As the Pats make big decisions this off season, I wrestle with my own huge decision. Who’s my favorite Patriot of ALL time. Before this year the decision was easy. Tom Brady was considered by almost everyone to be one of the best quarterbacks of all time, and by me, the BEST quarterback of all time. He had the talent, the work ethic, the looks, the personality, the articulateness, the super model, and the jour ne se qua to satisfy my strict criteria to be my favorite Patriot. And then this year happened. Another Super Bowl. The fourth for Tom. But  importantly, the first for Gronk. How can Gronk after only one Super Bowl win overtake Tom as my favorite Patriot of all time? Not easy, but if anyone can do it, it’s that big fun loving future hall of fame  goofball. When I think of Gronk, I smile. His antics are hysterical. He personifies the “Manny being Manny ” phrase that was created for Manny Ramirez but really doesn’t apply to a player that had a mean side, an angry side. Gronk does things that are crazy but fun, inexplicable but appropriate for a young guy with a hard job that he makes look easy and like fun. The phrase should be changed forever to “Gronk being Gronk”. It applies for sure to any player that plays at the highest level but does goofy things and doesn’t take himself all that seriously. A guy you’d want to hang out with when you’re going to a club to drink, dance and pickup girls. Yeah, Gronk’s the guy to hang out with. But back to my decision. Both Tom and Gronk are Hall of Fame worthy already. Both won a huge historical Super Bowl this year. Mmmmmmm. Tough one. But let’s face it, as unique as Gronk is, he just can’t replace Tom. My daughter would laugh out loud at this premise. She knows that Tom will always be the one and only for her daddy. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.

Your Constitution requires separation of church and state. No religious views should be indicated in laws or influence civil law. It’s a simple concept but apparently very difficult to implement in society. People have a right to believe in whatever religion, but their beliefs cannot by American law be forced on any individual. Indiana and Arkansas are starting to understand that this is 2015, not 1950. People still harbor prejudices that they had in 1950, but they are no longer supported by 2015 laws. We Americans think we live in the greatest country in the world. We do, for one unique reason: FREEDOM. You can define freedom in different ways, but you know it when you see it. Equal rights not just for a privileged few, but for ALL. Gays, women, any minority, have the same rights as you and I. So if you are still harboring any prejudices from the1950s, keep it to yourself. American laws don’t support you anymore. Don’t embarrass your fellow Americans.