[S-Dubb]

Titans and Others not happy with New England


January 17, 2007
The New England Patriots have prevailed in each of their past three games, but haven’t exactly won friends or influenced opponents around the NFL in doing so.

After the Patriots upset top-seeded San Diego 24-21 Sunday in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson of the Chargers was visibly upset with the Patriots as he left the field.

What the normally mild-mannered Tomlinson said crossed the line, in his opinion, was New England defensive back Ellis Hobbs and other Patriots dancing at midfield in celebration, imitating the sack dance of Chargers defensive end Shawne Merriman.

It actually marked the third time in three weeks that the Pats’ postgame actions have come under scrutiny.

After their first playoff win against the Jets, Patriots coach Bill Belichick could be seen shoving a Boston Globe cameraman at midfield as he made his way toward Jets coach Eric Mangini, whom he hugged before using his arms to wade through people again as he left.

The week before that, several Tennessee Titans players were upset with the Patriots and Belichick after a 40-23 shellacking that eliminated Tennessee from postseason consideration in the finale.

The point of contention among many Titans players was not only the rough play in the game (four personal fouls on each team), but Belichick’s decision to allow 43-year-old quarterback Vinny Testaverde to come off the bench and throw a late touchdown pass with the outcome already decided and in a situation where many teams would have simply run out the clock. It gave Testaverde a TD pass in his 20th consecutive season.

Milestone or not, the play did not set well with Titans players that day.

Immediately after that game, Tennessee linebacker Keith Bulluck said, “I think it was [expletive], and as long as I’m here, I’ll always remember that. So any time New England sees the Tennessee Titans on their schedule from here one out, just remember that. That’s from the heart.”

The latest accusations from Tomlinson and the Chargers rekindled some players’ memories in Tennessee of the finale.

“They definitely [ticked] us off in that game with that last touchdown,” Titans receiver Drew Bennett said. “I didn’t see exactly what happened on the field in the Chargers game, because it was away from the cameras, but with what happened in our game, I can see why the Chargers might be upset.”

In the game against the Titans, the Patriots’ main point of contention came from a block from the side by receiver Bobby Wade that apparently ended safety Rodney Harrison’s season with a knee injury. (The NFL ruled the block legal). With that hit, coupled with Testaverde’s unnecessary touchdown at the end, could there be any carryover the next time, as Bulluck promised in the postgame?

Bennett, who actually is set to be an unrestricted free agent come March though the Titans are likely to try to re-sign him, says it’s possible.

“You have to have respect for each other as professionals, and they’re a great team, but I’m sure they’ll remember Bobby’s block on Harrison that they considered low, and we’ll remember that touchdown the next time we meet,” Bennett said.

[kenxnice]

great now it's the jets, titans, chargers and colts VS the paties - who's down??

[VaNDelaYInDusTrIEs]

Just more proof that the Patriots are a bunch of assholes. And to quote LT, it comes straight from the coach.

[Hey Coach]

And all there fans act like them too. Man I hope the Colts win so bad, so i dont have to hear about them Patsies in the Super Bowl.

[HarlemHxC814]

And all there fans act like them too. Man I hope the Colts win so bad, so i dont have to hear about them Patsies in the Super Bowl.

Hah, well you were one of them at one point

[Hey Coach]

Funny how?

Hah, well you were one of them at one point

[theanalogkid]

What's wrong with Testaverde coming out and throwing a TD to keep his record going? QQ more Titans.

[JetsMan4012]

OMG its amazing, ppl r starting to speak the truth, i wonder how the medias gonna react to this, no way, the untouchable patriots R UNSPORTSMANLIKE AND CLASSLESS! IMPOSSIBLE!

but in all seriousness, thank god ppl r starting to pay attention to this, btw, where were the pats before their dynasty? where were they in the 90's, shit where were they all any time before their dynasty?

[VaNDelaYInDusTrIEs]

What's wrong with Testaverde coming out and throwing a TD to keep his record going? QQ more Titans.

It's about pride. When the game is well in hand, there's no reason to throw the ball. It just further embarasses the other team. Not that Belichick would care about that though.

[kobeskool]

i bet more player/teams are gonna come out and say the pats have no class

[feelingreen05]

hey mangini'sjets, good to c more jets fans in new england. id love nothin more than peyton manning "the one guy we all know the patriots fans hate more than any other player" to shut all the patsy fans up. im fed up with this franchise!

[JetSon]

As happy as I am that there is a anti-Pats mentality breeding, this begs the idea that if these teams did not want to see them win, then just beat them. Until the Patriots are humbled, they will continue to act like alpha team. Now, let's strive to be THAT team, and then do it with class!

[Hey Coach]

hey mangini'sjets, good to c more jets fans in new england. id love nothin more than peyton manning "the one guy we all know the patriots fans hate more than any other player" to shut all the patsy fans up. im fed up with this franchise!

[VaNDelaYInDusTrIEs]

As happy as I am that there is a anti-Pats mentality breeding, this begs the idea that if these teams did not want to see them win, then just beat them. Until the Patriots are humbled, they will continue to act like alpha team. Now, let's strive to be THAT team, and then do it with class!

I suppose this is true, but just because they win doesn't give them the right to act like a bunch of assholes all the time.

[kenxnice]

i can't stand patriots fans (especially my cousins) now i understand family is family when it comes to rival sports they have all the right to rattle you however they wish but seriously, i rock my jets jersey usually during football season and you wont believe the kind of treatment i get in public ranging from the way they look at me or straight out sarcasm, i once walked by a pat fan and he said "nice jersey!" but not nice seaon.. "asshole!!"