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LeBron James has a message for Tom Brady prior to his return to New England.
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback prepares for his first game as a member of the opposition at Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots, the Los Angeles Lakers star has an important message for his fellow athlete — make sure you quiet the crowd.
While appearing on the ESPN2 broadcast of Monday Night Football on September 27, James shared his experience of returning to play in his former team’s city for the first time, per Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report.
“I remember that day like it was yesterday. December 2, 2010. It was rough. I got no sleep the night before,” said James. “I already knew the adversity and how crazy it was going to be. It was very challenging … I know Tom did so many great things down there in Foxborough, down there with the Patriots. But they’re gonna root for who they root for and you know they’re gonna root for the Pats. It can get a little ugly. He’s got to go in there and quiet the crowd like I was able to do the night of December 2, 2010.”
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LeBron’s Return to Cleveland Was Hostile
James went through a similar type of homecoming back in 2010 when he returned to play in Cleveland — he was originally drafted by the Cavaliers back in 2003 — as a member of the Miami Heat.
While James’ return was a triumphant one for himself and his new team (the Heat won 118-90 as James led the game with 38 points), the game was a heated one mainly due to the mixed reception James received from the hometown crowd.
For those who have forgotten, James left Cleveland while announcing his departure on “The Decision,” a television special that aired on ESPN. At the time, the 25-year-old star left his hometown Cavaliers — after promising to win them a title — for the Heat and formed the “Big Three” with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
In other words, James left Cleveland on bad terms.
Brady’s Return to New England Is Different
While the returns of both are of similar magnitude, Brady’s return will likely be much more well-received in New England. Although Brady himself left in free agency for the Buccaneers, he did so at an advanced age (42 years old) after having delivered six championships to the Patriots.
Furthermore, head coach Bill Belichick is often blamed for Brady’s departure.
That’s what will ultimately make Brady’s return to New England vastly different compared to James’ return to Cleveland back in 2010.
With all of the hoopla surrounding Brady versus Belichick, the veteran quarterback is ensuring that more storylines are not added prior to the big game.
During an interview with Jim Gray on their “Let’s Go!” podcast on SiriusXM on September 27, Brady referred to Belichick as a “great mentor.”
“Well I have 20 years — I have 20 years of being there and obviously he’s a great mentor for me,” Brady said of Belichick. “And yes I think there’s definitely great lessons I’ve learned from him. He’s a great football coach, and he does a great job for his team. And, you know any player, I think they would just hope that their coaches give them everything they got. I’m sure every great coach wants every player to give them everything they got. And I think that’s what makes a great relationship.”
Brady’s father, Tom Brady Sr., said in a September 21 interview with NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran that he felt “a measure of vindication,” as Curran put it, that his son won the 2021 Super Bowl without Belichick.
The younger Brady downplayed his father’s comments in a joking manner during his interview with Gray.
“I’ve actually prepared a statement that I wanted to say, and it’s really all that I have to say on the subject,” Brady said. “Comments made by Thomas Edward Brady, a 77-year-old insurance company CEO who should know better at this point in his life, doesn’t necessarily reflect the views or positions held by his son, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr., so furthermore should Tom Sr. continue to speak out on behalf of his son without the express written consent, Tom Jr. reserves the right to eventually put him in a home against his will. That’s all I have to say.”
One thing is for certain — Brady won’t be joking around when the Buccaneers take the field in New England on Sunday night.
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