FOXBORO – The ironic aspect of Julian Edelman’s PED suspension is the shrapnel that’s now hitting Tom Brady, Alex Guerrero and TB12 Sports Therapy as a result.
According to two sources, Edelman’s positive test had nothing to do with anything he was advised to take by Guerrero – Brady’s body coach, business partner and the man at the center of a nearly year-long training tug-of-war between Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the team.
Here's the statement Guerrero released:
"I’ve known Julian since his rookie year and he is a phenomenal athlete who takes his training seriously—it’s disappointing to hear today’s news. Elite athletes sometimes work with multiple coaches and health professionals as part of their off-season training.
"Here at our facility, we take a natural, holistic, appropriate and, above all, legal approach to training and recovery for all of our clients. And anyone who would suggest otherwise is irresponsible, and just plain wrong."
There are full-time TB12 adherents, which Brady has been and Gronkowski has become. There are scores of players who go there (and are referred to by Bill Belichick even now) for soft-tissue work. There are players who go, find some benefit and go a la carte. And there are those who go full-bore and then – because either the nutritional, rest or training demands don’t suit them at a particular time – wander away for a while.
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Edelman, according to one source, falls into the latter category. Last offseason, he was full-bore on the program. This offseason, he’s been by sometimes but not with slavish devotion.
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That’s why, according to another source, blowback on Guerrero and TB12 Sport Therapy “would be so irresponsible.”
While it might not be accurate, it’s not surprising that an arched eyebrow would be turned in the direction of TB12 after Edelman’s positive test.
Because of Brady’s success, his loyalty to Guerrero, the TB12 empire that’s been built and the battle lines drawn over what’s the best way to train, plenty of people have become turned off to the whole thing.
I’ve seen Guerrero. I’ve used the training center to rehab injuries. I’d recommend both without hesitation. All I got was deep tissue massage, hydration and diet tips and some exercise advice about three years ago and I still don’t shut up about how great it is.
For people who haven’t gone and – further – have been bopped over the head nonstop with stories and conversation about the wonders of the program, it has inevitably become a little much.
And Brady’s evangelical devotion to it while at the same time performing better at 40 than he did at 35 has caused skepticism.
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So that’s why Guerrero and TB12 have wound up taking the hit as much as Edelman has.
Is it fair? No. Was it inevitable? Yes.
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