American Football: Domination

"I believe the New England Patriots will have learned their lesson and won't take this lightly. This time, I expect them to win by at least two possessions."

"A game in Foxborough might not turn into an offensive shootout. Instead, the defense could dictate the game, and the experienced Belichick will come out on top."

"Based on their current form, the Patriots should have no trouble beating the Chiefs. The final score might not be a blowout, but Brady will control the game from start to finish. No surprises, just another step in Belichick's AFC dominance."

"In my opinion, the outcome will be decided in the first half. If the Chiefs lose focus for even a moment, the game could get out of hand. Reid's team needs to be careful not to collapse."

"If they were heading to Pittsburgh, the Chiefs might have had a shot. But in Foxborough? This game is already decided."

One, two, three, four, five—

Across social media, the voices piled up. People weren't just expecting the Patriots to win; they were hoping for a decisive, crushing victory. They couldn't wait for Brady to "teach Lance a lesson" and put an end to the "ridiculous" idea of an Asian running back being the face of the league.

The above statements were only the surface—

Just the tip of the iceberg.

In reality, the flood of racial slurs and hateful comments had exploded across social media, spreading like wildfire.

At the center of it all: the New England Patriots.

Founded in 1959, the Patriots were one of the original members of the American Football League and one of the first teams to join the NFL in 1970.

Originally based in the Greater Boston area, the team moved its home stadium to Foxborough in 1971, rebranding from the "Boston Patriots" to the "New England Patriots."

Historically, the Patriots were far from a powerhouse, once enduring a 13-year playoff drought—the longest in the league at the time.

But strangely enough, despite being a non-threatening, low-profile team for most of their history, the Patriots were still one of the most hated teams in the league.

There were deep-rooted reasons for this.

Going back to the early days of European colonization—or rather, the invasion of North America—New York and Boston were two major port cities. However, their settlers differed slightly:

Boston's New England region was primarily settled by English Puritans fleeing religious persecution, while New York became a melting pot of traders, blue-collar workers, and impoverished immigrants.

Over time, New England developed much more rapidly.

By the mid-20th century, the region had shifted its traditional industries to lower-cost states and overseas, while Boston emerged as a hub for biotechnology, education, finance, and pharmaceuticals.

Gradually, it became the wealthiest and most elite region in the U.S., home to institutions like Yale, Harvard, and MIT. It dominated sectors like law, economics, politics, and finance, setting itself apart from the rest of the country.

As a result, those living in New England—whether intentionally or not—began to separate themselves from the rest of America. Class divisions became deeply ingrained in every aspect of society.

From business to politics, from education to law, from media to organized crime, from language to culture—New England positioned itself as a world of its own, distinct from the rest of the U.S.

The term "New England" itself carried an implicit sense of superiority, as if they were the true descendants of the British Empire, unlike the mixed-blood "natives" and immigrants of the other states.

Today, the name "New England" feels outdated, even inappropriate. It refers specifically to six states—Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut—with Boston at the heart of it all.

Despite covering six states, the region is relatively small—

New England's total population ranks only fifth among all U.S. states, and its land area ranks twentieth.

In other words, it's a small, exclusive enclave, but one with its own system.

On the North American continent, there's a long-standing rivalry between the West Coast (led by Los Angeles) and the East Coast (led by New York). But within this divide, Boston's New England region stands apart, looking down on both.

So, it's no surprise that New England has never been popular in other parts of the country.

But New England's response?

"We don't care if you like us. You're all trash anyway."

NBA fans are well aware that the Boston Celtics have long been infamous for their racist fan base. Their supporters are notorious for heckling their own players with slurs, obscene gestures, and even throwing objects.

In 1972, Celtics legend Bill Russell famously refused to attend his own jersey retirement ceremony in Boston Garden.

And then, the Patriots took things even further. They rebranded from the "Boston Patriots" to the "New England Patriots," doubling down on their elite identity. Adding "Patriots" to their name was a deliberate jab at the rest of America, asserting themselves as the "true pioneers and patriots" of the country.

Given this historical and cultural backdrop, it's no wonder that fans from other regions despise the Patriots.

Yet—

Reality has a cruel sense of irony.

At the end of the day, professional sports are driven by money.

New England, as the wealthiest region in the U.S., has teams in all four major sports leagues (plus MLS), and every one of those teams has won championships—not just once, but multiple times. Even the long-struggling Patriots eventually rose to dominance.

In 1994, Robert Kraft bought the Patriots amid financial turmoil and ushered in a new era.

In 2000, after a chaotic saga of betrayals and power struggles, Bill Belichick became the team's head coach. In his very first draft, he used the 199th overall pick in the sixth round to select a quarterback named Tom Brady—

The rest is history.

Now, back to the present.

The moment the Patriots' Wild Card opponent was confirmed, the flood of hatred and vitriol toward Lance erupted.

Patriots fans were "welcoming" Lance in their own way—with a special kind of treatment unique to New England.

The sheer volume of slurs, curses, and insults was overwhelming. Even the filtered version seen on social media was enough to make people cringe.

Foxborough was sharpening its knives, preparing to give Lance the most brutal "welcome" of his life.

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Powerstones?

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