Super Bowl XLIX

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Personally, I understand sports hate, but I really don't get trash talk. YMMV.

100% with you here. I don't understand trash talk either. I don't participate in that (unless someone just has it coming lol).

[ISiddiqui]

To expound on what I mentioned above... I mean trash talk by fans. It literally makes me highly uncomfortable, even if its someone who is a fan of the same team I am, trash talking the other team. I have declined invites to "watch the game" at a house of friends who I know trash talk incessantly (and invariably think their trash talk is clever).

But, hey, some people like it. I just distance myself.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by mckerney

That's basically my feeling on it. When Simms told the sorry it was a funny anecdote that a QB might try to bend the rules and no one thought any thing. The Vikings are seen actively tampering with the ball by heating it up on the sidelines and its a complete non issue. No one seemed to care about football PSI being in the correct range or teams improperly handling footballs during games until the Patriots were involved. Just hard to take all the screaming and outrage about cheating and integrity of the game now seem stupid.

Part of it might be that nobody cares about the Vikings.

[molson]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

To expound on what I mentioned above... I mean trash talk by fans. It literally makes me highly uncomfortable, even if its someone who is a fan of the same team I am, trash talking the other team. I have declined invites to "watch the game" at a house of friends who I know trash talk incessantly (and invariably think their trash talk is clever).

But, hey, some people like it. I just distance myself.

I used to cringe when Red Sox fans chanted "Yankees suck" at baseball games that didn't even involve the Yankees, or at events that weren't even baseball games. I think that rose from "sports hate" to "real hate" for a lot of those people - hate fueled by feelings of inferiority and jealousy.

And it was also super weird a few weeks ago to see my girlfriends' parents and some house guests yelling at the TV and trash talking the Panthers during the Seahawks/Panthers playoff game. The tone wasn't jokey and fun, they seemed really angry. They also "hate" the Patriots, so I skipped watching the Ravens game over there and came later. Not that I think they'd scream at me, but I would have had to humorously and good-naturely deflect the taunting for a few hours, and that would just be exhausting. Same with the super bowl. I can deal with the deflate-gate stuff from fun co-workers who don't hold me responsible for the whole thing or harass me about it all day, but for 4+ hours at a super bowl party from a lot of strangers (mostly seahawk fans) who may or may not be trying to annoy me or get a reaction out of me, I'll just stay away.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by molson

I used to cringe when Red Sox fans chanted "Yankees suck" at baseball games that didn't even involve the Yankees, or at events that weren't even baseball games. I think that rose from "sports hate" to "real hate" for a lot of those people - hate fueled by feelings of inferiority and jealousy.

And it was also super weird a few weeks ago to see my girlfriends' parents and some house guests yelling at the TV and trash talking the Panthers during the Seahawks/Panthers playoff game. The tone wasn't jokey and fun, they seemed really angry. They also "hate" the Patriots, so I skipped watching the Ravens game over there and came later. Not that I think they'd scream at me, but I would have had to humorously and good-naturely deflect the taunting for a few hours, and that would just be exhausting. Same with the super bowl. I can deal with the deflate-gate stuff from fun co-workers who don't hold me responsible for the whole thing, but for 4+ hours at a super bowl party from a lot of strangers who may or may not be trying to annoy me or get a reaction out of me, I'll just stay away.

This.

I can't really understand this kind of sports fandom. My roommate is from New England and is a big time Red Sox and Pats homer. He was really bad at this when he first came out, but I think the three years out here among us "softer" Cali sports fans has mellowed him out some.

In a related way, I get similarly uncomfortable when someone gets extremely homerish with a team I also follow. Not like I am immune to my biases and I certainly have my threads here where I am overly defensive about my teams, but I see more extreme supporters for my teams all the time, like UCLA or the Angels, and it makes me cringe to see it. And to see them trash talking other teams when our team wins.

I have a deep sports hate for USC, but I make a point of not trash talking USC fans (in person or online), even when UCLA wins. Some of my fellow Bruins fans, not so much.

[ISiddiqui]

To me (and I'll stress that it's to me and not for everyone) trash talking other teams is just bad fan sportsmanship. I prefer the fans that respect other fans and are just as willing to give a compliment after a good play as they are to root against the team. I don't mind folks saying "I hate the xxx" as long as they act respectfully to fans of that team instead of some sort of wartime enemy.

