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November 05, 2007

An Open Letter to Haters of the New England Patriots

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071023&sportCat=nfl

An Open Letter to the Haters of the New England Patriots It's amazing how success turns a feel-good story into an Evil Empire. I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan, so I'm not defending the Patriots because they're "my team" or anything like that, it's just funny how a team on the cusp of greatness gets a lot of national support, but once they establish themselves as an elite franchise, the whole world hates them. Do you know why the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Cowboys are hated so much? Because they have been consistent winners over the years. Different people can fabricate different reasons, but that's what it is. These teams, at one point or another, have shattered your team's dream. As a result of this, you hate them. It's really as simple as that. When the Patriots made their run in 2001, the whole world was behind this rag-tag group of overachievers who were going up against "The Greatest Show on Turf." Since that time, the Pats have enjoyed unparalleled success, and, for the most part, your team has not. Therefore, they are now a team you all love to hate. It's basic, grade-school logic at it's purest. I can guarantee you that, if the Boston Red Sox continue to win World Series titles over the next five years or so, the national media will turn on them, as will most of MLB's fan-base. The Sox will assume the "Evil Empire" moniker from the Yankees. What most people think is funny and innocent now, like Jonathan Papelbon's dancing routine, most will find arrogant, pompous, and disrespectful in the future. Mark my words; it's going to happen. As a child, I hated the San Francisco 49ers. Why? Because of "The Catch" and the fact that my beloved Cowboys could not compete with them. Now that I'm older, that hatred has turned to respect. It's the same thing with Red Sox Nation. They have banded together, joined by their hatred of the Yankees. Why? Because Red Sox Nation had to look up in the standings, only to see the Yankees for literally generations. So, to the undefeated New England Patriots, I say this: Congratulations and good luck. You have now joined an elite fraternity of franchises that the nation loves to hate. It means you have had great success, and that you will be a fixture on national television for the foreseeable future. Let the haters out there hate all they want. It's when they stop hating that you have to worry. PS: If you're a Patriots fan, please don't believe the bullsh*t that your fellow Pats fans tell you about referees and the NFL being against you and all that other conspiracy crap. There are no conspiracies. You just notice bad calls more now that the spotlight is on your team. All the calls even out. -Linebacker51

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Replies (49)

j00fek said November 05, 2007

amen brotha
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stevens8204 said November 05, 2007

Sometimes it really is more flattering to know your team is that hated and despised. Its nicer when your team sticks it to em.
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- nlp123 replied March 13, 2009
  
  It's even better because they don't just hate the pats they also hate the redsox, c's, probley the bruins now, and also all of us boston fans.
  - nlp123 replied March 13, 2009
    
    okay is anyone else sick of the c&apos:s that keeps popping up????
Sportaphile said November 05, 2007

someone else made a post on yardbarker about "why people hate the patriots so much?", I paste here my reasons, it has nothing to do with winning. The Patriots are SO MUCH different than a typical winning sports franchise. I proudly hate them.
1. They cheated.
2. They have various guys known for being dirty players (namely Rodney Harrison who was voted the dirtiest in the NFL by his peers).
3. Bill Belichick is a highly unlikable human being. Whenever i see him, I think about him shoving a cameraman to the ground last year after a game.
4. Their first Super Bowl win was tainted because they weren't even supposed to be there (Tuck Rule in the "snow game"). The Patriots beat St. Louis fair and square, but any unbiased football fan will tell you that call in the snow vs. the raiders was a travesty to everything holy.
5. Their last two super bowl wins are in question because of said cheating.
6. They are easily the most arrogant franchise in the NFL. Humble Pie T-shirts???? come on now. If you have to go around screaming about how humble and classy you are... that means you really aren't.
and thats just the tip of the iceberg
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- Linebacker51 replied November 05, 2007
  
  Regardless of your "Six Commandments" up there, all your hostility is because this team is winning. Would anyone give a sh*t if Bill Belichick shoved a cameraman if his team were 4-12? From what I understand, he was the same asshole when he coached in Cleveland as he is now, but I didn't hear anyone complaining about him then. Of course, he wasn't a great coach then, his team sucked, and he was ultimately fired.
  
  As for the "they cheated" comment, they seem to be doing OK without cameras, as I'm sure Peyton Manning will attest. Furthermore, do your history. The Raiders-Pats snowbowl game came 25 years after the Pats were screwed in the 1976 AFC playoffs against the Raiders, when a phantom "roughing the passer" call went against New England. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Not to mention the fact that the "Tuck Rule" is the rule. Don't like the rule? Work to change it. The Raiders should have put the Pats away and not have been in that position.
  
  Yes, Rodney Harrison is a dirty player. Agreed. However, there is no shortage of unlikable, cheap players in this league, and the Pats certainly DO NOT have the market cornered in that area. Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, the entire Raiders team, just to name a few...
- Awesome replied November 05, 2007
  
  They've won three Super Bowls by a combined nine points. They are not a dynasty.
  
