Hating the Pats

Finally, I can feel good about hating the Patriots. I have had a vague dislike for them throughout the Belichick Era. It's not because they have been a dynasty. It's because they have been a bland dynasty. When I watched the Cowboys or the 49ers of the early 90s, it was obvious that I was watching greatness. They won because they had better players than everyone else. Needless to say, great players are fun to watch.

Conversely, the Patriots seem to have schemed their way to three championships. Prior to this season, I had never thought the Pats had a stacked roster. Who has been their second best offensive player during this run? I have no clue.

The Patriots defense has been consistently excellent, but not particularly exciting. They haven't had a complete gamebreaker like LT (the original) or Ray Lewis. Richard Seymour, their best defensive player of the era, is primarily there to take on two blockers, so the linebackers don't get pushed around. The linebackers have typically been slow, but solid tackling white dudes that "play the game the right way". Thrilling stuff, I know. In fairness, they have had a plethora of exciting players in the secondary. However, for a great defense, they haven't been a whole lot of fun to watch.

Strangely, I always felt a bit conflicted about being turned off by the Patriots' humdrum excellence. I have become an Oakland A's sympathizer, for many of the same reasons that I dislike the Pats. I love that Billy Beane has built a tremendously successful organization by acquiring players that are undervalued, because of a percieved lack of athleticism. Belichick has plugged up holes on the Pats' roster in similar fashion. So I have always had to begrudgingly admire them.

There will be no more ambivalence. The camera incident gives me all the reason I need to unmitigatedly despise the Patriots.