Dog Days Of Spring

Well, The Wife (see the how I capitalized that? Take notes, boys) is out of town for the weekend, which gives me plenty of time to sit in front of the TV and blog about baseball and the NBA playoffs. Lucky you.

HDTV is a great thing. It enhances the experience of watching almost any program, but especially sports. Of course there are a few exceptions to this phenomenon. In any case, the Rangers' new red jerseys look pheeee-nomenal (copyright Jim Rome) in high-def.

Did I mention I love the Rangers bringing back the red? I do, I really do. The best part of it is that they didn't go completely back to the 1990's look. They still have the blue lettering and numbers with red trim on the white jerseys, along with the blue helmets on the road (and occasionally at home). If you have no other reason for tuning in to a Ranger game this season, it's worth it to see what combo they'll be wearing on any particular night.

Bad times in H-Town so far. Not like my Rangers are killing it either, (they're 4-5 and losing 4-0 as I type) but the LAstros (thank you, Garrett) are pretty sad. May want to reevaluate those season tickets, JScott.

Maybe it's from listening to JackO on the BSReport, maybe it's all the hubbub on ESPN about the new stadium, but the Yankees are slowly becoming not completely intolerable. Congrats, guys.

I haven't been too geeked about the NBA this season, but I am more than ready for the playoffs. I'm afraid the Spurs will have a short stay of it, but the Portland/Houston, Denver/Nawlins, Atlanta/Miami should be fantastic first-round matchups before the inevitable LA/Cleveland epic in the Finals.

And what an epic it will be. I've never been a Kobe fan, but I'd like to see him win one without Shaq. Everyone gives Shaq a pass when it comes to criticising him, because he's the 'big, goofy, fun-lovin, Twittering, lovable' Shaq, but he's proven himself to be an extremely self-centered teammate who won't take criticism from anyone, and who's probably wasted a big part of his talent-as crazy as that is-being too concerned with his image. All that to say, while Kobe probably isn't the best guy in the world, he's recognized as one of the hardest-working guys in the league who takes a TON of crap from media and fans, all without saying anything to fuel the fire.
On the other hand, I'd like to see Bron Bron win one in Cleveland in hopes that it may convince him to stick around after next season. Regardless of who you root for, an LA/Cleveland Finals should be one for the ages, and one that all basketball fans will love to watch.

It's Gonna Make It Hard To Tell You That I'm Leaving

I remember the night of October 27, 2004 for two reasons. First of all, it was 'intramural night' for GSP, one of the most challenging pledging events we have, except that by 2004, I was a member, and on the giving end of all the torture. I also remember 10/27/04 because it was the night the Boston Red Sox finally put an end to 86 years of bad luck and won the World Series by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 0, by far the greatest memory I have as a baseball fan.

At that point in my life, I had never been to Boston and had never seen them play in person, yet they were my favorite team in the Majors after the Rangers. This affection for the BoSox started when I was a kid and my dad told me A) How much we (and by 'we,' I mean Agans, for generations and generations) hate the Yankees and everything about them and B) His memories of the summer of 1978, when he was taking summer classes at UT and rooming with a friend who happened to be, yes, a Yankees fan. That summer, the Red Sox had a huge lead in the standings, and looked for all the world like they were finally going to break the Curse. Just when Red Sox fans were feeling comfortable with their 14 game division lead, the Yanks made a furious second half comeback, capped by the 'Boston Massacre,' a four game sweep in Fenway Park. After winning a one-game playoff, the Yankees went on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games to win the World Series.

In part because of this hatred toward the Yanks, I became a Sox fan by default, and pulled for them every October, since by then, the Rangers were way out of the pennant race. I remember the pain that Aaron Boone caused in game game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, and how hopeless I felt after the first three games of the 2004 ALCS. When Dave Roberts stole second in game 4 that year, hope was alive, and after an unprecedented rally from three down, the BoSox were in the World Series, and honestly, the Cardinals didn't stand a chance.

I write all this because, well, times have changed. After winning the 2004 Series, the Sox became, overnight, America's Sweetheart. It's literally impossible to walk across a college campus (coughcoughACUcough) and NOT see at least 5 Red Sox hats being worn, most likely by fans who, pre-2004 didn't know a thing about the Sox. The bandwaggoning continued to grow, and after the Sox won the 2007 World Series, reached epidemic portions.

