Quibbles with Shaughnessy

Yesterday Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy waxed philosophical (http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2007/02/20/hit_is_part_of_the_game/) on Tom Brady's baby situation.

He's right that it's socially no big deal anymore for people to bring children into the world without benefit of marriage. And I think he's saying that it's tougher on Brady, because his fame and image bring higher than average expectations for his behavior. All cool.

I do have a couple of quibbles with Shaughnessy, though.

Number one, he says "Brady's fame puts him in the fast-lane world with actresses (like Moynahan) and supermodels (like new squeeze Gisele Bundchen)."

Not quite. It's personal choice that puts Brady in the fast lane. Fame and wealth give him that choice.

Some guys in football live a relatively quiet life; consider Tony Dungy. Some, rather than running around with supermodels, run around saying, "Yay, God!" the way Kurt Warner does.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

It's all a matter of choice among options presented.

Dan, fame doesn't force you to hang with supermodels.

And another thing, Dan: In pondering what it must be like for a man to see his personal life all over the news, you practically get misty. "It has to be embarrassing and violating," you write.

Embarrassing and violating...for the *guy*??? Are you kidding? I mean, maybe so, but how courtly of you. I'm so happy you're taking Brady's feelings into account here, while brushing off the lady's predicament with, "this is not the scandal it would have been 50 years ago."

Oh--wait. You were talking about Brady again there; how it wouldn't ruin his life and he wouldn't have to marry Bridget.

What surprises me here is not the so-what attitude to babies born out of wedlock. I actually agree with it. It's perfectly acceptable in many places, and it's a damn sight better than shaming kids to bastardy.

I'm simply stunned at the lack of consideration exhibited by the media for the women involved.

Gisele is supportive, Bridget isn't really in trouble.

Fine, but do you think either of them is really happy about the situation?

Guys, maybe the problem is the beer ads, which apparently use live women because inflatables are too hard to wrangle on the set. Women are fake-y dolls that are there for the commercial-guys' egos (and other components) and their feelings are not a consideration.

And what about the baby?

Of course, journalism is not about considering people's feelings, and Brady is fairer game in this story than his women.

Kind of fascinating, though, that the press seems to be giving him a pass here. You have to wonder, if it had been Michael Vick... No, that's a musing for another day.

One thing, Brady's people have announced that he's "happy" about the baby. That's a good thing; happiness about babies is always the right answer.