Boston vs. New York

You knew I had to write this. It was just a matter of time.

I recently read an essay from the late 1800's about New York city. It said that all it had was its bigness. If only it could have a sports team to cheer for, civic pride would follow, the streets would be cleaned, and many other improvements would follow. Well, it is still big, and they do have several sports teams to cheer for. I have several friends that are Yankee fans that are great baseball fans that I enjoy talking to about the state of the American League East. Others I consider Band wagon sitters, for they lose no opportunity to razz others when the Yankees are winning and are scarce to be found when they are not. They generally have little knowledge of the game and are interested in the final score only when the Yankees win. A article on A-Rod announced (facetiously I hope) that the baseball season was virtually over once the Yankees were eliminated, no one would watch Colorado or Arizona, the Indians were just upstarts, and Boston would probably win it anyway. Wasn't the Subway series one of the lowest viewer rated series in recent memory? Those in the 'Big Apple' would do well to remember that they would have nothing to eat if it were not for us in 'fly over' country. Almost fifty years ago I asked my father who was his favorite team. He answered, "anybody that can beat the Yankees". I didn't understand then, but I do now. One sportswriter, when asked about Steinbrenner's threat to fire Joe Torre if the Yankees did not win, used the words arrogant and ignorant. These words apply to to many fans.

Stephen King said it well (not surprisingly) when asked at a playoff game about the state of affairs in baseball, that Colorado was hot, Cleveland had a good team, and we (Red Sox Nation) were enjoying watching the Sox play while the Yankees were golfing and waiting for Steinbrenner to talk. Until 2004 the history between the Sox and Yanks had not been kind to Boston. I can talk to my Yankee friends that are also baseball fans, and they at least hide the gloating well. Other Yankee 'fans' can best be described by example. A classmate of my nine-year old son told him the Yankees would win it all (they had been eliminated the night before). Is there any wonder that there is such animosity from Red Sox fans? It would be nice if more Yankee fans would allow Red Sox fans their moment of glory. King hinted that fans of the team from the city of culture and our Revolution could accept one of the other remaining teams as victor. Those that have come to expect a World Series win as their right cannot understand that though the Yankees have won more series than anyone else, I would not take all of those for being a member of Red Sox nation, particularly in 2004.