Inside the Pylon - America's Team?

[QuantumMechanic]

Dunno how I missed this at the time.

Learning. Discipline. Loyalty. Hard work.

To the extent, then, that the Patriots so effectively embody these traits so widely revered as key components to the vision of what makes America great, the team should be revered.

And yet the team is vilified despite its success. To me, that signals something very disturbing in America: People can’t believe the Patriots can be that good. Which is to say: They don’t believe the virtues enumerated above actually work.

Instead, it is believed that the Patriots are cheaters. This fact disturbs me.

America refuses to believe that these virtues can actually lead to the kind of success we’ve seen.

America's Team? - Inside The Pylon

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Dunno how I missed this at the time.



America's Team? - Inside The Pylon

The New England Patriots SHOULD be America's Team.

They are not because:

1. Robert Kraft embraced the NFL, James Busch Orthwein's insulting makeover and the local media, national media and league's ignorant, false diatribe through 1993 that the team was "an embarrassment, humiliation", and "damaged the league". If Tom Brady knew all the facts about this (and he does not), he'd be pissed. The organization shields him from older alumni as though Billy Sullivan were a serial child molester.

2. Robert Kraft spent the previous seven months totally acquiescing to (again) the league, national media and local media's false determination that the Patriots broke rules, committed any sort of violation, and not only were worthy of discipline, were punished as though they committed bloody murder; AND along with being labeled cheaters, the team endured national public disparagement, personal insults from their Super Bowl opponent, a whopping libelous preposterous printed story in a local newspaper and lost an historic championship season when officials refused to call holding---and then, on April 1, 2008...tearfully apologized to his fellow league owners and coaches, planting the seed for the next abomination of a witch hunt seven years later.

3. Robert Kraft, the same year, established a nomination committee consisting of ignorant, stupid, racist, morons including members of the the same anti-Patriots local media to select three candidates, with the winner of an Internet Bledsoe/flying elvis-loving fakefan vote being enshrined into the team's supposed Hall of Fame, reinforcing the myth that the franchise had no superstars or winning history prior to 1993.


It should be noted that Robert Kraft bought the stadium property and refused to break the lease, paid a fortune to buy the team and after leveraging Hartford, kept the team in the Boston area, and hired Bill Belichick, thus creating the great sports dynasty of this century, not only by winning but how they win, and how they conduct themselves off the field.

So, if Kraft would very simply pull his head out of his ass, and stop bending over for the league, and take a second out of his life to stop hating and resenting the prior ownership without whom the franchise never would have existed, and take that second to consider the people of New England and the players, coaches, staff, families and real fans of the team over many generations, he can take some easy steps to not only establish the Patriots' real reputation which he claims to care about, but profits from the team's merchandising and promotions would triple by 2020. He likes money at least, right? How about climbing up that Forbes' list a bit higher?

 

[jmt57]

Dunno how I missed this at the time.

America's Team? - Inside The Pylon

Thanks for the link, that was great.

For those that didn't read the full article, at the end there was a link to another great column by the same author that I would highly recommend.

This one dissects the so-called 'trick plays' involving eligible/ineligible receivers in the playoff comeback against the Ravens two years ago, with very detailed explanations and diagrammed video clips.

Reporting As Ineligible: An Appreciation | Inside the Pylon

 

[Wheelman]

The key point of this article. The author thought the pats were going to lose and went to sleep.

 

[nabwong]

The Jim Brown comment that was linked is also awesome.

"Let me tell you about someone I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern times--financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland [where Belichick coached the Browns from 1991 to '95]. He's put up money. He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing."

 

[PrairiePat]

The key point of this article. The author thought the pats were going to lose and went to sleep.

Lol, did you actually -read- the article?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

The Jim Brown comment that was linked is also awesome.

"Let me tell you about someone I do admire. Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has contributed more to the work I surround myself with than any black athlete in modern times--financially, intellectually, every way. He's been in the prisons with me. He's met gang members in my home; he's met gang members in Cleveland [where Belichick coached the Browns from 1991 to '95]. He's put up money. He's opened up areas of education for us very quietly and very strongly. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan did the same thing."

Knew nothing about this, good on him.

We all know the "yeah but"s of this.

The cowboys could have their drug addicts etc., didn't matter. Last time Dallas was really called "americas team" was a generation ago if u mean the 90s and 2 generations is u mean roger the dodger (staubach)

We're in a new era - tons of cas. Fans, "mr. integrity" at commish, and the "rollerball" theory of parity.

Thru tagliabue it was reasonable to think that the league's thumb on the scale was limited to the draft order. HA.

The new normal became punishing excellence. To do it, you have a vastly more advanced media landscape, but it's league-controlled media. If this were politics we'd be talking Pravda c. 1980.

Of COURSE the Pats are the enemy of the people not Americas Team.

 

[Nikolai]

Dunno how I missed this at the time.



America's Team? - Inside The Pylon

Great article and this hits on something I've been saying for a while; America's problem with success speaks to some deeper and more disturbing problems beneath the surface. Somehow, Americans are conditioned to think like losers now.

 

[Wheelman]

Lol, did you actually -read- the article?

yes I actually read the entire article. Not just the part he pretends to convince us that he never gave up on the Patriots before he tells you the truth right at the end...

And so, in the third quarter, even thinking I saw no way for the Patriots to win, something that should have had me in fits and stressed and upset …

I mean I suppose you're right, the key point I took from the article is how some fans may use a sports team as their sole source of self-respect, self-worth and validation for themselves.

But man, what a quitter! That's all I can really say about all that!

