New Mindset On Patriots Is Amazing

[PatsFans.com Article]

Drink it all in, and never expect to see anything like this ever again.

More...

 

[PatsFan#37]

Thank you for your article. Being in my 50's I remember this very well. We were called the patsies,(god I use to hate that),and were the doormat of the league. I really appreciate the Kraft era as we are seeing things we never experienced before, only in dreams. Merry Christmas to you and yours, and Happy Holidays....

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Great Article.......... All stuff I knew (I'm a 40 somthinger), but it's great to reflect back over some of those dark days.

 

[Rawky77]

The moral of the story:

NEVER, EVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM!

To do so means the lessons never learned will have to be once again endured.

 

[Rawky77]

Guys, let us be realistic.

Most here will read this article and pretend they lived through those days, but majority of guys here are 20something know it alls that make little noise at games unless we're scoring.

Gee i never realized we had so many potential ESPN sportscasters pretending to be Pats fans.

 

[Patradomous]

I'm in my 50's and the first Pats game I ever saw was in Fenway Park in 1966 against the Bills.Jack Kemp was QB for the Bills later a US Senator.Pats won 14-7.Jim Nance scored a TD.They were bottom feeders for the next 30 years.
They are now thee franchise in all of sports...its amazing.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

It is a fact that since we are winning so much, we have accumulated more bandwagon fans than even the Cowboys.

I argued with a 15 year old wearing a Brady jersey a couple of weeks ago, asked the kid if he could name five players instrumental in our history and he told me to go screw myself. That's what I'm referencing, pal.

Are you that much of a douche bag that you berated a 15 y/o kid wearing a Brady jersey and quizzed him on the depth oh his Patriot Lore? I'm glad he told screw off. Seriously, that seems a little silly to me.

Next time, try giving the little guy a thumbs up and saying "hope we kick some Giant butt this week, dude". Just cuz they didn't suffer through the dark days with Wilson, Hodson, Millen & co. leading the way, it doesn't give you the right to be a d!ck to them

 

[Patradomous]

[Originally Posted by MRBLAZE
It is a fact that since we are winning so much, we have accumulated more bandwagon fans than even the Cowboys.

I argued with a 15 year old wearing a Brady jersey a couple of weeks ago, asked the kid if he could name five players instrumental in our history and he told me to go screw myself. That's what I'm referencing, pal./QUOTE]

Yeah, Its kind of like in 2004 when you here some kid about 12 saying he has waited all his life for this when the Sox won the WS.

 

[1976pats]

This was an excellent retrospective that just about covers it all. I'm 47 y/o and glad I'm not the only one who remembers the Paterno snub. Whenever I'm watching a Penn State game I remind my Son how Joe Paterno left the Pats at the altar. That having been said, Fairbanks was perfect for the job and Paterno certainly made the right move to stay where he was. I would love to know from one of the Team's historians like Ron Hobson just how close Paterno was to coming here though.

 

[Damien]

Did Super Bowl 28, the 2004 World Series, and Super Bowl 29 all happen within the same year? If so, that's pretty amazing and unprecedented. To think, New England may simultaneously hold the baseball and football titles again and possibly add the nba title to the ledger in June. Boston truly is The City of Champions.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Did Super Bowl 28, the 2004 World Series, and Super Bowl 29 all happen within the same year? If so, that's pretty amazing and unprecedented. To think, New England may simultaneously hold the baseball and football titles again and possibly add the nba title to the ledger in June. Boston truly is The City of Champions.

38 and 39. and no, 39 would have been the next February, or the next late January tops.

 

[patfanmike]

The Patriots were founded by Billy Sullivan, who was barely able to scrounge up $25,000 and hustle it down to the Mercantile Bank & Trust in Dallas to stake his claim to the eighth and final AFL franchise in 1959.

I remember. Back then most of the people in New England followed a team that used to play in New York and now plays in New Jersey. However they still call themselves the New York Giants. It will be good to visit with them this weekend.

I remember reading in a sports paper, way before PFW was even an idea, that Joe Paterno was going to be the next Patriots coach and I thought finally we will have a great coach and a stable program.

