As a youngster who followed the Yankees because that was the little league team I played for, every baseball item I owned had a Yankee emblem on it. I even had Yankee wallpaper and bedding (thanks mom). Point I am making here is yes I am from Utah and yes I am a Yankee fan. So what? Growing up all my friends were either Rockies or Twins fans. The Twins fans chose them because they had family from Minneapolis and reflected on going to games with the Grandparents. Those who chose the Rockies did so because they weren't baseball fans. They ironically enough were Bronco's fans too, but that's besides the point. As I got more and more into playing baseball, I had friends who were loyal to various teams like the Cubs, the Braves, the Angels, the Mets. I never asked why but just accepted that they liked that team, just like I liked the Yankees.
My point here is I am sick of people getting all up in arms that I like the Yankees. Truth be told, the only ones who really ever give me grief are Red Sox fans, except for one faithful Cubs fan who has recently taken a hatred towards the Yankees because Jorge Posada's name appears on the All-Star ballot. I don't get why everyone has to question my loyalty regarding the Yankees. It is ironic that many of the people who give me the most grief are not only Red Sox fans, but have become Red Sox fans within the last decade. Some of them who I knew in high school I would not have even guessed they liked baseball! If any one's loyalty is in question here...I am just saying.
All this brings us to today. So many of the Red Sox fans who give me a hard time often turn to the argument of "Yankees payroll" or "Yankees get all the national attention" or "every player on the Yankees is a horrible person simply because they where pin stripes." Fine. Argue all you want and 10-15 years ago I would understand your bitterness because you in the midst of a century long drought and were incredibly bitter towards everyone, especially the Yankees and their fans. Well, times have changed. You have not only won the world series and broke the curse, but you have won it twice. Your roster looks like something the Yankees would put together and you are in the spotlight just as much as any other team, including the Yankees.
I suppose I should congratulate Red Sox nation for this accomplishment but I cannot. Instead I am going to sound off because your success has supposedly earned you the right to be as arrogant as ever. You talk as if you are still in the midst of your curse and you hate everyone. Get over it. Your team's payroll has skyrocketed. You will bid for the best free agent on the market (see Crawford; Carl), trade for big name players (see Gonzalez; Adrian) and sign big name pitchers (see Lackey; John). Your gripe with the Yankees after all these years has become your identity. Kudos for figuring out how to win, it feels good doesn't it?
I know this won't stop all of the criticism I get all the time, but the bias for the Yankees is just as prevalent for your beloved Red Sox so stop all the whining please. As I watched the Yankees Red Sox game this evening, Nomar Garciaparra may as well have been down in the Red Sox dugout. It was driving me crazy. I felt that I was warranted in my complaint as even my wife took notice to the words coming out of his mouth. I understand the guy is a former Red Sox player, but it was annoying none the less.
Here is the bottom line to this article. I love the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox. It is classic, one of the best in the world. Let's enjoy it. Give me all the crap when your team wins and I will make sure you hear it when I win. Just accept that your team is the same as mine. Literally. The only difference is our uniforms, cities and the 20 some odd championships the Yankees have. I get you have a history of bitterness and hatred and that is what makes the rivalry great, but get over yourself and realize the rivalry is bigger than me or you. No one feels sorry for you anymore because you are big time. You spend big time money, have a roster filled with big name players, and get big time media attention. Truth is both our teams are built to be hated.
I thought that this picture pretty much summed up my article.
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