As a Patriots fan from Los Angeles, this Super Bowl was quite a different experience for me. I know all other football fans who watched the game will say the same, not only because of what happened or how it happened, but so many people tried to make this game political, which is just sad. Calling it good vs. evil, Christians vs. Muslims, or whatever else people used to describe this is just sad. My dad was criticized on Facebook by his “friends” because he was rooting for the Patriots, who they considered Trump’s team. Neither me, nor my dad support Trump, we support Tom Brady and the New England Patriots because they are our favorite team.

Now if you were rooting against the Patriots because you just think they’re cheaters or just hate seeing the same team win year after year, that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with that. But please, don’t try to make this game into a political statement, because everyone has a right to their own opinion. I guarantee you that there are people within the Falcons organization and that play for the team voted for Trump as well, so you can’t just hate the Patriots for Trump being a fan of them. And while you might disagree with Brady, Kraft or Belichick for their political views, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the excellence they put out on the football field every year. Before I get into talking about the game, I want to say that if you still aren’t convinced by the politics of the Patriots, let’s keep in mind that five members of the team have already come out and stated that they will not take the visit the White House, because they “don’t feel accepted.”

Super Bowl LI was the most incredible game I think I’ve ever seen, and I realize that I’m only 19 and haven’t been around that long, but I’ve seen my fair share of sporting events over the years, and it’s Thursday now, and I’m still trying to find words to describe what I witnessed on Sunday night. 25 points in about 20 minutes of game time is just unthinkable. I was in shock when they went down 21-0 and 28-3, while my phone was exploding with texts from Patriot fans and Patriot haters, but I couldn’t respond to any of them, because no matter how dark things seemed, something in my gut told me that everything was going to be ok. By the time Julian Edelman made the catch of the century, I knew nothing was going to stop them.

I always had a tough time growing up finding common interests with people, ever since first grade when everyone else was all about Pokemon cards, I was all about baseball cards and Star Wars. Then came middle school, when I started really learning about basketball, but I was a Celtics fan in the middle of Laker country so I had just as tough of a time talking about basketball as any other sport, because no one ever agreed with my views about anything, being that I’m a fan of all Boston teams. That being said, to have the Patriots win arguably the greatest football game ever played, while I go to school in their hometown is so special to me. Running around outside, spraying champagne and hugging other fans was so much sweeter than their last win, where I had to sit and host a party where everyone who showed up rooted for the Seahawks just so they could go against me. Then came the parade, where not only I got to stand about 10 feet away from Tom Brady, but I was around a group of people where I felt truly accepted. College has been a big change for me, and people ask me all the time if I miss home, and yeah there are things I miss about home, but events like the Super Bowl, where I can be around people who share the same interests as me, where I feel truly accepted, feels just as good to me as the Patriots winning the Super Bowl.