If Tom Brady is not allowed to play in the New England Patriots’ first four games this season, David Ortiz won’t be watching.
The Boston Red Sox designated hitter shares the belief of many in New England: that the four-game suspension Brady’s four-game suspensions as a result of Deflategate was ridiculous and unnecessary.
“I think it’s stupid, to be honest with you,” Ortiz recently said in a Q&A with SI.com’s Andy Gray. “Put it this way: You’re talking about the one player that everybody wants to watch play. We’re not just talking about any player. We’re talking about Tom Brady. If I turn on the TV on Sunday to watch a Patriots game and I know that Tom Brady is not playing, I would turn off the TV. I don’t want to watch that game.”
This wasn’t the first time Ortiz had spoken out against Brady’s ban, which he called “crazy” last month. He also bashed the suspension a full calendar year ago, telling reporters early last May “the NFL (expletive) up on that one.”
Ortiz, whose popularity among New England sports fans is rivaled only by Brady’s, has been tremendously productive thus far in what he’s said will be his final season, entering Tuesday as the major league leader in RBIs, doubles, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS.
Thumbnail photos via Winslow Townson, Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports Images
