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Criticism Of New England Patriots And Boston Area Fans Without Merit

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By @calling_allfans

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Boston area sports fans, and particularly followers of the New England Patriots, get their fair share of flak from the sports world. That doesn’t mean it’s warranted, however, as recent criticism doled out by a Russell Street Report piece will show.

Let’s start with the attack on Eric Wilbur, a Boston area writer who called the Baltimore Ravens “the most deplorable organization in professional American sports.” While those may be strong and possibly overly harsh words, the RSR article counters that statement by commenting on the Aaron Hernandez situation.

Yes, Wilbur covers the Patriots, and it is true that Hernandez was a star for them at one time. But here’s why the comparison is completely and totally off base and without any merit whatsoever.

The Ravens basically turned the other way on the Ray Rice incident and did not handle it properly at all. True, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell handled the situation horribly in his own right, but that’s not what is being discussed right now. When the Hernandez situation came to light, the Patriots organization handled it with class and Hernandez was cut.

The Ravens organization was going to accept the two-game suspension of Rice and welcome him back with open arms, even though they had to know the entire story and what was on the second video. To call out one Boston writer because Hernandez was been indicted on multiple murder charges just serves to prove how spiteful some are towards the Patriots and Boston area sports.

The RSR piece pays respect to QB Tom Brady, but in the very next sentence basically call him a crybaby. Does Brady try, maybe a little harder than most, to get flags thrown that will help his team win? Of course he does, because he will always do what he can to help his team win. Many have been irked by Brady because of this, but if this is the only reason to not like the all-world QB, it all just comes off as petty and jealous.

Patriots and Boston Red Sox are often labeled cocky, and it’s no different in the recent round of criticism doled out. Are some cocky to the point of being obscenely arrogant? Yes. That said, every fanbase has supporters like that. It just happens that the Patriots and Red Sox (along with the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins) have all been very successful for big stretches in the past decade and a half.

Boston fans are extremely passionate and they take it very seriously and personally when their teams lose, and they rejoice in a big way when one of their teams is crowned champion.

It’s ridiculous and amusing that some are upset at the coverage coming out of Boston this week in anticipation of Saturday’s game. The Patriots-Ravens rivalry has been chippy over the years, and a trip to the AFC Championship game is on the line. This is an AFC Divisional Playoff matchup — of course there is going to be a lot of media coverage on both sides.

Everyone is entitled to the opinion, but some of the criticism directed at Patriots and Boston sports fans badly need a dose of originality and validity.

Justin Patrick is a New England Patriots writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @calling_allfans, like him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google. You can also email him at [email protected]

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