I got to witness this phenomenon last night at the Juice Box, just two weeks after experiencing the power that is the Yankee fan. Let me start by saying this: For all the crap I've given friends who actually like the Yankees (I'm looking at you, Luke Reeves and Michelle Oakley), I have to admit, they have great, great fans, even on the road. Going into the game against New York two weeks ago, I knew we'd be in for a long night of obnoxious "Let's Go Yankees!" clap, clap, clapclapclap chants. Well, I was right. There was probably a 60-40 split in Astros to Yankee fans, but the Yankee fans were much more vocal than the 'Stros fans, and cheered for their Bombers every chance they got.

Heading to the game last night, I expected the same from BoSox fans. I was wrong. While the Stros fans/Sox fans split was at least as close as it was against the Yanks, the Sox fans were shockingly, ehh, what's the word? Uninterested? (Doubt that, they wouldn't be there if they were uninterested) Unfamiliar with the players? (Not a chance, Boston's on ESPN more than Chris Berman) Tired? (No way, the game started at 6, an hour earlier than most evening games in Houston) What was it then? I mean, why did all these Red Sox 'fans' only cheer when Manny, and Kevin Youuuuuuuuukilis came up to bat? Suddenly, it hit me like a Mookie Wilson grounder through the five-hole.

These fans aren't real fans.

They saw the Sox become the darling of sports four years ago, latched on to the bandwagon, scooted farther inward after more fans hopped on last year, and haven't let go since.

I should have known this would be the case the second we took our seats and saw two middle-school aged boys sitting two rows in front of us wearing brand-spankin-new 'Ramirez 24' T-shirts and bright shiney hats, both of which couldn't have been bought more than two hours before the game. Besides the junior high bandwagonners, to my left were two toolish looking dudes with popped collars and green Sox hats. Disgusting.

For all the arrogance and obnoxiousness of Yankee fans, you have to give it to them-they're real fans. It isn't nearly as popular to cheer for New York as it is Boston, so you know they're the real deal when they show up in visiting ballparks, ready to raise heck and support their team.

Much has been made about this 'Red Sox Nation' phenomenon on other blogs, websites, and television shows, so this isn't exactly a new occurrence. Heck, even the most notorious Boston homer, ESPN's the Sports Guy, wrote an article about the absurdity of the Sox bandwagon last year.

All that to say-I've made up my mind to depledge my allegiance to Red Sox Nation. This is a decision I have been thinking about for almost a year now, and after last night, that decision is final. It's become too easy to be a Red Sox fan, and way too convenient to ride the coattails of a team you know is going to win than it is to stay with a team through thick and thin. I'll still root for them to beat the Yankees of course, but I can't in my right mind cheer for a team that I honestly have no real connection with, and one that 13 year olds across the nation openly pull for only because they know the Sox are good, and because middle schoolers have no soul.

This choice isn't anything against the Sox players. Heck, they seem to be pretty cool guys. Youkilis, Manny, Lowell, Varitek, etc are all great players, seem to be generally good guys, and there's really not anything to dislike about the team. (Side note: After the game, we were driving away from the ballpark and I saw a dreaklocked Latino riding in the back of a golf cart. After doing a double or triple take, I realized, 'Holy cow, that's Manny Ramirez!' I hurriedly rolled down my window, stuck my arm out, waved and shouted, "Mannn-eeeeee!!" And yes, he saw me and waved back. Who's the man.) It's just that, what's the fun in rooting for a team you have no real connection to when you know they're always going to win? That's like rooting for Wal-Mart or Big Oil in 2008, or the Black Plague in 1400.

For those who are die-hard Red Sox fans-those who suffered through 1978, 1986, 2003, and so many other heartbreaking years, I have no problem with the success they've enjoyed recently. If the Rangers ever reach the point that Boston has these past four years, I'll be extremely happy and proud that 'my team' finally made it to the top.

For now, however, I have to be honest with myself and realize that I'm not a tried and true BoSox fan, and more importantly-no one likes a bandwagon hopper.

Goodbye, old friend, it was fun while it lasted

(L-R) Cole Griffith, Me, Garrett Oakley, Brandon Maenius, Fenway Park, March 2005