My love for the Red Sox and hatred for the Yankees are well documented. In the past I have fantasized all types of scenarios, with the Sox coming out on top of the Pinstripes. The best I could imagine was: The Sox had already clinched the division title, and were playing the last game of the regular season against the A's who were in a tie for the wildcard with the Yankees. If the Red Sox win, the Yankees make the playoffs. If the Sox lose, the Yankees are out. the Red Sox bring up newly acquired John Wasdin from triple A to start this crucial game. And you guessed it, WAY BACK- about 5 times as the Yanks kiss their season goodbye.
Well, my fantasy can't compare to reality! During the first game of the A.L. Championship series, my son-in-law Nathan was running happily to the phone to rag on me, and he broke his toe when kicking the hassock. Poor guy had to go to work for a month wearing three piece suits and sneakers. In game three, with the Yanks up by a couple of touchdowns, I refused to answer the phone. Then came the start of the miracle and the beginning of a fantasy-come-true beyond even my imagination.
With the sweep eminent and Rivera coming to the mound, Nathan called and said, "I just wanted to share this moment with you." And what a moment it was! It lasted until the last out of game seven. Maybe the Curse wouldn't be broken until the Championship Trophy was ours, but the World Series was the most anti-climatic series I have ever seen. That American League title was the greatest thing I have ever experienced in sports. It's right up there with the Impossible Dream as far as baseball is concerned.
My father is a caretaker at a local Jewish cemetary. He found a Red Sox Championship hat placed lovingly on a grave. Rather than have the wind blow it away, he took it with him, and places it on the grave during the traditional visiting times, so family members will see it. Only a true Red Sox fan would understand.
Let the Yankees buy Beltran, the Big Unit, or Cy Young himself, this was the year that was as far as I'm concerned.
]]>I wasn't alive to see the Red Sox get massacred by Bucky Bleebin' Dent or in 1986 for Game 6 of the World Series to see the ball go through Buckners' legs, but I have heard and read about both, but who hasn't. I was not there in the heat of the moment so it's not the same. I was however sitting in my house when Don Zimmer charged Pedro Martinez and was pushed to the ground. More recently, to watch Jason Varitek maul Alex Rodriguez. Sadly I was also watching when Aaron Boone hit an ALCS winning homerun off Tim Wakefield. My body didn't stop shaking for a week after that game. I didn't watch one game of the World Series. My emotions were completely drained.
To me when the Red Sox and Yankees play it's more than a regular game. I watch the every Red Sox game during the year and I form a bond with the team from my living room. I become emotional when the Sox win in the bottom of the 9th inning and when they lose in the bottom of the 9th. I feel like I went through the game with the players. Say a Yankee pitcher hits a Red Sox batter with a pitch, it feels like that the pitcher hit a member of my family with the pitch. The passion and dedication it takes to be a Red Sox fan is like nothing else in the world. For Young people, like myself, being a fan of the Boston Red Sox is a faith, more than just following your favorite sports team, it's a tradition that you never turn your back on. If you happen to be a Yankees' fan then you turned your back on the faith that is the Boston Red Sox.
]]>I think I may have the power to detect yankee fans. I was at my towns art festivle thing with some friends- this man, when I looked at him- I felt this jolt of hate. I'm rather obnoxious so without thinking I was like "Are you a yankee fan?" Suprised he was like "How did you know!?" Quickly, he added those all faithfull yankee numbers "1918." I was like "I don't know. You looked like a yankee fan it was your....inner yankee glow." I thought maybe it was a lucky guess. But you see, it happened more then once. In the last few minuets of Cross Country practice on Friday, the team plays Capture the Football. I tagged out this guy I didn't know. I felt that same jolt of hatred. I sprinted after him to tag him out, and then asked "Yo, kid, you look like a yankee fan. Are you?" and he goes "Yes actually." Shocked, I went back over to tell my friends and continue arguing with a boy that Pokey didnt suck, but ruled the world. I swear you can tell- It's the inner yankee glow. You see it, then there's this jolt of hate. Something strange is going on here...
]]>My wife, a devoted sports fan, did not object to me hanging a poster of Derek Jeter over the crib the day he came home, did not object to watching every Yankee game and cheer them on and every Sox game to cheer against them. She enjoyed the trips to the Bronx.
The world was good.
