So how about that game?

[PirateLover]

Ok time for me to chime in! How I love sports talk.

Since I sort of know Kristen's personality from the posts in previous threads, I do believe that this was started in an innocent manner. But the things she chose to point out (No running up the score, no cheating) could be interpreted as taunting... like "hey haters, find a reason to hate us now. go us, we won fair!" I'm not saying that's the correct interpretation, it's definitely not how I interpreted it...but it could be seen in that manner.

Donald A mentioned the crowd noise complaint... Ian actually said he thought it was a valid complaint so he was on the Pats side there... then it was determined that CBS was the culprit and the book was closed on that specific issue. Nowhere else did I see anyone being classless or picking on anybody. One thing I've learned, especially being a Philadelphia fan, is that you have to have a thick skin when it comes to sports. People will always find things to hate on your team for. What you need to do as a fan is just take pride in your team, enjoy the wins and move forward.

And just for the record, whenever there is a winner there is a loser. In almost every "Yay my team won!" thread, there are always going to be responses from the opposition. That's just how it is with sports. They bring out the passion in everyone, not just the winning side.

[Ian]

I would love to hear from Kristen on that, because I think your take was off. It seemed to me like she was cheering on her team and the extra comments about their behavior were her self-deprecatingly sweet way of saying she didn't possibly think anyone can find anything to pick on with this win. But of course, wrong there. Where there are Patriots, there are people willing to pick. Occasionally deservedly so.

Okay, well I'll be very shocked if anyone other than Pats fans took her post that way.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it's basically irrelvant anyone because that's they way I took the post and that's the way I chose to respond.

And as far as the noise comment goes, that wasn't me so I have nothing to say about that.

But then again, maybe that's just me being "deliberately obtuse" ...

[Donald A]

Fine by me. I'm not trying to take anything away from Pats' fans enjoyment of the win. I don't think anyone anywhere would dispute that that's one heckuva team they have there and they're obviously a clear favorite to go all the way.

My only point was that my take on this thread was not that it was a "Way to Go Pats thread - fans only let's come celebrate!" thread. Based on the OP's comments, it looked to me like she wanted kudos for the Pats for not running up the score or acting in an unsportsmanlike way.

I wasn't prepared to give those kudos, because I don't believe they're warranted.
However, for the record, I did in fact hold back some other criticisms I had of the Pats' behavior out respect for their fans' desire to celebrate the win.

I guess I was the one who caused some of these problems and honestly I thought the original poster wanted to discuss the game. Since it was mentioned that there was no unsportmanlike conduct, that made the discussion to more than just a nice Manning pass or Pats touchdown - It made it also, to me, an opportunity to discuss the events surrounding the game as well. This was the news the day after the game. I live in Indy with this team and news all around me and I was contributing my observations and, since this is a forum to discuss topics, give my opinion.

I have said it before, I do not care about the Colts really. I am a die-hard Browns fan. In fact, I said in one of my posts that if the Colts were doing the crowd noise thing I would lose respect for them and feel sorry for their fans. I have also said on here on other threads that I feel for the Pats fans that are hurt by the behavior of the team they support.

No one here played on these teams (I don't think) or owns these teams (I don't think). How can a Browns fan who spent more time watching that game than the Colts / Pats game be a poor sport about a loss by a team they don't even claim?

We are discussing a game on here. It is not life or death. I have watched my Indians lose the World Series and the sun rose the next morning. In fact, my wife is a Steelers fan. We are not talking about a small liking, we are talking a Steelers fan from birth. This Sunday the Browns and Steelers essentially play for 1st place in the AFC North. My wife and I might get into it, and she might even leave the room to watch it on another TV. At the end of the day, however, it is just a game.

You are not going to see me be happy for a team that has been fined for cheating or be impressed that they won without doing something like running up the score. I will try to just keep my opinions to myself in the future and am sorry I upset anyone.

[Donald A]

, the first comment about the noise levels was not couched in a way as to question the Colts but to diss the Patriots for finding something to complain about, and you can clearly see that by reading the post.

