So if you made it past the title without throwing your computer in anger, hear me out. This isn't just Boston sports fans, but because I root for Boston teams and I'm from the Boston area, I have learned to observe my kind from an outsiders perspective. I guess I owe that to hanging out with people that hate Boston at college, but besides the fact, these are things that either Boston fans blindly believe or just excuses for why things didn't go their way.
Boston Belief #1 Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL.
I'm sorry but right now he is not. Plain and simple. Is he bad? No, I would not call Tom Brady bad by any sense of the word, however I can't in any good conscience say he's the best QB in the league. That title belongs to Peyton Manning. Peyton has piled the best career of the two stats wise and has been the most durable and consistent. I refuse to penalize Mannning for winning just one super bowl, because I am not an idiot who measures a players career based solely on how many championships someone wins. And since I am going by present day best QB, Peyton has even had far more sucess in the past couple of years. Last year his team went to the super bowl, Brady had a first round exit. And if anyone dares to come at me with the lame "Brady's more clutch late in games" garbage, I got you covered...Manning has more 4th quarter comebacks/gamewinning drives than Brady, 35-30.
Boston Belief #2- The Refs are currently fixing the NBA Finals so Kobe can repeat and beat the Celtics.
Have you been watching the same series I have? Get real on this one seriously. If the NBA is scripted like people say it is, why did both teams have 24 foul shots tonight? The problem the referees have is calling too many ticky-tac fouls away from the ball. They do it for both sides. I know Tim Donaghy was recently on the Dennis and Callahan show saying there were close to 15 refs still fixing games in the NBA, but he's also a crook. Why is no one behind the scenes coming forward about this? Why aren't the refs being reported for making an extreme amount of money? If the refs were fixing games, why has LeBron James not won an NBA Finals game?? Clearly the NBA would want him above anyone to get a title, imagine the story? Why wouldn't they put him in there if it was scripted? He's the prodigy of the NBA right now.
Boston Belief #3- Pink Hats
If you wear a pink hat and/or a Jacoby Elsbury jersey to a Red Sox game, you should be escorted out, immediately.
Boston Belief #4- Bill Buckner, Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, and Pedro cost us world series.
No. Bill Buckner was a great guy and a good player. If you do some research you will know that the entire post-season Buckner was subbed out late in games that the Red Sox were winning for defensive purposes. He was an offensive threat but their were better defensive options. He was left out there so he could celebrate with the team when they won. Next thing you know Bob Stanley throws a wild pitch and then Buckner gets a ground ball and misplays it. Red Sox fans crucify him and he has to move to Idaho. In 1978 Bucky Dent simply hit a homerun in the 7th. Obviously it was a bad pitch and let's not forget the Sox had a 14 1/2 game lead that season. It was their fault they lost. Pedro cannot be blamed for what happened in 2003. He was the best pitcher on the team and any manager in baseball would tell you they want the pitcher to say he wants to get out of the inning. This is where its the managers job to take the ball from him and say, "thanks for the solid innings but we gotta turn it over to the bullpen." Grady Little didn't do this. It was his messup. This led to Aaron Boones homerun off Wakefield, the game had to end sometime. The Sox had other chances to win and didn't. The Yanks capitalized.
Boston Belief #5 Hate any team that eliminated you from the playoffs.
Why? What happened to saying good job and admitting you got outplayed? Everyone immediately looks for a blame. They cheated! The refs were on their side! They played dirty! The better team lost! Well guess what, make all the excuses you can but you still lost and they're moving on. Get over it.
Boston Belief #6- The Sox grow their own talent!
Not true. They spend more money than 27-28 other teams annually. They won the 2004 world series with countless players they recently acquired and did the same in 2007.
Boston Belief #7- You have to hate players from the Yankees.
I am guilty of this at times, we play these guys 19 times a year so you learn to dislike guys that consistently hurt your teams. But to hate someone solely because they put on another uniform? Come on. Johnny Damon was a large reason we won the world series. He was offered more money and years from the Yankees and did what every player in the MLB would do. He took the better contract.
