My Name is Tom Brady

When Dr. Burton told us the story of Scipio Africanus, I couldn't help but think of good ole Tom Brady. According to many, Brady's suspension and penalties from Deflategate were nullified due to the nature of his ethos. A much less well-known NFL player has called Brady out directly, saying that his suspension was not nullified because, "[His] name is not Tom Brady."

After reading Pericles' Funeral Oration I believe I know he would say concerning the matter...

In his blog post, Michael S talked about the importance of kairos when making an appeal. By understanding your audience, you can then adapt your message with tailored decorum and thereby have a greater effect. Michael noted that Pericles made a general pathetic appeal to the Athenians by reminding them of who they were and inspiring them to live up to their legacy, much like what Bronco Mendenhall tries to do with his BYU Cougars.

I felt a different appeal being made by Pericles (but admit that I have a hard time understanding this literature and could be totally wrong). I noticed that, although this speech is epideictic in form, it seems to be deliberative in nature. He does mention the mention their strong Athenian heritage, but on various occasions, he seems to almost say, "They're dead. They can't do anything for you now." He talks about the emptiness of great speech and the value of action. In my inexpert opinion, Pericles is making an appeal based on logos and is trying to get the Athenians to rely less on their history or emotional responses. Like Michael says, his purpose is to change their minds, but I believe it is through a logical appeal that he accomplishes his goal.

If Pericles were a member of the NFL executive committee, I don't think Brady would be playing the first few weeks because, in his mind, Tom Brady really is just a name.