That is fair enough, but this comment was also posted by me minutes after the first:

Let me add this, if the Colts are cheating by doing the crowd noise thing, I will be the first to come down on my opinion of them. I mean, I am a Browns fan but live in Indy and have friends who really love this team. The Colts owe it to the fans to play and win fair. I was at a few games a couple seasons ago including the Colts/Steelers Monday night game where the Steelers accused them of "piping" in sound. It was very loud in there. However, you are placing 55,000 people sitting in metal bleachers in a very small enclosed area. I don't know

Like I said, I'll just keep my opinion to myself from now on as I have been called a sore loser and it has been implied that I lack class.

[SBETigg]

IYou are not going to see me be happy for a team that has been fined for cheating or be impressed that they won without doing something like running up the score. I will try to just keep my opinions to myself in the future and am sorry I upset anyone.

Please feel free to express your opinion. No one said it was life or death or upsetting in any way. You'd gone on about the Patriots' lack of class, and didn't even have the class to acknowledge that it was a great game (for both teams actually) without accusing the Patriots of something new. Though you did have the class to then question the Colts part in it, and in the end admit it was CBS at fault and not the Pats or the Colts. So that makes up for it. Sorry to debate you on it. I thought it was a friendly debate.

I still honestly don't see how anyone thought Kristen was looking for kudos on the Patriots not running up the score. It was so obviously not the case and that she was being funny on that point. Since she threw in the sweatshirt comment, did you guys think she wanted some fashion kudos for Belichick, too? And thanks, Piratelover, it never occurred to me that some might see the cheers as gloating. I never thought it was the case, but it's equally possible in interpretation for non-Pats fans.

[PirateLover]

Since she threw in the sweatshirt comment, did you guys think she wanted some fashion kudos for Belichick, too?

You know that is actually one of the first things I noticed! I said to my dad "Wow, he's not wearing his old sweatshirt." He actually looked...dare I say... classy

And thanks, Piratelover, it never occurred to me that some might see the cheers as gloating. I never thought it was the case, but it's equally possible in interpretation for non-Pats fans.

I don't know what the sports climate is like up there in New England (or any other city), whether you have 24 hour sports talk radio, intense scrutiny on every move a team makes or any comment that is made, and if you do I don't know if you personally pay attention to it. But here in Philly we have TWO sports talk radio stations, a newspaper that devotes almost half of it's content to sports and a tv station dedicated solely to local sports. On the radio station especially it's crazy to hear how people can misinterpret things or make mountains out of molehills. Many people in our town refer to the city as "Negadelphia" when it comes to sports because we always look for the bad in things due to our loser complex. (No championship in almost 100 pro seasons with the 4 major sports combined).
As much as I try to be positive myself, I've kind of grown used to hearing the negative interpretations of everything, which is why I tried to shed light on the other side.

[kakn7294]

I've read every post here twice. I didn't read anyone being nasty.

You're right - I didn't mean to insinuate that anyone was being nasty because nobody was. I just wanted to make a point. Sorry to anyone who took it as a personal attack - it wasn't meant to be.

I didn't take the original post as a gloat either but that may be because I know Kristen and know that she wouldn't do that. I can see how others may interpret it as that. And Coach Belichick did look much better than usual. I hope his wife tossed that ratty old sweatshirt when he wasn't looking!!!

[battlefield2freak]

You know that is actually one of the first things I noticed! I said to my dad "Wow, he's not wearing his old sweatshirt." He actually looked...dare I say... classy

I don't know what the sports climate is like up there in New England (or any other city), whether you have 24 hour sports talk radio, intense scrutiny on every move a team makes or any comment that is made, and if you do I don't know if you personally pay attention to it. But here in Philly we have TWO sports talk radio stations, a newspaper that devotes almost half of it's content to sports and a tv station dedicated solely to local sports. On the radio station especially it's crazy to hear how people can misinterpret things or make mountains out of molehills.

i know alot about the college sports climate trust me. when your stuck between 2 good college programs ( UL & UK ) its hard to be a fan for either. yeah i saw bill in his new outfit i was like wheres bill at cause im looking for a grey hoodie that has the patriots on it lol.