For fans not from NE

Minitron · Feb 9, 2017

Here in Switzerland 99% of the people don't now Football. We watch soccer and Ice Hockey. I didn't know what football was myself until i was 16 years old (6 years ago). I was at a theme park in Germany and they had a newly built New England themed resort. And in front of the Hotel they had a shed with the Flying Elvis painted on it. I loved the logo so i made a picture of it and when i was back home, i started to look around the internet for what it stands for. That way i discovered the Patriots and the sport American Football. I fell in love with the sport and the story of Tom Brady. Since then i watch almost every game (exept TNF) of the Pats and i feel blessed to have witnessed this team win 2 Super Bowls.

Wordsmyth · Feb 9, 2017

WHPats said:
Hey guys

The Pats have a lot of fans who don't, or have never lived, in the NE region. I'm one of them. I grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada then moved to Iowa as a teenager where I went to high school and college, and I now live in South Carolina. I'm a huge Patriots fan.

My story begins at a sporting goods store, I spotted a New England Patriots t-shirt, this was about 1995. I just thought the name and colors were so cool, it's like it called out to me. This was going to be my favorite team.

I started to watch Drew Bledsoe, Curtis Martin, Ben Coates and co. and I owned NFL Quarterback Club '96 for the PC, so I tried to be the Pats whenever I could. But I became a huge fan during the 2001 season. I saw the beginnings of the run with Tom Brady at the helm and I was just hooked for life. I've never been to Massachusetts or any of the New England states, nor am I related to anyone from there, but I feel as part of this team as the fans who've grown up right next door to them. I'd love to go to a game someday and watch and cheer the greatest NFL team in the world with the rest of my fellow Pats fans!

So tell me, if you're a Pats fan not from NE, what's your story? How did you become a fan?

Hey, Brian here from Missouri. I gained respect for the Pats when they overthrew the vaunted St. Louis Lambs. It took a while to fully grasp the uniqueness and awesomeness of this team...but I was fully on board @ the match vs. Filthadelphia.

Cool story: one of my bosses from work wagered that Tommy and crew wouldn't forge on in the post-season . I told him "You're on." After the 36-17 dismantling of the Steelturds, he bought me breakfast at a local restaurant. Kudos to him.

Coriolanus · Feb 9, 2017

I'm Italian. I've never been in Anerica outside New York.
But sick of soccer, the only sport known here, I grew up a Boston Celtics fan. When I started following football, it made sense to root for the team of the same city/region.
Now football is my favorite sport by a mile.

dburgwin · Feb 9, 2017

Another, Canadian from Halifax. NS. As a kid, our cable feed was from Bangor, Maine so in terms of American sports we only received the NE sports scene. Was a Grogan, Russ Francis, Mike Haynes fan. Watched Eason being decimated in 1986 and Desmond Howard kill us in 1997. The Bill Belichick, Tom Brady years have been a pleasure.

PatsFanInLondon · Feb 9, 2017

When I started watching the NFL in the mid 80s I was a bit of a John Elway fan, so became a Broncos fan by default.

That quickly changed when I moved to Boston in 1995 and stayed there for 7 years. My old (lighter blue) Ted Johnson jersey now makes regular appearances at the Wembley/Twickenham games...

SEA_Pat · Feb 9, 2017

I've told my story several times...from Toronto so Buffalo games were often blacked out and the NBC station would show the Patriots. Once Mack Herron joined them from the CFL, they were my team.

There's a lot of Patriot fans in Eastern Canada and Quebec because they get the Patriots as the default AFC team on their American network television. In Toronto, there's similarly a lot of Patriot fans because Toronto people won't generally root for Buffalo since people look down on the place (snobbery). I see more Patriot jerseys (and Steeler jerseys) here than Bills jerseys.

irishfanatic · Feb 9, 2017

Born and raised in Ireland, never lived in America. Starting following the Pats in the Super bowl v The Packers in SB XXX1. Up to that we had very limited TV coverage until Sky Sports came along and started giving regular and superb coverage with a host of live games every week. That coupled with having close relatives all living in Boston had me watching and trying to learn the game at a higher level.

I have travelled to 8 games in Foxboro since 2002 (all W's) and 1 in London and now the Patriots and the game is my Passion in spectator sports.
I get a lot of flak from all my friends as none of them follow, they are all Rugby supporters. P.S. This forum is a fantastic life line and source of information and education from posters who are so knowledgeable about the game I have come to love.
GO PATS

Username · Feb 9, 2017

From the west coast of Ireland. Was a sports mad kid. Uncle lived in Boston in the late 80's through to mid 90s. So when our national broadcaster, we only had two tv channels in those days, showed one hour highlight shows of all the American sports, I always rooted for the Boston teams. Quickly bored of baseball, basketball and hockey, but loved football even though the Patriots sucked.

