Thursday, September 23, 2004
“ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT FOR PRINT.” WHATEVER, BITCH.
I have to interrupt your usually scheduled post to thank Lando and the Millennium Falcon, “the fastest ship in the galaxy”, for getting back in time for last night’s game. Oh yeah, the walk off too. Now back to your regularly scheduled commentary.
****
Peter Mehlman wrote an article for the NY Times. It gets into a fictitious conversation with his “friend” and Red Sox fan. It is completely stupid, NOT funny.
When all is lost, losing is something you'll always have.
A pause.
"Yes," he says, "losing does mean a lot to me."
After some additional B.S., Mehlman goes on to say…
You tell him that one of the wonderful things about him is how he always has such low expectations and yet is always so disappointed. It's an incredibly charming trait, one of the things you love about him.
"I do have a flair, don't I?" he asks.
You tell him he has the kind of instincts for losing that can't be taught. That is why they call them instincts.
"Thank you," he says. "You're a good friend."
Mehlman closes with more garbage.
He's really getting it now. Time to stop shading the truth and just outright lie:
The unfettered, rapturous, blissful exhilaration of winning the World Series - it's kind of overrated.
"Really?"
You remind him you grew up a Yankees fan.
"Right, right."
Another silence.
Finally, your friend says, "So what can I do to make sure the Sox lose again?"
You tell him to trust his instincts. He'll figure it out.
Initially, I hated this article because it continues the negative attitude predominate within Red Sox Nation. I did not find it funny at all. After reading it a second and third time trying to find the humor in the piece, I just got pissed. I am so tried of this type of crap making it into wide read publications like Sports Illustrated.
Thoughts about what happens when the Red Sox do win it all get me heated too. The usual questions go something like this: Will people still be interested? Will people continue to flock to Fenway in droves? Will NESN’s ratings continue to climb? Will the romance be lost?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell no.
Most Red Sox fans are Boston Sports fans. BSF have always supported a winning club. The Celtics sold out the Boston Garden 662 consecutive games from December, 1980 to the last game on May 5, 1995. BSF’s interest in the original Big Three did not waver after their first Championship in 1981. It only grew during the ten plus years the team was either contending to or winning it all.
The same can be said with the Pats. The former laughing stock franchise in the NFL is now the model. It has over 100 consecutive sellouts and counting in an old and new stadium, since the Kraft family took over the club. Two Super Bowl wins has only increased fan interest in the team.
Neither example is a perfect comparison to the Sox, but it is some evidence to support the notion that the fever of Red Sox Nation will not wane with a World Series victory. The facts support just the opposite. Fan interest will increase and the Nation will grow, but we will only know for sure April 2005.
I have to interrupt your usually scheduled post to thank Lando and the Millennium Falcon, “the fastest ship in the galaxy”, for getting back in time for last night’s game. Oh yeah, the walk off too. Now back to your regularly scheduled commentary.
****
Peter Mehlman wrote an article for the NY Times. It gets into a fictitious conversation with his “friend” and Red Sox fan. It is completely stupid, NOT funny.
When all is lost, losing is something you'll always have.
A pause.
"Yes," he says, "losing does mean a lot to me."
After some additional B.S., Mehlman goes on to say…
You tell him that one of the wonderful things about him is how he always has such low expectations and yet is always so disappointed. It's an incredibly charming trait, one of the things you love about him.
"I do have a flair, don't I?" he asks.
You tell him he has the kind of instincts for losing that can't be taught. That is why they call them instincts.
"Thank you," he says. "You're a good friend."
Mehlman closes with more garbage.
He's really getting it now. Time to stop shading the truth and just outright lie:
The unfettered, rapturous, blissful exhilaration of winning the World Series - it's kind of overrated.
"Really?"
You remind him you grew up a Yankees fan.
"Right, right."
Another silence.
Finally, your friend says, "So what can I do to make sure the Sox lose again?"
You tell him to trust his instincts. He'll figure it out.
Initially, I hated this article because it continues the negative attitude predominate within Red Sox Nation. I did not find it funny at all. After reading it a second and third time trying to find the humor in the piece, I just got pissed. I am so tried of this type of crap making it into wide read publications like Sports Illustrated.
Thoughts about what happens when the Red Sox do win it all get me heated too. The usual questions go something like this: Will people still be interested? Will people continue to flock to Fenway in droves? Will NESN’s ratings continue to climb? Will the romance be lost?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Hell no.
Most Red Sox fans are Boston Sports fans. BSF have always supported a winning club. The Celtics sold out the Boston Garden 662 consecutive games from December, 1980 to the last game on May 5, 1995. BSF’s interest in the original Big Three did not waver after their first Championship in 1981. It only grew during the ten plus years the team was either contending to or winning it all.
The same can be said with the Pats. The former laughing stock franchise in the NFL is now the model. It has over 100 consecutive sellouts and counting in an old and new stadium, since the Kraft family took over the club. Two Super Bowl wins has only increased fan interest in the team.
Neither example is a perfect comparison to the Sox, but it is some evidence to support the notion that the fever of Red Sox Nation will not wane with a World Series victory. The facts support just the opposite. Fan interest will increase and the Nation will grow, but we will only know for sure April 2005.
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Thank you - Red Sox!
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