[Kodos]

People should be able to attend sporting events in the jersey of the opposing team without fear being attacked by some drunk idiot.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Part of it might be that nobody cares about the Vikings.

+1, basically

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

... and are just as willing to give a compliment after a good play as they are to root against the team.

This is a key component for me. I can hate UGA with the fire of a thousand suns, but a good throw or a missed call (that goes against them) or objectively analyzing coaching decisions or line play or whatever ... that stuff is just factual.

I guess I'd call in "honesty in fandom" (or sports hate) or something. If the hated team plays great or the beloved team plays like crap, be honest about it in discussion.

I mean, I wish like hell Nick Chubb wasn't a beast of a college RB when he's getting some blocking ... but he is {shrug}, I'd just be an idiot to deny that.

[ISiddiqui]

Honesty in fandom is a good way to put it.

[Buccaneer]

Imran, but honesty goes against the tribalism you brought up.

I mentioned this earlier but I would have thought that fantasy leagues and 24-hour coverage of everyone/everything (thus reducing localism) would go a long ways in reducing the nonsense. Maybe it has but there is still way too much trash, personification and parochialism, imo.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Imran, but honesty goes against the tribalism you brought up.

Of course it doesn't.

One can be tribal and respectful. You don't have to choose between loving your team because its your tribe and being respectful to those who belong to other tribes.

[Buccaneer]

Don't have to but I generally have not seen that. Tribalism typically means defend and attack.

[ISiddiqui]

Tribalism simply means having more loyalty for a smaller (usually local group) than other groups. Patriotism and Nationalism are just tribalism writ large, on a national component.

[Honolulu_Blue]

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hate, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

I watched that GoDaddy commercial and was amazed people got all butt hurt about it. I half expected to see them hanging pitbulls by their toenails while Mike Vick lit them on fire.

[jeff061]

I wasn't even aware of the GoDaddy drama until just now. Just watched the video.... huh? There is nothing you can do these days without someone getting butt hurt, GoDaddy should have told them all to piss off.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by jeff061

I wasn't even aware of the GoDaddy drama until just now. Just watched the video.... huh? There is nothing you can do these days without someone getting butt hurt, GoDaddy should have told them all to piss off.

It almost makes me wonder if it was all contrived to get the eyeballs without paying the Superbowl ad premium.

[jeff061]

Maybe, I was assuming it was a home brewed controversy until I read they pull it altogether. I was thinking they couldn't recoup their costs so dismissed that idea. But I don't know how advertising works.

[Sublime 2]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

Worst part is, I feel like there's a lot of great actual game-centric discussions to have. They've just all been put on the back burner because of this other shit.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I watched that GoDaddy commercial and was amazed people got all butt hurt about it. I half expected to see them hanging pitbulls by their toenails while Mike Vick lit them on fire.

There's nothing absolutely terrible about this commercial. A little short of classy, I suppose, but certainly not worthy of the uproar. I mean, it's Godaddy. Sheesh!

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by jeff061

Maybe, I was assuming it was a home brewed controversy until I read they pull it altogether. I was thinking they couldn't recoup their costs so dismissed that idea. But I don't know how advertising works.

I think the basic premise is...if people know the brand and are talking about the brand, the advertising is working pretty well.

[stevew]

You can objectify a million women, but the second you switch to puppies it's on.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

+1 except for the Marshawn Lynch thing. I would like to thank the media for all their moaning. I want a Marshawn Lynch press conference weekly throughout the off-season.

[VPI97]

This is hilarious.

[stevew]

Seeing a lot of stories about the price of tickets being insane and lots of brokers reneging on tickets due to a lack of availability. If a ticket is now approaching 10K on the secondary market, why hasn't the league moved towards better variable pricing and significantly increased pricing? I'd much rather that the league(and the players) profit than a collection of third party suspect brokers.