Seacoast Fan · Feb 9, 2017

Patriot_in_NY said:
Transplanted... Born in CT, lived in RI for a few years, before my pop moved out to NY. My folks were from ME and we used to go back up to ME about 8-10 times a year and spent A good part of the summer there in the 70's. My grandfather (RIP) was a rabid Sox, Bruins, Celts and Pats fan. Would always have the games on, either the radio or TV. My pop and all his brothers were the same way, but back in those days, outside of NE you really couldn't get those games, but I cherished those times. Initially, they were my favorite teams, because they were my grandfather's, my pop and my uncle's teams. As I got older, my love became independent of theirs of course.

Fast forward to the 80's when I got a bit older (was still living in NY), and the Cable sports opened up the NE markets so started being able to follow the teams more. This was during the Celts and Bruins heyday, but still Football, as a sport was my favorite to watch. Wasn't much to cheer about, but I still loved my pats... My grandfather passed away in 1995 and never got to see the current run, but as much as he called the Pats "a bunch of bums", he truly loved them just the same.

I began to follow the team on a more hardcore level once Drew and Parcels (BB) came on board. The rest as they say is history. I've since moved on from NY, and lived for a time in Albuquerque, NM, before moving to Austin about 2 years ago. I have not missed a single game since 2003-04 thanks to the more open access through the web and cable. I "try" to make it up to Foxboro for 1 game a year, but it's gets harder and harder the farther I am away. Joined Patsfans on 1/1/07 as a way to stay more closer to the team.

I may not live there NE area, but I consider myself a very devoted fan. And yup... with every title we win, I still shed a tear or two for my grandfather. He would ave loved these "bunch of bums".

By the way, I researched this point, and if you are a true, lifelong Boston sports fan, regardless of place of birth, you have a right to call any of the teams "a bunch of bums" anytime they really, really piss you off. See, Art XIV, Section 4, subparagragh A:3.14(iii) in the New England Constitution.
A little known corollary is that You also have the right to call the coach or the manager of any one of the four teams a total idiot regardless of the teams's record at the particular time. Id. at 3.21(ix)
So your grandfather was just exercising his legal rights.

Seacoast Fan · Feb 9, 2017

sashasaurav said:
I Came to US in 2005 from india as a student. As a person coming from a place where NFL is never heard off i got hooked on to Baseball. But it was kind of boring (if u are cricket fan) so i moved on to Football and i asked one of our senior what's our team and he said Patriots. The NAME Patriots attracted me .Then i started watching NFL from 2007 season and was depressed with how the season finally ended. Later i became so obsessed with the game that i started reading formations & play calls etc etc . Now i am a Avid NFL fan and Hardcore Patriots fan.

My whole week is messed up if pats loose a game. My wife knows she should not disturb me when the pats are ON.

The biggest routine i have during the pats match is i play fetch with my Dog when pats are on offense. Last Sunday was the first time my Dog said .. I am good , i don't want to play anymore

Wait, a cricket fan thinks baseball is boring? Can't a single cricket match go on for, like, an entire weekend?

PatsFanInLondon · Feb 9, 2017

Seacoast Fan said:
Wait, a cricket fan thinks baseball is boring? Can't a single cricket match go on for, like, an entire weekend?

Test matches (international games) can go on for FIVE DAYS.

I love cricket - have been to India and Australia to watch England, and am a member of Surrey (although I understand that will mean nothing to 99.999% of this board)

Bonkowski · Feb 9, 2017

Well, I am usually a lurker, but I will weigh in on this question. I am fairly new compared to a lot of you. I grew up in South Carolina as a huge college football fan and didn’t really have a pro team to root for. The Panthers didn’t come into existence until I was in high school so I never really connected with them. After a while, work took my wife and I to Boston, and we just fell in love with the city and New England. The 1st NFL game I ever attended was Bruschi’s first game back after his stroke. I have been hooked ever since. We have since relocated to Cincinnati and go to see the Pats when they are around (i.e. Cincy, Pittsburgh, or Cleveland). Our goal is to move back to Boston as soon as the right opportunity presents itself.

PatsFanInVa · Feb 9, 2017

Born in mass, moved to va. Age 6. Sports loyalties were burned in. My brother did the "when in Rome" thing, backed by the fact that Washington made it all the way to the dolphins sacrificial altar in 72-73. Constant crap about NE growing up and in the 80s he thought Washington was a dynasty b/c they won 3 rings widely spaced apart (and were otherwise "meh" contenders.)

Always screwed w me about why anybody would want to be a NE fan.

Now I guess he knows, lives in Framingham and has done this entire run. Last he came here though, 2011 I think, he was relishing the chance to see his skins for once.

Ha ha.

