Bandwagoning: go hard or go home

When I decided to jump on the Orioles and Giants bangwagons through the postseason, I was hoping to see an all orange Giants-Orioles World Series. Thanks to CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees, that's no longer possible - but I would settle for a Tigers-Giants Fall Classic.

The Giants play Game 3 of the NLCS against the Cardinals this afternoon at 4, with that series tied at one game apiece. Because I never do anything halfway, when the Giants clinched their spot in the NLCS, I went online to order a San Francisco Giants shirt from the MLB team store.

I wanted to purchase a Marco Scutaro t-shirt, since he's a former Red Sox and is playing second base for the Giants (and you all know how I feel about short second basemen).  To get a Scutaro shirt, I would have had to fork over $36 for the "design your own" option, as they only continuously stock "big name" players like Posey and Lincecum for $26.  Instead, I went for a plain Giants logo shirt - and despite an estimated shipping date of next week, it arrived yesterday, so today I'm on the bandwagon in style.

I'm also hoping the Tigers can close out the Yankees tonight - because they've got Derek Lowe over there now yelling about how the comeback is possible, and "don't let us win tonight!" If anyone understands that a 3-0 lead isn't safe, it's the Yankees, so I would really prefer things to end tonight before they get any heroic ideas.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon

Perhaps it was fitting to end the season with a final slap in the face.  The Red Sox not only were embarrassed by the Yankees, they had to watch them celebrate clinching the AL East title - something that means a LOT more than it used to with the new playoff format.

And peaking of the playoffs, are you all planning to watch?  I am, even though this will be the third year in a row that the Red Sox are playing golf instead of baseball.  I don't know about anybody else, but if I'm watching any sporting event, even if I don't come into it with any particular interest in the outcome, I need to pick a team to root for.  Earlier this week, I had this exchange with a friend on Twitter:

Normally, the Phillies are my National League team (they're the closest NL team to me that isn't from New York), and for the past two years I've been rooting for the Rangers.  This year, I'm looking for a change.  The Rangers and the Orioles will face off for the privilege of getting to the ALDS against the Yankees, and I want to see the Orioles go all the way. I've posted about this before, but their fans deal with a lot, and I think they deserve this.

But why the Giants? They won it just two seasons ago, while a team like the Nationals has never come close.  Call it a whim, but I'm really feeling the Giants this year.  And the Orioles/Giants choice has the added benefit of being in one color scheme.  My apologies to the diehard fans of these two franchises - I promise I'm not trying to steal your thunder, it's just that my team is out, and I've temporarily adopted yours. Let me know if I'm stepping on any toes.

Of course, it's been killing me for months that the Red Sox won't be in this, but there won't be Red Sox baseball until Spring Training. I'm a Red Sox fan, sure, but I'm also a BASEBALL fan, and I'm going to watch every game I can before the long winter takes it all away.

And then? Hope springs eternal - even for the Red Sox.

Fans who use "we:" normal or annoying?

I've blogged about my History of US Sports class in this space before, but we had a particularly spirited debate this evening - and it wasn't about a team, or a player, or even a sport. It was about the fans. Specifically, how attachment to a particular team is displayed.  There were students who were personally offended when fans used "we" in most contexts, students (including myself) who use "we," and some who didn't care.

Personally, I only get annoyed when people will say "We won," when their team wins, but "They lost," when their team loses. Don't lump yourself in only when the team is successful, then seek to distance yourself during the bad times.

In class, there were more people who used "we," or who didn't mind when others did, than those who disliked it. However, when I asked if people minded the use of "we" on social networking sites, opinions seemed to be more split. On Twitter I got two responses, one on each side of the issue.

 On Tumblr, I got five responders who bristled at the use of "we," and four who either didn't care or embraced it.  On Facebook I got four answers: three didn't care, and one was particularly vocal and articulate about her support for "we:"

"I've got my time, money, and emotions invested into these teams, go through the ups and downs with them.... sometimes fans can be the difference maker in a game... Teams can't thrive as professional teams without us... I def feel justified using "we""

The crux of the issue (on both sides) seems to come down to ownership and attachment to the team in question.  Those who thing "we" is inappropriate seem to be concerned that fans who use the term feel too close, and that they should step back some.


For me personally, sports are EXTREMELY personal. I have a visceral, emotional response to the team. I feel elated when they win, and depressed when they lose - the Boston athlete's accusation that the fans take things too seriously sometimes describes me to a "T."  I feel like my Facebook friend quoted above: I spend a huge amount of time, money, and energy on the Red Sox, and I use "we." [I do NOT feel invested enough in the Pats, Celts, or Bruins to use "we."]


