Annapolis is Givjing the Keys to the City to the Greatest Leader of Our Times, Bill Belichick
NavySports - New England Patriots head coach and Annapolis native Bill Belichick will be presented the key to the city from Annapolis mayor, the Honorable Gavin Buckley, at halftime of the Navy-Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse game on Saturday, March 14. Game time is 12 noon.
"I am humbled and honored to be recognized by Mayor Buckley and the City of Annapolis," said Belichick. "I would like to thank Admiral Buck and Chet Gladchuk for allowing me to receive the key in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. I loved the years I spent growing up in Annapolis and at the Naval Academy and I always look forward to returning. I am proud to be an Annapolitan!"
"I simply love the fact that the winningest coach in NFL history comes back to Annapolis to watch college lacrosse," said Mayor Buckley. "There is something about this City that keeps people grounded and I'd like to think that growing up here played a role in the success he has found throughout his life. Welcome back coach!" ...
Coach Belichick returns to Annapolis and the Naval Academy regularly to visit his mother and will always be a favorite son of this great city.
I'm sure this announcement is not going over well in cities near Annapolis like Baltimore or Washington DC. or Philadelphia. But the United States Naval Academy gets it. That fine institution hasn't produced the most dominant naval power in the history of the world, not to mention 73 Medal of Honor winners, 54 astronauts, 29 Chiefs of Naval Operations, 9 Commandants of the Marine Corps, 2 Nobel Prize winners, a President of the United States, Roger Staubach, David Robinson and Lt. Daniel Kaffee without knowing a few things about what makes a true leader.
Again, I'm sure there'll be plenty of resentment over the choice. But that's nothing new to the Naval Academy. The Navy's bravest and most brilliant commanders have been breeding such feelings since John Paul Jones was kicking British ass from the Irish Sea to the Bahamas. I'm sure Rear Admiral Mojoto wasn't feeling much love for Commodore George Dewey when his fleet was sunk at the Battle of Manila Bay. And there's no record of Tokyo giving Chester Nimitz the keys to their city when he put all four of Yamamoto's carriers at the bottom of the Pacific off Midway.
But in a way, Belichick deserves such honor even more than these historic figures do. Because he built the great power he commands. Down to every nut and bolt. He's been the architect who's designed the ships, the boat wright who constructed them, the chief strategist and man at the helm in all the battles. Not to mention the one who takes the time to visit his sainted mom in the city he loves.
So congratulations to Belichick for this award. But even more congrats to Navy for their outstanding choice. His connection to your program alone should keep the rest of the world's navies from ever trying to fuck with you.