Becoming A Patriots Fan: A Northern Perspective

Like all Canadians, I have grown up in several feet of snow.

It's cold. Grass dies. Water freezes.

Naturally, since hockey is a game played on ice, I grew up playing and watching hockey.

Things haven’t changed. I am still living in Canada, and more than ever, I'm still very much an avid hockey fan.

But, as I’ve grown older I’ve realized there's more out there than just snow, ice, and brightly-coloured money.

Following the NFL in Canada is different than in America. We don’t have a team. We can't spend an afternoon tailgating. Only a select few can even make the trip to Buffalo, and fewer still actually do.

Luckily we can watch some games on TV which gives us Canadians some choice. We can choose to follow any team we want, without any pressure to root for a particular franchise. We can jump on bandwagons, have multiple favourites—all guilt free.

Basically, what this means is we are either a fan of the New England Patriots or the Indianapolis Colts. But for good reason.

As Canadians we have grown accustomed to being second-place to the United States. Growing up, Canadians are always told how great it is in the U.S., how the people are smarter, and richer... Our simpleminded way-of-life turns into our driving force, and it becomes second nature for us to choose the best to compensate for our circumstances. 

The Patriots are the best. They have been for a few years now, second to the Colts only on occasion. We want to share in their success, and thus, choose the best so we don’t feel like the little brother watching our big bro have all the fun.

Thanks for reading. TL.