It’s the day! It’s the day! It’s the
day! Are you wondering why I’m jumping around like Stuart Little’s brother? Because
today is THE DAY! Tedy Bruschi, and man who was once called “the perfect player”
by Darth Belicheck himself, is being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame
today. Even if you are not a fan of football’s greatest franchise, it’s a good
bet that you recognize the impact Bruschi has had on the league. So reminisce
with me. Videos will accompany where available.
Tedy helped the Patriots win the AFC
conference title five times, with three Super Bowl victories in four years. Bru
(as us Patriots fans are prone to chant) delivered one of my favorite
highlights in the last of these victories, in Super Bowl XXXIX against the
Philadelphia Eagles. In the fourth quarter, with the Patriots leading 24-14,
Bru snatched an interception from Donovan McNabb and snuffed out the Eagles’
drive, which was moving into Patriot’s territory (at
the 2:06:30 mark in the video below. Or watch the whole game if you enjoy
reliving greatness). Never mind, I had a video but Blogger hates me and won't upload it. Sorry, folks.
During Tedy’s tenure as a Patriot,
their rivalry with the Indianapolis Colts was at an all-time high. Postseason after
postseason saw Tom Brady and Peyton Manning duke it out for AFC dominance. Except
for that ridiculous anomaly in 2006, the Patriots always managed to come out on
top. On one such occasion in 2004, Bru helped to shut down Indianapolis by
recovering two fumbles, one that he forced by ripping the ball straight out of
the hands of running back Dominic Rhodes (at 2:43 in the video below). New
England won the Super Bowl that year, their third in a four year span.
For many years, the Patriots vs. Lions
Thanksgiving game were a staple of the NFL. Spoiler alert: these games didn’t
go Detroit’s way. On thanksgiving 2002, Bru once again showed up with a 27 yard
pick-six to seal the Lion’s fate. And in those beautiful throwback uniforms, no
less. My, my. (A few seconds into this tribute video, the other highlights are great as well).
Tedy wasn’t just a warrior on the
field, but away from it as well. Shortly after winning a third Super Bowl and
playing in the Pro Bowl, Bruschi’s world (as well as the NFL’s) came crashing
down when he suffered a stroke in 2005. It was a scary moment for coach,
players, and fans alike. The prospect of losing a man like Bru in such an
unfair way shocked New England’s community and fan base. However, Tedy fought
through this, like so many other circumstances, and returned to once again take
his place among his teammates on October 30, 2005.
Bruschi was truly the consummate Patriot.
He will always be remembered for these moments and many, many, more as he
became a fan favorite through the years. New England will never forget the
chants of “BRUUUUUUUU” and throwing snow for him in 2003. I am elated to see
him being inducted to the team’s Hall of Fame and my only regret is that I couldn’t
be there in person. I’m confident that this will soon be followed by his induction
to the NFL’s Hall of Fame, which I believe he will be eligible for this coming
year. Tedy Bruschi, Mr. Patriot. You can tune it to Bruschi's induction at 5 p.m. EST on Patriots.com
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