‘Once More Into The Fray’: Kristi Noem Treats The US Coast Guard Academy To an Inspirational Locker Room Poem
X Screenshot
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the U.S. Coast Guard Academy football team in the locker room at Boston’s Fenway Park on Saturday to share an inspirational poem and make sure they knew she was on their side.
The Coast Guard Academy, which falls under the auspices of DHS, was scheduled to take on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in the 2025 Secretaries’ Cup.
According to the Coast Guard Academy web site, “The event, which dates to 1949, was originally known as the Secretary’s Cup since both service branches were part of the Department of Transportation…The rivalry was christened the ‘Secretaries’ Cup’ in 2003 after the Coast Guard moved to Homeland Security.”
This is the first time the rivalry has taken place off campus, the web site said, adding, “The major league stadium setting elevates this football rivalry – often referred to as the small college Army/Navy game – to a national stage.”
Noem treated the players to a poem from one of her favorite movies, The Grey, starring Liam Neeson that she said she “used for every single challenge” that she has in life, whether physical, mental, or political.
The poem was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson, based on Shakespeare’s line from his poem The Charge of the Light Brigade.
“Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I’ll ever know. Live and die on this day. Live and die on this day,” Noem recited.
She continued, “And that’s how I approach everything, is that you are deciding to go once more into the fray. You’re deciding to go in. And that this is the day, this could be the last great fight you’ll ever know, on this field. This is your chance to play at Fenway; this is iconic.”
Noem then added, And the Merchant Marines suck!”
The team clapped and cheered this line.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted his own video, a slickly-produced piece on the merits of attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. At the end, he proclaimed, “Go kick some Coast Guard Butt!”
