Who are you cheering for in the Super Bowl?

[Roger]

Y'know, this is why I don't like sports, and politics for that matter. Despise? Hate? What does that have to do with the game? The Patriots play a good game and win. I remember when they went to the Super Bowl and lost like they weren't even there.

The cheating scandal? Like politics, I am sure if the Patriots did it (and got caught, and sucked up to it and paid the fine for it rather quickly if I remember) what makes you so sure no other team does it too? I don't know why they did it and I don't think any of you do either.

Bob Craft? He put the team together and got them a home. He yanked a lot of chains around here too, and my town didn't get much either. If your parents did some shady deals should we blame you too?

And another thing -- it's not Boston vs New York (City). It's Foxborough MA (well, technically all of New England) vs East Rutherford NJ. Those other cities get the parades and the glory only.

I'm not saying this because the Patriots are my neighbors. I have neighbors in houses down the street from me I don't like. I just ignore them. (And I'm polite to them and their children.) They aren't worth the time to "hate". Plus I grew up outside NYC, so I got the best (and worst) of both worlds.

Hmph! I'm sorry for this rant. I'm going back to play with the robot. And I'll probably still fall asleep watching the Pats win.

[Milaki]

I have to root for the Giants for several good reasons
1. Even though the beat the Packers (which is a reason I HATE the giants) I would rather say I lost to the team that won the Super Bowl rather than the team that lost the Super Bowl
2. The Patriots are a bunch of cheaters
3. The Patriots are too arrogant
4. Two of the games the giants played were against teams that beat them in the regular season (Dallas and Green Bay) and the giants beat both of them in the Playoffs so they could keep this streak against New England

[Cory]

Originally Posted by Roger

The cheating scandal? Like politics, I am sure if the Patriots did it (and got caught, and sucked up to it and paid the fine for it rather quickly if I remember) what makes you so sure no other team does it too? I don't know why they did it and I don't think any of you do either.

This is more of an ethical indictment than anything. You're saying it's ok to cheat as long as you a) get caught b) admit you got caught cheating c)other people are doing it and d) you have a good reason for cheating?

I cannot see why people are trying to rationalize the Patriots cheating. They flat out got caught cheating. Whether everyone else is cheating or not is irrelevant. They did, and it's no less wrong because "everyone else" is doing it.

Suggesting it's OK if they had a good reason (we don't need to know why they did it; they CHEATED. That's all that matters! Besides, this is a professional sporting event. For what reasons would you cheat, besides to gain a competitive advantage?) is one of the most ludicrous ideas I've heard in a long time

Now you can argue the Patriots shouldn't be the only ones being ripped on for cheating, that the entire league should be under scrutiny, but that's something different altogether.

[Jethr0]

m goin 4 the Pats cause i live in NE

[Amanda Morrison]

Originally Posted by Cory

I cannot see why people are trying to rationalize the Patriots cheating. They flat out got caught cheating. Whether everyone else is cheating or not is irrelevant. They did, and it's no less wrong because "everyone else" is doing it.

Cory is exactly right. It doesn't matter whether or not it is football or FIRST, 'everyone else does it' is NOT an excuse to break the rules. The Patriots were busted because they were doing something wrong. A spectator may be right in saying that the whole NFL is corrupt and every team breaks the rules for their competitive advantage. If that's true, why do we bother to watch? That corruption takes away from the game and the players who truly are incredible athletes. It overshadows the close wins and the tough losses. It's no longer a game - or a competition - at that point.

Just like football, we've all heard rumors about teams cheating in FIRST, 'creatively' bending the rules to give them the competitive edge that puts them over the top and into the winners' spot. That isn't winning. When you are playing in a sport (or any competition, for that matter) where a winner is to be determined, the true winner is the person or team that follows the rules and still manages to best their opponents.

I do not root for football or FIRST teams that cheat. If someone told me tomorrow that my favorite sports teams cheated, I'd find another team to root for. Whether its steroids, videotapes, or whatever it is, "everyone is doing it" is NOT acceptable. It does not make you a role model.

You aren't a winner in football - or FIRST - unless you walk off the field knowing that you followed the rules completely, did your best, and still managed to eek out the win. Knowing that you were truly chosen as the best of the best, without having to resort to petty or foul play to win; walking off the field with the respect (no matter how begrudging) of your competitors; picking up that trophy or having that medal placed around your neck, and knowing that you've earned it - THAT is winning.

[Ian Curtis]

Perhaps what the New England Patriots did isn't justifiable by the fact "that everyone is doing it," but I think that they did the best they could. They got caught cheating. And they fessed up and payed the price. None of this "I swear I didn't do steriods!" business that pervades professional baseball. I'd be willing to bet that everyone (from pro sports teams to regular old individuals) has cheated at one point, in some way, be it small or large. So, in that respect, at some point you have to "forgive and forget" and move on, if the offender has recognized what they did was wrong, and moved on.

Anyway, I'll be rooting for New England (so, I suppose I am biased), but this is Eli Manning's big chance. If he goes without meeting his game breaking interception per game quota (as he has been doing through the playoffs), they'll give the Pats a run for their money, just as they did at the end of the regular season. Eli has to prove that he can play football. And this Superbowl would certainly do that.

[Roger]

Y'know, this is another reason why I don't like sports, and politics for that matter. I am neither a good debater nor follow sports and politics, but I just call it as I see it. I try to give my reasons on a variety of points, and everyone jumps on only one part and misses the others.

