- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
- Messages
- 26,086
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My wife asked me yesterday if she should renew NFL Sunday Ticket. We've had it for six years here in California, and my Patriots games are my one real "guilty pleasure" since I've given up all other sports to be a provider and father. I told her to hold off, and I'm really, truly considering not doing it, or really, in any way watching the Patriots any more or even clicking on any NFL-based websites.
As much as I have enjoyed the pride that comes with being a Patriots fan, and I've certainly felt that during these last ten years filled with gut wrenching finishes that finally my catharsis had come with their championship, the Deflategate controversy is literally the most disgusting, nauseating thing I have ever seen. Commentors basically say that Goodell is bad, by oh well, Brady's reputation is ruined forever, too bad.
Why exactly did the NFL want me to be a fan again? To take pride in the accomplishments of the players I root for? To believe that I was actually rooting for something legitimate and real? And then, because of some political grudges and bad blood in the NFL office, they do everything they can to make me embarrassed to be a Patriots fan, dreading going to an annual road game with my wife and family, and ashamed to even talk about anything regarding the NFL to anyone who isn't a Patriots fan.
A wise man once said, better to let 10 guilty men walk free than to convict one innocent man. I feel that an entire fan base has taken the brunt of an alleged misdeed. I fully acknowledge, after watching the baseball scandals and basically every athlete lie when they are caught, that there is a possibility that Brady did something. That said, the steps taken by the league to ensure that the FANBASE, the paying customers of one of the largest and most successful franchises in the NFL, also gets treated fairly (since we are an extension of the team) has been the biggest example of a corporation ****ting on its own customers that I have ever seen. I have paid tens of thousands of dollars for the NFL and the Patriots over my lifetime, and the NFL is giving me the finger, basically mocking me as a fan, telling me that my enjoyment isn't worth a damn because they are going to destroy my favorite player (the same one who they've happily sold merchandise for and marketed for years) so that some a-holes in NY can avoid any type of scrutiny.
Football and the Patriots was supposed to be a relaxing past time. Roger Goodell doesn't give a **** if it now stresses me out or causes me more anxiety to follow the Patriots than to work the every day grind of life.
With every penny that I spend, for the Sunday Ticket or other purchases, a fraction of that purchase goes to Roger Goodell. A fraction goes to Ted Wells. To Mike Kensil. To Jeff Pash. To all of the scum bags in the league office who find it amusing that the "evil" Patriots are being brought down with their corrupt system.
I can't support that. It makes me nauseous. My stomach hurts thinking about it. I don't think I can remain a fan of the NFL, as much as I love the Patriots. How can you pay money to a group of corrupt suits who want nothing more than for you to be ashamed and embarrassed for buying into their product?
As much as I have enjoyed the pride that comes with being a Patriots fan, and I've certainly felt that during these last ten years filled with gut wrenching finishes that finally my catharsis had come with their championship, the Deflategate controversy is literally the most disgusting, nauseating thing I have ever seen. Commentors basically say that Goodell is bad, by oh well, Brady's reputation is ruined forever, too bad.
Why exactly did the NFL want me to be a fan again? To take pride in the accomplishments of the players I root for? To believe that I was actually rooting for something legitimate and real? And then, because of some political grudges and bad blood in the NFL office, they do everything they can to make me embarrassed to be a Patriots fan, dreading going to an annual road game with my wife and family, and ashamed to even talk about anything regarding the NFL to anyone who isn't a Patriots fan.
A wise man once said, better to let 10 guilty men walk free than to convict one innocent man. I feel that an entire fan base has taken the brunt of an alleged misdeed. I fully acknowledge, after watching the baseball scandals and basically every athlete lie when they are caught, that there is a possibility that Brady did something. That said, the steps taken by the league to ensure that the FANBASE, the paying customers of one of the largest and most successful franchises in the NFL, also gets treated fairly (since we are an extension of the team) has been the biggest example of a corporation ****ting on its own customers that I have ever seen. I have paid tens of thousands of dollars for the NFL and the Patriots over my lifetime, and the NFL is giving me the finger, basically mocking me as a fan, telling me that my enjoyment isn't worth a damn because they are going to destroy my favorite player (the same one who they've happily sold merchandise for and marketed for years) so that some a-holes in NY can avoid any type of scrutiny.
Football and the Patriots was supposed to be a relaxing past time. Roger Goodell doesn't give a **** if it now stresses me out or causes me more anxiety to follow the Patriots than to work the every day grind of life.
With every penny that I spend, for the Sunday Ticket or other purchases, a fraction of that purchase goes to Roger Goodell. A fraction goes to Ted Wells. To Mike Kensil. To Jeff Pash. To all of the scum bags in the league office who find it amusing that the "evil" Patriots are being brought down with their corrupt system.
I can't support that. It makes me nauseous. My stomach hurts thinking about it. I don't think I can remain a fan of the NFL, as much as I love the Patriots. How can you pay money to a group of corrupt suits who want nothing more than for you to be ashamed and embarrassed for buying into their product?