Sound article: Maybe they were just better....

From a philly columnist. Has a fair tone and the comment section looks pretty fair too,

"Belichick's starting quarterback has been Tom Brady for 14 seasons. In the seven seasons before the rule change on defensive signals, the Patriots were 86-26. In the seven seasons since, they are 84-28. If Brady has been less effective in his play or Belichick less able to scout the opposition, it hasn't been very apparent."

"Being better is the most unfair advantage of all. That's why people dislike Belichick and the Patriots, and it is totally understandable. Everyone does what he does. He just does it better. Everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to gain an edge. If you let him, he's not the one to blame."

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...edge_on_Eagles_in_Supe__They_were_better.html

The worst part about all this is everyone suspending belief and acting as though no one else is trying to gain an edge. That the Patriots are the only team ever to gain an edge hence making the games unfair. What did the eagles do to gain an edge? What about every other opponent we played. The biggest unfair advantage of all is having the refs slanted against you (COUGH AFCCG 2006, SB 2007)

Belichick is just smarter than other coaches, everything written in both smear stories, mostly lies, even if true would not disturb me as a fan. You play to win the game. This author seems to get it.

To me you cannot cheat in professional sports (aside from steroids I guess, then again almost everyone is on them). Its decided on the field by the players. PERIOD.

Brady2Moss said:

The worst part about all this is everyone suspending belief and acting as though no one else is trying to gain an edge. That the Patriots are the only team ever to gain an edge hence making the games unfair. What did the eagles do to gain an edge? What about every other opponent we played. The biggest unfair advantage of all is having the refs slanted against you (COUGH AFCCG 2006, SB 2007)

Belichick is just smarter than other coaches, everything written in both smear stories, mostly lies, even if true would not disturb me as a fan. You play to win the game. This author seems to get it.

To me you cannot cheat in professional sports (aside from steroids I guess, then again almost everyone is on them). Its decided on the field by the players. PERIOD.

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I ranted something similar a few weeks ago in one of the Brady threads. They're just better. I mean 15 years of sustained excellence? When have we seen that in football before? The Steelers were probably the closest to it and that was decades ago. Most of the current generation knows nothing about that. Whatever. I just won't watch anything in the media and just enjoy the games. I may mute my TV and listen to Zolak call the games. I want to avoid everything else as much as possible.

Honestly, the refs can change the game more than anyone else out there. Fan bases always decry this or that from the refs. But the reality is they have the biggest opportunity to change the outcome of a game. Is it a code red from the league, no. Is it something more subtle from the league like a memo about what to watch for, maybe. The question for me is do I trust this league. Simple answer is no. Used to a little, but now I certainly do not.

Troll the hell out of these losers on twitter and facebook. Their illogical whining- blaming the shortcomings of their own teams on Patriots cheating, is just so much fun.

Some clown wrote an article on SB Nation Raiders pride (seriously) about the Patriots cheating and I agreed that the Pats cheated to get Brady in the 6th round and pointed out how they must have hypnotized Al Davis to pick Jamarcus Russell 1st overall.

Then someone brings up accessory to murder Ray Lewis saying Pats won only because of the tuck rule [3 times, yet].

Let's face it, if you enjoy a good factual troll, you'll never get to shoot fish in a barrell like you will this week.

Don't defend, attack. We have nothing to be ashamed of, quite the contrary. Losers who work less hard and less intelligently, will always need an excuse, so humorously point out why it's their own teams fault that they lose.

Like that Philly writer pointed out, 6 minutes to do the 2 minute drill doesn't cut it.

Shockingly reasonable comments on that Philly board...my world is upside down.

aluminum seats said:

Shockingly reasonable comments on that Philly board...my world is upside down.

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The trolls are still asleep...

There was 2 times when I was 100 percent convinced that the NFL was at the very least pushing an agenda during games; are we really supposed to believe that it was mere coincidence that 2 of their favorite sons (for unknown reasons) actually won the Super Bowl after they had announced their retirement? After watching all of the hype about Bettis and Lewis retiring, I started to think that the best way to guarantee a Super Bowl ring was for an icon to float his retirement early so the NFL would feel like they have a feel good story if he won. Wasn't that Bettis game the won the refs stole from the Seahawks, and the Ravens got away with the most obvious PI in the end zone against The 49ers that I've ever seen which would have won the game.

when you are at the top, everyone wants to take shots at you. thats all this is...people with insecurities trying to justify why their team lost rather than just admitting that the pats have superior coaching and quarterback.

the funniest part of it all was "belicheck gives them warm gatorade!" imagine what wouldve been said about red aurbach? who turned the visitors locker room up to 90 degrees before a game

i find it hilarious that all these teams look under their bed for belicheck like hes some sort of boogeyman. if that is what they are worried about when they come to foxboro then they have already lost.

bring on thursday night when the pats decimate the steelers

That Philly article is pretty typical of recent comments from people here and hopefully a bellweather for the nation. Think of it, Philly is away from both Boston and NY and they have a reason to hate the Pats having beaten them in their only Super Bowl appearance in 35 years...(let that one sink in while we Pats fans complain about being 4-3 in Super Bowls in the last 20 years....)I bumped into a guy who knows I'm a Pats fan (as does most everybody around here) and he finally admitted that " I don't think they did anything with the balls and the league is just out to screw them. Why?" A few other people said the same thing in the last week
Maybe, just maybe the narrative is changing. Florio's crusade is certainly helping until the NFL tells NBC to tone him down or they get crappy games next year.