The "Like politics, I am sure if the Patriots did it ... what makes you so sure no other team does it too?" statement is more of cynicism than "ethical indictment" (whatever that is). I did not say it is okay to cheat. (It isn't okay to cheat -- is that plain enough for you?) I am not "rationalizing" or "justifying" why they cheated. (I don't know why and neither do you -- it was never publicly explained.) I also did not "suggest" it's okay to cheat if they had a good reason. (They never gave a reason at all.) And yes, as my "local" team, I was embarrassed by what happened and angry that it did happen. (Only a little -- I don't bask in their glory, so I can't be personally embarrassed by their stupidity either.) I was also surprised it did happen, why a team such as the Patriots needed to do this.

And I certainly did not mean to imply that they should do it because (as you say) "everyone else is doing it." That is not what I said. Quite the opposite. I'll repeat my statement: If they did it, what makes you so sure no other team does it too?

What you also seem to be missing from the rest of my statement is that the Patriot's coach -- whatever his name is -- got caught, and he admitted to it right away and paid the fine. He didn't deny it. He didn't cover it up. He didn't point fingers. And it was the coach that did it -- not the team. Not the quarterback, not the waterboy. Nobody else. Don't blame the team for what one person did. Do you like getting blamed because of something your friends did?

My cynicism may go on to say that "they cheated" on the first game, they got caught, and now everyone is watching them carefully for any more cheating -- and yet they still win. It seems to me that that alone says a lot.

This year the Patriots happen to be a powerhouse team. Last year they were good, but didn't get to the Super Bowl. A couple of years ago they were a joke. Big deal.

When you're talking sports, talk about how team A has a better QB , or team B has better defense, or whatever sports people talk on about. Talking about how the team owner screwed my city so the whole team must be bad doesn't convince me that either team will play better on the field.

In this case, to get this thread back on track, from what I've seen of the Patriots (meaning when I stay awake watching their games), I think they have a good QB with good protection to throw the ball to what-ever-his-name is (Moss?). They also have some oddball plays that are unusual enough to get them ahead. (That's about the only good reason to watch football, anyway.) They also have a defense that keeps the other team (at least the one from last week) from scoring touchdowns but not the goal kicks. I'd point out all the things about the Giants (and I only know that it's the Giants from reading this thread!) but I have enough to do I can barely remember what my local team has done.

[Jay H 237]

I'm not really into sports and don't follow football but everyone in my family is hoping for the Giants to win. The Patriots aren't a bad team (I'm not getting into the cheating thing) but we're not from CT or even the New England area originally, so being a born New Jersian is why my family likes the Giants.

[shadowalker]

PATRIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

[Dan Petrovic]

Patriots, of course. How could I not root for the team who is one game away from the perfect season? How could I not root for the team who is one game away from the perfect season AND is from where I am from?

[Nawaid Ladak]

Originally Posted by Kittybot

FYI, the Pats did cheat this year, so technically they shouldn't be allowed to go to the Super Bowl in the first place. THat, and their coach is an a hole. Didn't shake Dungy's hand after they beat my team!

Originally Posted by Kittybot

Well, actually, it would. If they didn't cheat, they probably wouldn't be 18-0.

Originally Posted by Kittybot

It's not that, but the nerve of them to cheat in the first place, even if they did get caught, I think it's horrible that they'd even try to cheat. Also, if they didn't get caught, it probably would've mattered, I think. But still, they had the nerve to cheat, which to me is the definition of a bad (as in evil) team.

Originally Posted by arhajder

Not only do i despise and hate the Patriots i also HATE Boston! I am a Jets Fan which further strengthens my hate for the Pats. I still wish the Packers won but Bret Favre had a good season. So GIANTS you better win.

Originally Posted by Milaki

I have to root for the Giants for several good reasons
2. The Patriots are a bunch of cheaters
3. The Patriots are too arrogant

sorry guys, i had to send this to the patriots front office, more bulletin board matireal for them...

o, btw: the patriots will win BIG, rematches are NEVER close in the same season twice. you got a MUCH faster track with no wind, and Plexi-Glass'es prediction gots brady pissed.

o, here is the cheating video:

Spoof: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ntw7G7enxEk
REAL: the real one was up on youtube somewhere, but i can't find it

Originally Posted by JackN

Well, living near Detroit I don't have a professional football team to root for (That team is dead to me), so I become a Patriots fan. Starting last season I became a of the Pats, do to a love of Tom Brady and Bill Belichek and a weird dislike of Peyton Manning, so I will be rooting for the Pats and their shot at a perfect record. Also, I think anyone who thinks that the Patriots are the only team in Pro football that has ever cheated is insane. These people are paid to win games, they will do anything to keep their job. It would not surprise me if the Giants won, but the Patriots are one of the greatest teams in the history of football, and they should take home the title.

nice job dissing Matt Millian, that guy was going to get the "GM of the year" Award midway through the season, now he fires his offensive mastermind Mike Martz.

[Jake177]

Originally Posted by Nawaid Ladak

o, btw: the patriots will win BIG, rematches are NEVER close in the same season twice.

Tell that to the Cowboys and the Packers. The Giants lost to Dallas twice in the regular season, but then beat them in round two of the playoffs. They also lost to Green Bay in the regular season, then beat them in the NFC Championship Game to get to the Super Bowl. The Giants certainly have their work cut out for them, but I think they're up to the challenge.

[Zultraranger]

New York Giants.

nuff said.

[Zuhaib Ali]

Originally Posted by Zultraranger

New York Giants.

nuff said.

AMEN, GIANTS FTW!

[DevilsTech99]

Giants all the way!!!!!!!!!! Brady needs to get knocked off his high horse!!!! So what if he has a perfect season! So do the Miami Dolphins and look how that turned out!