As a fan and a realist, we had a super soft calendar. Most of the teams that beat us were in the playoffs. We weren't likely to go far at all this year. Our receiver corps was garbage all year. We have no TEs. Our defense held us in games but they weren't infallible either.
A lot of people are pointing to Brady's stats as evidence that he's done but it's hard to look at that without considering what he had going on the other end of his passes this year.
It's time to apprecaite what we've had for the past 2 decades.
Many of those who were fans of this team during the Billy/Pat Sullivan/Victor Kiam/James Orthwein eras still have trouble believing it all. After 40 years mediocre (and frequently downright awful) teams, and years of uncertainty about the viability of the franchise, the Super Bowl win over the Rams in 2001 was completely unexpected. The 18 years that followed have been a joy ride. Growing up, I could only imagine what it was like to be a Yankees fan or a Canadiens fan, knowing that every year you'd be a contender. And then the Pats not only equaled those teams, they set a new standard.
Let's say that most kids start to get into following the pro sports teams around seven years old. The kids who were 7-10 years old when the Pats got that first Superbowl are pushing 30 and have enjoyed a string of championships in this city that is unlikely to be repeated anywhere.
And can't believe it took until like the 6th comment.
It's been an amazing ride - and people say it all the time - this isn't supposed to happen in the NFL and you'll never see it again. It isn't and we probably won't.
Thanks Bill, Thanks Tom and thanks Bob. It's been a fun ride. Bob and Bill may carry on, but I think we are done with Tom and for his family's sake, I hope he thinks the same even though it doesn't sound like it right now.
Edelman carried Brady to a certain extent this year. He was the "go-to" guy - deservedly trusted based on demonstrated reliability, but to some extent a failure by the offensive planners and Brady to establish anyone else as viable other than maybe James White.
... among local sports teams? One day in the 1980s or 90s, I saw an advertisement for a special MBTA train to Foxboro, where someone had defaced "Patriots" into "Patsies".
I remember when the photo caption for Red Sox truck day around 1991 or 92 was titled "Wish it was the Patriots packing up"- Pretty much ever other athletic-related endeavor was bigger than the Patriots at that time- including the Bull & Finch "Eddie LeBec Award" presentation for the Bruins
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2007 season. The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 17–14. The game was played on February 3, 2008 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
It wasn't the stadium for the University of Phoenix, just the stadium that had a naming-rights deal with the University of Phoenix. Since 2018 it's been State Farm Stadium; UoP ended their contract in 2017, and State Farm took over.
Both Green Bay and Dallas have gone years without a Super Bowl win and have huge loyal fan bases. It's tough as hell getting to both stadiums from Milwaukee and Dallas, but the people still turn out for their iconic legacy teams. Pats will remain #1, followed by the Celtics, Sox, Revs, and B's. Sox may even drop to fourth as baseball declines and soccer rises. The B's will continue to tailspin. Ever since the Joel Ward incident the B's fan base has been shrinking, leading to desperate roadshows to CT and VT to drum up a fan base.
Getting to a wildcard game sums up how good this organization is, we look at a wild card game as proof of failed season.
Never count the Patriots out as long as Tom and Bill are here....28-3 etc.
Comments
Could have been worse?
I mean. By one point would have been really embarrassing, right?
On to Truck Day!
Pretty gruesome...
... not much more one can say.
Meh
As a fan and a realist, we had a super soft calendar. Most of the teams that beat us were in the playoffs. We weren't likely to go far at all this year. Our receiver corps was garbage all year. We have no TEs. Our defense held us in games but they weren't infallible either.
Agreed
A lot of people are pointing to Brady's stats as evidence that he's done but it's hard to look at that without considering what he had going on the other end of his passes this year.
Patriots Nation must indeed be waking up
blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Stop.
Please. Just stop.
What a Ride it has been
It's time to apprecaite what we've had for the past 2 decades.
