Respect ?.What ya gonna do ?.

[Prometheus 441]

Ok,I know this wont be well recieved and its not actually a complaint.Its an observation,of sorts.This past week,we have heard with increasing regularity,the complaints from some of the Patriots about not gettingt thier due respect.Ok,this is the basis
of my rant.We (the Patriots) are the best team in the NFL,We have won 14 gamers in a row,squashed just about everyone !.So,
to the players who complain about the lack of respect,SUCK IT UP !.

We have moved to a higher level,I believe.This complaining has become a battle cry for some players and lets be honest,in the 2001 season,we were'nt disrespected,we were basically crapped
on by most everyone.But in this 2003 season,I must say that I generally hear good stuff being said about our team.In fact ,I would say that the talking heads picked with more regularity,the Patriots to win games that even a years ago,they would have laughed at the suggestion of.The point ( I think) is that the Patriots are one of the most explosive teams in NFL.To complain
about this is almost to the point,that it is like tattling to the teacher about being picked on in Class.We dont need any sympathy,we dont need anyone at our backs.WE ARE THE PATRIOTS,we know who we are,we know how we got here.There
will always be people trying to drag us down but to aknowledge them is giving them more than they deserve.So Ugene,suck it up.

Oh,BTW.For all those who know of my critical standards of Mr.Brady.It is at the end of the season (especially a winning one)
that I toss ya a bone and soften a bit on Tommy. I would have to
say that Brady with out doubt played 100% better than in our 2001 season and he has shown yet another side to him.I dont know what the final product will look like,but it aint lookin' bad.
He may not be the best QB in the league (MVP),but sometimes
be good enough is better than being best.Now,lets go to Houston.

 

[Frankie_C]

I think the "We don't get respect" is played out too.
Taking issue with Brady, in any year since he's started is pure unbridled foolishness. He won the superbowl in his first year, led the league in td's in his second year and in his third year, when he finished 3rd in mvp voting...he's taking the team back to the superbowl. You sound ignorant when you accuse him of being subpar.
In fact, you're sounding like a subpar, malcontent fan. A member of the fellowship of the miserable. Maybe I'm a prick for bringing it up at all, but the fact that you can't recognize and appreciate him for being one of the best handfull of qb's in the league is nauseating.
Thanks for listening.

 

[Prometheus 441]

Hm,seems to me that I never used the term "sub par" or anything to that effect.In fact,I have never even hinted that Brady is a bad QB.What I have said that Brady is not a fantastic QB and that our team is what makes us winners and not just Tom Brady.The point of discussion is if we (as fans) would go into a mass panic if Tom ended not playing on a given Sunday.I personally think we are capable as a team,of plugging in another QB and obtaining the same results.Brady has some very strong
pluses in his favor.He is with out question ,the best at reading defensive packages but lacks on his down field performance.He has shown huge improvement this year in that area.

So,Brady is a good QB,and he fits our offense perfectly but he
does'nt have the whole package.The arguement that holds for
Tom is that individual efforts gets you a trip to the Pro Bowl but
TEAM is what gets to the Super Bowl.So little Frankie,know what
the subject is before you start slinging those barbs,because
being ignorant of the subject while running your mouth makes
you look........well,like what your are.

 

[Frankie_C]

You know, I think you're confused and quite frankly it might be rubbing off on me. Because I'm confused as to why you're trying to be condescending to me. I read your initial post and I thought it was pretty clear.
You said you didn't like the "we don't get respect" mantra. I agreed. Then you said, and I'll quote...

"Oh,BTW.For all those who know of my critical standards of Mr.Brady."

Did this sentence not indicate that you're not satisfied with Tom Brady? To me it sounds like either...

A. You think there's someone at quarterback you'd rather have.

or

B. You don't think he's playing at his consistent peak level.

I responded by saying, in so many words that neither of these conclusions made much sense. If what you said actually meant ...

A. I think Tom Brady is a terrific quarterback, and I have the stats to back it up.

or

B. There's no one in the league who wins more and there's no one I'd rather have.

then it's my bad... I misunderstood. Your not a miserable bitch. Let me know, o.k.?

Have a wonderful "Tom Brady's the clutchest, best quarterback in the league and I have the stats to back it up" day.

 

[Roland]

One quick point from a Panther's fan on respect. Fox Sports had the following headline on thier main page before the divisional playoffs (in 28 pt. font). Party's Over Carolina and the other pretenders go home this weekend. They could not even lump us in with the so called other pretenders. They even ran a picture of R. Manning under the headline. Your coach should make sure that no players from the PATS read any of the papers or watch any of the sports shows, because they will think that they are playing the JV team from deliverance USA. I am not saying this as any negative reflection on your fans or the PATS team, just on the idiots they get to write about football.

 

[BobKraftsCoozie]

While I know some sports show celebs have forcasted aPatriots win, I haven't seen any literature that suggest the Panthers should not be here.

