New England Patriots followers need the glory again in Tremendous Bowl LX : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1440x1440+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9e%2Fca%2F1ffa0b014bd7a76faff40fdb13dc%2F123-1.JPEG" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1440x1440+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9e%2Fca%2F1ffa0b014bd7a76faff40fdb13dc%2F123-1.JPEG" class="img" alt="Patriots superfan Keith Birchall (R) celebrated with a friend in Denver for the AFC Championship game and was thrilled to see the Pats punch their ticket to this year’s Super Bowl. He’s old enough to remember the Pats’ losing years, and is appalled by the “cockiness and entitlement” in many spoiled young Pats fans today." fetchpriority="high"/> Patriots superfan Keith Birchall (proper) celebrated with a buddy in Denver for the AFC Championship sport and was thrilled to see the Pats punch their ticket to this 12 months's Tremendous Bowl. He is sufficiently old to recollect the Pats' shedding years, and is appalled by the "cockiness and entitlement" in lots of spoiled younger Pats followers in the present day. Elizabeth Johnson disguise caption

toggle caption

Elizabeth Johnson BOSTON - As Seattle Seahawks followers look to win their second-ever Lombardi trophy in Sunday's Tremendous Bowl showdown, New England Patriots followers are aiming to win their seventh. And simply as importantly to many, they're hoping to "lastly" finish what they name their "lengthy" and "agonizing" six years of shedding.

"Don't fret, we'll be on prime once more quickly sufficient," mentioned Aidan Lafferty, 24, with the swagger of a 20-something who grew up with the Patriots successful, and successful once more.

"It is the beginning of a dynasty, once more!," gushed 24-year-old George Zabalou, nursing a beer just a few tables away on the Sport On! sports activities bar the place partitions are coated with banners, pictures and jerseys all testifying to the town's embarrassment of sports activities riches. Beginning in 2001, Boston's 4 main sports activities groups delivered 12 championships in 18 seasons, together with the Patriots' six Tremendous Bowl wins.

These fortunate sufficient to develop up throughout these years when Boston referred to as itself "Title City" by no means went greater than two years earlier than attending to skip college once more for an additional championship celebration.

"It was like parades on parades on parades," mentioned Jenna Freni, 24. "It was superior."

Frenzi's buddy Angel Galiotzakis, 23, nodded. "Rising up, I did not know that going to the Tremendous Bowl wasn't a standard incidence."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2048x1536+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F68%2F585fc459421190a4237ff10ee011%2Fimg-4095.JPEG" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2048x1536+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2F68%2F585fc459421190a4237ff10ee011%2Fimg-4095.JPEG" class="img" alt="Jenna Freni, 24, (left) and Angel Galiotzakis, 23, spent their childhood celebrating Patriots Superbowl championships. Sharing drinks at the Game On! sports bar in Boston, they’re hoping this is the year New England starts winning again. “We’ve suffered enough,” Galiotzakis smiles." loading="lazy"/> Jenna Freni, 24, (left) and Angel Galiotzakis, 23, spent their childhood celebrating Patriots Superbowl championships. Sharing drinks on the Sport On! sports activities bar in Boston, they're hoping that is the 12 months New England begins successful once more. "We have suffered sufficient," Galiotzakis smiles. Tovia Smith/NPR disguise caption

toggle caption

Tovia Smith/NPR So, it was fairly the shock to many when star quarterback Tom Brady left, the Pats parades paused, and followers discovered themselves struggling by a painful Patriots drought, -- for these of six lengthy years.

"Dude, I used to be in a darkish place," mentioned Lafferty. "I used to be like, 'Is it all the time going to be like this? Are we not going to win for … ever?'"

One other Pats fan Joe Reynolds says it was a tough time for him, too. "It was like, 'What is going on on?" he mentioned from his house in Cambridge. "This is sort of a large drop off from what I've come to count on."

"There's a clear connection between the Patriots shedding and your use of antidepressants," added his spouse, Emily Borges.

However listening to Pat's followers complain about their struggling is what's unbearable to NFL followers from, effectively, mainly all over the place else.

