The Breakout Interview

July 2012

Yesterday when I picked Addison up at her Serra Sport Camp (San Mateo, CA) I got a little tingle. I know, it’s crazy – hundreds of kids come to camp here and hundreds of kids attend high school here. But I still get the feeling like I’m standing on scared ground – somewhere someone famous lived. Maybe some of Tom Brady’s mojo will rub off on her, I think. But then, I realized I got a tingly feeling for another reason: My dream: The dream “Breakout Interview.”

A year or two ago I had a dream that Tom Brady granted me the opportunity to interview him. I got to ask him questions that no other interviewer was allowed to ask him: about Gisele, about the knee surgery. He talked to me on the football field at night under the lights. He drove a red porche and I got to ride as a passenger. And none of this was a big deal because, well, it’s my job. My breakout interview was then sold to Sports Illustrated and I became a sports journalist, made lots of money and paid off my house. Goodbye teaching!

But then, the article, “Tom Brady As You Forgot Him,” by Michael Rosenberg came out. That article wrote about Brady’s experiences at Michigan. Damn that Michael Rosenberg. Stealing my dream. I’d have to think of new content.

My other dream, fantasy really, happens when I’m teaching – up in front of the class – and Tom Brady shows up out of the blue to grant me that dream interview. We’d sit in 2 desks in front of the class and I would do my best Linda Cohn. The kids would all whip out their phones, record it, and post it on YouTube. I’d become a sensation. I’d go on the Today show, but I wouldn’t – I’d boycott the Today show because they fired Anne Curry. I’d say that the only way I’d go on is if they put Anne Curry on special assignment to interview me and Matt douche bag Lauer could be no where on the set. Then, I’d make money and pay off my house.

But in this dream, if Tom Brady were to show up, I’d really have to have my game on. I’d have to be current on what he’s recently said to the media (after all just recently when a reporter asked him about having another child, he said he likes practicing) but I’d have an advantage because I would ask him questions about parenting, questions that a man like Michael Rosenberg wouldn’t know to ask, but I’d also have to be cautious of how much he’d share with an amateur.

Here’s my FAKE interview why Tom Brady: All content is fiction.

How are you? How is the knee, the shoulder? Do you feel it when the weather turns cold? 

Chuckles, the knee is fine. I’m healthy.

But do you feel it when it gets cold. You live in Boston.

Sometimes.

So, you’re in town to play the Niners. How do you feel about that? 
Well, I grew up a Niners fan so I have great respect for that organization. But I have a job to do.

Are you scared of our defense? Come on, they’re big! 

Heh heh, No, there’s no room for scared in football. Besides, I have great protection and these guys are the best. We go out to eat once a week together to keep the front line stay unified.

I really liked that article in Sports Illustrated by Michael Rosenberg because it reminded people that success is a long road. You weren’t an overnight sensation. Persistence, determination and commitment are key. These are all things I tell my students, and my own kids. When you think back to high school and then to your days at Michigan, how did you know to keep going? What told you to keep going? Now, I’m assuming here that you had a supportive father, but not one who pushed you says like Andre Agassi’s father. Were there ever those days when you thought, “Maybe not.”? 

Well, I think deep down I had skills that kept developing and I believe just like any other kid that I could do it. Michigan was difficult because I knew I could play, I wanted to play, but politics were also a big part of that. Sure there were dark days. I definitely questioned my ability. But that’s when you really have to know yourself and know your ability and keep trying. If one avenue is blocked, then go another direction. I had very supportive people around me. But supportive is different than people who want you to do well so they can make a buck. You have to have supportive people around you who are good at heart and I have those. Still do.

Recently, in the NFL there has been a lot of talk of brain injury and concussions. Did you suffer any concussions when you played high school ball? And, what would you tell these high schoolers here about injury? Or better, what advice would you give their mothers? 

(Tom shifts position in the tiny high school desk he can barely sit in).

Ooh. Great question. I can’t lie and never say that I haven’t had a concussion. It does happen. I’ve been very fortunate to play with guys who do a great job of protecting me. I have had my share of injuries. But I am an extremely competitive person. It is sometimes hard to know when to pull back to let my body heal. The rules are changing and there’s more research being done on brain injuries. For a mother, I would say that it’s important for the football team to have a trainer at every practice and a doctor at every game. I would say that it’s important to teach young people to give honest answers when they are being assessed by a doctor. And it’s important that there’s a culture that’s supportive if someone is hurt and that you don’t make fun of them for being hurt. I want my boys to be tough, but not stupid.

