An N and Y merged together is one of the most famous symbols in all of sports and the team it represents is as American as the hamburger. As any baseball fan could tell you, they’re the winners of 26 championships. The Yankees are one of the most famous and successful sports franchises in the world. The Yankees have also finished ahead of the Red Sox in each of the past 11 regular seasons. So when I hear a baseball fan shouting, “Yankees suck!,” I can’t help but laugh. It’s even worse when they’re claiming it over the internet from the safe anonymousness of their home. Now I apologize if that sounded preachy. I know a lot of you are going to disagree with some of the things I’m saying in this post and I don’t mean to tell anyone how to think or act. And you can rest assured that yes, I am a true and devoted Red Sox fan, not any kind of spy. I was raised one and surely will remain one my entire life. However, as we approach a new season in which the rivalry is sure to be as exciting as ever (don’t we say that every year?) I do want to make a point. Well, it’s more of a suggestion.
For those of you who don’t know, I live in New York and have lived here almost my entire life. I’m not the typical Red Sox fan. I actually watch more Yankees games in a season than I do Red Sox games. This is mostly because there is no way for me to watch most Red Sox games when I’m at school. I am fortunate enough however to be able to listen to them on the radio. I don’t want that to be misleading, I still do find a way to watch the majority of Red Sox games. I’ve never lived in environments that were very Red Sox friendly. Perhaps I’ve developed my attitudes toward the Yankees out of necessity. Or maybe they’re due to a love of the game itself that I’ve always been sure to place before my love of the Red Sox. Either way, I’ve never been a Yankees hater. It’s always been more of a quiet dislike. Even so, a dislike coupled with a quiet respect. Over the years, I’ve developed an appreciation for the uniform and the legacy that represents New York. I can only hope that there are Yankees fans who have developed a similar appreciation for the one that represents Boston.
For those of you who may not have been exposed to many Yankees fans (either by chance or choice) I can assure you they can be quite pleasant and knowledgeable. Many of my best friends and most of the people I talk baseball with are Yankees fans. As the stereotype of a Yankees fan suggests there are plenty of them who are arrogant and obnoxious but that’s true of any team’s fans. And no matter how childish or uninformed some Yankees fans may be, that still is in no way a reflection of the team itself.
I’m sure some of you will disagree, but personally I’m tired of all the venom between fans of the two rivals. To me, the “26” chants and “Yankees Suck” slogan have long been old. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with some good natured jeering. Me and my friends find it to be one of the more entertaining and humorous parts of watching games together. If you are going to make fun of another team though, you should be able to laugh at your own team as well. More importantly, if you can’t take it then you shouldn’t dish it out. Anything else only takes away from the game. As many Yankees fans learned 3 games up in 2004 there will always be a time when your team is bested by another, regardless of how good things looked for them. This is especially true in a sport that has 162 games in a season. The Red Sox dominated the American League East for most of the season last year, but none of that mattered come October. For any Red Sox fans who became emboldened and maybe even a little big headed by what they saw in the first half of the season, the second half I’m sure was even more embarrassing than it should have been.
To be realistic, I doubt we’ll ever see a time when the majority of fans for both teams put a love of the sport before a love of their team. The number “26” I’m sure will be repeated countless times until the Yankees win another. Fans of teams throughout baseball will continue to claim that the Yankees suck. Even if you’ve disagreed with most of what I’ve said however and wish I had written about something else, I hope you do get one thing from this article. To acknowledge the accomplishments of one team, even as “hated” a rival as the Yankees, takes nothing away from the team of your own choice. Here’s to another great year of the rivalry. Hopefully it can be enjoyed by all, regardless of the outcome.
