Who Was A Fan During The Dark Years

[Foxypats]

I became a fan in 92 when an ex was a Patriot fan. He taught me about football and I started rooting from them because of him and have been hooked ever since .

 

[mgteich]

1980 for me.

There seems to be 3 groups: 1977 and before, after Kraft came, the vast desolation in between.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Lifelong Boston sports fan. Grew up 5 minutes from the garden.


Last night was not bad at all.

Thats actually what 2 good teams look like in todays NFL.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Started following the Pats as a teen in '84, so I got lucky with the SB run the following year and the exciting seasons through '88. Then the defensive injuries in the '89 preseason and Eason/Grogan being pretty much done by then started the downfall. In Rod we tRust in '90...sheesh! Syracuse's **** MacPherson and QB Hugh Millen seemed to provide a spark of hope in '91, but then the bottom fell out (again) in '92. Orthwein buying the team, then hiring Parcells and drafting Bledsoe got the excitement going...when we weren't thinking of the team going to St. Louis. '93 had the great December including playing spoiler to Miami's playoff berth in the finale, which got us to Kraft and "He's Arrived!" Bledsoe in '94 and the rest is history.

Regards,
Chris

 

[scott99]

Fan since '71. Earliest memories were of Plunkett and Vataha, and shortly afterwards those strong 70's teams with Haynes, Francis, Hannah, Grogan and Cunningham. And dont forget Mini Mack Herron who gave us a lot of excitement in some middling years.

My first Pat's jersey was a Vataha jersey I got for Christmas in 1976. I give my mom credit, tough to find Patriot's jerseys in NY back in 1976.

 

[Tony2046]

I don't know exactly when I was a true Pats fan. I grew up in the military and then joined myself so was rarely in NE but my father was born and raised in NH and was a Patriots fan so my brother and I always rooted for the Pats from that sense but they were rarely on TV back in the 70's and 80's. Being a military brat offered some unique challenges such as determining the answers to "where are you from?" and "who is your favorite team?" because we were always moving and living in different parts of the country/world. Some brats would default to their dad's or mom's hometown or favorite team while others would choose a team that was most visible and a place they had lived in the longest or liked the most. Most of the kids I hung around chose two teams, one NFC and one AFC to root for. I chose the Pats and the Cowboys (and chose my father's hometown as my own although I had never lived there but it was where my family roots were. )

I remember watching a few Patriots games with my father back in 1972? on a black and white TV while living in Germany. Can't remember the score or the game but only that my Dad was elated that the Pats were being shown that week. Also remember watching and reading about the Pats in 85 and watching the SB on TV in England. I remember that game and remember delusionally thinking they still had a shot after halftime.

I moved back to NE in 1994 and have been watching the Pats every week since. Still have a soft spot for the Cowboys but any devotion I had for them died when they fired Landry although I did enjoy their SB runs in the 90's.

Red Sox is another story. Was easier to follow them and have always been a fan. They were more visible nationally than the Pats. And it wasn't until recently that I would have chosen the Pats over the Sox.

 

[mosi]

What are the Dark years? Late 80's to early 90's? Early 80's? Early 70's?

 

[102 Pat]

I've been a fan since 97, I never went home on the weekends when I was in college and the Pats games were always on TV. Did last night's loss suck? Hell yes! It made me stop and think just how lucky we are as Pats fans to always be in contention year in and year out.

I'm paraphrasing something from PatsPropaganda blog about last nights game when he said something to the effect of no matter how bad the team played, Brady still had them in position with a chance to tie the game, it's so true.

I see why I get mad at the negative nancy's on here at times, it makes me wonder if they realize how good they have it.

 

[PatsDeb]

That's why one took those minichairs to the game.

You had to stake out your "butt space," particularly in the winter when everybody was bundled up. I do miss the days of being the only one in the ladies room at half time

 

[anditsgood]

What are the Dark years? Late 80's to early 90's? Early 80's? Early 70's?

for the younger pats fans, 05-13....

 

[jagkho]

Been a fan since '71 and have seen it all.. In the rain versus Houston, no in a monsoon where they lost 6-0 on a fumbled punt returned and took a date to a Pats game in '81 and took my kids to multiple games in '07, opening day in the Meadowlands and weeks 16 at Gillette and week 17 versus NYG to cap 16-0...... Was in Glendale for SB49 at the urging of my wife ( "you don't know if they'll get back there- Look at Det and Buf" so I went)
Windsor's TD was one of the gutsiest plays I have ever seen. He knew he had to score or they lost and he willed himself over the line, torn knee and all............would love to see the video if it's available.. Having seen the bad, I enjoy the good.....

