This is a little bit from an article a couple of years ago in Sports Illustrated about Tom Brady and his leadership qualities.
"I love seeing us get better," Brady says, "and I don't think you get better in games. The improvements come in practice."
His high school teammates recall a practice dropback drill called the Five Dots, wherein a quarterback matches his steps precisely to marks on the ground. Brady marked out a Five Dots course in his backyard and worked on it every day before school. Even then he knew that preparation and rehearsal, the grinding work of constructing football excellence, pays off in the public performance.
Talking about being with his teammates:
"All I wanted was the camaraderie, to share some memories with so many other guys. I mean, if you choose to alienate yourself or put yourself apart, you know, play tennis. Play golf."
Speaking of the perfect game:
"The perfect game's got to be for the highest stakes, and it's got to come down to the end. You don't remember the ones you win 35-12. You remember the ones you win 38-35, the dogfights. Those are the ones that are memorable. Who wants everything to come easily?"
Says former wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson:
"Brady doesn't feel he has to tell people he's smarter or better. He just shows it. And the thing about him I like most: He still takes coaching. He's still learning."
