That was then: Celebrating what was

rodderick

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I particularly love the "There's no telling what kind of damage the Steelers might have done over the last six years if not for the existence of Brady and Bill Belichick."

It's something I want to send to my steelers friends as false consolation.
In the last six years the Patriots met and eliminated the Steelers from the playoffs exactly once, so I think their own incompetence is to blame.
 

InstaFace

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As the article points out, the Steelers would have had the #1 seed in 2017 but for the Patriots (which might have changed fortunes considerably if we had to first face down Jacksonville and then go to Pittsburgh on 1 weeks' rest), and would have had a bye in 2014 but for the Patriots. It's not just about the head-to-head.
 

TheoShmeo

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If Rappaport is right and the Stillers passed on a greater return from the Pats, then that a pretty big celebration of what is.

Think about it. The Steelers, one of the most celebrated NFL and iconic franchises would rather get less than trade a star player to the Patriots.

When I think back to the Chuck Fairbanks hijinks, Ben Freaking Deith, 1-15, 46-10 and the rest of the craziness around this franchise until Parcells/Belichick, the mind reels that Pittsburgh would play keep away and accept a lesser package.

Oh, and it makes a liar out of the Steelers GM, which is always fun.
 

DavidTai

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In the last six years the Patriots met and eliminated the Steelers from the playoffs exactly once, so I think their own incompetence is to blame.
Was curious about this, so went to look it up, thinking the Patriots might have taken away byes by beating them during the regular season.

A quick look, ignoring last year, when the Steelers actually won:

2017:
Patriots home field advantage through the playoffs
The Steelers -lost- at home vs the Jags... so I'd blame them there, but they might have had home field advantage through the playoffs and played... KC?


2016:
Steelers finished third probably wouldn't have gotten a bye anyway.

2015:
Bengals won division by two games. Meh.

2014:
Steelers win division, Patriots get bye by 1 game, but Steelers did not play NE that year.

2013:
Bengals win division by 3 games.

MEHHH.

Yeah, looking at that, I'd agree with that assessment.
 

BostonWolverine

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Dec 6, 2017
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Was curious about this, so went to look it up, thinking the Patriots might have taken away byes by beating them during the regular season.

A quick look, ignoring last year, when the Steelers actually won:

2017:
Patriots home field advantage through the playoffs
The Steelers -lost- at home vs the Jags... so I'd blame them there, but they might have had home field advantage through the playoffs and played... KC?


2016:
Steelers finished third probably wouldn't have gotten a bye anyway.

2015:
Bengals won division by two games. Meh.

2014:
Steelers win division, Patriots get bye by 1 game, but Steelers did not play NE that year.

2013:
Bengals win division by 3 games.

MEHHH.

Yeah, looking at that, I'd agree with that assessment.
While the pats have only directly beat the steelers once in the discussed time period. We may have beat them indirectly as well. The article brings up the loss of homefield etc. But, if you remember the chatter coming out of the steelers locker room in 2017 was focused on the patriots and completely ignoring the Jags. The pats were in their heads and they couldn't focus on the task at hand.
 

BuellMiller

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Mar 25, 2015
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As the article points out, the Steelers would have had the #1 seed in 2017 but for the Patriots (which might have changed fortunes considerably if we had to first face down Jacksonville and then go to Pittsburgh on 1 weeks' rest), and would have had a bye in 2014 but for the Patriots. It's not just about the head-to-head.
But if the Patriots had gone 0-16 in 2014, the Steelers (11-5) wouldn't have gotten the bye (since the Patriots nutpunched/threw the 11-5 Colts out the club during the regular season)...they technically wouldn't have won the AFC North (since the Patriots were on to Cincinnati to beat the Bengals, who finished 10-5-1 behind the Steelers 11-5)
 

DavidTai

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While the pats have only directly beat the steelers once in the discussed time period. We may have beat them indirectly as well. The article brings up the loss of homefield etc. But, if you remember the chatter coming out of the steelers locker room in 2017 was focused on the patriots and completely ignoring the Jags. The pats were in their heads and they couldn't focus on the task at hand.
That feels like it's directly on the head coach. 'We're on to Jacksonville', not 'We're on to New England.'

