Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Locked On Patriots - November 11, 2019: A Salute to Our Veterans

Episode Date: November 11, 2019

On this Veterans Day episode of Locked On Patriots, host Mike D’Abate takes a look at some of the moments in which the NFL honored the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, and offers some insight on the New England Patriots’ ties to the military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to all you Foxborough faithful and welcome to your Veterans Day Monday episode of Locked On Patriots, your daily home for news, notes, analysis, and the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Today's episode is brought to you in part by DoorDash. Treat yourself to the meal you deserve and have your favorite restaurants come to you with DoorDash. Right now, our listeners can get $5 off their first order of $15 or more when you download the DoorDash app and enter promo code LOCKEDON. My name is Mike DeBate, and I am your host of Locked On Patriots, which, of course, is a part of the Locked On Podcast Network.

Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC, and be sure to follow Locked On Patriots on Twitter as well at LO underscore Patriots. Congratulations, folks. We did it. We survived the bye. Week 10 is a thing of the past, and now your New England Patriots will be back in action this week. The Pats return to the field on Sunday at 425 p.m. Lincoln Financial Field,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The past two Super Bowl champions are set to do battle as the Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles and Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz, Jordan Howard, and more. And they lead a Philly offense that can put points on the board, folks. Defensively, though, the Eagles have struggled a little bit, but they've improved as of late. They're yielding approximately 23.7 points per game on average, but they're pretty good against the run, allowing only 87.3 yards per game. Now the Eagles are coming off of a bye as well

and scored a 22-14 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 9. So the Eagles will be pumped up for this one, and you know the Patriots will be. The taste of that 37-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens cannot be sitting well with Bill Belichick and company as the Pats are back at it starting today to begin preparations for this Week 11 matchup. And stay locked in to Locked On Patriots all week, folks,

as I will be breaking down anything and everything Patriots-Eagles, and as always, there will be some special guests along for the ride this week to help me do just that, including the return of Crossover Wednesday with our friends over at Locked On Eagles. Should be a great week, and I truly hope that you enjoy what we have in store for you here on the show. But today, Americans throughout the country will be celebrating Veterans Day, and as you know, Veterans Day is a federal holiday in the United States.

It's always observed on November 11th, and it honors military veterans, those that have served in the United States Armed Forces. And most of you may know, but some of you may not, that originally it was known as Armistice Day. Originally, this holiday commemorated the end of major hostilities of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, hence November 11th being the day. This was when the armistice with Germany went into effect. Now, at the urging of major U.S. veterans organizations,

they dropped the singular focus of Armistice Day, and it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. And yes, today is a federal holiday, and several of you may have the day off today. However, it should be incumbent among all those who celebrate to remember that Veterans Day holds a far greater significance. This day is intended to honor all military personnel who have bravely served to defend our freedom. Simply put, there is no greater American team than the United States Armed Forces. Despite our political, ideological,

and sociological differences, we can all agree on honoring the men and women who bravely serve to secure our freedom. When all else seems to divide us, this common bond never ceases to strengthen our patriotism. Now, to a much lesser degree, professional team sports can also serve as a platform for patriotic pride, and football is, without a doubt, the country's most popular sport. And the sport of football has helped to embody the spirit of American teamwork that really has helped to shape our culture. It just seems to be something inherently American about the game, its players, and its fans. It brings us together as one.

And despite cheering for different teams, maybe even vehemently against each other at times, we're all united as football fans every single weekend. And in that vein, I thought it might be fitting today to take a retrospective look at some of my favorite patriotic moments in NFL history. Now before I begin, I just want to let everyone know, this is not intended to make any type of a political statement. It doesn't support or condemn the choices made by players, fans, or anyone to exercise their beliefs when it comes to patriotism, whether that be in a professional setting, in your personal life, or especially on a football field.

The fact that you're listening to this show means you're a football fan, specifically a New England Patriots fan. And yes, much of what I will be discussing will focus on the Patriots, of course. However, several of these moments do encompass the NFL as a whole, specifically those moments where the game of professional football allowed us to put our political ideologies aside and honor the brave men and women who serve this country so gallantly. So in that spirit, I hope some of the moments I share with you today to remind all of you that patriotic pride can still be found on an NFL football field, but most of all, and most importantly, serves as a tribute in even the smallest way to our veterans who truly embody the word hero each and every day. However, before I proceed with that, I wanted to take a minute to address all you guys out there, and ladies, you'll appreciate this too. Now, this is a topic that is

