Bill Belichick.

AP photo / Charles Krupa

Usually in this space, a few minutes are spent with one of the New England Patriots' players, and in three-plus years of doing so, nearly 50 players have been profiled.

In that time, there's one man who hasn't been on the receiving end of these get-to-know-you questions: Bill Belichick.

Now 57 years old, on Monday Belichick begins his 35th regular season as a coach in the NFL, and his status now – widely considered on of the best coaches in the game's history – is a far cry from his early days, when he made $25 a week watching film in what amounted to a broom closet for Ted Marchibroda with the Baltimore Colts.

The father of three -- Amanda is now assistant women's lacrosse coach at UMass, Stephen is a junior at Rutgers, and Brian is a high school senior -- took a few moments to share a few of his likes and memories.

Here's this week's Up Close:

My favorite television shows: From the black and white era it was The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, Perry Mason, [The ] Untouchables. After college, All in the Family, Happy Days, Seinfeld, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet — Wild Kingdom and Big Cat Diary, Rescue Me. In sports I have to hand it to NFL Films Presents (Super Bowls XXI, XXV, XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) and their other great shows. [For each of those five Super Bowls, Belichick was on the winning coaching staff.]

My favorite meal: Something casual would be hard crabs steamed with Old Bay (seasoning blend). At a restaurant, give me a porterhouse cooked medium well and Angel Food cake for dessert and I'm content.

My prized possessions: Our family pictures; my dad and me getting doused by [Tedy] Bruschi in Super Bowl XXXIX [Bruschi gave the father and son, embracing in the closing seconds, a Gatorade bath] would be one. And also things my kids made or pictures they drew in school.

My first job: My early jobs were in junior high and high school. I caddied at the Naval Academy golf course, I moved furniture for Mayflower Moving & Storage and waited tables at Middleton's restaurant in Annapolis.

The last concert I went to: I caught a few songs from Sugarland and Kenny Chesney here at (Gillette) Stadium in July. My most frequent concerts have been Bon Jovi and Springsteen.

My favorite athletes in another sport: Growing up it would have been Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino by a landslide [both played at Navy, where Steve Belichick coached for over 30 years]. And Rocky Colavito in baseball. My favorites from other sports were and will always be Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, John Havlicek and Arnold Palmer.

My heroes are: As an only child, my parents were my heroes. In addition to them, anyone whose job is dedicated to keeping the rest of us safe and healthy is a hero to me.

One place I'd like to visit that I haven't yet: Croatia. It's a beautiful country and that's where my roots are. One of these days I'm going to get there.

The moment I realized my future would be as a coach: There isn't one that stands out.

My favorite childhood memories: A highlight every year was going to Philadelphia for the Army-Navy game, another was going on scouting trips — Army, Virginia, William & Mary, University of Pennsylvania to name a few — with my dad.

smanza@projo.com