Larry Bird or Tom Brady? Boston Votes for Its Most Beloved Athlete

ESPN Boston has been running a March madness-style bracket over the past few weeks to determine the city’s most beloved athlete of all time.

The competition has reached the final and the last two athletes standing are Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and former Celtics forward Larry Bird.

In a city with such a storied history of athletic excellence, to be named the most beloved athlete Boston has ever seen is quite an honor.

Bird and Brady each have had storied careers that transcended their respective sport, but instead of comparing their legacies, let’s decide who is the more beloved Boston athlete.

Tom Brady came into the NFL with no expectations. He slid to the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and was barely able to make the Patriots roster. Brady sat on the bench his first season and it seemed he had little chance of ever receiving playing time.

Brady’s opportunity arrived four games into his second season when then starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe went down with a serious concussion. Once he was handed the ball Brady never gave it back and that season led the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory.

Since then, Brady has captured two more Super Bowl rings as well as two NFL MVP awards.

Brady is most beloved for stepping into the league with little recognition and fighting for everything he got. His hard work and self confidence allowed him to develop into one of the best quarterbacks in league history.

Brady also is known as a fierce competitor who will do whatever it takes to win. He is compared to his childhood idol Joe Montana for his cool demeanor under pressure and ability to play his best when it matters most.

Larry Bird entered the NBA under much different circumstances than Brady. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, despite the fact the Celtics knew Bird would play one more season in college before joining the team.

Bird was inserted into the starting lineup immediately and was given the keys to the franchise. He became known for filling up the stat sheet through his ability to score, pass and rebound at an elite level.

In just his second season, Bird led the Celtics to an NBA title in what would be his first of three NBA championships. He was also able to win three consecutive league MVPs from 1984-86 and is revered as one of the best players in league history.

Like Brady, Bird is known for his competitive fire and hitting big shots and making big plays when the Celtics needed it most.

Bird was also famously known for his work ethic. He would show up hours before games and run up and down the Boston Garden and take thousands of jump shots each day.

The big difference between Bird and Brady, and the reason why I believe Bird is more beloved in the city of Boston is because of his demeanor and personality.

Citizens in Boston really related to Bird because of his hard working blue-collar attitude. He was someone who didn’t have great athleticism and wasn’t a physical specimen, but instead became great through his tenacity, work ethic and overall knowledge of the game.

The city of Boston is filled with hard working-class people and they all viewed Larry Bird as one of them.

Tom Brady, although beloved in the city, is viewed as being very Hollywood most notably for his marriage to supermodel Gisele Bundchen. He is often seen at parties and high profile events, while Bird liked to keep to himself and enjoyed things like mowing his lawn in Indiana during the summer time.

Tom Brady and Larry Bird are both historic athletes who are beloved in the city of Boston. Ultimately, I believe Bird is more beloved because of how the fans related to his blue-collar persona.