Where was Brady? Arm-wrestling at Butter with Leonardo DiCaprio? At the counter of Winston Flowers, buying more baby's breath and fern leaves for Gisele? On a plane to Los Cabos, Mexico? Perhaps getting treatment on his ankle?
He wasn't spotted at Gillette and neither were the birds (as you probably know, birds suddenly appear every time Tom is near. They long to be close to him).
Laughing Boy Belichick was a big help. He answered the first Brady inquiry with a "I don't have a comment on it," then claimed he didn't know if Brady would practice. Bill Belichick not knowing Brady's practice availability is about as believable as Pete Rose not knowing the pointspread.
"The injury report will be out next Wednesday and we're excited to give that to you," the coach said. "That form will be filled out completely and I can't wait to give that to everybody."
Right. And I can't wait to send off another tuition check.
Remember the last time you filled out one of those information forms just to get a free umbrella or a discount at a department store (name: Justin Casey Boils; address: Hot Springs, Ark.)? That's the seriousness Belichick applies when he files his weekly injury report. He thinks it's a farce.
You might remember there was speculation regarding Brady's availability before the Patriots won their first Super Bowl in New Orleans six years ago. Brady suffered a high ankle sprain when the Patriots beat the Steelers in the AFC Championship game and for a good part of Super Bowl week (there was no extra week between games that year) there was speculation Drew Bledsoe might start in place of Brady against the Rams.
No way. Just like there's no way Brady misses XLII in Glendale, Ariz.
In the meantime, I've been fascinated by the New York Post's stalking of Brady. The tabloid assault started Tuesday when the Post featured a photo of Brady on its cover, walking in Greenwich Village with the orthopedic boot on his right foot. The headline read, "Who's afraid of Tom Brady now? Girlie man limps home."
Wednesday's Post featured Tom and Gisele on page 3 with a story that hinted that Brady visited a hair replacement clinic while in New York.
