Tom Brady is Getting the Tribute He Deserves at the Patriots Home Opener. At Last, There Peace in Our Time.

Not that I'm counting. Or putting too much thought into it. Or making a big deal about it and it's impact on all our lives. I'm just casually throwing it out there that it's been 1,150 days since March 17th, 2020. The day when Tom Brady announced he was leaving New England and the world went all to hell. 

Immediately following, everything I'd always predicted would happen if that grim day ever arrived became our reality. My prophecies came true. A Biblical plague. Civil unrest. Schools and businesses closed. The world economy went into freefall. Extreme weather disasters. Violent clashes in the streets. A nuclear superpower at war. Zero Patriots playoff wins. You might argue that there is a cause-and-effect with only one of those things. But we true believers know better. 

But with this announcement by Mr. Kraft, we find out there is peace at last. Thank God a'mighty:

Let loose the doves. Beat those swords into plowshares. The lion shall lay down with the lamb. Call the troops home. Plan the parades. Dance in the streets of Foxboro. Grab a stranger and kiss them in the middle of the plaza under the Gillette lighthouse:

The last 1,150 days have been a long, difficult slog for a lot of us. It's been especially tough on the person I care about most in all the world: Myself. Like I've said before, I envy the people who were able to find a way to root for both Brady and the Patriots. They're like children of divorce who are happy because now they'll get two Christmases. But the breakup was hard. Even though the relationship had grown toxic ever since the outbreak of The Pliability War, I still struggled to come to grips with it. 

I had to choose a side, and I stuck with Bill Belichick. The parent who was still there every day, shopping for the groceries, doing all the chores, taking care of us and trying to keep this Dynasty together. I've never once regretted that decision. Even while the other parent went down south to live by the beach with his new partner and win a Super Bowl under the palm trees. 

Still, I put my hopes in the idea that some day, in the distant future, they'd reconcile. Make peace, if not actually get back together. To honor the memories. Celebrate how good things were for how long. I mean, things have been amicable for a while. The two have shared some private moments. Starting with the heart-to-heart they had after the GOATerdammerung game in 2021:

Followed by Belichick going on Brady's podcast. But in order to get real closure, we needed to make it official. A public celebration of the greatest to ever snap a chinstrap. 

And finally it's going to come to fruition. We'll get our emotional catharsis and finally be able to move on with our lives. This will be the hottest regular season ticket in the history of events. All those people who've kept their season tickets will have to decide whether to sell them and buy a vacation home, or keep them and be part of a moment that comes but once in a lifetime. And for their sake, I say let's do it all. Retire Brady's number. Unveil his statue. Waive the five years and induct him into the Hall at Patriots Place by unanimous voice vote. 

The only thing that will make it better is the Patriots also hanging a seventh Super Bowl banner in Brady's honor. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The important thing is that the day we've waited 1,150 days for is coming, soon. All is right with the world.