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and take a look back at some of the ways in which the NFL has honored our military veterans. And the best place to start, I believe, would be in November of 2011. And at that point, the NFL announced their Salute to Service campaign. And this has now become an annual tradition in the NFL. It showcases military appreciation of the NFL and its teams. Now, the program typically takes place every November near the time of Veterans Day. Each NFL team designates a select number of home games as special military appreciation games. During these games, teams display the salute to service banners on their sidelines. During these

games, you typically see a lot of players and coaches wearing camouflage apparel, and they do so as a way to honor the veterans. The most important part of the salute to service, however, is the ceremonies that honor the service and sacrifice of our nation's troops. And again, I'll go back to the New England Patriots. Just a few days ago, on November 7th, the Patriots hosted a ceremony at Gillette Stadium for 50 veterans of the Vietnam War and 10 families. The veterans and their families were presented with pins by Josh Kraft

and Patriots Hall of Famer Andre Tippett, and the pins represented the veterans' courage, honor, and dedicated service to our nation. And of course, the Patriots are not unique in that regard. Each of the NFL's 32 teams hosts similar ceremonies throughout the month of November to honor our nation's veterans. And even though the salute to service has been painted with a cynical brush in some media circles, it has really done a whole lot to extend the appreciation for our veterans, our current soldiers, and their families. It has even helped the NFL to extend their support of programs such as the USO and the Wounded Warrior Project. As a result, the NFL continues to be among the leading organizations to support and

honor our armed forces. But the NFL's support of our veterans in active military did not start in 2011. In fact, folks, it can actually be traced back to World War II. Usually when you think of World War II and its connection to sports, you think of baseball. You have the indelible images of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, just to name a few, being drafted and sent off to military service. There's also the formation of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was immortalized in 1992's A League of Their Own, which is another one of my favorite comedies, but fear not, folks, I'm going to give you a break from the movie quotes today. But baseball in World War II really provided one of the greatest backdrops in American sports history. However,

a lot of people forget that the NFL's ability to survive during those same years was just as remarkable. Unlike Major League Baseball, the NFL was in a state of relative infancy back in World War II. They were really in a difficult financial situation, and most teams lacked sufficient players to even field a full squad. Rather than fold, though, the NFL chose to make some bold moves, and a lot of these moves ended up paying off quite nicely. Teams that were understaffed were forced to merge. For example, in two fan bases that the Patriots know very well, the Steelers joined forces with the Eagles to create the Stegles. And as the need for mergers continued to grow, some teams would switch. Just

a short time later, the Steelers would actually have to merge with the Cardinals to create the Card Pits, separated with a hyphen. Just imagine the Patriots having to merge with the Jets, folks. Yeah, I'm sure Bill Belichick would love that one. But remarkably, the league survived, and the war-era survival and the maturation of the NFL during that period really served as an example of the persistence and determination that was shown throughout the country at that time, particularly by the troops that were fighting overseas. The NFL followed the example of the American military and their refusal to surrender really embodied the spirit of the U.S. at the time, which was to never give up even in the face

of adversity. That message of perseverance and determination would once again be on full display this time during the Vietnam War, and one of the most indelible images of heart and courage of a veteran that you'll find anywhere would be found in former Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Rocky Blyer. After his rookie season in 1968, Blyer left the Steelers upon being drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. Now while in combat, Blyer was shot in the thigh and took shrapnel in his leg via an exploding grenade. For his valor, Blyer was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. However, based on his injuries, a return to the NFL seemed nearly impossible. Nevertheless, despite struggling just to walk at times, Blyer defied all odds. He returned to the Steelers just one year later, and he earned a key offensive place on one of the NFL's

all-time great dynasties. Blyer would go on to win four Super Bowl titles and become a symbol of both sacrifice and resilience. Quite simply, Blyer never gave up. His bravery serves as an example on the battlefield as well as on the football field. And of course, I would be remiss on this Veterans Day if I did not take a moment to mention probably the NFL's most famous veteran, and that is the late Pat Tillman. As most of you know, Tillman was a former Arizona Cardinal safety and had achieved the rank of corporal in the United States Army Rangers. His death was a terrible tragedy for both the United States and the NFL, but as tragic, depressing, as painful as it was, the outpouring of emotion and love that followed was a fine example of American patriotism, and although his death has been clouded by controversy, his sacrifice and spirit were and will always be remembered.

Tillman had set aside a lucrative pro football career to defend his nation by serving in the U.S. military. After serving several tours with the Army Rangers, Tillman was tragically killed by friendly fire in the mountains of Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. He was the first professional football player to be killed in combat since former Buffalo Bills guard Bob Kalsu, who died in the Vietnam War in 1970. Following his death, Tillman was posthumously promoted from Specialist to Corporal and received Silver Star and Purple Heart medals.

The Cardinals honored him by retiring his jersey during the September 19, 2004 game between the Cardinals and the New England Patriots at Sun Devil Stadium. In addition, the 31 remaining NFL teams and their fans each paid well-deserved tributes to a true American hero. As we take the time today to honor our veterans, it's been my honor to share with you some of the more poignant moments in NFL history, those that combine the spirit of American patriotism with the desire of the NFL to honor the brave men and women who defend our freedom. And as an organization, your New England Patriots folks are second to none when it comes to honoring the great sacrifices made by our military veterans. And earlier when I was discussing the NFL's advent of salute to service, I had mentioned that just a

few days ago on November 7th, team owner Robert Kraft and the Patriots Foundation, headed by President Josh Kraft, not only held that commemorative ceremony, but also treated that group of veterans to lunch and also invited them onto the Gillette Stadium field. And the members of the organization could not say enough about the service and the sacrifice that these brave veterans gave during one of the most horrific wars in American history. Josh Kraft told those in attendance, quote, We are called the Patriots on the field, but all of you are the real Patriots, unquote. And I think that brilliantly sums up how we all feel about our veterans. Patriots Hall of Famer Andre Tippett echoed Kraft's sentiments and said,