They were the most complete in the NFC field and should be here. I think you, like most of us Pat's fan cherish the role as the underdog. Now the PAt's are going to suffer an identity crisis.

 

[Annihilus]

Do we respect Philly, guys?

No way, man. We would've mopped them up in the first half.

 

[Prometheus 441]

You want to talk about no respect.On the post that has elevated me to the revered "Veteran " status and I have Frankie the newbie calling me "ignorant" and "Bitch " ,but I have'nt called
Channel 4 for my press conference yet, I have too much preping for the big game to do

 

[Roland]

Roland...with due respect...I think the Pats do respect you guys.

I know the fans do.

Frankly, I was rooting for Philly because...ummm...I don't think we really respect Philly.

Do we respect Philly, guys?

No I wasn't talking about the fans or team of the PATS at all. Just sportswriters....

 

[jfrorie]

Roland...with due respect...I think the Pats do respect you guys.

I know the fans do.

Frankly, I was rooting for Philly because...ummm...I don't think we really respect Philly.

Do we respect Philly, guys?

I think both of our teams have had a lack of respect from the media and other teams. Witness the "Boring Bowl" comments from the sore losers. Little do they know it's going to rock the house!

Just so you know, I don't think ANYONE on the Panther's board thinks you guys are dissing them. In fact I would go so far as to say you're the first team to give US any props this year.

Even your Trolls on PMB are kinda polite.

 

[Hawg73]

I think both of our teams have had a lack of respect from the media and other teams. Witness the "Boring Bowl" comments from the sore losers. Little do they know it's going to rock the house!

Just so you know, I don't think ANYONE on the Panther's board thinks you guys are dissing them. In fact I would go so far as to say you're the first team to give US any props this year.

Even your Trolls on PMB are kinda polite.

Famous last words my friend. Its still early.

Ask the Titans and Colts what happened over there. It'd curdle your blood.

Interesting point about the "boring bowl" I've seen a bunch of articles by national writers griping over the matchup but couldn't care less what the rest of the country thinks anymore.

I think it is going to be a whale of a game and do not think it is a mismatch for a second.

 

[Roland]

Here is a good example of an idiot writer:

Panthers’ ride to the Super Bowl looks more like a lucky accident

By BOB MOLINARO, The Virginian-Pilot
© January 20, 2004

In the 38 years the NFL has been using Roman numerals, the Super Bowl has never included a team with talents less obvious than those of the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers’ unexpected run to Houston offers grateful inspiration to every dull, unheralded team with a journeyman quarterback, unaccomplished head coach and dubious tradition.

A lot of contenders had to choke on their own aspirations and anxieties to allow the plucky Panthers to get to the point where they can serve as fodder for the New England Patriots.

Winning teams are supposed to make you smile. The Panthers inspire head-scratching. The journey to the world of Roman numerals looks like a lucky accident for a franchise that until recently barely seemed to exist, and then only as an address littered with losses and dead bodies.

Carolina has made headlines before, but not for football. There was former Panther running back Fred Lane, gunned down by his wife. And wide receiver Rae Carruth, sent to prison for conspiring in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.

Now the Panthers are the NFL’s parity poster child. They aren’t the first. Teams have come from farther off the pace to reach the Super Bowl. Dick Vermeil’s Rams soared from 4-12 to champions in one season, but they traveled on the arm of league MVP Kurt Warner.

During the interminable days leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL’s public relations machinery may suffer an oil leak trying to get America to care about the Panthers’ quarterback.

Jake Delhomme backed up Warner for the Amsterdam Admirals, couldn’t beat out Danny Wuerffel with the Saints and was second-string in Carolina until Rodney Peete got hurt early in the season.

This unlikely parvenu threw the game-winning pass in double-overtime against St. Louis, but against the Eagles Sunday, he wasn’t asked to do much more than stay out of the way and permit Philadelphia to self-destruct.

As it turned out, Donovan McNabb’s dramatic fourth-and-26 completion against the Green Bay Packers the week before only set up the miserable fans of Philadelphia and their quarterback for numbingly familiar trauma.

Would the Eagles be considered any less of a flop had they succumbed to the Packers in a game that exposed Philadelphia’s weaknesses?

At least then, we could have had the pleasure of rooting once more for Brett Favre, who would have been playing for a Super Bowl bid and the memory of his deceased father.

The final round of the playoffs needed this. In the absence of scintillating football and interesting teams, it needed something to warm us to one of the four aspirants.

And to think, the Super Bowl match-up gives every indication of being even less compelling. The playoffs coughed up the wrong Manning, not Peyton, but Carolina cornerback Ricky Jr., who picked off three of McNabb’s passes.

And for the next game, the Panthers face a defense even better than their own. New England’s defense makes the Patriots the clear favorite, if no more embraceable than the bland party crashers from Charlotte.

