Comments on: 9 Innings in the AL East (Part 3 of 5) http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/ The happenings of the Boston Red Sox. Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:42:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Darryl Johnston http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/#comment-336 Darryl Johnston Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:44:41 +0000 http://soxteaparty.com/?p=951#comment-336 Joe, I agree whole-heartedly on every level. My 20 year old sister became a fan during the 'Johnny Damon Era' and her depth and knowledge is limited to only 2003 and forward. Her taste of disappointment and defeat with this team can only be pointed to the 2003 ALCS where most casual fans who hopped on, left saying "Well, that's the Red Sox for ya." There was no connection or deep-rooted feelings. Following the 2004 run, her and her contigency of college-aged kids ran the gamut of emotion from peaceful to bullies completedly based on their own feelings of contribution. Red Sox fans sometimes feel that if they 'believe' harder it will happen. Some of these kids feel as though they themselves turned the tides. It's inspiring and baffling all at once. I love the REd Sox fans though because I am one. I feel it in my heart more than anything I have ever felt in sports. Red Sox fans are a tightly knit and proud community. I also feel that sometimes their behavior has to do with the region. New Englanders somtimes take on an Us vs. Them mentality. Teams and fans outside the circle are looked at as enemies. When they are chasing Boston teams, they become inferior. It's a perplexing reaction. I feel bad though when the behavior crosses from rivalry and bravado to boorish and flaming. I really like having the back and forths, but at the end of the day, we are all still people. Thank you for reading and commenting. - Darryl Johnston Joe,

I agree whole-heartedly on every level. My 20 year old sister became a fan during the ‘Johnny Damon Era’ and her depth and knowledge is limited to only 2003 and forward. Her taste of disappointment and defeat with this team can only be pointed to the 2003 ALCS where most casual fans who hopped on, left saying “Well, that’s the Red Sox for ya.” There was no connection or deep-rooted feelings.

Following the 2004 run, her and her contigency of college-aged kids ran the gamut of emotion from peaceful to bullies completedly based on their own feelings of contribution. Red Sox fans sometimes feel that if they ‘believe’ harder it will happen. Some of these kids feel as though they themselves turned the tides. It’s inspiring and baffling all at once.

I love the REd Sox fans though because I am one. I feel it in my heart more than anything I have ever felt in sports. Red Sox fans are a tightly knit and proud community. I also feel that sometimes their behavior has to do with the region. New Englanders somtimes take on an Us vs. Them mentality. Teams and fans outside the circle are looked at as enemies. When they are chasing Boston teams, they become inferior. It’s a perplexing reaction.

I feel bad though when the behavior crosses from rivalry and bravado to boorish and flaming. I really like having the back and forths, but at the end of the day, we are all still people.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

- Darryl Johnston

]]> By: Joe http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/#comment-335 Joe Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:42:34 +0000 http://soxteaparty.com/?p=951#comment-335 Can't say I disagree about Sox fans, at times. It's tough to envy and compete with Yankee money and then be properly civil to other teams and the game itself. This "Red Sox Nation" stuff wears on me, too -- but it's a plus that the Red Sox are so popular as recreation around here. That is, *everyone* up here follows them. It's the easiest conversation topic I've ever known, and it's getting more so. I can't consider myself a deeper or greater fan just because I lived through '67 or '75, or '78 (Dent)and '86 (How did McNamara not take Buckner out?). The young fans got enough of a baptism in 2003. I don't begrudge them their pink T-shirts and their willingness to get into the park with two days' salary. Can’t say I disagree about Sox fans, at times. It’s tough to envy and compete with Yankee money and then be properly civil to other teams and the game itself.

This “Red Sox Nation” stuff wears on me, too — but it’s a plus that the Red Sox are so popular as recreation around here. That is, *everyone* up here follows them. It’s the easiest conversation topic I’ve ever known, and it’s getting more so. I can’t consider myself a deeper or greater fan just because I lived through ‘67 or ‘75, or ‘78 (Dent)and ‘86 (How did McNamara not take Buckner out?). The young fans got enough of a baptism in 2003. I don’t begrudge them their pink T-shirts and their willingness to get into the park with two days’ salary.

]]> By: Darryl Johnston http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/#comment-334 Darryl Johnston Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:01:53 +0000 http://soxteaparty.com/?p=951#comment-334 Haha, yes Katherine. Those cowbells are really aggravating and I've only seen them on TV. Plus that fat guy who sits behind home plate and never shuts up. How someone hasn't thrown a hotdog at his head yet is beyond me. Is that guy even still there? Now that I think of it, I cannot remember. Haha, yes Katherine. Those cowbells are really aggravating and I’ve only seen them on TV. Plus that fat guy who sits behind home plate and never shuts up. How someone hasn’t thrown a hotdog at his head yet is beyond me.

Is that guy even still there? Now that I think of it, I cannot remember.

]]> By: Katherine http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/#comment-333 Katherine Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:13:43 +0000 http://soxteaparty.com/?p=951#comment-333 "...it was at that moment that Red Sox fan overtook Yankee fan on my hate list" Ummm, one word: COWBELL. Saw 2 games at Tropicana Field last year and I've never dealt with anything more obnoxious at any sporting event in my life. I'd rather watch 10 games at Yankee Stadium then one game there. It was like a pee-wee hockey game except everyone was drunk. Arrogant fans are much more tolerable then mind numbing cowbells. “…it was at that moment that Red Sox fan overtook Yankee fan on my hate list” Ummm, one word: COWBELL. Saw 2 games at Tropicana Field last year and I’ve never dealt with anything more obnoxious at any sporting event in my life. I’d rather watch 10 games at Yankee Stadium then one game there. It was like a pee-wee hockey game except everyone was drunk. Arrogant fans are much more tolerable then mind numbing cowbells.

]]> By: YouuuukFan http://soxteaparty.com/2010/02/10/9-innings-in-the-al-east-part-3-of-5/#comment-332 YouuuukFan Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:38:43 +0000 http://soxteaparty.com/?p=951#comment-332 Nice input...Love the comment about Jimmy Fallon. Is the SNL character more or less annoying than his fan portrayal in Fever Pitch? Nice input…Love the comment about Jimmy Fallon. Is the SNL character more or less annoying than his fan portrayal in Fever Pitch?

]]>