For the record: This is PatsFans.com

[PATSNUTme]

We do have posters here who claim to be Patriots fans. However, they accuse other posters of being "homers" when people here are enthusiatic about the team or players or when they defend the team, the players, the coaching staff, or the front office.

Perhaps these people don't look at the site that they are logging into. It is called PATSFANS.com.

Lets break that down. Pats = Patriots, Fans = Fanatics. .com = internet site.

I guess that if I logged in to an internet site for Patriots Fanatics, I would expect to run into the majority of the people there to be 'homers", but that's just me.


Are we suppose to be unbiased toward our team, like members of the so called media?

 

[Clonamery]

Are we suppose to be unbiased toward our team, like members of the so called media?

Depends who you are.....

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I thought this was an anti-troll post or something....

You can be a Patriots Fanatic on an internet site and still be objective and rational. Not all fanatics are for sure, but neither is unrelenting pom pom waving a litmus test of true fanaticism.

 

[Welker83]

We do have posters here who claim to be Patriots fans. However, they accuse other posters of being "homers" when people here are enthusiatic about the team or players or when they defend the team, the players, the coaching staff, or the front office.

Perhaps these people don't look at the site that they are logging into. It is called PATSFANS.com.

Lets break that down. Pats = Patriots, Fans = Fanatics. .com = internet site.

I guess that if I logged in to an internet site for Patriots Fanatics, I would expect to run into the majority of the people there to be 'homers", but that's just me.


Are we suppose to be unbiased toward our team, like members of the so called media?

Homer= "Beisel will make the proBowl"

 

[patsox23]

You can be a Patriots Fanatic on an internet site and still be objective and rational. Not all fanatics are for sure, but neither is unrelenting pom pom waving a litmus test of true fanaticism.

EXACTLY. People seem to be having trouble defining "fan." Like criticizing one's country is in a very REAL way "Patriotic," the same goes for following your football team. People who have a problem with over-the-top, baseless nonsense - either for or against the Pats - are perfectly within their rights as "fans" to slam those who sully a great site with their unrelenting cheerleading.

Just because we are honest and grown-up enough to recognize problem areas, and want to discuss this football team with a grip on reality, does not mean we're lesser fans. In fact, it means we're BETTER fans. So please. Take a breath.

 

[Remix 6]

Homer = Harrison is by far the most impact safety in the NFL and no one is close to him!

you gotta be somewhat real and not sound like a dumbass

 

[Clonamery]

unrelenting pom pom waving a litmus test of true fanaticism.

No but it may make a PatsFan still.....

May just be my opinion but the 'objective and rational' part of the Patsfan.com posters (like yourself) is what separates this site from most others.

 

[edgecy]

EXACTLY. People seem to be having trouble defining "fan." Like criticizing one's country is in a very REAL way "Patriotic," the same goes for following your football team. People who have a problem with over-the-top, baseless nonsense - either for or against the Pats - are perfectly within their rights as "fans" to slam those who sully a great site with their unrelenting cheerleading.

Just because we are honest and grown-up enough to recognize problem areas, and want to discuss this football team with a grip on reality, does not mean we're lesser fans. In fact, it means we're BETTER fans. So please. Take a breath.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. Just because someone is realistic about where we are as a team and willing to voice our opinions does not make us lesser fans.

 

[shmessy]

According to my dictionary, "Fan" is not a synonym for "Pollyanna".

 

[PatsRI]

I don't think Nuts point is that we shouldn't have reasoned debate but that if a person is a "fanatic" then they shouldn't be put down because of it. I look at this site the same way I look at those fans when I tailgate before the game. You find those that talk about the game analyticaly and those that scream thier heads off saying how the Pats rule and everyone else sucks. Then there are those that do both (myself included, analytical at the start of the tailgate then crazed as the game approaches.). There are also those that scream at "trolls" at the game and those that are nice to them, same as here. If your a fan, your a fan. Though I'd much rather have someone with the rose colored glasses on then the all too often New England sports fan who sees doom and gloom behind every move by a team.

 

[maxhagen]

Pats 16-0 winning by 3 TDs every game = HOMER

Pats 15-1 Winning by 2 TDs every game they win = objective Patriot Fan

Im a Homer...

 

[Clonamery]

I don't think Nuts point is that we shouldn't have reasoned debate but that if a person is a "fanatic" then they shouldn't be put down because of it. I look at this site the same way I look at those fans when I tailgate before the game. You find those that talk about the game analyticaly and those that scream thier heads off saying how the Pats rule and everyone else sucks. Then there are those that do both (myself included, analytical at the start of the tailgate then crazed as the game approaches.). There are also those that scream at "trolls" at the game and those that are nice to them, same as here. If your a fan, your a fan. Though I'd much rather have someone with the rose colored glasses on then the all too often New England sports fan who sees doom and gloom behind every move by a team.

That's my feeling...it's easier to walk among the Pollyanas of this site (as syrupy as it may be sometimes) than it is to trudge through the Chicken Littles. Either way I hope they find Miguel's page or learn something from one of the more astute posters that bring many of us here....

 

[Dragda]

I don't think Nuts point is that we shouldn't have reasoned debate but that if a person is a "fanatic" then they shouldn't be put down because of it. I look at this site the same way I look at those fans when I tailgate before the game. You find those that talk about the game analyticaly and those that scream thier heads off saying how the Pats rule and everyone else sucks. Then there are those that do both (myself included, analytical at the start of the tailgate then crazed as the game approaches.). There are also those that scream at "trolls" at the game and those that are nice to them, same as here. If your a fan, your a fan. Though I'd much rather have someone with the rose colored glasses on then the all too often New England sports fan who sees doom and gloom behind every move by a team.

