The Nation's Tears: Volume II

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Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
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I remember having that same internal debate about Hugh Millen. Sad times when you think having Hugh Millen as your starting QB might be a positive development.

I also thought Scott Lockwood might be the real deal at halfback.
I remember thinking that we didn't need to draft a QB because we had Millen. I remember thinking that his 6-10 year with us was proof positive that QB was all set for a while.
 

RedOctober3829

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deep inside Guido territory
i.jpg

The New England Patriots have become the first NFL team to buy their own plane to fly to games. Make that two planes.

Sources tell ESPN that the reigning Super Bowl champions bought two 767 Boeing wide-body jets in the offseason and retrofitted them with all first-class seats, some of which recline completely. On the outside of at least one of the planes is the team logo and five Lombardi trophies on the tail.

These planes, depending on miles flown and condition, generally cost in the $10 million range. A source said the planes the Patriots bought are extended range, which allows the planes to fly nonstop for about 12 hours.

One plane will be used as the main plane for the season, while the other will be the backup, with flight operations being run out of Providence, Rhode Island, sources said. Patriots spokesman Stacey James said team officials would not be publicly commenting on the acquisitions.
 

edmunddantes

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View attachment 16813

The New England Patriots have become the first NFL team to buy their own plane to fly to games. Make that two planes.

Sources tell ESPN that the reigning Super Bowl champions bought two 767 Boeing wide-body jets in the offseason and retrofitted them with all first-class seats, some of which recline completely. On the outside of at least one of the planes is the team logo and five Lombardi trophies on the tail.

These planes, depending on miles flown and condition, generally cost in the $10 million range. A source said the planes the Patriots bought are extended range, which allows the planes to fly nonstop for about 12 hours.

One plane will be used as the main plane for the season, while the other will be the backup, with flight operations being run out of Providence, Rhode Island, sources said. Patriots spokesman Stacey James said team officials would not be publicly commenting on the acquisitions.
Has to be a screw-up here unless they are extremely old airframes.

Edit - haha... the article now has $5 million to $65 million... so Rovell went back and changed it.
 

sheamonu

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When the team traveled in the early days they were instructed to sleep on top of the bedcovers in order to save on the linen charge.

Things have changed.
 

j-man

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Dec 19, 2012
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The best part about being a Patriots fan is that you can just not give a shit about what other fan bases think. Dallas wants to be "America's Team"? Good for you. Pittsburgh wants to revel in their "legacy"? Knock yourself out. The Bills want to treat each game with us like a war? Wonderful - go piss in Niagra Falls. The Jets fans want to replay Joe Namath raising a finger as he exits Super Bowl III on an endless loop? I raise a finger to you my friends, albeit a somewhat different digit.

All of 'em can just feck off. All I know is that I sat on those goddamn freezing bleachers for years seriously contemplating things like whether Hugh Millen was the answer or if we were better off going 2-14 or 1-15. I don't care if anyone north of Caribou, south of Tiverton or west of Pittsfield like this team. They are ours. The Sox are the team with the extended nation - and I'm fine with that. The Celtics are the Celtics, the Bruins are "original 6" material - but the Pats are ours.

The biggest mistake the media has made about the era since "Spygate" is to mistake the Patriot's fan's response to these alleged "scandals" as defensiveness. In truth it is incredulity. I mean - you used to literally have to wade through oceans of urine to watch this team play. Do you honestly think I care if you're worried about how much air might be in the football?

Yes, the best thing about being a Pat's fan is that we are untouchable, that all this outrage on the part of other fan bases is in truth amusing and ultimately theoretical. We are not arrogant, we are immune. We earned that immunity through years of disease. Remember when our coach negotiated his exit on the eve of a crucial playoff game? Remember when our coach negotiated his exit on the eve of a crucial playoff game? Wait - did I say that twice? You bet your ass I did. Go through that and then tell me how I should be ashamed because the current coach using a strange (but legal) formation is "not in the spirit of the game".

