Day after Christmas 2010, week 16, we absolutely smoked the Bills and clinched the AFC East. This was one of the rare occasions while I was with the Patriots where I got playing time (starters benched in the 4th, we lead by 31)...
While celebrating the win (of the game and division) in the locker room, we were informed we couldn’t take off/land due to a blizzard slamming the Boston area. Also, with the influx of game day visitors, hotel shortages forced us to seek accomodations in Rochester, NY...
Matt Light (OT/instigator/social butterfly) rallied the troops as soon as we arrived in Rochester, and the offensive line descended on a BBQ joint named “Dinosaur B-B-Que”. We ordered some ribs, wings, meat, and beer...
Within an hour or two of being there, and many pitchers down... the challenges began. <I’ll pause here to add some context> For those who don’t know me... I can throw a beer down in nanoseconds. It’s a gift and a curse. <back to the story>...
Glasses were filled, glasses were emptied (quickly)... the challengers list grew steadily through the night.. I was untouchable.
Then, Matt Light began speaking of a man, the G.O.A.T. ... He said, Tom Brady was unbeatable...
he would be arriving soon...
Enter Brady.
He was greeted with high fives and hugs... but in typical Tom Brady form, he knew there was work to be done before the fun could continue. We locked eyes, he spoke two words, “You ready?”
The beers were poured...
“Go!!!!!!” Bottoms up. Glasses slam down in cacophonous synchronicity... however, one glass touched first...
Arms raised over my head, cheers raining down, my glass wobbled to a stop, our eyes met, mine filled with wonderment and shock, his with fire and confusion...
I beat ...Tom Brady.
He nodded approvingly, and although I couldn’t hear him say it over the cheers... his lips read “Okay....ok.” He reached across the beer soaked table top, scattered with wing bones and assorted detritus, and shook my hand.
I BEAT TOM BRADY...
The night resumed. We laughed. We celebrated. We drank. We ate. We left.