He always was going to be Tom Brady. The list of obstacles he surmounted early in his career to become the greatest quarterback of all time is all the proof anyone should need of that. A lot of sixth-round NFL Draft picks struggle to make the roster of the team that selects them. He became the greatest quarterback of all time.There never was any guarantee, however, that he would be this Tom Brady.IYER: This Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl championships, a face thats instantly recognizable from coast to coast and more individual honors than it seems nece sary to recount. We all know its a lot.There couldve been fewer, though. Probably not a lot fewer, but fewer. And there also could  Jose Fernandez Jersey have been more, as hard as that is to conceive. Therewere circumstances both negative and positive on his journey through high-profile football competition that affected how he arrived at his retirement Tuesday with the specific truckload of accomplishments on his rsum.These were the Sliding Doors moments that directed Brady here:1. The Tuck Rule Game, Jan. 19, 2002. In a raging snowstorm in an AFC Divisional playoff game against the Raiders, Brady and the Patriots were trailing 13-10 in the final quarter. With 1:50 left at the Oakland 42, Brady retreated to pa s and could find no open receivers. Charles Woodson, on a corner blitz from the left side, hit Brady and dislodged the ball, and the ball was recovered by linebacker Greg Biekert.The officials ruled the play a fumble, and it should have clinched a victory for the Raiders. However, there was a relatively new rule in place that declared if the quarterback was in the proce s of moving the ball back to his body to tuck it,it would be an incomplete pa s. If that proce s were complete, it would be a fumble.By the letter of that rule, Woodson was a split-second too early. Brady had not yet completed tucking the ball.By replay review, the officials overturned the call, the ball was returned to the Patriots. They subsequently got a game-tying field goal from Adam Vinatieri, and then a game-winner from him in overtime, both kicked from a pile of snow. The Patriots went on to win the first of Bradys six Super Bowls with the team a few weeks later. But it wasnt a smooth ride.2.  Bryan Holaday Jersey Drew to the rescue, Jan. 27, 2002. Beating the Raiders only granted the Patriots the right to visit the AFC favorite Steelers. With a quarterback who e sentially was a rookie, New England would face what was acknowledged to be the leagues best defense, led by linebackers Kendrell Bell, Joey Porter, Earl Holmes and Jason Gildon.Brady completed 12-of-18 pa ses for 115 yards and was sacked twice. The Patriots only score while he played was a punt-return touchdown. With 1:45 left in the first half, he completed a long third-down pa s to receiver Troy Brown, but as he threw he was hit low by blitzing safety Lee Flowers. Brady got up with a limp and left the game.Bledsoe completed that po se sion with a touchdown pa s to David Patten just before the half to make it 14-3, and another special teams touchdown stretched that out of the Steelers reach.It was obvious enough that Brady was struggling against the Pittsburgh defense, and that Bledsoe had been a difference-maker in the game, to create some discu sion about which would Trevor Richards Jersey  start the Super Bowl against the Rams.Coach Bill Belichick shut that down quickly, announcing that Brady would be his man.Good call.3. Kick in the nick of time, Feb. 1, 2004. The Patriots (first) season as reigning champions did not go well, so Brady was only a one-time Super Bowl winner when he arrived in Reliant Stadium to challenge the Carolina Panthers.He was fabulous that day, with 354 yards, t