APN · Feb 9, 2017

From Ireland originally, now in the Middle East, got into NFL in general when Channel 4 started showing it back in the 80s. Met a girl from Maine on Study Abroad in Germany in 1998 so started following the Pats then. She's now my wife so it's been a pretty good 19 years on both levels

Edit: and to reiterate what people above have said, this forum is a fantastic lifeline for those of us not in the US, even for those of us who mostly lurk

gatsby47 · Feb 9, 2017

Well I have said before I live in Fredericton New Brunswick. Our feeds for American tv are from Boston. Maine PBS with feeds from Boston, and Detroit. So with the Patriots, because of demand, playing on Thursday, Sunday nights, Mondays and on as well as being the regional game just in case Dallas is playing New York, we get to see all the games on TV. I was born in Southern Ontario in Chatham, and that is 50 miles from Detroit and 65 miles north of Cleveland, and so there were many years on ineptitude to drift in and out of. I was stationed in Barrington NS in 1970 and 71 and listened to the games as the only feeds (during the daytime) that we could get clearly were from Boston and that started it. I watched with interest when I could and counted myself a Patriots fan. I enjoyed the good years, I endured the bad. I moved to Fredericton in 2002 and except for my passion to shovel snow, I love the area. And of course it coincides with the rise of Belichick and Brady and Football became a must be viewing/cheering/ and annoying non Patriot fans. I have developed a terrific Muttley laugh when I hear their mournful cries. Mostly it is "we wuz robbed" and the Pats cheat. Yeah....Yeah neener neener. Go Pats! By the By, My old man was born and raised in Regina,
served with The Regina Rifles in WWII and went in first thing on Juno and happily survived the ordeal for me to tell you about it. He was good guy and we have his name enscribed at Juno Beach on the wall. He loved to yell at the Lions. He was very descriptive!

shmessy · Feb 9, 2017

I thought this was a fascinating take from a British sportswriter who doesn't really follow American football and who attended the Super Bowl - - how he put the experience versus some of the iconic futbol, cricket and rugby championships he has witnessed. it is long, but very worthwhile. The summation part:

".....Yet the New England Patriots comeback against Atlanta Falcons, for sheer individual achievement, is unlike anything I have seen. Brady’s performance was so outstanding that, despite being outplayed for two thirds of the match, nobody could say he didn’t deserve to win. I’m sure I would have found it even more impressive if I had a long history of following NFL, and could further contextualise it. Instead, I was left asking American writers for their frames of reference – the way that mine are Istanbul and Barcelona – and it was when they couldn’t give me any that I began to realise the enormity of what I had just witnessed. And I realise that view won’t be to the liking of the many patriotic sons of dear old Blighty now residing in Marbella or Australia, but that’s how it feels right now. Don’t think me ungrateful, I was privileged to be in Barcelona and Istanbul and, until Sunday, those nights would have been the greatest feats I have witnessed. If you are a Liverpool or Manchester United fan, I completely understand why nothing that ever happens in some random Super Bowl could ever compare. But I’m not. I’m neutral. So the best of all for me, still, is Leicester winning the league last season, but that took place over a period of time, not one night. For finals, as we stand, it’s Houston 2017. Sacrilege for a Brit, I know....."

Read more: MARTIN SAMUEL: Patriots overtake Man United and Liverpool | Daily Mail Online
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GoBlue · Feb 9, 2017

Born in Ohio and live near Ann Arbor. Dad was born and raised in Weston Ma. I've always been a fan of all Boston teams. In my younger days I was a Lions fan but when the Patriots started up I became a fan of both. And being a Uof Mich fan Brady solidified the deal. In the 90's my company kept sending me to Boston to work with a consulting firm off and on for 3 years. What a deal that was.

scott99 · Feb 9, 2017

Great thread, great stories. Mine is kinda different. Born and raised in NYC (Queens), I was first a Jet's fan because of my Dad. Then in 1974 (when I was 12), while watching the weekly NFL Highlight show with my dad, I saw a segment on Mack Herron, the 5'5" running back for the Pats. I was playing Pop Warner football at the time, and I was never the biggest guy, so I liked Herron AND the Pats. I became a fulltime Pat's fan in 1975, got my first Pat's jersey at Christmas in 1976 (Randy Vataha #18), and went to my first Pat's game in Foxboro in 1979 (Pats blew out the Jets 56-3).

So people think I jumped on the bandwagon in like 2001, because I'm from NY, but I was a fan from way back. Went through 26 years of relative mediocrity until 2001 when the Pats became a juggernaut. Lived in San Francisco from 1999-2006, and believe it or not, lots of misplaced north easterners in San Francisco. Saw several Pats and Red Sox hats when I lived out there.

farn · Feb 9, 2017

Southern tip of Nova Scotia. From here, you can listen to sports radio from Boston in your car. So, it was easy to listen and follow the team closely as our CBS affiliate is also from Boston. Been a fan since 2000, which is when I started spending a longer time in the car to get to work. Pleasure to be into it since then.

Many people from Southern NS follow the Red Sox, Pats, Bruins, Celtics (bball to a lesser extent) as we are so close to Boston geographically. My father has followed the Red Sox since Ted Williams' days. My neighbour is a hardcore Bruins fan...

SHOWTIME15 · Feb 9, 2017

I grew up near Danbury CT, but on the NY side of the border. It was definitely Giants territory, but for whatever reason I never latched onto them. Besides, they don't even play in NY. When Parcells took over the team in 1993, I decided that the Patriots were going to be my team. Before that I was just an NFL fan who liked watching the game and admiring certain players.

For all other sports, I am pretty much a NY fan - Knicks (lol) and Rangers. Baseball it's the nationals since I live in DC now.

For fans not from NE

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