May 30, 2006

Workfiltered.

posted by jerseygirl at 11:35 AM on May 30, 2006

The guy kind of sounds like a douche even before he mentions his allegiance. As for:

"When I tell a Bostonian that I’m a Yanks fan, a look crosses their face like someone took a shit in their shoe. I’ve literally had girls in bars turn around and walk away."

Understand this— if I were to die today and my wife were to run out and celebrate at a singles bar, you'd get the same treatment from her. Any fruit of my loins will act the same way. I don't know why, but there you have it. If you're a Yankees fan from the Tri-State area, that's ok. Good even. But if you live in a part of New England that isn't southern Connecticut, pass.

posted by yerfatma at 11:58 AM on May 30, 2006

"Even us AL West fans love this rivalry."

Don't speak for all of us.

posted by whymy at 12:55 PM on May 30, 2006

One of the interesting things about living in the Hartford, CT area (canned laughter)is that it is, in essence, the front line of the battle between Red Sox and Yankee fans. Neither fan is on decidely "enemy turf," and you cannot exist as one without tolerance of the other. My girlfriend works for a company of five people -- three Yankee fans and two Sox fans. No matter where you work, eat, recreate, you are in a mixed bag. It's like a whole population of Seinfelds and Newmans. When the two teams play each other, the next day one side smiles and raises an eye brow while the other grits their collective teeth, but there is no wild rejoicing or unfettered beer-crying like there is in Boston and New York, because the other side is always watching you. As for the article, I respect anyone who can openly root for their team in the opposite city. And the advice is fairly sound, particularly about the caps (during the 1996 WS, my dad was in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium -- he reported that some guy "lost" his Braves cap, and it was eventually set on fire). And, although I haven't crossed that line myself, I know plenty of manly men who wear Jeter shirts. There really isn't anything wrong with that.

posted by BullpenPro at 01:18 PM on May 30, 2006

I know plenty of manly men who wear Jeter shirts. And belly shirts to boot, one imagines.

posted by yerfatma at 01:38 PM on May 30, 2006

Good column, but it both of those teams disappeared tomorrow MLB would be better off. The Red Sox broke their curse, thank god, and I hope not to hear from them again for another 100 years. For me they're no more than the people who helped destroy the Expos. Since Steiny has owned the team the Yankees have represented all that is wrong with the business of baseball. Hopefully, the future of MLB is with owners like Arturo Moreno. With any luck we'll have a couple of decades of no team from the AL East making it past the first round of the playoffs. The Rays are already doing their part.

posted by ?! at 01:50 PM on May 30, 2006

I wonder who has been punching the Ranger's front office in the balls all these years?

posted by mjkredliner at 02:35 PM on May 30, 2006

When the Yanks do something good, don’t jump up and down. Unless you’re a girl with big jubblies, which I decidedly am not. You can clap and cheer, just don’t overdo it. Thats was the funniest part of the whole article. Although this article was funny, the guy made lots of good points about the rivalry. I enjoyed reading it- and can't wait for the Yanks vs. Bosox.

posted by redsoxrgay at 03:00 PM on May 30, 2006

No, jerseygirl, the "Red Sox" didn't. But John Henry colluded with the other owners of MLB to screw the Expos fans. Of course, screwing the Marlins fans was only a bonus. I believe you know enough about MLB to know Loria, et al., never intended to do anything other than get the Expos franchise out of Montreal. But, in true American spirit, let's celebrate the Big Guys and cheer on the Yankees and Red Sox. I live for that!

posted by ?! at 06:11 PM on May 30, 2006

"The Red Sox broke their curse, thank god, and I hope not to hear from them again for another 100 years.

Since Steiny has owned the team the Yankees have represented all that is wrong with the business of baseball.

But, in true American spirit, let's celebrate the Big Guys and cheer on the Yankees and Red Sox. I live for that!"

