Football Season (American)!

[Aiden]

Well technically it is Preseason but we still need a thread!

[undisclosedtoyou]

Did you watch the pre-season football training camp show(thingy)?  I tuned in long enough to see them highlight the Cowboys and went woot!

[Aiden]

Pffft the cowboys!

Didn't watch the training camp stuff, but I'm watching the chargers preseason game now.

[undisclosedtoyou]

Pffft the cowboys!

Didn't watch the training camp stuff, but I'm watching the chargers preseason game now.

If I go Pffft the Chargers, I'll be called a traitor, so pretend the sentiment is there! 

This new season has come up so soon, it feels like yesterday that the last one ended!

[Aiden]

Well kinda since the entire lockout crap just ended like alst week, but I am glad everything is on track.

You HAVE to love the chargers if your from SD, but I have a good feeling that patriots will be the team to beat this year. I want to root for the eagles, since they are assembling so many free agents but I doubt they will work cohesively at first but Vick might be able to pull off some miracles.

[undisclosedtoyou]

Well kinda since the entire lockout crap just ended like alst week, but I am glad everything is on track.

You HAVE to love the chargers if your from SD, but I have a good feeling that patriots will be the team to beat this year. I want to root for the eagles, since they are assembling so many free agents but I doubt they will work cohesively at first but Vick might be able to pull off some miracles.

Oh yeah, I heard rumors that some owners wanted more pre-season games, while the players were definitely against it.  So I to am a bit surprised that it's all on track, and that the lockout crap has finally ended.

Err...I have a very neutral stand about that team, their alright, and if I'm watching a game with friends or family(that are fans) I'll even cheer them on a bit.  But for myself, and you know this, I favor other teams over all.  I'll also admit that the only reason I liked the Cowboys in the first place, was because I liked their colors....but yeahhhhh >.>

You're not the only one who thinks the Patriots look good for this upcoming season, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  As for the Eagles, I don't really have a big opinion on it.  I mean, it's cool that there are a bunch of free agents, but it can go either way really, but I can see why they'd be seen as a potential under dog. 

[Aiden]

Girls talking about football = hot.

[undisclosedtoyou]

Girls talking about football = hot.

Aiden=Thread Derailment Master!

[Callie Del Noire]

I enjoy anyone who is beating the Pats..

Sorry folks but 4 years in Maine among the fans discourages me supporting them.

[RipTide]

I enjoy anyone who is beating the Pats..

Sorry folks but 4 years in Maine among the fans discourages me supporting them.

I happen to be a huge Pats fan. If there's any team you should be discouraged against supporting it's the Jets. Yes, I think we got a bit arrogant during the last season, but hey, we deserved it. Any other team and it's fans would have done the exact same thing if not worse.

Anyways, enough of me ranting. I'm just glad there's going to be a season!

[Beguile's Mistress]

The Steelers at Washington starts in about 37 minutes. 

GO STEELERS!

[LunarSage]

Seahawks and Dolphins = Good Guys

Steelers and Patriots = Bad Guys



Though I'll admit I only hate the Steelers because of the Seahawks/Steelers Superbowl.  My opinion is that the zebras won that game.

Also, I'm not nearly as much of a Dolphins fan since Marino retired.

[RipTide]

I really don't understand why everyone hates the Pats... If there's a legitimate reason, I'd like to know it.

[LunarSage]

It's not that I hate them (and I obviously can't speak for anyone but me)... I just dislike them in the same way that I dislike the Cowboys.  They got really arrogant. 

Heck, the Cowboys at one point had the balls to call themselves "America's Team".  It's like "uh, aren't all the teams American"?

I also dislike the Patriots because they're in my Dolphins' division.  I'm not fond of the Bills or the Jets either for that reason. 

[RipTide]

It's not that I hate them (and I obviously can't speak for anyone but me)... I just dislike them in the same way that I dislike the Cowboys.  They got really arrogant. 

Heck, the Cowboys at one point had the balls to call themselves "America's Team".  It's like "uh, aren't all the teams American"?