Many of those who were fans of this team during the Billy/Pat Sullivan/Victor Kiam/James Orthwein eras still have trouble believing it all. After 40 years mediocre (and frequently downright awful) teams, and years of uncertainty about the viability of the franchise, the Super Bowl win over the Rams in 2001 was completely unexpected. The 18 years that followed have been a joy ride. Growing up, I could only imagine what it was like to be a Yankees fan or a Canadiens fan, knowing that every year you'd be a contender. And then the Pats not only equaled those teams, they set a new standard.
I'm grateful.
That Schaefer stadium was a
That Schaefer stadium was a piece of work, right up there with City Hall 1
These kids today are spoiled!
Let's say that most kids start to get into following the pro sports teams around seven years old. The kids who were 7-10 years old when the Pats got that first Superbowl are pushing 30 and have enjoyed a string of championships in this city that is unlikely to be repeated anywhere.
Thanks for saying it
And can't believe it took until like the 6th comment.
It's been an amazing ride - and people say it all the time - this isn't supposed to happen in the NFL and you'll never see it again. It isn't and we probably won't.
Thanks Bill, Thanks Tom and thanks Bob. It's been a fun ride. Bob and Bill may carry on, but I think we are done with Tom and for his family's sake, I hope he thinks the same even though it doesn't sound like it right now.
Feb 2
Feb 2
is now just another Sunday
Unless
you're a groundhog named Phil.
Et tu Jules
When Brady needed him most Edelman's hands betrayed Brady.
So odd. Generally speaking,
So odd. Generally speaking, I always thought Edelman's hands kept Brady well satisfied.
Edelman carried Brady to a
Edelman carried Brady to a certain extent this year. He was the "go-to" guy - deservedly trusted based on demonstrated reliability, but to some extent a failure by the offensive planners and Brady to establish anyone else as viable other than maybe James White.
Remember when the Patriots were a distant fourth in fan interest
... among local sports teams? One day in the 1980s or 90s, I saw an advertisement for a special MBTA train to Foxboro, where someone had defaced "Patriots" into "Patsies".
Maybe we're going back to that for a while.
I remember when the photo
I remember when the photo caption for Red Sox truck day around 1991 or 92 was titled "Wish it was the Patriots packing up"- Pretty much ever other athletic-related endeavor was bigger than the Patriots at that time- including the Bull & Finch "Eddie LeBec Award" presentation for the Bruins
Pity Pats
I remember the Pity Pats.
AND
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2007 season. The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 17–14. The game was played on February 3, 2008 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The only university to have a football stadium ....
... without a football team.
Hardly the only one. Maybe
Hardly the only one. Maybe just the biggest?
OK, maybe the only university that *never* had a football team
as opposed to a few that discontinued football but still have their stadiums intact.
State Farm doesn't have a football team either
It wasn't the stadium for the University of Phoenix, just the stadium that had a naming-rights deal with the University of Phoenix. Since 2018 it's been State Farm Stadium; UoP ended their contract in 2017, and State Farm took over.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Farm_Stadium#Naming_rights
Boston University
Boston University
No Newman. Ever hear of a thing called Legacies? GB? Dallas?
Both Green Bay and Dallas have gone years without a Super Bowl win and have huge loyal fan bases. It's tough as hell getting to both stadiums from Milwaukee and Dallas, but the people still turn out for their iconic legacy teams. Pats will remain #1, followed by the Celtics, Sox, Revs, and B's. Sox may even drop to fourth as baseball declines and soccer rises. The B's will continue to tailspin. Ever since the Joel Ward incident the B's fan base has been shrinking, leading to desperate roadshows to CT and VT to drum up a fan base.
The fact that Bill's fans were celebrating
Getting to a wildcard game sums up how good this organization is, we look at a wild card game as proof of failed season.
Never count the Patriots out as long as Tom and Bill are here....28-3 etc.
well
except when they lose to tennessee.
You can't win the Superbowl every year
But they do ok.
sure cant
or the last 2 wild card games as the case may be.