After New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed for 517 yards in his team’s Week One win against the Miami Dolphins, new Pats wide receiver Chad Ochocinco tweeted about how impressed he was with his team’s machine-like offense and Brady’s “video game numbers.”
The Patriots put on an explosive show in their opener, but Ochocinco didn’t contribute much. In fact, he had only one catch for 14 yards. And that bothered  former Patriot and current ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi. “Drop the awe factor, okay, Ocho? You’re not a fan, all right?” Bruschi said in an interview with WEEI Radio. “You’re not someone who’s on another team or watching TV. You’re not an analyst. You’re a part of it. They want you to be a part of it. So, get with the program, because obviously you’re not getting it.
“Stop tweeting and get in your playbook. If you’re in [the offense], and you know what you’re doing and you execute out there, you don’t think it’s amazing. Join the system, buddy.”
Bruschi took Ochocinco’s comments to mean that the receiver was more interested in being a fan than a team contributor. But Ochocinco could have just been trying to be a positive teammate by paying a compliment to his new quarterback and franchise—which operate differently than his struggling former team, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Regardless of Ochocinco’s intentions, Bruschi’s advice to the receiver is solid counsel for athletes on any level: you’re a player, not a fan. Get on the field and make a difference.
Photo:  nydailynews.com