What do you all think? Am I crazy and/or annoying to refer to the Sox as "we?" Do you ever do this?

Yankees fan resorts to anonymous name-calling

So this is the comment I got after yesterday's post discussing the travesty of Derek Jeter's fifth Gold Glove. I really wish "Anonymous" had elaborated: am I an idiot for agreeing with baseball-reference that Jeter didn't deserve the award? For intimating that the Yankees would sign him for more than his market value? For calling your precious Captain Jetes less than a team player?

Whatever it was, "Anonymous," at least I have enough conviction behind my views to post them with a name so everyone knows who I am. Why the "anonymous" tag? You can sign in with Blogger, Google, AIM, iChat, WordPress, LiveJournal, and several other services, so don't give the "I don't have an account" excuse.

You commented as "anonymous" because you're afraid I'm right. Your precious Captain is not the player he once was, and "the player he once was" was never all that impressive, at least defensively. I'll tell you a secret, anon: I'm HARDLY the only one who thinks this way. I don't pull the topics for my posts out of thin air. I read dozens on sports sites and stats sites every day, including many who report for neither the Red Sox or Yankees (like, I don't know... BASEBALL-REFERENCE).

The next time you come to my blog to insult me and spew your vitriol without any evidence or reasoning, find the courage to do it under your own name. And if you're still thinking that I was targeting poor Derek Jeter because I hate the Yankees, here's some links to people who wholeheartedly agree with the entire premise of yesterday's post.

NBC Sports: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/10/what-theyre-saying-about-jeters-gold-glove/

The New York Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/11/10/2010-11-10_derek_jeters_selection_as_american_league_gold_glover_at_shortstop_exposes_flaws.html

ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5784846

Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/513590-highway-robbery-derek-jeters-gold-glove-win-is-inexcusable

MLB Fanhouse: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/09/derek-jeters-fifth-gold-glove-evidence-of-award-gone-wrong/

So, anonymous, next time you want to call me an idiot, please take all of thirty seconds to Google "Derek Jeter Gold Glove" and check that 90% of the internet doesn't agree with me. Bye-bye, now.

Will the real New York Yankees fans please stand up?

I wasn't surprised when the Yankees took Game 5 yesterday evening. Yes, I would have preferred the Rangers take it then and there, and then spray ginger ale all over the Yankee "Faithful" while shouting "How's this for fan interference? DO YOU FEEL INTERFERED WITH?!?"

But that was a pipe dream, really. You cannot depend on CC Sabathia throwing two stinkers in one series. He is just too talented for that, and definitely worth every penny the Yankees threw at him (not to mention all the money they must spend to feed him).

That being said, I fully expect Texas to take it. Even if Phil Hughes pitches a gem tomorrow, the Rangers have the trump card, which in this case is an ace (clever, right?). Cliff Lee is as close to unbeatable as it gets in this postseason. His career ERA is 1.44, and the Rangers will even have home field advantage to fall back on.

Yesterday, one of my friends asked me why I care so much about this series, as the Red Sox aren't in it. After telling her that she clearly didn't know me at all, I gave the old line about hating the Yankees, but that's not the most accurate reason. The fact is, I don't really care too much about the team, it's that I really want the fans to suffer.

The entitlement that Yankees fans seem to possess as a group is absolutely astounding, and it's positively infuriating. I've never met a Rangers fan who was in any way annoying, dismissive, or patronizing. Part of this is undoubtedly a consequence of geography: I live in the northeast and go to school in Connecticut, so I don't run into many Rangers fans.

In the last few days, however, the Yankees-related posts I've been seeing on my Facebook feed are downright rage-inducing, which only makes me hope even more fervently for a Rangers victory, if only so that the Yankees "Faithful" would understand that it actually takes some "faith" to be a fan.

So, without further ado, here's a series of screengrabs from "fans" I actually know... their names and those of the commenters have been obscured for privacy's sake, but I'm sure they'll feel your judgment nevertheless:


First of all, this girl thinks she's British. She is from Manhattan. The real point of this one is to totally showcase the sense of entitlement that fans like Green have: it's not "I hope Cashman goes after Lee," it's "Lee is the best so obviously we'll get him, because, like, who else can afford it, lol."

Obviously when the man who won the 2008 Home Run Derby - IN YANKEE STADIUM - goes deep, it's "lucky." The Yankees never lose because they played poorly, it's because the other team got lucky. Thanks for the lesson, pink. I also think he's forgetting about the other SIX runs the Rangers scored that night. Pretty lucky, eh?

