The Disrespect Card......

[Patriot_in_NY]

WE FINALLY GET TO PLAY IT AGAIN.........

I've been cruising around the web a bit these past few days, and what I'm seeing is almost remarkable. I certainly expected a fair bit of biased favoritism towards the Giants based on the last SB, but I was totally unprepared for level of vitriol aimed at this team. From everything from the link above (which is basically an interview with that moron Eddie George where he out and out says... The Patriots are one of the WORST TEAMS ever to make it to the SB) to that silly NY Post splash page pronouncing the Giant win 2 weeks before the game is played. There are A LOT of other examples out there too.

It's hard to imagine that after a decade of continued excellence (we are always in the hunt even if we don't win), 5 bowl appearances in 11 years, the #1 seed in the AFC on the heels of a 13-3 season that we could legitimately use the "Disrespect Card" to lather this team into a frenzy headed into super bowl to meet a team with a 9-7 record ........ BUT WE CAN.

I know some don't believe in the whole concept of the "bulletin board", but there is no doubt that almost all coaches will try to create that "us against the world" feel in the locker to help jell and build team unity. The whole "nobody believes in us, but we believe in each other" mojo. They would not do it if there was nothing to the concept. The Patriots used it to great effect in the early years 2001..... and the Giants admitted they used it against us in 2007. We long ago lost the ability to play that card, because it get a little harder after sustained success, because it kind of losses it's effect and the material to use gets pretty thin.

Looks like negative national vibe is definitely against us right now (and to a major level too) and I for one in happy as hell about it. I absolutely think that all this negatively will help the team's resolve, particularly coupled with the whole "season dedicated to Myra" thing.

This feels like 2007 all over again........ except we're the team that "can't beat the mighty "opponent" we face. I NEVER liked that feeling of being hailed as the kings prior to victory in 2007 and this position is much more comfortable for me.

 

[oldskool138]

that silly NY Post splash page pronouncing the Giant win 2 weeks before the game is played.

A) It's the NY Post
B) I seem to remember the Herald declaring a certain baseball team the best ever before they even played a single game. What's worse?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

A) It's the NY Post
B) I seem to remember the Herald declaring a certain baseball team the best ever before they even played a single game. What's worse?

I think they are both really dumb. That's not the point. The source matters less then the volume and the level of "disrespect". I doubt anyone takes Eddie George's commentary about football as gospel either... but that link has another football basically saying "these guys suck".

Add to that the growing (and ludicrous) scoreboard thing, which is nothing more then saying the "Ravens deserve to be there more then you".

Lots of raw material out there that will serve to get under the players skin. This team is already one of the strongest in many year (from a unity perspective) and this will drive them all closer together.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The thing about the old Patriots teams is they'd go 14-2 and dominate everyone, and they still were not respected. These Giants go 9-7, get hot at the right time, and act like they should be recognized for their greatness.

 

[Jackson 2]

A) It's the NY Post
B) I seem to remember the Herald declaring a certain baseball team the best ever before they even played a single game. What's worse?

Neither the Post nor the Herald are real newspapers.

 

[Fball]

I think everyone respects the Pats, but no one likes the Pats, and it goes outside of just being successful. When the team goes on an "eff you" tour through the league, and their fans proudly proclaim it an "eff you" tour, and your team is getting humiliated during said tour...it leaves a mark.

Fans here would feel the same way about that kind of season. But everyone respects the Pats. Brady is probably the most feared QB in the league, in addition to being the best.

 

[upstater1]

I think everyone respects the Pats, but no one likes the Pats, and it goes outside of just being successful. When the team goes on an "eff you" tour through the league, and their fans proudly proclaim it an "eff you" tour, and your team is getting humiliated during said tour...it leaves a mark.

Fans here would feel the same way about that kind of season. But everyone respects the Pats. Brady is probably the most feared QB in the league, in addition to being the best.

Then how do you explain the Colts who had wider margins of victory during Peyton's 49 TD year than the Patriots had in 2007? Are they as hated too?