Though I suppose this might have an effect on 2018 too, since apparently they blew games around the New England game because they really built that up as their Super Bowl.

Still strikes me as self-inflicted shortsighted stupidity.
 

rodderick

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While the pats have only directly beat the steelers once in the discussed time period. We may have beat them indirectly as well. The article brings up the loss of homefield etc. But, if you remember the chatter coming out of the steelers locker room in 2017 was focused on the patriots and completely ignoring the Jags. The pats were in their heads and they couldn't focus on the task at hand.
Yeah, thing is to me that's the Steelers beating themselves. Same with the "would've had a bye if not for the Patriots being so good" scenarios.
 

loshjott

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“Bell, Brown and Ben formed the most famous WB, WR, RB combo since the 90s cowboys”

I mean...not really? Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk and Manning, Edgerrin James, and Marvin Harrison were all, on par, more accomplished and famous than the three from Pitt.

They are really good (well, BR is fine whatever) but I think the writer is begging the question a little bit. Or maybe just proceeding from a false premise. Don’t shoot me.
Dak, Dez, and Zeke were more "famous" more recently also. Though not more accomplished.
 

RorschachsMask

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Malcolm Mitchell announced he has to retire, knew it was coming but still sucks. Awesome guy with a great head on his shoulders, and was huge in that Falcons SB.
 

Al Zarilla

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So, I wear a wear a SB LI championship hoodie to my grandson's Little League game and his mom, my daughter in law is reading it and says "what Super Bowl is that for?" Then, she immediately says "it doesn't matter, does it, they win every year." She's not even a Patriots fan. It has gotten ridiculous.
 

koufax32

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So, I wear a wear a SB LI championship hoodie to my grandson's Little League game and his mom, my daughter in law is reading it and says "what Super Bowl is that for?" Then, she immediately says "it doesn't matter, does it, they win every year." She's not even a Patriots fan. It has gotten ridiculous.
It would be awesome for someone to make a shirt that just said NE Patriots: SB champions for the sole purpose of eliciting this exact response.
 

BornToRun

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"NE Patriots: Better and Smarter than your team"

I mean, it's what we're all thinking anyway, might as well be blunt about it.
This is how I interact with the fans of other teams out in the world. Does it make me a dick? Almost certainly. Do I care? No, because the other 31 fanbases hate the Patriots and love watching us fail, on the rare occasions it happens, so fuck ‘em.
 

tims4wins

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It would be awesome for someone to make a shirt that just said NE Patriots: SB champions for the sole purpose of eliciting this exact response.
I have a division champs shirt from the 2014 season, but it doesn't say 2014. It doesn't even say division champs. It just says Patriots Run the East. I have vowed to keep it until someone else wins the division.
 

InstaFace

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This is how I interact with the fans of other teams out in the world. Does it make me a dick? Almost certainly. Do I care? No, because the other 31 fanbases hate the Patriots and love watching us fail, on the rare occasions it happens, so fuck ‘em.
And we KNOW it isn't going to be forever. The end will come suddenly, and harshly, and the rest of the NFL universe will be dancing on the grave for a long time. So we better enjoy the hell out of it while we can (hence, ya know, this whole thread).
 

staz

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The cradle of the game.
This is how I interact with the fans of other teams out in the world. Does it make me a dick? Almost certainly. Do I care? No, because the other 31 fanbases hate the Patriots and love watching us fail, on the rare occasions it happens, so fuck ‘em.
Not only that, it plays right into the whole Masshole/elitist/smug narrative. “Our schools are better, our healthcare is better, our football team is better, and we’re more than willing to rub your 2nd world faces in it. Suck. It.”
 