  Plus, cheating can definitely make a field goal's worth of difference.
  - orions replied November 10, 2007
    
    your a jack ass...analyze those three games with boxscores...we'll mess you up again in febuary if you make it
    - Awesome replied November 11, 2007
      
      "your a jack ass..."
      
      ...and you're a terrible speller ;-)
- tcbailey24 replied November 05, 2007
  
  great points because your exactly right. i couldn't have said it better myself.
- tcbailey24 replied November 05, 2007
  
  great points because your exactly right. i couldn't have said it better myself.
- Pinkpanthrrr replied November 05, 2007
  
  I bet when the Bears were doing the superbowl shuffle..you must have been really mad about that too huh..not enough hugs as a kid.
  anyways...People were saying crappy things about the Pats before this years "scandal" of cheating. There have always been players that have been precieved as dirty, I guess the better players will always be recognized as the dirtiest. I don't think the last 2 superbowls were questioned until this year. I don't think having a mind set that focuses as "team" and spreads the ball out evenly on the field, should be thoght of as arrogant..I mean that is what they are talking about..Getting EVERYone involved, not just TO or Chad Johnson..or someother star option that coaches use alot. It is an ideal..not arrogance.
Kramer12 said November 05, 2007

I'm not a Patriots fan or hater, but if fans want to trash this team, they have every right to do so. They run up the score on teams and got caught for cheating. It's like asking, "Why aren't fans happy Barry Bonds broke the Home Run Record?"
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- joyces replied November 09, 2007
  
  I'm happy that Barry Bonds broke the Home Run Rcord!
- JScore replied November 10, 2007
  
  I'm happy he broke the record.
Linebacker51 said November 05, 2007

You're correct, Kramer. Fans have a right to hate and whine, teams have the right to run up the score, and losing teams have a right to cheap shot Tom Brady's knee. Isn't America wonderful?
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sportsnorts said November 05, 2007

Belicheater. Case closed.
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- Awesome replied November 05, 2007
  
  LOL.
- orions replied November 10, 2007
  
  ignorant...and jealous...3 title in my boston this year...celt next after feb.3
  - sportsnorts replied November 11, 2007
    
    Ignorant maybe; jealous never.
  - nlp123 replied March 13, 2009
    
    GO C'S!!!!!!!
KevinF said November 05, 2007

The Pats didn't just beat the Colts on Sunday. They beat seemingly biased penalty calling, a lack of Coach-to-QB communication (which the Colts were allowed to keep), crowd noise (pumped in or legit, the 12th man at the RCA is a formidable opponent), one of the two best QB's of the decade, and a Colt running back that had 100 yards in the air and on the ground. They played the as-yet undefeated defending Super Bowl Champs in their house and won. There's very little that even the biggest detractors can take away from the Pats' performance.
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BryanR said November 05, 2007

The patriots will run the table for shure.
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- IFChris replied November 05, 2007
  
  i think they'll actually rest players in about 4 more weeks... and i'd like to see a rematch where both teams have full rosters.
  - Awesome replied November 05, 2007
    
    The Colts needed Marvin Harrison.
    - Pinkpanthrrr replied November 05, 2007
      
      I agree with that..but Addai is f-in awesome..He really rocked and is a true threat as an RB.. Manning did not even have to do anything except give it to him. They also have Wayne and Clark and a couple of other options..they were not that banged up.
    - orions replied November 10, 2007
      
      OH OK THAT WOULD HAVE MADE DIFFERENCE...C'MON...WE JUST WORE YOU DOWN IN THE LAST QUARTER AND A HALF...HARRISON IS 35 ALSO...ASANTE SUCKA!? OH, I GUESS WE DON'T USE SAMMY MORRIS AS AN EXCUSE IS THE DIFFERENCE...WE ARE ONLY FRANCHISE THAT DOES NOT MAKE EXCUSES...MAN UP!
  - orions replied November 10, 2007
    
    I DO TOO SUCKA AS WE HAD MORE INJURIES FOR THAT GAME...WE WILL SEE YOU IN JANUARY AND RIP YOUR JUGULAR OUT!!! PATS ARE UNIQUE IN THIS WAY...YOU NEED TO STOP ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE...ACTUALLY, KEEP DOING IT AS IT JUST MAKES US IN NE, AND OUR TEAM EVEN MORE CUTTHRAOT
  - orions replied November 10, 2007
    
    YOUR A FOOL...NE FAN
- sportsnorts replied November 11, 2007
  
  "shure?" You sure? (Ignorance, it seems, knows no geography.)
  - orions replied November 12, 2007
    
    have way more knowledge and that is guarantee if your post is directed toward me, sportsnorts!...I played and study the sport more than average fan...I was seeing red the other night...we are weary of the weekly national jabs...it unifies though...and that's the beauty of 2007...that instillls absolute shut down D and O...one every play, good or bad result...that's one difference compared to your team, whom you won't say really with any conviction, and if Colts, you are seeing the effects of the NE grindstone on your Def.ense right now!....fabulous...adieu
Awesome said November 05, 2007

