We all know the Patriots are not a fan favorite outside the land of Boston accents, Dunkin’ Donuts and "clam chowdah," but some fans at Gillette Stadium Friday had a bit of a beef with our Garden State friends and the nj.com list of "20 Reasons to Hate the New England Patriots."
"The Patriots are the only good team in the NFL," Nathan Nordbeck of Norton, Massachusetts, said.
The top ten reasons are somewhat predictable.
1. A Jets fan favorite – Spygate."
"Ridiculous," said Pats fan David Fredenberg.
"Totally inflated," said Ray Ladouceur of Uxbridge.
2. Who can forget "Deflategate?"
New England Patriots
"That was all crap, didn’t happen," said Sam Macasay of Brighton.
"There’s always good conspiracies out there when people are successful," said Stephanie Spadorcia of Whitman.
3. A 2002 grudge – "The Tuck Rule."
"We won that one," said Ladouceur.
4. The mysterious TB12 Method.
'That could be a little goofy but it clearly is working, 40-year-old MVP," Macasay said
5. Gisele.
"Uhhhh…lucky," laughed Fredenberg.
6. Bill Belichick’s sometimes questionable sense of style.
"Oh I like it, I wish I had a hoodie like that," Spadorcia said.
7. The so-called “Patriot Way.”
"Do your job," said Ladouceur.
8. Winning "every freakin’ call."
"Our team has a streak of luck, that’s what I think," said 9-year-old Genevieve Levesque.
9. Boston media?
"No comment," Spadorcia said.
10. That we apparently stole Bon Jovi?
"I think he’d still call himself a New Jersey boy at the end of the day," Macasay said as Fredenberg laughed.
The second half of the list might be a bit of a stretch for some people.
11. "Heartless" next man up mentality.
12. The awesomely annoying 3rd-down horn.
13. Our entitled fans?!
"More like Title fans – fans of Titles," said Macasay.
14. The Pats constant focus on their next opponent.
"Because we are on to the next team, we always go on," Nathan Nordbeck of Norton said.
15. The lamest Super Bowl video ever.
16. The team’s so-called "Trump love."
“Trump love,” questioned Pats fan Fredenberg, shaking his head.
17. The whining over calls that don’t go our way.
"Have you ever seen a Giants game," asked Nordbeck incredulously.
"I’m not a fan of whining, as a mother, so I can’t comment on that," laughed Spadorcia, as one of her children said, "Hey, I heard that!"
18. Patriots owner Bob Kraft.
"Genius," said Fredenberg.
"You’ve got to love him, look what he’s done," Ladouceur added.
19. Brady’s so-called "boo boo."
"Twelve stitches in his hand, goes out and plays like five days later," said Macasay.
20. With five Super Bowl rings and counting, the Patriots’ seemingly never-ending success story.
"There isn’t anybody that can touch them," Ladouceur said confidently.
Hopefully one week from Sunday, the Patriots can give everyone outside of New England one more reason to hate them.
