I grew up in the South and in the South there are four teams people typically root for: Panthers, Saints, Falcons and Buccaneers. More specifically I grew up in a city two hours from New Orleans and five hours from Atlanta. People in my hometown were predominately Saints or Falcons fans because they were close or players from Alabama had gone to play there, but for me, I was a rare fan who liked another team.
When I tell people I am a Patriots fan I get asked questions such as "are you OK with being a cheater," "how can you be one if you’re not from New England" and "are you feeling deflated." When I hear this I just hear words — that’s what smack talk is, just words. People who tune it out look for more meaning while some people want to fight the people who said the wrong thing at the wrong time. While I might not have grown up in Boston, I still feel a connection to the Patriots.
When you look at the roster of the New England Patriots, you when the players were drafted for the Super Bowl 51 winning team of the starter there were only two first round draft picks (Nate Solder and Devin McCourtey while Chris Long was drafted by another team). The team isn’t made up of superstars, but people who come to play the game and work hard. I can connect with this because I was never the best player, I was never the flashiest guy on the team. I came each day to practice to improve and see how I could improve. On the Patriots, there is a player who wears the number 11, and his name is Julian Edelman. Edelman wasn’t the highest sought out recruit, he wasn’t the best player, and in fact, people didn’t even know the position he was going to play. I can relate to Edelman because when he was given a chance he took it and worked at it every day to get better and become the player he is today. There were people along the way who told him he wouldn’t amount to much and that is the same with me. There were people like that for me and I’m sure are people who didn’t think I could get where I am today — but like Julian Edelman, I just kept working towards my goal.
Another reason I am a fan of the Patriots is the leadership of Robert Kraft. Robert Kraft grew up in a Jewish family and he went to synagogue just like me, but he also had a dream. As an avid sports fan, he purchased the New England Patriots when they were at their worst. Kraft became the chairman and CEO of the Patriots when he took ownership on Jan. 21, 1994. In the five years prior to Kraft's ownership, the team had won just 19 of 80 games (a .238 winning percentage) with no playoff appearances. In fact, in the 34-year history of the franchise (1960 - 93) the Patriots had won just 229 games (including playoffs), averaging fewer than seven wins (6.6 avg.) per season. Eventually, Mr. Kraft was successful and now the Patriots are considered one of the best franchises in sports. You might be thinking, why is this a reason for you to be a fan? Kraft had a vision and he went through with it. Every day I make a decision of what I want to do and I choose to go through with it. I don’t look at Robert Kraft as just another owner but I look at someone who when he set his mind to something he did it.
Everyone is entitled to their choice of a team. One of my best friends is from Philadelphia but he is a Packers fan, while another one of my best friends is a Broncos fan even though he hails from Indianapolis. The reason for their respective fan bases is because of their family and that is a reason for mine. My dad grew up in New England and being able to root for the Patriots helps me feel closer to my dad even if he isn’t the biggest fan. My friend always says family over everything and that is the reasoning for my choice in sports teams. The next time you ask me my favorite sports team and I say the Patriots just know it doesn’t have anything to do with where I live but it has to do with my family. Remember family is always there for you and they are your number one fan.
