“Recently I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients. Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award.
“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions.
“Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”
Bill Belichik
In the several years I’ve included this, my personal blog, in my public and private life on the Internet, I must have previously noted that I’m a supporter of the New England Patriots in the NFL. Lots of contributing factors above and beyond the usual sports-on-TV watchers reasons. About as traditional as it gets in most sports around the world.
The Pats were my home team. Not just that I lived in the Boston area and this was a serious New England team in the NFL. I mean they were my HOME team – the last place I lived in New England before moving Out West. When the Pats were playing a home game, I would get on my mountain bike and make it through a couple old paved backroads, some dirt roads, a bike track through the woods…all in under 45 minutes. Lock my bike to any handy evergreen – so, it would be hidden – as well as secure. Walk another couple minutes into Schaefer Stadium parking lot and up to the main gate. Up into the stands to support my home team.
GO PATS!
BRAVO, BELICHIK!
Eideard 
He plainly didn’t welcome the inevitable asterisk (*) that would have appeared by his name on the Medal of Freedom list.
*Bestowed by Donald J. Trump, 45th U.S. President, who prevailed in the electoral college despite receiving millions fewer popular votes than his opponent; twice impeached; narcissist; psychopath; isolationist; inciter to insurrection; serial liar and political fantasist; grifter and scammer; regarded by many as America’s most deliberately divisive President; champion of perceived white grievances; false promiser to end white loss of entitlement and privilege; fake Christian; known for severely targeting and damaging domestic and international institutions and alliances; solicitor of corrupt foreign intervention in the American Presidential election; distributor of Presidential pardons for corrupt political and self-protective purposes; self-proclaimed grabber of pussies; silencer of porn star; accused of attacks on multiple women; bigly cheater on taxes; defender of the Confederacy; Twitter bully; frivolous litigator; sorest of losers spewing sour grapes; lover of brutal dictators (the more brutal, the more love); hater of global democratic leaders; creator of American carnage amidst breathtakingly negligent pandemic response; and purveyor of blame for America’s challenges cast on society’s most vulnerable including minorities, members of particular religions, and immigrants from what he referred to as shithole countries.