I will forever be completely astnished at the level of disrespect the Patriots have gotten from both the league and the six boroughs of New York Jersey since the 1996 season. As The Greatest said, it's as if our success is punitive to theirs. How was the tampering that the Jets did with Parcells not punished? And they were rewarded Curtis Martin on top of it! That tampering makes the Revis tampering look mild in comparison.
It really makes sense, the more you think about it. They can scream 1918 all day long, yet we can't get to a bunch of AFC title games without the whistle being blown.
Honest questions; Do you think Mangini would have ratted BB out for Spygate if he was say, the coach for the Jaguars? Or the Bears? Packers?
Do you think Deflategate was possible without Kensil's prior approval to go ahead with it? I understand that he probably had to be at the game, however, he was quite available when the ball was intercepted.
Now, comparing our "scandals" to this, and how the league is treating it, I actually do wonder if Tags would have made a difference. Think about it, he didn't do **** to the Jets for tampering with Parcells during ****ing Superbowl Week, and he let LT get away with absolute murder. I believe the league has been corrupt for a longer time than we think, and it has always been focused on the success of the New York franchises.
As much as the New Yorkers want to laugh at us for "being jealous" for their sports success across all disciplines, how have they historically responded to ours? I don't feel ashamed to say it, New York has an Inferiority Complex when it comes to New England sports. Our wins are sexier than theirs. 2001 meant more to us (and the country at the time) than any Giant or Jet win at that time. 2004 Sox? Yankee fans have nothing on that moment. Bruins? Celtics? A complete washout for the Boston teams.
And that's why I keep watching the Pats, because I know that BB and TB feel the same way I do. It's time to leave those M-Fer's in the dust. BB is one of us. TB is one of us. Everyone they bring aboard, becomes one of us. Jules, Hightower, Z, Pierce, Garnett, Ortiz, Gronk. It crosses over the sports boundary. Bill talked to Doc, Bill talked to Terry, Brad talked to Bill, Bill talks to anyone that will listen.
What bothers me the most is the fact that this man, our coach, Bill Belichick is so reviled in this league, that the other coaches don't even see him for who he is. He was winning Super Bowls before they were even born. He was studying game tape as child. His Father fought for his country, for the same Freedom that Molly Brown wishes for. Yet it's Bill, against the NFl landscape he helped develop, waiting for an approval that may never come. I could never imagine being in his position professionally, knowing more than anyone, and nobody wanting to have just a piece of it.
So, **** the league, **** the narrow minded coaches the league promotes, and **** everything about you, NFL.
I want Number 5, for BB, TB and all of the longtime Pats fans that have taken **** from New York since 1996.