- THE CURSE: Forget
about it. Fan loyalty has only grown stronger after 86 years of waiting for a World
Series win.
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THE PLAYERS: Nomar Garciaparra may be gone, but
the players that remain—from the hefty bats of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz,
to the one-two punch of pitchers Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez—blend hard
work, fun and crazy hair styles, to boot.
- THE OWNERS: Popular opinion says that John Henry
and his group of fellow owners have vastly improved both the team and the park.
Is a championship next?
- THE STADIUM: Fenway Park is the oldest and most
storied ballpark in the majors, not to mention the smallest. But we like it that
way.
- THE FANS: Sox fans are everywhere you look these
days, even numbering in the thousands at opposing teams’ ballparks.
- THE TRADITION: Since 1901, New Englanders have
been raised as Red Sox fans and spend the entire year obsessing about the team.
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- THE STREAK: The Pats currently boast a record
18-game (and counting, as of this printing) winning streak, going back to September
of last year.
- THE PLAYERS: Playmakers like quarterback Tom
Brady, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, defensive end Richard Seymour and kicker Adam Vinatieri
(pictured below) are not only great performers on the field, but quality, likeable
individuals off it.
- THE OWNER: Speaking of which, owner Robert Kraft
has kept the team here through thick and thin, reviving a once-moribund franchise.
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THE STADIUM: Gillette Stadium, built with Kraft’s
own money, is a state-of-the-art facility worthy of a championship team and its
fans.
- THE FANS: Who but Pats fans would paint their
heads silver and go shirtless in 20 degree weather? Alcohol-fueled or not, you have
to admire that kind of dedication.
- THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: This might say it all: Two
Super Bowl victories in the past three years. That tends to win over the hearts
and minds of a lot fans.
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