”
Which is nothing compared to the: I-quit-no-wait-I-want-to-play-and-get-back-at-my-team-who-had-the-audacity-to-move-forward-with-another-player-after-I-said-I-quit, which is the Brett Favre situation.
Florio writes: “We tend to prefer it, however, when they do so privately, announcing the decision to leave once they finally have made it.”
Who the heck is this “we” you keep refering to? Do you and your fill-ins debate the issue?
Kylek says “Which is nothing compared to the: I-quit-no-wait-I-want-to-play-and-get-back-at-my-team-who-had-the-audacity-to-move-forward-with-another-player-after-I-said-I-quit, which is the Brett Favre situation.”
Kylek- you are right. Teddy was a good player and Favre is a first ballot hall of famer.
Keep on hating, boys. The 3 Lombardi’s at 1 Patriot Place love it!
After the Cheatriots finish no higher than third in their division, I wouldn’t think Teddy would want to prolong the suffering of facing life playing on a mediocre team.
gameday says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:22 am
Don’t drag it out like Favre and be a drama queen. I will give Bruschi props for battling back to play, and at least playing the game with passion.
But still, he plays for the cheaters, so his accomplishments will always be tarnished.
Ok Patriot bandwagoners, finally a Pats story, so come crawling out of the dark corners of your mothers’ basements and start posting your typical homerism crapola.
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Ok Patriot haters, finally a Pats story, so come crawling out of the dark corners of your mothers’ basements put down your spankerchiefs and lotion and start posting your typical haterism crapola.
now who’s more pathetic, the posters who are drawn to stories about their own teams or the pathetic haters who lie in wait for a team they hate….
I’m confused Florio, how is this like Favre?
Bruschi said he’ll concentrate on this season and worry about the thought of retiring once the season is over…by the way did you bother to find out if he just came out with this thought on his own, or was this solicited by the media?
This is nothing like Favre…
Bruschi will always have a special place in the hearts of Pats fans, but he is certainly near the end. I just hope he doesn’t get carted off the field like Harrison as his last hurrah…
@ olcap
I’ve seen a lot of stupidity posted in regards to the Patriots here.
Congratulations, because your post has instantly shot to the top 25 of the list of all time stupidest Pats related posts.
a.) Anything with “Cheatriots” indicates that you are simple, and incapable of any complex thought.
b.) No higher than third in their division? Wow. Talk about wishful thinking.
c.) re: they’ll finish no higher than third in the AFC East. OK. When was the last time that happened? 2002, when they finished in a 3-way tie for first, losing the tiebreaker.
d.) Pats finish 2nd place (technically tied for 1st, losing the tiebreaker) in 2008, while playing without the game’s best player. But, even though he’s returning, THIS is going to be the year they finish in 3rd. Right. Ok.
I get it, you’re probably just trying to come on here and impress your fellow haters, JimmySmith,. gameday, Taintedtrophies, et al. And congrats, you are probably being welcomed into that fraternity with open arms. But if that’s the road you want to go down, you’d better expect get called out on the stupidity you display every single time.
wheres florioborio? i cant wait to hear his insightful opinion regarding this story!
“now who’s more pathetic, the posters who are drawn to stories about their own teams or the pathetic haters who lie in wait for a team they hate…. ”
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Actually the answer is the bandwagon Pats fans who are so easy to make nervous, agitated, and cry. Thats who is more pathetic. Like little children who get picked on at school and go cry to the principle.
Next pathetic idiot says:
“I get it, you’re probably just trying to come on here and impress your fellow haters, JimmySmith,. gameday, Taintedtrophies, et al. And congrats, you are probably being welcomed into that fraternity with open arms. But if that’s the road you want to go down, you’d better expect get called out on the stupidity you display every single time. ”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you for giving us a perfect example on stupidity.
So gullible, thin skinned, with such low self esteem.
Remember when your parents told you to ignore people calling you names, and finally they will stop?
HAHA, not going to work, your losers, your team is cheaters, and all Pat bandwagon fans are little crybabies.
@ gameday:
I have to admit, you are one probably one of my favorite ‘haters’ that posts on Pats stories. I usually get a good laugh at whatever you post here, before I give you the obligatory 1/5 rating.. .
That said, I think its lame that, other than the ‘cheaters’ rhetoric which I have strangely come to revel in, that your fallback insult is that Patriots fans are “bandwagon”… considering you don’t know anyone here or how long they have been a fan of the team. I sat through Hart Lee Dykes and Zeke Mowatt, Hugh Millen and Rod Rust, among others. Any of those names ring a bell? I figured they wouldn’t.
Anywho, that, coupled with the fact that you are (apparently) a Chargers fan…well, you should be the last one accusing anyone of being on a bandwagon. Just my $0.02.
@Hayward Giablommi
Why go back so far? Your team sucked as recently as ’97 through 2000.
Hayward Giablahblahblah;
Actually i remember Steve Grogan, Stanley Morgan, Andre Tippet, and a host of other “real” players. Not like your cheaters(Belicheat), dopeheads and snitches(Kaczur), HGH users(Harrison), and wife beaters (Johnson) of today.
I am willing to wager 90% of you Patriot turds on here either dont even have season tickets, or have only had them for less than 10 years.
Actually I am an NFL fan, I have several teams I root for. And I own season tickets to more than a handful of teams.
See , unlike you and the rest of your bandwagon of nerds, I actually look at more than one team, and will actually rip on other team fans as well when they exhibit the same pussy charactertics as you and your fellow turds do. Except, I can say without a doubt, even though other teams have their share of pansies, Patriot “fans” are the biggest pansies of all.
