BradyManny
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2006
- Messages
- 11,103
- Reaction score
- 1,520
I'm not going to go as far as to say the Patriots "get no respect" like Rodney would, as there is a faction of sportswriters, columinsts, etc. who are diehard Pats supporters and truly believe in them (my main man Phill Simms!).
However, there is undeniably an equal if not larger faction of commentators who seem to get off at the notion of putting down the New England Patriots. I'm not going to name names, b/c we know them all, local and national.
I'm curious as to what reasons people can come up with for this illogical and clear anti-Patriots bias present in a decently sized faction of the sporting media. I've recently conjured up one potential theory...
This was really brought to light by the Deion Branch thing, but every former NFL player was suddenly calling out Belichick and the Krafts. It underscored a larger issue - the Branch business was just one example among many of the Patriots way of doing business, a way of doing business that while beneficial to the team and helps maintain their dynasty also has the tendency to piss of players who want to get their (over)payday. NFL commentators - perhaps even more than other sports - is dominated by past-players. These players turned analysts hate the fact that Belichick and gang can replace players so well and so efficiently - the last things athelets want to think of themselves is replaceable and not worth their large salaries. Essentially, the Patriots must piss off these former players, and the only way they can express their distaste is to deride the Pats, continually doubt them, claim that their so-called disloyalty to players will come back and bite them in the rear.
That's the best I can come up with to explain the anti-Pats group. I'd love to hear some other thoughts.
However, there is undeniably an equal if not larger faction of commentators who seem to get off at the notion of putting down the New England Patriots. I'm not going to name names, b/c we know them all, local and national.
I'm curious as to what reasons people can come up with for this illogical and clear anti-Patriots bias present in a decently sized faction of the sporting media. I've recently conjured up one potential theory...
This was really brought to light by the Deion Branch thing, but every former NFL player was suddenly calling out Belichick and the Krafts. It underscored a larger issue - the Branch business was just one example among many of the Patriots way of doing business, a way of doing business that while beneficial to the team and helps maintain their dynasty also has the tendency to piss of players who want to get their (over)payday. NFL commentators - perhaps even more than other sports - is dominated by past-players. These players turned analysts hate the fact that Belichick and gang can replace players so well and so efficiently - the last things athelets want to think of themselves is replaceable and not worth their large salaries. Essentially, the Patriots must piss off these former players, and the only way they can express their distaste is to deride the Pats, continually doubt them, claim that their so-called disloyalty to players will come back and bite them in the rear.
That's the best I can come up with to explain the anti-Pats group. I'd love to hear some other thoughts.
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