Peyton was throwing long passes up by 4 TDs in the 4th quarter. In fact, Peyton played more minutes that year than Brady.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

The Pats have beaten so many teams over the year that is all just jealousy at this point. Worst team to make the SB? Pulz not even close. I can name worse SB champions within the last 10 years including the 2007 Giants. The pats were a top team all season whether people want to admit it or not. Is this the best Pats team? Not even close, but that is just plain foolishness and hating.

 

[TheComeback]

I think everyone respects the Pats, but no one likes the Pats, and it goes outside of just being successful. When the team goes on an "eff you" tour through the league, and their fans proudly proclaim it an "eff you" tour, and your team is getting humiliated during said tour...it leaves a mark.

Fans here would feel the same way about that kind of season. But everyone respects the Pats. Brady is probably the most feared QB in the league, in addition to being the best.

As usual, the haters tell the story backwards so they can pin all the bad stuff on the Patriots.

The Pats went on an "eff you tour" because people accused them of cheating to win three Super Bowls they earned legitimately.

Not to mention it's the NFL, a professional sports league. It's not the offense's job to play defense for the other team, and no one ever complains about running up the score except when the Patriots win a blowout. Man up when a better team beats you.

We got blown out by the Browns last year, and I don't remember anyone whining about Cleveland "running up the score."

PS. our fans say "eff you" because no one ever gives the Pats credit when they win. Just for clarification, I'm talking about other fans, not the media. When the Patriots win, we either got lucky, or we "cheated." How can you be surprised that so many Patriots fans are sore winners, given that every time we win, it's the same story all over again?

Frankly, other fans have earned it. No one but the most intelligent fans of other teams actually 'respects' the Patriots in the sense you're implying. Most of them think Brady is a sissy and a choker, Belichick is a cheater, and all Pats fans are bandwagoners.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

We should (the players) wear all black suits when they go to Indy.

 

[Jackson 2]

WE FINALLY GET TO PLAY IT AGAIN.........

I've been cruising around the web a bit these past few days, and what I'm seeing is almost remarkable. I certainly expected a fair bit of biased favoritism towards the Giants based on the last SB, but I was totally unprepared for level of vitriol aimed at this team. From everything from the link above (which is basically an interview with that moron Eddie George where he out and out says... The Patriots are one of the WORST TEAMS ever to make it to the SB) to that silly NY Post splash page pronouncing the Giant win 2 weeks before the game is played. There are A LOT of other examples out there too.

It's hard to imagine that after a decade of continued excellence (we are always in the hunt even if we don't win), 5 bowl appearances in 11 years, the #1 seed in the AFC on the heels of a 13-3 season that we could legitimately use the "Disrespect Card" to lather this team into a frenzy headed into super bowl to meet a team with a 9-7 record ........ BUT WE CAN.

I know some don't believe in the whole concept of the "bulletin board", but there is no doubt that almost all coaches will try to create that "us against the world" feel in the locker to help jell and build team unity. The whole "nobody believes in us, but we believe in each other" mojo. They would not do it if there was nothing to the concept. The Patriots used it to great effect in the early years 2001..... and the Giants admitted they used it against us in 2007. We long ago lost the ability to play that card, because it get a little harder after sustained success, because it kind of losses it's effect and the material to use gets pretty thin.

Looks like negative national vibe is definitely against us right now (and to a major level too) and I for one in happy as hell about it. I absolutely think that all this negatively will help the team's resolve, particularly coupled with the whole "season dedicated to Myra" thing.

This feels like 2007 all over again........ except we're the team that "can't beat the mighty "opponent" we face. I NEVER liked that feeling of being hailed as the kings prior to victory in 2007 and this position is much more comfortable for me.

It seems to me that the only people who think the Patriots have a chance reside in Las Vegas. Beginning today with SI, it seems that most of the experts are already picking the Giants. I'm not sure that the Patriots should even bother going to Indy to play the game.

 

[sevengables_2207]

I admit to being fairly vexed by all of this hype surrounding the Giants and their quarterback.

The Post cover reminded me of that speech Belichick gave to the team before the Super Bowl matchup against the Eagles, where he informed them that the city of Philadelphia had already organized a victory parade in advance.

