Is It Time to Give Up the Hate?

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I am going to try to give up the hate. My deep hatred for the Patriots that is. I have had an odd relationship with the Patriots. I loved the fact that in 2002 they beat the Rams in the Super Bowl, who in 2000 had beaten my beloved Titans. But after that win things changed. I moved to Connecticut in the Spring of 2004 to work for ESPN and the sports scene in New England was ON FIRE. The Patriots had won their second Super Bowl by defeating the Carolina Panthers, both the Connecticut men's and women's basketball teams had won their NCAA championships. Oh and to add insult to injury to win their championship the women's team had to defeat my Lady Vols. (No I'm still not over it). You want to know what else happened in 2004. The Red Sox won their FIRST World Series in 86 years. So let me just tell you. Those New England fans were quite Smug and annoying in 2004. The irony in all this is that my NBA team is and has been the Celtics. (Since 1996 if you're keeping score). Trust me THEY weren't winning anything at the time. But I digress. I hated EVERYTHING New England in 2004. It spilled over into 2005 when guess what- the Patriots beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl to win their THIRD championship. My hate for the GQ cover boy Tom Brady and his crew reached an all time high. Plus he had the NERVE to leave his baby mama, Bridget Moynihan for Gisele Bundchen...WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT. I'd talk about how black athletes are vilified for that in the media but I'll leave that alone on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The media (of which I am a part) also developed this all encompassing love for the team and I just couldn't deal. But then something happened. In 2008 Little Bro Eli  and the Giants ended the Patriots reign of terror. Yet I still hate. They haven't won a playoff game since 2007. What am I so mad about? So in honor of Martin Luther King. I am giving up the hate because well...quite frankly they're losers. 

Don't hate, it's too big a burden to bear. Martin Luther King

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.

Martin Luther King Jr.