When I was growing up, I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. I wanted to be the underdog, the good guy who took on the evil Empire and triumphed. As a Patriots fan since the early '80s, I’ve lived the fan-equivalent to being young Skywalker.
First, in 2001, the Pats were the young upstarts, who somehow managed to fire their photon torpedoes into the Death Star that was the St. Louis Rams and become unlikely champions of the world.
For the first half of this decade, the Pats were praised as the ultimate team. They didn’t always have the stars but they always seemed to come out on top. Peyton Manning could have his commercials and glossy receivers, the Patriots did just fine with a collection of castoffs and overachieving rookies.
As recently as 2006, the Pats waltzed into NFL superstar-haven San Diego, and defeated the likes of Ladainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman with the likes of Reche Caldwell and Artrell Hawkins.
In 2007 things changed. Maybe it was Spygate, maybe it was Bill Belichick’s demeanor, maybe Tom Brady’s good looks and dating habits, or the addition of all-stars like Adalius Thomas and Randy Moss, but the Patriots were no longer Luke Skywalker. They became Darth Vader.
At first I really didn’t want to be Darth Vader. I wanted to be the good guy. I wanted to be respected and admired by sports networks and opposing fans alike as a team that was the model of what a professional sports franchise should be.
Unfortunately, and maybe this is an indictment of American society as a whole, but when you’re on top it’s natural for people to want to tear you down. Spygate became the catalyst that transformed this century's “America’s Team” into the newest Evil Empire in sports.
- B/R Ticket Guide
No one mourned the Patriots when the Giants defeated them in the this years Super Bowl, closing the book on what was almost the most magical season in NFL history—just like no one mourned the Death Star when Luke blew it into oblivion.
As to how much effect the tapes of Spygate had on the three Super Bowls wins and countless other victories is debatable. Pats fans will say they had zero effect, while Pats haters will say it was actually one of the tapes and not Adam Vinatieri that kicked the game winners in XXXVI and XXXIX.
Regardless, in the eyes of the NFL—the only people that truly matter when it comes to the legacy of the game—and owners like Pittsburgh’s Art Rooney, the videotaping scandal had little-to-no impact on the outcome of any games. That’s good enough for me, no matter what any opposing fans or “pundits” like Mark “Go Broncos” Schlereth say.
Sure, it stung at first when people would say the Patriots legacy was tainted, that they were cheaters, that the Super Bowl seasons deserved asterisks. Then I realized something…
In the words of Bill Murray in Meatballs, IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER.
This is sports and rooting for the bad guy is actually a whole lot more fun. Who wants to be the fan of a team that everyone loves? What fun is that? Do we want fans of other teams to come up to us and tell us how great our team is? That they wish they were fans of our team instead of their own? No.
What I want as a fan is to watch my team win. That is what the Patriots have done and, with the conclusion of Spygate, will continue to do.
That’s right. We’re evil. And we’re going to hang fifty points on your team and continue to pour it on until the final gun sounds. Sorry guys—Belichick’s going to be running the Patriots for at least another five years. So instead of whining about Spygate, maybe you should start following another sport. I hear Cricket is a rip-roaring good time.
That is why “Embrace the Hate in ‘08” has become my slogan for this season’s Patriots, because ultimately, underneath the cries of “cheaters” and “asterisks” is nothing but jealousy. Jealousy that their team isn’t the one blowing teams off the field, that they don’t get to enjoy putting up 52 points on the supposedly respectable Redskins.
Does anyone really think that Joe Fan really gives two craps about the "integrity of the game"? You don’t think they’d trade their own team bending the rules for an undefeated regular season and a few Super Bowls?
So I say to my fellow Pats fans: The hard times are almost over. Spygate will be dead to the only people who matter—us Pats fans and the NFL.
For those who hate us—specifically, opposing fans—it will continue to live on. That’s fine.
With each New England victory, their reliance on “cheaters” as a put-down will become increasingly more comical, and will do nothing to prevent their team’s annihilation on the gridiron.
Embrace the hate. We’re Darth Vader. And they’re living on Alderaan.
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6 months ago
Is it just me or is this just not worth reading or commenting on ???
from 3 months ago
Gee, we care what you think, um, help me here, why?:)
6 months ago
I gave it one star, because I couldn't give 1/2.