Yeah, Addai was awesome... fun to watch.
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YankeeBob said November 05, 2007

It wasn't the NFL or Colts that cheat or had the ref's in their pocket it was Vegas Baby! Anybody think about the 5 1/2 point spread. I wonder how much money was thrown to the refs to keep it under 5 1/2 points! Just a thought, given all the bad news in sports this past 6 months!
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boo9radley said November 06, 2007

Perhaps people should stop crying about the Patriots. The game in which they "cheated" consisted of Ellis Hobbs running back a 108-yard kickoff return. I'm sure they stole the signal to let him run it back from the Jets right?
The Patriots are an excellent team, and to be perfectly honest, anyone trying to deny that simply doesn't pay attention to sports.
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rayj0101 said November 06, 2007

It is all good to hate the Pats, I do, but we must give respect. Spygate or not.
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- orions replied November 10, 2007
  
  THANKS MAN...WE ARE OUT FOR BLOOD THOUGH, ARE EVIL AND WANT TO RIP ALL TEAMS TO SHREDS...PLEASE REPLY....THANKS FOR THE RESPECT THOUGH
celticsblog said November 07, 2007

I hate agreeing with a Cowboys fan! ;)
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- Linebacker51 replied November 07, 2007
  
  See what I mean? That hatred validates my franchise. Thank you. And, by the way, I'm a huge fan of the 80s Celtics. I got to see Larry Bird live several times. It had a profound effect on me as a kid.
  
  It's all good.
joyces said November 09, 2007

I don't hate them, I just find them somewhat boring and predictable.
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CowboyJoe said November 11, 2007

What is with you Pats fans? Why can't you just enjoy being a good team, being 9-0 without all the crying? People don't like us, waaaaaa
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- Awesome replied November 11, 2007
  
  Agreed.
- orions replied November 12, 2007
  
  let's see how you would enjoy the beauty of the game if your solid organization was so "unethical", it's of course wrong to film "illegally', it's week after week of "how to bring us down via accusations, stories, theories, and ENVY"...the guy can flat-out coach...those past teams had alot of schemes and team based talent...we momentarily got to "perfect" in thinking and used technology in an exceeding manner, at infrequent times...31 other teams have games that have "funny plays" every Sunday...who knows...I know this, this year we wouldn't need to/and couldn't cheat....we are a powerhouse if we stay healthy...that's the real issue in 2007...more diplomatic tonight, but tired of my team getting attacked excessively...Feb.3rd is how those 53 guys think...that simple...PATS FAN
insincerelies said December 04, 2007

Madden said it best, "If you don't want the score run up against you, go out there and stop the offense. it's not the offense's job to stop scoring, It's the defense's job to stop them." I hate how people say they hate the Pats cause they run the score up. It's not like that, they just score. the defense's need to stop them. (Eagles and Ravens did well, however, the Pats did play more like an average team than what they played in the beginning of the season, so we'll see what happens in the next four weeks.)
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skyhawk3sa said December 26, 2007

Everybody hates the Pats because they got where they are by cheating!!! They have been caught 3 times now!! 3 TIMES!!! THAT IS A COMPLETE OUTRAGE. They are obviously benefitting from cheating thats why they keep doing it. The NFL is also showing some major profits by having a team undefeated, thats why they are telling the refs to give any questionable calls to the Patriots. I will tell you right now, the Pats lost alot of fans after this third time around. Who is to say that they are not still doing it? That team DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE UNDEFEATED, they did not earn it. They lost to the Ravens straight up!! So people dont hate the because they are good, people hate them because they have earned their success through dishonest, lying, and scandulous cheating. Guarantee they are at best, average without their camera's.
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junkbucket06 said January 23, 2008

You may think YOU have figured out why "everybody" hates the Pats, but you're WRONG!!!! You say it's because they're winning? Oh no....I started hating them way back and as far as you not hearing about anybody hating Bill before now....oh no, you're WRONG again!!!!!!! I hated him even when he was with the Browns. I'm a Patriot hater and I'll shout it from the rooftops and YOU can't possibly know why I hate them. I'm glad you think you're so smart that you know all the answers. But you don't know everything. The reasons I hate them are no where near why you say "everybody" hates them. Boy, you're as arrogant as the Pats....get over yourself!!!!!
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- Linebacker51 replied June 17, 2008
  
  Yes, I am arrogant, and, I have every reason to be. Glad you were on the "hater" bandwagon before everyone else. Your boyfriend must be very proud. I stand by my statements. As is always the case, I am right, and you are not. Sorry for the late reply, but there's an entire world out there.
  - junkbucket06 replied June 23, 2008
    
    Okay....my boyfriend must be proud. That's amusing. When you have nothing else to come back with, go for a homosexual insult. Good reply! I lay mortally wounded by your rapier wit!
    
    Pats lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
junkbucket06 said February 15, 2008

.......and justice is served!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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giantsrepeat said March 12, 2009

GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Screw all the haters.....er, I mean whiners.
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