Lisa Guerrero: Take it like a man

Last Sunday, I was perched comfortably on my couch surrounded by chips and salsa, Twix, a glass of Chardonnay and my Direct TV NFL package. Heaven!

While clicking from one game to another as randomly as John Mayer has from one babe to the next, one image during the Dolphins-Patriots game shocked me into frozen disbelief.

With 14 minutes to go in the fourth quarter of a beatdown at the hands of Miami, the camera flashes to a shot of a mass exodus of Pats fans clogging the aisles at Gillette Stadium in a hurry to get home.

Or to a bar.

And they give L.A. fans a hard time for not staying to the bitter end. And it occurred to me, "Isn't this THE BEST SPORTS CITY according to the Sporting News and CBS Sportsline.com? Aren't these the most loyal fans in America?

Let me get this straight: Boston fans suffered through 80 years of Red Sox disappointment

but can't sit through the first Patriots loss in 21 regular season games?

I, of all people, should not be surprised. From 1992 to 1994, I was the director of entertainment for the Patriots. Believe me, those bleak years were anything but entertaining.

Back then, they played at Foxboro Stadium, best known for having the worst field conditions in professional football, in front of maybe 20,000 fans, best known for urinating off the upper terrace and assaulting women in the dirt parking lot. Really!

In other words, this was a drunken, dirty, obnoxious crowd. I don't mean that in a good way.

Those fans were an embarrassment. The team stunk -- 6-10 in 1991 and 2-14 in 1992 -- and there wasn't a lot to cheer about. Remember Dick MacPherson? Exactly.

But isn't that when true fans continue to show up ... and know how to use the indoor plumbing?

Well, exit Hugh Millen/Scott Zolak and enter Drew Bledsoe/Tom Brady. Guess what? The crowds started showing up again.

It's easy to be a fan when your team wins three Super Bowls in four years, but one loss at home in a couple of seasons and the rats jump off the sinking ship like Tom Brady jumped off Bridget Moynihan.

This past Sunday, when the Pats took a beating, their fans couldn't take a hit.

-- Lisa Guerrero

Lisa Guerrero has covered Super Bowls, NBA championships and World Series, along with the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys. As an actress, she has appeared on "Frasier,'' "The George Lopez Show'' and as Billy Baldwin's long-suffering wife in the award-winning family film, "A Plumm Summer,'' which she executive produced.

Comments

[steve erickton]

After reading three days of this lady's writing, the LA Times needs to put her in the print! Far better and more entertaining than any page 2 article since J. Murray. I usually use the "barely simmers" section to pick up the dog poop.

[Walter C]

I was actually there for a game at Foxboro Stadium during those years and it was just as Lisa described it. I wouldn't have gone back without a bodyguard which, by they way, each of Lisa's cheerleaders on the field should have had They were the only thing worth watching but, instead, had to endure some pretty awful comments and behavior by those "most loyal fans". It was very ugly. I agree with steve, that Lisa is deserving of a print column. Meanwhile, keep those "zingers" comin' Lisa. I'm lovin' it.

[Rob Allan]

If I see one more ex-model sports personality I'm going to PUKE.

[Nola Roller]

I hate the Patriots....but I love Lisa Guerrero. She was the Best Damn Thing about the Best Damn Sports Show Period. Now that show snores.

[DD]

All puking aside...Lisa gives her unique and accurate assessment of the utterly ridiculous and sadly entertaining (and often sophmoric) underbelly of the sports world.

[kiki]

Ummm, show me any fans of any team that played as poorly as the Pats did against the Dolphins & you'll also see fans leaving early.....LA can have both her & Manny (even if the Dodgers win the W/S...speaking of front running fans..puh-leeeeze!!!!)

[Scott from Cape Cod]

Hi Lisa-
I was a Patriots season ticket holder from 1985 to 1994. I met you a couple of times and your were beautiful and charming and a great asset to the Patriots organization. There were some bleak times and you helped us get through them. You are dead on about these New England fans. Loved your story!

[Last in Line]

"OK, well, maybe Lisa’s just a little angry and bitter about her time in Foxboro. After all, she sued the Pats - and the Kraft family - after she was told to pack up her pom poms and hit the road back in 1994.

Lisa claimed she was discriminated against because she is Hispanic. Which came as quite a surprise to pretty much everyone, as she was then known as Lisa Coles, and no one knew she was half-Latina!" -Boston Herald Inside Track.

At 44 and approaching menopause it looks like Lou Merloni's old trash is bitter, looking to exact revenge on a region that rejected her. Good luck Lisa whatever you call yourself now.

