Tom Brady this morning "cut his weekly radio interview on WEEI short" due to a recent comment made by an on-air host about his 5-year-old daughter, according to Hayden Bird of the BOSTON GLOBE. WEEI's Alex Reimer on Thursday referred to Vivian Brady as an "annoying little pissant" after seeing her in Brady's Facebook Watch series "Tom vs. Time." Brady said today on the "Kirk & Callahan" show, "It was very disappointing to hear that, my daughter or any child certainly does not deserve that." He added that he will "assess whether he wants to continue doing weekly interviews with the station" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 1/29). Brady said during the interview, "I've tried to come on this show for many years and showed you guys a lot of respect. ... Maybe I'll speak with you guys some other time." Reimer is not part of the "Kirk & Callahan" show and made the comment on a different program. WEEI's Kirk Minihane today said that Reimer "had been suspended for the entire Super Bowl week." Entercom, WEEI's parent company, and the Patriots last week "announced a multiyear partnership extension" (ESPN.com, 1/29).
NATURAL REACTION: NBC's Mike Florio said, "You say something about my kid, you're done. Especially when my kid is young." Florio: "I'm surprised he was even as charitable as he was." NBC's Chris Simms: "Every time they let you in a little bit, people take shots or go crazy on your family members. He's trying to let you have an inside look at Tom Brady's life, and you make fun of his daughter?" ("PFT," NBCSN, 1/29). ESPN's Mike Golic said, "Forget Tom Brady the football player. That is a parent. ... There's no way I could sit there and say I have any kind of issue with his response at all" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 1/29).
REALITY CHECK: THE MMQB's Peter King writes he is "beyond impressed" with the job director Gotham Chopra did with the "Tom vs. Time" series. The show is the latest sign of how athletes "may get to control their message to the public." While Brady did not control what made the cut, it is "clear that it's a gauzy portrait of Brady being Brady." King: "What I've seen looks real. ... Chopra is the only one -- with camera -- who has ever been close to being inside, and he looked to be pretty damned inside to me" (SI.com, 1/29).