That Windsor play was unbelievable. What is more, I think that was the last play of his career --- he tore his knee to get the win and that was it for him.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Became a fan in 1960...held season tickets in old Schaefer Stadium in the 70's and 80's. Lived the life of a diehard, hard core Patriot fan with 50 or so other people...Lot 17...Section 206. Saw a lot of horrible football games. Never ever had a bad day tailgating with the group. We made every Sunday a gustatory event.And the beer? Ice cold kegs and kegs of just about every damn brew that was around.

Kraft ruined everything by buying the lots ,paving them over, slotting parking spots and essentially doing away with the tribal atmosphere. Life is change and yes, all this winning has been a lot of fun. I still miss the old underdog days though.

Yeah, it made the drive totally worth it, man. Well, it would be nice if we could sit down and have a cordial, friendly conversation with Robert Kraft.

Or, we gotta get some dough and buy the team. I'm sorry, but Robert just does not act like a former season ticket holder. He doesn't.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

A fan from the beginning. I see quite a few came in for '76. That team was awesome. That year was the most fun I've had as a Pats fan - well, except for the end. Good stuff since then, but nothing like that. Maybe I'm jaded in my dotage.

It was more than special, it was historic. Our nation's bicentennial. We could see it coming since Fairbanks arrived. So many great players, coaches and fans, so many things and accomplishments to be proud of, and this is the team's identity, New England's team. Nothing can change that.

Kraft just went along with Pats-haters intention to erase us.

Instead of stuffing his ego, and bringing us along into the future.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

That Windsor play was unbelievable. What is more, I think that was the last play of his career --- he tore his knee to get the win and that was it for him.

I will never forget that play and that game. Talk about a signature moment.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

That Windsor play was unbelievable. What is more, I think that was the last play of his career --- he tore his knee to get the win and that was it for him.

Yeah, he came back in '75 but that was it. Bob'll be 74 in December.

I'll tell you, I wouldn't trade rooting for the Pats for twenty Super Bowls. We were the good guys, you better believe it.

The stretch from '90-'92 was absolutely no worse than '70-'72, except that there was turmoil in ownership and everybody was freaking out about the stadium needing to be replaced.

Orthwein and Kraft did not know what they were doing in '93. Manufacturers had no problem making stuff with our logo and we bought it, too. And we all know now that ignorant contemptuous crap from the league should be flushed down the toilet, not used as the basis for running the team and stomping all over us, its fans.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

I became a "bandwagon" fan in 1976 after moving back to CT from living overseas at age 13 and becoming emotionally invested as I watched a great team lose in the roughing the passer Oakland game

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I got into football after my buddy introduced me to the Nintendo game Tecmo Bowl. There was no New England in that game so I picked the closest team which was the Giants. I rooted for them in the 1990 Super Bowl and was hooked on football ever since.

Following that I decided to start on the ground floor by rooting for the Patriots right after their 1-15 season. My username is a tribute to that awful team lead by Rod Rust.

Lot of things culminated in that season, a bit like '81. You were smart. Lots of teams, including the Niners, went from 1 or 2 wins to the top in a short time.

 

[captain insano]

I've been a pats fan since the early 70s. i remember going to Disneyland and the family went to the park. i stayed in the hotel room and watched the pats lose at home to dan pasterinni and the houston oilers in 1978. the 76 team was as good as any team in the league.

 

[heavyde050]

Born in October 1981 - my dad said he knew I would be a boy because the Pats beat the Oilers that day on their way to a 2-14 record. Was real young when the Pats got steamrolled by the Bears, but I remember the scene at my house.
I really started following the team in the late 1980's as I got a little older.
I remember Ben "Winter" Coates before there was a Gronk.
I also remember the how Parcells bailed on the team during Super Bowl week and then stole Curtis Martin the year after I my dad got me his jersey.
It all evened out as the Pats got BB, who with Brady has led the Pats to heights never before imagined.
The ride from 1993 till present has been amazing.
Hopefully we will get to see at least one more title from Brady.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

1980 for me.

There seems to be 3 groups: 1977 and before, after Kraft came, the vast desolation in between.

Oooops, there was a ton of winning from '78-'88, including breaking the Miami jinx, and our first Super Bowl.