E11: Perks and Pranks - a podcast by iHeartRadio & Diversion Podcasts

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports tells the story of the time he and Tom Brady played golf with former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in Kennebunkport, Maine. It’s just one of the perks of being The GOAT. Here’s another perk: Tom Brady is a world class locker room practical joker and as his backup quarterback on the New England Patriots, Matt Cassel, discovered, never mess with anybody who makes more money than you.
FROM THE EPISODE:
Brady played both sides of the aisle on the golf course with a former Republican president and a former Democrat president, but he has avoided discussing politics ever since a red Donald Trump MAGA hat was visible in his locker in 2016. Brady never denied he was friends with Trump. They golfed together, which predates any presidential thoughts that had entered Trump's mind.
Brady never said if he voted for Trump, even if Trump bragged about their friendship. Trump and Brady first met in 2001 and would often call Brady after games. In an interview he did in April [2020] on Sirius XM with Howard Stern Brady said Trump asked him to speak at the 2016 Republican National Convention, but he turned them down.
Brady said, “I wasn't going to do anything political.” But he also told Stern, “the political support is totally different than the support of a friend.” He avoids talking politics in public because he's trying to lead a diverse locker room, comprised of players with different backgrounds and varying political beliefs.
[Tom Brady] does not want to say anything that could fracture the support he needs from his teammates. [New England] Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been a Trump supporter. Patriots owner, Robert Kraft—a lifelong Democrat—is close friends with [Donald] Trump and has never denied supporting him, although he was critical of Trump when he called any player who kneeled for the National Anthem “a son of a bitch.”
I think it's interesting that the three leaders of the Patriots for two decades—[Robert] Kraft, [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady—were considered supporters of Trump in 2016, despite living and working in Massachusetts, the bluest of blue states. In a conversation I had with Kraft in January of 2018, it was apparent that his feelings for Trump were based on friendship and not politics...
The GOAT: Tom Brady, is a production of Diversion Podcasts, in association with iHeartRadio. This season is written and hosted by Gary Myers. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis for Diversion Podcasts and Sean Titone for iHeartRadio. Story editing by Scott Waxman with editorial direction from John Tuttle and Jacob Bronstein. Editing, mixing, and sound design by Mark Francis. Archival research by Brianne Murphy. Verna Fields is our Technical Producer. Director of marketing and business development: Jacob Bronstein. Special thanks for Oren Rosenbaum at UTA.
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