Boston Belief #8- Bandwagon Bruins Fans.
I hate them. I dislike hockey for the most part. I find playoff hockey pretty exciting but it would be hypocritical for me to start faking an interest just because the Bruins made the playoffs. Don't comment on this stating that you are not a bandwagon Bruins fan and that you've been with them all along, because I don't care. If you stuck with them all year, good for you here's your reward: another year of being without a stanley cup.
Boston Belief #9- Fenway Park is the best stadium in the MLB.
(Sigh) It is not. It's actually one of my least favorites. I have had the pleasure of visiting other ballparks and they are all better. Maybe the only worst one would be Wrigley Field. Fenway is old and rundown. Larry Luchino and John Henry feed Red Sox fans the same bullshit every single year. "Let's preserve Fenway! It's the capitol of Red Sox Nation!" Then all the stupid fans line up to get overpriced tickets to sit behind a damn pole, or under the Dunkin' Donuts sign out in the right field bleachers. They add a couple hundred seats to make it look somewhat decent and people line up again to fill the Red Sox owners' pockets with cash. I go to somewhere like Camden Yards in Baltimore or Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and wonder why we can't have something like this. Why? Stupidity and feeding into the bullshit.
Boston Belief #10- Yankee Sucks chants when the Yankees aren't there.
I'll end it here. I could keep going but I think 10 is enough. This one is self explanatory. They can't hear you, and they are pretty damn good last time I checked.
I don't mean to attack just Boston, most cities around the country are just as guilty, but I grew up around people like this. Believe it or not, I am a die-hard Boston sports fan. I just wish people wouldn't mistake fanhood for ignorance.
haha #2 is me! i did say the NBA was Fixed lol and i agree Pink hats should be kicked out! great blog as allways ted
ReplyDeleteThanks dude, I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with #3, #4, #8, and #10. I hate pink hat fans. It wasn't Bill Buckner's fault because they a) never should've been in that situation and b0 still could've won game 7. I hate bandwagon Bruins fans. I started watching them in 2007 when I went to my first game in November and have watched the ever since and have seen countless people jump on after a playof series win. And Yankees suck chant at a Royals game in mid-June pisses me off to no end.
ReplyDeleteI actually think Tom Brady was the better quarterback, and in a quarterback I would rather pick a guy who has won more championships than a guy who puts up huge numbers. However, Manning is more likely to get to a Super Bowl than Brady now, so he is, statistically and win-wise, a better quarterback.
I like Fenway (mostly because I'm a geek for baseball history) but it is uncomfortable and certainly not the best stadium in the MLB.
I agree one shouldn't ignore Tom Brady's three championships, but right now I stand by the fact that Peyton Manning is currently the elite quarterback in the NFL. Thanks for the comment Ed!
ReplyDeleteTed, you're wrong. About everything you ever say, but I'm gonna pick out three points specifically.
ReplyDelete1) Manning is a better quarterback. I will say that they are definitely close, between stats and career accomplishments. But don't play it off like your the "unbiased boston fan." You're a fucking INDIANAPOLIS FAN! You hate the Pats. I watched you cry when Peyton lost the superbowl this year at Fans Rock, don't give me this shit.
2)Red Sox don't grow their own talent. False. I will agree that in the 2004 World series the team was mostly compiled of players acquired from free agency and trades. Here's something you left out though. Epstein became GM in '02. The average kid coming into the bigs takes about 5-6 years to develop in the minors. Don't be confused by Strasburg, he's a freak.
What I'm trying to say is that the Red Sox organization has been more focused on homegrown talent since Epstein took over. Which is why in the past couple of years, we've seen Papelbon, Youkilis, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Bucholz, Lester, and Bard come up. Although this doesn't make up the whole team, It's more than any other organization can claim.
3) Fenway Park isn't the best stadium in the MLB. I'm not going to argue with that statement, although i disagree. That's a matter of opinion.
