Tom Brady Wants Fans To “Start Drinking Early” Before Game

by Daisy Barringer

The shootings at Candlestick after the 49ers versus Raiders preseason game brought the excessive tailgating and drunken debauchery at NFL games back into the spotlight — not that it ever really left. Waking up early and tailgating before games has become a ritual for NFL game day attendees. One that’s not likely to change anytime soon (read: ever) despite restrictions on fan behavior and new rules that (at least at Candlestick) prohibit any tailgating in the parking lot after kickoff.

I felt the crackdown personally when I got off of the bus at Candlestick last Sunday with a beer in a paper bag in hand. (No, you’re not allowed to drink on the bus; that’s why I sit in back and wait until we get on the freeway to open mine. What bus driver is going to kick me off on the freeway?) As soon as I stepped onto the pavement, a stadium official “THROW THAT BEER AWAY.” It’s the first time that’s ever happened in my five years of being a 49ers season ticket holder. I was only fifty yards from the parking lot though, so instead of wasting a perfectly good beer, I just scurried away into a place where open containers are allowed. (I’m a terrible influence: Don’t let your children read my posts.)

Alas, I digress. Drinking. The NFL. It’s a known problem. So, it was a bit shocking when Tom Brady requested that fans attending the Patriots home opener on Wednesday “start drinking early.” He then went on to ask that they “Get nice and rowdy. 4:15 game, lots of time to get lubed up.”

Personally, my only issue with this is that Tom Brady refers to drinking beer as “getting lubed up.” Ew. Seriously? Gross. But The Patriots had bigger issues and immediately went into PR mode and released a statement clarifying Brady’s comments:

“He meant ‘stay hydrated, drink a lot of water,’” the team said.

Riiiiiiiiiggghhhht. Drink a lot of water so you miss a ton of the game standing in the bathroom lines! Also, seriously Patriots? SERIOUSLY?

In this day and age, it’s a little unfortunate that every single thing a star athlete does is put in the spotlight, especially in this case since, let’s face it, people are going to drink what they’re going to drink, and no will “lube up” just because Tom Brady told them to.

And Twitter seems to feel the same way:

That being said though, this DOES open Tom Brady up for some amazing sponsorship opportunities. Who wouldn’t want to watch a commercial with Tom, Giselle… and a bottle of KY?

Exactly.