It's time for the bandwagoners to leave

[MassPats38]

"Fan" connotes passion, and that passion can manifest itself in the positive or negative if directed toward the best interests of the team. If anyone would argue that criticizing the team immediately converts you to "bandwagon" status, then he or she doesn't understand what a fan really is. A bandwagon fan shows up when life is good and leaves when things go south, leapfrogging to the next "best show."

I will give Belichick the benefit of the doubt based on past success, but he is far from beyond all doubt as all decisions in the organization, bad or good, trace back to him. It would take the thickest of rose-colored glasses to say this team has no issues and is right on track for success next season. I am hopeful issues can be addressed, but far from certain. There are plenty of issues, but I have faith the team will take the necessary steps, whatever they may be.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Somewhere between

"BB can do no wrong and must not be questioned"

and

"BB sucks, blow the whole thing up"

lies the place where real fans should find themselves today.

IBBIT = In Bill Belichick I Trust.

I am going to stick with leaning hard towards the first option. While BB is human and thus does make mistakes, I am smart enough to know that he knows more about football than I do or than anyone who posts on this board. Too many fools here think they no more about football than BB, they are the same people who think they know more about teeth than their dentist, or know more about law then their lawyer.

 

[PatsDeb]

Get outta here ya losers!! Let us cry in peace!!

 

[BradyFTW!]

Bandwagon fans and homers are not mutually exclusive. Actually, I'd say that they're barely (if at all) related. Some of the biggest bandwagon fans I've ever met were complete homers right up until they got sick of supporting a team that was no longer winning. And some of the most loyal, diehard fans I've ever seen spent more time criticizing their team than enjoying it.

Basically, this whole assumption that anyone who's criticizing the Pats is a bandwagon fan who should just go and find a new team is misguided on a bunch of levels.

 

[MVPKiller]

I have a friend who loves the Cowboys, when they lost to the Giants in week 2, he demanded they lose every game for the remainder of the season, fire Wade Phillips, trade Romo and draft Tim Tebow. Full disclosure: He is 25 and from what I can tell his parents are NOT related. Now, he is clogging my cell, email and facebook with "COWBOYS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!" etc etc... I don't consider this bandwagon behavior, it may be near psychotic behavior, but not bandwagon, and I think its an example of what is going on here. People deal with losing, and winning in different ways, from the rational to the edge of insanity. I think it is healthy for everyone to have a friend like this, keeps things in perspective. September is less than 9 months away and a new season starts, as it will every year. We WILL get another Lombardi, and it will be sweet as hell when we do.

 

[blackglass3]

No, it's a way of trying to silence any criticism. There's an entire range of fan that falls between "bandwagon" and "homer". They are, in fact, the majority of fans. Most people don't just follow the team during the great times, and most fans are able to admit that the head coach isn't always right, and to discuss the team's failings without becoming apoplectic over the notion that the team is something less than perfect.

No, it's a way of trying to silence ridiculous criticism. For example, you have been pretty critical since Seymour got traded (at least that is when I noticed it). But you're responses and criticisms are often pretty level headed, and even though I don't agree with you I can usually see where you're coming from. You are not one of the people the OP was talking about.

However, there is a lunatic fringe on this board calling for Belichick to retire/be fired and wanting Brady gone since we lost the Super Bowl. This is also the crew that like to say every draft pick is a bust and that our young core of players should be purged for...I don't know, something or another. THESE are the fans the OP was talking about, IMHO.

 

[BradyFTW!]

IBBIT = In Bill Belichick I Trust.

I am going to stick with leaning hard towards the first option. While BB is human and thus does make mistakes, I am smart enough to know that he knows more about football than I do or than anyone who posts on this board. Too many fools here think they no more about football than BB, they are the same people who think they know more about teeth than their dentist, or know more about law then their lawyer.

Argument from authority - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belichick's a football genius. We all recognize this. That doesn't make us incapable of disagreeing with him, or even of being right sometimes when we do.

 

[mgteich]

I agree with your comments, and BTW I'm sure deus knows that I was not referring to him.

No, it's a way of trying to silence ridiculous criticism. For example, you have been pretty critical since Seymour got traded (at least that is when I noticed it). But you're responses and criticisms are often pretty level headed, and even though I don't agree with you I can usually see where you're coming from. You are not one of the people the OP was talking about.

However, there is a lunatic fringe on this board calling for Belichick to retire/be fired and wanting Brady gone since we lost the Super Bowl. This is also the crew that like to say every draft pick is a bust and that our young core of players should be purged for...I don't know, something or another. THESE are the fans the OP was talking about, IMHO.

 

[MassPats38]

Now, he is clogging my cell, email and facebook with "COWBOYS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!" etc etc.

Just keep those reply messages at the ready when Romo implodes at the worst possible time. It is as inevitable as the tides.

 

[Clonamery]

No, it's a way of trying to silence ridiculous criticism. For example, you have been pretty critical since Seymour got traded (at least that is when I noticed it). But you're responses and criticisms are often pretty level headed, and even though I don't agree with you I can usually see where you're coming from. You are not one of the people the OP was talking about.

However, there is a lunatic fringe on this board calling for Belichick to retire/be fired and wanting Brady gone since we lost the Super Bowl. This is also the crew that like to say every draft pick is a bust and that our young core of players should be purged for...I don't know, something or another. THESE are the fans the OP was talking about, IMHO.

Well put about all.

