The 12th Man

[Steve1]

At the games I attended this season, the Patriots fans were awesome as a group. This was different from some past seasons. I'll never forget the Cincinnati game, you know, the one where it seemed like everybody had written off Brady. Brady had a terrific game, and the crowd chanted 'Brady...Brady....Brady...." I was there, and as soon as it started, everybody took part. He acknowledged the crowd, and the buzz became even louder. It'll be on the championship video, I'm sure. Or at least, it should be.

Last night vs. the Colts, it was rainy, raw, and crappy. It was a 'cover your head from the elements' kind of a night. But you could still hear the especially loud crowd, louder than in other years. When the crowd, again, chanted Brady....Brady....Brady..., he responded with all his fist pumps, and emotion, for the people. And the cheers and loud laughs whenever the ref said "#71 is reporting eligible"!!! We were one, the team and the fans. Belichick must have been laughing inside. The team is hungry, and the fans are hungry for wins.

Good job Patriots Fans! We did it! Undefeated regular and post-season at home!

Let's keep those Positive Vibes going. This is it!

 

[king of kings]

That was the loudest that stadium ever been .They won't even stop when brady had the ball. I kept having to tell people. Quiet or use the keep it down hand gesture. When the offense had the ball.

 

[Steve1]

That was the loudest that stadium ever been .They won't even stop when brady had the ball. I kept having to tell people. Quiet or use the keep it down hand gesture. When the offense had the ball.

I know! I did that down hand gesture too! Hell, I think I saw even Brady doing that at one point, as he was trying to hear the signal from the sideline!

But I more than tolerated the noise people made when the Pats had the ball. The enthusiasm was endless. And it was alot louder when Luck was getting ready.

 

[Steve1]

Actually, I forgot Buffalo won the last reg. season game in Foxboro. I wouldn't put any stock in that one, though. Most of the regulars only played part of the game.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

I thought this thread was about the Seahacks fickle 12th man. You know, all those people that left in the middle of the game...then after the Packers layed down in the 4th qtr, they "rekindled" their massive passion and wanted back in the stadium?

 

[bideau]

This was definitely a different crowd this season. You're correct that it started with the Cincy game. The Denver game was the loudest regular season crowd I can recall in Gillette. As loud as the AFCCG was, the Baltimore game was even crazier.

I think that part of it is a sense of urgency with the end of the Brady era in sight. Let's face it, we've been taking it for granted much of the past 13 years. The era has to end at some point (and hopefully a new one begin when Garoppolo takes over).

It's been a fun and memorable home season this year.

 

[mikiemo83]

Yeah this is a fun year and I think the towel being tossed in after the KC game made it all that more fun.

Tickets on the exchange were plentiful that week for many games, slowly as they turned it around those tickets numbers vanished to the point few tickets were available and those that were went quickly.

We all bust nuts about many things, including Tommy's end is near (and it is), but we have been blessed beyond anything I could imagine while sitting in that cold empty stadium, the concrete shithole, Schaeffer, Sullivan, Foxboro...whatever you want to call it as a kid dreaming of winning it all. I started at this company when I was 19, my folder was brought out to me a few years ago for laughs as our office manager retired. She was looking at it and noticed my hiring notes said I was to have every Friday and Monday off before and after Patriots games in Miami so I could attend the game. The “Squish the Fish” year.

I love this team and this crowd this year is up there with the intensity of any I have other season I have seen. This season reminds me of the Cassel year in that I lowered my expectations early to ‘just make the playoffs’ based on games 1-4 and have enjoy the ride, expectation free for the most part.

Early I was just happy they returned to power in the division, then Conference, and now league. I always feel 19-0 is possible refusing to concede a defeat to anyone on the roster. Even the Last Buffalo game I wanted a victory and thought they should have still pulled it out with a limited roster. I may over re-act and piss and moan about stuff but that shit is fleeting and once those words of anger leave my mouth, or fingers, I am on the good ship lollipop again. But unlike 2008 we still have Tommy, and unlike the past few seasons the cast of characters around him have remained healthy. And this is MY TEAM and MY TEAM is ready to show once again they are the elite, the best TEAM in the NFL.

Haters are going to hate but you want to be hated in the NFL. The Hated team is the one that no one wants to face, but the one every other fan base wishes they had.

Embrace that hate, it feels good to be hated again.

 

[NSPatsFan]

I am kinda concerned about Seattle having a better home field advantage in Arizona. They do play there once a year, we haven't played there since Super Bowl XLII.

Also their fans invaded the dreadowlands last year and Arizona is much closer to Seattle.

 

[mikiemo83]

I am kinda concerned about Seattle having a better home field advantage in Arizona. They do play there once a year, we haven't played there since Super Bowl XLII.

Also their fans invaded the dreadowlands last year and Arizona is much closer to Seattle.

Denver doesn't travel well especially to a cold weather City, WTF? would you leave anyplace for NY

 

[AkPatsFan]

I am kinda concerned about Seattle having a better home field advantage in Arizona. They do play there once a year, we haven't played there since Super Bowl XLII.

