Here's one guy who I'm glad we won't see anymore when we play the Giants..

[Kontradiction]

We are part of the NE patriots family. We pay the money that makes all you mentioned possible.

You're merely a paying customer. No more and no less. When you purchase a movie ticket or a BluRay, you're technically putting money in the studio's pocket to help finance the project, but you are by no means a part of the production team that actually made that movie. You didn't act in it, direct it, produce it, write it, or cut the film and edit it together in post production. You simply paid money to watch it. It's the same concept here.

 

[AtomicDawg]

I think "WE" got the message.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The "we" thing said by fans as if they were on the team used to be a pet peeve of mine, but I got over it. I never say "we" but I can sympathize. "Fans" is, after all, short for "fanatics" and that implies being somewhat emotionally over-invested in the outcome of a event where we have no control or influence.

 

[Kontradiction]

The twelfth man. The fan.

Lighten up, Francis.

No need for me to lighten up. I tried to make it clear that I was breaking balls before. Then everyone decided they wanted to debate it. In that case? I'm your Huckleberry.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

The "we" thing said by fans as if they were on the team used to be a pet peeve of mine, but I got over it. I never say "we" but I can sympathize. "Fans" is, after all, short for "fanatics" and that implies being somewhat emotionally over-invested in the outcome of a event where we have no control or influence.

Apparently there are some who get confused about the term, fans.

 

[Jackson 2]

No need for me to lighten up. I tried to make it clear that I was breaking balls before. Then everyone decided they wanted to debate it. In that case? I'm your Huckleberry.

Can you loan me a finn???

 

[1960Pats]

Never was someone beloved and then hated in the same city as much as Coughlin. Loved as a Boston College coach and hated as a Giants coach.

Every step of the way I've admired Coughlin, and apparently I'm not alone...

I never hated him, I have to say. Respected the HELL out of him. JMHO.

There are a lot of HCs in the NYJFL that would have been a much worse choice for OUR gut-wrenching loss.

One of the more admirable things that Coughlin did was to play it tough in the 16th game of 2007. The game had no bearing on either team's playoff ranking, but the Giants gave it all they had to make the Pats work for it. Unfortunately for US, that tactic may have helped them win the SB weeks later.

 

[doesntmatter1]

I am pretty sure "we" is correct. I don't know about you, but I singlehandedly willed that Butler int in sb49 lol.

There is a chance we will lose every game if i quit caring, sort of like retiring from the game.

 

[AQPE]

I like Coughlin as a coach and agree the Gints aren't as intimidating with him gone, but the guy that I had nightmares about from "that game" (other than the one play that cannot be forgotten) was Justin Tuck, who Mankins just couldn't handle. Plus at some point we need to admit that in the two most important drives of his career, Goober Junior was pretty damn clutch

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I never hated him, I have to say. Respected the HELL out of him. JMHO.

Always liked him. Simply put, we (no, not sorry) were more than well-equipped to defeat his team in both matchups, but I believe our (still not sorry) coaches were outprepared. When you're getting ready to play a Coughlin-coached team in the big one, you better think like an underdog. The Pats' coaches underestimated him. Not the first or last time, but we (oops, again) fans have the luxury of seeing stuff and processing it-and remembering it-more easily than those guys (better!) in the trenches and on the sidelines...how many times have I screamed "Belichick STILL hasn't learned?!"

Anybody who watched that game* at ND and saw David Gordon's kick go through should have got the message about Tom: this guy's tough.

*including Bud Collins' Uncle Studley, who passed away immediately as the ref put his arms up, "Good"

 

[oldrover]

Plus at some point we need to admit that in the two most important drives of his career, Goober Junior was pretty damn clutch

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

This one might beat it: Belichick with the Giants (in particular his SB defensive game plan in the Buffalo SB which is in the Hall of Fame) loved in New York/New Jersey and now hated there (resigning as the HC of the NYJ and the HC of the NEP.)

BB's respected in NY, and Jets fans regret losing him...as for Giants fans, you know...he just started cheating after putting on a Patriots shirt...

The same way Zeke Mowatt, a well-respected leader and veteran suddenly morphed into a chauvinist, sexually-harassing pervert when he donned a Patriots jersey...

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Guess there was no way the refs were going to call offensive holding either time...

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

We are part of the NE patriots family. We pay the money that makes all you mentioned possible.

Hey man, who busts balls better than KontradictioN? Show him some luuuuuuuuuuv.