[Lee]

need a midol much lisa?!?!

get over yourself

[Anon]

LOL! Tell me which fans LOVE to see their team get beaten the crap out of by another team. Those aren't true fans, those are idiots. Did you think maybe, just MAYBE the true fans love their teams so much they can't bear the sight of another team killing theirs? Would you like to see someone beat the crap out of your loved ones? Didn't think so. I stopped watching that game around half time. Why? Because I was utterly disgusted by the defensive play. But that doesn't make me a bad fan. I'm watching the 49er game this Sunday with the same passion I have every Sunday. I hope they learned their lesson and prepare better for this week. As fans we have high expecations of our teams. Every true fan wants their team to go undefeated-even if it's not possible. Each loss hurts as if it were a wound. Get over yourself. You don't know anything about being a fan. Everyone craps on Patriot's fans because we're bitter about losing. WHO wants their team to LOSE?

[Patsfansince 1960s]

Dear Lisa,
I remember you as the director and I always said that you were the lovleist woman who ever graced the field in Foxborro, and that includes Heidi Klum and Tom's girlfriends. It comes as news to me that you posed for Playboy. You should be ashamed of yourself because YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT!

[Anthony]

Sorry Lisa but asking you to play less rap music and more rock music is NOT RACIST......How about NBA arenas play more rock and less rap? Are they being racist? You come across as a very bitter FORMER cheerleader.

[Anthony]

Lisa Coles sounds bitter to me. Hey Lisa is it racist when NBA arenas only play rap and hip hop? The Patriots wanted you to play some rock instead of the constant rap and hip hop....oh the horror!!!!! Wake up

Giants Fan

[Jay Marks]

I think woman should not be involved in sports since they offer no real insight or intelligent thoughts.

[Mike]

Wow 92-94...some of the worst years for the franchise. I guess she sits around to watch the LA Ra....oh wait. LA doesnt have a team because there fans sucked so bad...thats right...i forgot.

LA fans are famous for showing up late and leaving early no matter how good the team is. how bout them lakers...

By the way why is anyone bringing up 15 years ago...

[Frank Charles]

I hate the Patriots, but this is one of the worst articles I've ever read. Please stick to modeling.

[Rob Layton]

She was being honest about what happened at that time. Please quit on hating on her age or what happened in 1992. Besies she still looks great at 44.

[dave]

You spoiled Pats fan should quit crying, Lisa g is right!! Take It Like A Man!

[just another Pats fan]

Sounds like bitterness to me. She gets dumped by the Pats before their good years, and now that the Pats have come crashing down with Brady's injury she feels like she needs to bite back.

This isn't printworthy. It's just an unenlightening opinion.

I'm glad fans were leaving the stadium early. After the embarrassing performance by most of the players they need a good kick in the ass, not some touchy feely "you'll get 'em next time!" cheer. It's one thing to be outplayed by an opponent giving 100%. It's another to get shellacked by looking lost and missing tackles for 60 minutes.

[Dave]

Yeah whatever Lisa--why don't you talk about the LA "fans"--show up late and leave early regardless of the score. And at least we have a football team and didn't lose 2 NFL teams!

[Dave]

I love it how you diss Hugh Millen--weren't you two an item when you worked for the Pats?

[Hugh Millen]

Lisa, it's Hugh. Call me. Want to reminisce about your time as cheerleading director with the Patriots and I was the starting quarterback.

[Former Cheerleader]

Oh boy I have waited years to back Lisa up on this one..side note, I too hate fans who leave early but in regards to your racial remarks..she left because of Kraft...the egotistical, disrespectful Kraft. I can say that because I was a cheerleader before and after Lisa. With Lisa we were a classy organization. Kraft came in and took away our locker rooms, made us rehearse in 100degree weather with a hose and an outhouse and changed the girls uniforms to look like trash...oh yeah all while doubling our promotion rate and taking half forhimself! when your father calls you and says he's glad your not a cheerleader anymore you know you've done something right. No disrespect to current members just ask your NEW coach to stand up to Bob sometime...for she too used to hate to be disrespected once upon a time. Good r you foti

[Archie Manning]

Lisa: The LA Angels fans are bailing on their tieam in the top of the 9th inning.
Sure sound like baseball fair weather fans to me.
Care to write about this for the LA Times Tomorrow?
I doubt it.

[Kenmore Sq]

You have got to be kidding me. The Patriots have sold out every game since 1994. Wasn't this girl FIRED by the Pats? Pleeeeeze. Just another fan of some other team who got their feelings hurt by the Patriots (and, most recently in LA, the Celtics) WAHHHHHHHH