Alan Greenwood

There are two big-league divas in our midst on this fine May morning. That would account for any unusual blasts of rhetorical hot air wafting from the Hub and its environs.

One of them, LeBron James, will spend his entire day near mirrors and storefront windows so as to practice his repertoire of TV faces for tonight’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 5. He doesn’t need to brush up on his demanding glares – the NBA’s roster of officials are already on full alert for those.

Most notably, His Highness’ ball-handling skills have deteriorated to the point that he needs four steps to the hoop, up from three. And woe is the ref who calls him for those fore-arm shoves he uses should anyone dare defend him.

As for Boston’s newly discovered diva, he’ll split his time between his Brookline, Mass., home and his Foxborough work address. Well, make that one of his Foxborough work addresses.

It seems unlikely that Tom Brady will wander the few hundred yards from his TB12 headquarters into the New England Patriots practice facility. He hasn’t been spotted in the latter all week. And he is under no contractual obligation to participate in what are called Optional Team Activities.

There is no need to recount all details of the Patriots soap opera that began last fall with Brady demanding that owner Robert Kraft make Bill Belichick tade backup quarterack Jimmy Garoppolo. Folks who care are, by this time, well-versed in the drama’s exasperating low points.

For those who don’t care, congratulations – you now have powerful ammo to use in belittling those of us who count sports fandom as a primary hobby. Wealthy men with massive egos whipping up a multi-pronged spat should not be worthy of anyone’s caring.

Brady whined to Kraft, who enabled Brady, angering Belichick, who fired a salvo at Alex Guerrero, who is Brady’s personal trainer and life guru.

John Lennon had Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; Brady has Alex Guerrero.

Rob Gronkowski has joined Brady at TB12, waving his own figurative middle digit in Belichick’s general direction this week. Good, ol’ man-child Gronk has shown no shyness this off-season, which has included public flirtations with careers in Hollywood, pro wrestling and dirt-bike racing.

More importantly, Gronkowski accuses Belichick of taking the fun out of football. Earth to Gronk: That story broke when you were still physically in junior high school.

All other dark alleys down which this saga has meandered – such as Belichick’s inexcusable decision to sit Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl – are deliberately discounted here. Our focus at this point is on Brady, the face of the franchise, the greatest quarterback of all time, the leader who is exalted for his love of team and disdain for selfishness.

If that sort of greatness remains on speaking terms with his football mindset, Brady should be the man to step up and end the soap opera.

Alan Greenwood can be reached at 594-1248, agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com or @telegraph_AlanG.

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