Nice Input

I liked what I heard on the Patriot hate. Two points stood out for me, in that I should have realized them from the beginning. Number one is that it is lonely at the top. No matter who the team or person is there are always going to be people trying to bring them down. If not now, then at some point in the future. The other point I thought was very valid was the difference between envy and hate. There are definitely a lot of people out there that are envious of the success, and don't really dislike the Pats themselves. There are people out there that are more than envious though and actually dislike the team though. I think it is a combo of both, with envy being the stronger emotion at work. This would be directly connected with the "its lonely at the top" point as well.

As far as the Yankee comparison, I see one glaring difference that makes these two franchises so different. The NFL has a hard salary cap and Major League Baseball does not have a salary cap at all. As a result, the Yankees are free spenders and the Patriots are probably the most fiscally responsible team in the NFL. I am not trying to rip the Yankees on this, but my point is this. There are a lot of fans throughout the country that are envious of the Yankees success. There are also a lot of fans out there that don't see the MLB as having a true level playing field. The Yankees have the ability to spend more money than any team in baseball, and spend a ridiculous amount more than teams like the Pirates, Royals and others. The Pats though operate in a system where their economic strength does not place them on such a higher ground than the other teams. In the end, the winning is what creates the majority of the ill will towards these two franchises. After all if the Yankees did not win they would just be the Knicks (New York team that spends a ton and is a loser). What I am trying to say is that the Yankees are hated for their spending and envied for their winning. The Pats are envied for their winning, but I do not see that lightening rod issue of hate related to them like spending is with the Yankees.

Note: I am not trying to say teams like the Mets and Red Sox don't spend a ton as well. They do, but it is clear that they are still not at the level of the Yankees. That does not mean that the Mets and Sox are not hated by small market fans as well. They most definitely are, and should be. My argument was singularly focused on the Patriots and Yankees. I am proud to be a Mets fan, but I do think that the economic distribution through out MLB is unfair and at some point must be fully addressed.

• Nice to see Isiah and the Knicks vacationing in Miami.
• Just finishing Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks. Cool book by a really good author.
• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/sports/baseball/23chass.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
• http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/491066p-413626c.html
• http://www.nypost.com/seven/01232007/sports/giants/fly_like_an_eagle_giants_paul_schwartz.htm
• http://www.nypost.com/seven/01232007/sports/giants/fly_like_an_eagle_giants_paul_schwartz.htm
• http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-spbernie235063759jan23,0,6575571.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines
• Glad to see Parcells go. I am sick of him returning to Giants Stadium coaching a visiting team. I would not be shocked if he came back, but I would not bet on it either.
• It will be interesting to see how the new Giants defensive coordinator performs. He learned under one of the best in Jim Johnson (Philly). I hope to see the Giants get to the QB more in '07, something Johnson is a master at.

STKAFI