Tom Brady Bonds With His Son, Here's Some Great Under The Radar Father-Son Sports Moments
So Tom Brady just beat his 14 year old son in a 1 on 1 Basketball game. Don't worry I have no opinion for or against Tom Brady in this blog, that can be another day. However it did get me to start thinking about father and son sports moments/ traditions and what should be on a list of the best / most notable.
Being a huge basketball guy , I have to say that moment when dad respects your game enough to play you for real is a great moment in a young man's childhood. The moment when you finally beat him is another all timer. I don't think I came off that high for like 2 weeks. Anything he says you have that game to hold over his head .
"How'd your Spanish test go ? " ...
"Better than your jumper the other day Dad."
"Shut up. Take out the trash "
" The only trash I know is your defense"
You have a trump card over him until you play again and he beats you - which he may never do. It's a terrific ace up your sleeve.
Which other sports moments/ traditions between fathers and sons are the best ?
Here's a few that come to mind.
- That first real pump up speech as a coach
Could be a pre game football locker room speech, could be the huddle in hoops during a timeout, or before you take the field in Little League. That moment when your dad captivates the room, the huddle or the dugout in front of you and your friends and teammates like he's Knute Rockne is something. You always knew he could pump you up, but to see him fire up your boys is a moment you will always see him differently.
- The first time dad verbally lights you up on the field or the court after a mistake
On the flip side of those warm and fuzzy memories , there's a dark side of Dad being the coach, sometimes he verbally lights you up. I'll never forget being like 7 in a coaches pitch league. I was playing short. 1 out, man on first. Grounder to me, slow roller- pick it up - runner already made a good dash down the line. I throw it over to first, just missing the out. "Time out" here comes Dad.
-"Why wouldn't you throw that to second for the force ?"
- "I don't know I forgot a guy was on"
- "BULLSHIT. YOU KNEW.. YOU WANTED TO TRY AND SHOW OFF YOUR ARM. MAKE THE EASY PLAY.DO THAT AGAIN I WILL PULL YOU RIGHT OFF THE FIELD"
He was right. Don't be a showoff. Sometimes you need to get lit up to remind you of how to play the game the right way. Also this is a great tradition / reminder of who's still the boss of the house/ the field.
- When Dad passes you a beer on the golf course for the first time
Maybe it's a golf outing, maybe it's a hot Sunday morning in July and you just made par, or maybe you are 17 and Dad sees an opportunity for a coming of age moment. Whatever the case, when Dad gives you a beer on the course, or considers you man enough to share one with him , it's a special moment and one I'll never forget.
- Sweating out a bet together
For all the fathers and sons in PA,NJ,MI,IL,IN,CO,VA,TN,AZ,IA,WV,and LA over the legal age of 21. This is a great (or horrible depending how the bet turns out) activity. From an NFL Sunday when you are watching the games together and fire in a first touchdown scorer, or you head to a sporting event and lock in on a pitcher, every day is an opportunity to responsibly make a bet together and line your pockets. Enjoy the little moments in life, and enjoy them on The Barstool Sportsbook.
- When you get old enough to buy the tickets instead of dad
I'll make this last one a little corny, but disposable income isn't always easy to come by some years, yet it felt like every year me and my siblings found our way to a few Mets game, and a Knicks game that year. I know now how difficult that could have been some months stretching a dollar, yet it always seemed to work out. You get a little bit older and start to learn how the world works and calculate all the trips to Shea or The Garden ,and realize pretty quickly you owe Dad a ton of paybacks. So when you finally get to that age out of college, or after high school if you didn't go to college and work full time, where you are making a few bucks and can treat him to a game, it's a special moment. A true passing of the torch if you will. The ultimate thank you for a guy who gave you so much and shared so many moments in sports with you . Some Things Are Bigger Than Sports.
Feel free to hit me with a great story or a tradition you think should make the list @Return_of_RB