I have a lot going on right now, emotionally and professionally and so on, and rather than miss another week of posting here, I'm copying a post from my own blog. And not only am I copying a post from my own blog, but I'm copying a post that I didn't even write. My husband did. But he's close enough to being a New England Mama that he's married to one, so I thought you'd all forgive me...
It’s Sunday night, and we’re in New York City to watch the Yankees and Red Sox play another much-anticipated game. This will be our first, and quite likely only, trip to Yankee Stadium, since it will be demolished at the end of the year to make way for a new stadium. As the resident sports nut in the family, this trip is mostly for me, but I’m sure my wife and 3-year-old son will appreciate the spectacle.
I really enjoy attending live sporting events, but I only go a few times a year. In my entire lifetime, I’ve been to 2 NFL games, and about 10 MLB and 20 NHL games. So when it happens, I really look forward to it. But this game is really up there on the coolness meter. To be able to see, arguably, the best rivalry in American sports, in a famous stadium, on 4th of July weekend – well, that’s pretty cool.
I also have a rooting interest in this game. I’ve been a Red Sox fan since 1999, the year before our daughter was born. That summer I was between jobs, and Kate worked from 3pm to 11pm, so I ended up watching a lot of baseball. I definitely got caught up in the team spirit and the competition. Since I never watched baseball when I was a kid, the transition was easy – I became a Red Sox fan.
Back then, Boston was the city that could not win a championship (in any sport). They were the Lovable Losers. The rivalry with the Yankees wasn’t much of a rivalry at all – the number of World Series championships between 1918 and 2000 was 26-0 in favor of New York. Since then, however, the teams have been much more evenly matched. I’m happy to say that since 2000, Boston has won the World Series twice, while New York has come up empty.
The main motivation for this post is in that last sentence. Like most Red Sox fans, I want the Yankees to lose. I want them to finish in last place. I want them to be the laughingstock of the league. However, I am not like most Red Sox fans in that I choose not to broadcast this hatred on a daily basis. First and foremost, I enjoy the game of baseball, and I appreciate a good play, no matter which team benefits.
This has been a problem in Boston for the past decade. We have become a city of Yankee Haters. This attitude has spilled into other sports as well. It’s no longer sufficient to say, “my team is the best.” The Boston fan must add, “and your team sucks.” Those of you who live in New England are probably well aware of this. It is poor sportsmanship, and I choose not to take part.
Especially in the other team’s stadium. It’s not about avoiding a fight behind enemy lines, it’s about respecting the game. I’ll wear my team’s colors and cheer their successes, but I refuse to jeer the opposition. I hope that other Red Sox fans will do the same. Enjoy the evening at a famous ballpark. Experience one of the few remaining American pastimes. Be a fan of the game.
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