Again, obviously the Rangers couldn't be a formidable team: they're not the Yankees! (Or some other big-market team, like Boston, or Philadelphia.) Get a clue: the Yankees and Rangers SPLIT the season series.

Apparently you can only recognize and care about a team when they are winning. This would, I suppose, explain the lack of Washington Nationals fans. Hello, it's called "faith" for a reason.


Only when the Yankees win the game can they be "real." Since real Yankees never lose, the ones who lost three games to the Rangers must have been impostors planted on the field by that diabolical Nolan Ryan.

For the record, these are all people who are self-defined "diehards." I'd hate to see how fickle their bandwagoners are.

Train'em early

Today was the first day of my summer job, and as a counselor at a day camp I see a wide variety of baseball caps. The little league teams in my town are named after Major League teams, and their uniforms have MLB logos, including the hats they all keep after the season.

So when I saw three Oakland A's hats and a Yankees hat this morning, I assumed they were just repping their little league teams, and I was partly correct. Unfortunately for my sanity, I have a ten-year-old bandwagon Yankees fan on my hands.

How do I know he's a bandwagon jumper? I asked him to name five players on the current roster, an easy feat for a reasonably tuned in fan, especially with a roster full of all-stars, but he failed my test. He managed to name Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Mark Teixeira before he gave up.

But seriously... he only got one of the core four.

He challenged me to do the same for the Red Sox, and I complied, with about 15 extra names for good measure... I was going for the complete roster, but he stopped me.

Let me be clear: it's not the Yankee fan thing that upsets me, but rather the bandwagon thing. It's a kid from New England who picks the Yankees because his friends love the local nine, and he wants to be disruptive or controversial. The people who don't know a bullpen from a dugout, and yet claim to be all about "their" team.

As for the young man in question, I told him his fandom was being temporarily revoked until he could name more Yankees players than I can. I did, however, let him keep the hat.

Take me out to the - SHHHH!!!!

Yesterday was the epitome of a perfect summer afternoon. I was at the ballpark with two of my friends, it was a beautiful day, and the Red Sox were beating up on the Royals. All was as it should be. Or so I thought.

Part way through the game, the child seated in front of us turned around and dropped a bomb, "Excuse me, but could you please be quieter?"

Needless to say, we were floored. I know that the three of us are hardly quiet, but we were careful to keep our conversation appropriate and inoffensive; none of us were drinking, so that wasn't the issue. We assured the boy that we would keep it down, mostly because we didn't know what else to say - who expects things to be quiet at Fenway Park?

Please, use your "inside voices."

Throughout the game, whenever we spoke, even when it was cheering for the team, or singing along to "Sweet Caroline," this eight-year-old kid would turn around in his seat and glare at us. I'll be the first to call out obnoxious fans at games, and I assure you that we were being perfectly reasonable: our noise was due to enthusiasm about the game (more on that in a post later - I have to fill me Sox-less evening with writing), but he seemed to be personally offended by our enjoyment.

I put this to you, dear readers... have you ever been asked to be quiet - QUIET - at a ball game? What were the circumstances?

Oh, the Inanity!

There's a reason I typically steer clear of the comments sections of Boston.com's Red Sox coverage after a loss, and it's only exacerbated at the end of a sweep like today's. The sentiments expressed by certain portions of Red Sox Nation are alarmist at best, and absolutely inane bordering on moronic at worst. Want some examples? After a short post by Peter Abraham quoting Pedroia as saying "When you don't show up, you're going to get beat. Doesn't matter if it's the Rays or (bleeping) Brookline High," and expressing respect for Bill Hall after the man dutifully addressed all questions about his performance in center field, the ridiculousness started:

"bill hall = next edgah wrent-a-reck"

Well thought out, this one, as Edgar Rentaria was signed to be an everyday shortstop, and Bill Hall was to be the fifth - fifth! - outfielder. Personally, I wondered why JD Drew wasn't in center with Hall in right, but that's just me.

"Am I going to get in trouble by suggesting, only suggesting right now that Jacoby Ellsbury may be a whus? Nothing broken, only sore and he can't play, can't run?"

First of all, I think the word you were looking for is "wuss." Secondly, yes, you're a jerk, and clearly didn't see the play on which Ells was injured.

"It's true: the Red Sox dominated the Yankees from 2004 on.... PeteAbe decides to switch over to covering the Sox. What happens? The Yankees go on to WIN THE WoRLD SERIES in 2009 and get off to an incredible start in 2009. Curse of MT? How's that working out for you, John Henry. It's the CURSE OF PETE ABE!!!!!"