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

The key point of this article. The author thought the pats were going to lose and went to sleep.

I agree with you. I know we as Pats fans expect to win because of our excellence. But this guy plays the role of Pats diehard. Has good literary skills. But lacks what members on this board live by.

Though shall never give up on this Great franchise
Though shall never fall asleep during a Patriots game
Though shall never just forget to watch a playoff game
Though shall never forgive Ray Lewis for killing a man
And
if for some reason I am in a coma and awake
Though shall immediately check the score and watch the highlights

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Nik you're in the area now right?

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Knew nothing about this, good on him.

We all know the "yeah but"s of this.

The cowboys could have their drug addicts etc., didn't matter. Last time Dallas was really called "americas team" was a generation ago if u mean the 90s and 2 generations is u mean roger the dodger (staubach)

We're in a new era - tons of cas. Fans, "mr. integrity" at commish, and the "rollerball" theory of parity.

Thru tagliabue it was reasonable to think that the league's thumb on the scale was limited to the draft order. HA.

The new normal became punishing excellence. To do it, you have a vastly more advanced media landscape, but it's league-controlled media. If this were politics we'd be talking Pravda c. 1980.

Of COURSE the Pats are the enemy of the people not Americas Team.

Must disagree.

Tagliabue, after cowardly covering his worthless league's ass when a disturbed fake victim accused several African-American players of "rape", and punishing them and declaring that the Patriots "damaged the league"[just like his protoge/successor R.G.], did not punish 'excellence' when the Broncos 'won' in their fifth and sixth Super Bowl appearances by cheating; rather he slapped them on the wrist and virtually no one knows about it. This, after assigning one of their own to purchase the Patriots solely with the intention of moving the franchise to St. Louis.

The national media blindly follows local Boston media's lead in dumping on the Patriots whenever possible. Meanwhile, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Broncos etc. all get free passes from the league-while winning.

Nothing.
New.
Here.

The league is consistently anti-Patriots as it has been since the merger; and people (including Kraft) are consistently ignorant and stupid about it.

 

[BlueThunder]

The league is consistently anti-Patriot as it has been since the merger.......

Pats fans really don't GAFF what the league or other fans think......

They just sit back and enjoy the dynasty that Kraft, BB and Brady have created in this century.........with no foreseeable end in sight......

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Classic *****ing

 

[neuronet]

The key point of this article. The author thought the pats were going to lose and went to sleep.

Confabulation after pulling a Wahlberg.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The New England Patriots SHOULD be America's Team.

They are not because:

1. Robert Kraft embraced the NFL, James Busch Orthwein's insulting makeover and the local media, national media and league's ignorant, false diatribe through 1993 that the team was "an embarrassment, humiliation", and "damaged the league". If Tom Brady knew all the facts about this (and he does not), he'd be pissed. The organization shields him from older alumni as though Billy Sullivan were a serial child molester.

2. Robert Kraft spent the previous seven months totally acquiescing to (again) the league, national media and local media's false determination that the Patriots broke rules, committed any sort of violation, and not only were worthy of discipline, were punished as though they committed bloody murder; AND along with being labeled cheaters, the team endured national public disparagement, personal insults from their Super Bowl opponent, a whopping libelous preposterous printed story in a local newspaper and lost an historic championship season when officials refused to call holding---and then, on April 1, 2008...tearfully apologized to his fellow league owners and coaches, planting the seed for the next abomination of a witch hunt seven years later.

3. Robert Kraft, the same year, established a nomination committee consisting of ignorant, stupid, racist, morons including members of the the same anti-Patriots local media to select three candidates, with the winner of an Internet Bledsoe/flying elvis-loving fakefan vote being enshrined into the team's supposed Hall of Fame, reinforcing the myth that the franchise had no superstars or winning history prior to 1993.


It should be noted that Robert Kraft bought the stadium property and refused to break the lease, paid a fortune to buy the team and after leveraging Hartford, kept the team in the Boston area, and hired Bill Belichick, thus creating the great sports dynasty of this century, not only by winning but how they win, and how they conduct themselves off the field.

So, if Kraft would very simply pull his head out of his ass, and stop bending over for the league, and take a second out of his life to stop hating and resenting the prior ownership without whom the franchise never would have existed, and take that second to consider the people of New England and the players, coaches, staff, families and real fans of the team over many generations, he can take some easy steps to not only establish the Patriots' real reputation which he claims to care about, but profits from the team's merchandising and promotions would triple by 2020. He likes money at least, right? How about climbing up that Forbes' list a bit higher?

Typical ******** !!!

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

some fans may use a sports team as their sole source of self-respect, self-worth and validation for themselves

 

[JJC]

Great article and this hits on something I've been saying for a while; America's problem with success speaks to some deeper and more disturbing problems beneath the surface. Somehow, Americans are conditioned to think like losers now.

Too true. I remember during the Cold War, someone told me the difference between America and the Soviet Union was this: In America, we look at the successful and ask, "how can I achieve the same success?". In the Soviet Union, the people look at the successful (corrupt?) and ask, "how can we cut them down to size?". It seems that our conventional wisdom is now more aligned with the Soviet mentality, than with the American mentality of 40 years ago.

I did read a compelling explanation for it, though. Those bastards at CERN have been trying to make a black hole. In their tinkering around, they somehow bumped us into a parallel universe where things are somewhat inside out!

 

[1960Pats]

I would just be totally bummed out if they ever totally replaced thisand if they did it'd be for no good reason

They already replaced it ...

 

[BlueThunder]

It should have been flying upside down under our last CIC......