Personally, I think the major reason teams get hated, like the Patriots, is twofold.
The first, obvious point, is the winning. If you win say, 4 in 5 like the Steelers, people from around the country will start gunning for you. Teams that win the super bowl, for example. But when it comes to a team that seems indestructable, like last year's patriots, people kept looking for someone to knock off number one, part two comes into play. Fans love an underdog. My personal issue with the Pats, came from the Tuck Rule, and from Moss, and his, "I don't wanna play attitude."
Pure and simple, Revenge, has always been a dish served cold....and enjoyed.
I'm looking forward to December, when the Patriots have to go to Oakland....and no Walt Coleman will give them a victory.
from 3 months ago
Count on a Raider fan for stupidity.
So teams gunning for them is different than now, how exactly?
Teams have been "gunning" for them since the 21 win streak.
from 3 months ago
Now now William...still bitter after your team blew it in the super bowl?
Either your eyesight is bad, or you didn't see your own team was ticking down, in the second half of last year.
In the first half, the Patriots would steamroll opponents, without a problem.
Then in the second half, you almost lost to the Ravens, and the Giants, on close quarters....
If it wasn't for the Chargers being bits and pieces, you might have missed out on the Super Bowl entirely.
This season, I'd imagine a lot of clubs are looking at that Super Bowl, saying, this is how you get to Brady, how you shake him, make him mortal.
Once that aura of perfection is gone.....they'll come at him with a passion.
Players tend to do that.
Last item, since you don't seem to remember that far back....when was the last time the Patriots won a super bowl now? 3 seasons?
They haven't been on top of the NFL for a while....they'll ride, but like the Bills....come up short at the end.
6 months ago
good sheet ! I like the dark side aspect !!!
6 months ago
(always podted on foxsports.com)
Wait a second..just a second....nice article...but wait a second.
Pats are the "Darth Vader's" of the NFL....seriously Mike Dussault.
First off...it's real easy to make believe that your organization is something that it's not, especially when your getting attacked from everyone...including the US Senate. It becomes "in-vogue" to have an "us vs. them" mentality when your team cheated, your BLEEP. coaches cheated, and your coach cheated. Don’t get me wrong....I couldn’t care less. Anyone who says that those Pats SB's will for ever me tainted is full of s***. You won...tuck rule and all...the Pats won 3 Rings. Hell…my Raiders won their first SB courtesy of Stickum (but it wasn’t illegal at the time).
Secondly, their is only one organization that lives, breathes, and embodies the living spirit and action of the Dark Side...hell, Vader is still living in Alameda....Don't for a second even pretend that your Pats have anything to do with the Dark Side...ok....maybe Belichick looks like an EWOK..but that’s it!
Finally..Note to FoxSports.com....these (like Mike Dussault) Bleacher Report (so called) writers are truly horrible....wannabes that are actually trying to win free tickets to NFL games (don’t believe me, check them out at bleacherreport.com)...just pathetic amateur bloggers that take themselves for journalist.
from 3 months ago
Tony,
I'll ask you and all Raider fans to please point to the US senator that was after the Raiders.
from 3 months ago
William, did you forget? This was the Raiders' monkier, long before the Pats were even in contention. Some, like Chuck Noll called our defense a criminal syndicate, after Swann was lightly tapped. There was even legal action brought, but didn't amount to much.
There was also all that legal hullabaloo regarding the Raiders moving from Oakland to LA, when Rozelle tried to go toe to toe with Al Davis, and it resulted in about 4 lawsuits.
And we're not even talking about other lawsuits, regarding things like stadium seats, ideas of moving to hollywood park, or the use of PSLs, etc.
About the only thing the Pats have, is that everyone hates a team doing well....that's normal, everyday hatred. Any team that either wins the super bowl, or has a period of domination, will experience it. That's the other reason teams hated the Raiders in 1983, when we bum-rushed the Redskins. No one expected it....but they didn't forget it, either.
4 months ago
2 Months late, but I'd like you to know that this is one of the best articles I've read on here yet. Obviously it's only going to speak to Patriots fans like myself so don't worry about the ratings or haters. 5/5
from 4 months ago
Thanks. It actually was written two months ago.
4 months ago
Yeah, just ran into it while doing a search for my article lol.
3 months ago
Exactly.
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