I'm thinking that fans in my particular age bracket most closely associate Pat Patriot and red uniforms with Rod Rust, **** MacPherson, and blacked out home games.
Have zero desire to relive the "good old days".
That's a miniscule time sample. When several veteran leaders had just retired without being replaced, the Sullivan family's financial house of cards finally came crumbling down and the ownership, front office and coaching ranks were all correspondingly in transition/turmoil, and it was reflected in the team's results on the field. Raymond Berry, who was an excellent head coach except for his unfortunate attachment to Tony Eason, had refused to meet new owner Victor Kiam's demands and was fired. This time period you're referring to, through MacPherson's last game, was, in total,
28 months.
Now, here's the important stuff: The media, particularly locally, heaped hyperbole on the team's woes. Why even more than they had when the Sox, Bruins and Celtics had been in similar circumstances?
Due to Sullivan and the team's homelessness its first eleven seasons, the Pats were established locally, especially in the company of their very successful peers, as the comedy relief. The general public's ignorance, dismissal and
disrespect of them were hugely relevant by the time 1976 arrived: the Patriots finally went through an entire season without major injuries, and although they were the youngest team in the NFL, they had learned to take control of games, against even the best of opponents. The 3-4 defense that Fairbanks & Bullough brought to the NFL was confounding OC's to the point that by the end of the decade practically everyone converted to it.
But the debacle in Oakland reinforced the Pats' reputation as lovable losers-"
that could only happen to the Patriots"-and the Stingley tragedy 20 months later cemented it.
Seven years later, after an appearance in the Stupor Bowl, a mix of veteran holdovers and talented youngsters made it to the Super Bowl...sewing the seeds for the modern-day media local and national hate machine directed at the Patriots. Truth, reality, details, and facts all became speedbumps to be ignored in the crusade to bury the team by any means possible. This Jihad (apologies to Muslims) spread nationally to fans, coaches, players and team owners.
Take a quick look at a sample of other teams' far more ignominious-and longer-stretches:
adopted their logo w/black helmet in '63; Records:
1964: 5-9 1965: 2-12 1966: 5-8-1 1967: 4-9-1 1968: 2-11-1 1969: 1-13 1970: 5-9 1971: 6-8
adopted their logo w/outline on star in '64; Records:
1986: 7-9 1987: 7-8 1988: 3-13 1989: 1-15 1990: 7-9/2000: 5-11 2001: 5-11 2002: 5-11
adpted their logo on helmet in '62; Records:
1973: 5-9 1974: 6-8 1975: 5-9 1976: 8-6 1977: 5-9 1978: 2-14 1979: 2-14
2003: 7-9 2004: 2-14 2005: 4-12 2006: 7-9 2007: 5-11 2008: 7-9
...and those are only the dynasties.
I always had a good time going to the old stadium, but I totally understand folks' frustration in the early nineties. But, amidst all the rumors and speculation, hope was on the horizon. Problem is, founder Billy Sullivan, who loved the team and cared about the fans, had long since been forced out.
It's openly documented how Orthwein totally concurred with his associates'-and the media's-contention that the Patriots were something to be ashamed of. In reality, he exposed himself as a snake oil salesman from St. Louis
who was ready, willing and able to take the franchise back with him. It's not farfetched to surmise that he intentionally made the team look as silly as possible
("made them like a third-rate college program")to turn off as many long time fans/supporters as he could (remember, he made his final bid for purchase in '94). Prior to 2002, you can't take away what Bob Kraft did to keep the team here, and bring stability and security...not to mention the new stadium. You can make a good case that it doesn't matter
what happened afterward, he'll always be the hero who saved the day for us.
But. 2002. There we were. Orthwein, Parcells, Bledsoe and the old stadium were gone for good. We were fresh off our first world championship, with a promising, dedicated and gifted young quarterback and a wise, rumpled, innovative, besweatshirted head coach and a brand new stadium, to become one of the toughest places to win in pro sports. Namely, CMGI Field. Wait a minute, hold on. The dot-com bust swallowed lots of wannabe holdovers from the 90's. Like, uh-huh
yeah. After eight-plus mostly nondescript seasons that was a great time to retire it and restore order, especially when looking at most opposition's dynasties, in which their teams looked and played super.
But no. What is the main reason Defamegate ever occurred? Because Kraft's response to its predecessor, CameraLocationGate, was the opposite of:
"In no way, shape or form do I or the New England Patriots acknowledge any culpablity on our part for the National Football League's miscarriage of judgement and discipline directed at us. There is no substantive basis or rationale for both the league's decision that the Patriots violated any rule, and the insanely excessive penalties imposed on us. Fairness, objectivity, and integrity have no role in the NFL's agenda or behavior."
