While Seahawks fans seek to claim their second Lombardi Trophy of all time in this Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup, New England Patriots fans are aiming for their seventh. And, just as important for many, they hope to “finally” end what they call their six “long” and “agonizing” years of defeats.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be on top again soon,” said Aidan Lafferty, 24, with the arrogance of a twenty-something who grew up watching the Patriots win, and win again.
“It’s the start of a dynasty, again!” exclaimed George Zabalou, 24, sipping a beer a few tables away at the sports bar Game On!, where the walls are covered with flags, photos, and jerseys all attesting to the city’s abundance of sporting riches. Starting in 2001, Boston’s four major sports teams delivered 12 championships in 18 seasons, including the Patriots’ six Super Bowl wins.
Those lucky enough to grow up during those years when Boston dubbed itself “Title Town” never went more than two years without skipping school again for another championship celebration.
“It was parade after parade after parade,” said Jenna Freni, 24. “It was incredible.”
Freni’s friend, Angel Galiotzakis, 23, nodded. “Growing up, I didn’t know that going to the Super Bowl wasn’t normal.”
So, it was a huge shock for many when star quarterback Tom Brady left, the Pats’ parades stopped, and fans found themselves enduring a painful Patriots drought—for those six long years.
“Man, I was in a dark place,” said Lafferty. “I thought: ‘Is it going to be like this forever? We won’t win… ever again?’”
Another Pats fan, Joe Reynolds, says it was a tough time for him too. “It was like: ‘What’s going on?’” he said from his home in Cambridge. “That’s a huge drop from what I expected.”
“There’s a clear connection between the Patriots losing and his antidepressant use,” added his wife, Emily Borges.
But hearing Pats fans complain about their suffering is what’s unbearable for NFL fans from, well, basically everywhere else.
“Ah! Get over it! It wasn’t that bad,” mocked Noah Seligson, a New York Jets fan with a much, much longer history of suffering. “The Jets haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1969! Boston fans should grow up and feel fortunate for what they have.”
Andrew Lawrenson, who lives in New England but roots for the Miami Dolphins, said Pats fans don’t know what real suffering is. The Dolphins won their last Super Bowl in January 1974.
“Patriots fans drive me crazy,” said Lawrenson. “They’re all insufferable and love to brag. The Patriots deserve to suffer a bit more. They had 20 years of greatness; they can handle at least 10 years of misery.”
Zac Vug, host of the online sports talk show Take Back With Zac, calls New England “the most spoiled franchise in the universe”.
“My God, their attitude is horribly disgusting,” he said.
Even some Patriots diehards—of a certain age—will admit that an attitude adjustment might be necessary.
New England superfan Keith Birchall, 58, has been around long enough to remember decades of Pats losses and when the team was mocked as the Patsies. That keeps him more grounded than today’s “arrogant” young fans, he said.
He still gets irritated with young fans who didn’t bother to go to this year’s Wild Card game, taking for granted that the Pats would win and they’d have a shot at an even bigger game this season.
“That’s pure arrogance and entitlement,” said Birchall. “They don’t get it. They have no idea how bad we used to be.”
As for the hate from rival fans, New England fanatics dismiss it as mere jealousy. As Pats fans love to say, “They hate us cuz they ain’t us.”
And they’re not entirely wrong.
“Yeah, I do! I hate them because I’m not them,” admits Vug, whose LA Chargers have won a total of zero Super Bowls. “I’m a man of Christ. I have to admit my flaws. I’m a jealous human. I envy what the Patriots have. I envy the ease of their lives. It’s a perfect sports relationship. And all I have is pain and suffering.”
However, you won’t hear such a confession from Jason Hibbs, a Seattle Seahawks fan.
“We don’t want to be like them,” he shot back. “They’re insufferable!”
But a moment later, Hibbs adds a caveat: it wouldn’t be so bad to be hated.
“It means you’re winning,” he said. “In a few years, maybe everyone will hate us because we win two or three times. I want to be hated at least once. It would be a fantastic feeling.”
There you have it. Ask any Pats fan and they’ll tell you: winning is totally worth it.
Source: npr.org by Tovia Smith