Whether the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series or not, the mere appearance, the second in four years -- and the plodding, powerful way they got there -- has confirmed a sudden truth: the Boston Red Sox are a monolith. Like the Yankees, they have a huge payroll. Like the Yankees, they print paper at their home stadium. Like the Yankees, they have a national fan base that annoyingly floods opposition stadiums. And, like the Yankees, everyone is slowly starting to hate them. The irony is not lost on the front office:
"I totally understand that," General Manager Theo Epstein said. "If I were a fan of another team and 20,000 Red Sox fans came into my ballpark, it would [tick] me off too."Sorry, Larry, but you're not far off. The more Fall Classics you appear in, and the more your fans establish themselves as some of the most insufferable numbnutses in sport, the more you slowly morph into everything you once hated.
"We go into parks, and anywhere from one-third to one-half the fans are rooting for the Red Sox," Henry said. "That doesn't necessarily endear you to everyone. Our payroll has grown as our revenues have grown. That doesn't endear you to everyone either."
Not that Red Sox President Larry Lucchino wants to entertain comparisons to the Yankees, a franchise he once called the Evil Empire.
"Don't go there," Lucchino said. "We are not the new Yankees. We are the improved Red Sox."
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-24-2007 @ 6:12PM
tobrien28 said...
God the Yankees aren't gone. We will be back next year so don't count out the old EMPIRE. The Red Sox are temporary usurpers to the throne. WE WILL PREVAIL. These Sox are a joke in a really weak year for baseball.
Reply
10-24-2007 @ 6:58PM
Dan Daoust said...
It's a tribute to the media's (maybe really Bill Simmons') powers of persuasion that fans managed to empathize with the Red Sox for this long as it is. Ten years ago, when Boston signed Pedro to $12 million per season, helping kill the Expos in the process, they became the same as the Yankees. They reaffirmed that when they signed Manny to $20 million per season. People overlook this. I don't, because as a Jays fan, I have to look up at the standings to see Boston just as much as I do the Yankees.
Reply
10-24-2007 @ 7:46PM
carmen tofuri said...
sox had the year from the begening
Reply
10-24-2007 @ 8:04PM
Yankee Hater said...
TOBRIEN28 NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT YEAR...BUT I WILL LET YOU KEEP WISHING FOR THAT DREAM...LMAO...RED SOX ALL THE WAY #1
Reply
10-24-2007 @ 10:39PM
Robert said...
The Yankees and Red Sox may hate each other, but the rest of us hate both of them.
Reply
10-24-2007 @ 11:50PM
George B Vieto said...
The Red Sox calling the New York Yankees the evil empire is living proof of the saying that the evil you don't know want to do becomes you.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 6:35AM
Maxxx said...
Don't you just love it when Yankees fans start to whine. Pretty soon they'll be saying the Red Sox are ruining baseball with all their money. Ya gotta love it!
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 7:48AM
It\\\'s ancient History baby! said...
to tobrian,
DREAM ALONG WITH ME. The Yankees are toast. They lert Torre go. Just watch as A-Rod, Riveria, and Posasa leave one by one. Who will be your starting pitching next yerar? Mussina? (over the hill), Pittette? (also past his prime, Hughes? ( not as good as Buchholz)and Jaba? (can't touch Beckett's experience). Face it buddy, your everyday lineup is overaged and overpriced. You ahve two everyday young players: Cabera and Cana. I think the Red Sox are better off with Ellsbury and Pedoria. The Red Sox farm system is in better shape than the Yankees.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 7:52AM
It\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s ancient History baby! said...
hey true yankee,the millions of yankees fans living in New York and Jersey are the most obnoxious fans in the world. In Boston, if an opposing player makes a great play, the sox fans applaud him. Does that ever happen in Yankee Stadium? The Soc fans are good baseball fans who appreicate good baseball. The yankee fans think that only their playedrs can do anyting worth cheering for,
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 7:56AM
loveiskind17 said...
