Let's hear it for the "homers"

[Ring 6]

I wish someone else would have touched on this since I have Andy on ignore for reasons that have a lot to do with our battles over the offseason. However, it should be pointed out that Andy got drilled over his stances on the 2009 team most of the time in the offseason. Not for the current team. A lot of stuff that's happened with the current team (specifically the defense) has proven some of his arguments about the 2009 team to be false.

However, you are right. Andy was the guy that took the most crap around here.

It wasnt content that caused that, it was your poor attitude.
Nothing in 2010 proved any of my commentary about 2009 wrong.
In 2010, the average ranking of 32 teams is still right in between 16 and 17

 

[jmt57]

One more for the homers:

Credit Check: Time to admit that Patriots are in the driver's seat - WEEI | Jerry Thornton

The Patriots have a sign for the players to see as they leave Gillette and it says:

WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE ...

* Don’t believe or fuel the hype

* Manage expectations

* Ignore the noise

* Speak for yourself


Which is swell. Again, that’s the Patriots Way. It’s what the coach wants, and the policy of permanently shut pie holes has been the mortar in the foundation of a dynasty around here. But if the Patriots were being truly honest, there’d be another sign at the visitor’s entrance:

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

Because that’s how it’s been all season. The bridge in the north end zone has been the gates of Dante’s hell for the rest of the NFL, and I refuse to pretend otherwise. Or to live in fear of the other playoff teams when I (and anyone else who spent the whole Christmas season ignoring their loved ones and watching football) have seen the Patriots prove over and over again they’re the dominant power in the universe.

Considering Thornton is a comedian, he does a better job writing about the Patriots than many of those that actually do that for a living.

If I were a professional, I’d document how every one of those potential opponents … the ones whose approach is supposed to make us tremble in fear … has stumbled badly at some point late in the season. But here are a few examples:

• Pittsburgh not only lost to the Jets in December, in late November the Steelers squeaked out the luckiest win in the NFL this year when Buffalo dropped a game winning pass in the end zone in overtime.

• Green Bay played a Bears team resting up for the bye week and put up 10 points at home.

• Baltimore barely hung on to win on the last play against a hapless Cincinnati team in Week 17.

• Kansas City lost to Oakland by three touchdowns in the last week and has only beaten one playoff team all season: 7-9 Seattle.


All of that makes my case but misses the larger point. As fans, why would any of us, witnessing the rise of the 2010-11 Patriots, want to worry about who matches up well against them or who might beat them? What kind of a way is that to approach the playoffs with them in the midst of this insane, miraculous, unexpected roll?

That works for the coach. The players play along. It’s fine for the media. I’m going with what I see, and it’s a team without equal. The Patriots are walking into the playoffs like Dalton walking into the Double Deuce. Not underestimating their opponents and always expecting the unexpected. But the rest of us in the bar recognize that they’re the best coolers in the business.

Worry about who they might face in the playoffs? I’d rather ask: Which team isn’t terrified of facing them?

 

[DarrylS]

At the onset of the season said that this team was good for 11-13 wins, and 14 wins is a very nice dream...

Throughout the season there were those folks who would intimate that BB did not know what he was doing, did not put the best interest of this team first, did not put the best team on the field, could not manage the O and D responsibilities on and on..

There were threads about the effectiveness of Wilfork, how Mayo was getting too many tackles etc. etc.

Will admit that had some concerns about moving Moss mid season.. but how did that work out??

As we go into the post season, cautiously optimistic, the only reason being is that it is a single elimination tournament.. on any given Sunday.. do I believe that they can go all the way?? yes, but shyt happens.

We have all learned this season is that BB can still do the job, and to retool this team(25) new players from what was initially described as a rebuilding season to a team with the #1 seed in the AFC is nothing short of amazing..

Gloat, gloat, gloat.... in BB I trust.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

(my best tony curtis in spartacus) I'm a homer

 

[condon84]

I think everyone's happy, "homers" and "chicken littles" both, that we went 14-2 and are poised to do some damage in the playoffs. The people who are not are simply not true fans.

As far as posters who are critical being labeled "chicken littles", there are flaws to this team which is okay to discuss in a public forum. That's what forums are for right? There are legit arguments to which this team could be better and I see no reason why they can't be discussed without being chastised as someone who "must know more football about Bill".

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I think you're bucking for PatsNutMe's job.

When did that bum get a job (besides official lock installer on the garden shed)?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: the Thornton article, the biggest point he makes is that this team is the antithesis of the 2007 team in that it's been getting *better* as the season progressed; as has been noted here before, no team has scored more points in the last 8 games of the season, and, moreover, only one has a better differential—plus that span of eight games includes victories over five of the teams now in the playoffs, by an average of 18 points.

