Are the Patriots the Yankees of the NFL?

by user MegECass110

The NFL prediction column was pretty harsh on my boys, so I wanted to bring this up. And I refuse to believe it's true. Of course, I'm horrifically biased because I'm a Sox girl and this is the last thing I would want my football team to be. But if I were a Colts fan, I'd think this was very true. It all depends on where you're coming from, I guess.

Here are some similarities I can think of:

Tom Brady and Derek Jeter are basically the same person (only Tom is exponentially better looking, Jeter looks like a Muppet): bachelors, big city, lack amazing numbers but still put up great numbers, extraordinary leaders, winners, model girlfriends, you get the point. Jeter is one of two current Yankees I can actually tolerate (Rivera's the other one).

Consistently winning (although this is fading in the Yankees' case).

In the postseason, it seems like they always have a shot to win a title, no matter how they played in the regular season.

Universally hated by all not in their fan bases.

Great ownership (as much as I hate Steinbrenner, he has done a lot for the franchise).

Now, for the reasons they AREN'T the Yankees:

Salary cap: they pay their players just as much as anyone else, but still win.

Coach: Bill Belichick is one of the all-time greats, Torre is a good manager, but Belichick has done so much more with less talent than Torre had/has.

Potential: No matter what year it is, the Patriots always get the MOST out of their players. This year's Yankees are loaded with talent, but they're a .500 team. Injuries hurt, but the Patriots always survive, why can't the Yanks?

Mentality: The Patriots can be favored to win the Super Bowl and they'll STILL have a chip on the shoulder. It seems like the Yankee Swagger can't win games by itself anymore.

GM: Pioli knows exactly what he's doing and has control, Cashman's job is on the line and he often concedes to what his owner wants.

...

Let's settle this.

BigPPupMajor Leaguer

915 days ago

Score 0

No the Redskins are the Yankees of the NFL blow tons of money on players for various results. The Pats have 1 yr of big spending not enough to warrent them as the Yanks

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

915 days ago

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Even though I don't like the Patriots just as much as I don't like the Yankees, the salary cap pretty much settles this one. Plus, they always seem to win with nobodies, whereas the Yankees lose with superstars. Outside of Boston, I'd be surprised if anyone can name 10 players from the Pats title team in 2001.

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InsanMajor Leaguer

915 days ago

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I like the whole "kick the Yanks while they're down" approach you Sox fans are going for.

For the article, no they are not the same for one simple reason. 26 vs. 3. The Yanks are the best franchise in the entire major sports world with 26 championships over a long period of time. The Pat's started winning when Brady got hold of the team.

A few of your points:

The salary cap can't be used to compare the two since baseball doesn't have one. Why wouldn't you spend lots of money on players if you could afford it? If you don't then your team has some serious ownership/management problems.

The Pats aren't hated by everyone who's not their fan. I'm not a Pats fan but I don't hate them. I have a lot of respect for them the way they play.

You're implying that Cashman doesn't know what he's doing. He doesn't? He's doing exactly what he's supposed to. Trying to win by signing big named players. The difference is the personality of the owner. Steinbrenner has a short fuse, while Kraft (he's the owner right?) doesn't. If the Yanks were owned by someone else, Cashman would have the best job security in all of baseball because he gets the job done (A-Rod, Clemens, Pettitte).

As for who is most like the Yanks? That's easy, Cowboys and Lakers.

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MegECass110AAA-er

915 days ago

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1) OK, so the salary cap thing is weird. My point is the Yankees spend a lot of money when they don't necessarily have to in order to win (look at the Oakland A's), and have the tendency to overpay (Damon, Clemens, Pavano, Javy Vazquez, etc.)

2) Most people I talk to want to smack me when I tell them I'm a Pats fan, you're the exception to the rule. It's nice to see some respect.

3) I did not say Cashman doesn't know what he's doing, I said Steinbrenner has more input in personnel decisions than most owners. And wouldn't you say Cashman's job is on the line?

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InsanMajor Leaguer

915 days ago

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The Yanks pay accordingly to what the player did the previous years. It's not their fault if the player starts to suck or gets injuried afterwards. If they don't go pay out, they lose the oppurtunity to grab the player.

The amount of hatred shared for the Boys vs the Pats doesn't even compare. The Boys are significantly more loved and hated on by fans around the country.

Ok, I read it as you saying Cashman didn't know what hew as doing but now that that's all cleared up, yes, his job is on the line, Steinbrenner admitted it publically. Should it be? Not at all. He's one of the best GM's in all of sports.

As for who the Pats are most like? That'll be the Spurs. (I know its not baseball but they are the best example.) They started winning with the addition of one player (Duncan & Brady), they've won alot since that player joined (3 bowls, 4 finals), they sign older guys to help out these days to continue to get the most out of their star (finley & horry; moss & dillon), and they both drafted two young guys who play significantly large roles on both teams (parker & maroney).