I don't want to be America's team. I don't want to be the gritty Steelers or the nasty Raiders. I want more rings because some of my fingers are lonely.

we do have some commnd ground about the raiders because about 35% of the raiders fanbase thinks they can beat u this season with del rio at coach great off but if their lt holds out all year they will be 9-7 at best

bring it on it was a great post u worte for your fanbase but from a outsider point of view u will have to deal with * with most fans because of your super bowls but i dont bevilie that i pefur to blame 01 martz his big ego with not running the ball and useing faulk as a decoy and throw more to harmin and prohel 03 no issue 04 no issue 14 pete caroll brain freeze not running to lynch or run pass rollout 16 shanny ego to go for the kill to be fair u shouild have won in 07 eli was sacked and it shouild been like 4th and 20 and in 11 welker drop a ball late in the 4th that he should had cauht 1 thing i will say is u never had that superbowl where u won big and it was over by haiftime

i have to deal with it too 97-98 denver cheated the cap and 15 petyon 'hgh 'manning
 

streeter88

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j-man you are awesome and honest. First Denver fan I have ever heard admit that about Manning.

That debate about how many SBs the Pats should have won has been had over and over on this board, and the consensus seems to be that 5-2 is about right for the level of competition and the circumstances. Somewhere up thread (posts 962-994 or so) I think we were all wishing for a blowout win, but frankly a win is a win is a win. And I for one would love to have 1 or 2 more before Brady and BB and that great coaching staff walk away.

But I also loved sheamonu's post, because the Pats of my childhood were routinely also-rans (Grogan era) or unlucky (Fairbanks / Grogan / Francis / Haynes team in 1976) or just not quite good enough (1985 Eason led team). I remember the crappy roughing the passer call by Ben Dreith, the Jack Tatum hit on Darryl Stingley, the 2-14 and 1-15 teams as well in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I remember when Bledsoe joined the team and Bill Parcells was going to work miracles, and then he turncoated right in the middle of the playoff run in 1996. So many star crossed Patriot teams.

So I agree that the rest of the teams can cry their terrible tears now, and wipe them with their terrible towels. And Roger Goodell best sit there and take it when the Gillette crowd boos him on September 7th. Pats fans have earned it.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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I learned something interesting today regarding notorious Patriots troll, Chris Simms.

While listening to the GM Street podcast, Mike Lombardi said that a few days prior to Tom Bradys knee injury in 2008, the Patriots had two quarterbacks flown in to compete for a backup spot. When Brady went down, Belichick did not want to disrupt the team chemistry further, so he sent the two QB's home without even giving them a chance to workout. One of those bitter headset wearer's was Chris Simms.
 

BigSoxFan

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I learned something interesting today regarding notorious Patriots troll, Chris Simms.

While listening to the GM Street podcast, Mike Lombardi said that a few days prior to Tom Bradys knee injury in 2008, the Patriots had two quarterbacks flown in to compete for a backup spot. When Brady went down, Belichick did not want to disrupt the team chemistry further, so he sent the two QB's home without even giving them a chance to workout. One of those bitter headset wearer's was Chris Simms.
That's awesome. Knew it had to be something like this.
 

Dollar

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... a few days prior to Tom Bradys knee injury in 2008, the Patriots had two quarterbacks flown in to compete for a backup spot. When Brady went down, Belichick did not want to disrupt the team chemistry further, so he sent the two QB's home without even giving them a chance to workout. One of those bitter headset wearer's was Chris Simms.
The other quarterback sent home without a workout? Mark Brunell.

(Just kidding, it was Tim Rattay... but Brunell would have been fitting.)
 

lexrageorge

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I should point out that Chris Simms did eventually join Belichick's coaching staff as a low-level assistant in 2012, and has even spoke highly of Belichick since then.