 

[mgcolby]

I think everyone's happy, "homers" and "chicken littles" both, that we went 14-2 and are poised to do some damage in the playoffs. The people who are not are simply not true fans.

As far as posters who are critical being labeled "chicken littles", there are flaws to this team which is okay to discuss in a public forum. That's what forums are for right? There are legit arguments to which this team could be better and I see no reason why they can't be discussed without being chastised as someone who "must know more football about Bill".

Discussing shortcomings is not the issue as has been noted by several posters in this thread. The problem occurs when the "chicken littles" point out the Pats flaws and then proceed to state that those flaws completely stop them from competing for a deep playoff run or hell even being able to win the next game. And then rave about how good the (insert team here) and ignore all of that teams flaws.

All 32 teams have flaws, no team is exempt. The Patriots have been better at over coming their flaws than any other team in the league over the past decade.

Then you have all the idiots that start threads after a loss in week 3 as if the season was over right then and there. Again as noted, the game has passed BB by, we should trade Brady now and everyone's favorite "this is the worst defense in the history of the world" etc... that garbage is simply moronic.

 

[Ring 6]

I think everyone's happy, "homers" and "chicken littles" both, that we went 14-2 and are poised to do some damage in the playoffs. The people who are not are simply not true fans.

As far as posters who are critical being labeled "chicken littles", there are flaws to this team which is okay to discuss in a public forum. That's what forums are for right? There are legit arguments to which this team could be better and I see no reason why they can't be discussed without being chastised as someone who "must know more football about Bill".

No one has ever labelled someone discussing flaws openly and reasonably in the forum a Chicken Little.
There are a number of posters who take the most negative approach to every issue. They also dismiss reason and fact if it includes anything positive. With THIS franchise that is ridiculous because so much is positive that it is ridiculous to predict a negative outcome to any decision. If we were the Lions those fans would be reasonable. Unfortunately, they infilitrate the board with the misconception that positive is blind hopefulness without intellectual integrity and negative is just being objective. With THIS organization that is simply backwards.

 

[stcjones]

Very good post....I think you have realists and homers in here with unfortunately, a fairly large population of "the sky is falling" crowd. I am in the realist group...there are some people here that can't find ANY faults with the team or coach......EVERY year, the Pats are going to the Super Bowl baby!!...etc...that gets as maddening as the guys who come on here 2 min into a game after the opponent scores...and "well this one is over!"...etc. You have to look at things RATIONALLY in my opinion...and that's all it is...

Now while I was right about BJGE and am so happy for him....boy was I WRONG about our record (figured 10-6, 9-7 this year).....Never saw our defense gelling as QUICKLY as they have.....Never saw our offense coming together that quickly after moss left.....Yes, I thought moss was holding back our O...and after hearing his meltdown PC....knew he had to go....just didn't think we would have enough offensive "stars" to be contenders. Lastly, dead wrong about Brady. I was one if the folks that thought that he didn't still have that kind of fire in his belly that he used to....hot model wife, hanging out with Hollywood crowd....did he still have that work ethic...incredible burning desire to win? I'll admit I questioned it early on...ill gladly eat that big crow right now! I think now that moss was holding him back...and he was frustrated as hell having to try to get him the ball every down...anyways, glad to discuss things with most of you all....GO Pats!

I've been dismissed off the internets as a huge Boston homer when talking sports, and I actually had money on the Pats going to the Superbowl this year before the regular season.

HOWEVER, one part of this thread I dislike, is over the past few years there have been plenty of blind homers who vilified posters who brought up valid points that are now undeniable, and these blind homers now in some odd way feel vindicated. One example is how Laurence Maroney was not a good running back. Another example is how the defense needed to generate more turnovers through more creative blitzes or jamming receivers, or how about pushing for a more balanced unpredictable offense, which finally arrived this year? Much of the amazing success this season validates what the naysayers (yet Patriot supporters) had been saying - that BJGE can play, that the defense needed better coaching, and that the offense needed to stop being one-dimensional.

Just because Belichick is so great (yet still one man), some homers here lost major credibility by blindly defending every single move, without admitting that most of their debate position wasn't based on their own judgement but simply to defend whatever it was that the team did.

It isn't a big accomplishment to pat yourself on the back for blindly defending every single move while this team hasn't won any rings over the past 6 years. One can acknowledge that Belichick and Brady are as close to perfect at their jobs that we will ever see, while at the same time not having to feel smug over defending past moves that clearly were not correct in retrospect.

.