Parcells' line about Pats fans being spoiled -- a very popular refrain and one perpetuated by Brady -- is utter BS. Two things are true. One, we're incredibly grateful for the SBs, the golden era that we're still in, the fact that we have a HOF HC/QB combo and that we get to watch relevant football into January of every season. Two, when the Pats lose, and particularly when they don't play well and seem to have been outcoached, it's incredibly disappointing. What do people expect? Pats fans to say "darn, I'm bummed about the loss but I am very appreciative and, in fact, I'm so appreciative that I will not analyze the game or question any plays or decisions?"
Exactamundo. And since the most prominent homers here routinely use the "spoiled fans" theme as substantive argument and claim to be "better" fans than those who tend to be more critical, I'll just say that I take the opposite view: IMO, it makes you less of a fan to keep accepting these losses as just 'part of the salary cap landscape now' and, at the end of the day, respond with "congrats on yet another successfull season--relative to about 28 other franchises!"
We arent fans of the Cowboys or Bills. We're talking about the MF'n New England Patriots here--the team that has set the gold standard for the last decade plus--why?--mainly because of the Krafts, BB and Tom Brady. The bar is set incredibly high and I hope that they or anyone else is NOT okay with lowering it just a bit now.
The minute anyone in this organization concedes that falling short of the ultimate prize isn't necessarily failure, with this team/this ownership/this coach in place, then we can forget about any more titles while Brady is still here.
The Ravens smashed us in the mouth two weeks ago in a hostile environment. The Giants also outplayed us in the 2008 SB. You have to give those teams and their coaches a ton of credit. But as a NE fan, it has to leave a bitter taste in your mouth to see the team routinely come out flat at the worst possible times, to see Tom Brady outplayed by Eli Manning, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez, and to see BB/McD out-coached in elimination games by the likes of Rex, Coughlin, and the dumber Harbaugh brother.
I think it's as much if not more of a coaching issue as a talent issue. To say this team lacked the talent to get it done is absurd. Sorry, but Patricia has been in way over his head thus far. BB is maybe losing a step as well and doesn't need to be worrying about sideline defensive coaching during games. First order of business should be obvious to anyone by now: bring in one Romeo Crennel. Like, really soon before he sets up shop in N.O.