I remember when Bill Parcells came and will always be thankful for what he contributed. He brought professionalism and stability for the first time. Something we never had and helped save the franchise.

And we were lucky that Robert Kraft prevented Anheuser-Busch scion Jim Orthwein, who tried and ultimately failed, to move the New England Patriots to St. Louis.

It is interesting to read comments from the current experts and current players who criticize us when we win by 20 points. I have NEVER forgotten getting beaten by San Diego 51-10, by Chicago 46-10 (BEARS TROUNCE PATRIOTS, 46-10, IN SUPER BOWL), the 1-15 and 2-14 seasons, nor the other painful losses. I don't recall any Patriot player or coach ever complaining or whining that the other team was "piling it on".

The TV announcers were quick to point out what goes around comes around at the beginning of the year when were winning and playing football for 60 minutes. Yes, it came around us year after year and now it is coming back to San Diego, and Chicago,and Miami, and Washington, and all of the other teams who couldn't wait to beat us when we were down.

I will never forget Jack Tatum. I truly enjoy beating the team he played for. If you don't know who he is or what role he played in our history, know that he never apologized for what he did.

Thanks Bob George for the article. Its great to be a Patriots Fan. It makes this year doubly sweet !! :rocker:

 

[Pats726]

There is much in the Patriot history of ups and downs..and drama galore...and I really believe that those who lived through those many lean years truly have this all in perspective. The heights of this team to a 15 year old..is more the norm..nad has never experienced the valleys of Rod Rust, MacPherson or many others the Patriots had. GREAT article that puts it all in place.

 

[Flying Fungi]

The Patriots were founded by Billy Sullivan, who was barely able to scrounge up $25,000 and hustle it down to the Mercantile Bank & Trust in Dallas to stake his claim to the eighth and final AFL franchise in 1959.

I remember. Back then most of the people in New England followed a team that used to play in New York and now plays in New Jersey. However they still call themselves the New York Giants. It will be good to visit with them this weekend.

I remember reading in a sports paper, way before PFW was even an idea, that Joe Paterno was going to be the next Patriots coach and I thought finally we will have a great coach and a stable program.

I remember when Bill Parcells came and will always be thankful for what he contributed. He brought professionalism and stability for the first time. Something we never had and helped save the franchise.

And we were lucky that Robert Kraft prevented Anheuser-Busch scion Jim Orthwein, who tried and ultimately failed, to move the New England Patriots to St. Louis.

It is interesting to read comments from the current experts and current players who criticize us when we win by 20 points. I have NEVER forgotten getting beaten by San Diego 51-10, by Chicago 46-10 (BEARS TROUNCE PATRIOTS, 46-10, IN SUPER BOWL), the 1-15 and 2-14 seasons, nor the other painful losses. I don't recall any Patriot player or coach ever complaining or whining that the other team was "piling it on".

The TV announcers were quick to point out what goes around comes around at the beginning of the year when were winning and playing football for 60 minutes. Yes, it came around us year after year and now it is coming back to San Diego, and Chicago,and Miami, and Washington, and all of the other teams who couldn't wait to beat us when we were down.

I will never forget Jack Tatum. I truly enjoy beating the team he played for. If you don't know who he is or what role he played in our history, know that he never apologized for what he did.

Thanks Bob George for the article. Its great to be a Patriots Fan. It makes this year doubly sweet !! :rocker:

good post--sums it up for me as well

 

[abdul7]

Great article. Thanks for posting it. I belong to the 85 Grogan era, and from that AFCCG in Miami onwards. From that game on i became a Patriots fan.

 

[Michigan Dave]

I think it's a great article. I am 27, and can't really relate to the levels of losing most of you older fellas can. My earliest Patriots memories really are of the 1-15 season. I was 10, and the Pats were in the national news for the wrong reasons. I remember my mom considering whether or not it was appropriate for me to wear my Pat Patriot sweatshirt to school during the whole Olsen debacle. But even then, when I really started following the NFL every week, the 92 Pats were bad, but then they hired Parcells the next season, finished with 4 straight wins (knocking my buddy Sean's Dolphins from the playoffs on the last weekend) and then made the playoffs in 1994. I complain the most about the Carroll years, and compared to old times, those weren't all that bad. I think you do yourself a disservice as a fan not to read up on the history of your squad, and learn to have perspective so that times like this can really be enjoyed. A hot topic on this board is people who think that it's better to lose a game v. those who think winning them all gives us the best position to win the Super Bowl. That's a great problem to have.

