11/21/24
October 29, 2010
Cliff Lee's Wife Angry at Yankees Fans: One reason to think Cliff Lee won't be ending up in pinstripes: New York Yankees fans were saying abusive things, throwing beer and spitting from an upper deck on Texas Rangers family members during the American League Championship Series, his wife Kristen Lee told USA Today. "The fans did not do good things in my heart," she said. "When people are staring at you and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal."
The Yankees will just throw Cliff Lee a few extra million dollars and that should make her forget all about it.
posted by BornIcon at 01:45 PM on October 29, 2010
Or not. I doubt she's pinching pennies now; perhaps the Lees will have a rush of sanity to the head and decide they'd rather make a more-than-living wage in a place where they'll be happy.
This is, of course, assuming that there IS anywhere other than Texas where the wife of Cliff Lee could have shown up during a playoff game and not been heckled. New York is an easy target if you want to talk about how rude people are, but it's probably a little naive to assume it's unique.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:02 PM on October 29, 2010
I'm more than sure that when the Yankees roll out the red carpet for Cliff Lee, no matter how much money the Lee's already have saved up in their piggy bank, a few more millions makes a big difference to anyone. Just ask CC Sabathia.
posted by BornIcon at 02:13 PM on October 29, 2010
This is, of course, assuming that there IS anywhere other than Texas where the wife of Cliff Lee could have shown up during a playoff game and not been heckled. New York is an easy target if you want to talk about how rude people are, but it's probably a little naive to assume it's unique.
Heckling, I think most anyone could get past.
To physically assault someone is criminal, even in New York, is it not ?
posted by tommybiden at 02:16 PM on October 29, 2010
This is, of course, assuming that there IS anywhere other than Texas where the wife of Cliff Lee could have shown up during a playoff game and not been heckled.
I sat in Tampa with 30 Rangers employees during the playoffs dressed in team gear. Rays fans were remarkably friendly, though part of the reason was that the team put four security guards at the top of the section.
I don't think her experience is unique, but different places take the game less seriously than others. Rays fans even chanted "beat the Yankees!" at the Rangers who were celebrating the ALDS win on their turf.
posted by rcade at 02:26 PM on October 29, 2010
Incidentally, Cliff Lee himself downplayed the incident: "I brush that off as fans being fans. You can't control 50,000 people and what they're going to do. There were some people that were spitting off the balcony on the family section and things like that, and that's kind of weak, but what can you do? No, I don't know the guy that did it. It could be anyone. Who knows? Who cares? They're at home right now."
posted by rcade at 02:28 PM on October 29, 2010
To physically assault someone is criminal, even in New York, is it not ?
Yup, and I'm not downplaying it. I'm just saying that fans get nutty in a lot of places, and if Mrs. Lee put in her vote of where to live based on the idea that at least they won't be like those awful New Yorkers...hey, who knows what she might find. Wherever they go, it'll be a honeymoon at first (probably, I think Randy Johnson pretty much hated New York on first sight), and then time will tell.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:38 PM on October 29, 2010
Cliff Lee's response (and his agent's response) to this makes him look like an ass. It sounds like Mrs. Lee's input doesn't count in the decision on where she lives her life for the next few years. I'd like to see Kristen hire her own agent and hold a press conference a la LeBron, slowly eliminating teams from contention based on overall livability and fan douchiness.
I'm just saying that fans get nutty in a lot of places, and if Mrs. Lee put in her vote of where to live based on the idea that at least they won't be like those awful New Yorkers...hey, who knows what she might find.
I'm guessing she might find it in Boston, and maybe Chicago. I highly doubt she'd find it anywhere else, just from having been to a fair number of ballparks. "Nutty" in most places means the wave or singing stupid songs, not spitting and throwing bottles.
I can also state pretty firmly that it wouldn't happen at all in St. Louis. Fans who did that at Busch would get turned on by their own and booed out of the stadium.
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:57 PM on October 29, 2010
I think it's pretty safe to say that it could happen anywhere. Is it more likely to happen in NYC than perhaps anywhere else? Probably. Is it less likely to happen in Minneapolis, St. Louis or Tampa Bay? Probably.
You get 50,000+ people in a stadium, get many of them shitfaced drunk, you're going to have some issues.
wfrazerjr, for what it's worth, I had a beer thrown on me during the 87 World Series. Yes, I was proudly wearing my Twins jersey, but I was not causing even the slightest disturbance beyond that. We were up 2-0 in games, but the Cards were winning the game at the time. I was sitting with three Cardinal fans...yes, many fans booed the guy, but nothing beyond that. I think it can happen in any stadium
posted by dviking at 03:59 PM on October 29, 2010
The Yankees will just throw Cliff Lee a few extra million dollars and that should make her forget all about it.
As Kornheiser said, the Yankees can do what a lot of other teams can't to make her forget their poor treatment of her...add another comma.
posted by bdaddy at 05:01 PM on October 29, 2010
You want to see unruly fans....? Go to a White Sox-Cubs game. People are hospitalized. And arrested and held accountable. I do however disagree with this statement by Andy 1087
"I really do hate it when a whole fanbase is thrown under the train for what a much smaller group of people did though".
Mondays game is no different than Tuesdays game, that is no different from Wednesdays game etc.
Some cities' fans treat visiting fans better than others. Milwaukee fans are great. After beating our Cubs, they politely wished us nice ride home.
posted by scuubie at 05:34 PM on October 29, 2010
The Yankees will just throw Cliff Lee a few extra million dollars and that should make her forget all about it.
No - no - no ... that's fogetabodit
...add another comma
Sure that'll get a howyadoin from her
posted by cixelsyd at 05:54 PM on October 29, 2010
Incidentally, Cliff Lee himself downplayed the incident
Knowing he might be playing in front of those same fans next year I doubt he's dumb enough to thrown them under the bus, though I agree with wfrazerjr, not lee's best look, making sure NY knows he's still play for the Yankees. If my wife was being spit on I doubt I'd be so cavalier (even knowing it was probably a small section and not representative of the Yankee fan base as a whole) about the situation.
Rays fans even chanted "beat the Yankees!" at the Rangers who were celebrating the ALDS win on their turf.
That's par for the course in the AL East. The Yankees (and Red Sox) are hated from top to bottom. You'd find the same type thing in Baltimore for example.
posted by justgary at 03:26 PM on October 30, 2010
I think people are reading too much into Lee's attitude. He downplays everything, including his own accomplishments. There's no one in a postgame conference more chill than Lee, even when he's just done something staggeringly awesome. Never fails to amuse.
Besides, he's right. A small number of idiots committed the acts against his wife and the other Rangers relatives.
posted by rcade at 05:26 PM on October 30, 2010
What Cliff Lee did to the Yankees fans throughout the whole season was much worse than what those fans did to her.
Kidding aside, some people just go too far. Heckling is one thing but spitting and throwing beer is another. I really do hate it when a whole fanbase is thrown under the train for what a much smaller group of people did though.