?!, make up your mind! Which is it? You don't want to hear about them or you live for celebrating them?

posted by zippinglou at 06:56 PM on May 30, 2006

mjkredliner: You are correct that sarcasm is difficult. And here I thought it was obvious. zippinglou: I thought it was an American tradition to root for the "little guy." That's a huge clue to the sarcasm in my final sentence. The "I live for that" itself was dripping in sarcasm, but I'll assume you missed the Sportsfilter podcast. I believe jerseygirl just ignored my intent on purpose. A bit of sarcasm of her own. The Yankees and Red Sox is a good rivalry for that mass market of Newbostyork (and the snowbirds in Tampa.) The media likes it also. But I don't believe those teams are good for baseball. This, however, isn't the thread to put forth that argument. And I hope you get to catch games at both parks also. (But I'll blaspheme and tell you they aren't as special as their fans tell you ad nauseum. But that's true of most "homers.")

posted by ?! at 09:22 PM on May 31, 2006

goddam, you're right. (I just had to write that.) I was using "homers" specifically about their odd love and reverence for their home stadium. You know how Cubs fans can be for example. It's ivy over a brick wall for god's sake. And most don't even know it was planted by the guy who later owned the White Sox. For me, rooting for your team is another, and better understood, matter.

posted by ?! at 08:51 AM on June 01, 2006

That doesn't make sense. Because you appreciate the historical ballpark your home team plays in, you're a "homer" ?

posted by jerseygirl at 09:27 AM on June 01, 2006

Baseball ain't near as much fun if tradition isn't held in high regard, and Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley absolutely reek of it. (Speaking as someone who only wishes to experience it, of course) Ameriquest Field is nice and all, but not trodden upon by the legends and ghosts of the aforementioned venues. Nothin' like baseball to make me wax poetic, sniff, sniff.

posted by mjkredliner at 10:40 AM on June 01, 2006

Sure, but those places only have historical context because of what happened inside their walls. I think Fenway is a wonderful place in the abstract, John Updikian-hazy memory of The Great Past, but it's not more important than the game of baseball or even the Red Sox.

posted by yerfatma at 12:46 PM on June 01, 2006

yerfatma got it jerseygirl. mjkredliner: I say there are fans who believe there is something special about the bricks, seats, etc of Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley Field. They'll treat the Green Monster with a Wailing Wall reverence without the knowledge of why it is there or even that it wasn't always green. Now we have architects who install a hill in the outfield because an old park had one and they want an "old feel quirk" to their park. I love baseball history -- down to the brick and mortar aspect. I even convinced my wife to pick me up a brick from this park when it was demolished. I'm just bored with fans loving something merely because it is old. There is no mystical reason why Fenway exists but Crosley, Cominsky, and Ebbets are gone. And, of course, I'm sure no one on Sportsfilter is the kind of homer I've been discussing.

posted by ?! at 09:07 PM on June 01, 2006

I'm just bored with fans loving something merely because it is old. There is no mystical reason why Fenway exists but Crosley, Cominsky, and Ebbets are gone. Really? There are fans who say "I love fenway...it's just so old"? What makes fenway special, or wrigley, or yankee stadium, is the history that has gone on in those places. The fact that they are old just allows this to be true. You can build a wonderful ballpark. It won't have the history. There is something magical for most people returning to scenes of great moments, and not just in baseball. Has nothing to do with being a homer, and there's certainly nothing wrong with it.

posted by justgary at 12:53 PM on June 02, 2006

Sure, I would have loved to see Willie Mays in the Polo Grounds. But if you rebuilt it brick by brick at the exact location I wouldn't give a darn. you'd also piss a lot people off. there are high rise apartments there now.

posted by goddam at 07:40 PM on June 02, 2006

I never said anyone was right or wrong. We're all arguing opinions here. I'm not expecting to change any minds. I guess I just don't get what you're saying. People don't love fenway because it's old. They love it because of the history. Because it is old, there's a lot of history. If they build a new park in boston, people might say the park is great, the seats are comfortable, the hotdogs are great. They won't say the same things they said about fenway. I'm not trying to change your mind. Some people travel to see old, historic sites, some don't. Some people go back to see the house they grew up in, to others that's silly. But you've got a brick from a park that was tore down, yet don't understand someone getting exciting about going to fenway because of the history. The two don't seem to jive.

posted by justgary at 01:34 AM on June 04, 2006

justgary, to sum it up, I'm irked by those who love "the church," but are clueless about "the word." Ahh, I got ya now. Thanks for the explanation.

posted by justgary at 01:37 PM on June 04, 2006