The Philly Phanatics

Everyone has those teams they love and those teams they hate. We love the hometown team. Even when our favorite team breaks our heart over and over, the true fans come back the next game or next season to put their heart on the line again. It’s like marrying a perpetually unfaithful spouse…you love them so much, but they always break your heart in the worst kind of way at the worst possible times. Once they have broken your heart enough, they will invent new ways to break your heart like not finding a replacement for Wes Helms. But you take them back over and over again, not because it is prudent, but because when they do take you all the way, it will be infinitely worth it.

But we all have that team or teams that we despise just as much. Every win that that team gets is one too many. For many people, it is that team that you are envious of. How many fans out there hate the Yankees? They spend more money for a single player than some franchises do their entire team (see Tampa Bay), and for that have the respect of many and the hatred of many more. You will find people who hate almost any perpetual winner. It’s the entire cycle of envy. Why can’t my team spend $275 million to sign A-Rod for the next 10 years? Therefore, you hate Steinbrenner and all that the Yankees’ “Evil Empire” represents.

Whether you like Duke or UNC, Saint Joe’s or Villanova, the “Sawks” or Yanks, Eagles or Cowboys, you know what it’s like to hate.

For much of America this football season, the team that everyone hates is the New England Patriots.

Honestly, I know that I am a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan and I am supposed to hate the New England Patriots for beating only the second Eagles team to appear in a Super Bowl. But to the defense of the Patriots, I do not understand why there is such a great backlash against this Patriots team. (And Bill Belichick’s sense of style or lack thereof is not a legitimate reason to hate the Patriots. C’mon, not everyone can be Mike Nolan.)

Before you think me a complete moron, I understand that the Patriots run up the score on everyone. But what team would not run up the score considering they were called into question by the entire league and the media. Not only was every win they have had in the past few years scrutinized tirelessly, but all of their successes including their stretch of three Super Bowls in four seasons beginning in 2002 are being questioned. They are the typical team with a vendetta. Who does not love a team with a vendetta and with that “up yours” personality? Any Philadelphians remember Randall Cunningham’s fake kneel-down against the Cowboys? That is pure “up yours” hatred of a rival. The Patriots have that mentality every game this season.

Who did not love Lance Armstrong sticking it to the rest of the world at the Tour de France? He was challenged by the rest of world with countless doping allegations, and responded to the criticism by being the brazen American who won a mind-boggling seven consecutive Tour de France titles. He's showing off by counting them out in the picture at left). His streak only ended because he decided to retire from professional cycling. Tell me that the entire country did not love his “up yours” mentality toward the entire cycling world and the incredulous officials of the Tour de France.

Similarly, Tiger Woods has been embraced with open arms by the American public while displaying the same tenacity of the New England Patriots. Tiger Woods does not relent whether he is ahead by one shot or ten shots on Sunday. The world loved the 21-year old phenom as he tore through Augusta to win by twelve strokes in 1997 and in the process broke the four-day scoring record for the most historic tournament. Tiger Woods’ greatest attribute might be his ability to put his foot on the opponents’ throat and not let them comeback in a tournament, or especially in any match play event. This is the allure of Tiger on Sunday. He is so dominant and intimidating that Tiger is automatic in majors when going into Sunday with a lead.

So why is there such a love-hate relationship with dominance? Why do we love Tiger and Lance, but hate the Yankees and Patriots?

The Yankees outspend the rest of the league because of the absence of a salary cap in major league baseball. Want to sign Roger Clemens for half a season and pay him and absurd sum of money? They can and will. Want to resign A-Rod for a sum of money larger than the operating budgets of some companies? They can and did. Without a salary cap there is nothing to keep the rich from buying talent away from the poorer teams. And do not kid yourself by arguing that the Yankees are restricted by the luxury tax in the MLB, that’s like pocket change for the Bronx Buyers.

So are the Pats the Yankees of the NFL? I do not think they are. Moss was considered a cancer and many teams passed on him. Welker was a relative unknown prior to this season, despite being the leading receiver in Miami last season. Stallworth was injury-prone at best. Brady is a guy who almost was not drafted out of Michigan, going in the 6th round of the NFL draft. (Who seriously had Brady ahead of Chad Pennington, Chris Redman and Tee Martin on their draft board? Nobody and that’s why everyone passed on him for five plus rounds.) In addition, the Patriots have assembled this cast within the constraints of the salary cap.

This Patriots team has been discredited and held up to immeasurable scrutiny, yet has risen from the ashes of this controversy like a phoenix. So why do people still despise them and want to piss on their ashes?