Evan Rawal, Avalanche writer

Answer: Yes.

Of course it is. Hate away, boys and girls. 

Sure, we don’t have to sit around and watch Tom Brady raise his arms to the refs any time a Broncos defender so much as looks at him. Nor do we have to see Bill Belichick’s miserable mug on the sidelines anymore. They’re both long gone.

You know what isn’t? That fanbase.

Oh, I’m sorry. Are you mad that fans outside the Rocky Mountain region aren’t allowed to buy tickets to Sunday’s game online? Good! See, the benefit of home-field advantage is that you can do whatever you want. That includes limiting how many chowderheads enter Empower Field at Mile High.

But here’s the real issue: Patriots fans haven’t had to suffer much over the last 25 years. The Brady/Belichick era was just winning… winning… and more winning. Usually when one era ends, you must endure pain to get back there.

Apparently that doesn’t apply to the Patriots, who had to suffer through only three losing seasons before they’re all of the sudden back in the playoffs and the AFC Championship Game. That’s nothing compared to the often-painful near-decade that came after Peyton Manning retired here in Denver.

They’re loud, arrogant and they’ve forgotten what it’s like to suffer in sports.

Hate away!

***

Paul Klee, sports editor

Answer: No

Why on John Elway’s green earth would you hate the Patriots?

You should be thrilled the Broncos are playing the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. They never win here.

No. 7 himself went 11-0 against the Patriots. And don’t forget the Patriots are 0-4 in playoff games in Denver. New England lost here in 1986, 2005, 2013 and 2015. And again on Sunday.

Mark it down: Super Stiddys 20, Patriots 18.

The Broncos ‘D’ will force two fumbles from Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

That’ll be the difference.

I’ve never understood Colorado’s hate for Handsome Tom. To draw boos from the home crowd, the Nuggets used to show Brady’s handsome mug on the big videoboard at Ball Arena. 

Yet Patrick Mahomes has caused far more pain to Broncos Country than Brady ever did.

If anything, it’s Brady who should hate the Broncos. They hit him 23 times in the 2015 AFC Championship game here. He never was hit more in a single game. Denver won, 20-18, in the greatest game ever played in Colorado.

Can Sunday top it?

Can’t hate Maye. Maybe later, but he’s only 23. Shoot, Sean Payton even praised Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels’ influence is part of the reason the Broncos pursued and quickly signed Jarrett Stidham as a backup. 

“I knew he (McDaniels) liked him (Stidham),” Payton said.

But hate the Patriots? Nah. Save the sports hate for the Lakers. Or the Stars.

Sunday’s all about the Super Stiddys.