Beyond the ludicrous amount of CAPS LOCK and exclamation points (!) in this comment, the writer didn't know what he was talking about. Abraham "switched sides" in late September, so he was technically working for New York for most of their WS season. Also, curses are ridiculous (I'm looking at you, Dan Shaughnessy).

"Here is the issue: Papi is off the juice, Lackey can't throw in Fenway, Youk cries to much for a baseball player and your best hitter in April is in the bullpen yuking it up with the other back up catchers."

Lackey and Papi accusations aside, I have to wonder how Youk's intensity translates into a bad team? Also, Jason Varitek is the best hitter is precisely BECAUSE he is "yuking it up" in the bullpen most of the time: smaller workload, better performance... But thanks for playing!

"The cracks are widening. They may be out of the race by April 30."

It's fans like these that make me WISH for a down year so they jump OFF the bandwagon. It's April. Calm down...

"Here comes the casual fan "I have all the solutions" comments. As if playing MLB2K10 gives you instant credibility to make big boy moves better than the pros..."

...And fans like this that give me hope for the world. Was this weekend painful? Yes. But no one could have predicted injuries to both Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron, resulting in a Spring Training-esque lineup. It. Is. April. Everything will be okay. Theo is doubtless working around the clock on something. And if not? Last time the Red Sox missed the playoffs, they won the World Series the following year. I'll take that tradeoff.

Stay Classy, New York!

Just when you think it's safe to hate them, the New York Yankees show some class. This afternoon, the 2009 World Champion Yankees (gag) received their World Series Rings in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium.

Ridiculously expensive, just like the team that won them!

In a twist of fate, their World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui, signed with the Angels, their opponents for today, and so he was on hand to receive his ring. When asked how Matsui would be received, pitcher CC Sabathia said "I think people will go crazy. He was a big part of our team, the reason why we won last year."


CC was right. So the players are classy... so what, you say? Well, I hate to break it to you, but the fans showed their appreciation, too. Matsui had one of the biggest ovations of the day, as fans let him know they appreciated his [giant] contributions to their 27th world title.

Pigs must be flying all over the Bronx, because MFY fans have finally shown some class.

Golden Boy: Fan Frustration

In the past, I've had readers ask me multiple times why I "hated" Jacoby Ellsbury and his fans, and I want to clear the air.

Before I get too far into this, let me say one thing: I think that Jacoby Ellsbury is a fantastically gifted athlete, and I'm very happy that he plays for the Boston Red Sox. That said, I think the level of devotion he is shown by portions of the fan base borders on excessive.


You might now be tempted to reference my obsessive love for a certain second baseman, and I would point to the numbers. Pedey is a superior player (thus far) to Ells, based on nearly every metric except stolen bases; Dustin has ROY and MVP awards, two All-Star selections, and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger [and yes, I know these honors are relatively subjective].

I think what really gets under people's skin is that I call Ellsbury "Golden Boy," which is sort of a backhanded and sarcastic compliment, and that I refer to some of his fans as "fangirls" and "fanboys." Let me be clear: not all of Ellsbury's fans are what I would term "fangirls/boys," and I know for a fact that there are many of you out there who value him entirely (or at least mostly ;) ) for what he brings to the field.


However, there are far too many Ellsbury fans that value him solely for his looks, and I always seem to run into a large proportion of them [inevitably intoxicated and confused] when I go to Fenway Park. I've heard too much nonsense from people in #46 jerseys [and I take a vindictave pleasure in knowing they'll have to buy new #2 jerseys], including such gems as "Was that a touchdown?" "What quarter is it?" and the best from the shameful list "Is he, like, doing a, what's-it-called, no-hitter?" [The last was in the seventh PERFECT inning of Jon Lester dominance last June... Lester gave up a double on the next batter, and the girl didn't understand why the entire section was glaring at her.]

Last August John Canzano of Oregonlive.com did a feature on the nature of Ellsbury's fans, including the following snippet, which pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject:

Oh, there are Internet Web sites dedicated to Ellsbury's statistics, and his career highlights, and noting him as one of only three Native American players on MLB rosters. But also, there are Web sites frequented by obsessed female fans dedicated to speculation and criticism about who [girlfriend Kelsey] Hawkins is and what she's doing in Ellsbury's life. One site even researched her time in the Boston Marathon, which she ran for charity along with the Red Sox wives, and mocked it.

Wrote one message-board poster named Melanie: "Well, I would just like to say that I'm happy for Jacoby. However, I know deep down inside that he and I are meant to be together, and he'll wait for me until the time is right."

Oh. My. God. As much as I'd like to think that this woman is an aberration, I've seen enough of these sites to understand that though she is not in the majority, she is most definitely part of a strong and vocal minority.

