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I refuse to gloat.
Oct. 17th, 2004 02:57 pmThe Old Philosopher sez, "It ain't over 'till it's over."
Now my brother spent yesterday watching the game in what might well have been Red Sox Nation's New York embassy, as the lone Yankee fan in a group of Red Sox fans.
My brother is insane. But that's another blog entry entirely.
He enjoyed the game massively. I kept waiting for the Yankees to cough up the lead. Well, up to a point.
Y'see, I think it's a mark of character to be able to wince in sympathy for a team getting absolutely pasted, even when it's your team doing the pasting. It shows compassion. As opposed to all those people who crowed about the time last year that the Yankees got no-hit by six Astros pitchers, or keep bringing up that the Yankees lost twenty-two to zero to Cleveland this year, as though it were incontrovertible proof that the Yankees are EEEEEEVIL and that anything bad that happens to them is good for the world.
I say that defining yourself by who you hate is a large step towards fanaticism. Going down that road ... even if you vanquish your foe, what happens then? There's nothing left on which to build. Do you go into a panic and create a new enemy just so you can define yourself as hating them?
So, to the Fenway faithful, I suppose I have this message:
You had a great year. The numbers bear that out. If you choose to call it a failure just because you hit a wall this past week, that's your prerogative.
But don't let your hate consume you.
Oh, and before you condemn Yankee fans, have a listen at the chants coming out of Fenway. "Yankees Suck" when the Red Sox are playing the Devil Rays? And need I remind you of the "Daaaaaaaaaaaaa-rrrrrrrrrryl, Daaaaaaaaaaaaa-rrrrrrrrrryl" chant?
Now my brother spent yesterday watching the game in what might well have been Red Sox Nation's New York embassy, as the lone Yankee fan in a group of Red Sox fans.
My brother is insane. But that's another blog entry entirely.
He enjoyed the game massively. I kept waiting for the Yankees to cough up the lead. Well, up to a point.
Y'see, I think it's a mark of character to be able to wince in sympathy for a team getting absolutely pasted, even when it's your team doing the pasting. It shows compassion. As opposed to all those people who crowed about the time last year that the Yankees got no-hit by six Astros pitchers, or keep bringing up that the Yankees lost twenty-two to zero to Cleveland this year, as though it were incontrovertible proof that the Yankees are EEEEEEVIL and that anything bad that happens to them is good for the world.
I say that defining yourself by who you hate is a large step towards fanaticism. Going down that road ... even if you vanquish your foe, what happens then? There's nothing left on which to build. Do you go into a panic and create a new enemy just so you can define yourself as hating them?
So, to the Fenway faithful, I suppose I have this message:
You had a great year. The numbers bear that out. If you choose to call it a failure just because you hit a wall this past week, that's your prerogative.
But don't let your hate consume you.
Oh, and before you condemn Yankee fans, have a listen at the chants coming out of Fenway. "Yankees Suck" when the Red Sox are playing the Devil Rays? And need I remind you of the "Daaaaaaaaaaaaa-rrrrrrrrrryl, Daaaaaaaaaaaaa-rrrrrrrrrryl" chant?