I have resolved to watch none of the World Series this year. People, including my own wife, are amazed at my position on this. How could as big a baseball fan as myself not watch the biggest games of the season? It's simple and complicated at the same time. The easy answer is that I don't like either team, and could care less which outcome occurs. This is only the second time in my life that I have not watched the Series (other time being '00 Mets-Yankees). Here's the more convoluted reasons:
1. I can't root for the Yankees. Ever.
Yes, my wife is a fan. So is half of my family. That doesn't mean that I can switch allegiances and forget all the years of hatred toward this franchise. They tortured my Dodgers for a good two decades, ensuring we only won one championship while losing 5 times to the Yankees from 1947-56. And of course, the 1977-78 debacles as well. And is it really an accomplishment if you outspend everyone and win it all? No.
2. I can't root for a team that just pummeled my team.
The Dodgers lost two years in a row to the Phillies, and it was even more painful this year. There is no way I can get myself up for rooting for them, even against the hated Yankees.
3. The Drought Factor
As I wrote about here, once the Dodgers are out, I typically root for the team that has been waiting the longest for a title. And it's been an embarrassment of riches the last few years. Consider:
'08 Phillies (28 years), '08 Rays (never), '07 Rockies (never), '06 Cards (24 years), '06 Tigers (22 years), '05 White Sox (88 years), '05 Astros (never), '04 Red Sox (86 years). This year? Yankees (9 years) vs. Phils (1 year). While 9 years is a long time to spoiled Yankee fans, it's not long enough. It's never long enough in my opinion.
4. The Annoyance Level of the Fan Base
This does not include most people I know,including my wife (Yankees) and best friend (Phillies). Wow, these two teams would battle every year based on this, with the Red Sox and Mets thrown in for good measure. The sense of entitlement, the hijacking of away games, the fistfights and drunken stupidity. And look no further than Facebook to see how ridiculous these people are. Do I really need to know how you feel during every second of the game? No, I do not. State your excitement before and after the game and leave it at that.
So there you have it. The next baseball game I watch will be next March. In the meantime, I will be entrenched in football- until the Giants-Patriots Super Bowl.
5 comments:
I'll agree on the hatred level for sure; however i typically root for the team that just beat mine, regardless how bad it was. [See Redskins losing to Seattle in our last two playoff appearances]
But in your case, you're right it's tougher. But I'd still outweigh the hatred against the yankees over the phils. and it's a good way to fight with the wife!
on a side note, according to madden 10, the skins (15-1) will beat the chargers (10-6) in superbowl XLIV!
Hey! I thought you had my back Paul! :P Babe, this is more reasonable than what you were saying the other night. I get it, but still think you should watch and not cheer for anyone for historical purposes. BTW, thanks for not grouping me in with the other Yankees fans. You know i think they are obnoxious too!
I agree. Although I was a Yankees fan up until a few years ago, and I am not even close as big of a baseball fan as you and Staci, I was rooting for a Dodgers-Angels Series just because it would be a refreshing change from the typical ho-hum Yankees series. Red Sox-yawn, Phillies-yawn, Yankees-triple yawn.
Mari, the Red Sox and Yankees haven't played a play off series in 4 or 5 years so not so typical anymore. You cheer for a different team every year! PICK A TEAM!!!!!! :P
I'm waiting for Blue Jays to win it all again! I can't chear for any team in my division nor for the Phillies - I really don't like the phillies - I've always thought instead of an idiodic monster, why not a horse - a phillie if you will...
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