That being said, anybody who lives and dies with their team deserves the right to say it.

-got to hurry now, kickoff in thirty minutes and coach hates it when I'm late to the sideline...

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

You're merely a paying customer. No more and no less. When you purchase a movie ticket or a BluRay, you're technically putting money in the studio's pocket to help finance the project, but you are by no means a part of the production team that actually made that movie. You didn't act in it, direct it, produce it, write it, or cut the film and edit it together in post production. You simply paid money to watch it. It's the same concept here.

Of course you're correct.

Us fans though, we got your back. We're on your side. We're rooting for you. We believe in you. And if cheering louder and supporting you in any way we can will help, we're up for it.

So, it's speaking in two different contexts. Man, is everybody gonna make a federal case every time you contribute? Sorry, dude.

 

[Wheelman]

You're merely a paying customer. No more and no less. When you purchase a movie ticket or a BluRay, you're technically putting money in the studio's pocket to help finance the project, but you are by no means a part of the production team that actually made that movie. You didn't act in it, direct it, produce it, write it, or cut the film and edit it together in post production. You simply paid money to watch it. It's the same concept here.

Although you make a good point. The analogy is not perfect. Fans matter in the stadiums to make noise. Obviously foxborough weather plays a bigger part than crowd noise but other stadiums, the crowd noise really helps. If it weren't for the donkeys fans, no silent snap count needed. We win that game!

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I am pretty sure "we" is correct. I don't know about you, but I singlehandedly willed that Butler int in sb49 lol.

There is a chance we will lose every game if i quit caring, sort of like retiring from the game.

This in fact is real.

I took several specific, self-sacrificing steps to see and follow the team for the '14 season, mainly because I was just so aghast at that terrible disaster in Denver the previous January...it all worked out in the end.

Last season, somehow the team didn't pace themselves...still came within inches, though. Frustrating.

When BB elected to go for it, within FG range, I could only think of Grady Little.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

The "we" thing said by fans as if they were on the team used to be a pet peeve of mine, but I got over it. I never say "we" but I can sympathize. "Fans" is, after all, short for "fanatics" and that implies being somewhat emotionally over-invested in the outcome of a event where we have no control or influence.

That'd be me.

Just can't stand NE Giants fans. Oh, but Huff, Summerall, Gifford, Rote, Conerly, Grier...
Please move to New York.

December 28, 1958: OK, so this game was historic in TV ratings. Whatever, go Colts.

April 9, 1959: Celtics win their second title in three years.

November 22, 1959: Boston awarded last spot in original AFL.


Too many ways to list how Patriots were special, different. The three other local pro teams had each already won multiple titles. Not to mention a home residence.

Had a real shot at playing in the inaugural AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

January 26, 1973: It was the hiring of Chuck Fairbanks from Oklahoma that elevated us to serious competitors, peaking in 1976 when we had the best team in the league.

But, into the early 90's, lifetime Pats fans had to wonder if we would ever win a title.

January 26, 1997: That conversation between BB and RK on the plane ride home in the wee hours after the game planted the seeds for, well, this today.

We'll take it. But, feels like there's still some unfinished business...

 

[TBR]

It's just easier to use "we" instead of "the Patriots".

 

[Jlaff]

I have to sadly agree with Kontradiction that there isn't a lot of "we" to watching sports.

Not to take just any opportunity to bash Kraft, but he made it very clear to me that this wasn't a "we" proposition when he decided not to grow a backbone during deflategate. When he couldn't be bothered to even utilize his right to appeal, or when he was too scared to bring a collateral legal action, I realized I was too invested. Too invested for an owner who wasn't invested in the same way.

I realized that the fan outrage didn't mean anything. It's his team, fine he can do what he wants. But that just further emphasizes it all - HIS team, not ours. Certainly not f****** "we". Because if it was, Kraft would have recognized a duty to the fans to fight as hard as they did. He would have recognized a duty to continue the fight by exhausting every option available to them, in the same way Patriots fans exhausted every option open to them - flooding message boards, twitter, ffs how many SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS did we see? Palm Beach Pat's Fan was even lobbying Peter King over it all! And all of it professing what a sham the whole thing was. That's what you would do if you're part of a team; everyone gives full effort and it's expected. The expectation is imposed by your team mates and your desire not to let them down, if out of nothing more than shame alone, because they are giving full effort and know you expect it out of them too. For Kraft there was no shame in letting the "team" down, because there was no "we".