The Patriots of gray, grim Bill Belichick have won 14 in a row, an accomplishment that should create excitement among impartial fans, but doesn’t.

Instead, what the Pats offer is a gritty group that knows how to win without looking good, and a crafty defense that, unlike the old Steel Curtain or Purple People Eaters, provides no nicknames or obvious focal point for the camera.

America has less ththan two weeks to learn the identities of these mysterious Patriots and even more anonymous Panthers.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Here is a good example of an idiot writer:

Panthers’ ride to the Super Bowl looks more like a lucky accident

By BOB MOLINARO, The Virginian-Pilot
© January 20, 2004

In the 38 years the NFL has been using Roman numerals, the Super Bowl has never included a team with talents less obvious than those of the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers’ unexpected run to Houston offers grateful inspiration to every dull, unheralded team with a journeyman quarterback, unaccomplished head coach and dubious tradition.

A lot of contenders had to choke on their own aspirations and anxieties to allow the plucky Panthers to get to the point where they can serve as fodder for the New England Patriots.

Winning teams are supposed to make you smile. The Panthers inspire head-scratching. The journey to the world of Roman numerals looks like a lucky accident for a franchise that until recently barely seemed to exist, and then only as an address littered with losses and dead bodies.

Carolina has made headlines before, but not for football. There was former Panther running back Fred Lane, gunned down by his wife. And wide receiver Rae Carruth, sent to prison for conspiring in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.

Now the Panthers are the NFL’s parity poster child. They aren’t the first. Teams have come from farther off the pace to reach the Super Bowl. Dick Vermeil’s Rams soared from 4-12 to champions in one season, but they traveled on the arm of league MVP Kurt Warner.

During the interminable days leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL’s public relations machinery may suffer an oil leak trying to get America to care about the Panthers’ quarterback.

Jake Delhomme backed up Warner for the Amsterdam Admirals, couldn’t beat out Danny Wuerffel with the Saints and was second-string in Carolina until Rodney Peete got hurt early in the season.

This unlikely parvenu threw the game-winning pass in double-overtime against St. Louis, but against the Eagles Sunday, he wasn’t asked to do much more than stay out of the way and permit Philadelphia to self-destruct.

As it turned out, Donovan McNabb’s dramatic fourth-and-26 completion against the Green Bay Packers the week before only set up the miserable fans of Philadelphia and their quarterback for numbingly familiar trauma.

Would the Eagles be considered any less of a flop had they succumbed to the Packers in a game that exposed Philadelphia’s weaknesses?

At least then, we could have had the pleasure of rooting once more for Brett Favre, who would have been playing for a Super Bowl bid and the memory of his deceased father.

The final round of the playoffs needed this. In the absence of scintillating football and interesting teams, it needed something to warm us to one of the four aspirants.

And to think, the Super Bowl match-up gives every indication of being even less compelling. The playoffs coughed up the wrong Manning, not Peyton, but Carolina cornerback Ricky Jr., who picked off three of McNabb’s passes.

And for the next game, the Panthers face a defense even better than their own. New England’s defense makes the Patriots the clear favorite, if no more embraceable than the bland party crashers from Charlotte.

The Patriots of gray, grim Bill Belichick have won 14 in a row, an accomplishment that should create excitement among impartial fans, but doesn’t.

Instead, what the Pats offer is a gritty group that knows how to win without looking good, and a crafty defense that, unlike the old Steel Curtain or Purple People Eaters, provides no nicknames or obvious focal point for the camera.

America has less ththan two weeks to learn the identities of these mysterious Patriots and even more anonymous Panthers.

My god, first time I ever read a guy kissing the Patriots ass. Yet he makes horrible points. "We would be rootinf for Farve again had he beaten Philly" GREEN BAY HAD NO DEFENSE, NONE WHATSOEVER. Thats why I wanted the matchup, a little pay back and to embarass them bad.

And than he says the Panthers are lucky I have heard enough of this lucky bulllshizt. A team that has over 10 wins is not lucky, but dominant.

 

[runnerone]

I don't agree with this article, but Bob Molinaro has a style about him that is very readable. I think the articles you see downplaying the game are in some backhanded way trying to generate interest.
Think about it, if you expect one team of "Rocky Balboas" (the dog Cats) to go up against another team of "Rodney Dangerfields" (I tell ya I get no respect! Pats) how could you not at least have a passing interest in how it plays out?

 

[Oedipus Tex]

What don't like about this game is this...

The Pats, winners of 14 straight, are quite clearly the Imperials on a death march, starring Belichick as the Emporer and Brady as Vader, while the Panthers are the plucky rebel alliance, pulling stuff from everywhere to pull out desperate win after desperate win.

It's downright unAmerican to cheer for the Patriots! Lucky for me, I guess, the Imperials all had accents like me.