THURSDAY COMMENTARY – IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

TODAY WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BIGGEST LEAGUE ON THE CONTINENT – THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE – AND ITS BIGGEST STAR; TOM BRADY.

WHY NOT? I DIDN’T COME TO FLORIDA TO TWIDDLE MY THUMBS.

THE TAMPA BAY QUARTERBACK HAS BEEN FRONT PAGE NEWS SINCE MISSING 11 DAYS OF TRAINING CAMP THIS SUMMER TO DEAL WITH A PERSONAL ISSUE.

I KNEW WHAT IT WAS, BUT BIT MY LIP BECAUSE I BELIEVE TOM WAS ENTITLED TO HIS PRIVACY.

BUT THAT CHANGED THIS WEEK WHEN BRADY’S WIFE, SUPERMODEL GISELE BUNDCHEN, TOLD THE MAGAZINE “ELLE” THAT THE PAIR IS GOING THROUGH MARITAL TROUBLES AND SEEM TO HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE.

“I DID MY PART!” WAS THE QUOTE FROM GISELE THAT SENT SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE. SHE’S REFERRING TO MOVING TO FRIGID BOSTON FROM HER NATIVE BRAZIL, RAISING THEIR KIDS AND PUTTING HER CAREER AND DREAMS LARGELY ON HOLD WHILE TOM PUT TOGETHER THE GREATEST CAREER IN NFL HISTORY.

TOM PROMISED TO RETIRE AFTER LAST SEASON, ONE IN WHICH HE LED THE NFL IN PASSING YARDS AND TOUCHDOWNS AT AGE 44.

AND HE DID. BUT THE RETIREMENT LASTED ALL OF 41 DAYS AND HE WAS BACK OUT THERE WITH HIS TEAMMATES.

NOW WE’RE AT THE CORNER OF “HEARTACHE” AND “IRRECONCILEABLE DIFFERENCES”.

NFL FANS ARE TAKING UP SIDES. THEY’RE SAYING THINGS LIKE “WHY SHOULD TOM QUIT WHEN HE’S ON TOP OF HIS GAME?”, OR “GISELE’S RIGHT; TOM’S GONE BACK ON HIS WORD.”

REALLY … DOES IT MATTER? IT’S THEIR BUSINESS AND THE BIGGEST SHAME OF IT ALL IS IT’S NOW PLAYING OUT ON SUCH A PUBLIC STAGE.

IT’S POSSIBLE TO SEE BOTH SIDES AND SUPPORT THEM BOTH. GISELE DID HER MOTHERLY DUTIES AND NOW IN HER 40’S IT’S “HER TIME”. I CAN SEE THAT. BOY DO I EVER.

MEANWHILE TOM CAN’T PLAY FOOTBALL FOREVER AND IF HE WALKED AWAY NOW HE’LL, REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

IRRECONCILEABLE DIFFERENCES INDEED.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA and on WQEE 99.1 FM. Call your cable provider to subscribe. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)