A mild stir was created in Pittsburgh over the weekend when a photo emerged of locally-despised Patriots quarterback Tom Brady posing with his hand on the Stanley Cup, which the Penguins won for the second straight time (fifth overall) in June. Many wondered why and how the man most responsible for keeping the Steelers from getting their seventh Super Bowl trophy (and maybe their eighth or ninth) was in such close proximity to hockey’s biggest prize.
Via NHL.com, Brady was at the Southern California home of Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle. The billionaire, who bought an unknown share of the team in 1999 with Mario Lemieux, and Brady are close friends, we’re told. So the Stanley Cup was at Burkle’s house and Brady was at Burkle’s house and one thing led to another and the photo of Brady and the Stanley Cup emerged.
Although that helps explain why Brady was close enough to the Stanley Cup to touch it, chances are that Steelers and Penguins fans won’t be feeling any better about the fact that Brady was in such close proximity to Pittsburgh’s proudest temporary (for two straight years and maybe three) possession.