Sometimes I may jump on a homer. Sometimes I may jump on a troll. (Primarily I just lurk and let you guys look like idiots or geniuses as the case may be.)

Who cares? It's an anonymous internet forum. Our opinions don't really matter much. It's just a way to pass time. Bring on the trolls and the super-homer. They are what makes life more interesting.

 

[p8ryts]

Yes, analysis is one thing but this doom and gloom is really strange. The team has faced defections every year, plugged in new players, won super bowls and not won super bowls but always a respectable contender. Yet people have been going crazy since the McGinest,Vinatieri, Givens time period. Moaning and groaning about depth. I just don't understand the accusations against Belichick and Pioli like they all of sudden became addled. They are doing what they do every year. Trying to built a cohesive team out of disparate parts.

I have confidence in them and that makes me a homer.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I don't think Nuts point is that we shouldn't have reasoned debate but that if a person is a "fanatic" then they shouldn't be put down because of it. I look at this site the same way I look at those fans when I tailgate before the game. You find those that talk about the game analyticaly and those that scream thier heads off saying how the Pats rule and everyone else sucks. Then there are those that do both (myself included, analytical at the start of the tailgate then crazed as the game approaches.). There are also those that scream at "trolls" at the game and those that are nice to them, same as here. If your a fan, your a fan. Though I'd much rather have someone with the rose colored glasses on then the all too often New England sports fan who sees doom and gloom behind every move by a team.

Exactly the point!

This is not NFLFans.com where you would expect people to have a much broader viewpoint on NFL football and it's team and players.

Sure there are things that we as fanatics should be critical about our team, players, and coaches.

However, there are a small minority of posters here that seem to think that being loyal and giving the team and it's players and coaches the benefit of the doubt is being a "homer", which is code for non objective. There are a small minority of posters who spend their time here second guessing the team at almost every turn. Then when others jump on them they whine that those people are 'homers".

My question is to those people is: what the hell do you expect at a place called Patsfans.com?

 

[checkedout]

I don't think Nuts point is that we shouldn't have reasoned debate but that if a person is a "fanatic" then they shouldn't be put down because of it. I look at this site the same way I look at those fans when I tailgate before the game. You find those that talk about the game analyticaly and those that scream thier heads off saying how the Pats rule and everyone else sucks. Then there are those that do both (myself included, analytical at the start of the tailgate then crazed as the game approaches.). There are also those that scream at "trolls" at the game and those that are nice to them, same as here. If your a fan, your a fan. Though I'd much rather have someone with the rose colored glasses on then the all too often New England sports fan who sees doom and gloom behind every move by a team.

Well said PatsRI. I drank the kool-aid, I also bite my nails and worry about how BB is going to plug a hole. But it's his job and he knows a heck of allot more than I. I'd rather put my trust in the team to come through than worry and second guess them all the time.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

I must be in the minority.. I really enjoy the homers as well as the doom and gloomers. Not quite as much as I enjoy those posters here who are particularly gifted amateur analysts / capologists / etc, but still...

One of the things that first drew me to this particular forum was the variety of personalities, and the freedom with which they all shared their particular flavor of fandom. There's homers, doom & gloomers, astute observers, goofballs, and even some decent non-trolling trolls. Takes all kinds to make a message board go 'round.

 

[PATSNUTme]

There is nothing wrong with being critical of players or coaches when it's call for.

People may not know this, but I'm a big Rodney Harrison fan. Last year in the Carolina game he committed a really stupid penalty. In fact there were a few others who committed dumb penalties.

On this board, I called his grabbing a Carolina players helmet and trying to tear it off, in front of a ref, a very stupid and unexcuseable play that cost the team. That is being critical when it's call for.

What I am talking about on this thread are the handfull of posters who seem to always be critical or second guessing. Then they act shocked and hurt if others jump on them because of that.

 

[spacecrime]

Couldn't have said it any better myself. Just because someone is realistic about where we are as a team and willing to voice our opinions does not make us lesser fans.

It makes you a better analyst of the game of football, but not a fan of a given team.

Fans are not objective. Fans follow a crappy team through the late eighties and early nineties, always believing that this year they will win it all.

Realistic is relative. A fan is optimistic about a rookie's chances. Fans don't look at rookies and say he hasn't shown me anything yet.

It's like a belief. A belief is something you accept without proof. Once you have proof, you no longer need belief. You have facts.

Unbiased (ie, realistic) analysts are not fans, even when they focus their efforts on one team.

An exception, I suppose, is someone who takes pleasure in doom and gloom. Still fanatic about his team, but convinced that new signees will not work out, and players who leave can never be replaced and would have have made the difference. They most respect the abilities of players who leave (they were awesome), while dissing players who stay (they won't amount to much this year).

My two cents.

ps Remember that fan is short for fanatic. Are you fantical about your team? If not, by definition you are not a fan.

 

[SunnyDenmark]

What I am talking about on this thread are the handfull of posters who seem to always be critical or second guessing. Then they act shocked and hurt if others jump on them because of that.

You find all kinds of people here - just like in the real world. Thats what makes the world interesting. The 'always critical ones' -I bet those people are the same in real life. The glass is half-empty people. I bet the troll posters are the ones who like teasing other people to get a rise out of them. I bet the analytical ones are the same when buying a car. And finally the pollyanna ones are those who think Bush is doing a great job.
Edited - Sorry -got away from the point. My point being that tigers do not change their stripes. Peoples attitudes towards the team are a byproduct of their personalities and I bet they have the same attitudes, feelings and anxieties about other things in life besides the Pats. I don't mind either way - I just cant stand when they start calling others on this site morons, idoits or other labels. No reason for name calling.