I completely understand that Ellsbury is a good-looking man - it makes perfect sense that he would have admirers, and I further concede that this is not his fault. However, if he has so many fans [all loyal to the point of insanity], he doesn't need me to buy his shirt and be obsessed about him in general. I root for Ellsbury just as hard as I root for every member of the Red Sox, and I'll continue to do so, but if one more person spills their beer on me while craning their neck to catch a glimpse of his butt, I'm going to scream.

And for those of you that think I am judging you: look in the mirror. If you don't act like 'Melanie' up there, and you know what on-base percentage is, I'm definitely not belittling you; in fact, I applaud your ability to put up with the shenanigans around your favorite player. Just because you are an Ellsbury FAN does not make you a "fangirl/fanboy."

Stay Classy, New York

I would like to preface this post with a disclaimer: I know that not all New Yorkers are like this. Many Yankees fans are genuinely nice, normal human beings. It's unfortunate that they are associated with people like the idiots below.

I've generally avoided most literature about the Yankees parade, but I stumbled onto a piece about it this morning, and came upon the following quote:

"Also liked the coffin painted Phillies red, which also featured a baby Pedro."

WHAT?!? Now, the presence of an object like that should be mentioned, but to say that you liked it? I don't care what team you root for, or who you're rooting against, putting anyone's likeness in a coffin is disgusting... and the fact that it was a baby? On what planet is that okay? Now, you might say I'm biased because of my deep and unapologetic love for Pedro. I thought the same thing, so I asked my roommate, who is a Yankees fan from Manhattan, and she had the same reaction I did. I may hate Joba Chamberlain with a passion, but I would never wish him dead (I only wish for his career to implode and that he ends up as a mop-up guy with the Nationals - but all in good health).

This comes just a week or so after Pedro publicly admonished a Yankees fan father for yelling obscenities in the presence of his young daughter.

And now the crown jewel of Yankees fan ignorance. Proof that with entitlement and arrogance comes intolerance and homophobia. Are you ready for this?

Now, the guy in the foreground is scary enough, but the thing I want to focus on is in the background. Painting your face, while uncomfortable, is a staple of some fans' routines, and that's fine. However, when you paint homophobic phrases on your forehead to go along with your team's logo, that's absolutely crossing the line. The kid doesn't look like he's more than fourteen or fifteen, and his parents let him out of the house like that? I have to wonder, do they always allow him to use gay as a synonym for stupid, or is it only allowed for baseball teams? Do his mother and father have matching tattoos proclaiming the homosexuality of the Mets and the Red Sox?

Again, I know most Yankees fans aren't like this... but really? Show some class, New York.

Bandwagon Fans - Other Teams Have Them, Too!

As I was walking into class on Friday, I overheard a conversation between Y-FAB and a female friend of his. In the past, I'd seen her wearing a Yankees hat, but on this particular day it was a LA Dodgers cap. They were discussing the possible teams in the Fall Classic, and she said, "Well it will definitely be the Yankees, and it looks like probably the Phillies."

Thankfully, someone else in the hallway corrected her: "Umm, ACTUALLY, the Phillies are the only team to have clinched their spot." (I'm pretty sure he was a Phillies fan.)

Who are these people? I understand that some people wear the hats for their aesthetic value, and that's totally okay with me, so long as they readily admit it. However, it annoys me when people try to pretend that they actually know about the team whose logo is on their head. These people then try to start arguments with fans who really know their stuff, and more often than not it's THOSE fans who are the loudest.

Pretend to be a fan if you must, but PLEASE don't go walking around giving the rest of us a bad name: not every Red Sox fan is a whining, self-loathing wretch, just as not every Yankees fan is a spoiled brat with no sense of reality. There are rabid Royals fans and casual Dodgers fans, and as long as they're all polite I have no problem with friendly competition.

So it pains me to tell you, Yankees fan, that Y-FAB and his friends are giving you a bad name. After the snafu in the hallway, Y-FAB instigated the following exchange:


(Y-FAB): Are you seriously wearing a Red Sox shirt? Your team's been elimiated for like, two weeks.



(Me): You should know by now, I always represent my team. Also, it's Pedro (*points to #45 on the back*), and he's going to the World Series.



: What, so you're a Phillies fan now?




: I'm always a Pedro fan. And if it means they beat your team or the team that elimated the Sox? Then yes, I'll cheer for Philly.


Seriously? Who stops supporting their team during the offseason? Those people aren't fans at all. So take heart, Red Sox Nation: we aren't the only fan-base full of frauds.