Even icons have their heroes.

For four-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, the list starts with his father, Tom Sr.

"My dad has had the greatest influence on my life and career, on and off the field," the New England Patriots quarterback said on Sunday in Beijing. "He taught me to love the game and to never give less than my best. I've been blessed that my mom and the rest of my family have always been so supportive, too. Nobody makes this journey alone."

Brady, a power-hitting catcher for his high-school baseball team in California, was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1996 MLB draft. He grew up idolizing first basemen Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees and Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants. On the football field, he patterned his play after 49ers quarterbacking legends Joe Montana and Steve Young.

"I tried to learn something from everybody I watched ... and I still do," Brady said. "Now I'm the oldest guy in the locker room, but I can still learn stuff from my teammates - how they look at the game, how they react.

"You're never too old to learn; it's an ongoing process if you keep an open mind. I like to study athletes in other sports, too. I marvel at a guy like Roger Federer, the way he's adjusted his tennis game over the years to still be so dominant at age 35. He's just amazing."

Murray Greig

(China Daily 06/20/2017 page24)