[molson]

Ya, I've read about brokers refunding tickets at 200% what people paid, and then an extra $1,000 on top of that to compensate for other travel costs if you ask for it. Pretty easy way to make a few thousand dollars. Even if the broker actually has the ticket, they make more selling it to someone else for $10k, and if they didn't have it yet, it's cheaper not to pay for it at this point and negotiate with the buyers.

[SirFozzie]

You know what? It's time to put all the jibber jabber away. No more talk about DeflateGate, "I'm just here so I don't get fined", and other meaningless bullshit. It's almost game time, and may the better team on the night win.. so long as it's the Patriots

(in all seriousness, I think the Pats are a slight favorite, Seattle is a team that takes away huge plays and makes you earn it with grind-it-out drives that puts third down conversions at a premium... which is exactly what the Pats excel at. Pats 24, Seahawks 21)

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by VPI97

This is hilarious.

[stevew]

I'd pick a Seattle rout but I'm unsure of the health of their secondary. Seattle 27 New England 20 but it won't actually be that close. Brady gets a garbage time TD to make it interesting.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

You know what? It's time to put all the jibber jabber away. No more talk about DeflateGate, "I'm just here so I don't get fined", and other meaningless bullshit. It's almost game time, and may the better team on the night win.. so long as it's the Patriots

You would say that you traitor.

Can't wait for the game, because it will legitimately go down in history. Either we have the best dynasty of all time, or Seattle just dominated the most impressive 2 year period ever.

[Lathum]

6 superbowls is impressive but I can't call a team that goes 10
years between winning one the best dynasty of all time.

[EagleFan]

Go Hawks!

[Dutch]

Thank God it's gameday. I'm so glad this negative press, clown-like atmosphere these two teams have generated is almost over! Worst pre-Super Bowl hype ever. To be fair, I mostly blame E!(SPN) for this...

No dog in this fight, early thoughts are that I'll be pulling for the Seahawks, but it's possible to find myself pulling for the Pats under some circumstances...it's just "to close to call" for me as a fan. I guess I'm just rooting for a good game.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Lathum

6 superbowls is impressive but I can't call a team that goes 10
years between winning one the best dynasty of all time.

How about winning 3 in 4 years? Or is that too short a time frame to be considered a dynasty?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

How about winning 3 in 4 years? Or is that too short a time frame to be considered a dynasty?

In football I think you can because the team would have many of the same players. How many guys on this squad are left from those pats teams of the early 2000s?

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by stevew

Seeing a lot of stories about the price of tickets being insane and lots of brokers reneging on tickets due to a lack of availability. If a ticket is now approaching 10K on the secondary market, why hasn't the league moved towards better variable pricing and significantly increased pricing? I'd much rather that the league(and the players) profit than a collection of third party suspect brokers.

I don't think the league wants feature stories about how the NFL charges 5000 or 10000 per ticket.

[sabotai]

If we're extending "best dynasty of all time" to pre-Super Bowl championships, it's probably going to be impossible to best Green Bay's 5 NFL Championships + Super Bowls in 7 years (61, 62, 65, 66, 67).

[JPhillips]

The Browns are in that discussion. In the ten year period from 1946-1955 the Browns won the AAFC four times, the NFL three times and lost in the NFL championship game three times. For ten years they were either first or second every year.

[frnk55]

So who's going to watch 6 1/2 hours of pregame?

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by frnk55

So who's going to watch 6 1/2 hours of pregame?

When you have Johnny Wier and Tara Lapinski as hosts for your coverage. Not me.

[Izulde]

I still remember Tara Lipinski winning gold in the Olympics. A buddy of mine had a creative writing class and needed a poem, but couldn't think of one to write, so he asked me. I dashed off a quick one about Tara. Dude got so much shit for it from the rest of the class, but he didn't care because he got an A on it and the professor loved it.

[kingfc22]

And finally it's almost time!

[Butter]

Adele Dazeem!

[Grover]

Why must everyone murder the anthem?

[stevew]

Is the game streaming? Sat keeps going out because of snow

[QuikSand]

Michele Tafoya looks like she bought and wore the skin suit from Silence of the Lambs.

[EagleFan]

It's TIME........

[kingfc22]

If that first attempt at a tackle is any indication, the Pats should attack Sherman's side on any wide runs.

[Grover]

Oh look, the ref is already making the wrong calls.