Patriots fans, you are obnoxiously loyal, fiercely defensive . . . and the rest of the world hates you.
Take it as a compliment.
Like the pre-2004 Red Sox fan, the Patriot fan has earned an identity all his/her own. Remember those old, down-and-out, woe-is-me Sox fans? The Bucky "Bleeping" Dent, Bill Buckner, Grady Little fans? They had a level of celebrity, same as Pats fans do today. But they're gone now, collateral damage of three World Series championships. In their place: Nantucket-summering, pink-hat wearing, faux fans.
But they were lovable. These modern Patriots fans? Not so much. At least not outside New England.
Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star -- who once told my desk neighbor Mike Giardi that I'm a buffoon (don't worry, I'll deal with this dope later tonight on television) -- calls Patriots fans "awful human beings." Even though Doyel is as gutless as they come (he can dish it out but he can’t take it), the fact is he's not the only one with this opinion.
Now, I take a sizable amount of abuse from Patriot fans for my opinions on Deflategate and Tom Brady’s health guru. But I don't think they're awful human beings. Brainwashed, maybe, but, that’s okay; most fans are. They're simply loyal and passionate, and will come out swinging when nitwits like Doyel take biased, twisted, half-true cheap shots at their team. And make no mistakes, the fact that everybody west of New England hates them means one thing: Their team always wins. Nothing breeds hatred like jealousy.
I mean, think of real hated fan bases.
New England Patriots
Canadiens fans have to top any list. Their arrogance and the self-righteousness is nauseating, considering they haven't won anything in 20 years (and counting).
And Ravens fans. Anyone who wears a Ray Rice jersey and gives him a standing ovation after he punched his fiancee has earned my hate.
But others? It's hard to feel the hate for some of our longtime nemeses. Like Raider Nation, whose organization has devolved into one of the biggest jokes in sports. (Besides, I really dig those Halloween costumes.) And Jets fan, who lost a lot of their edge when Fireman Ed hung up his helmet. And those three World Series titles have turned hatred of Yankee Universe into ambivalence.
In their place, at least in some corners of the country: Patriots rooters, the crème de la crème of hated sports fans.
And why not? Your team is undefeated, you have the best coach and quarterback on the planet, you have four Lombardi Trophies under your arms, and you beat the NFL in court.
For anyone north of the Canadian border, west of the Berkshires, and south of Newport and New Haven, you suck.
Take it as a compliment.