New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wants his team’s fans to do some drinking so they can get sufficiently riled up for Sunday’s home opener.
And by drinking, he means the stuff you get from your kitchen faucet, his team helpfully adds.
Brady, addressing reporters Wednesday ahead of Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers, was asked whether he had a message for fans.
“Yeah, start drinking early,” he said, drawing chuckles from the reporters. “Get nice and rowdy. (It's a) 4:15 (p.m.) game, they have a lot of time to get lubed up, come out here and cheer for their home team.” (Video from CNN affiliate WCVB)
About an hour later, according to multiple media reports, a team spokesman stepped in to clarify what Brady really meant to say: He wants fans to “stay hydrated, drink a lot of water, be loud, drink responsibly."
Clearly, Brady was concerned about fans’ hydration, with game-day temperatures in Foxborough, Massachusetts, expected to be scorching in the upper 60s.
The Patriots’ audible does come amid fresh memories of fan rowdiness and violence. Last month, for instance, two shootings and a beating followed a preseason football game at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.
Closer to home, drinking at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium “during Patriots games and concerts has been a concern for neighboring towns,” the New York Post reported. This year, according to the Post, Foxborough instituted a $200 fine for drinking in public.
But the edit didn’t sit right with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, who addressed it on his radio show Thursday afternoon.
“The NFL has billions of dollars worth of ads – and so do we, during our broadcasts – of beer,” Van Pelt said. “There’s signage all over the stadium about beer. Only after Brady said that – less than an hour after, in fact – the PR of the Patriots puts out a statement which says, ‘He meant to say, (drink water).’
“No, he didn’t. That’s not what he meant. He meant what he said, which was, ‘Come out, have a few, get loud, and if you’re hammered, you’re hammered.’ I mean, I’m embellishing, but he didn’t say 'drink water and stay hydrated.'
“I pity anyone whose job it is to have a cleanup on aisle 3 when there’s no need for a cleanup,” Van Pelt added. “What Brady said was funny. Everyone knew what he meant. What he didn’t mean was drink water.”
NFL player Dominic Raiola wasn’t impressed with any controversy over Brady’s comments. The center for the Detroit Lions, who host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at 1 p.m., told Michigan news outlet MLive.com that he was fine with Brady’s comments.
"Hell, yeah," Raiola said. "(The Patriots) have a 4:15 p.m. game, right? Maybe Detroit should get started about 8:30 a.m."
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Those pretzels are making me thirsty!!!
Thats how you're going to say it?
Sorry, but when you slammed that glass down on the bar, some of the pieces hit Woody and he started crying, so... you're fired.
Good job New England. Make your fans look even more like pansies.
Ha funny pansies looks like someones jealous of their success
JEALOUS MUCH ?
They are pansies. Coming from a jealousy free Packer Fan
I can't believe someone from the Patriots came out and something so blatantly stupid..... staying hydrated? Give me a break. Brady knew what he meant. Anyone with half a brain – even an inebriated one – knew what he meant. It was attempting to be funny. Maybe not the best thing to say in light of recent fan violence but to do what the Pats did is just plain stupid. Either let it go altogether or say something like – Gee, we wish he hadn't said that.
They must think everyone is an idiot. "Stay hydrated"? It's in the '60s? Hydrated my butt.
go TOM, we like it
i'll say it again. Bellichick might be one of the best coaches, but he's also one of the shadiest. They are a bunch of cheats and they're on their way down. And I love how the great Tom Brady walked out on his pregnant girlfriend. Classy.
You're time is over Pats fans. Take all that bad mojo elsewhere.
Our time is just beginning. Its ok my son dont be jealous of their success but try to learn from it. Unless your a psychic I would not bet against the pats this season.
Hear,hear!! Brady is a whor#
that doesnt even make sense Jennifer
What's that got to do with "staying hydrated"? Sounds like you are emotionally scarred over the Patriots, you must be a Dolphins fan.
If he said " and smoke some " they would hv said he meant " smoke your medical dose of marijuana, cos he is worried about the health of the fans "
Van Pelt needs to get laid. Then fired.
I think they need damage control from their damage control.
LOL ***LIKE***
Raiders win, Chargers lose, Raiders on top of AFC West.
Go Pats!
I love all the jealous people who hate the pats simply because of their success. And to those who say they cheat (or do what every team did before Mangini ratted) I say that with the crack down by the NFL I dont think anyone can cheat anymore. There for 600+ yards in the season opener is simply talent... sorry to other jealous folks
I think most Miami fans had to be sedated after last Monday's game!
Why is this such a big deal? It's what people do anyway at football games. Fans don't need Brady to give them permission to drink. It's a given.
Well now. How those things get construed just depends upon who you are, I would argue. If T.O., Ocho, or someone else says it, it warrants negative publicity.
I once knew an alcoholic who talked like that.
I am a recovering alcoholic. we always tease each other like that!
Tee Hee
Where's professor Ted Bruschi? Did Brady violate the patriot doctrine like Ochocinco did. Just saying