RED SOX RULE!!!!! They worked hard all season long and stayed at #1. They deserve to win the World Series! GO RED SOX !!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad, so sad Yankees!! lol
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 7:59AM
Glenn LaCedra said...
Honestly, the Red Sox are a pretty good team of players which fight, play, and win as a team. There is absolutely no comparison to the "best team money can buy" which is the New York Yankees. See what happens when another team spends money like the Yankees, the win like the Yankees.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:01AM
pam kane said...
Lets face it..the Red Sox had a great year. They EARNED this!!! As far as Red Sox Fans??? They are Simply the Best!!!!! When Pedro went to the Mets..he was greeted with applause from RSN...same for Johnny Damon...ect...soooo get over it...and lets bring the Trophy back to the EAST where it belongs....If the Yankees made it to the WS, i would want them to bring it back here..thanks for letting me share my thoughts on this...pam~ RED SOX FAN FOREVER~
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:15AM
loveiskind17 said...
If the Yankees are the "best team money can buy" why aren't they in the World Series? RED SOX RULE!!! It's not all about the money. Talent has a lot to do with it too, and the Red Sox have it!
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:22AM
ricky lock said...
Theo has it right. The Sox fans are the worst in all baseball and will soon pass the Raider and English Soccer fans.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:25AM
John Morris said...
More sour grapes from a Yankees fan. Ho-hum.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:57AM
MBDawglover said...
"Theo has it right. The Sox fans are the worst in all baseball and will soon pass the Raider and English Soccer fans."???? Ah what EXACTLY did you read? Theo didn't call the Red Sox fans "obnoxious" that was the IKNOWNOTHINGABOUTBOSTONFANS author of this article and the other whiny Yankee fans who more than likely have never met one! What Theo was saying was this, the Red Sox put more of their own fans in seats at other team's stadiums than most other teams, including the Yankees. That is becase the Red Sox Nation reaches from sea to shinging sea you fool! The reason for all the negative press the Sox and Pats get is the fact that most of the media who have a national audience are based in NYC! Plain and simple! They KNOW very little of what goes on outside of their "fair" city. There are obnoxious fans everywhere, but I think that most people who actually KNOW the sport will agree that in that category the Yankee fans still own that crown! Wear it with pride, we don't want it! GO SOX!!
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 8:59AM
John said...
The Sox are a dedicated, spirited, hard working team with great leadership. They are popular aound the nation (Red Sox Nation) because they appeal to the working man and not the silver spoon. Maybe the departure of Nixon, Millar, Miller, etc. and arrival of Drew, Lugo, Dice K, etc. have diminished the purity of their character, but I prefer to believe they've refined it. It's hard not to love a winner that won as a result of hard work, dedication, and great leadership. They are not and will never be the pretty boy, buy the championship, etc. Yankees. I'll start to worry when they buy new batting helmets...
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 9:34AM
Douglas L. Peters said...
It did not take recent events for me to dislike the red sox and many of their fans. I can explain why in two words: Bill Buckner.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 9:39AM
terryz said...
Oh, lets all feel sorry for the Yankees. NOT.
Go Sox, or anyone for that matter.
Reply
10-25-2007 @ 10:47AM
DS said...
You know, it's interesting....all this comparison to the Yankees. Let's consider all of the big contributers to the Red Sox all season and postseason long. Pedroia, Youkilis, Delcarmen, Papelbon, Ellsbury, Bucholtz, Lester, Snyder, etc....THEY ARE ALL FROM OUR FARM SYSTEM!!! No high payrolls involved!! Further more Lowell, Varitek, Ortiz...all under paid for there worth! Yes, we have a few very highly paid players (which most teams do as well), but our majority of the sox talent comes from their farm system...With the exception of Chamberlin and a few others the Yankees can not say that!
GO SOX!!! ALL THE WAY!!
Reply