Giants vs. Patriots: Does New York or New England Have Most Obnoxious Fanbase?

When the New York Giants and New England Patriots clash in Super Bowl 46, the two fan bases will be on the edge of their seats. Both teams hail from a region of the country stereotyped for their aggressive nature and in your face approach.

The fan bases have been called obnoxious on more than one occasion, by more than one group of fans. As the two teams stand alone, ready to play in the biggest game on the biggest stage, which squad will be backed by the most obnoxious supporters?

There are three traits that I recognize as irritating from any fan base when discussing their teams:

Arrogance

The Giants' fans arrogance is funneled down from their players. Jason Pierre-Paul's guaranteed win over the Green Bay Packers, and Justin Tuck's semi-guarantee the following week at the San Francisco 49ers all add to the fan bases' confidence.

This was an interesting quote I read on the Giants.com forum, from a Giants' fan:

"

Do you realize that Eli is about to beat the great and future HOF Tom Brady...for a second time? That's as close as one can get to beating Joe Montana in 2 super bowls.

"

Whoa...now that is the type of presumptuous statement that makes you take the Monday after the Super Bowl off, if the G-Men don't pull off the victory.

The Patriots' fan in your office is going to say something along the lines of:

"Wow, Eli is surely the greatest now, the way he manhandled that Pats defense, jeez they should just build his bus for Canton now."

The Giants' fan statement is definitely bordering arrogance. Alright forget it, it is arrogant; but if the G-Men win one more, he's entitled.

The Giants' fans aren't the only ones in the pool of arrogance.

The Boston Globe recently posted this video, entitled "Are the Patriots arrogant?"

One of the most telling quotes came from a guy in the video that says the following:

"

"Why not be arrogant, they put a great product on the field"

"

Hmmm...maybe that would have better received had he said, "why not be confident".

Either way, he's right about one thing, the Pats have been the picture of consistency over the past 10 years, and just like any team that has had sustained success, the fans are a bit spoiled.

Ridiculous Homers

This trait drives me the craziest of all. Fans that routinely overhype their players and rebuke any criticism of the players or coaches on their teams that suck. They are not educated football people, they are just fans. You'll find that most of their comments end in GO (fill in the blank for whatever team they love).

Here is one example I saw of a Pats fan defending New England's soft schedule, and their overrated performance against the Buffalo Bills:

"

"What was it 49 unanswered points... Yeah bills had great offense and the pats defense sucks huh? Lombardi trophy going home for Myra! GO PATS!!!"

"

Notice the sarcastic tone, yes, it's a tell-tale sign of a fan so miffed at his or her team being questioned, that they lose all sense of reason and end their comment with a ridiculous general statement like, "we're going all the way", and of course, "GO PATS", in caps so we can see their aggressive. Can you say...ANNOYING?"

The Giants also have their homers as well, all teams do. This particular quote shows a delusional Giants' fan searching for other football fans across the country who want the Giants to win, seemingly to validate his own belief. 

Newsflash, none of you are taking the field Sunday. All the fan support in the world, especially via message board won't have an effect on the game. The fans states:

"

"There are some of fanbases rooting for the Giants this Sunday. I will post the Fanbases that I have heard from that are rooting for us. Im sure there are probably more fanbases rooting for the Giants. I don't feel like the Giants are the underdog as Vegas has us and like they were in 2007 it seems to me that they are the favorite to win Superbowl 46."

"

Poor guy, why is he going through so much trouble. So what if some disgruntled Bears' fan, (like myself) wants the Giants to win?

What does that really prove?

I'm really not getting his motivation, but to each his own, I guess. It's just another example of a homer.

Chronic Victim Syndrome

Nobody likes a chronic victim, you know the woe is us fan that always believes there is a conspiracy to keep his or her team down.

This delusional Giants fan wrote this in a comment on this very site in response to an article entitled "Why New york is America's Team For the Super Bowl"

"

"Eli is an aw shucks personality. Brady is the epitome of a douche. Hot wife, talented, rich, AND he's egotistic and arrogant. "We're only gonna score 17 points??" Eli has had to live in Peytons shadow forever and is dealing with it masterfully and is one of the most underrated players ever"

"

Really? Aw shucks, huh? Is that why the simple and plain Eli Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers because he and father Archie didn't like the owner and or franchise?

Hey, I'm not getting on Eli for his decision, it's business and he has the right, but that act is far from the harmless "aw shucks" guy this fan is portraying.

It's just another example of a fan going overboard to paint the opposition as the ultimate evil and his team as the ultimate do-gooder.

The Patriots reference is particularly ridiculous, but I had to reference it. As recently as February of 2011, this video about the Pats being robbed in Super Bowl 42 was still being circulated.

It alleges that the giants were given more time on the clock by officials during their classic Super Bowl clash in 2008.

Are you serious? The Pats got their butts beat in that game by a better prepared and inspired team. 

Period, end of story.

Talk about chronic victim syndrome, that perhaps takes the cake.

In all, both fan bases are obnoxious, and in all likelihood, the team that wins will have the most obnoxious fans, at least for that night.

It's just the way things are, to the victor goes the spoils.