Sour Freakin Grapes
Foxsports.com recently reprinted an article from the Post, unfortunately not signed, that claimed the Yankees-Sox rivalry was not what it used to be. “[T]his series has lost a good deal of its juice the past few years….” Why did that happen? According to this pundit, the “big thing” is that the “Red Sox win now. Not just games and series, but championships. The great backstory to this matchup evaporated along with that three-games-to-none lead the Yankees let slip away in the 2004 ALCS….The Curse defined The Rivalry.”
So let’s see if I have this straight. According to the Post, this was a great rivalry only when, at the season’s conclusion, the Yankees prevailed. It stopped being a great rivalry when the Sox beat the Yankees in 2004, and presumably, the rivalry became insignificant when the Sox won a second championship last year. Is that so? And who are the Yankees’ great rivals today? The Devil Rays, and Jonny Gomes?
First of all, the crowds in
And speaking of putzes, if the Post, or this nitwit, or anyone else wants to place blame for tarnishing the rivalry, look no farther than Hank Steinbrenner. Sox fans don’t want a rival led by a buffoon. If the Yankees are sports’ greatest franchise, and the Sox are dominating the rivalry of late, the Yankees past only brings credit to the Sox success. But Hank Steinbrenner’s shenanigans bring no credit, nor any respect, to the Sox, or any other team, that manages to best the Yankees. Not that we wouldn’t take some pleasure from seeing a Steinbrenner, of all people, injure that franchise. But we just don’t look forward to a time when our most dramatic AL East confrontations are with the Jays or the Rays. Hank Steinbrenner is a disgrace, and his buffoonery demeans not only his team, but the game as well. As much as we love to hate the Yankees, and revel in their misfortune, this guy is a disgrace, and he demeans the rivalry.
posted by pops | 8:27 AM
5 Comments:
RELAX!!!
Yankee fans do not care about the Murdoch owned rag sheet or Hank 'the man who would be boss' so why should you.
Hank was put in his place last night when Joba came in with bases loaded in the 7th inning to nail down the game. After that he has back peddled.
The news sources I listen to and read still place the Yankee - redsox rivalry at the top of the list. All other match-
ups pale in comparison. As a Yankee fan I agree.
My biggest concern is to get the young pitchers to begin winning and our position players healthy. This needs to turn around to keep up with the hot redsox. We have 6 more road games and then we come home for 9 games. Hopefully we can get the team to more consistent play and put some pressure on the redsox during this early season.
As always - Let the games continue
G-man
The claim that the Yankees-Sox rivalry is not what it used to be is probably true. The problem is that the Yankess can no longer gloat, and the Sox can no longer plead to God: "Why us, where did we fail you?" Bill Buckner throwing out the first pitch at Fenway confirmed the change in identity.
Last year when I was sitting in Fenway, and the place was rocking with confidence, I asked myself: "Now is this what it has felt like to be a Yankee fan all these years?" In fact I felt a bit guilty.
But this is not a time to gloat. While I have full confidence in John Henry and Company, fortunes can change quickly in this game.
I do love the fact though, that the Evil Empire has been toppled by Henry, a former punk-rock band member who was also a successful card counter in Vegas, before he got booted out of town.
Take that, well-disciplined Steinbrenner family!
Chip in Williamstown
Welcome Chip to our non-intersecting corner of the baseball world.
At this point in the season owners, management and managers of these 2 franchises don't look too smart. Under performing and injured stars have this season in neutral. Eventually the Yankees or the redsox will put together a streak of 8-2 or even 7-3. Then we can begin the defense or gloating for this season.
As a Yankee fan we have always been happy with the bosses spending habits and embarrassed by their comments. I will take that combination every day of the season. The result is we have a competitive team and the owners earn the right to be idiots.
Later,
G-man
Chipper,
Nice to read your comment; nice to have another reader; nice to have another Sox fan on the blog; funny thing is that, other than my kids, the readership is almost exclusively Yankee fans.
I'M BACK!!!
Hey everyone. Special shout out to the new guy. Chip we're delighted to have you on board if only to abuse another wayward soul.
So I didn't bother to read the article cause Hanks a jerk. As always G-Man got it right.
Here is my take on the rivalry though. I've noticed that an edge has come off the games and I've been trying to understand why. I don't buy the pink sox winning as a cause for my unsettledness. I think the number of games we play and the timing of those game is the root cause. 19 is too many. The number at the start of the season when they mean less, the weather is too cold and the teams are just setting their staffs doesn't give us a chance to feel the heat.
The other problem with the frequency of play is that we get too familiar with the opposing staff and the approach to the games becomes predictable.
Finally and perhaps most regrettably, familiarity does not breed contempt. As a fan of the game I find that I have begun to appreciate the play and character of individuals in the hated camp. I often said that I could not understand how anyone that was a Yankee Hater could really dislike players like Jeter, Pettite, Posada etc. They have character and play with heart. Now I am hard pressed not to like pretty much all the position players w/the exception of Manny. They play hard and with heart. The pitching staff is still easy to hate on though I can't say why.
Having said all that. The rivalry is easily the greatest in all of sport. Can any of us really plan anything other than being in front of the tv or in earshot of a radio when they play one another?
Again G-Man got it right: Let the games continue....Daled
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