Like the elemental psychological battle between fear and greed being played out every day in the financial markets this week, I am psychologically being torn asunder between rooting for my hometown New York Giants, and rooting for the New England Patriots.
Any fan of Dr. Strangelove will know what I am talking about.
On February 3rd, by all rights, I should be screaming for the Giants. After all, I grew up in New York, rooting for the early-1960s teams that had true Giants on it: Andy Robustelli, Rosey Grier, Y. A. Tittle, Del Shofner, Frank Gifford, Kyle Rote. Rooting for the Giants who fought the Packers valiantly on the frozen tundra of Yankee Stadium in 1962. A little part of me died that day when we lost 16-7 in frozen 40 mile an hour winds that rendered our passing attack next to useless.
While a few years later I found myself rooting for the anti-establishment AFL and the Namath-led New York Jets, and later (swayed by my kids) for the 49ers after our family moved to the Bay Area, let’s face it: It’s next to impossible for anyone who grew up in the Big Apple to root against our team from East Rutherford when they’re playing a team from the Evil Empire, Boston.
Moreover, these Giants are worth rooting for. After a slow start at the beginning of the season, they came storming back to a great second half. They fought the Patriots valiantly to a 38-35 loss on December 29 in the last game of the regular season—a game where they had nothing at stake and could have rested their starters for the playoffs, where they were underdogs.
Even Eli Manning, who New York fans have a love-hate relationship with, came visibly into his own against the Patriots in December. His confidence growing, Eli has played flawless ball since then, even in Ice Bowl II at Lambeau last Sunday, where he out-thought and out-lasted even the great Brett Favre.
But there is something else going on this year, and even New York fans need to root for the Patriots, for Patriotic reasons. For the good of the game. The Patriots, although looking much more vulnerable during the second half of the season, are 18-0. They are going for the first perfect season since 1972, the second perfect season in NFL history, and the first perfect 19-0 season.
Why do I care? Why should everyone care? Because it’s time to silence the 1972 Miami Dolphins for good, that’s why.
I watched those Dolphins in 1972. They were a balanced, elegant team, classy and fun to watch. Griese was a solid quarterback. Larry Csonka was a punishing fullback, and Mercury Morris a slashing runner and return specialist. Don Shula was a classy coach who was clearly a future Hall of Famer.
But that was then. In the years since, the 1972 Dolphins have virtually redefined bad sportsmanship.
For the past 20 years, every time an NFL team starts out 8-0, or 10-0, the 1972 Dolphins start sniping at them on TV and in the media. They show up at games and are visibly rooting against the team on the roll. They are quoted saying unsportsman-like things in newspapers and on TV. And they visibly sip champagne and literally dance on the grave of the team when it inevitably then goes 8-1, or 10-1, rejoicing in the fact that their Dolphins have maintained the distinction of being the only perfect team.
I am tired of their poor sportsmanship. The 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties many of us have been awarding them for years are hollow. While the Dolphins are entitled to their own private opinions of other teams, and of themselves, they should comport themselves like the champions they were and appear to encourage perfection in the sport, not discourage it.
They are a disgrace.
The final blow came this year in early November. It came after the Spygate scandal at the beginning of the season where the Patriots were fined for shooting video of the Jets. And it came after the awesome Patriots defeated the previously-undefeated Peyton Manning and the Colts to go 9-0. Fearful that the Pats would go all the way, what then did Don Shula say? "The Spygate thing has diminished what they've [the Patriots] accomplished," he told New York Daily News. "I guess you got the same thing as putting an asterisk by Barry Bonds' home run record.”
That is NOT what a Hall of Fame coach should say. It is obnoxious and low-class. It is shameful. Shula’s retraction a few days later was too little, too late.
No, the 1972 Dolphins need to be silenced forever. And the Patriots are the team to do it.
That is why I am, very reluctantly, turning my back temporarily on the city of my birth and rooting for the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Then, count me as against all Boston teams forever beginning on February 4th.
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5 months ago
interesting article. I am from hackensack and the giants actually play in east rutherford. As for the point, I am not a giants fan and wanted the packers to win, however now I must decide what to do and am leaning toward rooting for the NY team over the BOSTON team. I see what your saying about the 72 fish and agree with you, however I don't see anyone actually thinking the way you do, especially a giant fan. You do make some interesting points. Good Article.
5 months ago
You're kidding, right?
5 months ago
I disagree, because, the Patriots are insufferable. Did I mention they were a bunch of cheaters too?