But Simms definitely has something about Brady. Of course, his dad would take every opportunity to mention Tom Brady's name even in telecasts not involving the Patriots, so perhaps that has something to do with it. ;)
 

InstaFace

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Other than the Cardinals, that correlates pretty well with "saddest franchises today and historically", and "most successful franchises, today and historically", respectively. Only missing the 49ers in the latter.

Maybe these people are looking for low-self-esteem in a date.
 

Kid T

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More dateable because their boyfriends have more time on their hands instead of watching playoff games or their teams getting blown out?
 

Granite Sox

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My SIL is from Buffalo. BC Law School grad with top honors, and she can pound beer like nobody's business. Loves the Bills, Pats, and the Flutie connection.

Win-win-win.
 

j-man

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Dec 19, 2012
3,646
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j-man you are awesome and honest. First Denver fan I have ever heard admit that about Manning.

That debate about how many SBs the Pats should have won has been had over and over on this board, and the consensus seems to be that 5-2 is about right for the level of competition and the circumstances. Somewhere up thread (posts 962-994 or so) I think we were all wishing for a blowout win, but frankly a win is a win is a win. And I for one would love to have 1 or 2 more before Brady and BB and that great coaching staff walk away.

But I also loved sheamonu's post, because the Pats of my childhood were routinely also-rans (Grogan era) or unlucky (Fairbanks / Grogan / Francis / Haynes team in 1976) or just not quite good enough (1985 Eason led team). I remember the crappy roughing the passer call by Ben Dreith, the Jack Tatum hit on Darryl Stingley, the 2-14 and 1-15 teams as well in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I remember when Bledsoe joined the team and Bill Parcells was going to work miracles, and then he turncoated right in the middle of the playoff run in 1996. So many star crossed Patriot teams.

So I agree that the rest of the teams can cry their terrible tears now, and wipe them with their terrible towels. And Roger Goodell best sit there and take it when the Gillette crowd boos him on September 7th. Pats fans have earned it.

i have never been a huge fan of manning even going back to tennessee i mean of couse i am happy he won a super bowl in denver and all

but the choke jobs in college Fla and Neb
emasserd denver in 2003 and 2004 to the point where i rooted for brady esp in 2004 that 2004 broncos team was underrated but had a huge hole at 2 CB

the blowouts by him in 2007 2010 his only good game the near miss in 2006 2009

the aw suchs i am just a southern geteman when he scarm at his o-line in 2005 for not blocking pitt mr i have to be highest paid all the time when if he pull a brady from 2003-2009 he wins at least 2 more rings in indy

the choke in 2012 when he threw that awful pass aga balt that cost a ring in 12 when denver was stong on both sides

i give him a pass for 48 as him and DT were the only 2 guys that played hard for 60 min plus even if denver does not lose 43-8 they still wouild had lost by 17+

in 2014 in the Indy playoff kept throwing down the field when he did not have it that day but Gase fox and Del Rio are partey to blame here as they knew they were gone in denver and did not gameplan well aga indy

that 2015 was awful ex for the green bay game but it left him after week 8 of the prv season aga the rams in st louis


and so on the only QB who holds a candle to brady is joe and to be honest if david fuchler holds on the ball in the end zone joe fails too SB 23 great game watch it if u can
 

Bernie Carbohydrate

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The New England Patriots football team was leading the Atlanta Falcons football team by 25 points. That is a big lead! The Patriots then scored many points and eventually won the game. This "come back" was so unusual that a supporter of an entirely different team, the Carolina Panthers, had a special shirt created to remind the world (or at least that portion of the world standing or sitting behind him) that ATLanta LED BY 25.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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The New England Patriots football team was leading the Atlanta Falcons football team by 25 points. That is a big lead! The Patriots then scored many points and eventually won the game. This "come back" was so unusual that a supporter of an entirely different team, the Carolina Panthers, had a special shirt created to remind the world (or at least that portion of the world standing or sitting behind him) that ATLanta LED BY 25.
Yeah, I don't think VE needed it spelled out as to meaning, but rather why it's popping up everywhere you turn. If the Jets blew that lead, I'm sure some Pats fan would do similarly and vice versa. It's funny, but I've seen it way more than it deserves. It has far more to do with a Panthers fan poking at their rival than paying the Pats homage.
 

