boywiththorninside Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 And here is the big thing: The Red Sox win now. Not just games and series, but championships. The great backstory to this matchup evaporated along with that three-games-to-none lead the Yanks let slip away in the 2004 ALCS. Boston was no longer Charlie Brown falling on his butt after the Yankees went all Lucy and kept pulling it away at the final second. In 2003-04, every game - heck, every inning, every pitch - was as riveting as baseball gets. But that was because the Yankees had something and the Red Sox were trying to take it away. The context was everything. The Curse defined The Rivalry. Once the hex was lifted, so was the Luke-and-Laura-are-getting-married portion of the script. The intensity could never be the same again. In fact, now it is contrived. We are told these games carry the same heat as always by their presence in special time slots on Fox and ESPN, and by people like me trying to convince you that nothing has changed, that it is Red Sox vs. Yankees and it is the same as it has ever been. Yeah, there's definitely some truth in this. Still, as long as both the Yankees and Red Sox continue to be playoff contenders, continue to battle for the AL East crown, I'll still care about the "rivalry." Just not as much as ESPN wants me to. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Folks can be sick of Yankees/Red Sox all they want. It won't change programming. Programming=viewership/money and both teams still draw the most The "rivalry" has been played to death. It's old. Stale. The media make a lot more of it than the fans do at this point. Heck, I'm sick of it and have been since that sweet 2004 season. Regardless, it'll play on like the bullshit "Curse" has and the knobs that still claim Ruth was sold because Frazee was broke and wanted to produce a show tune. Ignorance ain't bliss but it sells. Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Yankees/Red Sox is interesting because it's two good teams competing in the same division. But they aren't any more interesting to me than any other similar matchup. Braves vs. Mets is just as interesting to me. Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Yankees/Red Sox is interesting because it's two good teams competing in the same division. But they aren't any more interesting to me than any other similar matchup. Braves vs. Mets is just as interesting to me.Save my obvious bias, I agree. A good match up is a good match up. Everyone's got their own team to root for. I don't think because "my" team has kicked ass for the past 4 years they are any less deserving. Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I don't mean to hurt the feelings of my Red Sox and Yankees fans friends, but this column is dead on. RIVALRY'S BUZZ TAKES A BEATING By JOEL SHERMANApril 16, 2008 -- I DO NOT want to write this column, but I must, because the Red Sox and Yankees start a series tonight and someplace next to the original Gutenburg press is a journalistic playbook that demands we trumpet each new sighting of The Rivalry as if it were the ball coming down on New Year's. Even if the two teams just played over the weekend in Boston. Even if this series is just two games. Even if it is just April 16. Get MORE from Sherman at the Hardball Blog You see, we in the media are as addicted to Red Sox-Yankees as any junkie is to a drug. We have all decided to ignore realities that this series has lost a good deal of its juice the past few years, and now contains two of the worst traits of modern baseball: The games are usually way too long and too often come with the commentary of Joe Morgan. In fact, this series has become Joe Morgan in many respects: Famous for something that happened in the past and now something presented to us regularly as extraordinary that, quite frankly, isn't. This is like "Survivor" or "ER" now. Something that used to be unique and special and well done, that lost its essence years ago. However, it stays on the network schedule in hopes that it can recapture what it once was. I asked a Fox executive before the Saturday game if he covers his eyes while the game is in progress and hopes when he opens them that Pedro Martinez and Don Zimmer will be rolling around on the ground? He laughed. I didn't. It is Red Sox-Yankees, so yes, it comes with a ton of history and, thus, more buzz than, say, Brewers-Pirates. But it also comes 18 times a year. If Christmas were celebrated 18 times a year, it would be hard to sing the carols with quite the same gusto. And here is the big thing: The Red Sox win now. Not just games and series, but championships. The great backstory to this matchup evaporated along with that three-games-to-none lead the Yanks let slip away in the 2004 ALCS. Boston was no longer Charlie Brown falling on his butt after the Yankees went all Lucy and kept pulling it away at the final second. In 2003-04, every game - heck, every inning, every pitch - was as riveting as baseball gets. But that was because the Yankees had something and the Red Sox were trying to take it away. The context was everything. The Curse defined The Rivalry. Once the hex was lifted, so was the Luke-and-Laura-are-getting-married portion of the script. The intensity could never be the same again. In fact, now it is contrived. We are told these games carry the same heat as always by their presence in special