Boston sports fans really are delusional...(especi ally women)

Dr. Giganto

This is from the mailbag of Charles Robinson, a writer for Yahoo! Sports (not the WWE referee), in response to him saying that the losing Mangini and McGinest will hurt the Patriots defense this year:


Losing Eric Mangini is hardly a loss. As a writer, you should have questioned why the New England Patriots were struggling the first half of the season. Granted, their schedule in the first half was the most difficult in NFL history. (Tom's note: NE's first half opponents: Oakland, Carolina, Pittsburgh, SD, Atlanta, Denver, Buffalo, Indy...by my count, that's 4 non-playoff teams, and two wild card teams. Just goes to show why women shouldnt be allowed to talk about sports) Also, they were decimated with injuries to vital players. But no key adjustments were made in their defense. Everything remained the same. Very unlike Bill Belichick.
Diane Rockwood
Boston


How can you possibly say that the Patriots don't look to have a top-10 D this year? They locked up the best defensive end in the NFL (Tom's note: ummmmm....no. Top 10? Definitely. Top 5? Probably. Top 3? Maybe. The absolute best best? I doubt it.)(thank you, Coach B). They have a good crop of young DBs that are steadily improving. Tedy Bruschi running the 'backers (which, as much [as I loved Big Willie McGinest, they did draft Jeremy Mincey and they still have Tully Banta-Cain). (Tom's note: Um... a 6th round draft pick and a guy I never heard of. Yeah, they'll make up for losing McGinest...) And Rodney Harrison will likely return (Tom's note: As great as Harrison was, he was getting old even before the injury...that inujury was SO bad, I'd be concerned about him until the day he gets on the field) early in the season. Oh, and Ty Law is still available (Tom's note: Key words: "Still available". As in, "not a member of the Patriots". Don't count your chickens before they hatch) and rumored to be looking to play for a champion for another year to ensure a Hall of Fame bid. Matt
Hartford, Conn.


For you to insult both myself and my beloved fellow Bostonians by saying that our three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will be good but not great, shows your IGNORANCE! Coach Belichick knows what he's doing. And he drafted to replace what we've lost! We've got the No. 1 quarterback in the entire league, and the only way that I can even begin to rationalize your statement or understand the motive behind it is to tell you that your JEALOUSY is showing! I'm going to salute those people who called you both an idiot and a moron, and I'm going to do them one better! Get a life you loser! Julie S.K. Deuel
Boston

This is EXACTLY why women should not be allowed bear either sports or computers...

And, just to be fair, a rational, well-reasoned e-mail from a Patriots fan:


In regard to your statement in last week's mailbag that "Of course, there are the perpetually whiny New England Patriots fans:" You're basing an entire fan base on some keyboard warriors? Come on. Most New England fans are well aware of the key losses during the offseason and are more than reasonable in our expectations for the upcoming season. The Patriots will be a very good team. Super Bowl-quality? I'd say not, but they'll be in the thick of the race. I'd lean more toward the Pats being in a mini-rebuilding mode this year, re-tooling the roster and going younger where they're long in the tooth. Since you're lumping Pats fans into one group, I'll do the same: Stop acting like the rest of the jerk media out there and look at things with your eyes open. Neal Giordano
Apex, N.C.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Haha, funny that the guy who was the most logical was a Pats fan living in North Carolina.

But to be fair, I do think most Pats fans understand, or at least they should, that the team is not going to be the same with all the key losses and injuries..

I'm sure Danny would agree, even though he'll be here any minute to make a case for them.. and why not?

They do have the best coach (arguable) and the best QB (arguable) in the league and a host of other talent.. So, I guess it's possible they could find a way to win 10 or 11 games..

However, I can't see them getting through the playoffs. There is no way they don't get picked off by someone. I'd bank on it.

B-Money

King of the Arcade

The Pats will be fine. McGinest is not that big of a loss. People were talking about him being old and washed up about 5 years ago. Don't get me wrong, he's good, but he'll be missed more as a leader in the locker room than a player on the field. Pats have the best D-Line in the NFL - just added J. Sullivan gives them 4 top 10 first round picks up front. Nasty. Pure nastiness. I will go on record right now that they win it all this year. Pittsburgh is a joke, we own them. Can we get this up on the Vegas section now so I can bet all of my vcash on the Pats winning their 4th title? Easy money boys..........

B-Money

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

I will submit that Richard Seymour IS in fact the best Defensive Line player in the NFL. Who is better?

I will also submit that Tom Brady IS the best QB in the NFL. Side Note that has nothing to do with his status on the field. Yesterday Jim Nance asked him if he could drive up to Maine and be the 4th person in his golf group for a charity event. The other two golfers were George Bush Sr and Bill Clinton. This kid is probably going to be your childrens president someday.

As far as us being delusional YES I agree. There are many many fans out there in Boston that know JUST Boston players.

You could ask alot of fans who Albert Pujols is and some would say "The bartender at Cask & Flaggon?", but know that Mark Loretta bats .345 with men on base.

These are Red Sox fans, not baseball fans. That is what bugs me about this city, if a Boston team isnt involved its like "meh, who cares"

I personally follow the NFL and MLB religiously and know 95% of the players out there. Not so much with hockey or B-Ball but its simply because I dont really care for the two sports much anymore.


BTW, Yankees fans act like they are invincible and now can only throw 26 titles at us. Trust me, we have to hear it ALL the time. Now we simply have the ammo to fire back and it drives New Yorkers crazy.

Dr. Giganto

Dwight Freeney? Julius Peppers? Simeon Rice? Hell, maybe even Michael Strahan.

However, I'm more than willing to accept Brady as the best QB in the NFL.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I'm not willing to accept the Pats winning it all this year.. It won't happen.

And as far as the Sox/Yanks are concerned, I still say the Sox of White repeat.

B-Money

King of the Arcade

Freeney is a tool, the Pats shut him down every time they play. Plus, he's a lot less effective when he's off the turf. Seymour is far and away the best lineman, he just doesn't get the stats the other guys get because of the system he plays in. Believe me, if Bellichick wanted Seymour to get 15 sacks this year he would do it easily. Seymour consistently takes out 2 guys on the o-line making room for the LB's to come up the gap and stuff the run or get to the QB. Teamwork baby - it's what got us 3 titles in 4 years. And I say "us" because, yes, I was part of it all. A BIG part.

B-Money