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"Going into my 14th year, I have never had more confidence in how I am throwing the football. I've never felt better throwing the football." It's May. Brady has averaged 36 touchdowns, eight picks and 4,654 passing yards over his last three seasons, and he feels better about his arm and his mechanics than he ever has. Were those shudders I just felt coming out of Orchard Park, Florham Park and South Florida?
Brady doesn't talk much in the offseason, and in the past few years he's come out of his shell around this time to talk about his charity of choice: Best Buddies, a worldwide volunteer movement that fosters friendship between the larger society and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and engenders employment opportunities for them. This is the 12th year he's been the honorary chairman for the weekend event (May 31 - June 1, Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port) that includes a touch football game at Harvard on Friday and 50- and 20-mile bicycle events on Saturday. The Massachusetts event raises more money in a weekend ($3 million last year) than any other Best Buddies fundraiser worldwide. "It's one of the highlights of my year,'' Brady said. "Playing football is not curing cancer, and it's not helping people with intellectual disabilities. So when I leave Hyannis Port on Saturday afternoon, you feel like you've made a difference in people's lives.''
Brady said, "Friendship and support from friends and family is so important to succeeding in life. We take friendship for granted. A lot of these kids are the ones who don't have those friends, who get made fun of in school. It's so important to give them a hand. I hope I can participate in this for the rest of my life -- and I want my kids to participate too. Look at what Boston did a month ago, with so many stepping up after the bombing at the Marathon. So many people at this Best Buddies event step up and do something important here for these people who need their help."
Good for him -- and while we're on the subject of good deeds in New England, here's another one: A 33-member contingent of current and former Patriots, and coaches and staff, got on buses from Foxboro Saturday morning for the 150-mile ride to Newtown, Conn., to hold a football clinic for the kids of Newtown. Owner Robert Kraft, defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, tight end Rob Gronkowski and captains Jerod Mayo, Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater were on hand. The coaches and players ran eight stations that 400 kids rotated through, while their parents watched from the stands. When one kid asked where Brady was, Kraft got him on the phone and passed it around to several kids so they could all say they talked to Brady. A good day, and a good bit of community service by the Patriots.

Back to Brady, and his mechanics. After his throwing guru, Tom Martinez, died 15 months ago, Brady was put in touch with former major-league pitcher Tom House (who got into quarterback-tutoring through friend Cam Cameron), and House took over the fine-tuning of Brady's throwing technique.
"I owe so much to Tom Martinez,'' Brady said. "He taught me so much about how to play the game and throw the football. He was so committed to me for so many years. I miss him every time I step on the field. I found Tom House, and really developed a rapport with him quickly. I've learned, and to me, the learning process is fun. The same way Tom Martinez was always there to watch and give me corrections, Tom House has told me why certain corrections need to be made. Look at a baseball swing and a golf swing. It's all mechanics. Look at how Barry Bonds swings. Look at how Floyd Mayweather punches. Mechanics. When you've got to fit it into the tightest windows, mechanics are crucial. And to me, the offseason is crucial. If you make a throw within four feet, that's not going to be good enough. You have to make the throw within four inches of your target. That's good enough. And that's why the mechanics you adjust and learn in the offseason are important. You're going to keep them during the season.
"Tom House, pretty soon after the season, said basically, 'All right, Tommy. Get to work.' That's the one thing that helps me move forward. There's nothing we can do about losing the championship game to the Ravens. It sucks. You move on. But, with Tom, I think I've learned some things this offseason that are really going to help me.''
I said, "Be specific -- give me one thing, or two things you feel are going to help you this year.''
"One thing,'' he said. He paused. "Well ... I hate to ... well done is better than well said. I'd rather not say. I want people to watch and see if they notice.
"Over the years, I was a little inefficient and I learned how to get away with it. I've been working with Tom House on what's called ground-force production ... Kinetic sequencing, getting the power from the ground, which translates from the ground to your legs, to your hips, to the shoulder, and all the energy is going toward the target. I've always had confidence throwing the football, but you have to stay on top of it. That's going to be a never-ending quest for me.
"I'd say 98 percent of it is exactly what Tom Martinez taught me. This other 2 percent is nothing between the ears, we're just talking about a couple of things. Coach Belichick teaches me about what to expect from defenses. [Offensive coordinator] Josh [McDaniels] is always teaching me about offensive plays and drops. I like that, just like I like this work with Tom House. Once you feel like you're done learning, you might as well move on.''
The Patriots are 39-9 in the last three years, but they're not measured by the regular season. They haven't been in a long time. The measure comes in the postseason, and losses to the Jets, the Giants and the Ravens have ended their last three years in crushing ways. Brady's doing what he can to up the ante this offseason, apparently. Is the defense doing the same? The receiver group? Belichick the drafter?
The Patriots' three Super bowl wins were all by three points. The two Super Bowl losses were keyed by a Velcro catch by the Giants' fifth receiver, and, in the second loss, a Wes Welker missed catch and an underthrown Brady pass that was picked off. Remember: There's been a very fine line between Super Bowl wins and losses for New England. Without a franchise pass rusher or corner this season, the Patriots are likely to be as dependent on Brady as ever. Or more.