 

[Clonamery]

I have a friend who loves the Cowboys, when they lost to the Giants in week 2, he demanded they lose every game for the remainder of the season, fire Wade Phillips, trade Romo and draft Tim Tebow. Full disclosure: He is 25 and from what I can tell his parents are NOT related. Now, he is clogging my cell, email and facebook with "COWBOYS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!" etc etc... I don't consider this bandwagon behavior, it may be near psychotic behavior, but not bandwagon, and I think its an example of what is going on here. People deal with losing, and winning in different ways, from the rational to the edge of insanity. I think it is healthy for everyone to have a friend like this, keeps things in perspective. September is less than 9 months away and a new season starts, as it will every year. We WILL get another Lombardi, and it will be sweet as hell when we do.

Yup. Post more.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Argument from authority - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belichick's a football genius. We all recognize this. That doesn't make us incapable of disagreeing with him, or even of being right sometimes when we do.

That is true. But if I disagree with BB 10 times, odds are 9 or 10 of those times I am gonna be wrong.

I have a denist I trust, he laid out my options for some work, "I said to him which one would you choose if it was your mouth?" He went to dental school, I once read the back of a package of toothpaste. While it is possible for me to disagree with my denist on something and me be right and him be wrong, the odds of that happening are pretty slim.

Same deal with an auto mechnic I trust.

Same deal with a football coach.

 

[Northcountry]

It's something you argue with your friends over in grade school.

I think it is in the "Flat-leaver" family.

It does sound childish, "I have new friends so I don't like you now"...:cool3: what crap

 

[IcyPatriot]

IBBIT = In Bill Belichick I Trust.

I am going to stick with leaning hard towards the first option. While BB is human and thus does make mistakes, I am smart enough to know that he knows more about football than I do or than anyone who posts on this board. Too many fools here think they no more about football than BB, they are the same people who think they know more about teeth than their dentist, or know more about law then their lawyer.

Yeah .... :ditto: ....... :yeahthat:

Also I will add ... The criticism and the discussion are fine IMO if all the possibilities are laid out and analyzed. Simply saying we should sign Julius Peppers does not cut it for me. Every signing has a team reaction to it ... because players are human.

However, I find myself reading some threads where some fans think we operate in a vacuum. That Bill should outsmart everybody, outdraft everbody ... should hire the best coaches and oh BTW he should know exactly what he is drafting and what he is signing.

He's human ... like the rest of us except he is a genius who also happens to be a football genius. Now take that genius part and translate it to mere mortals known as players. Some above being human and some just below being human. He can't think for them and they have to make split second decisions together - this year they did not make enough decisions together ... oh well ... perhaps next year they will.

Bill is not always going to be right ... but i don't read a thread about him being right for every thread I read about him being wrong. Fans take credit for the good and criticize the bad. Bill could have been an idiot when he selected Vollmer ... but he wasn't. He may have been an idiot when he selected Brace ... and perhaps that's true.

Bill plays the percentages and he plays them well ... we have been a winning team since 2001 ... imagine that because most teams can't. Bill is competing with 31 other organizations who also have bright dedicated people not named Al Davis. He's done okay ... I don't believe I can truthfully criticize him unless I would have made all the right decisions he did.

Most fans on this board couldn't coach a high school team without superior talent and yet they criticize a HOF coach like it's nothing because they bought a jersey or a cap and they pay for the NFL package. Too many here jerk their package too much in these threads ... I only wish my life was as perfect as theirs.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, it's a way of trying to silence ridiculous criticism. For example, you have been pretty critical since Seymour got traded (at least that is when I noticed it). But you're responses and criticisms are often pretty level headed, and even though I don't agree with you I can usually see where you're coming from. You are not one of the people the OP was talking about.

However, there is a lunatic fringe on this board calling for Belichick to retire/be fired and wanting Brady gone since we lost the Super Bowl. This is also the crew that like to say every draft pick is a bust and that our young core of players should be purged for...I don't know, something or another. THESE are the fans the OP was talking about, IMHO.

Mgteich and I have been criticizing BB this season, so I know that simple criticism is not what he intended. That's how his post reads, though. There are the Chicken Littles who go over the top on the "anti-team" side, which is the group he's referring to, just as there are the subset of homers who go over the top in the other direction.

Frankly, both are a pain in the ass when it comes to trying to have a reasoned discussion about the team.

 

[Snarf]

I have read that this game shows "the utter destruction of the patriots". Another poster posted this was one of the best characterizations he has seeen of the patriot situation.

Perhaps bandwagoners can wait a few weeks to decide on which winner to attach themselves to. BTW, don't let the door hit your ***** on the way out.
==================

For the rest of us. let us look forward. We have a division winner that needs help, as all teams do. We are in much better shape than other gret teams at the end of their big runs. Some would argue that we could simply extend this run. So let's look forward.

Hey look! It's the yearly lame-turd "BANDWAGON FANS GO AWAY!" thread.

The one where some self-righteous tard claims that offering suggestions on how to improve a team is somehow ANTI-FAN. That having the passion to care about improving is somehow BANDWAGON. It is so irrational, so illogical, so completely monkey-brained that it's incredible the moderators let it get posted over and over again.

Congratlations, mgteich, for choosing to post this dumb thread this year.

Look forward to next year's version too!

 

[blackglass3]

Mgteich and I have been criticizing BB this season, so I know that simple criticism is not what he intended. That's how his post reads, though. There are the Chicken Littles who go over the top on the "anti-team" side, which is the group he's referring to, just as there are the subset of homers who go over the top in the other direction.

Frankly, both are a pain in the ass when it comes to trying to have a reasoned discussion about the team.

Yes, I agree.

And on an unrelated note to no one in particular, when was 'ass' removed from the naughty word filter?

 

[TriplecHamp]

Bandwagoner- In sports, someone who shamelessly cheers for a particular team not because he likes them or follows them faithfully, but only because that particular team is the "popular" choice or has been or is the top team in their specific sport recently. When that team which bandwagoners follow falls from grace, they gleefully jump on the next teams bandwagon and cheer for that team.