Bush Congratulates Patriots on Super Bowl Victory
WASHINGTON, April 13 – The New England Patriots were feeling a bit of déjà vu Wednesday afternoon as President George W. Bush congratulated them on winning the Super Bowl.
The Patriots visited the White House last year after winning and have now dropped by three times in the last four years.
The team, which defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in February to win its second consecutive championship, gave Bush a locker room jersey with the number one, a football from the Super Bowl and an embroidered sweatshirt with the Patriots’ logo that the president had jokingly called one of Coach Bill Belichick’s “designer sweatshirts” in his introduction.
Belichick attended the ceremony in a suit and tie.
Just after Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who recently had knee surgery, hobbled in on crutches to his front-row seat next to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Bush darted out from the Oval Office and into the Rose Garden to introduce the team with a quick joke.
“Well, back again,” he said to laughter, later adding that he was happy to honor “a team that showed a lot of heart.”
Bush said he was happy to have hosted the team three times, joking that while he was almost certain the Patriots would return this year, he had been a bit skeptical that he would again be host.
“You know, I think I said last time there’s a chance you’ll be back; I wasn’t sure about me,” he said. “I’m confident I’ll be back next year, and the way you’ve been playing, there’s a good chance you will be, too.”
Team owner Robert Kraft said he was happy the team returned for its third visit, adding “I hope we keep this reunion going and next year, if we’re blessed to be here, we’ll follow Sen. Kennedy’s advice and bring the cheerleaders.”
The p resident congratulated the team for its work both on and off the field, specifically mentioning records the team both broke and tied this season and its work with Boys and Girls Clubs of Massachusetts.
The team won a record-setting 34 games during its back-to-back championship seasons and tied a record-nine–for the most consecutive playoff game wins.
After the ceremony, Kerry said he was proud of the team, which he called “an extraordinary group of individuals.”
“They’re just a good bunch of guys,” he said. “They’re down to earth with a terrific work ethic and a great team spirit.”
The Patriots also visited wounded soldiers from Iraq at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Kraft said eight team members visited the soldiers for about four hours and were inspired by what they saw.
“It just gives us such a good sense of how lucky we are in this country,” Kraft said after the ceremony.
Quarterback Tom Brady agreed, saying “it makes what we do seem so unimportant” and calling the visits the highlights of the trip to Washington.
“I think you saw firsthand the definition of courage when you saw those young soldiers who had been wounded that are working hard to overcome their injuries,” the president said.
Brady also said he was happy to see linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who suffered a stroke in February, attending the ceremony.
“He’s the same ol’ Tedy, he hasn’t changed a bit,” Brady said. “I think everyone was a little scared when it initially happened.”
Bruschi threw the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park Monday and whether he will play next season remains uncertain.
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