Tom Brady's High Ankle Sprain-Gate: The Perfect Non-Story to Keep Distractions Limited

Tom Jackson appeared almost upset today on ESPN's NFL Countdown. He was convinced that New England Patriots QB Tom Brady is not injured and the Pats are playing games with the media and trying to use the leaked photos from last week to their advantage. I happen to agree with him. All year the Pats have been victims of weekly controversies. Rightly so on some weeks (Spygate - San Diego Chargers, Rodney Harrison HGH - New York Jets), not so much on others (Run Up the Score Gate - Washington Redskins , Randy Moss Hurt-My-Finger Gate - Jacksonville Jaguars).

The point is that this week the Patriots are CONTROLLING the controversy, instead of playing the victim. They kept Tom Brady completely isolated from the Press. We know for sure he didn't practice at all on Thursday and missed at least the first portion of practice on Friday. Brady's street clothes and white sneakers were laid out in front of his locker in an almost theatrical way. Then today, just as the controversy was starting to die down another report in the Boston Herald comes out saying Brady was seen "limping" around Boston earlier in the weekend. The fires are relit. Is it true? Maybe Brady is actually really injured? Every player seems 100% confident and completely unconcerned about Brady's chances of playing in the Super Bowl. But this is the controversy that won't die, and it's almost conveniently taken any kind of spotlight off of Randy Moss, (whose lawyer will be in Florida tomorrow for the hearing on "H-M-F Gate").

The Patriots have done a good job in protecting their star quarterback through this latest media frenzy. Rumors are leaking out that he was sick in last weekends 3 interception performance against the San Diego Chargers. It is good that he hasn't had to answer questions about his poor performance last weekend and focus 100% on playing the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Sure, Brady could've been available to the press all week and told them the exact same thing all his teammates have told them - that's he fine and will be ready to go for the big game - the story would be dead today even if someone did see him a bit gimpish in Beantown. But instead the media can do nothing but speculate on an injury that, by all accounts, won't matter one bit when it comes to the Super Bowl. Much better they're talking about that than something else, like why Randy Moss only has two catches in the playoffs and zero touchdowns.