"Oh! Recover from yourselves! It has not been that arduous," scoffed Noah Seligson, a fan of the New York Jets with a a lot, for much longer historical past of struggling. "The Jets have not made the Tremendous Bowl since 1969! Boston followers ought to develop up and really feel lucky for what they've."

Andrew Lawrenson, who lives in New England however roots for the Miami Dolphins, mentioned Pats followers do not know what actual struggling is. The Dolphins' final gained a Tremendous Bowl in January 1974.

"Patriots followers drive me loopy," Lawrenson mentioned. "They're all obnoxious and wish to run their mouth off. The Patriots should undergo a bit of extra. They've had 20 years of greatness, they'll have at the least 10 years of distress."

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2048x1536+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2F02%2F7a8616674738ac4d80852ecd1e56%2Fimg-4162.JPEG" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2048x1536+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2F02%2F7a8616674738ac4d80852ecd1e56%2Fimg-4162.JPEG" class="img" alt="George Zabalou, a security guard at the Game On! sports bar in Boston, says he loved “the bragging rights” that came from being a New England Patriots fan during their winning years. Now after six “horrible” seasons, he’s hoping for a Pats win, and what he believes will be another dynasty run." loading="lazy"/> George Zabalou, a safety guard on the Sport On! sports activities bar in Boston, says he cherished "the bragging rights" that got here from being a New England Patriots fan throughout their successful years. Now after six "horrible" seasons, he is hoping for a Pats win, and what he believes will likely be one other dynasty run. Tovia Smith/NPR disguise caption

toggle caption

Tovia Smith/NPR Zac Vug, who hosts the web sports activities speak present Take Again With Zac, calls New England the "most spoiled franchise within the universe."

"Oh my god, their angle is horribly disgusting," he mentioned.

Even some Patriots trustworthy – of a sure age -- will admit that an angle adjustment is likely to be so as.

New England superfan Keith Birchall, 58, has been round lengthy sufficient to recollect a long time of the Pats shedding and when the workforce was mocked because the Patsies. That is stored him extra grounded than the "entitled" younger followers in the present day, he mentioned.

He nonetheless seethes on the younger followers who could not hassle going to this 12 months's Wild Card sport, taking it as a right the Pats would win and so they'd have an opportunity this season at a good larger sport.

"That is simply cockiness and entitlement," Birchall mentioned. "They do not get it. They don't know how dangerous we as soon as had been."

As for the hate coming from rival followers, New England diehards brush it off as simply jealousy. As Pats followers like to say, "They hate us cuz they ain't us."

They usually're not fully fallacious.

"I do! I hate 'em cuz I ain't 'em," concedes Vug, whose LA Chargers have gained a complete of zero Tremendous Bowls. "I am a person of Christ. I've to confess my shortcomings. I'm a jealous human. I envy what the Patriots have. I envy the convenience of their life. It is only a excellent sports activities relationship. And all I've is ache and struggling."

You may hear no such confession, nevertheless, from Seattle Seahawks fan Jason Hibbs.

"We do not need to be them," he snapped. "They're obnoxious!"

However a second later, Hibbs gives a caveat: it would not be all dangerous to be hated.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1536x2048+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2F5f%2Fdb3f5f1b45918f2d2ca3edb53673%2F1626771357603263778.JPEG" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1536x2048+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2F5f%2Fdb3f5f1b45918f2d2ca3edb53673%2F1626771357603263778.JPEG" class="img" alt="Seattle Seahawks fan Jason Hibbs is one of many around the nation who find it infuriating to hear Patriots fans grousing about the “long-suffering” years since they last won a championship. Hibbs is hoping the Seahawks beat the Pats and “shut up” their “obnoxious” fans." loading="lazy"/> Seattle Seahawks fan Jason Hibbs is one in every of many across the nation who discover it infuriating to listen to Patriots followers grousing in regards to the "long-suffering" years since they final gained a championship. Hibbs is hoping the Seahawks beat the Pats and "shut up" their "obnoxious" followers. Suzanah Schoen disguise caption

toggle caption

Suzanah Schoen "It means you are successful," he mentioned. "In just a few years, possibly all people hates us as a result of we have gained two or 3 times. I need to be hated for as soon as. That will be a unbelievable feeling."