I think it’s because Boston fans were so used to having everyone’s sympathy for so long. NY was the villain everyone hated, not us. Then as the Pats kept winning, they started getting a aura of arrogance about them. As fans, we didn’t really pick up on it because we were busy being happy and it never occurred to us that people might be getting sick of our teams winning and our fans. So one day, we looked up and we were suddenly the bad guys and it was just a bit of a shock.

Personally, I’ve never had a problem with being hated: it’s just a part of sports. And I agree with you that it’s hypocritical of Boston fans to complain about being hated. For me, the only time I’ve ever really gotten angry over that hatred was when Brady was injured this season, and we got all this footage and these pictures of bars in NY where people were celebrating. And it wasn’t just NY, people all over were cheering and celebrating a potentially career-threatening injury– and not only cheering it, but rooting for it to be career-ending. That’s the only time I’ve ever actually gotten pissed off and felt like people were taking their hate too far. But I can only speak for myself. Hope that helps. :)

As for sudden death, you suggestions work fine for me. I just don’t like that if you win the toss, all you have to do is get within FG range and that’s that.

Can i ask you as an obvious Patriots fan, and one who apparently hates the Giants and Colts (insert my gratuitous taunt at you here because I am a Giants fan) can I ask where you stand on the issue of the Pats being a widely hated team amongst NFL fans?

Seems to me that most of my Pats fans friends and the peopel I hear on the radio here in Boston were oh so upset and perplexed that the Pats were hated, yet they now all insist on hating the Giants. I am all for teams hating other teams in sports its awesome, and I would never complain about people hating on the Giants other than to taunt them back by calling them haters, but I would just love to hear (for once) a Pats fan be a little consistent about people hating on their team by saying they understand and don’t really mind or care.

As for sudden death I kinda don’t mind it. But a way to perhaps expand strategy would be for a modified version where on the very first possession of OT, ONLY a TD would end the game on the spot, but a field goal would allow the other team a possession to match or win. Anything after that would be sudden death of course. That sounds kinda cool yo me, though maybe too gimmicky.

It’s still football, though. By what magic does the strategy disappear?

Are you saying that during regulation, an offense might try to go 3-and-out because, what the hey, there’ll more chances later? Or a defense will give up an easy score because it won’t end the game?

You are confusing me, Pogue.

The last 6 meetings have turned out too well for indy either, have they?

A most excellent game for sure.

Sorry about that.

All in all, you’re probably not the next Brandon Lang; but I’d still like very much for you to pick the games in the next round as well– whether they agree with Simmons or not. I’ve always loved when you take a brief break to talk about football.

The Colts D killed themselves in OT. Just stupid stupid penalties….

What a great game!!!!!

John Madden said that the officials were the same ones who cost the Chargers in the game versus Denver in Week 2. Perhaps they tried to make the error up in the playoffs. All I know is that if the officiating remains constant, the Chargers are destined to win the Super Bowl.

This NFL season was a crap shoot this year.
Steelers and Panthers are the teams to watch now.

Anybody who has watched most of the college 1A Bowls can e pleased this year for similar reasons, and one other. This year — yet again — more than any other, screams for an end to the terrible CS monopoly and a playoff system like every other football program has. SO that undefeated teams like Utah are not relegated to second class status by “experts” but rather have a similar chance as any other team to earn the crown.

The best thing about football is the strategy, and there’s not much strategy in sudden death overtime. I say overtime should consist of one more quarter with each team getting two time-outs and one challenge. Flip a coin, then play fifteen more minutes. If by the end of that fifteen minutes there remains a tie score, call it a tie in regular season and in the playoffs do a sudden death.

Just MHO.

Don’t get me started on the BCS though. I started to on the other thread, but then worried about my blood pressure and stopped. It’s all messed up. And I’m a lifelong OU fan too.

Cheers.

Both of these teams were expected to lose. I’d love for them both to get to the big game.

Yep, Darren Sproles accounted for 328 yards for the Chargers but it was the punter that won it for them.

Hope tomorrows games are exciting too.