I also dislike the Patriots because they're in my Dolphins' division.  I'm not fond of the Bills or the Jets either for that reason. 

I guess that makes sense. Thank you for clarifying, but I have to say, we did kick ass last season so I think we can afford to be a bit arrogant. I mean, football isn't known for being a modest and humble sport. Anyways, if there's one team I absolutely hate, it's the Jets, so I'm with you there. I was at the playoff game when they lost to the Jets last season and I've never seen that many people act like such hormonal assholes. They were rioting, taunting police horses, yelling and cussing at us Pats fans when they were at our stadium. I understand if they wanna celebrate and yeah, they should be really happy, but there is nothing to justify that kind of behavior.

[LunarSage]

I'm curious as a Pats fan what you think of this bit I found on a site describing the top ten most disliked sports teams in America.  Also, I thought it might give you more reason why a lot of folks have such contempt for your boys.  (Although it does list the Cowboys as the NFL's most despised team)

"The Pats are another team that has more recently become one of the nation’s most detested franchises. So why did the Pats go from being just another NFL team to one of the most hated teams in America?

Ever hear the expression a perfect storm?

Most importantly, the Patriots got good. Their three Super Bowl championships in four years, 2001-2004, has only been matched by Cowboys in 1992-1995.

Next, their success is due in large part to perhaps the most hated coach in NFL history, the ornery but genius Bill Belichick. His tendency to run up scores, refuse handshakes, and the allegations of cheating against him have made him perhaps the NFL’s biggest villain.

Last, their golden-boy quarterback and star wide receiver, founded or not, are two of the most loathed players in the NFL today. Now that is a perfect storm."

[RipTide]

Honestly, that entire article seems to be digging up dirt on all the good teams. Particularly all the Boston ones which kills me. I mean, the better the teams are, the more spotlight they're going to get, and people are either going to find more reasons to love them or hate them. If you don't pay much attention to the smaller teams, you're not really going to have much of an opinion because all you're looking at is how they play, not whether or not their coach is a good guy or what kind of criminal backgrounds the players have.

Anyways, I have pride in the Patriots for their ability to perform and they hardly ever let me down. I don't know them personally, so who am I to judge Bill Belichick or Tom Brady or Wes Welker for who they are as individuals? They're amazing at what they do and I respect them for that.

[LunarSage]

Just curious... Are the Pats your local team?  If not, how did you become a fan? 

I became a Dolphins fan because of the original Tecmo Bowl game for the NES, believe it or not. 

[Beguile's Mistress]

Teams are always going to have rabid fans and people who hate them. 

One consistent way to tell that a team is well-loved by it's fans is how well the fans travel with the team and how easy it is to find a game night at a watering hole for your team.

[RipTide]

Just curious... Are the Pats your local team?  If not, how did you become a fan? 

I became a Dolphins fan because of the original Tecmo Bowl game for the NES, believe it or not. 

The pats are my local team, yes. I've lived in New England all my life, but that's not to say I would have automatically liked them if they weren't good.

[Will]

Most of the Boston sports fans I've encountered, football or otherwise, have a certain swagger that can rub people the wrong way.  Is it earned?  Of course.  That doesn't mean it's pleasant.

Hating specific teams is as normal a part of the game as loving others.  I don't think it's really worth taking personally.

[undisclosedtoyou]

Hating specific teams is as normal a part of the game as loving others.  I don't think it's really worth taking personally.

+1

[RipTide]

Hating specific teams is as normal a part of the game as loving others.  I don't think it's really worth taking personally.

I totally agree. It just seems like everyone I talk to who isn't a patriots fan absolutely hates them. I'm not taking it personally, I was just interested to know the reasoning why.

[Will]

It's because they're successful, obviously. 

Other factors do play into it as well, including Belichick's smug, antisocial demeanor and the spygate stuff.  Additionally, there have been quite a handful of individual players on the team who were unlikable strictly on their own merits.

Everybody wants to hate the guys on top, but the Patriots really seem to be begging for it most of the time.