How has parenting changed you for the better as a son, husband and football player?

I think it has changed my perspective on priorities. And it reminds me to take time and enjoy.

It seems here in the Bay Area competition is fierce and that parents want their kids to participate in one sport year round – and take a language and learn an instrument. But I see as a high school teacher those kids peaking at age 16 – plagued by injury.  Not all the time, but it happens. What do think about parents who are pushing their kids or rather making their kids focus on one sport at a young age? I know I want my kids to peak at age 21, not at age 12. Like right now, I love that Serena won an age 30. And Natalie Coughlin is going to the Olympics and that Dana Torres at age 45 gave it another shot. 

Well, parents always mean well. I played lots of sports when I was young. It helps develop you as a well-rounded athlete and adult. You can learn about life through every sport.

 Will you train them year round in several sports? 

Gosh. Haven’t even thought about it. Right now we’re into the sport of potty training.

Oh right. For boys. That’s messy. 

You have no idea.
(students laugh)

When your boys are older, you can call me and vent about how ridiculous parents are these days. Or rather, how ridiculous the institutions are that allow kids in elementary school to practice more than one day a week or that All-Stars means 5 games in a weekend for 7 year-olds.

So, you’re going to let your boys play football? At what age will you let them play with pads? 

It depends what the school rule is, we’ll probably follow that. My dad didn’t let me play until I was 14, so I’d probably do the same.

So in terms of parenting, sometimes my husband and I disagree over things like, they need to finish their plate before they leave the table, or we had quite a discussion about our daughter playing on the softball all-stars team. Any parenting styles that you find challenging? 

What was your discussion about the All-Star team?

Well, she made the team. But I was leery of the commitment. I had heard that for a month they play a tournament every weekend. They travel. They have practice 2 times a week. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. My husband wanted her to play so she could develop her skills. I told him to go to the meeting, but I wasn’t going to do any of it: not volunteering, not bringing snacks, and not sitting in the dugout. 

Harsh.

I know, right? But in the end I said, it’s too much for a 7 year old. If we want her to develop, she can go to a sports clinic. He eventually agreed. And we both agree, we made the right decision to have her not play. I felt really good about that decision. 

Good. I bet it was hard to go against the culture.

A little bit. But we’re a happy family who enjoyed that summer. Who’s the disciplinarian in your family? 

Gisele. Definitely.

What athletes do you admire right now, currently – athletes that you look to or rather talk to for inspiration? 

You know, I admire Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant; but really, when I get into the community and meet people who have gone through a particularly challenging time in their lives, I think of them and how blessed I am to play this sport at this level for as long as I have.

 Well, I know you have two sons, how do you maintain balance in their lives as well as your own. And I mean balance at that age is how you divide time with all four (now five) of you, time with just you, just Gisele. Teaching them normal things, vacations etc. How do you do it? Please tell me you have help. Because sometimes I can barely do it myself and I’m just a working mom. 

We do have help. Gisele found someone who she really likes and she helps with the kids and that kind of stuff.

Do grandparents visit you or do you visit them? 

We do both and sometimes we vacation together.  We don’t get back to San Mateo often, but it’s always refreshing when we do.

Okay, big game on Sunday. What is your preparation routine and how has it changed over the years? Any sleeping?  I know that Lebron James now reads books before games to quiet his mind. Anything like that?

Hehh hehh… I just get really focused and into the zone. I read the play book.

Okay, final question: What’s the last book you read? And anything you would recommend to these high schoolers? 

Oh gosh, we’ve been reading a lot of books to the little guys, Good Night Gorilla, Good Night Moon.

(Here I would hope he would launch into a speech about the importance of reading and to continue reading when out of school.)

Well, thank you so much for stopping by Mr. Brady! 

My pleasure.

These answers were not intended harm Tom and Gisele. Some answers were based off of previous interviews. After all, I really do want to interview him. Maybe he’ll read this and say that my answers won’t be too far off. Until then, I’ll have to live with the tingly feeling every time I’m at Serra High School.