Boston Red Sox: World Champions Again

[Milo Meningocele]

So, I put it to you, the CCSLC. Do you hate the Red Sox?

I don't hate the team on the field, they're just out there trying to win like everyone else. Individually, I can't stand Manny Ramirez, because he's a self-centered clown. But most of all, it's the insufferable fan base that makes me root against the BoSox.

[infrared41]

So, I put it to you, the CCSLC. Do you hate the Red Sox?

No, not in the true sense of the word hate. Do I find them annoying? Yes. Are their fans annoying at times? Yes. Do I like to see them lose? Yes. Does ESPN's love affair with them drive me nuts? Yes. But do I actually hate them? No. That would be taking sports way too seriously. Truly hating a team is ridiculous and probably a little unstable if you ask me. In the context of sports and this board I think I use the word hate as simply a quick way to express what I just stated above.

It was fun to run some smack with Red Sox nation and engage in a little one-upping but I don't really hold any ill will towards the team or their fans. The World Series is over and it's time to move on to more important matters...like -ing with Michigan fans.

Way to go Red Sox Nation. Enjoy the win.

[Brian in Boston]

Congratulations to the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox!!!!!!!

It was great to see the young talent (Ellsbury, Pedroia, Papelbon, Youkilis, etc) step-up and truly contibute to the effort. It made for a terrific mix of veteran leadership and youthful contributions to the cause. I was equally impressed by the effort on the part of all four Red Sox starting pitchers in the World Series.

My hat's off to the Colorado Rockies on their incredible run just to get to the World Series. An outstanding run.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Agreed. There's little in the world I truly "hate." Sports definitely does not fall under that umbrella. But I think when people use the term "hate" related to sports, I think we can all agree on what that means -- a strong dislike that is appropriately compartmentalized to sports and sports only. I'm not about to punch out a guy wearing a Georgetown basketball jersey just because they happen to be rivals of the Syracuse Orange.

So in the general terms of "hate" for the Red Sox, yeah, I suppose I do. But really, it's not the team. It's the fan base. I don't watch ESPN, so I don't see the fawning. I do see the Dane Cookization of Red Sox Nation and everything about it bugs me: The strategically faded Red Sox caps, the cute pink babydoll Red Sox tees on girls, the green Red Sox t-shirts on guys, the complete lack of proportion in the way fans view their team. The Cardinals recently won their 15th (or whatever) World Series championship. The Sox are on, what, five? Six? Let's hang a few more banners before acting like the greatest of all time, that's all.

Someone else (I think Milo) talked about being disillusioned by sports. He asked the last time we were truly into following our team in particular or sports in general. My answer is the Big East tournament of 2006 and Gerry McNamara's incredible dissecting of the rest of the Big East. The whole tournament was amazing moment after amazing moment. It's too bad SU got punked out by Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA's, because McNamara deserved better than that.

[Swiss]

Hey Boston:

How's it feel to be hated around the country?

Not the cute loveable losers anymore.

Only 20 19 more to go.

Signed,

A Yankees Fan

Here, corrected for you!

At least, we could win World Series in the XX and XXI centuries unlike your Yankees...

It was a pleasure reading your chagrin.

[Swiss]

The Cardinals recently won their 15th (or whatever) World Series championship. The Sox are on, what, five? Six? Let's hang a few more banners before acting like the greatest of all time, that's all.

I can accept your point of view.

Only a correction... to this date, the Cards won 10 WS, the Red Sox won 7 WS.

[TFoA]

Congrats to the Red Sox and their fans that didn't jump on the bandwagon after 2004. This is a franchise that really deserves any good that it gets.

And as for the hate part...I dislike the Red Sox because of the fact that they've got such a multitude of bandwagon fans ever since '04. I mean, if Bill "Boston is the only sports city that matters" Simmons is complaining about the number of bandwagon fans there are, then it's crazy.

So yeah, once again, congrats to the Sox and all the Sox fans that have been a fan since Bucky Dent was killing you guys.

[rams80]

Jay Mariotti wrote this about the Red Sox in today's Chicago Sun-Times:

So, I put it to you, the CCSLC. Do you hate the Red Sox?

I do not hate the Red Sox team. I merely loathe them, and the way that they buy championships. (And before a Boston fan rebuts...when's the last time your team really had to "make decisions" based on finances?)

I detest Boston fans, at least of the bandwagoning variety. I do hate "The Worldwide Leader"'s coverage of the Red Sox.

I wouldn't read too much into Mariotti's column though....he's a toolbox who would trade several vital parts of his anatomy so as to get a job with the Boston Globe....if Ozzie Guillen didn't already have possession of those parts.

[Seadragon76]

Congrats to the Red Sox. This had the same feel as the '04 team but it wasn't the same.

Also, hats off to Colorado for just about doing the impossible. Think about it. 5 weeks ago, the Rockies weren't even in contention for the Wild Card... To come back and not only win the Wild Card in an exciting playoff game against the rival Padres, they also swept both the Phils and the D-Backs.