time slots on Fox and ESPN, and by people like me trying to convince you that nothing has changed, that it is Red Sox vs. Yankees and it is the same as it has ever been. This is where I abandon ship. I remember being young once and going to a bar with my pals and a few of us having quite a special night after meeting a few ladies. And we kept going back to that bar over and over and over hoping to recapture what had happened that one great night. Of course, we never did have an instant replay. It was a moment in time, great and gone. And this is where Yankees-Red Sox is now. I am so glad that I was there for all that occurred in 2003-04 - whether it was Big Papi emerging to greatness or Derek Jeter going headfirst into the stands or Karim Garcia and Jeff Nelson re-enacting the Hell's Angels side of Altamont in the Fenway visiting bullpen. But I approach yet another Red Sox-Yankees series feeling like I have learned the lesson that even too much chocolate will make you sick. And having to hear Joe Morgan discuss it will then make you vomit. Damn, I guess I really need to rethink how much I enjoyed last night's game. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Miguel Tejada is two years older than previously thought Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Miguel Tejada is two years older than previously thoughtIt's been rumored for years that he was older than he claimed. Inetersting that he wants to come clean not long after being implicated in the Mitchell Report, though. Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 20 innings and counting in the Rockies game. Link to post Share on other sites
Nobody Girl Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Bottom of the 22nd now (how weird is it to type that?). I'm rooting for the Padres to tie it so they can keep playing. Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 only took 6 hours Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I don't mind the Marlins "waiting" for the home run. Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 finally, after waaaay too long I made it to the new Busch Stadium - and all I have to say is..... wow. I am not keen on a lot of the extra crap on the concourses - it's somewhat crass - too commercial, etc.......but once you are in your seat? the view is freakin spectacular and it's just a beautiful place to be. Still, I miss my old baseball home - the big ol beast that it was. Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 This Monday's American Experience will be about Roberto Clemente. Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 This Monday's American Experience will be about Roberto Clemente. oooooooh!!!! thanks for the heads up!! :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 oooooooh!!!! thanks for the heads up!! :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub :wub I really want a Clemente throwback Santurce Crabbers jersey. Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 that would be sweet. Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 It would just add to the numerous Clemente memorabilia I have. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Kinsley Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I really want a Clemente throwback Santurce Crabbers jersey.I've been a Clemente fan since I read a kids book on him in the school library when I was seven. The opening line was that his birthday was August 18 - the same day as me. When you're 7 that's all it takes, but then to find out how he died, what a great player he was, the way he spoke up on equality and race, etc... he's been my favorite ever since. I remember seeing a Santurce hat about 5 years ago that, for some unknown reason, I didn't get. Now they seem to be sold out. I'm still kicking myself. Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 I've been a Clemente fan since I read a kids book on him in the school library when I was seven. The opening line was that his birthday was August 18 - the same day as me. When you're 7 that's all it takes, but then to find out how he died, what a great player he was, the way he spoke up on equality and race, etc... he's been my favorite ever since. I remember seeing a Santurce hat about 5 years ago that, for some unknown reason, I didn't get. Now they seem to be sold out. I'm still kicking myself.Either Ebbets Field Flannels or the Cooperstown Ballcap Co. can hook you up for ALL your Cangrejeros needs. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Kinsley Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Either Ebbets Field Flannels or the Cooperstown Ballcap Co. can hook you up for ALL your Cangrejeros needs.Holy Crap! Those are tied for most incredible on-line shopping sites ever! Thanks!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Twisted Acres Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Ebbets Field Flannels fucking ROCKS. And you gotta call them by their proper name... the Santurce Cangrejeros! I've got my Santurce #21 home jersey... Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Gotta love a walk off! Link to post Share on other sites
Reni Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 as bummed as I was to see the Cardinals lose today - it was a thrill to watch this young guy work. As Graham said....he's a stud. I am a fan. Link to post Share on other sites
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