Give Peace A Chance
Kudos to Kevin Cullen for putting this into print, in the Boston Globe no less. But, before any Yankees' fans share a smug smile, the same could be said to some of you. Chants like "Boston Sucks" and others that I won't put into writing because they are not family firendly are all too prevalent at Yankees' games when Boston visits. Unfortunately, it seems like the chants are just the start of the problems.
Twice in the past few months I have read about horrible incidents where Yankees and Red Sox fans crossed the line. In the first, a Yankees' fan saw fit to run over some Red Sox fans because they were tautning her. Recently, a Red Sox fan took exception to a car with New York plates and beat up a man in front of his family (I am not sure he even was a Yankees' fan in this case.)
I have seen the bad behavior on both sides. One of the few times I have ever been worried about my own safety was in 1999 during Game 4 of the ALCS when the centerfield bleachers at Fenway became so unruly that I saw a policeman start to unholster his gun. A few years ago I got into it with a Yankees' fan at the Stadium after asking him to stop using four-letter words to describe the Red Sox and their fans because there were kids around. In his mind my request made me a Boston fan. Both teams have a lot of great things about them, but too often their fans mistake hatred and boorish behavior as "supporting the team".
When we started this website almost five years ago we hoped to show that Yankees and Red Sox fans could engage in baseball debates intelligently and without name calling. By in large, I think we have done that and I hope we continue to do so. It doesn't mean either Andy or I root any less actively for our respective teams. We speak often normally, but not during Yankees-Red Sox series. Sometime tomorrow the wall will go up and we won't speak for the weekend. But, sure as the sunrise, one of us will call the other Monday and while the topic may not move to Yankees-Red Sox immediately, it will get there. That's what this great game is all about and I hope anyone out there reading this will pause a second before hurling verbal abuse (or worse) at a fan from the other side. Boo the other team all you want, just leave it at that.
Thanks again for reading,
Peter
Comments
Depending on his readership I wouldn't be surprised to hear the Fenway Faithful chanting "Cullen Sucks!" this weekend just out of spite.
I live in Arizona and whenever I wear my Yankees cap I get the same chorus 3,000 miles away from the Bronx.
Despite the good example Peter, Andy and Kevin Cullen are setting you three might as well be trying to drink the ocean for all the impact its going to have on people who's sense of self-worth is grounded in belittling the tastes of others.
Posted by: El Capitan | July 25, 2008 01:25 AM |
I agree with the article and sentiment.
I too, have never done the wave for that matter and despite my kids doing it and asking why I don't, I still refuse.
Posted by: blmeanie | July 25, 2008 08:58 AM |
Thanks for the link to the article and for the post. More importantly, thanks for the website, where people can talk talk and debate and disagree without being disagreeable. I'd heard of both stories you mentioned, just as I'd heard of similar foolish behavior earlier. These things make we wonder what's the matter with people. The single biggest reason why I don't like to take my wife to the ballgame is this kind of stupidity. People are drunk, saying stupid things, using foul language, looking for trouble. Who needs it? This is supposed to be a nice evening out? When people are beating each other up over allegiance to a sports team, there's something seriously wrong in their heads.
Posted by: Greg | July 25, 2008 08:10 PM |