Give the Rockies credit. They deserve to be in the World Series. They just had too much time off after sweeping Arizona.

[Milo Meningocele]

Someone else (I think Milo) talked about being disillusioned by sports. He asked the last time we were truly into following our team in particular or sports in general.

That was me, but I wouldn't say I became disillusioned. I'd say I lost my disillusion. I used to split Tigers season tickets up until I divorced my way out of them in 2003. I'd go to the park with my face painted, and scream my head off for nine innings, twenty times a year. Now, I couldn't even tell you the last time I watched an entire Tigers, Pistons or Wings game from start to finish. At some point, I realized that sports was nothing more than a few hours of pointless entertainment. My enthusiasm has no influence on whether a team wins or loses. I get no championship ring when they win it all, no blame when they blow the big one. I am not a Cardinal (or a Tiger). Despite the empty words the players spout, I mean nothing to a team's success beyond the money I spend on tickets or merchandise. And even though there have been several championships won by teams representing my city over the last two decades, I haven't felt the euphoria over it that I did when I was a kid, or the pain I used to when they fell just short, or had a disastrous year from the start. I guess it happened long enough ago for me, that I have a hard time understanding why other adults are still so attached.

[/end threadjack]

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

some red socks for our Red Sox bukakke.

The Red Sox is God's team now. God is now a Boston fan and he will make sure the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics win championships. This is the greatest team ever, its America's and Gods (whom ever you worpship - ball-in-glove, mike and mike, W*) team. now lather them with praise and worship bask in the glory of the greatness that is the Red Sox.

and don't worry about the Bruins, they don't count as a major league franchise. Since the NHL isn't a major league organization. its just an insignificant league below National Frog Baseball League and Major Indoor League of Fooseball. Thus nhl teams can't be mentioned alongside real major league entitities like NFL, MLB or NBA.

[infrared41]

some red socks for our Red Sox bukakke.

The Red Sox is God's team now. God is now a Boston fan and he will make sure the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics win championships. This is the greatest team ever, its America's and Gods (whom ever you worpship - ball-in-glove, mike and mike, W*) team. now lather them with praise and worship bask in the glory of the greatness that is the Red Sox.

Then again maybe I do really hate them after all.

[Swiss]

Congrats to the Red Sox. This had the same feel as the '04 team but it wasn't the same.

Also, hats off to Colorado for just about doing the impossible. Think about it. 5 weeks ago, the Rockies weren't even in contention for the Wild Card... To come back and not only win the Wild Card in an exciting playoff game against the rival Padres, they also swept both the Phils and the D-Backs.

Give the Rockies credit. They deserve to be in the World Series. They just had too much time off after sweeping Arizona.

You are damn right about the Rockies. The World Series sweep doesn't cover up the memorable, exciting season for Colorado.

[BostonBlazer]

Could I be more satisfied?

[DEAD!]

Could I be more satisfied?

Yes.

[shiznit1083]

YAAAAAAAAAH!!!! CONGRATULATIONS SOX!!!!!

By the way to the Yankee fans who throw the "26 championships" card: How many were you alive to enjoy. If you weren't alive for all of them, does it really matter how many you have?

Besides, you do realize the Yankees are responsible for the BIGGEST CHOKE in the history of professional sports?

Just checking.

BTW: Rockies fans, your team was worthy of the trip to the world series. Good fans in Colorado. I think they'll be back soon enough, great corps of excellent young hitters top of the rotation starters and relievers.

[DDR]

YAAAAAAAAAH!!!! CONGRATULATIONS SOX!!!!!

By the way to the Yankee fans who throw the "26 championships" card: How many were you alive to enjoy. If you weren't alive for all of them, does it really matter how many you have?

Besides, you do realize the Yankees are responsible for the BIGGEST CHOKE in the history of professional sports?

Just checking.

An 11-year old Yankee fan would have been alive for four. A fan in his early 20s certainly could have been old enough to enjoy all four. 4>2.

And, as an aside, are the Yankees responsible for the Biggest Choke, or are the Red Sox responsible for the Best Comeback in the history of professional sports?

[shiznit1083]

YAAAAAAAAAH!!!! CONGRATULATIONS SOX!!!!!

By the way to the Yankee fans who throw the "26 championships" card: How many were you alive to enjoy. If you weren't alive for all of them, does it really matter how many you have?

Besides, you do realize the Yankees are responsible for the BIGGEST CHOKE in the history of professional sports?

Just checking.

An 11-year old Yankee fan would have been alive for four. A fan in his early 20s certainly could have been old enough to enjoy all four. 4>2.

And, as an aside, are the Yankees responsible for the Biggest Choke, or are the Red Sox responsible for the Best Comeback in the history of professional sports?

Exactly, but it's certainly not 26.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

And four is certainly twice as many as two, like the Dude said. That's two times as many championship wins, and three times as many World Series appearances. I certainly hope we're not trying to say that the Red Sox all of a sudden are light years better than the Yankees. Because that's the kind of hyperbole that makes us all hate you.

[DDR]

And on that note, "go Colts."