Who Needs Friends Like Tom Brady? [OPINION]

So Tom Brady goes to the White House on Tuesday to celebrate his recent Super Bowl win as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What does Brady do? He cheap shots Donald Trump. What the hell is that all about?

Tom Brady is the GOAT. Seven Super Bowl victories cement his legacy. At 43 years old, Brady still looks like a kid and can throw a football like nobody's business. Hell, he played the entire season with a torn MCL, and not only did his team win the Super Bowl, but he was the MVP. Some oddsmakers are picking Brady and his Buccaneers to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Brady's career has not been all sunshine and roses, however. Brady was accused of cheating to win. The Deflate-gate scandal threatened to consume him and overshadow his accomplishments. He was penalized and suspended by the National Football League. Add in Spygate and his friendship with Donald Trump and the QB many called "pretty boy" was catching it from all sides. A weaker cookie would have crumbled.

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Tom Brady chose not to attend White House ceremonies honoring the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots during the Obama and Trump Administrations but chose to participate in Tuesday's ceremony with Joe Biden. He even took potshots at Trump.

Look, Brady has a right to his political views but Trump was a cherished friend. That supersedes politics and should withstand media scrutiny. Did Brady turn on his friend and supporter because of peer pressure? Did he do it because it's cool to hate on Trump?

Being consumed with one's self must be difficult. It can confuse a body and make one forget about such things as loyalty. When Tom Brady was getting hammered, not only did Donald Trump stand by him, he defended Brady in numerous public statements.

Many Patriots fans felt jilted by Brady when he departed for Tampa after 20 years of buying the quarterback's jersey. They felt their loyalty had perhaps been misplaced. I suppose Donald Trump must be feeling a little bit of that today.

With friends like Tom Brady, who the heck needs enemies? Just another dumbass self-important athlete. Tom, we hardly knew you.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.