SNL was doing the Brady Shuffle

Tom Brady, Super Bowl MVP to SNL Host
By John Chagaris, College AP
April 17, 2005

NEW YORK -- When I first heard that Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots, was going to be the host of Saturday Night Live, I knew this was going to be a show I was going to have to go and see. The opening monologue with Brady was priceless, it made the Bears Super Bowl Shuffle look like a Junior Varsity playing against the state champion. One problem I have is, a two time Super Bowl MVP and three time Super Bowl Champion dresses in a sport coat, shirt, tie, and jeans? This is not a good start for Mr. Tom Brady let's hope he can win some points back, because a few fans were ready to throw a red flag at his dress code and get a new outfit. Then the carnival when Tom could not throw a ball into a hole. Only somebody like Tom could poke fun at himself in this way.

Moreover, what is this relationship between Rachael Dratch and Tom Brady? During the opening Rachael and Tom were batting their eyes at each other and then they are a couple on Dr. Phil. Rachael, you know that I have a ton of respect for you seeing you were one of my dad's students way back in Lexington, MA, but you're doing something that many people in the NFL cannot do and that is hit Tom Brady. During this segment Tom continued to make a fool out of himself not knowing which questions from "Dr. Phil" were real questions and which ones were fake and the ending like of looking into Rachael's eyes and instead of saying I love you Jamie said Dr. Phil loves me.

The Falconer scene really did not deal with Brady and how fitting that Snickers Cruncher (a major sponsor for the NFL) is the main focus. TV Fun house was yet another funny skit, Sexual Harassment and you. Tom Brady was classic in TV Fun House being "handsome, Attractive and don't be unattractive" and then the message was directed that you can go and say anything from grabbing a woman's breast to walking around in your underwear.

Brady as a Middle Eastern cuisine was classic. Tom Brady's Falafel City with the parody of The Beach Boy's Barbra Ann was picture perfect. In addition, my question was is the difference between the Vets office and a Middle Eastern eatery?

We are a third of the way through the show and never has the cast been this on their game or looked this happy and pumped up since Dwayne Johnson hosted during his two-time tour. Brady Passing Rating so far 1/3 of the way through; *** 1/2

An ok performance by Beck, I heard that they did a better job during the sound check but I thought they were fine, but not being a huge Beck fan I would not know what they sound like normally.

Amy and Tina then come out for weekend update, which has to be my favorite segment each week, well since they got rid of Celebrity Jeopardy. And line of the night so far has to be Dumb-Dumb and Yo-yo talking about Kevin and Britney after the Panda comment, SNL continues to have the best writers. I was just shocked that Tom Brady was not involved at all in Weekend update, he is I believe only the third host this season not to have even a small role on Weekend update, for a host doing so well why did they keep him out for a segment that bored the crowd to death. Half Time Brady Passing rating was *** 1/2 still.


The show seemed to jump the shark during the night before Uncle Scott's wedding. For such a strong show thus far, all momentum was thrown down the toilet during this skit.

The night has gone from bad to worse, the Super Bowl Shuffle was an idea that I had an idea was going to happen at the start of the show when Tom began singing, but never did I expect the trainreck that developed. If SNL was only an hour and the last two segments were cut this would have been a fantastic show, but now with twenty minutes left, and we know one segment will be with Beck performing, Brady and the SNL crew need to go into a two minute drill to wake up the audience and keep viewers.

Just when you thought the show could not get worse it did with the Oak room segment. We have already proved that Brady cannot sing so having him sing a few quick notes wasn't that great, and could he play the soprano saxophone anymore incorrect? It got funny when he stopped playing and a few more notes came out so he threw the reed back in his mouth to play a note and the notes stopped when if he was playing they would have continued.

The quarterback scene could not have come at a better time and might have saved a bad rating by me, having "Manning, and McNabb and Mrs. McNabb" in a bit with Brady was classic. It pointed out what all Patriot fans know, and that is, sure Brady does not have the stats that Manning and McNabb have but he does have what neither of them have and those are super bowl rings.

Overall, this is one of the better SNL hosting jobs that has been done in a while, and would have been picture perfect if it was not for the last two real skits, not including the quarterback skit. And Live from New York, I was John Chagaris, a sports blog update will follow later today or tomorrow.

~Chag