However, the owners of the Red Sox are not jamming Fenway down our throats. When they first took over, they had many plans for a new ballpark, some that got as far as funding. But fans didn't want it. They liked the charm of the old ballpark. So because management couldn't build a 60,000 capacity behemoth of a stadium, they make their money how they can; jacking up prices and adding more seats to the stadium.
Stone thanks for the comment, I like that people are reading the blog!! I am not a Colts fan, I like Manning. I rooted for the Colts against the Saints to avoid debates about who the best QB in the NFL is. (For some reason people think championships solely decide who is the best player.) I am actually an Arizona Cardinals fan and have been since 2003.
ReplyDeleteI agree the Sox do grow their own talent. The point I was trying to make is, they don't do it much different than other teams. They spend more than everyone not named the Yankees and accumulate players. This actually benefits their farm system because it allows these players to grow and play extra years in the minors to work out the kinks. The Sox can afford to buy players, and do so they don't have to rush players to the big leagues. The money allows them to wait on players so there's no rush.
As for Fenway Park. The fans were told to like Fenway Park. The plan when they came in was not to build a stadium. They're doing exactly what they want to, spending just enough to keep the park standing and jamming as many fans into the small park that they can. They simply do not want to spend money on a new park because that would be another expense and they may not sell it out.
But seriously thanks for the comment and keep reading!
Teddy this is what makes Boston though. We have asshole fans (not as asshole as Philly fans but we are still assholes) we blow rivalries out of proportion and we completely make absurd comments about other teams and officials to help us cope with our losses. We also are known for living in the past, its been years since we swept the Yanks in the AL Championship but we still bring it up every time we get into a yelling match with a Yanks fan. I do agree that Boston has bandwagon fans when it comes to the Bruins, but DUH every team has that. I bet Cleveland fans jumped on the bandwagon once they got LeBron and when Miami got Dwayne Wade, its just apart of sports and thats why teams like getting all these superstars to make their ratings go up. Celtics are a perfect example. 2007 the Celts went 24-58 and basically lost every fan base we had, but in 2008 we grab Ray Allen and KG and BOOM fan base comes back once we 66-16 and dominate all the way to the NBA Championship where we grab our first victory in decades. Every sport has their hardcore fans and their bandwagon fans. My dad is a huge fan of the Bruins and the Celtics because when he was younger he grew up with the Celtics vs Lakers battle and The Big Bad Bruins, as he got older he stayed fans of both but started to pick up the Patriots because when he was younger they sucked so he never really became a fan of them. Now however, he is huge fans of all of them because they are all teams that are FUN to watch because of the SUPERSTARS they have. Oh and Fenway is by far one of the best baseball stadiums, looks wise, forget about it, but is that what decides if a stadium is good or not? No the fan base and moral is what is. Chanting Yankees Suck at a Royals game is exactly what Fenway is about. Were obnoxious Bostonians and always have been. Starting with dumping tea in tea in the harbor and now were making Beat LA tshirts it will never end. I know when i go to a Sox game I am going to have a good time, whether its singing the lyrics to Sweet Caroline and Dirty Water or getting drunk sitting outside waiting in line opening day I am having a blast every time i go. Look at the Rays stadium, its amazing! But look at their fan base, it sucks balls! Looks like looks aren't everything Tedward.
ReplyDeleteLove Ya Kid,
Prado
Thanks for the comment Prado. I still stay loyal to what I say, but I like your opinion. It is true every team does have their bandwagon fans, I chose Boston because I am from the area and thus have obviously seen the most of it. I unnderstand that this is what "makes Boston, Boston," but I still dislike it.
ReplyDeleteI still do not agree that Fenway is a good stadium, the atmosphere could be good, but I'm talking about actual stadium. The seats don't face homeplate but rather centerfield. The inside cement is cracked everywhere and it looks as if the tunnels you walk through could collapse at any moment. They also still have obstructed view seats for over 30 bucks! The Rays also have one of the worst parks in the majors, I've never been a fan of dome stadiums for baseball. But anyways, I am strictly talking about the structure of the stadium and how I wish we had something nice to go to like a Camden Yards or Citizens Bank Park.
Thanks for the comment Prado, hope summers going good.