Then...this year...I began getting comments like...you can't win every game...or...a muted "yes" when the opposing team scores...now, the gloves are off, she openly roots for the Sox and against the Yankees. I mean, the Patriots was one thing but this current open rooting for the Sox could affect my children.
- Submitted by Scott from CT
]]>Quite frankly, because of a pure hatred of the Yankees.
Your hate stretches into the NL too. Many time at Busch Stadium you will see "Yankees Suck" drawn on the walls (Along with twice as many Cubs references). During the 22-0 lost the Yanks deserved, it was announced over the PA system, and the crowd went into a frenzy. Last fall, I went to New York and we got a chance to see a Yankees game. We were the only people there in Cardinal red, or in the instance of my friends, decked in Red Sox gear, just to p.o. the Yankee lovers.
Just remember, you don't have to be in the AL to hate the Yanks.
Submitted by The Irish Dude
The Bastards-er-Yankees came to town, and I was prepared. I had sold the tickets to some Twins fans, but I plastered the campus with posters advertising Yankees Suck T-shirts for sale. After receiving many orders, I had a friend go down to Fenway, buy 20 shirts and ship them out. Now there are twenty people on campus wearing their Yankees Suck shirts, proudly, and I am the chief supplier for the Twin Cities area (ok, not really).
I didn't make any money off the deal, as I put my profits into three more shirts for myself, guaranteeing that I could wear one every day during the ALCS. And a fourth was mailed to the president of the college, whose main flaw is an allegiance to the Axis of Evil which runs through the Bronx.
This year I am studying in Australia for a semester, so I am going to have to wake up mighty early to catch the Sox in playoff action. Not that I should have any trouble with that.
And finally, Boston Art, my father is a reformed Yankee fan. He was born in Northeast Pennsylvania and his father was a New Yorker, but a magical team in 1967 won him over and he has been on the good side going on four decades.
- Submitted by ofsevit
]]>Don't you just love a birthday? You get to see all your friends and get gifts from everybody. But there is one gift that you never want to get: a gift from a Yankee fan.
Now I recently celebrated a birthday here and it was a great day but then, of course, there had to be one thing that spoiled it all. As I was opening my gifts, I came to a bag and inside I found a Yankee cap. (Me being a die hard Sox fan all my life, I was humored and angry when I got this.) So I did what any Red Sox fan would do. I took it and put it somewhere where I would never have to see it again. But after it was all over I felt pretty angry and decided to get some revenge.
So I came online looking for a gift to get my dear old friend payback. I couldn't get him just a Sox hat because that is not enough. Then I found the perfect gift. A Yankees Suck T-shirt.
As soon as he opened it he was speechless and I was satified with the result of him knowing not to mess with a Sox fan on his birthday.
]]>I grew up in Dorchester and am a die hard Red Sox fan. This summer I took an internship in NYC at Pfizer to expand my opportunities. I must say that after being here 2 months I miss the best city in the US. When I go to the bars to watch the games I have to be around OBNOXIOUS yankees fans rooting for the evil empire and against our beloved sox. The only thing I have with me is my red sox liscence plates which have given me 100's of dirty looks and several key scratches. To make it short, get me home to where the true fans are!
]]>Ok. Not really Trot Nixon but a girl I saw at Yankee Stadium wearing a Nixon shirt. Now, I'm a Yankee fan and this was the unbelievable July 1st game. I'm cheering then she's cheering. I'm yelling then she's screaming. It was so oddly hot.
I found myself wanting the tie to go on just so she wouldn't leave the bleachers. I feel guilty that I'm willing to sell out my team for a girl -- albeit a girl I would have loved to fight with over which cap our son would wear. Oh well, maybe the ALCS will be Yankees and Boston and I could see her again....damn I did it again.
]]>Being a fan of baseball is not always easy. But if you are a fan of two different teams, then it becomes even harder.And if those teams are the New York Yankees and of the Boston Red Sox, the greatest rivalry in all of sports, then things really get complicated. That was my situation a short time ago.
Since I was born and raised in upstate New York the obvious choices for baseball teams would either be the Mets or the Yankees. My father was a fan of the Yankees, so I decided to go along with him. All through my life, I loved the Yankees, their winning seasons, and All-Star players, and naturally I hated the Red Sox.
