Once again, Mr. "I love the Pats" missed the point about what drives people to hate the Patriots. They are widely admired for their "merciless efficiency." They are admired (or at least respected) for being damn good, and they definitely should be admired for making history, cheating or no. Here's why people hate the Pats:

1. So over them. Dynasty? Yep. So, let's see this one crumble, already. Don't tell me you didn't hate the '80s 49ers for the same reason. I sure got tired of seeing them destroy people, or nearly so, year after year. Let someone else have a shot at it.

2. Resentment by the beaten teams. Fans of other teams don't hate the Pats for being good, per se. They hate them because they're too damn good and they beat our teams, most of the time very badly.

3. Boston fans, widely agreed to be the most obnoxious in the nation (not the worst--those are Philly fans). "Everyone should love our Pats because they're so good, and because we fans deserve it, and because we're such victims that we think winning three SB's in recent years is not nearly enough to subdue the pain of having a reasonably decent team for a long time, with a handful of crappy years." Puh-leeze. If the Bengals ever win 3-4 SB's, will you be singing their praises in similar fashion? No? Why-ever not?

Definitely three great reasons to hate the pats. To be fair, though, obnoxious fans are spawned from dynasties. Obnoxious "fans" (if you could call them that) are frountrunners and carry the loudest voice. Those kinds of "fans" are a disgrace to any hardcore fan of a team. Once the patriots dynasty crumbles, those "fans" will fall out, and no one will hear from them again. At least, I hope those "fans" disperse like the dust they are :)

Very good points. On point #3, yea I don't remember Celtic fans giving me a high five because my Lakers were the better team and beat them on their home court!

But obnoxious fans are a hoot and generally I love them, because once they lose (and we can only hope that for ALL the Boston \ New England team this will be soon!!!), then it is all the more fun to rub it in their face!

To be fair to Boston fans (at least Red Socks ones), the are mostly really true, stay with their team do or die type fans.

Now in So Cal we are known as fair weather fans. Of course since we have great weather when our teams suck we go to the beach!

The reason I hate the Patsies (and have previously hated the 49'ers and the Cowboys) has nothing to do with their fans in New England. They have a right. It' s the large number of pathetic leeches that cling to whatever team is currently dominant, merely because of their dominance. You see them walking around Atlanta or Denver or Houston in their Patriots gear, the same way you used to see them in Cowboys gear back when Dallas was "America's Team."

I'd really love to see them get upset for that reason.

But this has nothing to do with the teams; i.e. it isn't their fault there are so many bandwagon fans.

But overall I like your plan. I was looking for a reason to care who one this game. I MAY have one now other than I would have to support a NY team,,,,,, that is a hard one,,,

Thank you! Trust me when I say that even New England fans hate those same pathetic leeches :)