Now the "hot" topic amongst the mediots is whether Eli is better than Brady right now, and they point to his stats in the playoffs as proof. Well, sometimes stats do not tell the complete story, and I will not belabor the issue by delving into why that is right now, as this topic written by the OP concerns disrespect.

I agree that there is quite a bit of disrespect out there. A lot of it is seemingly due to the Giants being perceived as the "hotter" team down the stretch, having the quarterback with the better recent postseason "stats", and the fact that the Giants the Patriots earlier this season in week nine and in SB XLII. Well, perception does not equate verity sometimes, especially when the perception comes from the all style and little-to-no substance mediots who unfortunately proliferate the television screens, internet, and airwaves.

I hope the Patriots are using this disrespect as they would have during the early part of last decade. We know many of those players who thrived on this stuff (e.g. Rodney Harrison) are no longer in the locker-room. Perhaps they will band together and display that "us against the world" mentality on Super Sunday that was so forcefully manifest 10 years ago in New Orleans against the Rams.

 

[everlong]

It really is like old times. Everybody is taking the Giants. Tonight on NFLN they gave the Giants the advantage on Defense, no shocker. Then they gave the Giants the edge on offense and I was like OK whatever. Then they gave the Giants the edge in coaching, LOL are you F'IN kidding me?

I'm gaining confidence with every pick against them.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

It really is like old times. Everybody is taking the Giants. Tonight on NFLN they gave the Giants the advantage on Defense, no shocker. Then they gave the Giants the edge on offense and I was like OK whatever. Then they gave the Giants the edge in coaching, LOL are you F'IN kidding me?

I'm gaining confidence with every pick against them.

Saw that. Just odd esp with the coaching pick. Really? Tin Tan over Bill Belichick??

 

[Keyser Söze]

**** New York

 

[roleplayer]

Apparently, David Carr loves our offense:

"It's a quarterback friendly offense, honestly," Carr said. "They've got some good stuff there. The coaching staff is pretty good. They got some good weapons. It's pretty easy to run. Not saying they can go out there and put it on cruise control, but it's a smooth offense."

Scout team preparing Giants for Patriots - Giants Blog - ESPN New York

And here I was, thinking Brady was working pretty hard back there.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Apparently, David Carr loves our offense:

"It's a quarterback friendly offense, honestly," Carr said. "They've got some good stuff there. The coaching staff is pretty good. They got some good weapons. It's pretty easy to run. Not saying they can go out there and put it on cruise control, but it's a smooth offense."

Scout team preparing Giants for Patriots - Giants Blog - ESPN New York

And here I was, thinking Brady was working pretty hard back there.

Which is why every team in the league runs it so well. . . . :bricks:

 

[Dragda]

Was it the Post or the Times that had the headline "18 and OH NO!"?

That was brutal.

 

[PatsBoy12]

The disrespect card is the most overused cliche in sports these days. EVERYBODY plays it, even the NE Patriots. There was a time when NE used it, particularly Rodney, and it was legitimate. People really weren't giving the Patriots any respect. And just like being introduced as a team has become the model, so has the disrespect card.

I just don't buy into it anymore. It will be a hard-fought game that will go back-and-forth until someone either makes a big play, a crucial turnover, or both. These teams are pretty evenly matched in my view. Where one is strong, the other is not so strong. Where one has an advantage in one area, the other has an advantage in another area. Who feels disrespected is going to be irrelevant.

 

[Deus Irae]

The disrespect card is the most overused cliche in sports these days. EVERYBODY plays it, even the NE Patriots. There was a time when NE used it, particularly Rodney, and it was legitimate. People really weren't giving the Patriots any respect. And just like being introduced as a team has become the model, so has the disrespect card.

I just don't buy into it anymore. It will be a hard-fought game that will go back-and-forth until someone either makes a big play, a crucial turnover, or both. These teams are pretty evenly matched in my view. Where one is strong, the other is not so strong. Where one has an advantage in one area, the other has an advantage in another area. Who feels disrespected is going to be irrelevant.

I feel that you're disrespecting the disrespect card.