It's a constant reminder of how lucky we are and that we're all here to be able to do something in celebratory fashion for these great people who have chosen to serve our country. And this is nothing new for the Patriots Foundation. They host ceremonies like this each and every year. And while the NFL salute to service is definitely a component of this, the Patriots are not holding these ceremonies out of obligation. They're doing it because of respect. And perhaps it's poetic that a team that was named in the spirit of the Revolutionary War's Continental Army is so eager to support its nation's veterans and active military. But the Patriots' ties to the Armed Forces do not end there, folks.

In fact, they employ a great deal of players on their roster and their coaching staff that do have ties to the United States Armed Forces. Perhaps the best place to start is at the top, and that's with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whose father Steve was an assistant football coach at Navy for more than 30 years. However, Bill Belichick is not the only Patriots coach with ties to the military. Offensive line coach Dante Skarnecchia once served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. As far as their roster ties, defensive lineman Adam Butler's father retired as a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. Linebacker Alandon Roberts' father, Eli, served in Iraq and retired as a master sergeant. Devin and Jason McCourty's father, Calvin, who passed away when the boys were young,

served in the United States Army, as did the McCourty twins' older brother, Larry White. Lastly, defensive end Dietrich Wise's mother, Sheila, had served in the United States Army as well. And in addition to familial ties, the Patriots employ an active member of the U.S. military on their current roster. As you may or may not know, folks, long snapper Joe Cardona is currently a lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve. Fact, earlier this year during minicamp, Cardona was promoted from lieutenant junior grade to lieutenant. Cardona came to the Patriots as a product of the Naval Academy, where he was drafted by the Pats in the 2015 draft in the fifth round. Since then, Cardona has started in 64 possible regular season games and 11 playoff games. He's also only the second graduate in Naval Academy history to win more

than one Super Bowl. That's a pretty exclusive club, considering the only other member is former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach. Pretty good company. Throughout the season, Cardona continues to juggle duties with the Navy. In addition to fulfilling his responsibilities with the Patriots, Cardona also spends time at the Naval Prep Academy, which is located in Rhode Island. That's about 60 miles south of Foxborough. It also happens to be pretty close to where I live. But in any case, it's that type of commitment that seems to draw the Patriots to players that have ties to a military background. It might be a stretch of the imagination to say the Patriots are actively targeting players like this. Those with a military history in their family possess the characteristics that will

translate well to the New England Patriots program, which is famously rigorous and detail-oriented. After all, we've heard so many former Patriots say that New England isn't for everybody. Players with familial ties to the military often possess the mental toughness required to succeed in New England. Intangible traits such as self-discipline allow a player to better handle transition and adversity. They tend to show greater attention to detail and exhibit greater amounts of self-control.

Also, it can't be ignored that children in military families frequently move around the country. That can make them more resilient to change and more adaptable, and that is a very desirable trait for a football player. But perhaps the most important question to be asking here is why do these traits seem to matter so much in New England? And honestly, it's quite simple. The Patriots organization and culture prides itself on one major tenet, and that is believing in the greater good. From Robert Kraft to Bill Belichick to Tom Brady, Patriots organization is not a destination for individual accomplishment. They focus on the team, something bigger than the individual. Players with a military background have a leg up on the competition in that they can put their team first and understand

humility and leadership. Those without that type of background can use this as an example. We see it all the time in rally slogans like do your job, not done, and still here. Those that enjoy great success in New England are those that buy into that concept. It's a commitment to hard work. It's a commitment to perseverance. And it's a commitment to service. And while no one would dream of comparing the dedication that a soldier has to defending his or her nation to anything that happens on a football field, it's not that far-fetched to say that a true example of selfless service can be a roadmap to success in any walk of life, including on the football fields in Foxborough. I hope that you enjoyed this Veterans Day episode of Locked On Patriots today.

On a personal note, I would like to express my gratitude to each and every member, past and present, living and deceased, of the United States Armed Forces. Today, I especially want to honor and remember my grandfathers, Albert A. Bucci, Sr., a veteran of the United States Army, and Raymond DeBate, Sr., a veteran of the United States Navy. The bravery and dedicated service they and all veterans have provided to our country will forever be admired. Heroes never die. They live forever in our memories. Thank you for your service and most wholeheartedly for your sacrifice. A grateful nation will forever be in your debt. And as for me, I will be back tomorrow as we turn our focus towards the Philadelphia

Eagles and Sunday afternoon's matchup in Philly. As always, be sure to join me each and every day on the Locked On Patriots podcast and subscribe to Locked On Patriots via your favorite podcast provider. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank you so much for listening today. Have a great day, everyone.