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RomiezzoLegend

915 days ago

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I don't even know about the Cowboys, cuz they haven't been dominated every single decade, but that's just my opinion. Lakers are closest, but not really cuz if they did, they'd have all of the money to buy just about anyone they need to win a championship. When it comes to winning, yes they are, but you can say the same thing about the Celtics, and where were they last season? Last place. :'( But yeah, the Lakers are pretty close, other than the fact that they don't have anyone else besides Kobe right now. He wants to get traded, and no one is doing anything about it.

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InsanMajor Leaguer

915 days ago

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They haven't dominated every single decade?

Since the Super Bowl was Born (1971):

1970's (Age of Staubach): 5 Super Bowls Appearances, 2 Super Bowl Titles 1980's (Age of Dorsett): 0 Super Bowl Titles, 3 NFC Championship Appearances, 5 Playoff Appearances 1990's (Age of Aikmen): 3 Super Bowl Titles

That looks pretty dominant to me. 2000's aren't done yet, we'll see what happens in the next 3 years...

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WrmjrRed-Shirting

915 days ago

Score 1

No one in the NFL is like the Yankees. Heck, no one in all of sports is like the Yankees!

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RomiezzoLegend

915 days ago

Score 0

I gotta agree with you there man. No is even remotey close of being like the Yankees. The Yanks have dominated for years, and have always been talked about as "the best team in baseball". Sorry Sawx fans, but I think it's true. Every single year, everyone says the Yankees are going to make the playoffs. They have won 26 championships, and it's the team with one of, if not THE most bandwagoners because they expect to win championships every year. I don't just base the Yankees on how many rings they've won, but I see them as a dominating team every year, even before I was born. Even the 80's Yanks, when they did not win one championship one year outta that decade. Yankees have been and always will be talked about because of all of the greats they have had on their team over the years, and also because the Yankees are so popular. They are a key factor to what has made baseball consiered "America's pasttime."

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EkomVarsity

915 days ago

Score -2

Well, it's pretty clear the Patriots suck. And EVERYONE knows the Yankees have always sucked, so you may be on to something here!

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ChristofMVP

915 days ago

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Pats had a system that brought them 3 Super Bowl victories in four years.

They blew that system up this year by going mad in free agency. Yes, the Pats are like the Yanks - the Yankees of the late 1980s and early 1990's.

Free agency does not bring you a Super Bowl (see exhibit A - the Washington Redskins). You must build from within. Then use free agency to add the last piece. You don't use free agency to add 4 or 5 pieces.

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False ProphetAll-Star

915 days ago

Score 1

which is what they did. They signed a LB that fits their system better than just about everyone, another LB in Seau that is a still a good LB at his age, and Wr's. Jabar effing Gaffeny was Brady's go to guy in the playoffs. He got cut from the eagles and the Texans. They NEEDED WR's.

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JuTMSY4Legend

915 days ago

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The pats added 20 FAs in 2001, which included a former philly tandem in Torrence small and charles johnson, mike vrabel, Terrell Buckley, Larry Izzo, Antowain Smith and David Patten...

They added Christian Fauria in 2002 along with signing a slew of their own guys...included a certain golden footed kicker

They added Roosevelt Colvin and Rodney Harrison in 2003...

Admittedly only keith traylor in 2004...

It goes on...the pats fill holes via FA, like all smart teams...

You don't build your team via FA (redskins...cough) you complete them via FA...you can't go out and easily draft a stud LB int he 1st round and expect him to be as good as an adalius thomas... but the pats only need a few players to push them over the hump rather than build to the hump...

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JuTMSY4Legend

915 days ago

Score 1

and yeah FB, i'm defending ou...and i forgot corey dillon in there somewhere...but that was 2004 i think...

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MegECass110AAA-er

915 days ago

Score 1

The Yankees choose to pay market value for guys that don't live up to what they're paid (Barry Zito, J.D. Drew, Gil Meche). Every team falls victim to this, but it seems like the Yankees do it a little more often, for whatever reason. Probably just because they can, because they have the money.

I have some friends that are Eagles fans, it seems like their hatred for the 'Boys is pretty voracious.

I like your Spurs comparison, for the most part. Maroney and Parker are both very similar, giving the team a spark right when it needs it. Brady and Duncan are similar in the way they play, they're well respected throughout the league, probably two of the best ever at their respective positions. Brady is just higher profile, but I bet he wishes his lifestyle was more like Duncan's sometimes. Both teams started winning with the one guy, but with the Patriots it was more coincidental; I feel like Duncan's arrival carried the Spurs to greatness, and the addition of other players was not as significant. With the Patriots, there were so many other factors contributing to how great they've become: Belichick and Brady came to New England in the same year, the additions of Corey Dillon and Rodney Harrison, Vinatieri's dominance, great drafts. Brady's arrival wasn't as impactful as Duncan's was in an individual sense, but both teams have performed at their highest level because of those two guys.

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CheezerAll-Star

912 days ago

Score 0

I don't know if it's so much the Patriots v. the Yankees as much as it is the fans. Many Patroit fans have become as insufferable as Yankee fans. A luxury they can afford since they have become accustomed to winning.

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