Also, keep your .02 cents, put it in your piggy bank, and maybe in a few years you will actually be able to buy some tickets to a game.
BTW, PATRIOTS SUCK!
pats haters suck says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
@ olcap
I’ve seen a lot of stupidity posted in regards to the Patriots here.
Congratulations, because your post has instantly shot to the top 25 of the list of all time stupidest Pats related posts.
a.) Anything with “Cheatriots” indicates that you are simple, and incapable of any complex thought.
b.) No higher than third in their division? Wow. Talk about wishful thinking.
c.) re: they’ll finish no higher than third in the AFC East. OK. When was the last time that happened? 2002, when they finished in a 3-way tie for first, losing the tiebreaker.
d.) Pats finish 2nd place (technically tied for 1st, losing the tiebreaker) in 2008, while playing without the game’s best player. But, even though he’s returning, THIS is going to be the year they finish in 3rd. Right. Ok.
I get it, you’re probably just trying to come on here and impress your fellow haters, JimmySmith,. gameday, Taintedtrophies, et al. And congrats, you are probably being welcomed into that fraternity with open arms. But if that’s the road you want to go down, you’d better expect get called out on the stupidity you display every single time.
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Translation: WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
what do finances have to do with fandom?
also which teams do you like/have season tickets to? id love to know. btw rooting for several teams is extremely douchey. as is bragging about how you are rich enough to afford season tickets during a economic recession.
ihatethejets says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
wheres florioborio? i cant wait to hear his insightful opinion regarding this story!
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DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS…and since Bruschi really doesn’t add much to the Pats declining defense, the Pats will once again be watching another team hoist the Lombardi trophy. You might want to change your name to “ihatethesteelers” because they are going to repeat as champions.
@ olcap
Touche
@ gameday
You are a turds turd. You can have your season tickets, congrats, would you like a cookie and a pat on the head? I wouldn’t want season tickets, because I go to the games I want to go to. FYI, I have been to games in 18 different NFL cities in every corner of the country, since you bring it up..
You can rag on Pats fans all you want…but I’ve never been more unimpressed with a crowd and fanbase as I was last year at San Diego (since word is you are a Charger fan). Never seen m ore of a wannabe/thug/degenerate crowd as there was at the “Q”.
I also enjoy reading your hypocrisy about “dopeheads” and “whiners”. Apparently, Shawne Merriman never used HGH either, Phillip Rivers and LdT (don’t want to disrespect the Real LT) aren’t whiny bitches, and Norv Turner, your coach, didn’t benefit from Jimmy Johnson’s admitted “cheating” by use of videocamera as OC of Dallas in the 90′s. Being the “fan of football” you claim to be, I’m sure you thought noone else would remember that one, but when you spew hypocrisy, **it usually hits the fan in the end.
Is that the best you got, bud?
borio
your right defense does win championships. bruschi at his age does not add much to the D, but leigh bodden, shawn springs, and a healthy terrance wheatley do. i think the d is improved somewhat, but am still concerned about there pass rush. hopefully pierre woods or shawn crable step up and replace vrabel.
i do hate the steelers (just not as much as the jets) but i respect them. they certainly are a contender to repeat but are no lock to repeat. i think the pats should and will contend for the title also. should be a good season.
btw its nice to actually talk football with you (for once) instead explaining how the team i root for/region i live in doesnt make me a D-bag
also forgot to mention the rookies chung and butler, both highly rated defensive backs
gameday= TROLL, what reaction do you expect when you act like a douche?
ihatethejets says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 pm
borio
your right defense does win championships. bruschi at his age does not add much to the D, but leigh bodden, shawn springs, and a healthy terrance wheatley do. i think the d is improved somewhat, but am still concerned about there pass rush. hopefully pierre woods or shawn crable step up and replace vrabel.
i do hate the steelers (just not as much as the jets) but i respect them. they certainly are a contender to repeat but are no lock to repeat. i think the pats should and will contend for the title also. should be a good season.
btw its nice to actually talk football with you (for once) instead explaining how the team i root for/region i live in doesnt make me a D-bag
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Shawn Springs? He’s as old as dirt. The rest of the DBs you cite are retreads.
And the Defense is hardly better, in fact, it is worse. But keep on deluding yourself there.
BTW, the region that you live in doesn’t make you a D-bag, the attitudes of the people there do. And New Englanders rightfully have earned the negative stereotype that follows them around wherever they go. It is reflected on the sports boards nearly as much as it is in the business world, maybe even more so due to the emotional nature of sports. I have certainly seen it here.
JoeSixPack says:
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 am
This isn’t really news, aside from how it illustrates how players with class contemplate their retirement and then live with their decision.
Bruschi was still a contributor for the Pats last year, and if he is this year, and feels he can be again in 2010, he’ll offer to come back.
It’s pretty simple. Whether he plays in the future is both a matter of whether the player and the team feel he can contribute and whether his salary is equal with that value. Bruschi’s smart enough not to hurt a team he loves and respects.
___________
Whatever. You New England chumps really buy into that crap, don’t you? The fact is that football is a BUSINESS (as Vrabel found out), loyalty is a fallacy and the players are mercenaries out for what is in it for them. To think otherwise is pure stupidity and you have that in spades, Joe Fatback.
the only main contributers they lost were hobbs and vrabel. vrabels production was steadily declining and hobbs is being replaced by better players. leigh bodden is highly respected among the league, particularly amongst WRs (chad ochocinco calls him the toughest matchup he’s faced). the other DBs i mentioned are a second year player who got hurt last year and two highly regarded rookies. talk about retreads. so explain to me again how the defense is worse?
and there are plenty of douchebags in new england that give us a stereotype. just because im a pats fan doesnt make me one of them.