I can say that each and every game this year I've sat back and enjoyed for what it is. The ride thusfar has been tremendous, and I'm looking forward to where we may be going.

 

[alamo]

I argued with a 15 year old wearing a Brady jersey a couple of weeks ago, asked the kid if he could name five players instrumental in our history and he told me to go screw myself. That's what I'm referencing, pal.

So it's the kid's fault that he wasn't born 80 years earlier like you were?

I would have told you the same thing as he did, and I've been a fan for 35 years.

 

[PatriotsReign]

It is a fact that since we are winning so much, we have accumulated more bandwagon fans than even the Cowboys.

I argued with a 15 year old wearing a Brady jersey a couple of weeks ago, asked the kid if he could name five players instrumental in our history and he told me to go screw myself. That's what I'm referencing, pal.

You don't have to defend yourself Blaze because you're right. Most 20 something fans don't make any noise at Gillette. They're more interested in the party than the game...at least that's what I've seen. But would we be any different if we were in our 20's? We can't take credit or be proud of the fact we were born in the 50's & 60's, nor can we blame the young for being young.

Being a long-time Patriots fan is not something you can be proud of just as there is no shame in being born after 1978. Hell, that would be like telling a 25 year old he knows nothing about snowstorms because we experienced the blizzard of '78!

I guess we should just be grateful we're old....

 

[BionicPatriot]

I, as a young 17 eyar old, must admit. My life as a New England sports fan has seen bad, but mainly good. I was there in 02' when we were 9-7, i witnessed the playoff losses and each one hurt (but man that Colt loss through me in a rage). I've been a Sox fan. I've seen them win two titles when everyone said it was impossible. I've seen them get bashed out of the playoffs. I've followed the Celtics around 02', for years I remember telling my dad the Celtics will get better once Ainge's drafting takes full swing. While the Celtics went up in a different, more unexpected way, it's still nice.

Point is, you people are crazy for holding it against young people for not knowing much. I know a lot more then the common Patriot fan of my age, I can promise that. But I'm one of the very few teens who actually posts on football messageboards. How many actual people on this board are below the age of 30? Not many.

Point is, don't hold it against a freaking 15 year old. Winning is how a lot of fanbses truly fall in love with their franchise. I didnt' start following sports till I was 12, and probably didn't begin to understand them as well until about the time I was 15. I've been called a fair weather fan, but I grew up from family from both south and newton mass., So obviously there is more then winning as reason for my allegiances.

Everytime I read on this team I try to put it into perspective, but I know I can't completely. Folks, this will be a team that in about 20 years (this is all hypothetical ofcourse, IF they can do it) will be remembered when the Patriots are 1-15. We'll laugh and cry talking about how great they once were. And hey, around that time the team will probably have actual issues. If the last two years have proven anything, it's how truly remarkable it is that Belichick keeps this team afloat in a league driven by parity. How many more superbowls do you think the Colts would have? They'd almost be the Pats.

This team has made some crazy history and has been so great they've prevented history. I may not appreciate it all times completely, but I know I'll always be able to remember how good this team has been :]

 

[justinb]

[Originally Posted by MRBLAZE
It is a fact that since we are winning so much, we have accumulated more bandwagon fans than even the Cowboys.

I argued with a 15 year old wearing a Brady jersey a couple of weeks ago, asked the kid if he could name five players instrumental in our history and he told me to go screw myself. That's what I'm referencing, pal./QUOTE]

Yeah, Its kind of like in 2004 when you here some kid about 12 saying he has waited all his life for this when the Sox won the WS.

1. your first problem: you argued with a 15 year old
2. your 2nd problem: he was 8 or 9 when Brady got his 1st start. I'd be impressed if he remembers who David Patten was...
3. . Im 28, and although i know the history quite well, I rememeber more of Hugh Millen and Scott Zolak than I do of Grogan or Eason