RIrooter09

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Yeah, I don't think VE needed it spelled out as to meaning, but rather why it's popping up everywhere you turn. If the Jets blew that lead, I'm sure some Pats fan would do similarly and vice versa. It's funny, but I've seen it way more than it deserves. It has far more to do with a Panthers fan poking at their rival than paying the Pats homage.
Yeah, I think BC knew that and decided to humorously explain it in mundane detail despite the fact that VE clearly knew the meaning of the jersey.
 

InstaFace

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Don't skip the "hear it directly from falcons fans" section at the bottom.

Mark: As soon as James White crossed the goal line in overtime, I simply turned the TV off and stared blankly at the screen until my party guests began packing their things and leaving in silence. In a way, I’m staring at that blank screen to this day. There’s a Falcons Super Bowl LI shirt stuffed in my drawer that I treat like a pair of baby shoes that were never used - I know I should get rid of it, but the very act of doing so might open a door to my soul that I can’t easily shut. Any team can give you run of the mill disappointment, but a betrayal like that is... generational.

...

Thomas: I am a Falcons fan living in Boston. I stupidly watched the Super Bowl at some friends’ place in Charlestown. I was wearing Falcons gear, including a hat picturing a goat wearing Matt Ryan’s jersey. I am a moron. At halftime I had visions in my head of me walking to my car, getting jumped by pissed off townie douchebags, and bleeding out on the curb. I now wish that’s what happened instead.
 

Marciano490

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Most important, the team has moved into its new stadium. Ah yes, the House That 28-3 Built. Sponsored by Mercedes! Because the Germans ALSO know a thing or two about lost momentum.
 

Rudi Fingers

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Don't skip the "hear it directly from falcons fans" section at the bottom.
The fan comments are glorious - it's like being a Patriots fan...18 years ago.
Greg:
This is the franchise that:

Stopped to have an in-game celebration for the team’s first runner to have a 1,000 yard season, only to have him lose 4 yards on the next play and finish the season at 996.

Hired Marion Campbell as head coach TWICE

Had 3 different players die in separate incidents in a 14 month span in 1988-89

Traded Brett Favre for a box of cheese-its

Had its star wide receiver’s house get burned down by a member of TLC

Waited 30+ years to make its first Super Bowl. Upon doing so, its star defensive player got busted for prostitution after winning the Bart Starr award on the eve of the Super Bowl, spent the night in jail, and promptly got burned for an 80-yard TD

Their potentially revolutionary QB admitted to not preparing for games, not taking his work seriously, lied to the team owner, and got sent to jail for DOG FIGHTING. A large percentage of the fan base still thinks he got shafted.

Took 39 years to have consecutive winning seasons

Was up 17-0 in the 2012 NFC Championship game, at home, and lost.

Blew the largest lead in Super Bowl history by inexplicably NOT running the ball at every opportunity.

This is my team.
 

Dotrat

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WYTS has become required reading over the last few years, and this year's Falcons piece has given the series a new high.

And I laughed out loud at the Atlanta fan's remark that his team blew a 25-point lead "to a 40-year old who's afraid of strawberries."
 
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TrotWaddles

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On the eve of the new season, some folks are wondering if Atlanta is over the hangover.

I was in Atlanta on recurrent and sitting with a friend at a bar north of the airport getting some food.

The conversation turned to football and who I cheered for.

Inwardly in turmoil because I didn't want special sauce on my food, I announce "The Pats."

The giant bartender turns around and points to the door "Get the fuck out." Immediately afterward, he says "Aww man, you can stay."

As he turns away, he mutters to himself "Goddamn we gave that shit away."

I wanted to say "No, it was taken" but decided not to push my luck.

I think Brady may be up there with Sherman right now in terms of hated names.
 
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