The Popcorn Stand: Here’s a story ... about a cockroach

I don’t know if the Atlanta Zoo lost this bet or not. I have nothing against Tom Brady and actually he seems to be a pretty nice guy even if he was caught trying to deflate footballs. Victor Leyva, a local athlete from Porterville, Calif., who I covered, once told a story about Brady when he signed with the New England Patriots as an offensive lineman.

It was during the off season and Brady was in the weight room with absolutely nobody else around. Leyva walked into the weight room and without saying a word, Brady said, “Hey Victor” and proceeded to welcome Leyva to the Patriots.

But there’s no denying virtually the entire country outside of New England is pretty tired of Brady, Belichick and the Patriots winning Super Bowl after Super Bowl. Well for all those anti-Patriot fans, there’s at least a little satisfaction thanks to the Atlanta Zoo losing a bet.

This week the Atlanta Zoo introduced a tiny Madagascar cockroach named Tom Brady. It seems that was the terms of the zoo’s bet with a Rhode Island Zoo. But I think those who are tired of the Patriots’ success would take a little pleasure in the fact a cockroach is named after Tom Brady.

The zoo seemed to take a shot at two easy targets at one time as the cockroach shares a tank with eight other cockroaches named Mike, Carol, Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marsha, Jan and Cindy. Thank goodness there weren’t nine cockroaches because I don’t think Alice deserved to be named after a cockroach.

I hear Jan the cockroach is jealous of Marsha the cockroach, although it seems Marsha did have an accident involving her nose. (Do cockroaches have noses)?

So here’s the story of a cockroach named Brady... oh never mind.

I keep quoting Yogi Berra — only in America.

— Charles Whisnand