‘Win or lose, I wanna get out of town.’ Western WA Patriots fans brace for SBLX
While it might seem like everyone around these parts will bleed blue and green this Sunday, there are a good amount of longtime Patriots fans scattered throughout the Seattle-Tacoma area.
The News Tribune talked to seven local Patriots fans, and they had a range of perspectives on living in Seahawks territory — whether that’s empathizing with Seattle fans or proudly defending their Patriots allegiance for all to hear.
Name: Jeff Rathbun
Town: Tacoma
Status: Lifelong Pats fan
Rathbun, who grew up in Rhode Island, said he’s been a Patriots fan “long before they were good.”
His wife, along with most of his neighborhood, is a Seahawks fan, but he said he doesn’t hold any ill will toward Seahawks fans, especially after the last Patriots-Seahawks matchup in Super Bowl XLIX.
“They suffer just like we all do,” Rathbun said. “I lived through some terrible, terrible seasons, freezing my butt off with my father watching [the Patriots] lose so many times.
Rathbun said he plans to watch this year’s Super Bowl at a bar in Seattle with other Patriots fans, but either outcome will have its downsides.
“Win or lose, I wanna get out of town,” Rathbun said.
Name: Alex Leo
Town: Renton
Status: Lifelong Pats fan
Leo was born and raised in Washington, but her dad is from Massachusetts, so she was immediately grandfathered into the Patriots fandom.
One time years ago, she said she had a bad interaction when wearing a Patriots hat in downtown Tacoma.
“Some guy comes up to me, and he was literally like, ‘You better [expletive] take that off,’” Leo said. “You’re yelling at me about a sports hat? What is wrong with you?”
But in general, Leo said she understands the anti-Patriots sentiment.
“You know, we got a taste of our own medicine, because the last couple years we were 4 and 13. It’s like — is this what the rest of the world feels like when they don’t win?”
Name: Miranda Warren
Town: Kent
Status: Pats fan since the early ‘80s
Neither Warren nor her family had any connection to New England, but she said would watch football with her dad growing up and liked the Patriots mascot best. So ever since she was 7 years old, her Patriots allegiance has run deep.
“My fiancé is a huge Seahawks fan, and he wants to do a bet … He’s like, ‘We have to swap jerseys.’ And I’m like, ‘Can I buy you a beer?’” Warren said.
She even has a Patriots tattoo and stays very vocal about her love of the Pats wherever she is.
Ahead of Super XLIX in 2015, Warren said the Starbucks she was working at in Issaquah put up a Seahawks banner that read, “We’re in.”
“So I put a sign up under that, that said, ‘We’re in love with Tom Brady,’” Warren said.
Name: Christine Hansen
Town: Monroe
Status: Lifelong Pats fan
Hansen grew up in the Boston area, and while she loves the Patriots, she also loves football in general — so much so that Super Bowl Sunday is her favorite holiday.
Her husband is a passionate Seahawks fan, but she said that doesn’t bother her because true sports fans respect true sports fans. It’s the bandwagon fans that can get to her.
“I’ve actually had people get in my face about being a Patriots fan, because I live here and I should be a Seahawks fan,” Hansen said. “And I’m like, ‘Listen, I’m from Boston. I’ve been a Patriots fan my whole life. How long have you been a Seahawks fan? You didn’t even watch the games until, like 10 years ago.’”
Name: Nathan McWalters
Town: Graham
Status: Pats fan since elementary school
While McWalters didn’t grow up in New England, his mom did. He said he was added into the fandom while visiting his mom’s family during the holidays.
“My uncle was always like, ‘If you’re gonna be a McWalters, you gotta be a Boston fan,’” McWalters said.
He said he’s hosting a Super Bowl watch party this year, and plenty of Seahawks fans will be there. He also hosted a party during Super Bowl XLIX, so he knows what he’s in for.
“We invite all the Seahawks fans over and let the smack talk commence.”
It’s all in good fun, he said, “until the Patriots are in a bad spot, and then it’s awkward for everyone else, because I’m gonna be in my feelings.”
Name: Richard Thurston
Town: Olympia
Status: Lifelong Pats fan
Thurston grew up in Maine, often traveling down to Massachusetts during football season. How passionate of a Patriots fan is Thurston, you might ask?
“My youngest son’s middle name is Brady,” Thurston said.
Despite that, Thurston said his wife and one of his other sons are Seahawks fans, leading to very spirited debates.
He plans to watch the Super Bowl at home with his family.
“We’re gonna have our own little party,” Thurston said. “It’s gonna be fun watching the Patriots beat the Seahawks.”
Name: Bennett Fitter
Town: Fircrest
Status: Pats fan since the mid-90s
Fitter grew up in Southern California with no relation to New England but said he played a lot of Madden NFL video games as a kid and decided he liked the Patriots best.
“To be totally honest, I think I just liked the color of the Patriots logo,” Fitter said.
He said his Patriots allegiance wasn’t a problem growing up, but he’s experienced some pushback from Seahawks fans from time to time, mostly when drinks are involved.
For the Super Bowl, he’ll be hosting a party which he said will be “99% Seahawks fans.”
“I’m prepping myself mentally for that,” Fitter said.