But then some friends of mine who are die-hard Boston fans started pointing out to me that winning is not everything in baseball. They said that it should be about the game, and not the money, or sponsors. I found that I agreed with them. As unthinkable as it was I started rooting for the underdog.
Whenever the Yankees and Red Sox were playing each other in a series, I found myself torn between my instinctive liking for the Yankees, and my newfound affinity to the Red Sox. I decided that I had to choose between the two. It took some time but finally I decided that it was time for a change. I went with the team that stands for the game and not the publicity, a team that may not be known for winning, but a team that stands for hope, I chose the Boston Red Sox.
Though I am still a bit partial towards the Yankees, I consider myself a Red Sox fan. That is probably why I find myself frequenting sites like YankeesSuck.com.
I have lived in Texas all my life and I have always been a Rangers fan. Now I know usually Red Sox fans only blog on here but I figure us Rangers fans have some reason to hate the friggin' Yankees too. After all we did trade them the biggest fraud who we call A-Rod. I hated the Yankees prior to them aquiring A-Fraud's services -- when they were kicking our wild-card-winning asses out of the playoffs back in the late 90's. But now I have more reason to hate the Yankees -- they have no heart. There is nothing worse than watching a team that can buy a winning season. It's easy to be ahead by 8 1/2 games when you buy every talented player in the bigs. I'm so glad that my boys from down south got rid of the Fraud because, as we can see now, we are much better off without that jackass. And one more thing: This whole Jeter-leading-the-All-Star-Voting-at-short-stop is a friggin' joke. How 'bout Micheal Young gettin' some love? I mean, he IS leading in hits for cryin' out loud.
]]>All my life I have lived in a small town called Howell New Jersey, 5 minutes from the Jersey Shore. In my High School I am the only REAL Red Sox fan. There are three others who claim but they are but can't even name our second baseman. Everyday I get yelled at with either "1918" or "BOONE!" What do I say back?
]]>Eight months ago I moved to Seattle from Boston. Man do the Mariners suck. I was here for the playoffs last year. My girlfriend and I were rooting for the Sox and living in a sh*tty apartment surrounded by Yankee fans. It made it impossible to live there without hearing some smart ass comment. Well, needless to say, we moved out of there in April. To make myself feel better we went and saw the Yankees play the Mariners to watch the Yanks take a beating! I even booed that puke A Rod. Ahh, I love being a Bostonian.
]]>I didn't mind it when my only daughter chose to marry a young man of a different religion. It didn't bother me when I learned that he voted the rival political party. But when my daughter walked into the house wearing her betrothed's Yankee cap, it was like a knife had been plunged into my back. I did what any self respecting sox fan would do. I carefully removed the cap and placed it in the kitty litter box where it belongs. Another time, I had my new son in-law's birthday cake inscribed, "Happy birthday Nathan, but the Yankees still suck."
I've tried to be a positive influence on my new grandson by providing him with bibs, pajamas, and outfits with the Red Sox logo. Hopefully, he will be able to overcome the evil pinstriped influence in his life, and chart a straight course.
]]>I never knew that marrying my best friend (Boston Art‚s daughter and only child) had an additional perk -- being able to constantly torment my father-in-law. Let me give a few examples:
1. With Wetteland pitching for the final out in the 1996 World Series, I called my father-in-law so we could experience this wonderful moment together (a male bonding exercise). My mother-in-law said he was too upset and wouldn't speak to me. After convincing my mother-in-law to tell him his father was on the phone, he got on as the Yankees won and heard me and my friends celebrating. He promptly hung up the phone and wouldn't talk to me for days.
2. For Hanukkah one year, I bought him a baseball cap with "Yankees" written in Hebrew. He swore he wouldn't wear it but my mother-in-law thought it was cute and forced him so she could take a picture (I cherish how that picture simultaneously captures his feeble attempt to smile as well as his furor over wearing the finery of the archenemy).
3. After Aaron Boone hit that home run off Wakefield in Game 6 of the ALCS last year, I called him right away to console him (i.e. taunt him mercilessly that there would always be next year). He broke down saying the Yankees buy their championships and would never watch the Red Sox again. FYI: he went to Opening Day this year and is still an avid masochist (Red Sox fan).
Those bibs and outfits with the Red Sox logos he bought for his grandson -- they make great diaper wipes.
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