Spelunker

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Not only that, it plays right into the whole Masshole/elitist/smug narrative. “Our schools are better, our healthcare is better, our football team is better, and we’re more than willing to rub your 2nd world faces in it. Suck. It.”
Really makes me wonder why they don't like us.
 

Red Averages

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Not mutually exclusive, but forced to pick, I'd rather strive to be the best than to be liked.
Of course fan behavior has no impact on team performance, so better to not be an asshole for something you didn’t personally achieve (or even if you did personally play a part). Especially as an adult.

(Not directed at you personally staz.)
 

Archer1979

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I didn't want to pollute the Shank thread since I didn't read the column, but my advice to anyone uncomfortable with Kraft's extracurricular activities, Spygate, Deflategate, etc is to run with it. Someone brings up:

Spygate: Canned response is that 25 feet away would have been legal.
Deflategate: Are you dumber than a fifth-grader?
Kraft handys: Old guy's out for some action. Leave him alone. He's having fun.

I even do this for the Sox:

Manny got suspended in LA for failing a drug test: He was clean before he started playing for Torre.

Embrace the warts. Brings your blood pressure down and creates entertaining responses. Sometimes people's heads spin, but that can be entertaining too if you're in the right mood.
 

InstaFace

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So your advice is to troll?

I think that spin is helpful for Camera-placement-gate and Ballghazi (and the Ortiz test in 2003), but even as a fan I don't think I believe that on Kraft or Manny.
 

NortheasternPJ

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To Spygate and Deflategate isn't the easy answer is that they won 3 Super Bowls and 5,000 regular season games since? I don't give a shit about Kraft's issue unless there's actual human trafficking and I don't give a crap about Manny. Manny was awesome, a ton of guys are on the stuff.
 

Archer1979

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So your advice is to troll?

I think that spin is helpful for Camera-placement-gate and Ballghazi (and the Ortiz test in 2003), but even as a fan I don't think I believe that on Kraft or Manny.
To me, it's who took the first shot? Bringing any of those subjects up to me is trolling. It's not like I'm walking into a conversation bragging about how Kraft is getting his wicket wet. But if someone brings it up, I'm going to defend to the death Kraft's right to fire off his Patriot missile.
 

BornToRun

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To me, it's who took the first shot? Bringing any of those subjects up to me is trolling. It's not like I'm walking into a conversation bragging about how Kraft is getting his wicket wet. But if someone brings it up, I'm going to defend to the death Kraft's right to fire off his Patriot missile.
I don’t go looking for pissing matches either but if someone wants to bust my balls about my Pats hoodie when I’m out and about or I’m with friends or coworkers then yeah I’m going to play to it. Handling all of the success with grace and humility isn’t going to make people hate any less than they do so why not embrace it and have fun with it? They’re always going to bleet about cheating scandals, Brady being a pretty boy or some such garbage, or Kraft paying for cheap handjobs.
 

BaseballJones

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To Spygate and Deflategate isn't the easy answer is that they won 3 Super Bowls and 5,000 regular season games since? I don't give a shit about Kraft's issue unless there's actual human trafficking and I don't give a crap about Manny. Manny was awesome, a ton of guys are on the stuff.
I had a guy the other day - very knowledgable football fan - tell me that spygate was about taping other team's practices. I mean, holy crap the damage Tomase caused is just incalculable to the reputation of the Pats. And for deflategate, I like "are you smarter (or dumber) than a 5th grader?" as a response. It especially drives me nuts when people from the north or northeast - who experience deflating tire pressure every F-ing winter - can't fathom that it was cold temps that deflated the footballs on a cold, wet day.

But yes, with the NFL watching the Patriots like a hawk, they've gone on to win 3 Super Bowls, be in 4, go to the AFCCG every single season since deflategate, and be the best team in the world. And people are still going to claim it's "cheating"? Yeah, ok.

