Monday, the Albany Empire handily defeated the Philadelphia Soul, winning ArenaBowl 32 by a score of 45-27. With this victory, the Empire captured the Arena Football League championship while their quarterback was named MVP of the game. This was the first championship brought to New York’s capital since 1999, and it was done by a man named TOM GRADY! Technically, he prefers to be called Tommy, but the point remains.
Countless science fiction shows and books have tackled the concept of alternate realities and the “doppelgangers” that exist within. Star Trek: The Original Series chose to showcase this concept by giving Spock’s doppelganger facial hair. At this point in history, there is no proof that alternate realities exist, but the Arena Football League put that theory to the test.
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The best quarterback in the NFL is named Tom Brady while the best quarterback in the AFL is named Tom Grady. That’s impossible to make up.
Dude. The Arena Football League’s MVP is named Tom Grady.. Is this even real life?#NFL #AFL #Football #SportsMeme? ๐ธ via 12UP pic.twitter.com/buvpUeYjOY
โ Gabriel Schray PxP (@schrayguy) August 12, 2019
Of course, the reactions to this discovery were wild, to say the least. One individual on Twitter responded by comparing Grady to the Great Value Ketchup that is sold at Walmart, as well as the off-brand soda that resides on store shelves across America. Another simply viewed this revelation as proof that modern society is simply a simulation.
However, the best part about this wild world of quarterback doppelgangers is that one Arena Football League fan actually bought a Tom Brady jersey and simply taped the letter “G” on the back so that it would read “Grady.” That’s thinking outside of the box in order to maximize the merchandise budget.
โฆGrady > Brady โฆ@Albany_Empireโฉ #UnfinishedBusiness pic.twitter.com/RKLUyF6fgr
โ Jeff Levack (@THEjefflevack) August 11, 2019
Jokes aside, the most fascinating aspect of Grady’s MVP performance is the similarities that exist between him and Brady. According to CBS Sports, Grady threw five touchdowns passes in the championship win over Philadelphia. In Brady’s two Super Bowls against Philly he has thrown a combined five touchdowns. He threw three touchdowns against Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII and two in Super Bowl XXXIX.
While the Arena Football League doesn’t have the same level of viewership as the NFL, there is a distinct possibility that the Albany Empire will find some new fans in the coming season.
Can Tommy Grady become the greatest quarterback in AFL history? He has already led the AFL in passing yards twice (2012, 2016) and has been named First Team All-Arena twice (2012, 2018). Grady has the track record of success and is only 34 years old. He has plenty of time to take his AFL career to the next level.