Super Bowl parties are fun, just maybe not with Patriots fans

We just hit the 15-year mark since the Raiders were last in the Super Bowl. They haven’t even sniffed the big game since then, leaving Raiders fans to more often than not either with no real stake in the winner of the game or rooting against one of the teams. Which, with the Patriots playing in the Super Bowl so often, is pretty typical.

The question is; if you had your way, where would you prefer to watch the game?

Would you want to be at the game if you could? Even if your only rooting interest is in one of the teams losing? With the game being held in Minnesota this year, would you just as well stay away?

Do you have a favorite sports bar? Or just any sports bar will do?

Are you all about attending a Super Bowl party? Or do you prefer to stay at home and just enjoy the game alone or with a friend?

My preference is to attend a Super Bowl party. Within reason.

For instance, I was at a Super Bowl party at a friend’s house a few years back. She is from Massachusetts originally and thus is a Patriots fan as were a few of her friends who were in attendance. She is what I might refer to as ‘one of the good ones’ because, as is fairly well known, as a general rule Patriots fans are some of the most insufferable human beings on the planet.

This was 2010 with Colts taking on the Saints and the Patriots fan contingency was seething with their constant inferiority complex when it came to the Mannings. Whether it was the decade plus long Peyton vs Brady debate or Peyton beating the Patriots in the AFC Championship in 2006 on his way to his first Super Bowl win (and again in 2015), or Eli beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2007 (and again in 2011).

Being Patriot killers is reason enough for me to have a special place in my heart for the Mannings. And that moment is when I realized saying anything nice about Peyton Manning was strictly prohibited around Patriots fans. Our once friendly banter about football turned pretty hostile pretty quick. All just for saying something along the lines of “I kinda like Peyton Manning.” I didn’t even care much who won the game.

Imagine how unbearable Patriots would be watching their own team play? No thanks.

As you might expect, the Patriots fans in attendance lost their collective shit when Tracy Porter intercepted Manning and returned it for what would be the game-winning touchdown.

It was not unlike the feeling I had the two times the Giants took down the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Hey, I was just a kid when the Raiders last Super Bowl win and I’ve never seen any of my teams (Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, Seattle Mariners) win their respective championships either. I have to find my joy somewhere. What are the Patriots’ fans excuse?

A few years later, I attended a Super Bowl party at the house of a woman who was once a ‘Sea Gal’. In case you’re not familiar, that’s what they call the Seahawks’ cheerleaders. The party was in 2014 and the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl facing the Broncos. Sorry, Peyton, but I was not on your side this time.

Huge party, great people, great game, and no one got hostile with anyone else even with different people rooting for different teams. Everyone was even appreciating the commercials. The Seahawks beat Peyton and the Broncos and a good time was had by all.

It’s amazing how much fun can be had at a Super Bowl party when not dealing with a bunch of entitled trolls with crippling inferiority complexes waffling from claiming they love to be hated and demanding everyone shower them and their team with praise.

My last interaction with a Patriots fan went thusly:

Don’t be this guy.

On that note...