As for Kraft, I don't care. I care about trafficking, but if Kraft did something to deserve jail time, I don't care if he goes to jail, to be honest. He doesn't matter to me. The team does. I don't wish him ill will, but I root for the team, not the Krafts.
 

Archer1979

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I don’t go looking for pissing matches either but if someone wants to bust my balls about my Pats hoodie when I’m out and about or I’m with friends or coworkers then yeah I’m going to play to it. Handling all of the success with grace and humility isn’t going to make people hate any less than they do so why not embrace it and have fun with it? They’re always going to bleet about cheating scandals, Brady being a pretty boy or some such garbage, or Kraft paying for cheap handjobs.

Exactly.

If someone wants to have a serious conversation about it, I'll talk seriously about it. But at this stage in the game, most people that bring this up to in conversation aren't looking to debate, they're looking to get a rise out of someone. Ain't happening with me. Turning it around on them is the best, most effective way that I have of either shutting them up or making them go away. Either way, I'm better off.
 

mwonow

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So, yesterday, a buddy puts up a picture of the Philly Phanatic (his mom was going to opening day).

I sent a note saying "Hey! That's a mascot from one of the leagues where the Boston team is the reigning champ, right?"

I don't understand the Boston hate at all. That's just a quick and helpful, fact-based observation...
 

rodderick

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So, yesterday, a buddy puts up a picture of the Philly Phanatic (his mom was going to opening day).

I sent a note saying "Hey! That's a mascot from one of the leagues where the Boston team is the reigning champ, right?"

I don't understand the Boston hate at all. That's just a quick and helpful, fact-based observation...
The kind of sports fan that annoys me most has always been the ones that act high and mighty and above it all. That like to think of themselves as "classy" and good winners. I'd much rather the snarky ones that throw their team's success in your face constantly.
 

simplyeric

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There’s a fun way to revel in the victories, and there’s a shitty way.
Just like there’s a classy way to be ‘classy’ and a shitty way to be classy.
If you’re gonna troll back, be fun about it. I find that usually works well... sometimes the guy trolling me just wants to have fun and getting defensive, or offensive, sucks. Sometimes the guy wants to get in an argument...you’re better off leaving it alone.

But I love to revel in victory. My Eagles fan friend, every few months I ask him whether they have a starting qb yet. Or my Atlanta fan friend who...nevermind, I don’t think I’ve seen any of those. Actually I have a friend who used to live in Seattle and now lives in Atlanta. She basically doesn’t give a shit about football except to try to give me grief...which of course keeps failing.
I have another friend who is a Browns fan...she’s just broken at this stage.
 

InstaFace

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Anybody not getting their fix?


I'd forgotten Rosevelt Colvin was on that Bears team from the 2002 comeback. Guess if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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It would be awesome for someone to make a shirt that just said NE Patriots: SB champions for the sole purpose of eliciting this exact response.
Dragging up a month-old post, but I was thinking the best way to solve the "What Super Bowl is that?" question to someone wearing a SB LI t-shirt would be to create subtitled t-shirts, e.g. "SB LI: That's the one when they came back on the Falcons".
 

Jimbodandy

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So, yesterday, a buddy puts up a picture of the Philly Phanatic (his mom was going to opening day).

I sent a note saying "Hey! That's a mascot from one of the leagues where the Boston team is the reigning champ, right?"

I don't understand the Boston hate at all. That's just a quick and helpful, fact-based observation...
May as well spike the football at some point. This won't last forever.

A buddy of mine from south Jersey was giving me crap online about the Celtics underperforming this year. I replied that I was crestfallen that we might only have two of the three major sports championships at once, but there is always next year. There aren't a whole lot of possible rated G or PG responses to that.
 

snowmanny

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The next thing is winning three straight major sports titles, and obviously the Bruins have a genuine shot to get that for Boston. You weren't counting hockey, though. I don't think anyone from NY or NJ should give you crap until any one of the nine pro teams in that region outperforms any one of their four Boston/New England counterparts.