5 months ago
Any Giants fan that would even consider cheering for the Pats is no Giants fan at all.
5 months ago
What absolute nonsense! Why the heck would I cheer for the Patriots just because Brady made a deal with the devil. GO GIANTS!!!!
5 months ago
Amen. If I have to see Larry Csonka and Nick Buoniconti srink champagne again... I may puke
5 months ago
Drink champagne*
5 months ago
Oh please. It was a different game then, with players NOT juiced up on roids and not chasing the money going from team to team. The '72 Dolphins were the best, better than the Patridiots because they won with a backup quarterback. You cannot say that about them Patsies now can ya?
from 5 months ago
um, actually tom brady was a backup qb when he won his first SB. do your hw
5 months ago
Jim you seem like a nice guy, but I'm not buying your argument
5 months ago
Jim, a fan of "Dr. Strangelove" here. Yours is an interesting piece and a good read.
For me there's no conflict: I'm pulling for my NYFGs all the way in the Super Bowl.
Enjoy the game!
5 months ago
I couldn't agree more. I'm not old enough to remember those Dolphins, but they got annoying really fast. To be honest, I was hoping not only for an undefeated Patriots team, but a completely defeat Dolphins team this year. How perfect would that have been?
5 months ago
as a Patriot's fan i can honestly say, WE DO NOT WANT OR NEED giants fan's TO ROOT FOR US . THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF PRAYING THAT THE giants CAN STAY IN THE GAME PAST HALF TIME
As for the article i completely agree
5 months ago
As a Giants fan, it is a moot point, but I would rather hear a bunch of 60 year old men brag about going undefeated than a bunch of 30 year old men.
Not to sound harsh, but the older guys die sooner.
from 5 months ago
that is the funniest thing i have ever heard . true but funny
5 months ago
Obviously you're going too far to say Giants fans should root for New England, but I absolutely agree with the premise of the article. Get the '72 Dolphins out of here, I don't want to hear another word from them. Get Mercury Morris out of here, get Don Shula out of here and get anyone else who keeps talking and making the entire team look silly and bitter out of here.
5 months ago
I dont think G-men fans will gravitate towards the Pats, but I agree the 72 fins are a royal pain in the ass.
Would you or anyone even be talking about the Fins had the Pats not had such a dominant season? I think not.
The 72 Fins - mercury morris and shula included - should thank the Pats for making them somewhat relevant again.
Oh, and someone should tell Morris that Brady is on his doorstep and knocking on his door.
5 months ago
This is the dumbest article I have ever read.....what an unloyal idiot.....ever heard of being a diehard fan? you have jumped so many bandwagons the wheels have broke.......you make me sick and I hope you NEVER refer to being a Giants fan again.....oh and no Giants fan would EVER root for the Jets......your a disgrace
5 months ago
Your headline reads "Why Giants Fans Should Root for the Patriots." Do you really think a real Giant fan (as opposed to you, a turncoat) could EVER find a reason to root against the Giants? And in a Super Bowl??? The specious logic of your article assumes that Giants fans would rather silence a group of retired Dolphin players than see our beloved team pull off one of the most improbable victories in the history of the NFL. What a can of rubbish.
You say "a little part" of you died in 1962 when the Packers beat the Giants. The part that died was obviously your allegiance to the Giants. I'm ashamed you were in the stands that day rooting for Y.A. et al. Stay in SF and root for the Niners to go 18-0 in a decade or so, then find an implausible reason to root against them in that year's Stupor Bowl.
The disgrace is not the '72 Dolphins team. It's your editors -- for allowing a story like yours to see the light of day and waste a real Giants fan's time.
5 months ago
You think the Miami Dolphins from '72 are bad? Just wait 'til these turds become perfect! A World Series, Superbowl, and probably NBA Championship all in one calendar year? I don't want to hear the Boston fans and their obnoxious accents basking in this fame...honestly, no self-respecting sports fan would root for a city to have so many championships in one year if he wasn't from that city. It's like going to the darkside. You are brainwashed my friend. Go Giants, go whatever team is playing against Boston!
5 months ago
You're an idiot
5 months ago
You think the 72 Dolphins are bad...the Boston arrogance is at another level. Boston Teams & writers have taken arrogance to a level Shula never dreamed of
Imagine the horror in Boston as the bandwagon empties...if they lose.
As a Giants fan a win against this team and against that city is worth putting up with those cranky old men any day and twice on Sundays.
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