Also their fans invaded the dreadowlands last year and Arizona is much closer to Seattle.

No need to be concerned about that, there are a lot more Patriot fans on the west coast than you realize. The Boston sports teams, except maybe the Celtics, have a huge following out west. I've lived out here off and on since 1979 and I've seen it first hand.

Wife and I went to Seattle a few years back to watch a weekend of Red Sox baseball. I saw more Sox fans at those 2 games than Mariner fans and they treated us like regular fans.

Had a friends wife fly down there with one of her gal pals for her birthday to watch a Saints/Seahawks game at the Clink. She got up from her seat to go to the rest room and on her way back to her seat she was assaulted by a couple of drunk Seahawk fans. She came back to Alaska with a helluva shiner and all over a freakin football game.

I'd still go to a Red Sox game but I will never go there to watch a Pats game and risk putting my wife and I at risk of being attacked over a GD football game.

 

[bideau]

I am kinda concerned about Seattle having a better home field advantage in Arizona. They do play there once a year, we haven't played there since Super Bowl XLII.

Also their fans invaded the dreadowlands last year and Arizona is much closer to Seattle.

Arizona has a very large Patriots fan base.
This is one of the bigger fan clubs: http://www.nepfca.com/

 

[PatsFan09]

Arizona has a very large Patriots fan base. This is one of the bigger fan clubs: http://www.nepfca.com/

Uh... Doesn't NEM live in AZ?

 

[bideau]

Uh... Doesn't NEM live in AZ?

Or buried in AZ. Is he still alive? I thought we killed him when we banned him. Or was that from the other dozen or so boards that he was banned from? In fact, he may have been kicked out of the AZ fan club. :shrug:

 

[mikiemo83]

Uh... Doesn't NEM live in AZ?

is he even still breathing?

and he did but I do not see him getting into this game without security stopping him for that restraining order McDaniels took out on him many years ago.

 

[mikiemo83]

Or buried in AZ. Is he still alive? I thought we killed him when we banned him. Or was that from the other dozen or so boards that he was banned from? In fact, he may have been kicked out of the AZ fan club. :shrug:

he was banned from his own message board!!!

 

[ParanoidPatriot]

is he even still breathing?

and he did but I do not see him getting into this game without security stopping him for that restraining order McDaniels took out on him many years ago.

You can meet up with him at the Vine.

Back to the crowds at Gillette. I've been to many games in all kinds of weather. But the most miserable is a steady cold rain, in my opinion. I'd rather have snow or cold.

I was surprised that so many stayed around long after the game had been decided.

A big to those who attended and acted like real fans in those conditions.

 

[mikiemo83]

You can meet up with him at the Vine.

Back to the crowds at Gillette. I've been to many games in all kinds of weather. But the most miserable is a steady cold rain, in my opinion. I'd rather have snow or cold.

I was surprised that so many stayed around long after the game had been decided.

A big to those who attended and acted like real fans in those conditions.

truthfully it was not that bad out, sure the rain was constant but most of the fans had on the proper gear for the game. Plus it was rather warm for a January game.

I personally thought it was a no sleeves if playing kind of night.

 

[Patriots4ever]

I gotta agree, the crowds were good this year

I went to the Bengals game: A++ crowd
I went to the Detroit game: A-
I went to the Miami game: Meh

I was at the AFCCG to the very end of the trophy presentation. That was the greatest event I have ever attended at Gillette. My only complaint would be there being too much noise when the Patriots had the football, but I do understand the excitement and the magnitude of the game. It was great to be a part of such a great event the other night. No regrets. What a great season, now they have to finish the job!

 

[bideau]

You can meet up with him at the Vine.

Back to the crowds at Gillette. I've been to many games in all kinds of weather. But the most miserable is a steady cold rain, in my opinion. I'd rather have snow or cold.

I was surprised that so many stayed around long after the game had been decided.

A big to those who attended and acted like real fans in those conditions.

I did my part, although in full disclosure, I sit under the luxury boxes and didn't get a drop of rain on me

 

[Undertaker #59*]

is he even still breathing?

and he did but I do not see him getting into this game without security stopping him for that restraining order McDaniels took out on him many years ago.

yOUR FULL OF CRAP. yOU DONT KNOW ME AT ALL. hET OFF IT, YOU ARE OUT OF LINE and so easy to fall in line with the others, arent you.

You dont know shit about me at all and my life with this team, so get off my back cause you are nothing to me with your garbage...You cant hold my jock strap as far as fan loyalty goes, so stick it ass wipe..Hows them for apples jagoff. You dont know diddly shit about me, frickin idiot.

Ever stop top think that maybe YOu, and those like you, arte the real assclowns. Maybe yu deserve your own place. Get the **** off my back, y9ou havent got a fucmoing clue as to twhat the hell is going on, and I have been araound a hell of a lot longer than you and will be here a lot loinger than you you little POS. Get the **** off my back, you dont know shit about me, friggin asswipe.

Spoiler

taken from NEM's Greatest Hits - 11/8/06, 12/10/06